STYLISTA HOM

ES

i n f o r m a t i v e l i n s p i r i n g l e n l i g h t e n i n g

Published by Haywood Media

Interiors

ChristmasDining

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 2

GUESTROOM LUXURY

DESIGNERANNA BURLES

WINColton House Page 48

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StyliSta hOMESWelcome to

This magazine is dedicated to all those home and aspiring home owners who love creating their own individualspace. This magazine is for you. What do you like, what do you want to read about, what can we find for you?2012 promises to be an exciting year and with so many interior and furniture trade shows at the start of the yearwe want you to set us a challenge... Tell us what you are looking for, is it an amazing purple corner sofa, perhapsyou want that clever bed that comes out of the wall... whatever your desire please share it with us ateditorial@stylistahomes.co.uk

From the Editors

Rachel BransonPUBLISHER / EDITORWith Christmas nearly upon us I am reminded that Stylista Homes is now one year old. We have enjoyed our first year enormously, seen some amazing products, interviewed some very creative people and attended the very best interiors shows. So as we say good bye to 2012 we look forward to the many new and exciting launches planed for 2013. Happy Christmas and enjoy & be inspired.

Zoe Branson-ChantYOUNG STYLISTA FEATURESIt’s nearly Christmas and I can’t wait!I’m expecting Santa to be good to me as I’ve been a good girl - haven’t I Mummy?! Happy Christmas!

Victoria BransonFEATURES EDITORWelcome to our 1st Birthday edition. It’s been a wonderful year for the team at Stylista Homes. We’ve had the pleasure of meeting some truly talented people in the world of Interior Design and found many amazing products along the way. Thank you to all our readers for your continued support and may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

CLICK HERETo keep upto date with the latest from Stylista Homes

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FrOnt COVer imAGeDobbies Ashbury Artificial P ine Tree 7ft, £135. Red

Poinsettia Wreath, £18. Red Glitter Garland, £10. Rocking

Horse Dec £2.99. Mistletoe Tin Heart Dec, £4.99. Santa

Bauble, £2.50. Red Glass Drop Ornaments, £2.50. Red

Metal Heart, £2.99. Jingle Bell Decoration, £7. Jingle Bell

Large Door Hanger, £19 all from Dobbies

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cONtENtSwww.stylistahomes.co.uk

6 Nut cRackERS 8 NatuRal dEcORatiON 14 cOltON hOuSE

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editorial@stylistahomes.co.uk

Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor its editorial contributors can accept liability to any party loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. We are unable to check claims made by advertisers are legal

and truthful and that all products and services are safe, Stylista Homes does not accept any liability in relation to

advertisements placed.

© Stylista Homes 2012 Reproduction in whole or in part without written

permission is strictly prohibited.

24 GuESt ROOM luxuRy 28 aNNa BuRlES 40 chRiStMaS diNiNG

48 cOMpEtitiONS 52 OffERS

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StylistalOVes

superiOr CAsHmere tHrOw in silVer BirCH Our superior quality cashmere throws are a sensory delight and feel just wonderful against the skin - you won’t believe how soft they are! Made from the finest grade hair of the Mongolian Cashmere goat, they make the perfect bed spread, throw or indulgent wrap. Woven in Britain from 100 per cent pure cashmere, each blanket measures a generous 150cm by 150cm, and features an elegant smooth weave and tasseled edge. In eight glorious colours, they make a fabulous gift or affordable indulgence. Gift boxed. £245.00 alisonathome.com

red FlOCked reindeer

When I was little (we’re talking 30 years ago) my mother had a red reindeer just like this one so nice

to see them back. I think I must get one for her as hers is looking a little worn to say the

least! Size: Approx 14cm tall

£2.75 andallthingsnice.net

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lAser-Cut Felt red snOwFlAke COAsters These fab, festive red snowflake coasters come in packs of four. Slot two together to make a lovely, standing snowflake decoration for the table or mantelpiece. Made in Ireland £6.95 (for 4) iapetus.co.uk

knitted nOel FestiVe wrAppinGAdd the finishing touch to your Christmas wrapping with these fun and festive red ribbons. 4 different designs of ribbon in a pack with 1.5 metres of each design.(6m total) Mitten gift tags also available£3.75 andallthingsnice.net

Felt sAntA We love this adorable Santa with his bushy beard and stretchy legs - much fun to be had with this felt Santa! 65cm with legs fully extended £9.99 whositfor.co.uk

COmOThis stunning set of three hanging wall stars are a funky and inspirational dressing to any space. In graduating sizes, the bevelled edges meet together to form a three dimensional shape. Large - 45.5cm (18”) Medium - 36cm (14”) Small - 25.5cm (10”) £137.95 chandeliersandmirrors.co.uk

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Mulled wine

CHristmAs mulled wine pOt Nothing says winter quite like mulled wine, so warm up with the Christmas Mulled Wine Pot with Heater. Simply place this pot on the stand with a tealight below to gently warm your mulled wine or cider. This stoneware pot with lid is finished with a traditional cross-stitch style decoration for a Christmas feel. £27.99 drinkstuff.com

mulled wine wArmer set In the winter there’s nothing better than gathering the people you love for a warm night in, sheltering from the cold. To help you through the cold nights, the Mulled Wine Warmer Set gives you an excuse to stay in for the evening with a nice warm drink to share. Simply fill up the Mulled Wine Pot with some spicy mulled wine, and place it on the metal stand over a tealight for a perfectly warmed treat. When the wine has reached its optimum temperature, just use the Mulled Wine Glasses to serve up a small nightcap. in the 4 winter themed glasses £54.99 drinkstuff.com

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NutCrACkers

Grey squirrel nut CrACker The cutest way to crack a nut. Place the nut in the squirrel’s jaws and push his tail to see him bite. A great gift or just something fun to have along side your bowl of assorted nuts at Christmas.22.5cm £19.50 driftliving.co.uk

drOsselmeyer nut CrACker Drosselmeyer is the first hand held nutcracker to have a double lever action and a container to collect the shells. This award winning design is widely regarded as the best and most powerful nutcracker on the market. It’s a quick, clean and easy way to crack nuts. Available in Black or Red £29.99 tch.net

HeAVy metAl nutCrACker Heavy Metal Nutcracker works simply by dropping

the heavy stone ball down, cracking the nut waiting below. A design deliberately kept simple and very

tactile to use, the Heavy Metal Nutcracker works on the principle of gravity. Dimensions: Ball 65mm L

89mm W 89mm H 280mm £34.99 mocha.uk.com

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NaturaldeCOrAtiOn

WreAtH This large white wreath has a festive willow star hanging in the middle and extra little stars, bells and gingham bow decorations£14.50 whositfor.co.uk

timeless Father Christmas Tree Decoration & Reindeer Christmas Tree Decoration. The timeless new range of Christmas Tree Decorations are beautifully designed to take pride of place on the tree.£3.95 styleabode.com

stAr From The Old Basket Supply Hanging Willow star on neutral gingham ribbon.£4.50 whositfor.co.uk

Thinking of buying new decorations this year? Perhaps you just decorated your living room and a coordinating set of wreaths, baubles and stockings are in order to compliment your new look.

To help you on your search we’ve put together a collation of our favourites that have a modern twist on the brightly coloured traditional tinsel and baubles.... the trend is au naturel.

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CHristmAs tree CAndle HOlderDefinitely a Christmas decoration that you’ll want to bring out year after year. A pretty little Christmas tree decorated with stars made of washed grey wood. £13.45 desresdesign.co.uk

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ACOrn & PineCOne HeArt WreAtH

The wreath measures 30cm diameter

£14.00 velvetbrown.co.uk

CAndle WreAtH(left) This thick and well made wicker wreath is washed in a pale grey with four glass holders. The wreath comes with four tealights of your choice Size: D35cm £32.95 desresdesign.co.uk

WillOW HeArt WitH PumPinOs Handmade in Devon, UK, this lovely willow and fruit heart will look great in a kitchen or hung on a door, it has a lovely festive fragrance. £28.00 pollyfields.co.uk

BirCH WreAtH Unusual wooden wreath of layered birch segments for a natural door christmas decoration. 32cm Diameter £14.50 redlilly.co.uk

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POrCelAin FeAtHer deCOrAtiOnsThey make sweet and playful decorations for your tree, walls, cupboard or hooks! Hang from twigs or branches or try them tied around napkins for a unique table setting. You could use them to add a whimisical touch to your wedding celebrations or simply give as a sweet and thoughtful gift.celebrations or simply give as a sweet and thoughtful gift. These stunning white porcelain feathers are finely detailed and come as a set of 5. £45.00 mydeco.com

Jsen sAntA sAC(right) Gorgeous natural gift Sac. Perfect for Santa to fill with presents£7.50 ellajamesliving.co.uk

snOFlAkesThe winter version of our magical tissue paper fans. Packed in a tight bundle, open them out and let the WOW factor kick in! They are easy to put up using their hanging loop and once the festivities over they can be simply folded up and put away until the following year. Perfect for the home, Christmas parties and winter weddings. From 45-70 cm diameter £6.00 petraboase.com

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sPrinG Buxus WreAtHAn indoor wreath perfect for all year round. Made from natural buxus these delicate wreaths will remain green and fresh by simply spraying with water once a month. Ring the seasons by adorning with eggs for Easter, lavender and herbs for summer and berries and baubles for winter. Display all three sizes together to create a wonderful statement for any celebration. Medium £22.00 mydeco.com

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ColtonHOuse

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Colton House is a magnificent Georgian Grade II* listed property situated in the heart of rural Staffordshire in the peaceful village of Colton and near the

historic city of Lichfield. The house has been owned for the last 35 years by Gay and Ron Lawrence who, after much loving restoration work, opened it to the public for “Bed and Breakfast” accommodation in 2004. The outstanding quality décor and the 5-star environment which visitors experience has received numerous awards and accreditations such as the “Heart of England Excellence in Tourism Gold Award”, the “AA 5-star Gold Guest House” and the “Visit Britain 5-star Gold Guest House”, amongst others. Stylista Homes talks to Gay about the story behind the house and the inspiration she used to create such unique and beautifully designed rooms in the style of a Boutique hotel.

Gay and Ron Lawrence bought Colton House 35 years ago from a builder who had originally purchased the whole estate. This consisted of the house (at that time divided into 6 flats) and land which extended over the road to the north where there was a lake. The estate also had numerous outbuildings and piggeries. Gay tells me with a chuckle of the village history that claims “allegedly the lady of the house used to run across the road with nothing on and jump into the lake and some people of the village do remember seeing her doing that” though Gay assures me that this tradition has not carried on through to the current lady of the house.

However, when the recession started to hit, the builder had to sell the land for financial reasons. This was when Gay and Ron came along and purchased the house just after inheriting a property from Gay’s late mother and selling their own house. She tells me how they viewed a number of houses but she fell in love with this one (and, in particular, the staircase in the house) although it was at the top of their budget. “You have to make a few sacrifices but generally things balance out over time” she explains. As mentioned, the house was at that time split into 6 flats and, to begin with, the builder resided in one of the west wing flats. Gay tells me “We effectively bought what was 5 flats and quite a small garden and we have, over the years, bought a bit more land behind as well as the rest of the house - but we started

with a derelict house. The fireplaces had all been ripped out and we had water running through the property”. With a chuckle she tells me “It has taken us 35 years but it’s looking quite reasonable now”.

I ask Gay, what made you decide to turn it into a ‘bed and breakfast’? Was that your original plan?“When we bought the house it was always in the back of our mind to convert it to a bed and breakfast if, say, we got made redundant”. Gay tells me that her family of 3 children and a dog enjoyed the place as a house but as the children grew up and left home, Gay and Ron decided to retire. Ron suggested that the house become their retirement job and they started the work to turn their beautiful home into a luxury B&B.

“It meant quite a lot of work needed to be done. We as a family could live in it as a house, but in order to make it comfortable for paying guests we had to install central heating throughout and add en-suites to the bedrooms. Together with painting and decorating, this took about 4 or 5 years to achieve” says Gay. Gay tells me they opened with just two rooms initially, but as the guests became more frequent, the request for more rooms grew “and so we just did a bit more” says Gay. The house currently has 10 rooms and as there are 15 rooms in total, there is still a bit more to do. All of the rooms are tastefully and beautifully decorated yet each is as individual as the other. I ask Gay where the inspiration comes from for the décor in each of the rooms.

“The house is quite a welcoming home, quite elegant and spacious and we’ve tried to retain the character. I get the feeling the house rather likes what we’ve done to it. It’s a Grade II* Listed house, so we had to get special planning permission when we needed to change the layout. I chose a neutral colour carpet and it’s the same in all the public areas, but I’ve picked out different colours on each floor, so the house flows. The rooms are decorated according to the way they face, lots of the large rooms face North and the South-facing ones at the back are warmer. So the ones facing North have the warmer colours - the terracottas and warm yellows” Gay explains.

Words by Victoria Branson

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Castl

e How

ard R

oom

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Gay and Ron have also made the en-suite bathrooms very modern and right up to date in line with 21st century living in order to give their guests the luxury expected. They have ensured that each bedroom and each bathroom are completely different. This is a unique touch driven by the understanding that people are all different and have different tastes. Gay tells me “we’re trying to appeal to a very wide audience, so some bathrooms have got a roll top bath and some have a Jacuzzi and some have a large walk-in shower”

The Castle Howard room is based on Lady Georgiana’s room at Castle Howard. Gay and Ron collected pictures of the room on some postcards, but the challenge was to take this theme and give it a modern twist. The furniture has all been handmade especially for the room, and so is of exceptional quality. The room used to be the Ladies’ Withdrawing room and boasted the best views of the house, looking out over the Staffordshire countryside. “I wanted an impressive bed with a wow factor” Gay tells me and explains it took her 5 or 6 years to find the right material. She particularly wanted something that was traditional

but not old fashioned. Eventually Gay settled for this rather oriental yet modern fabric and married this with the traditional features. The room also has a 60-inch Smart TV, a Jacuzzi bath in the en-suite with fluffy dressing gowns and a Wii with balance board if you want to have a work- out during your stay.

Gay tells me that the rooms are decorated according to the size of the room as well as the way the room faces. But she also adds other more technical strategies into the mix to achieve each design. Gay is a member of the British Psychological Society and has learnt a lot about how different people react to different colours and gained great understanding of the effects different colours can have on a person. Gay also closely follows colour trends, and she keeps up to date with the forthcoming colour fashion by attending major shows and exhibitions where hoteliers from around the world meet with designers and manufactures who are displaying the finest quality products and furnishings that you’d expect to find in leading hotels and guest houses. Bringing all her techniques together and using them to create such individual rooms, she feels she is

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able to cater for everyone and their different tastes, “and because we have such a wide variety of clients we really want to have something for everyone” Gay reveals. Originally they started with one room designed for men which was a blue room; then there was one for women which was originally done with yellow walls but Gay changed it for a more gentle terracotta colour. The reason for this was “because at night when you have the lights on, this gives it quite a cosy feel of comfort which would suit the ladies” explains Gay.

On the website you can view all the different rooms so guests can choose their room when they are booking.

They are currently doing what they call a ‘grey room’ which has accent colours in the furnishings of bright orange and lime green. In one of the rooms which has a beamed ceiling, the original ceiling has been removed, thus opening up into the roof to reveal a 20ft high vastness. In this room Gay tells me she has matched the brown beams with the light ash furniture and painted the walls in a peachy colour with coordinating soft furnishings.

Gay and Ron have collected a number of artworks and ornaments from their visits to other countries. Gay explains that “each of the rooms have a little bit of ourselves

in them and possess treasures from our travels over the years”. She tells me “in the ‘Flying Freehold’ room there’s a picture from Botswana and in the ‘Columbine’ room is a picture from Bali. The ‘Winter’ room has pictures from South Korea and in that one, in particular, the pictures provide the basis of the theme for the room. “

Four poster room

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Coachman’s View room

plantation View room

pauls room

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The house itself dates back to the 1700’s and is believed to have been built around 1730. Some of the experts that have visited the house have placed it as being built in the 1700’s because of the style of the staircase and other elements of the house.The earliest written record of the house (the deeds) is dated 1777 and details the owner as a Mr. William Piggott though the house did have at least 4 owners before that.

Along one of the corridors Gay has placed lots of historic pictures of the house and beside the staircase Gay is creating a pictorial biography of the people that have owned the house. “One of the people who lived in the house was Frederic Bonney; he was one of the first people to take pictures of the Aborigines out in Australia and when he came back he decorated the hall with lots of aboriginal memorabilia that he

collected on his travels. Another chap had a sugar plantation in the Caribbean islands and used to travel back and forward without batting an eyelid” she explains. Gay is slowly expanding this historical collection and has also taken a local history course to learn more about the house. Apparently, in 1841 it was used as a school and boarding house and was named Colton Hall Academy Boarding and Day School. On the Colton House website, Gay has a whole page full of interesting historical facts about the former owners of the house. Gay and Ron live in Colton House and occupy just one of the rooms. While the renovations were being done, they lived in a room in one corner of the house with just the log fire and the kitchen was at the other end of the house. Gay tells me “At that time we definitely had ghosts in the house. We have

heard footsteps along the landing, which even caused a reaction from our dog”. Gay has also seen two ghosts although she mentions that she hasn’t seen them for some time. Because of the loving care and attention Gay and Ron have put into the restoration of the house, she feels that whoever these ghosts are they must be quite pleased with the work which has been done and that’s why the ghosts haven’t caused them any trouble. She says she feels a bit silly saying all this to me but genuinely believes that the house has feelings (and friendly ones at that) towards the present owners and I’d be inclined to agree with her.

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It was wonderful hearing the story behind Colton House and how much thought and effort has gone into restoring this fine Georgian property. Not only is it now a 5-star bed and breakfast business but having been owned for 35 years, it is truly the Lawrence’s family home.

For more information on Colton House or to book a stay in one of the 10 luxury rooms visit www.coltonhouse.com

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Guest RoomLuxury

Tis the season to be Jolly and if you are hosting this year’s festivities and are putting friends or family up

for the night you might want to afford them a little hotel luxury in their rooms. Stylista Homes takes a look at some truly sumptuous bed linen, the same quality you would expect to find in 5*Luxury hotels and we’ve got some top laundry care tips to help get the freshest bed linen from a home wash.

If you’re lucky enough to have a guest room it’s essential to give the sheets a freshen up even if no one has slept in there for a while, and if you’re giving up your own bed then naturally you’d want to wash the bedding. So whip off the sheets. It’s best if you can do this early morning and give the bed a whole day to breath.

1) Wash sheets on a warm temperature (you don’t need a hot setting) and don’t mix colours with whites as the colour may run and you don’t want to lose the whiteness in your whites!

2) Use a small amount of laundry liquid, about half what you would use for clothes, the sheet aren’t going to be really dirty!

3) If you can (and if we are lucky enough to have a dry day) hang the sheets on the line to dry. Not only will the clothes smell fresh but sunlight is a natural sanitizing and bleaching agent so will help kill any bacteria and other germs - plus line drying will save you pennies!

4) If you must tumble dry, use a cooler setting and remove before they are completely dry, flatten and fold neatly to remove any creases.

5) All bed linen should be ironed, it will help give it a 5* look when the bed is made. Add some extra long lasting freshness by using a scented ironing water.

Lastly, ensure the room is free from clutter and is neat and tidy ready for your guests. Give it a vacuum and a dust and for a finishing touch place fragrant flowers such as freesias to give the room a the room a fresh clean smell.

MayfairMayfair is a sophisticated pure white cotton Duvet Cover with a single row ribbon border, which is available in either Black or White. Made from the finest 300 thread count cotton, complement the Duvet Cover with the matching Flat Sheets and Pillowcases.Mayfair Duvet Covers from £65.00 Mayfair Pillowcases from £14.00 Mayfair Flat Sheets from £35.00Bath Linen also available in Mayfair boutiquelinen.com

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Hoxton WHite DetaiLHoxton Duvet Covers are a perfect example of what we do best - luxury crisp white cotton bed linen featuring a stylish edging in four colours to add colour and individuality to your bedroom. Edge stitch colours include White, Black, Pebble and Slate. Hoxton is available with matching Flat Sheets and Pillowcases to complete the look.

Hoxton Duvet Covers from £50.00Hoxton Pillowcases from £12.00Hoxton Flat Sheets from £30.00boutiquelinen.com

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luxury 600tC COttOn Bedlinen This dreamy linen is supremely soft and silky, thanks to an astonishingly high thread count and conscientious construction. The art to fine bedlinen is in the construction. With 600 threads per square inch, these sheets are categorically the best you can buy. The numbers may not mean much, but sleeping beneath light, smooth drifts of cotton will. The 600 thread-count gives it a light touch and a slinky, cuddle-up finish. Naturally, the range is machine-washable - and durable, too, with a one year guarantee. The threads are yarn-dyed, to ensure your linen will maintain its beautiful shade year after year. . £65.00 dapw.co.uk

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mAnHAttAnManhattan Duvet Covers combine two handsome satin stripes in different widths and are suitable for both contemporary and traditional decors. Manhattan is a 100% cotton fabric 260 thread count available in White and coordinating Flat Sheets and Pillowcases. Sizes available in this range include Single, Double, King and Super King.Manhattan Duvet Covers from £50.00Manhattan Pillowcases from £10.00Manhattan Flat Sheets from £30.00 all available from boutiquelinen.com

luxury mulBerry silk Bedlinen Our silk bedlinen is an indulgence to enjoy night after night. Silk is famously the most luxurious material in the world - and our Mulberry Silk is right at the top of the pile. Mulberry is the most prestigious type of silk you can buy. Mulberry is a very fine grade of silk; it has a long yarn that gives it a softer feel and silkier drape. sleep - your new Mulberry Silk bedlinen is guaranteed for a year. £150.00 dapw.co.uk

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Anna BurlesinteriOr desiGner

It’s a wet and windy Wednesday in November but tucked away behind Oxford Street is the uber cool Riding House Café where I meet with Anna Burles. I say “Anna, you’ve had such an amazing and exciting career taking on some truly unique projects, with some wonderful opportunities, something which most people can only dream of in their lifetime. What was it about Interior design that drew you in?”

“I’ve changed careers five times and where other people see five different industries - publishing, journalism, broadcasting, advertising and digital design - I’ve always seen just one creative industry. You’re coming up with an idea, concepting it, waving your hands around to get your clients excited about it (or your boss on board with it); and then they say “Do it”. And you go and put an amazing team together to help you bring your idea to life.”

Anna tells of her eureka moment where it all began to fall into place “I had just done an art installation campaign in Latin America in Brazil and Argentina and I was in Buenos Aires. I love it there. It’s a creative

place, with an industrial boho style. And I remember thinking ‘I love my work styling events and temporary pop ups, but I’m not properly qualified to take it further.’”

At this point Anna realised that if she wanted to do permanent interior design she would need to train professionally. So for the third time (“I’m an ‘eternal student’” she jokes) Anna, at the “ripe old age of 37”, returned to school. She attended the KLC School of Design. After two and a half years training, which meant an extra 30 hours a week on top of being a full-time Creative Director, she developed the technical skills needed.

“The moment I graduated, I left my full time design agency job and set up on my own. I needed the fear to make myself do it again”. She explains how loving and hating the fear of being unable to pay the mortgage always seems to make the next phase of her journey happen, whether it’s finding the next job or securing her first client.

“Interior design is so exciting. Where we’re sitting today is such a cool place. It’s very urban and

stylish and they really know who they are. It’s not just the restaurant design; the signage, the menus, what the staff are wearing, they’re all part of the Riding House brand. It’s a creative expression that goes beyond the interior styling. Interior design lets me bring to bear all my previous experience in publishing, journalism, advertising and branding. It’s where interior architecture meets branding and art. So I’m getting to use all of my skills.” Anna comments that as

Stylista Homes meets with Anna Burles, a cutting edge interior designer who with her edgy and quirky flair for interior design has been sought by celebrity clients such as Ellie Goulding nd has

also designed concepts for Dizzee Rascall . We find out from Anna about her passion for creating the unusual, discover her signature accessory and hear more about her recent projects.

Global City Strips - Art Installation Tour

Words by Victoria Branson

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much as one calls it ‘interior design’ it’s actually about creating the whole brand experience. “Everything is a brand these days. A restaurant is a brand, a hotel’s a brand even your home - that’s your brand.”

This is where Anna carves a niche, designing for interesting people, high profile creatives and singers, who are a brand in themselves, bringing her commercial experience to residential clients

I ask Anna “If you could add the Anna Burles touch to any kind of property, anywhere in the world, what would it be and where? For example, a Miami Beach front condo or perhaps a Scottish Castle or a disused warehouse in Shoreditch, East London . . .”

“I designed a cool Shoreditch loft apartment which was a previous dream project. Any kind of quirky

venue will do! A baronial castle in Scotland, I could do a crazy cool design there. A space with a real story. I think my ideal is taking something that had a former life and changing it into a home or into a shop or café, so juxtaposing the former use with a new metamorphosis is really cool.”

When taking on an Interior Design project, is it the property or the person that fuels the inspiration for the design or a combination of both?

“I’d say it leads with the person. If you’re designing a property like a listed building, or a really unusual property like a disused aqueduct and you are transforming it into someone’s home, you obviously have to work within the confines of the space and structure but add a unique twist. If you have a very traditional beamed property, you

would want to respect the integrity of the beams but if you’ve got a client who is kooky and original you wouldn’t play it safe, you’d respect those features but would juxtapose them with something avant-garde and that’s what would make it their own. I’d always start with the client, and work out how to stay true to the building whilst making it work for the client. It’s their home after all!”

You recently designed a concept for Dizzee Rasscal. How did he, as a person, influence the design and did he have a lot of input?

“I was working through another agency and I did the initial concept. With someone like Dizzee Rasscal you have to pitch ideas that resonate with someone like him. He really likes colour and has really great taste. With someone like Dizzee, you have to think ‘How do you make a creative home for all the

Resturant concept - materials & finishes palette

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cool things he has, all the 100’s of baseball caps and pairs of trainers and jeans?’ He gets given loads of stuff and of course has his own likes, so for that project I came up with a sneaker chandelier and ways to display baseball hats in a really cool way on feature walls.”

With such a credible background for being an urban and edgy designer do you find your clients really let you go with the creative licence or have you found that they have quite unique ideas themselves but need you to help them to visualise and turn their imagination into real life designs?

“Every client has ideas. If a client has done interior design before, they’ll come with well formed ideas and you can use them as a creative springboard. But let’s say they haven’t used an interior designer before, then they’re more likely to ask for a lot of creative direction.”

Anna’s reputation for creative, edgy and quirky designs is what has drawn her clients to her. She explains “My clients buy into originality from me and challenge me to come up with something really unique for them. They don’t want something they’ve seen before. They want us to do something new and set a new trend so I get a lot of freedom to be creative.”

Have you ever found they have asked you for something that just won’t work?

“Yes. If it’s a family heirloom or something close to their heart you try to find a way to make it work. They might be family photos and you can always rescan or reprint or adapt them to make them fit into the

surroundings. The design definitely needs that personal touch. Some things just don’t fit in, though, so you might suggest they put it somewhere else in their home or in their office perhaps. But that’s down to the relationship with your client.”

Custom concrete wall finish

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Your most recently completed project was to design the interior for Ellie Goulding’s London home. What was your inspiration for the project?

“When I met Ellie for the first time she’d just had her hair styled. It was shaved one side, long on the other, white blonde. And she was wearing all black, and the words ‘dark side’ just came to me. We would need pops of colour somewhere, it couldn’t be all black as she’s a very feminine person; but I immediately had a colour palette, an edginess in mind. So I put together 2 different concepts, one with slightly more colour called ‘the bright side’ and the other was called ‘the dark side’. Secretly the ‘dark side’ was my favourite and Ellie immediately agreed. And we decided the pop colour would be fluoro pink.”

Looking through the images of Ellie’s apartment, I notice the use of animals is a strong theme. I ask Anna more about this look.

With a chuckle Anna explains, “Yes, the taxidermy is emerging as a bit of a signature of mine. You might spot it in a few of my projects including a flying dog.”

In Ellie’s apartment there is a diving bunny shooting straight down in the corner of the room and a crow with its wings spread. “Some people might be quite scared of it, but Ellie loved it. Me and the artist, Dex, had created a photo story in the lounge, this hovering crow worked really well presiding over the black and white story.”

In one of the pictures here there is a unique curtain hanging Anna explains more about that.

“It’s a silk curtain that I had screen printed and I put a wire mesh curtain over the front which makes it sparkle. It covers a custom-made wardrobe built in the hallway, which runs the entire length of the hallway in order to house (again) thousands of pairs of shoes and wonderful handbags. I designed it to be like a shop for “dressing-up.”

Ellie Goulding’s London home - showing Anna Burles signature accessory

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Ellie Goulding’s London home - showing Anna Burles signature accessory

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Ellie Goulding’s London home - showing Anna Burles purchase from our very own Stylista Boutique

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With such a quirky taste for products I wondered where Anna shops and how she sources the items?

“I‘ve got a little black book of my favourite places I go to. Whether it’s physical shopping, in my favourite streets in Notting Hill where I live, or shopping online where there are amazing bargains to be found. Though you can’t necessarily touch and feel the products, so sometimes I might do an exploratory order, send for a small item to see the quality first”

“If you’re a bit tight on budget you don’t have to spend the earth. I tend to look around the mid-level, for up-and-coming boutiques, design studios and online companies that I want to support because they are sourcing great stuff at great prices.”

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Tell us about your current project, the coffee shops in Moscow and Siberia. What kind of look or theme are they going to have?

“It’s for a great American client who lives in Russia. He’s an entrepreneur who runs a chain of 55 coffee shops with big ambitions for it to be a global chain.

The 55 shops he has have been done by some really great local designers but he’s decided to come to London to find European designers to help

him move his brand forward, so I was commissioned to work mainly on the Siberian and Moscow flagship projects. The Siberian one is super exciting. It’s a three story globe – a circular building, kind of like a 1970’s planetarium. The coffee shop is on three floors, with open staircases. The current design is looking a bit tired, so they want a new revolutionary coffee house. That’s the inspiration; a genius bar where people can demo brewing coffee in a different style, part laboratory, part cosy coffee shop.

Currently I’m building the concept, space planning, doing lots of CAD work, so that’ll be the next 3-4 months of my life basically.”

As the interview draws to a close I feel an overwhelming sense of aspiration, Anna’s creative ability is simply awe inspiring and her career is clearly continuing to flourish drawing on her talents for creating the unique, the practical and the amazing. The energy and vibrancy that she oozes is complemented by

Moscow coffee shop snug

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her warmth and friendliness and whilst her ideas are perhaps ‘out of this world’, Anna is very much down to earth. This combination makes her a person with whom you would be happy to entrust the task of redesigning your home.

Anna Burles is the founder of a small West London-based boutique interior design studio www.annaburles.com. Anna is the Creative Director, leading a small team of interior designers, artists and graphic designers.

Studio AB specialises in both commercial and residential design including restaurants, cafes, shops and studio work spaces. The boutique also styles live brand events and pop up spaces.

Shoreditch Loft Apartment

To contact Anna or for more information

Tel: +44 7884 496 056 Email: anna@annaburles.com Web: www.annaburles.comBlog: annaburles.wordpress.com

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Christmas dininG

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tesCO wHite pOrCelAinTesco White Porcelain 12 Piece Dinner Set, £17.50. Gold Lacquer Placemats, £6 For 4. Finest Champagne Flutes, £10 For 4. Mosaic Tealight Holders, £3.97. Gold Dinner Candles, 6 Pack, £2.97 Description: Tesco White Porcelain 12 Piece Dinner set, £17.50. Gold Lacquer placemats, £6 for 4. Finest champagne Flutes, £10 for 4. Mosaic Tealight Holders, £3.9 7. Gold Dinner Candles, 6 pack, £2.97 £17.50 tesco.com

HAnd pAinted CHAmpAGne Flute This gorgeous champagne flute has been delicately hand painted in gold and white to create a highly attractive and very festive design that will definitely add a touch of French style to your celebrations. The combination of gold dots and solid colour is picked up in the design on the foot of the glass, with a gold bubble on the stem bringing both elements together beautifully. Hand painted in the south of France by Marinette Berini, a talented artist who lives near Narbonne. £11.25 boutiqueprovencale.co.uk

‘CHristmAs tree’ sCHnApps CArAFe A contemporary Schnapps Carafe set from Sweden, perfect for the festive season, serve your schnapps and aperitif in style. £24.99 stylishlife.co.uk

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CHAmpAGne BuCket & GlAssesLovely champagne flutes and matching glass ice bucket both are etched. The glasses are priced at £24.95 and the ice bucket £100 emmabridgewater.co.uk jr@rennierandell.co.uk

JOy plAte The pretty shape of gingerbread biscuits and fine lines of a Victorian sampler have inspired this lovely Christmas pattern from Emma Bridgewater. This 8.5” plate is perfect for showing off a Christmas creation or filling with hot mince pies. Handmade in the UK £17.95 emmabridgewater.co.uk

red GlAss CAndlestiCkA stunning decorative accessory for a shelf or mantelpiece, or a wonderful table centrepiece for that all-important Christmas lunch, this beautiful glass candlestick in luxuriously rich deep red adds a touch of class to any setting. Surrounded with festive twigs and berries or standing alone in all its glory, it’s a gorgeous way to provide atmospheric lighting for your Christmas festivities. Height 19cm. £7.99 tch.net

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100% OrGAniC COttOnOur Ochre & Ocre Organic Cotton tablecloth is easy to wash and iron and drapes beautifully. Our Cotswold Grey print design is also available with a wipeable Polyurethane coating. The PU coating is soft and pliable and will drape well clean by sponging by hand Size Price Organic Cotton 140 x 180 cm £35.00 Organic Cotton 145 x 240 cm £47.00 Wipeable 140 x 180 cm £45.00 Wipeable 145 x 240 cm £57.00 Napkins: £20 (for 4) £35.00 ochreandocre.com

silVer reindeer Bottle Opener £5.00 whositfor.co.uk

stAG Bottle Stop £12.50 oliverbonas.com

wHite snOwFlAke These stunning place cards for glasses can be used as alternative place cards to sit on your glasses or to be used as a decoration. Pack of 10. 8.5cm in width. £3.50 andallthingsnice.net

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snOwFlAke nApkin HOlders These gorgeous snowflake napkin rings with 27 encrusted diamante crystals to add extra sparkle to your dinner setting, and create a stunning winter wonderland effect. 4 napkin rings per pack. Dimensions: snowflake 3.5 x 3.5 cm diameter of ring 4.5 cm £9.99 tch.net

sHimmerinG snOwFlAke Make your table sparkle with this gorgeous shimmering snowflake table confetti. 28g pack £2.99 thelastdetail.co.uk

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sOpHie AllpOrt’s Sophie Allport’s first ever Christmas collection is Robin! The super cute Robin sits proudly on the white china with some simple snow falling from the rims. The mug retails at £8.50 and comes in a smart gift box. Capacity : 275ml. Also available in large capacity - 425ml for £10 The Robin collection includes stationery, kitchen textiles and fine bone china. £15 for a table runner. sophieallport.com

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silVer CHeruB CAndle Part of our Christmas Past Collection this silver cherub candle will add a touch elegance to any festive setting. Size: 11x7x8cm£8.50 nordichouse.co.uk

VintAGe nApkins These fabulous nostalgia paper napkins match our vignette tea light holders and will add a touch of days-gone-by to your festive/christmas table. Size: 33x33cm £5.95 nordichouse.co.uk

CHristmAs GlAsswAre Create a magical Christmas table with iapetus’ range of beautiful glassware and tableware. Spear glass candle stick holders from £29.50 each Glass swirl dinner plates £22 each Glass swirl side plates £13.50 each Hand-blown claret glasses £55 for two Hand-blown white wine glasses £55 for two iapetus.co.uk

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CompetitionsStylista Homes has some fantastic competitions this month! If you live in a high tech home,

a Power Ethernet socket maybe just what you need or perhaps you love cooking and would enjoy a cookery lesson for you and a friend with an extra gift just for you, your very own Kenwood kMix Hand Blender. Plantation Rug Company are giving one lucky reader an ultra

stylish Freddie rug. Or how about getting your home smelling sumptuous with a fantastic collection of products from Lily Flame? Why not enter them all, you never know it could be you! The Stylista Homes team wishes you all the best of luck

We have a pair of Power Ethernet (PE) Sockets for one lucky reader worth over £200! Designed to tackle networking woes in homes with thick, Wi-Fi-sapping walls, these sockets create a high-speed, reliable computer network that is built into your electrical sockets. Ingeniously, they use the electrical wires in your walls to transmit data, so no new wires are required - saving you a fortune in redecoration costs. As they’re far more reliable than WiFi, the sockets are more than capable of handling superfast broadband, as well as new TV streaming services such as YouView.

Win

To enter log onto www.stylistahomes.co.uk/competitions

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Cookery lesson at Ashburton Cookery School in Devon

Plus

To enter log onto www.stylistahomes.co.uk/competitions

WINThe Plantation Rug company has teamed up with Stylista Homes to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a stylish “Freddie” rug, designed exclusively for Plantation Rug Company. The soon to be iconic design will cause a stir in your home, bright geometric lines create repeating stars patterns that will keep your interiors shining.

The super stylish rug is available in five bright colourways, but our favourite right now, has to be berry red. Made from 100% wool this rug is available in two sizes 120x170cm £100 and 150x230cm £175 from www.plantationrug.co.uk

With Plantation’s new click and collect service, you can place your order and can get your sparkly new rug delivered to your nearest Rug Retailer for FREE during store opening hours. Alternatively you can have your rug delivered to your UK address for a flat fee of £10.

To enter log onto www.stylistahomes.co.uk/competitions

WINKenwood, the small kitchen appliance expert, has teamed up with Stylista Homes magazine to offer one lucky reader and a friend, the opportunity to learn to cook like a profressional for a day at the award winning Ashburton Cookery School in Devon.

With a team of professional chefs who teach cookery skills for all levels, your visit to Ashburton will give you the confidence and passion to re-create culinary masterpieces at home. The winner will be able to choose from any of 40 courses, including breadmaking.

Once home, the winner will also receive their very own Kenwood kMix Hand Blender (RRP £119.99). The Kenwood kMix Hand Blender is the ultimate kitchen helper for foodies and is ideal for preparing everyday meals such as soups and sauces as well as more elaborate recipes.For more information about Kenwood’s range of kitchen products, visit www.kenwoodworld.com/uk or to find out more about Ashburton Cookery School visit www.ashburtoncookeryschool.co.uk

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Win

Established in 1997 and based in Glastonbury in the magical heart of the Somerset countryside, Lily-Flame is the UK’s leading hand-made scented candle maker. The secret to its success lies in its splendid fragrances, eye-catching design and the highest quality of ingredients that go into its products.

The Lily-Flame range includes scented tins with a burn time of 35 hours. (Dimensions 7.7x6.6cm)It also includes glassware, room mist sprays and reed diffusers. Many hours of work go into the preparation of each of Lily-Flame’s scents.

Using the skills of the UK’s best perfumers, samples are made up and whittled down to the very best using ‘blind testing’ and burning tests to judge which scent gives the best ‘throw’ - sending the scent into your room’s atmosphere.

The 12 scents of Christmas: Here’s your chance to get into the Christmas spirit by winning a collection of magical fragrances of the season (pictured), worth £143.

The Lily-Flame range is available at www.lily-flame.co.uk - priced from £8.50. Lily-Flame products are also available online at John Lewis and Debenhams.

To enter log onto www.stylistahomes.co.uk/competitions

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Warming GreyHOt OFFers

£129.99

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Warming Grey

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25% Off*For a limited time only get 25%* off

your total order when you spend £50 or more at www.stylistaboutique.co.uk

VALID UNTIL 31st December 2012

enter COde sBGreY25*Discount applies to purchases of £50 or more in a single transaction made on-line through Stylista Boutique. Discount vouchers and codes valid from 1st December to 31st December 2012 inclusive. Discount vouchers and codes are not transferrable and cannot be exchanged for cash. One discount voucher or code per customer per transaction. Discount vouchers and codes are limited to one per customer and cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount voucher, code or coupon. Normal delivery, packaging and handling charges will apply for all orders. Stylista Boutique reserves the right to cancel, alter or withdraw the discount voucher or code at any time without notice. Promoter: Stylista Homes, Haywood Media, 2 The Hall, Turners Green Road, Wadhurst, East Sussex TN5 6TR

54 STYLISTAThe elegant small antique glass candlestick is an elegant contemporary replica of the traditional

candle holder of yesteryear. mydeco.com