[AD] A Narrow Backyard Dry Garden - The Reveal

[Advertisement] This post in partnership with Hayloft includes product provided by a number of additional brands for the purpose of this post.*

To say it has taken forever to complete this transformation would be an understatement - who knew British summer time could be so full of rain?! I’ve had to get used to abandoning painting and planting at the sight of foreboding clouds. Let's just say interiors are far easier to predict! But I digress. Our DIY dry garden project is finished, complete with a mini seating area, freshly painted white walls and repurposed raised bed with young drought-loving plants. 

If you saw my plans for this eco-friendly small garden design, you'll see how I wanted to give this narrow backyard some real purpose. I wanted to create a haven for bees and birds with contrasting leaf shapes and texture. And taking into account my not-so-professional gardening skills, the aim was to find a happy medium somewhere between Beth Chatto’s Essex dry garden with minimal watering and the dreamy swathes of Oudolf Field in Somerset. I hear you laughing at my lofty plans, but stay with me...

Right Plant, Right Place.

In stepped the brilliant team at Hayloft to help me choose the right plants from their online garden nursery. Their site was a life saver in lockdown when garden centres were closed! Started in 1993 from her kitchen table in Worcestershire, founder Yvonne grew a successful mail order plant business alongside her friend Harriet whilst raising their children. Today, Hayloft’s female strong horticultural team specialises in a huge range of quirky and unusual plants grown on site. Most of Hayloft's plants are delivered as plugs or young plants in recyclable packaging, meaning they'll grow into your desired space gradually. And frankly, I love the journey of watching something I’ve nurtured grow over time.

The bed I've used is made from repurposed railway sleepers and sits in a South-West facing part along the side of the house. It gets full sun for the best part of the day and is well-sheltered, making it the perfect spot for sun worshiping, drought loving plants. These will thrive on very little water and love a light, well draining soil. Once settled, I won’t be watering this border much at all, save for rainfall and they'll spread fairly quickly with a good metre or so of height. Imagine if you will (for now) tall spires of flowers for bees and sculptural seed heads to continue visual interest into winter. And of course, we picked out white flowering plants to connect with the main part of the garden: 

• Acanthus Spinosus

• Echinops ‘Arctic Glow’

• Penstemon ‘White Bedder’

• Thalictrum Splendide White

• Pennisetum ‘Advena Sky Rocket’  

• Gaura ‘White Dove’ 

• Geranium Plenum Album 

• Agapanthus ‘Albus’

Our Narrow Backyard Dry Garden

And here it is - the finished look! No more stacks of pots or tarp covered bikes. Instead, a cozy outdoor nook to enjoy in the warmer months and a much better view from the kitchen window!

I stitched together four striped cotton seat pads from H&M Home to create a larger French mattress cushion as the square deck was quite awkward to buy anything ready made. Natural linen and jute cushions bring everything back to nature and it's wonderful to be able to take a break here just stepping out of my studio door.

A stack of washed linen cushions in natural tones from Linen Tales on top of a braided jute cushion from Original Home.

You might have noticed that instead of gravel (great for locking moisture into the soil and popular with gravel gardens) I've used crushed shells for mulch. Shell on Earth are a brilliant company from Wales making use of a by-product of the seafood processing industry. It doesn't smell or attract flies and even keeps the slugs and snails away. I also mixed crushed shells into the bed before planting with some extra compost and course sand for free draining soil.

I've reused the large rocks that were here previously which I think look better as additional landscaping against the shingle. And as the planting has already had time to settle in, they've grown considerably from when they arrived as plugs. We kept the honeysuckle as we love the smell when it blooms in summer and it also provides some screening from the neighbours. Once the jasmine is a little taller, I'll train it up towards the trellis and keep everything crossed for some seriously heady scent!

Portable outdoor lights by Fermob in 'cactus green' give us extra time to enjoy the garden at night and I love the warm and cosy feel they bring. Whilst some of our neighbours have really gone to town on garden lights, I'm aware of the detrimental effects they can have on local wildlife, so the fact we can bring them indoors with us when we're done feels like the better option.

Can't wait to see how this garden grows and changes over the years - I'll have to post an update next spring!

Concrete block walls painted in Sandtex Ultra Smooth Masonry paint in 'Chalk Hill', Wickes.  

Grid trellis, Wickes, painted with Cuprinol 'Garden Shades' in Daisy White.

Striped beige cotton seat pads (sewn to make a larger square) H&M Home.

White flowering hardy perennials as listed above, provided by Hayloft.*

Shell on Earth crushed shell mulch. 

Braided jute cushion, Original Home at Heal’s.*

Washed linen cushion covers in ‘natural’ and ‘nutmeg’, Linen Tales.*

Soft beige linen waffle throw, Linen Tales.*

‘Hoff’ pot by Berg, The Future Kept (with Cotton Tail grass from Hayloft)

Fermob Mooon table lamp, at Heal’s*

Fermob Balad portable lamp, at Heal’s*

*these items are pr products.

Photography & styling © Tiffany Grant-Riley

[AD] My Plans For A Small Dry Garden With Hayloft

Purple-grey allium seed heads in Beth Chatto's garden in Essex.

I’ve been so inspired by Beth Chatto’s Dry Garden and the work of Dutch garden designer Piet Outdoulf for such a long time. In fact, I'm obsessed. If you’ve ever had the absolute joy of visiting Beth’s garden at her home in Essex or Oudolf Field at Hauser and Wirth in Somerset, you’ll recognise natural, freeform planting packed full of texture and visual interest. I love these gardens for their effortless look, that you more or less leave the plants to themselves aside from a little maintenance. And I know, technically there's a lot more to it, but aesthetically, we're going for unmanicured and natural.

Beth’s dry garden still hasn’t been watered since it was planted some thirty years ago with drought-tolerant plants surviving entirely on rainfall. And with the current strain on the environment, we're going to see a lot more of this style of gardening in the future. Low-water gardening is entirely possible with the right plan in place. And I’m giving it a go in a smaller part of our garden which is in dire need of transformation...

Where The New Garden's Going...

We have a raised bed made from old railway sleepers outside our kitchen window that I knew would be the perfect border to plant up a small dry garden. It has a sweet little deck beside it perfect for a small seating area. Best of all, I can watch it change throughout the seasons through the window.

Whilst this south-west facing spot gets loads of sun and light during the day it has definitely seen better days as you can see from the ‘before’ photos. It never had much in the way of any intentional planting, bar what previous owners had left and I bunged in when we first moved in. The only thing vaguely happy here is the honeysuckle which we'll keep for the bees.

Hayloft - Rare, Unusual and Exciting Plants

Working with the brilliant all-female team of horticulturalists at Hayloft, purveyors of rare, unusual and exciting plants, I’ve planned out how I’ll transform this neglected border into a self-sufficient garden with drought-tolerant hardy perennials and grasses. Their online nursery is full of quirky and unusual plants to choose from and with their help, I've picked out a strong team of low-water, gravel garden plants. I'm thinking lots of height, texture and movement with seed heads to feed the birds in winter. Take a look at the moodboard for some of the options we've settled on planting...

1. Penstemon White Bedder, Hayloft.

2. Echinops Arctic Glow, Hayloft.

3. Natural cotton seat pads, The White Company.

4. Reclaimed railway sleepers.

5. Hoff pot by Berg, The Future Kept.

6. Fermob Balad portable lamp, Heal's.

7. Braised jute cushion, Original Home at Heal's.

8. Striped cotton seat cushion, H&M Home.

9. Crushed whelk shells, Shell On Earth.

10. Fermob Mooon table lamp, Heal's.

11. Pennisetum Advena Sky Rocket grasses, Hayloft.

Check back next week for the full reveal and keep your eye on IG stories for my step-by-step journey!

Photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley.

An Effortless Nordic Summer Picnic Edit

Relax in style with a simple Nordic summer picnic in your own back garden.

**This post contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase using my links. These are clearly marked as ** and were chosen purely because I love and use these brands myself.

Summer is the only time of year where eating alfresco feels completely effortless. At least, in my opinion. The back door is open all day, the BBQ rolled out ready to go at a moment's notice - it's easy to whip something up and head out with the picnic rug. But the thing I love most about picnicking is the freedom it brings you to go wherever you want. Pitch up at the beach, a secluded spot in a cool forest or the local park. You can even pick up what you fancy along the way to save time, just sling it in your basket. And my Nordic summer picnic edit is packed full of functional, minimalist accessories to take picnic hosting up a notch.

Let's Go Outside

I like to mix up glasses and ceramic dinnerware with more practical items to make the experience feel more personal. Think simple Scandinavian aesthetics, mixed with reusable and natural materials.

We've got stackable stainless steel and bamboo lunch boxes, ideal for storing mini salads or dips. And I love the stackable cutlery sets I found in classic Nordic colours. Call we untraditional but I've vetoed the somewhat cumbersome picnic basket and gone for a large basket tote instead and there's a seriously stylish cool bag to keep your refreshments chilled by my favourite Nordic food brand, Nicolas Vahé. But just because it's a picnic, it doesn't mean you have to use a rug. I much prefer rolling out a couple of light cotton throws that we can use later as a blanket if the weather turns chilly and I've got you covered on the portable BBQ front if you fancy a cookout, too.

You provide a delicious menu, I'll provide you with the look.

1. The Basket Room Gua tote bag, Oliver Bonas. £85.

2. HAY Picnic Container Tiffin Box, Trouva. £39.**

3. LEON Bamboo Lunch Pot, John Lewis. £10.

4. Recycled Glass Tumbler, Graham & Green. £9.95.

5. Rosendahl portable outdoor lamp, Connnox. £60.50.

6. Yumi Wooden Salad Servers, Oyoy at Trouva. £23.**

7. Smorgasbord Modern Scandinavian Recipes, Waterstones. £18.99.

8. Natural Cotton Throw, Anza. £49.**

9. Organic cotton seat cushion, ARKET. £19.**

10. Set of three travel cutlery by Koziol, Anthropologie. £10.**

11. Stainless Steel Reusable Bottle, Frank Green. £29.99.

12. Mi Square Gingko Pocket Speaker, Not On The High Street. £49.

13. Portable BBQ Bucket, Olivia's. £49.00**

14. Wooden Serving Bowls and Tray, H&M. £19.99.

15. Nicolas Vahé Cool Bag, Trouva. £15.**

Photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley featuring the 2020 collection of summer picnic accessories from Urbanara.

An Island Retreat at the Modern Rustic Vipp Farmhouse

A sanctuary of neutral interiors - inside one of the three bedrooms at the Vipp farmhouse.

When I think of Nordic summertime, I bring to mind the craggy coastline of the small islands surrounding Denmark, of wooden jetties and dappled sunlight filtering through dense forest. A two-hour drive from Copenhagen and located on the island of Lolland is the new Vipp Farmhouse, the 4th hotel destination from the heritage brand that brought us the original pedal bin.

“During lock-down we have rediscovered nature and the charm of the Danish countryside, and now we share it with you. Vipp’s fourth hotel destination offers a convenient escape to nature. A taste of farm life, where the cow has already been milked”.

Jette Egelund, 2nd generation Vipp owner.

Dating back to 1775, this traditional Danish thatched roof farmhouse was once home to a gardener on the surrounding Søllestedgaard estate. But whilst its whitewashed walls echo back to its farming roots, the interior is, as expected from Vipp, a lesson in Scandinavian minimalism. For those looking for a farm stay experience nestled in an untouched forest, this is for you. A modern-rustic bucolic dream awaits furnished by Vipp, including the modular V1 kitchen in soft grey, Chimney sofas and black wall lamps.

Interior design Julie Cloos Mølgaard demonstrates a careful balance of contemporary interiors that are sympathetic to the historic architectural features of the Farmhouse. I love the way the warmth of the restored beams and wood floors contrast against cool white walls, stainless steel and black metal. There's a place for everything with ample space for relaxation, interspersed with framed prints of the surrounding countryside and artful curiosities.

And food-loving tourists are drawn to Lolland, the fourth largest island of the Danish archipelago and just a stone's throw from the German coastline. The island's rich, fertile land makes for ideal growing conditions for apples, cherries and sugar beet. Guests can swing by the newly opened Michelin star restaurant 'Pomle Nakke' on neighbouring Falster and can expect to enjoy local produce from the island to cook at their leisure. What I wouldn't give for a week's stay here - I think I'd be floating on air every day...

If you'd like to find out more about the Vipp Farmhouse and experience a taste of Nordic summer, book your stay here.

Photography © Anders Schønnemann

Typology Minimal Skincare for The Body

[Advertisement - Typology sent me these samples with no obligation to share content, but quite frankly, they're so good that I had to.]

If you're new this minimal skincare brand, may I suggest that you get on it immediately? This Parisian-made, all natural and achingly stylish collection for both face and body. Not only does it make an understated impression on your bedside table and your bank account but works a treat on your skin, too.

And it's not surprising how quickly Typology burst onto the scene in 2019 as the latest creation of the founder of MADE.COM, Ning Li. Though not the first minimal skincare brand to make waves, Typology moves away from chemical loaded formulas and dubious ingredients, focusing on a handful of all-organic, active ingredients. It's a refreshing back-to-basics, cruelty-free approach, sent out in 100% sustainable packaging. In fact, some of it has just graced my compost bin.

The range has grown considerably since I dipped my toes in and bought my first product (the Radiance Night serum, if you're interested). I've been road testing the new line of skin scrubs which launched this spring.

I'll admit that I'm not used to exfoliating on dry skin. And I know that's a thing - I remember the dry brushing craze in the 2000s. But both the Regenerating Face Scrub and Nourishing Body Scrub require you to work the almond kernel based gel into clean dry skin first. Far easier to do on your face that your entire body but we're nit-picking here. What's brilliant about them is the gel works into an oil once rubbed into your skin, transforming into a milky lotion when you add water ready to rinse. And as someone with very dry cheeks and an oily T-zone, finding products that work on both levels is tricky. These are wonderful. No dry, taught skin. It's gentle, moisturising and a joy to use. They smell good enough to eat. Though don't. And even Rob agreed with me and his go-to is to shampoo his face. Really.

It's worth taking the Skincare Test on the site if you'd like to dig a little deeper and try a few products. And if you have your own favourites - I'd love to hear what you're using too.

Styling and photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley.

And Other Things #1

In the spirit of trying something new, it’s the start of a new series today - And Other Things. I was sitting in the sunroom on Saturday afternoon and thought that I needed somewhere to get my thoughts down, somewhere to share what I’ve been up to during the week. 

So here it is. 

How have you been? I’ve been feeling cast adrift lately and I’m struggling to stay afloat. Clutching on to any sense of normality. School is back, which has been just what the kids needed, to have their routine back. But I’m still not there yet in getting back to work. It’s quiet and so I’m embracing that and enjoying the slower pace while I figure out where the gears are. 

I’m going stir crazy for spring. 

Every morning, I’m out in the garden in tatty slippers and whatever bobbled and misshapen jumper I’ve managed to throw on from a heap on the floor. Desperately willing the tiniest buds to grow just that little bit faster. And they are, slowly. Already the sanguisboras have four or five feathery leaves to show for themselves. I divided their root balls just as they showed signs of life and replanted the other half on the other side of the lawn. Same with the astrantias, whose little white pincushion flowers keep going all summer. The bananas are unwrapped from their recycled duvet beds I used to protect them over winter and are starting to push forth freshly coiled leaves. And I’m mourning the loss of one of the first banana trees I had - it flowered and fruited last summer and it was, as I later discovered, its swan song. But there will always be more pups emerging from the soil, so there’ll be a jungle yet.

A swanky new bee hotel is up on the fence post facing South, ready to host any solitary bees and pollinators that come its way. Of course I picked the most architectural one I could find, made by Dutch garden brand Capi. It’s all completely biodegradable and easy to take apart during winter when it's time to overwinter any of its residents. 

Below that I made a make-shift pea frame from bamboo and twine, ready for the sugar snap pea seedlings to race to the top. I’m hoping there’ll be enough flowering plants here over summer to encourage the bees to nest. 

Good Habits, Learning Danish

Do you Duolingo? I think I’ve been using it on and off with minimal success since 2015 but for the past 46 days I’ve been doing an hour of Danish every day and I love it. I think my foundation in German really helped my understanding of it with lots of similarities but it’s very strange to begin with, when you realise just how many consonants are swallowed! Still, I’m determined to have a basic understanding of it so I can put it to good use when we’re allowed to travel again. Even if the Danish all speak English and put us to shame. 

Jodie’s New Book 

So my friend Jodie Chapman  (and now celebrated published author) wrote an actual book. My copy arrived this morning and I'm wishing away my current read so I can get to it! The last time I went to visit her before the madness of covid, she was working on her second novel from her beautiful office. In fact, I think she's just completed her third! This one is called ‘Another Life’ and has been described as a modern day Romeo & Juliet / Atonement style tragic love story. She’s probably one of the coolest people I know so, you know, buy it now. 

Quiet Beaches and Contemporary Architecture

You can find some of the best examples of contemporary architecture on the Kent stretch of coastline. I almost don’t want to tell you about this beach because it’s so wonderfully quiet. Greatstone. We drove down here last weekend with the kids, knowing it’d be deserted.

There are windswept grassy dunes, shells scattered like jewels on the shoreline and the sand is the finest I’ve ever felt. And then, this house. Clad in larch, just like the house I plan to build in my imagination, complete with sky gazing windows. If you fancy a nose inside it, it was for sale with The Modern House. 

And other things:

I took an online drawing class with artist Lakshmi and LOVED it. 

Chadwick Boseman’s performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom will make your heart hurt. Watch on Netflix.

GABA’s meditation podcast is completely bonkers but utterly brilliant. It mixes poetry with music, storytelling and cultural soundbites to create a totally new experience. 

Determined to discover more about my ancestry, genealogist Paul Crooks has been helping me delve deeper into my Guyanese heritage through his online seminars. 

Catch you later,

Tiff x

When Was The Last Time You Did Something Just For You?

Self care is so important for our mental health. Here are my tips for getting out of your head and into nature.

I took this shot on a walk with Rob and the kids just a few days before Christmas 2018. It's a beautiful scene, but I shot it because I took it as a sign that something was very wrong with what I was seeing. Summer blooms and the remains of a rape field. In winter.

Fast forward to 2020 and you really don't need me to recap what a year that was. A moment when our planet and our physical and mental health was in absolute crisis. An unstoppable pandemic swiftly reminded us that we weren't superhuman. Nature sent us messages in the wildfires, earthquakes, hurricanes. It showed us what happened when we slowed down in the dolphins that returned to Venice for the first time in a long time. It was our wake-up call.

While I normally like the first post of the year to be a reflection on the last and a plan for what's ahead, this year is a little different. Our mental health will have taken a bashing - being separate from family and friends for so long. Varying degrees of cabin fever setting in. Perhaps you're not feeling yourself. And that's completely understandable. So I say this.

Be kind to yourself.

I'll let you in on something. In 2019 my mental health was possibly in the worst shape I'd ever experienced. I was burnt out with work. Struggling with my identity as a dual heritage woman and dealing with crippling health anxiety brought on by an ear condition. It reached a point where I was composing letters of goodbye to my kids in my head, worrying that I'd suddenly have to leave them behind if what was wrong with me was terminal. I started to think I ought to write letters for each milestone in their lives, just in case. I felt bereft of the Caribbean heritage I missed out on in my childhood and how much of a fraud I felt, brown-skinned and no connection to any of it. I was out of control.

In the latter half of that year, I spent an hour a week with a brilliant black CBT therapist who helped me retrain my thoughts and help rediscover myself. She helped me see that I could relate to my blackness in my own way, that it was just as valid as anyone else's experience. I was stumped when she asked me

"When was the last time you did something just for you?"

And I couldn't answer. I genuinely couldn't remember the last time I did a single thing for myself. Aside from sitting in the bath with the lights out (I still totally recommend that by the way), I'd lost myself in a cycle of work, parenting and daily routine. The proverbial cup was empty.

Self Care Takes Practice.

So, she sent me away with a task for the week. Find one thing to do every day for me. And at first, it was hard. SO bloody hard. But, like anything else, self-care takes practice. Start small if it feels better to. Make a date with yourself for a coffee break. Sit quietly and read for 30 minutes. Start a new skincare routine with gorgeous products just for you. You deserve it.

Self Care Isn't Selfish.

Never feel guilty for taking time out. The number of times I felt I had to explain myself for doing it. Just don't. You don't need to make excuses for buying yourself that lipstick. For ignoring your socials and email. Going on a solo walk. Because if you don't take the time to feed yourself, you can't expect to have anything to give back.

Keep Moving.

Spend some time outside in nature and move your body. Run if that's your bag. Try a fitness app and try to do a ten minute workout a few times a week. Anything that takes you out of yourself, gets you breathing and boosts your mood. Me? I love a good kitchen disco.

Give Yourself A Break.

By this I mean wear the PJs all day. Eat the chocolate. Drink the wine. Watch every single episode of Mad Men back to back. Let the kids play on the ipad that little bit longer. If it means you can stop giving yourself a hard time, do it.

Allow Yourself To Feel.

Every feeling you have is valid. Never tell yourself you're being over the top or too sensitive. Check in with yourself and ask why you think it is you're feeling this way. What would help you to feel better? Cry if you need to. Shout. Sing. The release of emotion is so very important. Which leads me to my last point...

Don't Forget To Ask For Help.

When life gets on top of us it's very easy to close off. We forget to communicate with the people around us and before we know it, we're arguing and misunderstanding each other. So talk. Ask for help if you're feeling overwhelmed. Or reach out for external advice such as NHS Talking Therapies(which I couldn't recommend enough) or Samaritans who have a 27/7 helpline.

I like to think I'm a bit of a pro when it comes to self care now. But it's a constant work in progress. Our needs and circumstances are constantly changing. So, whatever 2021 has in store, try to go with the flow as best you can. And I'm always here if you need a good rant.

Just a side note - I'm completely fine now. My health worries weren't unfounded and having an ENT consultant verify them did the world of good just to feel heard and understood.

Photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley.

Foraged Warm And Natural Nordic Christmas Table

Hey, how are you feeling? Honestly? I'm exhausted. And I know I'm not the only one. What a year! Despite all the waves of uncertainty and change we've been riding, I wanted to keep some things the same here. And with Christmas just around the corner, its time to uphold the yearly tradition that I have with you - sharing festive table styling inspiration.

A Foraged Nordic Christmas Table

I wanted the table to feel comforting, intimate. A space that draws the family together under the glow of candlelight. Our gatherings are going to be smaller this year and with this in mind, I'm suggesting using what you have to hand. The key to this Nordic look is the natural elements of rustic bracken fronds, branches and neutral tableware.

My little table for four includes treasures that I return to all year round; a vintage cake stand and a collection of wooden candle holders I found in a charity shop years ago. Simple, pale tableware in some newer additions from the summer are courtesy of Urbanara.

This is a fuss-free, tonal look without a traditional centrepiece. Instead, a hanging installation of 'old man's beard' has become a softer, textural focal point. It that draws the eye down to the table and allows you, your guests and the food to be the centre of attention.

This was my first attempt at a floral cloud installation and it was so easy to do. Rob and I went to take cuttings from a spot where I knew there'd be an abundance of wild-growing clematis (also known as 'Old Man's Beard') and filled up a big bag. Using a chicken wire frame hung with strong, clear thread, you build the arrangement by threading the stems through the frame. Eventually, you'll create a full shape you're happy with. Where I found there were gaps, I filled them up with cut grasses from my garden.

I filmed the process and put together a quick floral cloud tutorial on IGTV if you want to create your own. Do it - the results are breath-taking!

A Sweet Table

Close-up image of glossy, deep wine red mulled poached pears ontop of a brown sugar pavlova for the Christmas table.

Baking is my go-to for comfort at this time of year. It's my way to unwind and spend time alone with my thoughts. I found a gorgeous Waitrose recipe for a brown sugar pavlova with hazelnut praline and poached pears. And my god it's incredible. Such an indulgent dessert, perfect for a Christmas celebration. From the spiced mulled pears and chewy meringue to the all-important sweet toasted nuts. This is the one.

I also tried my hand at a vanilla marshmallow recipe that I found via Benk and Bodega. Perfect for little snacks or to top hot chocolates and my daughter loved making these together. Check out their 'Advent' stories highlight for the recipe, written by Emma Cantlay at Mainly Breakfast.

Candles are the one thing I always buy new every year as we get through so many. These soy wax twisted candles are from Interlude Candles on Etsy. And I've created a brilliant sculptural candle edit if you're looking to up your candle game this winter.

So there we have it - my Nordic Christmas table for 2020. If this look doesn't float your boat, check out my gold and pine table garland and a moody, minimal festive style.

All that's left for me to do is to thank you for sticking with me throughout this crazy year. Wishing you a safe, warm and slow Christmas and I'll see you in 2021.

Tiff x.

Photography and styling © Tiffany Grant-Riley

[AD] A Nordic Winter Garden Inspires Georg Jensen Christmas Collectibles 2020

This is a paid partnership with pieces from the Georg Jensen Christmas collectibles loaned for the purpose of the post.

Christmas will undoubtedly feel a little different for all of us this year. But if there's one thing that hasn't changed, it's the annual release of the Georg Jensen Christmas Collectibles. Since 1984, the Danish silverware brand has designed exclusive Christmas ornaments to find a special place in every Scandinavian home. From baubles and candles to table trees, pieces have been given as gifts, a sweet little memory to bring out year after year to celebrate the festive season.

And once again, Georg Jensen has enlisted the vision of designer Sanne Lund Traberg who created last year's collectibles with a strong Art Deco aesthetic. This year, the collection has a softer, Art Nouveau feel with a nod to Georg Jensen's beginnings in the early 1900s. A Nordic winter garden has taken root, inspired by German artist Karl Blossfeldt's floral photography and Lunde Traberg's own garden.

Ice Flower mobile - a perfect piece to display in your window at Christmas.

You know I prefer a more seasonal, minimal approach to festive styling but I love the warmth of the 18kt gold plated pieces. It's all about small details here. They bring a subtle sparkle to my simple Christmas decorations and I've pared the baubles with soft beige velvet ribbon for a more tonal look. My favourites are the delicate ice flower candle holders which dance in the candlelight and add a touch of magic to the table.

I find a great deal of comfort in baking during the colder months and this year and I've tried my hand at something a little different. Do you know about Klejner? These are a traditional Danish sweet treat, somewhere between a doughnut and pastry, made with the all-important cardamom for spice. You make the dough, twist it into shapes and then fry it until golden. Utterly delicious.

Aside from the tree, which we get much later, the living room mantlepiece is the only other space in the house I like to decorate. A clever Christmas Display frame makes it easy to style up your favourite baubles. I've placed mine on the mantlepiece with Ice Dianthus candle holders and eucalyptus cut straight from the garden. Simple yet beautifully festive, don't you think?

The Ice Flower Georg Jensen Christmas collectibles are a limited edition for this year only, starting from £15.00.

Photography and styling © Tiffany Grant-Riley

Sustainable Furoshiki Fabric Gift Wrap

This post features Furoshiki fabric gift wrap pr samples from Projekt Henri. Shop has since closed.

Furoshiki is the ancient Japanese art of cloth wrapping, used to present gifts and carry food in place of paper or other modern-day plastics. To this day, there are shops dedicated entirely to these fabrics and it's considered rude to present a gift that hasn't been beautifully presented. Which stands to reason, doesn't it?

A classic Furoshiki '4 Tie' made by tying opposite corners together.

Christmas is always a chilled, low-key affair in our house. And while we are always mindful to use recyclable wrapping paper, I'm exploring paper-free gift wrapping solutions with reusable fabrics to avoid creating more landfill. There's something about the simple, delicate folds of soft cotton lovingly finished with a flourish of dried grasses or cuttings from the garden that takes gift-giving to a whole new level. The best part is, this wrap can be reused, over and over again. No waste. And if there's anything we can take away from the lessons of this crazy year, it's that slowing down and taking time to think about the way in which we share our planet is extremely important.

Because I'm super helpful, I've created a Furoshiki tutorial on my IGTV. I'm showing you 3 ways to use eco-friendly fabric to create 'The Envelope', 'The Twist' (great for cylindrical gifts) and the classic '4 Tie'. With a bit of practice, you'll be knocking everyone's Christmas socks off in the stylish wrapping stakes.

'The Twist', created by gathering the four corners on top and twisting each one round before tucking it in.

You can use any soft fabric though cotton and silk work best in something with a high opacity so as not to give it away. If you do choose to use sheer fabric, double up with another thicker fabric underneath.

I've used reusable Furoshiki fabric wrap in organic cotton in three colours and sizes from Projekt Henri.

Happy Wrapping!

Styling and photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley.

10 Best Sculptural Candles

Sculptural Candles by US brand The Floral Society.

Whether you choose to light them or leave them on display (and the jury's out for me) there's no denying the visual appeal of sculptural candles.

Yes, the humble candle has under-gone quite the transformation. Perhaps as a result of our spending more time at home, this essential part of setting the mood is pulling out all the stops.

What started as an array of coloured tapers which could be carefully matched to any shade of tablecloth or dish has now worked turned its focus to shape. Candles are now art, working their way into our homes as the perfect double-duty styling prop for coffee tables, shelves and of course, the dining table. You can't but help wax lyrical about them. Yes, I really did say that.

A collection of warm spice and grey coloured arching sculptural candles from the Bend and Fungi collection at Broste Copenhagen.

From twisted wax tapers, mould poured shapes and lathe sculpted architectural forms, our tables and mantlepieces have never seen so much fanfare. And whilst some are definitely a luxury statement, they're an undeniably gorgeous piece to treat yourself to.

Here's my edit of ten of the best sculptural candles to get you started...

1. White coconut scented soy wax 'Knot' candle, designed by Korean design studio Honey Flamingo. £42.00, Alkemi Store. *

2. Organic soy wax and beeswax blend Andrej Urem candle. £39.00, COS.

3. Lex Pott Twist candle. £24.00, Kin Home.

4. Broste Copenhagen two wick 'Bend' candle in grey. £30.00, Wild Swans at Trouva.

5. Green/black Totem candle designed by Grain. From £14.50, A New Tribe.

6. Soft white Tallow candle by Ontwerpduo. £18.00, Inside Store.

7. Ivory Templo candle sculpture by Barcelona based brand Octaevo. £28.00, La Gent.

8. Set of two Maison Balzac Volute candles in Sable. £15.00, La Gent.

9. Goober candle by Areaware. £27.00, Selfridges.

10. Molecule sculptural candle by Andrej Urem. £45.00, Monologue London.

Which leaves the question - which one's for you?

Stay in Minimal Modest Luxury at Maison Jackie Antwerp

Antwerp is without a doubt in my top five most loved European cities. It has such a unique, fresh energy to it. From the diverse community that has chosen to live here, the fact that it's under a huge phase of development at the moment to (most importantly) that it's a real hidden gem for design.

I was reading Milk Magazine recently and was stopped in my tracks by this stunning apartment and event space, located, unsurprisingly, in Antwerp. It has all the hallmarks of honest, Belgian aesthetics. Maison Jackie is the result of a beautiful collaboration between real estate agent and interior designer Ellen Wauters and a visionary group of craftspeople.

I can only have full admiration for Ellen who, following motherhood, divorce and a burn-out felt she needed more creative connection in her life. She began hosting gatherings for like-minded female entrepreneurs which in time led her back to real estate, this time embracing her love of collaboration and design. Thus - Jackie Bohéme was founded and Ellen has since gone on to realise several beautifully appointed apartments and homes in her organic, natural style.

Maison Jackie is a soulful house, combining an event venue, shoot location and concept store with a quiet getaway for two in the rooms above. The history of the building, a former monastery and home to the last sisters of Niel is allowed to shine through, flooded with natural light and original features. Now a soothing apartment, it exudes modest luxury in the materials she has chosen, from the herringbone parquet flooring to the soft linen curtains and bespoke bamboo kitchen designed by Olso based eco kitchen designers Ask og Eng.

As soon as you step into Maison Jackie, you step into the slow living movement. We created an enclave of aesthetics and calmness where craftsmanship, interior design and spirituality engage in an enriching dialogue. A place where everything is possible and where your own creativity can thrive. 

Ellen Wauters

As a minimal space, every detail has been intentionally chosen by Ellen, extending to a personally designed capsule collection, allowing you to take home a piece of Maison Jackie style. I absolutely love her linen kimono collection, created in collaboration with textile designer Nathalie Van der Massen.

I genuinely can't wait for travel to open up again so I can treat ourselves to a short stay here. It looks truly wonderful. Want to see more from Antwerp? Take a look at my visit to St Vincents concept store and Valerie Traan art space.

Prices start from 165 EUR per night for 2 with a 2 night minimum stay.

Images courtesy of Jackie Bohème, with thanks.

How To Research The History of Your House From Home

Uncovering the history of our home - just some of the documents I uncovered at the archives.

If you're looking for a project to immerse yourself in whilst staying safe at home, you might want to look into how to research the history of your house. It's a great way to feel more connected to it, a part of its story. If you've ever wondered when that extension was added on at the back or who left that newspaper from 1952 in your loft, now's the time to get digging!

Of course, the real draw is in discovering the stories of the people who lived in your house before you. One of the things I loved doing purely for myself last year was falling down a rabbit hole of (entirely legal) historical espionage. As a self-confessed social history nut, it gave me immense satisfaction to peel back 116 years of our home's past.

When we first got the documents to the house, all that was included was the original title deeds, documenting the sale of the land to a local builder from the previous owner who was, at the time, the first Mayor of Chatham, a Mr George Winch. Nothing more. By comparison, my next-door neighbour has the name of every single previous owner from the time theirs was built.

Beyond that, there were so many questions - who were 'A' and 'M', who repeatedly scratched their initials into the brickwork around our front door and bedroom floorboards? Was the back of the house original? Has the layout changed at all? Some of the things I discovered were surprising, some of them deeply sad and perhaps one day I'll share them here.

For now, though, here's how you can start your journey and unlock your house's history online...

Stripping away layers of paint to reveal the original Edwardian staircase and traces of 1930s wallpaper.

Dig Out Your Title Deeds

I was fully expecting copies of beautifully handwritten and typed paperwork going back all the way to 1904 when we bought our home. But no. Frustratingly, it isn't a legal requirement to have historical documentation of all the deeds to your house on file. Generally, what's important is the very first transaction and beyond that, other copies and documents kept by previous owners may be lost.

If you only have the original title deeds, they'll tell you the names of the first and subsequent owner was which will give you what you need to research them further.

Study Any Architectural Features

Whilst you might not be able to pinpoint an exact period of time, are there any architectural clues that can help to date your house? Ours was listed as 1930s by a very unexperienced estate agent, given that the square bay window and original front door and sash windows were clearly early Edwardian. They obviously didn't see me coming.

Find Local Historical Societies

Local history groups are a brilliant way to gather a broader view of your area's social history. As are Facebook groups. They'll be able to tell you all about local industries, the general day to day lives of residents and some members may even have personal memories of your street.

How To Research Previous Residents

Check Census Records

Census records are a brilliant snapshot into the lives of previous residents as they detail every family member in the household, from their full name to age and occupation. My searches revealed a husband and wife with two daughters were the first to live in the house after it was built. The father worked as a carpenter at the Chatham Dockyard, his eldest daughter was a school teacher at aged 16 and his youngest was an apprentice draper.

Current UK records are available up to 1911 and go back every ten years up to 1841.

As census records are only released 100 years from when they were first taken, meaning records for 1921 won't be available until 2022.

Note - there were no census records during WW2.

Electoral Registers

If you come unstuck with the census, it's worth trying electoral registers which began in 1832. These detail anyone of voting age within the property. Over time, you can track the movements of residents who come and go, building a bigger picture of the story of your house.

Births, Marriages and Deaths

Once you have a few names to go on with, you can look at birth, marriage and death records.

Most genealogy sites allow you to search a few years around a date if you're unsure of the exact one and using the person's full name (maybe with a few variations) should uncover documents you can view online. Further investigation will kick up all sorts, like the name of a spouse, subsequent children, occupations and deaths in the family. Eventually, you should have enough to sketch out a rough family tree.

Documents You Can Access After Lockdown.

Some things just can't be found online as you'll need to go in person to view them. When it comes to genealogy, nothing beats the excitement of a trip to the local archives. Your local archives will have a variety of documents and newspapers on microfiche film to view and purchase copies of.

Ordnance survey maps - ask permission from your local council or archives for copies of maps of your street and the surrounding wider area over a period of time. You'll be able to visualise exactly how your area has developed and spot when your property started to appear on maps.

Local newspapers - in some cases, members of your household may have been reported in local papers. If they have any records pertaining to court orders, debts or were prominent in their community, it's worth spending a few hours viewing copies of newspapers which have been copied onto microfiche film.

Original photographs - these are a fantastic window into the past. Your local archives may have images taken from your neighbourhood which will piece together how it looked at the time your house was built up to the present day. These are generally quite rare though, so don't set your hopes too high.

Building plans and submissions - ask your archives centre if they can search for blueprints and building applications attached to your address. In some cases, there may be originals that you can view in person that illustrate how the house was built along with materials used. Additional applications will also help you piece together how the house evolved over the years.

Useful Resources:

HM Land Registry

The National Archives

Ancestry

FindMyPast

Historic England

Photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley.

The Lockdown Get-Down: An Uplifting Playlist to Boost Your Mood

These are unprecedented times. As I sit here typing in the sunroom, looking out at the garden now drenched in the early spring sun, for a minute I could almost imagine this was any other normal working day. And yet.

As the world struggles to cope, adjust and shift tactics as it fights Covid-19 over the coming months, we have to learn, to some extent, to let go of what we can't control.

The effects of this virus are far-reaching, not just to those directly affected but for businesses, employment, schools, social gatherings and beyond. But as daunting and restrictive as isolation feels, there's a huge amount of freedom to be found in it. How often do we imagine a time where we can stay at home and just be with our families? How often do we wish we had time to work on ourselves, learn something new, practise a skill or finish that book? Somehow, all that unnecessary daily noise and busyness falls away and reminds you of what really matters.

So, with that in mind, I want to keep the space here on Curate and Display a positive one. There will always be Nordic and contemporary interiors to keep you inspired. There will always be little postcards from our home and garden (even if my attentions are pulled away to keep the kids entertained from time to time).

And because I believe in the positive effects of music and the ability it has to improve your well-being and lift you out of a difficult headspace, I've created a new and uplifting playlist on Spotify. The Lockdown Get-Down is filled with two hours of high energy grooves to get you through the day. And if you're looking for something slightly calmer, you can explore my Slow Sounds Playlist series.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1p9EDekrX8Ab5dqRDx1W6i?si=jA98CobUTMG2PhikdfFMGA

Push back the furniture, turn up your speaker and get down with your bad selves.

My door is always open. Feel free to comment, email or connect over on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. Take care. See you soon.

Tiff x

[AD] Subtle Festive Style - Georg Jensen's Christmas Collectibles 2019

[Advertisment - this Nordic Christmas inspiration post has been styled with the help of Georg Jensen's Christmas Collectibles 2019]

Can you believe Christmas is less than a month away? Don’t know why I’m surprised, it comes every year yet I’m always completely in denial about it! 

We like to celebrate a minimal Christmas here though, so there's not a huge amount of planning to do. The decorations go up a week before the big day and I love to decorate our home with a subtle Nordic feel. You know me, I love muted colours, nothing garish and over the top. Things like simple, delicate touches of greenery hung about the house. I'll bring in bunches of olive and scented bay tree cuttings from the garden and mix them up with pine tree clippings from the florist.

Most of our Christmas decorations are wooden too - I've learnt this lesson from childhood as all three of us gradually decimated mum's collection of delicate, glass baubles!

I do think tradition is really important though. There are decorations we bring out every year and the kids have come to know and love. I'm always neurotic about the tree which we start decorating with the kids and I do again when they've gone to bed! We bake gingerbread and Ricciarelli, Italian almond biscuits, together and on Christmas Eve I made a rich and creamy walnut pasta. The little things that mark the season make it feel special.

Star Ornaments hung with a chain are a perfect adornment for gifts, tied with ribbon.

This year I'm giving my festive styling a lift with Georg Jensen's Christmas Collectibles for 2019. Their high shine Palladium and Gold plate bring about a reflective quality that catches the light beautifully. I love the way they cast strong patterned shadows in the winter light.

As part of their own tradition, Georg Jensen releases an annual collection of decorations every year. Each comes in its own presentation box and compliments the previous years' collections, all handcrafted in Denmark. Designed by Sanne Lund Traberg, this timeless collection focuses on love, togetherness and tradition.

With a strong connection to Georg Jensen's relationship with modernist design, the collection displays elements of geometric Cubist shape and Art Deco style. Centred around three simple heart, star and tree motifs, this collection feels fresh and contemporary. Warm up the table with a set of gold plated heart tea lights and striking Christmas trees as a centrepiece. Or, stick to cooler tones with the palladium (which I prefer).

Gold plated Heart Tea Lights cast a warm glow across the Christmas table.

This is such a versatile collection and there are endless ways to style them. The ornaments make sweet little gift or napkin decorations if you don't want to hang them from the tree. Speaking of which, the jury is out as to whether we get another one this year. With the best of intentions, we tried a potted fir last year but I was far too late to re-pot it at the end of the season. In the end, I had to watch it slowly die from the kitchen window. Oh, the agony! I think perhaps fir trees aren’t my forte! 

I like to set the table with a crisp white cotton or natural linen tablecloth - it provides a strong base for styling the rest of the table. Using velvet ribbon in soft, neutral tones adds understated luxury to the table when tied around the napkins. I've also used it hang some of the ornaments, though they come with red or ice blue ribbon.

As an alternative to the Christmas tree, I've made a simple yew tree garland and hung a selection of the Palladian Star and Tree ornaments for a bit of sparkle. I might even make a few more to have in our living room in place of a tree. You can make a feature of it like I have, suspending it with invisible thread across the wall or wrap it around your bannisters on the stairs. They're so easy to make and once you've got the basic concept down you can make them from anything you like.

How To Make A Festive Yew Tree Christmas Garland

You will need:

• Thin, natural rope the width of the space you're decorating with extra at each end for attaching.

• Thin florist's wire for wrapping.

• A good shopping bag's worth of greenery from your florist (or foraged carefully and considerately).
• Scissors for trimming.

I prefer to hang one end of mine up high and stand on a chair to make mine, but you can lie it flat on a table if you like.

Make small bunches of greenery, tieing each securely with the wire.

Starting at the top of the rope with the tip of the leaves facing down, wrap the first bunch with the wire. Place the second bunch a few centimetres underneath the first so that they overlap and tie it with the wire to hide the mechanics under the first bunch. Continue until you reach the end of the rope, overlapping each time.

If you're hanging the swag across a doorway or wall, you may want to secure some of the bunches with more wire to get them to sit the way you want them to.

To suspend it across the wall, use some really strong, fine thread. Loop it around the garland and pin it discretely into the wall. You might need another set of hands to support the weight...and your own sanity. And that's it, you're set for the season!

Sweet festive touches in the kids' room - the Heart and Bell Ornament from Georg Jensen's Christmas Collectibles 2019.

If you'd like to explore more of Georg Jensen's Christmas Collectibles, take a look at their website. And for inspiration on entertaining with Georg Jensen, check out my styling of the Bernadotte and brand new Helix collection.

Photography and styling © Tiffany Grant-Riley

The Audo Hotel In Copenhagen - A New Creative Residence by MENU

The Audo hotel in Copenhagen, a new hybrid residential experience.

It may be five months since my first look at The Audo, Copenhagen's newest hotel to launch, but I already can't wait to return.

Imagine, if you will, a hybrid boutique hotel and restaurant combined with a concept store, co-working space and cafe. A collaborative residence where Nordic design, hospitality and contemporary art converge.

The result is a collaboration between former CEO of MENU, Bjarne Hansen, and Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm Architects. As you might be able to tell, this is no ordinary hotel experience.

The concept store is a living gallery where furniture, art and items from the hotel can be bought and experienced at home.

Abstract art by Benjamin Ewing feature throughout the hotel.

Forty years ago when Hansen founded MENU, he had a vision of a living, ever-evolving space in which the brand's portfolio of furniture would sit within a real-life situation. Today, MENU's brand new HQ shares the first floor with a library and coworking space.

Taking its name from an acronym of the Latin Ab Uno Disce Omnes, meaning 'From one, learn all', The Audo is a reflection of the way in which we use spaces as multi-functional, ever-evolving hubs. This is a place to commune, collaborate and create.

Blurring the lines between home and work, and uniting design, business and community in one innovative, physical space under constant renewal, The Audo is an experiential, sensorial residence where products from the world’s premium design brands will engage in dialogue

Danny Feltmann Espersen, MENU CEO

The building is a breathtaking example of how heritage and architecture blend seamlessly with a contemporary aesthetic. Located in Copenhagen's new waterfront district of Nordhavn, it started life in 1918 as a boathouse and Neo-Baroque residence and was originally the headquarters of The Russian Trading Co Ltd.

With creative direction overseen by Kinfolk magazine's Nathan Williams, every part of the experience has been considered in meticulous detail.

The interiors are a feast for the senses. Converted in a minimalist, Scandinavian style, the industrial roots of the building are ever-present through the use of polished concrete floors, black metal framed windows and perforated black metal ceilings.

Original partitioning walls were knocked through to create one large open plan ground floor, featuring the concept store, cafe and restaurant space.

Sumptuously upholstered Tearoom Club Chairs and Eave modular sofas in bouclé sit alongside black veined, white marble plinths and coffee tables. Abstract works of art and sculpture created by artists such as Benjamin Ewing, Sofia Tufvasson and Nicholas Shurey on display can also be bought from the concept store, alongside products from other collaborating brands.

A wide amphitheatre style staircase leads you up to a library and workspace on the 1st floor where lifts await to residents up to the rooms.

A celebration of rich and earthy neutrals, 10 loft-style bedrooms make up the boutique hotel on the top floor. With names like Foliage, Red Clay and Cliffs, you get a sense of how nature has directed the interiors.

Each room has its own identity with en-suite bathroom, featuring Dinesen floors, textured plaster walls by St Leo and luxury beds designed by Dux. These spaces are warm and intimate, moving away from the industrial feel of the ground floor and closer to the building's history with original timber beams in the ceiling.

The North Penthouse dressed with bedding from Aiayu and a double bed by Dux.

The MENU collection looks at home inside The Audo hotel in Copenhagen.

Rooms start from £320 a night, complete with goose down duvets from Quilts of Denmark, organic Tekla bathrobes and Aesop toiletries. It's an absolute design lover's joy to experience what feels like a fresh take on Scandinavian living. I can't wait to see how The Audo will reinvent itself in the coming years.

The Audo | Århusgade 130 | 2150 Copenhagen | Denmark

Photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley

[AD] Stay At The Stratford Hotel London

[Advertisement - my stay at The Stratford Hotel was complimentary in exchange for this review]

To coincide with the London Design Festival, each September for the last three years I've made it a tradition to test out new London hotels with my friend and fellow blogger Hege Morris. She'll fly down from Glasgow, we'll spend a couple of days soaking up the festival and review a place to stay whilst we catch up. And I've been waiting what feels like an absolute age to share this absolute stunner of a London design hotel with you...

Meet The Stratford. Having watched this 42 storey, terracotta clad structure rise from nothing just outside Stratford International Station, I have been itching to get inside it.

Following the 2012 London Olympics, Stratford has grown up at an astonishing rate, with 560 acres of waterways around the buzzing East Village, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and its best kept secret - the Great British Garden. A stone's throw from the hotel stands Westfield Shopping Centre, a sprawling metropolis in its own right and the area as a whole feels very open and full of possibility. At the time of writing, construction is underway for a new arm of the V&A Museum, Sadler's Wells and Madison Square Gardens. Stratford's where it's at, people.

Launched in May 2019, the interiors of The Stratford were left in the capable hands of Danish design duo Space Copenhagen. A multi-disciplinary studio, their work spans furniture, residential and commercial spaces. Having designed collections for some of Denmark's design royalty including Fredericia Furniture, GUBI, Mater and Georg Jensen, you learn to recognise their signature style a mile off. In fact, if you've a keen eye, you'll spot several of their collaborations with these brands throughout the hotel. Known for their use of minimal, organic shapes, honest materials and their unmistakably Nordic approach to creating spaces, this is the place to go for a modern Scandinavian experience.

The Stratford is a completely new build challenging the concept of the traditional hotel. With a combination of hotel and Loft apartments, a restaurant and communal sky gardens, the building encourages guests and residents to interact within its public spaces.

The first seven floors are dedicated to the hotel, announcing a triple height lobby on the ground floor. The interiors are a blend of soft textured walls, inlaid brushed brass detailing and warm wood. Polished marble repeats itself through table tops up to the bar and your eye is drawn towards a curved balcony belonging to the Mezzanine bar above. A large scale art installation, 'Murmuration', created by Paul Cocksedge connects the two spaces together.

A cosy Lounge Bar sits to your left, furnished with marble-topped Gubi Moon lounge tables and sink-into chairs. The space is ideal to kick back over coffee for an afternoon meeting, or perhaps a starting point for cocktails in the evening. A large fireplace looks set to draw everyone in during the colder months.

To your right is the all-day Brasserie with open kitchen and view across the entire lobby. It is an utterly gorgeous space. The bespoke wood and leather benches lining the edges of the room present a more mature side of New Nordic design. Pared with classic bentwood Thonet chairs, it’s a sophisticated interpretation of European brasserie style. Light is diffused through full height windows by raw linen curtains, picking up the texture in the walls. And there’s touches of craft here that elevate your experience, like the beautiful matte ceramic mugs and plates, designed by British ceramist Sue Pryke. Of course, what's really important here is the food, which comes in generous portions. I can highly recommend the coffee and Eggs Royale, of which the hollandaise sauce was perfection.

The bedrooms are the epitome of modern minimalist style, each bearing the unmistakeable marks of Space Copenhagen's aesthetic. From the soft, organic curves in the bed frame and mirrors, to the contrast of light and dark materials. When the sun faced West towards the early evening, striking shadows hitting the pale mushroom walls and crisp, white bedding.

Our Standard Room (starting from £175 a night) was based on a tonal grey scheme and felt restful and cocooning with a thick pile carpet under foot. There's a small wall to wall console with a Gubi Gravity table lamp. The Queen or King size beds are nicely styled with blankets from Society Limonata and the bathroom comes with organic REN toiletries. Hanging storage, drawers and a small Dualit coffee machine are hidden by floor to ceiling push door wardrobes as you enter the room.

Additional rooms range from a Double Double (with two Queens for sharing with friends and family) all the way up to a Stratford Studio and the mother of them all - the Manhattan Studio (starting at £515 a night based on two adults).

We were lucky to have tour of the The Stratford Lofts which make up the 35 floors above the hotel. Comprised of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, the interiors were designed by Paris based Studio KO.

Each loft has a different feel, some with a more polished, warm interior and others like the one pictured which feature the steel structure of the building itself. I loved this pared back, industrial kitchen living space where the concrete structure is left exposed to show the workings in the architecture. Of course, the real scene stealer is the completely unobstructed view across London from each room, thanks to the floor to ceiling windows. A view that would be impossible to ever tire of.

Because the building was designed to encourage community, there are no private balconies. Spread across three floors, The Sky Gardens are accessible to the residents of the lofts. Each garden has a different layout, each with warm wood cladding and raised planters. Designed for relaxation, they include semi-sheltered areas for cooking and relaxing with Japanese inspired planting.

The Stratford Lofts are available to rent for short and long terms stays with the smaller residencies starting from £2,300 pcm.

The new Allegra restaurant was gearing up for its official launch during our visit and I can't wait to come back and sample the menu. Featuring a central bar, a semi-private dining space and outdoor tables overlooking the Olympic park, it oozes elegance. Promising a blend of high-end dining with a focusing on honest, seasonal ingredients, the restaurant is headed up by Head Chef Patrick Powell, formerly of The Chiltern Firehouse.

As a new landmark, it's still early days for The Stratford. It will need some time to grow into itself and discover its identity, but I love the ethos of community it carries forward. Different areas to meet, to experience, to gather. Space to breathe.

Photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley.

[AD] How To Make The Garden An Extension Of Your Home

*This post includes gifted product in collaboration with Skagerak Denmark.

I absolutely love this time of year, when the boundaries between our home and the garden become blurred. Even as we move away from summer now and can feel the seasons beginning to change again, the back door is always open and the garden feels more like a cosy outdoor living space.

As a sort of final salute to the balmy summer months, I'm sharing what I've learned so far about making the garden feel like an extension of your home. It's simple, easy things that can be applied to any space no matter the size or orientation.

Foldable Picnic table and Mira chairs bring contemporary minimal style into the garden.

Connect The Boundaries

Start with the garden in the same way you would the inside of your home and look at the bare bones. Before you think about plants, consider refreshing the surrounding boundaries, be it wood or metal fencing, brick or concrete walls. Replace any tatty areas if you can. Decide if you want to make an architectural feature of that wall or if you want to tone down the appearance of your fencing.

I'm a huge advocate of the transformative qualities of paint and I personally think black, an anthracite grey or a soft white work wonders as a way to zone and define your garden. You'll see I've carried the black through from the sunroom windows into the garden this way (I used Ronseal Duck's Back in Black). Although at first it might look dominating, black is actually brilliant for making boring fencing look less imposing. Once you add in planting, they'll slowly blend in.

Repeat Similar Colours Through Plants and Accessories

A clever way to strengthen the connection between house and garden is to continue your colour palette from indoors. Pick out similar shades and tones that you've used for your interiors and echo them in your plants, pots and accessories. This way, the boundaries between the two spaces are blurred and as a result, feel better connected when you look out of the window.

Delicate Guara 'Papilion' flowers bloom from summer to late autumn.

Our own home is fairly muted as colour goes but black features regularly as a contrast. I choose white flowering plants and touches of sepia and beige in a variety of ornamental grasses. I mix terracotta and grey pots to break up some of the black. These really stand out against the fencing which in turn create contrast and visual interest.

Scale and Texture

When an interior feels too flat it's probably because it's lacking the texture to give it depth. Remember that spending time in the garden is an experience for the sense - make your plants tactile, introduce scent and don't forget plants that will pick up the breeze for soothing sounds.

Choose a strong mix of large and small scale planting. Don't be afraid to try large-leaved plants such as fig, Musa Basjoo bananas and the prehistoric Gunnera against frondy, smaller foliage like grasses and bamboo.

If you're sticking to a minimal gardening scheme, be bold and go for one or two giant pots - I love the patina of corten steel pots, for example.

Play with different tones in foliage if colour isn't your thing, planting darkest greens against silvery whites.

Create Space For Relaxation

Our habits naturally change in summer when we finally have the freedom to spend more time out in the garden. We might decide to have our coffee outside in the early morning sun instead of on the sofa. An off-the-cuff dinner can be cooked alfresco and enjoyed well into the evening. Make your garden feel more inviting with outdoor furniture that compliments your tastes indoors.

The Skagerak Picnic table gives our mid-terrace garden and instant update.

The Mira chair in black powder-coated steel casts striking shadows through the mesh seat.

Before you start looking, think first how you want to use your garden. Do you want a permanent seating or dining area? Do you need space-saving furniture you can quickly fold away on your balcony? Once you've found the purpose, look to your furniture indoors to find a style that echos it.

As we use the garden as a family, sharing some of it with a not-so-attractive trampoline (!) we needed something functional that could be folded and stacked away to accommodate water fights, camping in the garden and the like. The Picnic table, designed by Herman Studio for Skagerak is perfect for that purpose. Based on a classic folding leaf table, it's made in a lightweight aluminium with a carry handle on top to move it as you wish. Stools from the same collection stack easily and look great indoors too when we need a few extra seats around the dining table. Designed by Mia Lagerman, the stackable Mira chairs (set to be a future Skagerak classic if you ask me) throw down stark and striking shadows through steel mesh seats.

Perfect for small spaces - the stackable Picnic stool designed by Herman Studio for Skagerak.

Layer The Light

Whether you use it to extend the amount of time you spend in the garden or simply to view it better from indoors, ambient lighting is essential. Outdoor lighting shows the garden from a completely different perspective at night and changes the way you experience it. Solar string lights are an update on a classic and you don't need to wire them into the mains to enjoy the warm glow in the evening.

Outdoor solar lights enhance the texture of ornamental grasses at night.

You can also use light to accentuate architectural details in your garden. Try solar spots dotted into your border to show off the shape of taller plants or bring a tree to life at night with subtle fairy lights. It can be a clever tool to show how to navigate through the garden at night, lighting your journey along the path to a lounge area as the destination. For more directional light when you're round the table together, use lanterns.

Grow Your Own

If you've yet to try growing your own, I highly recommend it. For one, the relaxation you get from sowing and nurturing plants is enough, but nothing beats the feeling of cooking and eating what you've grown. Using produce directly from the garden encourages you to head outside everyone once in a while and stay connected to the garden as it changes through the seasons.

You don't need huge amounts of space. A group of pots and a stretch of wall or trellis will allow you to grow vertically - great if you have a balcony. Pick easy to grow varieties of tomatoes, courgettes and berries to cultivate your own kitchen garden. Having a few well-stocked pots of herbs to hand by the back door is brilliant when you need a few sprigs for dinner too.

Keep a small kitchen garden with pots of herbs to hand at your back door.

A light grey Edge Pot designed by Stilleben for Skagerak holds a mix of white flowering Gaura, thyme and angelica.

There we have it - how to make the garden feel more like an extension of your home. Summer may be a little long in the tooth now, but these tips will give you a strong foundation to help you bring your indoor and outdoor spaces together, whatever the season.

Photography and Styling © Tiffany Grant-Riley

Do You Have A Favourite Photograph Of Yourself?

Photo © Christian Robinson.

Do you have a favourite photograph of yourself? An actual, physical photograph? I realise I might be leaving out some of the iphone generation here but, back in the day, we used to print our photos. I know you know that. But seriously, there's something special about a photo you can hold in your hand, even if you do just stash it away somewhere for another day. And they're one of the few things I would rescue from a burning building, too.

This is mine. 2002. Feeling grounded in the water. The summer before my 19th birthday, in which I spent almost every waking hour with my new friend Christian who I'd met not long before this way taken. We were introduced by a mutual friend I worked with at what was then the Radio 1 Roadshow in Ipswich. Between Natalie Imbruglia, cringing over B*Witched, sunscreen and swigging cheap beer, we began a tentative friendship. An aspiring photographer, he asked to take my photo. Me, desperate to leave the town behind, maybe to try modelling, agreed to let him - I would put them in a book and visit some agencies in London.

Over a few days, we drove around some of his favourite places and he snapped away as we talked, capturing all of my teenage uncertainty and nervous giggles, uncomfortable in my own skin. Except for this one.

This was me, six months into rebuilding my life after I had the rug pulled from under my feet. After my father had kicked me out and sent me back to mum, without explanation. His way of dealing with things. I had to start all over again. A-levels under a different syllabus, new friends, deferring uni. Dealing with rejection. But underneath that vulnerability, I see a glint of strength and a taste for adventure in that almost-smile.

And I want to grab her and hold her and tell her that everything will work out fine. That the path she'll take won't be the right one, but a step in the right direction. That she'll have to learn to open up, let go, forgive. Maybe spend less time chasing idiots at uni, oh-and don't go out the night before Notting Hill Carnival. I'd tell her that eight years from now, she'd reconnect with lost family and rebuild her Caribbean connections. And to trust the journey.

Photos are funny things. On the one hand, they have the ability to make the subject want to shrivel up with cringing, on the other, loved ones looking back at you see only the things they love about you. An imprint of you not yet knowing what you do now. I think we all have a favourite photograph of ourselves somewhere. Perhaps you love it because it's painful to look at? Or you weren't even aware of it being taken? It might not have been the happiest time, your most confident time, but maybe you connect with it because of where you are today, signifying a journey. Does it sum up a time you felt most content? Or does it include a loved one no longer around? Above everything else, it might even be more about the person taking that photograph and something in the way they see you through that lens.

So dig one out. Find one, even a digital one and make sure you print it and keep it close by. A little reminder of you. Even if you decide to stash it away for another day...

If these pictures have anything important to say to future generations, it's this...I was here! I existed! I was young, I was happy, and someone cared enough about me in this world...to take my picture.

-Robin Williams.

A Secluded Stay In Vanellus At Elmley Nature Reserve

On the rare occasion that I have the chance to book a night away, I never think to look a mere 30-minute drive from our house. Living in Kent we're always spoilt by the close proximity of the countryside and coast, but picky as I am, I tend to find stylish stays a little wanting.And yet. A stay at Elmley Nature Reserve has been at the very top of my list for the longest time. I would hold on to it like a mantra, the idea of escaping and disappearing out into the yonder of its wilderness at times when life was getting a bit too much. Nothing but great swathes of open sky and marshes. What greater feeling than to steal yourself away in total seclusion and get back to basics?! So it was a wonderful surprise to receive the gift of a stay for my birthday from my sister and parents, who clearly know me too well.A completely off-grid experience in every sense of the word, Kingshill is a family run working farm which generates its own electricity. Nestled in the bosom of a 3,200-acre estate on an island in the Thames, you couldn't get any further away from the hustle and bustle of things even with Sheppey a stone's throw away. An ideal spot to take in the wildlife across Elmley, the farm is host to a cluster of self-contained shepherd's huts, designed and built by Plankbridge.Set further back from the other huts on the reserve in a space entirely all its own, we arrived at Vanellus. Oozing with modern rustic style with all mod-cons, I felt the tension lift instantly. With an irresistibly comfy kingsize bed looking out at a floor to ceiling view out of the marshes, you surrender yourself to the surroundings. The first thing that hits you is the sound, a symphony of marshland birds and lowing cattle across the field. It almost lulls you to sleep. Though that may be a challenge with views like this. You'll find yourself doing a lot of staring here. It's impossible not to. Had the morning been clearer the following day we'd have woken early to watch the sunrise. But there's always another time.Every square inch of the hut has been carefully considered - this is tiny house living but not a way that feels cramped or lacking. A sweet little dresser made from an old railway wagon creates a kitchen, folding chairs and a table give you a dining area when you need it and there's a fully functioning en-suite shower and toilet too. Hidden inside a small cupboard, we found a gas burner for making coffee with a larger hob out back for cooking meals alfresco and my favourite touch, a mini fridge which we stocked up with strawberries and prosecco.With a home cooked dinner being delivered to our hut later, we headed out to explore the reserve. There are miles of walking to be done with more time, taking you out to the Spitend Hide if you've got the determination to make the three-mile hike. The team at Elmley even keep a code protected treat box stocked with gin to celebrate when you reach the point, but it was enough for us to find the first hide and watch the avocets for a while. Maybe next time.I took my sketchbook with the hope of getting some practice in (I did) and loved being able to concentrate on just drawing for a while. During our stay, we spotted a number of peewits, goldfinches, falcons, egrets and hares. At sunset, as we sat watching the sky turn to candy pink by the firepit, a barn owl swooped past. I mean, wow.If this doesn't make you want to book a visit now, I don't know what will. And if you'd just like to soak up the atmosphere and walk the reserve, you can access the trails between 9am - 5pm (closed on Tuesdays). Elmley, we will be back, perhaps for a cozy winter stay.Elmley Nature Reserve, Elmley, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, ME12 3RW.

Photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley