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Nothing like a Dane Open your mind and your living space to simple Continental form and handmade contemporary craft, says Corinne Julius Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007 INTERIORS 15 FOR MORE DESIGN IDEAS, VISIT homesandproperty.co.uk R ARELY do curators go to the lengths the Danish government has gone to, to share its vision of Danish design with Londoners. Not content with holding a simple exhibition, it has taken over a Knightsbridge mews house and turned it into a Danish home — right down to rye bread and herrings in the fridge. As part of the London Design Festival, Dan- ish architect Rene Hougaard, in conjunction with CGL Architects, has remodelled the house, replacing internal walls with glass bricks and inserting skylights and a glass floor in the home-office, to allow more light to enter the ground floor. This traditional mews house has been completely opened up, creating an open-plan living area and kitchen on the ground floor, with two bathrooms, an office and a bedroom on the second. The plank floors by Dinesen flooring are the widest and longest possible. The furniture and LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL 15-25 September ‘Purchasers could move in without having to buy a thing – not even a dustpan and brush’ best, highlighting contemporary trends and traditional quality,” says Laerke Haiberg Svendsen of the Danish embassy. At the end of the show the house and all its contents will be for sale. It is fully furnished and purchasers could move in without having to buy a thing — not even a dustpan and brush. ■ Townhouse DK, 20 Egerton Gardens Mews, SW3, is open during London Design Festival, 15-25 September, from 10am to 5pm daily, then 10am to 5pm Monday to Friday until December. Rene Hougaard has completely opened up the mews house. Right, at £1,291, this three-legged shell chair by Carl Hansen & Son is just one example of the functional, but stylish, Danish design items to be seen in the house accessories showcase newer designers and companies; such as a smart, white dining table with steel legs and a day bed by Dnmark, ornately patterned, stackable, paper storage units by Pure Nomade and engaging asymmet- rical ceramics by Rikke Jacobsen and Rigmor Als. The house is aimed at a young professional couple with no children and is a very classic modern design. “Designers and architects, as well as furniture and product manufacturers are collaborating to show Danish living at its Above, open-plan living just got wider, with long, wide planks by Dinesen flooring adding to the sense of space in the living area A DANISH interior space would be the perfect setting for many of the handmade objects in Hue, Line and Form at Contemporary Applied Arts. Founders of consultancy Briing, Peter Ting (from Asprey’s) and Brian Kennedy (a fine artist and curator), harness current trends in design and fashion to show how to select the best of contemporary craft. “Colour is one of the strongest themes at the moment,” explains Ting, “so we’ve gone for really strong colour like the acid yellow of Natasha Daintry’s enormous platter or Rupert Spira’s teapot or harlequin coffee service.” Strong graphic imagery is another theme represented by David Roberts’s almost Pop Art black and white ceramics, Katie Walker’s ribbon chair or Mark Bickers’s lights. “Form, too, is really important and we’re recommending pieces by people like Ed Teasdale, who makes blanket boxes from reclaimed wood, or silversmith David Clarke, who cuts up and reassembles traditional silver in challenging new forms that combine into new functions.” Unusually, the curators will move in half-way through the show and re-curate the themes using work by another 30 makers. In part two, the work will be a gentler and less forceful take, with ceramic installations by Kuldeep Malhi in softer tones and glass by Stewart Hearn and Rachel Woodman. There will be colourful graphic textiles by Alpha Mistry, chandeliers by Bob Crooks and wooden furniture by Jim Partridge, Olivier Drouillard and Martin Grierson. “We really want to show people that there is another side to the word “design”. It doesn’t always have to be hard-edged and impersonal. It can be handmade with you in mind,” enthuses Ting. “People forget that craft is contemporary, often more so than mass manufacture. In fact production work often takes ideas from craft somewhere down the line. We want to show people how to live with contemporary craft, the functional and the more challenging, because we believe it is the way to live.” ■ Hue, Line and Form is at Contemporary Applied Arts, Percy Street W1. Part One runs from 5-30 September, Part Two from 5 October to 3 November. Colour is a strong theme. Katie Walker designed this ribbon rocking chair (£5,495). Below is an Aesculus gold-over- orange bowl (from £2,220) by Gillies Jones HUE, LINE AND FORM until 30 September Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007 L ONDON leads the world in design. The proof is in the fifth London Design Festival (LDF) Europe’s biggest and most glamorous home interiors event which launches this week, where more than 200 exhibition sites, shops and design companies throw open their doors during a fortnight of celebration beginning on Saturday. From the biggest companies to the smallest groups, from established figures who star in the design world to hundreds of young, cutting-edge makers and producers, there will be something for every Londoner who ever wanted to have the latest, and the best, in their home. It is more wide-reaching than Milan and more varied than the Paris shows. Yes, some big events are for “the trade” but all have public access, with design freebies thrown in (get a Tom Dixon light, or an energy-saving bulb, in Trafalgar Square). “Design isn’t just about product,” says Will Knight, LDF deputy director. “It is a whole lifestyle. And interactive is our name of the game. Look and listen, also join in, exchange views, have a go, engage.” Don’t miss the iconic 100% Design at Earls Court for big brands and small new names. Then, as a softer décor antidote, dally a little at Decorex in its huge tent in Chelsea. Thrill to sheer showmanship at the big West End stores, or join the buzzy little specialist outfits. Discover the avant-garde at the new event, Tent London, in this case not actually under canvas but in the 20 COVER STORY: DESIGN vast caverns of The Old Truman Brewery. Welcome the talent and products in group shows from all over Europe and beyond. Remember to go down river to Chelsea Harbour where you will find all the fabrics, patterns and panache at its event, Focus. Make a date with design: LDF highlights. For the full programme go to www.londondesignfestival.co.uk, or pick up a free guide, available at all festival venues. ■ From 15 September Head first to the Festival Hall, which is this year’s “hub” or information point. Admire the sparkly chandeliers from festival sponsor Swarovski, then look for the guys in the red T- shirts with LDF logos — they will tailor a personal route. Outside, on the riverside walk, is the Size+Matter installation. There are 150 black polished- concrete blocks by Zaha Hadid and an organic flowing shelter/sculpture moulded in Corian by Amanda Levete. ■ Monday to 19 September Trafalgar Square : Tom Dixon has made 500 low- energy Blow lights from recycled plastic to hang as a chandelier from a nine metre lightweight scaffolding dome. And 1,000 lights will be given away on the 19th at 5pm. But each day there are 1,000 Glowb light bulbs to pick up free. Also, get a free Lomo camera, take a picture, themed around design, and see it pasted into a huge maze-like LomoWorldWall, which is expected to grow by 22 September to an installation of 100,000 images from around the planet. For more information on the Blow lights, visit www.tomdixon.net. For more information on the LomoWorldWall, visit www.lomography.com. ■ 18 September Pimlico Road Design Day, SW1 (10am to 6pm). Free talks/clinics with design luminaries such as Nicky Haslam, Joanna Wood and Paolo Moschino. To register (essential), visit www.thepimlicoroad.com. ■ 19 to 25 September Bags of goodwill is at twentytwentyone, 18c River Street, EC1. Forty international star designers have decorated Fairtrade organic shopping bags — from veterans Robin and Lucienne Day and Pierre Paulin to youngsters Doshi Levien, as well as design celebrities Marcel Wanders and Giulio Cappellini. Bid for the design you love and have one of the coolest handbags around. For more information, visit www.twentytwentyone.com. ■ 20 to 23 September Space & Design comes to Selfridges, Oxford Street, W1, with sensational windows asking What is Great Design? Head for the fourth floor for free advice from the experts at Elle Deco — and all the latest lines in home merchandise. Tent London is the new baby of Ian Rudge who co-founded 100% Design. His mission (ably abetted by Jimmy MacDonald) is a multifaceted amalgam of events in The Old Truman Brewery (Brick Lane, entrance on Hanbury Organic flowing sculpture moulded in Corian by Amanda Levete is part of Size+Matter at the Festival Hall Ball Boy Chaise by Charles Furniture is showing in 100% Futures in 100% Design London on 23 September (www.100percentdesign.co.uk). For more information, visit www.charlesfurniture.ie From established to cutting-edge, the London Design Festival has something to excite everyone, says Barbara Chandler The InOut light (£732) for Metalarte is part of the Conversational Spanish event (15-25 September) in W1. Call 020 7323 3360. Free Ahead of the times Voido chair (£1,022) by Ron Arad for Magis, available at Greenwich Village, on the fourth floor at Selfridges, Oxford Street, W1 Selfridges’ sensational windows ask the question: What is Great Design? To find out, head to the fourth floor Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007 21 FOR MORE DESIGN NEWS, VISIT homesandproperty.co.uk/design Get a free camera in Trafalgar Square and add to the “LomoWorldWall” (www.lomography.com) In Trafalgar Square, Tom Dixon has made 500 Blow lights from recycled plastic to hang as a chandelier from a nine metre light-weight scaffolding dome Matthew Hilton’s new storage piece comes in teak (£2,780), paramara (£1,685) and mahogany (£2,020). For more information, visit www.matthewhilton.com. See his work at 100% Design at Earls Court 2 David Colwell’s Contour chair is part of the British Modernism 1945- 1975 exhibition at Twentytwentyone from 20-23 September. At 18c River Street, EC1 (020 7837 1900; www.twentytwentyone.com) Street, E1). “Content” is cutting-edge modern design; Circa sells unique vintage furnishings. Superbrands serves up the big international players. Talent Zone has work from new graduates. Tickets cost £7.50 booked online before this Friday, or £10 for adults, under-sevens, free and under-16s, £5, at the door. Ticket offer: Homes & Property readers are being offered two tickets for the price of one when booked in advance. Quote code ES1. For more information, visit www.tentlondon.co.uk. Do not miss the 10th Designersblock with thrilling international alternative talent. This year, Sunday’s family day provides a softening touch. Watch out for Liquid Projects — see live glass blowing/casting using discarded bottles. Out the back, explore cosy igloos made on-site in papier-mâché. Visit Claystation and decorate your own cardboard car. From 10am to 7pm at The Nicholls & Clarke Buildings, 3-10 Shoreditch High Street, E1. Tickets cost £5 for adults; £3 for concessions. For more information, visit www.designersblock.org.uk. ■ 21 to 23 September Super Design Market at the Festival Hall, SE1. Buy limited-edition designs direct from the designers, at prices from £5 to £100. For more information, visit www.scarletprojects.com. ■ 23 September Public day at 100% Design, Earls Court 2, Warwick Road, SW5; 11am to 6pm. Bonus shows are 100% Detail (architectural products), 100% Light and a new section for fresh talent called 100% Futures. Tickets cost £15 in advance online; or £15 plus £2 booking fee when you call 01923 690633, or £20 on the door. Ticket offer: Homes & Property readers are being offered two tickets for the price of one when booked in advance. Quote code ESM1. For more details, visit www.100percentdesign.co.uk. ■ 25 September Public day for Decorex interior design show at Royal Hospital, Chelsea, SW3, with exclusive fabrics, lighting, furniture, accessories and more (from 3pm to 7pm). Tickets cost £20 and include a glass of champagne, plus talks by interior design luminaries such as Mark Wilkinson and Joanna Wood. For more information, call Decorex on 01923 690665, or visit www.decorex. ■ 26 September Public day for Focus, the autumn interiors trade show, at the Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, Lots Road, SW10, with fabrics, papers, furniture and accessories. For more information, call 020 7225 9101, or visit www.designcentrechelsea harbour.co.uk. Twentytwentyone, (19-25 September; address as before). Top designers have decorated Fairtrade organic shopping bags. Bid for the one you like DESIGN From left: Michelle Mason displays her Egg Candleholders (£69.75 a pair); Jake Phipps has a playful take on lighting with his Jeeves & Wooster (£210/£225) designs; and Olivia Monthan shows her Species range of tiles (£37.50). All are part of 100% Design and can be found at Hidden Art on www.hiddenartshop.com At the cutting edge Gianluca De Girolamo at The Original Packshot Company Watch the paint dry Ecos Organic Paints has a revolutionary matt wall paint. Called the Atmosphere Purifying Paint, it absorbs and neutralises pollutants in your home when applied to walls. The paint is applied in the normal way but, when it is dry, it continuously absorbs chemical unsavouries. The Atmosphere Purifying Paint costs from £89.90 for five litres. For more information, call 01524 852371, or visit www.ecospaints.com. Idea of the week You can rely on the Swedes to do things properly, so it comes as no surprise that a new Heat Pump from Ice Energy hails from those Scandinavian shores, where 97 per cent of new houses are now built with heat-pump systems. Heat Pumps work by collecting heat from your garden and moving it into your home — essentially a refrigerator working in reverse — and they are so efficient that even when it is freezing outside your home is still warm and cosy. And as you are moving heat rather than creating it, and the fact that there are no local emissions, it can Alison Cork finds a “Barcelona” chair we can all afford, discovers paint that will purify your home and learns how packed lunches can be monstrously appetising Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007 SHOPPING 26 YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE. Bradford & Bingley plc. Registered Office: PO Box 88, Croft Road, Crossflatts, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16 2UA. Registered in England No 3938288. Calls may be monitored or recorded. 0800 011 3372 or simply pop into your local branch ‘Wouldn’t you like enough cash to buy your first home and furnish it too?’ First-time buyers mortgages up to 11 0 % meandmydreams.co.uk Loafing around If you love bread why not extend that emotion to your bread bin. Here is a bin with a lid that doubles as a bread board. It is made from a tough melamine-and-beech combination and comes in a choice of red, black or white to fit comfortably into the style and colour scheme of most kitchens. The bread bin costs £39. For more information, call 020 7261 1800, or visit www.josephjoseph.com. You’re such a brick If you want to be seriously green this winter why not make recycled logs with the 100 per cent Recycled Logmaker from www.greenshop.co.uk? The log maker, with easy-to-use plunger and clear instructions, makes the most of old newspapers, junk mail, cardboard, leaves, and more, as well as helping to keep you warm during the winter. The log maker costs £24.95 from www.greenshop.co.uk. Barcelona beauty The popularity of the Barcelona chair by Mies van der Rohe never seems to wane. And, luckily for those who cannot afford the genuine article, Siedasi offers a first-class selection of reproduction chairs, stools and tables, inspired by the great designs of the 20th century. Its “Barcelona” chair and matching leather footstool is usually £450 but costs only £405 for Homes & Property readers. To claim your discount, call 07962 580977 mentioning this offer before 1 December. For more information, visit www.siedasi.co.uk. REALLY USEFUL ideas & bargains save you up to 70 per cent on your annual energy bills while making a contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gases. The Heat Pump costs from £5,000 plus installation costs, but a £1,500 grant is available to home-owners; and, if you combine the Heat Pump with one of Ice Energy’s VBX units, it acts as an eco-friendly, low-cost, cooling system in summer, too. For more information, call 0845 310 5600, or visit www.iceenergy.co.uk. Heaven’s light Contemporary Heaven has a stylish and affordable range of lighting, where pieces such as the amber shade and pearl-white glass pendant (just £19) by Massive Lighting are sure to set an ambient tone to dark evenings. For details call 01462 451199, or visit www.contemporaryheaven.co.uk. YOUR Gardener is in the business of giving you a wonderful garden. It can create a new lawn, offer site clearances or tidy up a jungle-like garden, and even lay artificial turf on a roof or terrace. So it is good that Your Gardener is giving away £700-worth (including VAT) of new lawn (approximately 247sq ft) to one lucky reader. For your chance to win, send your name, address and contact number to info@yourgardener.com, before 30 September. The winner will be picked at random and contacted via email by 8 October. If you do not want your contact details to be kept by the company, write “NO” clearly after your name. Terms and conditions apply. For more information, call 020 8133 4906, or visit www.yourgardener.com. The lads at Your Gardener will turn a jungle into a tidy wonderland A tough new bread bin that doubles as a cutting board costs £39 from Joseph Joseph (020 7261 1800), and comes in three colour choices Shelves in a spin A rotating bathroom cabinet is a clever idea. Shades has one that features four large shelves with frosted glass panels to keep its contents in place and then it can spin around for a view in a mirror. The rotating cabinet (right) costs £199 including VAT. For more information, call Shades on 01937 842394, or visit www.shadesfurniture.co.uk. Siedasi’s reproduction “Barcelona” chair and matching footstool is now only £405 A pretty pendant light in amber and pearl-white glass costs £19. Call Contemporary Heaven on 01462 451199 Giveaway of the week Rotating cabinet costs £199 OPERATING out of its huge warehouse in Hendon, Elite Tiles and Interiors sells quality floor and wall tiles and is one of the largest importers of porcelain tiles in the South East. Its porcelain floor and wall tiles are sold at trade prices from only £19 a square metre, plus VAT. And there are hundreds of styles and colours to choose from in the warehouse. Elite Tiles and Interiors is offering Homes & Property readers 30 per cent off the already discounted prices across it tile range. To claim, present this page when you visit Elite Tiles at Elite House, The Broadway, West Hendon, NW9. For more information, call 020 8202 1806, or visit www.elite -tiles.co.uk. This offer runs until the end of September. AS AUTUMN looms, it is the perfect time to get your windows into shape. The Sash Window Workshop can make new craftsmen-built hardwood windows, but also works wonders upgrading existing windows. This family-run business offers an on-site draught-sealing, repair and double-glazing service — all of which is a cost- effective alternative to replacement, and helps retain the charm of your original windows. A variety of different glass options is available with all-year-round benefits that include noise reduction, enhanced security, “anti-fade” protection against UV rays in summer and increased warmth in winter. Especially for Homes & Property readers, The Sash Window Workshop is offering up to 15 per cent off all orders placed before 1 October. To claim, just mention this offer. Sash Window Workshop is at Lancaster Mews, W2 (freephone 0800 597 2598; www.sashwindow.com). Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007 SHOPPING 27 FOR MORE SHOPPING BARGAINS, VISIT homesandproperty.co.uk/bargains Post your feedback IF YOU’VE read the column and would like to give feedback (positive or negative) on any of the companies featured, then give us your comments by emailing rugfeedback@standard.co.uk and putting “Really Useful” in the subject line. Go on — tell us what you think. DISCOUNT OF THE WEEK Reach the dizzy heights New Heights now has five shops in London with a wide range of solid-wood chairs, tables, sideboards, chests of drawers, and much more, each made to the highest standards, and well priced. Especially for readers, New Heights is offering its Franklin nest of solid-oak tables for £333.75 instead of the usual £445 — a discount of 25 per cent. Take this page with you to your local branch before 30 November. For details of your nearest store, visit www.new-heights.co.uk. Be a bit crafty There is no shortage of the rare and unusual at Origin: The London Craft Fair, which returns to Somerset House in October. This is where more than 300 international designer-makers sell their innovative wares. Find glass, ceramics, jewellery, metal, furniture, basketry, wood and textiles, and pieces such as this extravagantly shaped Soak up the luxury The name of the company says it all, and Bargain Baths is a first port of call if you are looking for just that. It stocks a large range of Clearwater baths, showers and bathroom accessories at discounted prices and has a special bargain basement page on its website, where stock with flaws that sometimes the eye can barely see is sold even more cheaply. This Ontario two-person bath, for example, is priced at only £939 instead of the usual £1,405. For more information, call 0113 239 4577, or visit www.bargain baths.co.uk. A bath for two is priced at £939, down from £1,405, at Bargain Baths chaise longue (£2,800) by Sixixis. The event takes place from 2 to 7 and 9 to 14 October. Tickets cost £8 on the day, or £7 in advance. Call Ticketmaster on 0870 160 2853. However, Origin is giving away a pair of tickets each to 20 Homes & Property readers. For your chance to win, send your contact details to origin@craftscouncil.org.uk, mentioning this offer, by 19 September. For more information, visit www.crafts council.org.uk/origin. The monster munchies Great Little Trading Company makes going back to school fun for your children and encourages healthy eating with its Fun Fruit Carriers (£3.99, product code G0541). This is a great way to protect fruit from being bruised and, therefore, rejected by your child, as each carrier inflates and a clip lets you attach it to a school bag or buggy. Small compensation for having to do maths, but they will thank you later for encouraging them to eat more healthily. For more information, visit www.gltc.co.uk. Children can enjoy their packed lunches with GLTC’s Fun Fruit Carrier (£3.99). Visit www.gltc.co.uk BARGAIN OF THE WEEK The Franklin nest of tables, is down from £445 to £333.75 at New Heights (www.new -heights.co.uk) At Origin: The London Craft Fair, coming soon to Somerset House, you can find innovative pieces, including this chaise longue by Sixixis (£2,800) When I’m cleaning windows Upgrading sash windows can help keep your home warm Miles of tiles Heavily discounted tiles have a further 30 per cent off at Elite Tiles Your turn to recommend Here are some of the tradespeople you have recommended this week: ■ Purple Lizard, property maintenance, covering west London. Call 07970 917255, or email purple_lizard@btinternet.com. ■ Creative Urban Tree Surgery, covering all of London. Call freephone 0800 279 2156, 020 8743 5121, or visit www.ecocuts4trees.com. ■ Victoria Heating and Plumbing, covering south London. Call 020 7630 1166, or email frankdaley@btinternet.com. ■ Martin Sheirtcliff, painter, decorator and tiler, covering south-east London. Call 07944 148974, or email paintandtile@googlemail.com. For your contacts book: Visit www.homesandbargains.co.uk for other great value products. For general advice, call the Homes Advice Line on 0871 287 0344 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm; calls are charged at national rates) and for our home-owner’s directory of companies and services, visit www.thereallyusefuldirectory.co.uk. If you can recommend a bargain outlet or tradesperson, email alison@alisoncork.com. Bobbles ’n’ squeaks Gardening news by Matthew Appleby Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007 OUTDOORS 30 Time-less classic The Time-Saving Garden is an idea that will appeal to many busy Londoners. This 320-page, 660-photograph hardback from Reader’s Digest shows how to maintain a beautiful garden with minimal effort and very little time. Homes & Property readers can buy it at the special price of £21.99 (normally £26.99) with free p&p in the UK. To order, call 0870 990 8222, quoting the code A0145. From bulbs to borders of bold bobbleheads Add a bold splash of colour to your borders, or containers, with a collection of cottage garden alliums from Suffolk seedsmen Thompson & Morgan. Plant the bulbs now and you will be rewarded with masses of impressive stems bearing large bobbly spheres of tiny star-shaped flowers during spring and early summer next year. These are ideal flowers for cut displays, or for dried flower arrangements. Homes & Property readers can buy 100 mixed bulbs for £14.99, or 200 bulbs for only £19.98 and save £10. To order, call 0845 218 4840 (quoting the code MRES4) or send a cheque made payable to TMYP (with your name and address on the back and details of your order) to: Evening Standard Allium Offer, Dept MRES4, PO Box 99, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2SN. The offer is open until 31 October. Legless in comfy chair Ideal for that Indian summer that we are all praying for is the OutABox, a remarkably sturdy and comfortable seat that you can carry anywhere — in the garden, out at an event or down on the beach. The manufacturing process is very green- conscious (carbon neutral all the way) and the seat is completely recyclable, too. It is called a ground seat, so has no legs, but does give very firm back support, with the back of the box moulding around you. They cost only £5 each, plus £3.50 delivery. Call 020 7266 1044, or visit www.outabox.com to place an order online. Homes & Property also has six OutABoxes to give away; simply email your name and address to askus@outabox.com. Please put “No” after your details if you would prefer not receive any further mailings. The cup that cheers We Britons love our tea, so perhaps it is not surprising that the Balcombe Street Window Box Company has created a giant teacup and saucer as a feature for a patio table. Choose from a cup filled with a selection of herbal plants — lemon balm, camomile, lemon grass and mint — or a cup filled with indoor or outdoor flower arrangements. They make fun centrepieces, but could be placed anywhere outdoors, and, though they normally cost £85, Homes & Property readers can order them for £75 by calling 020 7723 4496, or visiting www.window-box.co.uk. Tiny plants are little pets Pet Plants, the latest Japanese craze, are regular plants produced in miniature form. The number of varieties available expands all the time, but the most recent to come on to the market are so tiny, when set into a little glass case, they can be daggled from a mobile phone or used as a key fob. To keep your “pet” plant thriving, simply dunk it into a saucer of water from time to time. Of course, talking to them might make them grow a little faster, but when they are about to burst their little domes, you can easily repot them. Pet Plants are available from www.prezzybox.com and are £4.95 each. Order online or call 0870 122 1007. A little house for Mr Hedgehog With hedgehogs fast becoming a rarity in many of our gardens, AHS Direct’s mammal house (below) could be a welcome addition to your plot and a boon for its wildlife, especially those home-hunting hedgehogs. Homes & Property readers receive a free two-kilogram bag of Bill Oddie’s Really Wild Bird Food with every wildlife box they buy, too. Hedgehogs will use the house to hibernate from November to April. They breed in May, with babies born and remaining in the nest until June or July. The boxes measure 320mm high by 480mm wide and 400mm deep and cost £29.99; call 01797 227300, or visit www.ahsdirect.co.uk to order, quoting the code W107. Dates for your diary Make a stab at compost EVERY gardener worth his or her salt should have a compost maker, but not every gardener knows how to make the best of their compost bin. Darlac’s compost aerator “lifts and mixes” the bin’s contents, both speeding up the composting process and making it much easier to check its progress — you don’t have to empty it out to look at it. Homes & Property has three Darlac aerators to give away, worth £10 each. Email your address with “Darlac competition” in the subject line to: info@papillonpublicity.com. Please write “No” after your details if you do not wish to receive further mailings. For stockist details, call 01753 547790. ■ The Royal College of Physicians is holding its third public open day on Saturday, from 11am-4pm, at 11 St Andrews Place, Regent’s Park, NW1. Plantsman Dr Henry Oakeley will be giving talks on the herbal plants in the college’s gardens, and re-enactments will show how these plants were used by the health service of Tudor times. Call 020 7935 1174, or see www. rcplondon.ac.uk/openday for more information. ■ Join the Bulb Bonanza on 15 and 16 September at the Wisley Plant Centre in Surrey, with Broadleigh Gardens bulb expert Christine Skelmersdale. Demonstrations are held at 11.30am and 2pm on both days. Call 01483 224234 or email wisleyevent@rhs.org.uk for more details. ■ The annual Spitalfields Show and Green Fair is on Sunday at Allen Gardens and Spitalfields City Farm, Buxton Street, off Brick Lane, E1. Admission is free and it is open from noon to 5pm. Call 020 7375 0441, or visit www. alternativearts.co.uk. What to do this week Sow winter lettuce, harvest apples, pears and raspberries. Plant spring cabbage and onion sets and dig over soil before it gets too wet this autumn. Cut back Jerusalem artichokes and asparagus to ground level. Clear old pea and bean plants and dig over. If your tomatoes won’t ripen, lift the plant and hang it up in the garage or cellar. The tomatoes should get the hint that the plant’s days are over and begin to redden. Otherwise, remove any flowers to signal to the plant that is time to finish setting seed by ripening the existing tomatoes. Throw away the old rule books — along with the pesticides. There is a new way to garden now. Pattie Barron hails the philosophy of ‘green gardening’ guru Matthew Wilson Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007 OUTDOORS 31 F IFTY years ago the biggest worry facing gardeners was how to create the perfect lawn. Now our concerns are broader: how do we make a garden that with- stands climate change? Which plants thrive through storm, flood and drought? How can we use gardening to make a positive impact on the environment? It is time to throw away the old, irrelevant rule books — along with the pesticides — and embrace a new way of gardening. Leading the movement is Matthew Wilson, who has pio- neered its principles and naturalistic planting style at the RHS Garden Harlow Carr, North Yorkshire, where he is curator, and has written the first reference book that redefines the RHS standard practice. New Gardening: How to Garden in a Changing Climate (Mitchell Beazley) sets out an achiev- able and sustainable way of gardening for our uncertain climate. “At the heart of new gardening is the ques- tioning of practices that are detrimental to the environment,” says Wilson. “I’ve gardened successfully with negligible to zero chemical use. I’ve done this by encouraging and embrac- ing natural cycles in the garden, choosing appropriate, disease-resistant plants and by taking care of the basic elements that keep a garden healthy.” Knowing your soil type, and how to improve it, is key, says Wilson. Use a tester kit to tell you how acid or alka- line it is and a “feel test” to judge its type — make a ball of the wetted soil a little bigger than a golf ball. If it feels gritty, and won’t roll into a ball, it’s sandy; if it easily moulds into a ball, it is clay. Improve it with organic matter such as leaf litter, garden compost or green waste produced by local councils. Add grit or spent mushroom compost to heavy soils and manure or chopped clothing to light soils. Layer it on, don’t dig it in — this can damage soil structure — and allow bugs and the weather to break down the organic content. Reuse, recycle, sustain is the new gardening mantra. Trading in your power mower for a push mower is one way to reduce your carbon footprint as well as keep fit. Grow your own produce for “zero carbon” herbs and veg. Harvest rainwater and mulch plants to pre- serve moisture. Store water in butts connected to gutter downpipes. Wielding a watering can rather than a hose, points out Wilson, will lead you to discriminate between the plants that need watering and those that don’t. Composting is one of the oldest means of recycling. A compost bin can take shredded paper as well as grass clippings; a wormery Nectar bars and berry buffets Consider covering garden structures with drought-tolerant plants to reduce water run- off: a shed or garage roof can be converted to green status with sedums, stipas and ferns. You can make a green sofa by forming and firming soil into the shape of a seat and laying turf over the top. Replace the garden fence with living willow screens that absorb carbon and need no preservative treatments. Instead of manipulating soil to suit the plants, choose plants that suit your soil. Use perennials that have a wild rather than culti- vated look and which need less watering and soil improvement to flourish. “By encouraging Work with, not against, the site and situation of your garden. A shady plot presents a good case for planting woodlanders such as alliums and hostas No going back In Beth Chatto’s dry gravel garden, eremurus and poppies thrive Consider a smaller, more manageable lawn that you can keep looking good in most conditions without a massive amount of maintenance. Decking and broken stone might involve less upkeep Grow plants together that like similar conditions, such as these eryngium, crocosmia and lychnis With a little ingenuity you can create a container garden using found objects and recycled scrap processes cooked food waste; a refuse sack and fallen leaves of deciduous trees is all you need to make leafmould, a great soil conditioner. Use your purchasing power: only buy garden furniture made from sustainable timber. Be cre- ative: by using old paving stones instead of new, you breathe fresh life into found materials, helping the environment and saving you money. Reader offer: New Gardening costs £18.99, but Homes & Property readers can buy it for £14.99 by calling 01903 828503 and quoting the order code MB127. a healthy, balanced garden with a wide variety of plants that provide food sources at different times of year you will have far fewer pest prob- lems and a garden teaming with wildlife,” says Wilson. “A garden stocked with ornamental plants can be a nectar bar, while fruits and seeds provide berry buffets late in the season.” Whereas gardeners used to “put the garden to bed” for winter, new gardening advocates leav- ing perennials and grasses standing, to provide food and shelter for wildlife. Most important of all, though, believes Wilson, is for us to change our attitude. “Develop an appreciation of the natural cycles of nature. There is much to admire in the decaying seedheads and stems of a perennial as there is when it is in full summer flower; it’s just a case of re-tuning.” ‘Knowing your soil type and how to improve it is the key to a healthy garden’ How Mummy loves to mix it Textile designer Victoria Richards has created a modern family home by mixing styles from five centuries, says Katie Law Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007 OUR HOME 32 OUR HOME 33 FOR MORE FABULOUS HOMES, VISIT homesandproperty.co.uk T EXTILE designer Victoria Richards has certainly put her mark on the interior of her late-Victorian red-brick house in Stockwell, south London. Yet the regi- mented façade of the terrace in which it sits gives little hint of what is to come as she opens the door. With its deep corridors and high ceilings, the inside of the two-storey house is much larger than you expect. This is the first of many surprises in a house that feels improbably old, perhaps because of the Jacobean oak panelling in so many of the rooms. These panels appear in the kitchen and in a bathroom that also sports 17th century Delft tiles, while the sitting room has Georgian-style wooden shutters, and, incongruously, a baroque-style carved wooden pediment above its door. There are plenty of genuine period details, though, such as ornate Victorian fireplaces, some with their original floral tile inserts, and fine encaustic floor tiles in the hall. It all makes for a curious mix, which might be overbearing were it not for the clean sweep of white walls, the judicious displays of contempo- rary crafts, some very smart lighting and plenty of toys and gadgets belonging to Victoria and her pub- lisher-husband Adrian’s two sons, Percy, 13, and Hector, six. “We moved in here when I was pregnant with Percy,” says Victoria. “I think the previous owners were antiques dealers and they must have added most of these interior details themselves. They lived by candlelight, and the whole place was incredibly dark. All the walls were bare plaster and the floorboards had a dark stain.” Apart from installing a solid iroko-wood work surface in the small kitchen, the couple have done nothing to the structure of the house, instead Where to get the look ■ Kitchen: the tiles above the door are by Lubna Chowdhary (www.lubnachowdhary.co.uk), with artwork by Margaret Proudfoot, and lighting from Flos (available at Icone; call 01332 866430, or visit www.icone.co.uk). ■ Dining room: pots above the fireplace are by Dan Kelly (www.studiopottery.co.uk), the tapestry and Bonnet print are from Shelly Goldsmith (email S.Goldsmith@ soton.ac.uk); the Glo-Ball light and Air chairs are by Jasper Morrison and the Ghost mirror is by Philippe Starck, all from SCP (135 Curtain Road EC2; 020 7739 1869; www.scp.co.uk). The RSPB clock is available from 0845 120501, or www.rspb.org.uk. ■ Sitting room: sofas from Conran (www.conran.com), the Sax Mini armchair in blue is by Terence Woodgate and is available at SCP (as before). The rug is from Crucial Trading (01562 743747; www.crucial-trading.com) while the floor-to-ceiling lights, called Parentisi, are by Castiglioni and available from Flos (as before). ■ Bedroom: textiles and gown by Wallace Sewell and Victoria Richards (020 7833 2995; www.wallacesewell.com). For Victoria Richards’ ties, from £50, visit www.victoriarichards.com. ■ Paints: all from Farrow & Ball (01202 876141; www.farrow-ball.com). concentrating on bringing in more light and mak- ing sure it could function well as a family home. “We painted the floorboards and the walls, and softened some of the surfaces using rugs, textiles, prints and ceramics,” Victoria explains. As a textile designer, based at the nearby Clock- work Studios, she is surrounded by other design- ers and craftspeople who can give her inspiration. Also, whenever she jointly exhibits her work, she rewards herself by buying something from her contemporaries, a framed textile by her friend Shelly Goldsmith, perhaps, or a ceramic item by Dan Kelly. While Victoria loves to collect other people’s work, she has plenty of her own textile designs featured in her house, including silk cushions and upholstered stools. Victoria, 43, was born in Devon and trained in textile and fashion at West Surrey College of Art. She went on to set up her own label, but also designed for other companies. Her commissions have included work for high-end fashion labels, such as Valentino and Nicole Farhi, and even for Coventry Cathedral, where her ecclesiastical vest- ments, designed for the Millennium celebrations, have joined John Piper’s superb Sixties designs. But her most successful line to date has been her “Jon Snow” ties. It started 15 years ago when the Channel 4 News presenter visited a studio sale and snapped up several of Victoria’s brightly striped ties. “At the time, I was making them out of scraps of silk from end-of-print runs,” she says. “What hap- pened next was that everyone started asking him where he got his ties. It became the most fre- quently asked question from viewers of his pro- gramme, so Channel 4 put a link from its website directing viewers to my website. I have even received calls from people complaining about news items they had seen but didn’t like.” Victoria found herself so overwhelmed by tie orders, she was forced to outsource some of the work to a firm of silk weavers in Suffolk, creating a range of woven ties to complement her hand- painted collection. This has left her with more time to devote to one-off commissions and large- scale textile pieces. However, Victoria is now working on a new range of ties to go on sale in the Tate galleries in time for Christmas. When she is not working, Victoria does her thinking, sometimes with a glass of wine, in the garden, which is her husband’s domain and “a real little oasis”. It feels both pleasantly overgrown and well- maintained, with its old-brick paving, billowing hydrangeas, large bay and elegant olive trees, lavender bushes and vines, which at this time of year are dripping with bunches of grapes. Victoria and Adrian are also working on a com- bined photographic and textile project at the moment but, otherwise, it’s family life as usual. Above: Georgian-style shutters and Conran sofas provide the mix in the light-filled sitting room Left: Victoria has her own work featured throughout the house, including hand-prinked silk cushions, available to see and buy at Clockwork Studios Left: Jacobean wood panelling has been fitted in many rooms, including the small, but still highly functional, kitchen Pictures by David George Below: Victoria’s pretty, stripy throws and scarves in silk are available from Clockwork Studios Right: a panelled bathroom has a wonderful set of 17th century Delft tiles Far right: the garden is mostly Adrian’s domain, but provides Victoria with a “little oasis” in which to sip a glass of wine and seek inspiration for her designs ‘The previous owners lived by candlelight. It was all bare plaster and dark-stained floorboards’ Victoria Richards, with sons Hector, six, and Percy, 13, in the handsome family home in Stockwell, SW9 A magnificent shuttered window throws light onto the modern dining set, with Air chairs by Jasper Morrison, from SCP ‘The most frequent question for Channel Four was “where does Jon Snow get his ties”’ VICTORIA Richards is exhibiting at Origin, Somerset House, Strand, WC2 from 2 to 7 October. Open Tuesday to Friday, 11am to 7pm; Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 6pm, with opening until 9pm on Thursday. Her work can also be seen at Clockwork Studios, 38 Southwell Road, SE5, by appointment only. Call 020 7737 8009. Terence Woodgate’s Sax Mini blue armchair, from SCP, sits by an original marble Victorian fireplace When Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow began wearing her stripy ties, Victoria received a rush of orders See Victoria’s textiles Andra Nelki Andra Nelki Andra Nelki Healthy savings MONEY MAKEOVER: Pushpa’s independence could be just a year away. By Toby Walne Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007 MONEY 38 What’s your story? IF YOU would like to be considered for a money makeover, in which our team of experts will advise you on how you can manage your finances better, send a brief outline of your current situation, adding a daytime phone number, to Money Makeover, Homes & Property Editorial, Evening Standard, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5EE, or email moneymakeover@standard.co.uk. Please do not enclose documents. If we follow up your story, we will contact you. FOR MORE MONEY THIS, VISIT homesandproperty.co.uk Profile Name: Pushpa Raj, 23, lives with her parents Job: Sales executive for internet firm Home: Parent’s house in Ilford, east London Pension: None Assets: None Debts: £9,000 student loan, £900 NatWest student overdraft, £500 First Direct overdraft Cover: None Virtues: Already saving cash and has the self- discipline to work hard towards achieving goal Vices: Wanderlust for expensive foreign travel and no budget plan P USHPA Raj, 23, is desperate for independence. But despite completing a degree in criminology and film studies she hasn’t a clue how to achieve her own happy ending. She lives in Ilford, east London, with her parents and is saddled with a £9,000 student debt. She also suffers from rare Lupus disease, which means she must avoid direct sunlight. She saves £100 a month from her £23,000-a-year job, but ultimately hopes to join the police. She is keen to see the world, and plans to visit Australia for a holiday while seek- ing a cure or treatments for her illness. Pushpa helps with Savings and investments: Pushpa should stay at home to work off debt believes Tucker: “Save at least £400 a month – getting into the habit of putting a large amount of salary aside is vital.” Chalmers explains: “The priority is to clear the overdrafts. Consider selling the car, it is too much of a luxury with public transport in the area and will reduce expenditure by £2,500 a year.” Both believe a top-paying mini cash Isa is ideal and £250 a month into this is a good target. Put a further £150 a month into a savings account. Property: At present, a one-bedroom flat in Ilford may cost £170,000 so Pushpa is in no position to buy, points out Tucker. She believes the borrow- ing on Pushpa’s income would be about £80,000, so it may be better to look further out, where you can get more for your money, such as nearby Romford or Grays. Other options include buying a shared flat with friends or getting a shared ownership deal, such as via the Government’s HomeBuy Scheme Budgeting: Tucker recommends Pushpa goes on a “clothes diet”. By clearing out her existing wardrobe she may find she has enough outfits for the following year — anything extra can go on eBay. Things to do: Make a budget plan and work out exactly where the money goes and how to cut expenses — selling the car, paying off debts and switching phones will offer immediate savings. Enjoy life. Go to Australia to reward yourself for saving, and seek help for your illness. Consider further advice once you have money in the bank. Call IFA Promotion on 0800 085 3250 or visit unbiased.co.uk. Check out comparison websites such as uSwitch. the bills but does not pay rent. Her main expense is a car and she spends £1,000 a month. She adds: “All I want is independence — but how can I afford to get on the property ladder?” What the experts say Katie Tucker of Charcol says: “Save for a year and you may be in a position to buy. Australia is great a idea before you start as it may help with your disease – a consideration for your career.” Toni Chalmers of The Financial Practice says: “Pushpa must first complete a three-month bud- get exercise to see where the money goes.” Chris Frost, at uSwitch, adds: “Look at areas where savings can be made by switching to differ- ent deals – £200 a year could be saved just on mobile phones.” Please quote reference ES1209 when making enquiries based on this table. *LTV - Loan to Value *Droplock is a feature that guarantees you can switch to any of the lender’s fixed/capped rates at any point within the specified period, subject to paying any fixed-rate arrangement fee. If you transact business through John Charcol, it may charge a broker fee of up to 1% of the sum borrowed for a regular mortgage applications (no fee will be payable when bought online through www.johncharcol.co.uk). It is Charcol’s usual practice to offset the fee by the amount of commission it expects to receive from the lender. In addition, a £75 booking fee will be payable upon application for any exclusive or semi-exclusive product. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE This is a summary sheet of interest rates currently available on the market and these figures are correct at the time of going to press. The products highlighted here have other criteria that will require evaluation before deciding whether the product is right for you as this table is for information purposes only and is not to be viewed as a recommendation. Loans subject to status, type and value of property. Minimum age 18. John Charcol is a trading name of Charcol Limited. Registered office: Holbrook House, 10-12 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5DD. Registered in England No: 3397767. Charcol Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA reg. 427339). Calls may be recorded for training and monitoring purposes. BEST-BUY MORTGAGES DISCOUNTED/TRACKER RATES Lender Max Current Until Go to The overall cost Higher lending Early repayment Notes loan rate rate for comparison is charge charge (ERC) Saffron 80% 5.45% 2.14% 7.59% 7.6% APR None None Lender’s fee £899. 0800 072 1100 discount for On remortgages, refund two years of valuation fee and free legals. Maximum loan is £250,000. Halifax 90% 5.39% Bank base rate 7.75% 7.6% APR None 3/2% to 31/11/09. Lender’s fee £1,499. 0845 727 3747 -0.36% to Can repay up to On remortgages, free 30/11/09 10% per annum valuation plus free legals ERC-free or £200 cashback. John Charcol 80% 5.92% Bank base N/A 5.9% APR None None No lender’s fee. On 0800 718191 rate +0.17% remortgages, free for term valuation and free legals. Available up to 95% LTV* with no higher lending charge at bank base rate +0.28%. Flexible. FIXED/CAPPED RATES Lender Max Current Until Go to The overall cost Higher lending Early repayment Notes loan rate rate for comparison is charge charge (ERC) Britannia 95% 5.49% For two years 7.45% 7.4% APR Over 90% 2/1% in two years. Lender’s fee £999. 0800 526350 Can repay up to £499 per annum ERC-free John Charcol 95% 5.89% 30/09/09 7.89% 7.8% APR Over 90% 3% to 30/09/09 on Lender’s fee £999. Fully 0800 718191 full redemption. flexible. Mix and match Unlimited ERC-free with other Alliance & part repayments Leicester products for a allowed higher loan size. Coventry 95% 5.99% 30/09/17 7.94% 7% APR Over 90% 4% to 30/09/12. Lender’s fee £999. Offset. 0845 766 5522 Can repay up to Free valuation up to £650 10% per annum and free legals on ERC-free. Can remortgages. Flexible overpay unlimited features, including amounts ERC-free payment holidays. Johncharcol.co.u k Homes & Property lawyer Karen Whitburn answers your questions Diary of an estate agent A nude balcony scene, a squirrel-chasing terrier and a set of missing photographs keep one Tower Bridge agent on his toes Monday I had been asked to go and value a two-bedroom flat in Shad Thames at 8am. It was a lovely flat and I was halfway through my sales pitch to get the instruc- tion when a movement caught my eye. Across the narrow street in the building opposite, a young woman was throwing open the French doors to her Juliet balcony. She hadn’t a stitch on. Suddenly, my tongue seemed to be tied in a knot. Tuesday I have heard some excuses for being late into work, but this morning’s was a winner. My mobile rang at 7.30am and my colleague’s first words were: “You’ll never believe this but…” She was unavoidably delayed, because her Jack Russell — on being let out into the garden — had chased a squirrel into the kitchen. The squirrel was now hiding behind the boiler and obviously could not be left there. She had to wait until her mother came round to keep guard before she could come to work. Mother called at 9am to Last Friday I was due to move. Transfer of funds for the sale of my f lat was late and, as a result, I could not send purchase moneys on to my seller’s solicitor. The seller agreed to release keys and let me move in over the weekend on the basis that funds would be transferred, and completion take place, the following Monday. He is now claiming interest and costs from me. Should my buyer pay? This story illustrates one of the difficulties of being involved in a property chain, with several sales and purchases taking place on the same day, and money from the first sale being passed up the chain to the last purchaser. It is fortunate your seller was persuaded to take a reasonable view, as I once had to inform a family they must stay in a hotel over the weekend as their seller would not release keys until the full comple- tion money had been received by his solicitor. The terms of your purchase contract probably allow the seller to charge interest on the purchase price (less any deposit already paid), and a sum for additional legal costs incurred as a result of your late completion of the purchase. Whether you can claim these costs back from your buyer will depend upon the terms of your sale contract. Most contracts provide that funds should be received by 1pm or 2pm. If the money had arrived by 2pm your solicitor would have had time to send it on. If the contract does have such a time limit, you can probably charge interest and costs on late completion. Whether you can charge on the difference between your sale price and the purchase price of your new property will depend on the specific provisions of the contract with your buyer. I bought a semi-basement flat in a build- ing that is Grade II listed. I have found the flat has rising damp and I am going to have to carry out damp proofing. Is this allowed in view of the listed nature of the building, and what action must I take before telling the builders to go ahead with the work? Try to discover the cause of the damp prob- lem. If guttering or pipes are blocked, this could lead to water penetration. However, if you have rising damp you’ll need to look at the struc- ture of the external walls. Most modern buildings are built with two layers of brick with a cavity between them and a damp-proof membrane. The cavity and membrane act to prevent damp passing from the exterior wall to the interior. However, many old buildings are constructed with only one wall, which allows moisture to rise. Typically, such older buildings are built with lime mortar, which allows the building to “breathe”, as moisture rises and evaporates into the atmo- sphere. Problems can arise where an old building has been repaired or rendered using cement, which stops the breathing process. Often, the problem can be remedied by removing the cement and replacing it with lime mortar. It is unlikely that you will be allowed to put in a damp-proofing course. Instead, you should dis- cuss with the council which method of work will be acceptable to ensure listed-building approval is given. I suggest you also investigate the terms of your lease to see whether the work should be carried out by the freeholder, with the cost being apportioned between the lessees in the building. Q Q A Key to unlock a chain A say the squirrel had vanished, but that the dog was refusing to budge from a gap by the boiler. Meanwhile, I went to value a three-bedroom duplex pent- house overlooking the river. It was a beauty and I was sure we could get £1.2 million for it. Wednesday The squirrel had squeezed itself into a suspended ceiling and the dog kept a vigil all night, hoping it would fall out. It wasn’t until early this morning that they managed to tempt the squirrel out with a peanut-butter sand- wich, and then throw a coat over it so it could be bundled outside without biting anyone. We were all laughing, imagin- ing the scene when the owner of the Shad Thames flat called, to tell us to start showing it. The question was, should we show it mornings or afternoons? Would a naked lady add value? I got home to find my neigh- bour — who has been trying to sell his house for months — had switched agents again and added £50,000 to the price. This is not good news. I was hoping desperately he would sell soon, as I have endured six months of his ground-shaking music. Thursday The owner of the riverside pent- house called to say she has a private buyer, having posted its details on the residents’ notice- board. Maybe I should post all our properties on their board. As I was parking, I met an old friend I worked with years ago. He reminded me of the day I arrived at our office and saw a parking space right in front of the door. I had nipped into it, ignoring loud toots from a woman in a Volvo behind, who also had her eye on the spot. Fifteen minutes later, we looked out to see the lady brandishing a large gateau — bought from the bakery nearby — which she smeared all over my wind- screen. Hell hath no fury… Friday There was a frantic call on my message list when I arrived. A couple who recently completed on their flat and moved to France had told their buyer he could have everything left in the property. They’d forgotten about their collection of framed black-and-white photographs. I called the new owner to find he had thrown out one he didn’t like, but still had the others, which I could collect. I then had to drop them off with friends of the Francophiles. Good news. I got home to find a Sold sign on my neighbour’s house. Things must be looking up in my area, thanks to the promised new East London Line. It can’t come soon enough. And my neighbour can’t go soon enough, but I won’t put the champagne on ice until I see his music system disappear into a furniture removal van. Carl Davenport is sales manager at Chesterton in Tower Bridge (020 7357 7999). Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007 EXPERT 42 What’s your problem? IF YOU have a question for Karen Whitburn, email legalsolutions@standard.co.uk, or send your question to Legal Solutions, Homes & Property, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5EE. We regret that questions cannot be answered individually but we will try to feature them here. Karen is a partner in the property team at Thring Townsend Lee & Pembertons Solicitors (www.leepem.co.uk). FOR MORE EXPERT ADVICE, VISIT homesandproperty.co.uk [...]... 24 9,950 to £ 825 ,000 Call Knight Frank on 020 7173 4900 Clapham Old Town, which is between the common and the high street, is a FOR MORE BRILLIANT NEW HOMES, VISIT homesandproperty.co.uk This Grafton Square development will include 1 02 apartments Call 020 7758 8495 newly gentrifying pocket that is losing its gritty edge and acquiring a villagey character Gastropubs, gourmet food shops, galleries and. .. range from 29 0,000 to £950,000 and completion is due in early 20 09 Call Hamptons International on 020 7758 8488 The Sanctuary, as the name suggests, is a niche scheme of eight mews-style houses and five flats tucked away behind Clapham Road Contemporary-design interiors include Poggenpohl kitchens, limestone floors and underfloor heating Small patios and courtyard gardens are attractively landscaped... LEISURE TOO! • STUNNING STUDIO, 1 & 2 BED APARTMENTS WITH STYLISH CONTEMPORARY INTERIORS • RESIDENTS’ FITNESS SUITE & FABULOUS LANDSCAPED PIAZZAS PRICES FROM £167,500 OCCUPATIONS FROM SUMMER 08 DATE: 15TH + 16TH SEPTEMBER TIME: 11AM – 4PM CALL NOW: 020 8867 03 82 Marketing Suite and Show Apartments 120 Berberis House, Feltham TW13 Open daily, 10am – 6pm www.axiomhomes.co.uk All offers are subject to... Parsons Call 020 8673 4377 As with pubs, churches and bank branches, when given the right treatment, redundant cinemas can be transformed into desirable homes It is not just the scope for dramatic loft-style interiors Many old cinemas A cinema in Clapham will be saved from demolition as part of a small-scale homes project for the area, says David Spittles are landmark buildings, have grand entrances...SMART MOVES 57 Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 20 07 Coming soon to Clapham C LAPHAM continues to spring small development surprises The latest uncovering is a former Odeon cinema on the corner of Plough Road and St John’s Hill It comes five years after London’s very first residential conversion of a listed... contract & availability Lifestyle, location and actual show apartment photography shown Grafton Square — best address in the Old Town — has been split into 12 flats And coming soon is a big sixstorey development of 1 02 apartments overlooking the square These apartments will be released for sale towards the end of the year Call Hamptons International on 020 7758 8495 Expected next year is redevelopment... succeeded in protecting some of the most prized buildings — at least by getting planners and developers to agree sensitive conversions rather than wholesale demoli- 29 0,000 to £950,000: The former 1930s Odeon cinema will house 59 one- and two-bedroom apartments tion The new project in Clapham will create 59 one- and two-bedroom apartments, many in a glass box roof extension to the existing building,... boutiques have arrived: run-down Georgian and Victorian properties are getting a face-lift; and gaps between the buildings are being redeveloped Grafton House is one of several new pavement cafes surrounding The Polygon, a triangle formed by three roads Built in 17 92, it is again the hub of the Old Town, with a turning point for buses soon to become a public square A handsome missionary church on AXIOM REACHES... landmark buildings, have grand entrances providing a sense of arrival and, by virtue of their high street location, are close to transport links as well as shops, bars and restaurants At the peak of film-going in the 1940s, London had more than 150 traditional cinemas but now has less than 50 Many cinemas were demolished in the 1960s and 1970s but, since then, heritage groups have succeeded in protecting... 020 7758 8495 Expected next year is redevelopment of Parkside Hotel, facing Clapham Common The Victorian mansion block will be converted into 30 apartments, including family flats of up to 2, 600 sq ft Call Savills on 020 7409 8701 . home by mixing styles from five centuries, says Katie Law Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 20 07 OUR HOME 32 OUR HOME 33 FOR MORE FABULOUS HOMES, VISIT homesandproperty.co.uk T EXTILE. Lancaster Mews, W2 (freephone 0800 597 25 98; www.sashwindow.com). Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 20 07 SHOPPING 27 FOR MORE SHOPPING BARGAINS, VISIT homesandproperty.co.uk/bargains Post. fourth floor Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 20 07 21 FOR MORE DESIGN NEWS, VISIT homesandproperty.co.uk/design Get a free camera in Trafalgar Square and add to the “LomoWorldWall”