Design-led Outdoor Garden Furniture & Accessories

July 13, 2020

Summer has well and truly arrived and to help you make the most of these long, balmy evenings, we’ve chosen some of our favourite design-led garden furniture and accessories to keep you looking stylish outdoors. Whether you have an abundance of landscaped grounds or are trying to make the most of a compact city balcony, this lot should give you plenty of inspiration on designing your outdoor space.

Dining Armchairs & Table from Gandia Blasco’s Blau collection

Seamless Spanish Minimalist

This strikingly minimalist outdoor dining table and chairs is part of Gandia Blasco’s Blau collection. The range, which has been designed by the Spanish architect Fran Silvestre and very much echoes the aesthetic of his studios’ designs, also includes sofas, barstools, and a coffee table. It’s constructed using aluminium sections with hidden pins; the result is elegant and seemingly… without seams.

Perfect For: Mediterranean al-fresco dining

Gandia Blasco

Saparella Fireside Chair & Footstool from Ligne Roset

Laidback lounging

Outdoor & garden furniture has come along leaps and bounds in the last few years. Developments in technology as well as a general shift in peoples ideas about indoor / outdoor living has facilitated an influx of quality, design-led options that simply haven’t been widely available in the past. Ligne Roset’s re-release of Michel Ducaroy’s laidback Saparella sofa is a case in point, bringing a level of comfort previously only seen with indoor sofa options but optimised to deal with the elements.

Perfect for: Relaxing with the Sunday papers

Ligne Roset

Designer patterns

Initially imagined in 1971 by Hans Hopfer, the iconic Mah Jong sofa has for many come to be emblematic of Roche Bobois collections and now it has been re-engineered to suit outdoor living. The modular design, originally intended to allow for complete freedom in form and composition retains that same flexibility in this outdoor version making it suitable for any space, large, small or indeed awkward. Upholstered in outdoor fabrics and available in an array of colours and patterns, it’s a fantastic solution for anyone looking to inject some colour and life into their outdoor living space

Perfect for: Afternoon tea

Roche Bobois

Frank Dining Chair and Table set by Vincent Van Duyen

Simply beautiful

Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen has collaborated with Sutherland Furniture to create the Franck series, an outdoor furniture collection that honours the formers penchant for solid yet tactile materials and has its roots in refined 1930’s design. The pieces are solid and simple in form, which gives the collection a real sense of purity and essentialism.

Perfect for: Dinner with the family

Vincent Van Duysen x Sutherland Furniture

A Design Lovers Guide To Bali

June 11, 2020

Bali is one of Indonesia’s best known islands and it is a glorious assault on the senses. Thanks to its sub tropical location (just 8 degrees below the equator) Bali basks in a warm, humid climate all your around and the seasons are defined not so much by swings in temperature but by the amount of rainfall.

It‘s fair to say that pockets of the island have fallen prey to the “party crowd” and yes, between the hordes of travellers trying to find themselves (thank you, Eat Pray Love) or find the perfect Instagram moment, there is a sad narrative around the dangers of unchecked over-tourism. Yet tradition and creativity are woven into the air of this bewitching place, and those willing to look for it will undoubtedly be rewarded with something that is not just authentic, but also inspiring and heartwarming in equal measure.

With that in mind, we’ve curated a list of some of our favourite Bali design secrets to help you discover the heart & soul of this beautiful island.

Hoshinoya, Ubud

The first Hoshino Resort hotel outside its native Japan, this off-the-beaten-track resort maintains the brands authentically modern Japanese aesthetic whilst incorporating the charms and culture of this most spiritual of locations.

Perched at the top of a sprawling valley above the Pakerisan river, the entire design ethos here is quite literally unified by water. Three canal-like pools connect the various villas offering a mix of semi-private water-gardens and open, leafy avenues. The villas themselves showcase Hoshinoya’s brand of luxuriant Japanese minimalism and artfully feature complex wood carvings and decoration, crafted by local artisans and so typical of Indonesian culture - it provides an aesthetic link to the nature and jungle that surrounds you and pays respect to the Balinese philosophy of balancing the human with both the natural and the supernatural.

Aside from a full-service spa, spectacular fusion restaurant, sunrise yoga sessions above the jungle canopy and a roster of cultural activities besides, the resort is also full of hidden nooks and quiet corners where you can just take some time for yourself and hide from the world. Our favourite was definitely one of the treetop gazeebos, where by special request you can even have breakfast delivered. No better way to start to the day.

Hoshinoya, Ubud, Bali

Katamama, Seminyak

The queues for daybeds at Seminyak’s infamous Potato Head beach club are lengthy (and hot!) but we sail on through and take our place, poolside. That’s because we’re staying at Katamama, the Potato Head families first hotel venture, and despite what you may think about it having such a world-renowned sibling, this hotel more than stands on it's own two feet when it comes to design.

Combining centuries-old Indonesian traditions with a contemporary imagination, Katamama is a heady mix of custom Mid-Century Modern furniture, locally-sourced amenities, and artworks crafted by nearby artisans. Fabrics are hand-dyed and stamped by a husband & wife team in Pejeng, a village on the outskirts of Ubud or else hand-woven in delicate pastel hues by the women of Desa Blahbatuh. The hotels iconic red-brick facade is made up of over 1.5 million hand-pressed bricks, a method of manufacture and an art form under threat from the rise of automation.

Katamama Hotel, Seminyak, Bali

Green Village

Situated on the Ayung River, Green Village is not just an architectural gem but has been built based on the principles of sustainability and organic permaculture. Each of the distinctive bamboo villas that make up this peaceful compound has been designed by the IBUKU architectural team and built by hand. The thoughtful and unique designs draw on a variety of sources for inspiration, from the verdant jungle to more traditional architectural features from the surrounding regions.

Green Village

The sunsets in Canggu are spectacular, and La Brisa on Echo Beach is one of the best spots we found to enjoy them. Modelled on the rustic home of a Balinese fisherman, it is replete with seashells, antique buoys, straw baskets, fishing nets and oh-so-many comfy beanbag chairs. It could so easily be gimmicky but instead it feels fun and a little nostalgic. The kind of place that invites you to sit back, put your feet up on a palm tree and enjoy a sundowner… or two.

La Brisa, Canggu

Soho Home x Anthropologie : Our Favourite Six Pieces

October 10, 2019

Now that this collaboration has happened it feels as though it is the most natural thing in the world; a marriage between the the boho-meets-whimsical-English-town-house vibe of Anthropologie blending effortlessly with the Soho House iconic brand of earthy-home-away-from-home-vintage-chic. In short, it’s exquisite - we’ve already eyed up a few pieces that will be coming home with us.

The collection contains everything from crockery & vases to more substantial pieces like armchairs and beds. Below, we’ve shared our favourite six - share the love!

Soho Home x Anthropologie Peggy Table Lamp

With a sleek domed glass shade and antique brass plated base, this elegant table lamp thrusts Mid-Century design firmly into the 21st century and would work just as well in a contemporary setting as a more traditional one.

Soho Home x Anthropologie Greek Street Set of Glasses

These quietly glamorous glasses are available to buy individually and the collection includes a highball, rocks glass, champagne flute, wine glass and a coupe. They’re sure to elevate any cocktail hour.

Available in Dark Orange and Wedgewood Blue, the Adriana armchair has a gently curved silhouette, vivid, sumptuous velvet upholstery and brass rod detail around its back. It quietly makes a statement without stealing the show.

Soho Home x Anthropologie Jasmine Chandelier

With a plume of feathers finished in antique brass and six glass globes, this whimsical chandelier is a centrepiece in its own right. It may be viewed as a brave choice by some but we defy you not to smile a little inside every time you see it.

Soho Home x Anthropologie Adriana Pouf in Blue Velvet

And finally, we love a good pouf - and this is a fantastic little specimen. With its playfully scalloped silhouette and decadent velvet fabric it would most definitely hold its own in any interior scheme.