EDITOR’S LETTER
So here it is! Livingetc’s Christmas special. And my last issue as the voice behind these letters. I’m not leaving the business, I’m handing over the day-to-day running of the brand to the brilliant executive editor Pip Mccormac as my remit expands the wider home-interest portfolio at Future plc. I am so delighted that Pip will be leading this brand into 2021 and beyond.
In the decade that I’ve worked at Livingetc, the interiors editorial world has changed beyond recognition. Our lens is now international. In huge part due to Instagram and Pinterest, which both launched in 2010, the hope now is that we find the best ideas from all over the world. This scope means that the edit is more important than ever. It’s an exciting time to be a publishing brand as the medium transforms. Hopefully by now you’ve tuned in to our podcast Home Truths and watched some of our House Tours Open Door webinars. Looking forward, we have very exciting plans for 2021 – more House Tours, both virtual and live (fingers crossed), new awards programmes and original immersive experiences. We are also relaunching our website livingetc.com – you’ll hear a lot more about that in the weeks to come. I would love to know what you love and don’t love about the brand and what we are up to. What sorts of houses would you like to see more of? Which ideas do you find most inspiring? Please write to me – sarah.spiteri@futurenet.com or message me on Instagram @sarah.spiteri.
So what’s the mood for this Christmas? As creative people, we are finding joy this year in originality and personality. Wild, our decorating story by stylist Alyce Taylor, is a fantastical tale of foliage and flora, with hedgerow-foraged creations and fragrant combinations. Our front cover shows a twisted branch combined with dried hops and ivy, a wonderfully unusual tree. You’ll find another fresh take on the festive spruce in Marianne Cotterill’s home; she painted twigs and then draped a lametta curtain over them. This is just one of her over-the-top and original touches. Further to our pursuit of creativity and joy, the other dressedfor-christmas houses we are showing are also owned by experts, including textile and interior designer Tricia Guild and florist Willow Crossley. Their homes are full of ideas and rooms to inspire. I hope you have a creative and joyful celebration this year.