WINTER WARMERS
Hunker down with our ultimate winter wellbeing wish list, packed with 34 ways to get cosy. Discover the softest accessories, comforting scents and practical tips on how to draught-proof your home. Plus, the definitive guide to hygge
1 LIVE THE HYGGE LIFE
In the spirit of comfort and joy, we take a closer look at hygge, the Danish philosophy that’s captured the zeitgeist
‘Hygge’ is the biggest buzzword around right now, but what can we tell you about it that’s new? Firstly, the word’s meaning is so fluid that lots of people get confused about what it actually is. It’s almost impossible to translate succinctly, encompassing the idea of cosiness, safety, togetherness, contentment, relaxation and being kind to yourself. You can enjoy hygge while having a good meal with friends and family, or on your own, doing very little at all. It’s about taking pleasure in life, or ‘ being, not having,’ says Danish author Louisa Thomsen Brits. I can’t pronounce it! Danish can be a tongue -twisting language for English speakers. Hygge is pronounced ‘ hue-gah’ – ‘ hue’ as in colour, ‘gah’ almost like the first three letters of ‘girl’. Where does the word come from? It has its roots in the Old Norse word ‘ hyggja’ (to think) and the Middle Danish word ‘ hygge’ (to comfort). You might think of it as an ancient form of mindfulness. Why are the Danes so good at it? Hygge has been the backdrop of the nation’s life for over a century. Its rise coincided with a gradual decline of the Danish Empire, which once stretched from Greenland to the Baltic. As their territory shrank, so the
Danes began to look inward, celebrating the simpler things in life (it’s difficult to imagine hygge thriving in a country hellbent on imperial expansion). The pastor and philosopher Nikolaj Grundtvig (1783–1872) promoted his own brand of enlightenment values, focusing on national identity as a sense of belonging, and quality of life. This belief that social cohesion and individual wellbeing are intimately linked remains deeply felt in modern Denmark. So how do us Brits ‘ have it hyggelig’, as they
say in Denmark? The ELLE Decoration take on hygge might involve gardening (proven to promote contentment); drinking coffee by an open fire while wearing sheepskin slippers; or lighting up darker days with a good scented candle, while reading an even better book. It would mean taking a healthy interest in material things for the pleasure that they can bestow without being acquisitive for the sake of it: for instance, cooking a winter stew in a beautiful casserole dish. All of Danish designer Ilse Crawford’s books, such as Sensual Home and A Frame for Life ( both out of print but available on Amazon; amazon.co.uk), are intensely ‘ hyggelig’: she talks about creating spaces that boost health and happiness.
Hygge is about cosiness, safety, togetherness, and generally being kind to yourself
FOUR NEW BOOKS FOR THOSE IN SEARCH OF HYGGE 2 How to Hygge: The Secrets of Nordic Living
by Signe Johansen (Bluebird, £14.99). Norwegian cook Johansen takes a foodie’s approach to the subject: the book contains comforting recipes as well as listing the ideals of hygge. Norway and Denmark were one kingdom until the 19th century and still understand each other’s languages and customs, so you don’t have to be Danish to be an expert in hygge.
3 Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness
by Marie Tourell Søderberg (Michael Joseph, £12.99). Penned by a Danish actress, this book contains tips on how to do hygge in every room of your home; how to make your workspace more enjoyable; and how to extend hygge through the seasons. There’s even a hygge music playlist and an exploration of the Danish obsession with candles (apparently, they use more than any other country in the EU).
4 The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well
by Meik Wiking (Penguin Life, £9.99). Wiking is CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen (yes, there really is one) and believes that hygge is the reason that Danes are happier than most. His beautifully illustrated book contains everything from a handy hygge dictionary to emergency hygge kit and details about his favourite hygge activity: drinking cocoa by candlelight.
5 The Book of Hygge: The Danish Art of Living Well
by Louisa Thomsen Brits (Ebury Press, £12.99). Half Danish and half English, writer Thomsen Brits is perfectly positioned to translate the nuances of hygge for a British audience. This is the book to buy if you want to read more deeply on hygge and its origins; it also makes the ultimate hyggelig gesture of donating part of the cover price to a charity for homeless people.
6 TOUCHES SOFT
This month’s wish list is our hottest yet, packed with tactile buys and things to keep you cosy
7 BOOKS TO CURL UP WITH
Winter is the time to hunker down and seek inspiration. Here are our all-time favourite design books that every home lover must have
8 KEEP THE HEAT
Make your home toasty with our ten easy fixes for banishing draughts
• Despite being best associated with warm roaring fires, more often than not chimneys suck in cold air and let heat escape. A chimney balloon prevents this. ‘You inflate it with a pump about 30 centimetres above the fire opening until it fits snugly, then turn a hand-grip tap to lock it in place,’ says inventor David Woodman. You do need to temporarily remove it if you want to light a fire, but if you forget to it will just shrivel harmlessly. From £20 (chimneyballoon.co.uk).
• Fit Radflek reflectors to radiators. Laminated aluminium foil panels that hang from the brackets at the back, they reflect warmth back into the room and reduce heat loss through the walls by up to 45 per cent. From £21.99 for a three sheet pack, which fits up to six radiators (radflek.com).
• Install Duette energy-saving blinds, which can reduce heat loss by up to 46 per cent according to the brand. Their honeycomb structure improves insulation by trapping hot air. £150 for a 60x40-centimetre blind (duette.co.uk).
• Make your wood-burning stove more efficient with a Firemizer, a flexible metal grid that reduces the burn rate of your fuel. Place it at the base of your stove; it works by slowing the air flow and conducting heat evenly across the fire to ensure all fuel is fully combusted. £19.99 (firemizer.com).
• If you have sash windows, you can magnetically attach a made-tomeasure, lightweight clear membrane to the frames during the winter. It forms an airtight seal in the same way as double glazing. Fitted by London-based company Window Skins, it’s also easy to remove yourself in warmer weather. From £130 per square metre (windowskins.co.uk).
• Live in an old house? Take this sage advice from Patrick Mccool, founder of Make My Home Green, which specialises in period properties. ‘Stop heat escaping through the floor by insulating suspended timber floors with a vapour-control layer to prevent condensation, 15 centimetres of flexible wool insulation, and a windproof breathable membrane on top’. From £95 per metre (makemyhomegreen.com).
• ‘A metal keyhole cover, a letterbox brush and draught excluders for the gap at the bottom of exterior doors are all quick ways to protect your home from draughts,’ says Aled Stephens of the Energy Saving Trust (energysavingtrust.org.uk). •
If you have a pale carpet and it turns dark at the sides, it indicates a draught underneath. Lift the edges and use a sealant such as ‘Draught Ex Standard’ to fill in any gaps between the floorboards. £28.99 for a 40-metre roll, suitable for two to seven-millimetre gaps (draughtex.co.uk).
• ‘ When draught-proofing a loft, many people ignore the hatch,’ says Russell Smith, founder of Parity Projects, which specialises in low-energy refurbishment. ‘By packing insulation around it and on the back, you’ll stop heat escaping into the roof.’
• ‘There are around seven million properties in the UK that don’t have thick enough loft insulation,’ says Neil Marshall, who is chief executive of the National Insulation Association (nia-uk.org). ‘It should be a depth of 27 centimetres; the simplest and most cost-effective type to use is rolls of mineral wool, which you fit between the eaves and across the joists.’
Stop heat escaping through your floors, roof and windows with proper insulation
9 SEEK SOME SANCTUARY Check out of the chaos of Christmas preparations at home and into one of these heavenly hideaways, for a city break or country retreat
TOWN OR COUNTRY
The Culpeper in Spitalfields defines itself as a London pub, but it’s much more. Considered a fine restaurant (whole Dover sole with cockles, fennel and Pernod is a star dish), it has a rooftop garden and now, on the second storey, a hotel. Five beautiful rooms are available to book on a B&B basis. Unpainted walls are offset by textiles from The Hackney Draper, Donna Wilson accessories and throws by Mandal Veveri. Double rooms, £120 per night (right; theculpeper.com). You only have to look at the lustrous gunmetal grey Italian velvets and mirrored walls, tables and even beds to know that a night at The Franklin in Knightsbridge is a deluxe way to escape from it all. It’s housed in a red-brick row of Victorian houses and the queen of sultry interiors, Anoushka Hempel, has added her magic touch with Frette bedlinen and sandstone bathrooms. Double rooms from £360 per night (right; thefranklinlondon.com). Housed in a 17th-century manor in Gloucestershire, The Slaughters Manor House is a cool, colourful take on the country house hotel. Artisan gin brand Sipsmith’s master distiller lives in the idyllic village of Lower Slaughter, and so its small-batch London gin is served in the new bar. Painted dove grey and palest pink, the lounge has midcentury-style wing armchairs for cocktails by the fire. Double rooms from £195 per night (left and above; slaughtersmanor.co.uk). The Pig hotel group’s self-confessed ‘scruffy’ approach translates as wellies in the hall and eccentric interiors, both of which can be found in its newest outpost in Devon, The Pig At Combe. Jewelcoloured goblets and martini glasses line the mullioned windows, and the dining room is in a restored garden folly. Dishes are made using produce from the kitchen garden. Double rooms from £145 per night ( left; thepighotel.com).
10 BRIGHTEN UP THE BLUES
There’s nothing like a splash of colour or pattern to cheer up dull days, and these new designs made from vintage sari fabrics are brimming with both. London-based homeware brand Lulu & Nat’s ‘Kanta’ quilts are hand-stitched from antique textiles, so each one is unique. The company also makes cosy throws for snuggling by the fireside (above, £160 each; luluandnat.com). We also love Decorator’s Notebook’s Christmas stockings. Handmade by a social enterprise that helps vulnerable women in Bangladesh, they’ll add a vibrant feel to any fireplace (£23.95 each; decoratorsnotebook.co.uk). 11 ‘ When it’s cold outside, nothing beats coming home to the smell of dinner, so my top winter tip is to invest in a slow cooker – or find your oven manual and learn how to use the timer function. Roast chicken in a bag is a ridiculously easy win!’ Editor-in- Chief Michelle Ogundehin (@ELLEDECOED)
12 MAKE THE DOG’ S DAY
Pets deserve their winter comforts too, so why not indulge your four-legged friend with Lovemydog’s new duvet beds? Covered in a 1930s Liberty print, it’s so much more stylish than your average fleecy blanket. Plus, for especially chilly days and walks, the brand also sells jumpers in a variety of lovely colours. Note: both of these are just as good for cats as they are for dogs! Duvet, £85; jumper, £69 ( lovemydog.co.uk).
13 NEW BREW
Fine tea specialist Prince & Sons has an excellent collection of warming blends. Try the ‘ Blood Orange’ with a dash of manuka honey if you’re feeling under the weather, or indulge in the antioxidant-rich ‘Caramel Vanilla Rooibos’. For a twist on the delicious Indian masala chai, try ‘Chocolate Cinnamon Chai’ and add a dash of almond milk. £4.65 for 15 teabags ( princeandsonstea.com).
14 COMFORT FOOD
Slow-cooked one-pot dishes have the advantage of being both warming and easy to prepare. We love the recipes in Australian cook Louise Franc’s new book Low & Slow (Smith Street Books, £20). Highlights include duck and pork sausage cassoulet and beef, stout and black pepper stew. Cook them up in RCA graduate Barnaby Tuke’s mattblack cast-iron ‘C1’ casserole ( below) for Crane Cookware, which is made in one of France’s oldest foundries. £135 (crane cookware.com).
15 INDULGE IN FINE WINE
In the spirit of making merry, we round up the very best places to find presents for discerning wine fans. If you only buy a bottle from Berry Bros & Rudd (above), Britain’s oldest family-owned wine and spirit merchant, once a year, it should be at Christmas. Having barely changed since opening in 1698, the Georgian shop on London’s St James’ Street is like a museum, while the contemporary Basingstoke warehouse store, which sells ‘ bin-end’ bottles, is as close to being a bargain basement as the royal warrant holder will ever come. Pick up stocking fillers such as a miniature of ‘The Kings’ Ginger’ liqueur, originally formulated to revivify King Edward VII on his morning rides (£7.50; bbr. com). Modern merchant The Humble Grape’s ‘12 Wines of Christmas’ (right) is a box of a dozen wines, each with a carol motif: the first has ‘notes’ of sweet pear (of the partridge’s tree) and the third (French hens) comes from one of France’s oldest vineyards (£246; humblegrape.co.uk). Fantastic wine magazine Noble Rot (right), which has three issues a year, has featured Keira Knightley and artist David Shrigley talking wining and dining alongside St John’s Bread & Wine chef Fergus Henderson. An annual subscription would make an excellent present for a serial sipper, and the publication’s year-old bar on London’s Lamb’s Conduit Street is a great pit stop (noblerot.co.uk).
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‘For me, three things are essential to make winter bearable: warmth, candlelight and hot, tasty food. Accordingly you will find me with a hearty casserole and a really good scented candle diffusing spicy fragrance as it lights my living room.’ Features Director Amy Bradford (@ELLEDECOAMY)
17 THE ULTIMATE HOTTIE
Is it a knitted sceptre? Or just a very elegant Christmas stocking? In fact, this is the world’s first long hot-water bottle, slotted into a cashmere case. Yuyu bottles are found in The Dorchester and Mandarin Oriental hotels, and as well as the cashmere version ( from £159), there are also affordable options in fleece and modal fabric (right; £40). Sling it around your shoulders or use it to warm up the length of your bed (they are even recommended by doctors to treat chronic pain). Yuyu is soon to launch a collaboration with Liberty, taking four of the store’s archive prints to make new covers ( yuyubottle.com).
18 WARMTH ON WHEELS
It’s not always practical to have an open fire or stove in every room, but what to do in deepest winter when a radiator’s not enough? Portable heaters have thus far had little to offer in the design stakes – in fact, most of them are positively ugly. But we think Calor is onto something with its sleek black ‘Manhattan’ design. Resembling a contemporary stove (it even has a convincing flame/coals effect), the heater operates using a handy gas canister. It warms rooms quickly, and sits on castors, so it can easily be moved to wherever you need it most. £200 (calor.co.uk).
19 STOP WHILE YOU SHOP Soothe tired feet and shopping stress with a well-deserved break at one of these new eateries. Beautifully designed, they are all a stone’s throw from London’s retail hotspots
Shopping requires serious sustenance, especially at Christmas, and there are plenty of newly opened places to welcome you in from the cold. Gear up for a Westfield shopathon with a breakfast of rainbow chard, poached eggs and woodland mushrooms at Mustard ( 1), a brasserie housed in a former Victorian grocery in Shepherd’s Bush. Sussex studio Design LSM kept the building’s original glossy mint-green tiles, subtly updating the space with mustard-yellow leather seats and contemporary lighting (mustardrestaurants.co.uk). Convenient for Clerkenwell’s design stores is Anglo ( 2), a restaurant opened by former Le Manoir chef Mark Jarvis, where cod with cucumber followed by black figs with hay ice cream would make an excellent lunch. We love the pared-back interior, which is furnished with reclaimed chairs, hand-thrown tableware and Tom Dixon lighting (anglorestaurant.com). Originally a coaching inn, Hatchett’s Hotel and White Horse Cellar on Piccadilly was a favourite haunt of famous Brits from Charles Dickens to the Rolling Stones. It has now moved deeper into the heart of Mayfair, and operates as a bar and restaurant ( 3). Sip a ‘May Fair Lady’ (vodka, mint and grapefruit) upstairs, and head downstairs for wild sea bass and Pink Fir potatoes in the scarlet dining room ( hatchetts.london).
20 HOT CHOCOLATE
These gorgeous chocolate bars by small-batch Los Angeles chocolatier Compartés are the ultimate luxury treat for any design fan. With intriguing flavour combinations including blueberry quinoa and a super-decadent dark chocolate coated in 24-carat gold leaf, the bars’ packaging has been created by interior designer Kelly Wearstler, who is famous for her bold, maximalist style. From left: chilli mango and coconut; blueberry quinoa; dark chocolate and 24-carat gold leaf; salted pistachio, all £10.50 each ( kellywearstler.com).
21 A GOOD SOAK
A hot bath improves circulation, lowers blood pressure and helps you sleep by relaxing the muscles. Enhance its effects with a bath oil made using warming essential oils: Austrian spa brand Susanne Kaufmann’s ‘Oil Bath Winter’ contains cinnamon, clove and orange and is as comforting as a hot toddy (£44, Liberty; liberty.co.uk). Lie back for at least 20 minutes and make your soak more comfortable with The Body Shop’s white waffle cotton bath pillow (£8; thebodyshop.com). When you get out, wrap up in Linen Me’s wonderfully springy bath towels, which come in a range of restful colours (£24.99 each; linenme.com).
22 GET FIRED UP
If you’re lucky enough to have an open fire, it’s important to have the right tools to maintain it. Best known for its cutlery, British stainless steel specialist Robert Welch also produces this great set of fire tools and log basket, which bring a modern, polished feel to your fireside lounging. There are also wine racks and coffee tables in the same range if you like the look. ‘Brunel’ stainless-steel log basket, £50; fire irons set with log tongs, £260 (robertwelch.co.uk).
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‘To me there is nothing more special at Christmas than the smell of a real pine tree. I also spritz my “Christmas Trees” room fragrance (£50; joloves.com) over table linens and onto gift wrapping to make everything come alive with the scent of fresh pine, lavender, incense and amber.’ Jo Malone, perfumer (@Jomalonembe)
24 THE HOMELY EATERY
Local restaurants are a blessing when the weather takes a turn, and we’re all off to new Marylebone joint Jikoni, a short walk from ED headquarters. ‘Jikoni means kitchen in Swahili, and I hope this place feels like an extension of my own kitchen,’ says founder Ravinder Boghal. The cook and journalist draws on her East African, Northern Indian and British heritage for inspiration for the deliciously soothing recipes and décor. The blush-coloured interior glows thanks to copious lamps, while block-printed tablecloths and embroidered cushions abound. Try one of the delightfully presented quail scotch egg dishes ( jikonilondon.com).
25 SCENTS OF THE SEASON
Laced with spices, these fragrances will bring winter cheer
26 A GUIDE TO HOUSE SITTING
Going away for Christmas? Allay fears of houseplants perishing and beloved pets going missing by getting in a trusted house sitter, says Charlotte Brook Illustration
Not for the first time, this December will see me pack a suitcase and head from my natural Brixton habitat up to north London, where I will take up residence in a Georgian townhouse for five days while the wine-buyer owner goes to Bergerac on business. It is the ultimate fun and functional exchange: the proprietor (a distant relative) returns to contented cats and an immaculate house; I experience the joys of pruning a winter garden and living in a different (and rather more sophisticated) neighbourhood. There is a term for this arrangement: house sitting.
As the biggest holiday season of the year, Christmas is a risky time to leave a home noticeably empty for a long period. In the name of keeping your property secure and in tip-top condition when you are out of town, here is everything you need to know about house sitting.
How does it work? Owners hand over their keys to a person or couple who keep their property, belongings, garden and pets safe while they are away. What’s the cost? Normally nothing. The idea is that it is a mutually beneficial, non-monetary exchange. If it is a very posh house or has a menagerie of animals that demands extra duties, fees are sometimes negotiated. Sounds excellent. How can I set it up? As often applies, word of mouth brings the best recommendations. Play caretaker Cupid: if you know of a responsible free spirit who might be up for the job – adventurous young couples, retirees seeking a change of scene, ‘digital nomads’ who can work anywhere with wi-fi – suggest them to a friend. Alternatively, websites such as mindmyhouse.com operate as a cross between Airbnb and Match.com, where owners can search for suitable sitters and free rangers can apply to look after houses.
I’d like to try my hand at house-sitting! Am I suitable?
House sitting suits you if you are a dependable person and excel at keeping house. You will be expected to keep things shipshape so that, on returning, the owner finds it exactly as they left it. Extra tasks (watering plants, caring for pets, signing for deliveries) are discussed and agreed on in advance. Is it safe? While trust and a benign attitude are the cornerstones of most house-sitting success stories, professional organisations do advise homeowners to vet applicants: a Skype interview and background checks are recommended before booking, as is introducing them to a neighbour and/or family when they arrive. Brighton-based company Trustedhousesitters.com is well equipped to help you: it charges £89 for a year’s membership, offers 24-hour live online support and members can earn a ‘Trust Badge’ for their online profile once they have undergone ID checks, address verification and provided third-party references. Most sites also provide draft agreements that can be downloaded, edited and signed by both sides. But what will the dog think? Dr Scott Miller, Channel 4’s ‘ Vet on the Hill’, endorses the concept of house sitting, saying it’s a better option for pets than moving them out. ‘Most pets are bonded to their home: animals respond to a new carer better than a new environment,’ he says.
27 RITUAL PLEASURES
As the season of slowing down and heading home to hibernate is upon us, take the opportunity to revive one of these leisurely pastimes
BREAKFAST IN BED
Long before it became the preserve of the cosseted English aristocracy, breakfast in bed was the normal way to start the day. ‘Breakfasts taken in bed were simple,’ says Heather Arndt Anderson, author of Breakfast: A History (Altamira, £29.95), of the 17th-century practice. ‘Think possets of ale [spiced and mixed with curdled hot milk], tea and toast.’
Clearly, the morning meal has changed: a survey by cutlery specialist Robert Welch has found that 73 per cent of Brits eat breakfast in less than 10 minutes; Ikea announced in 2015 that 50 per cent of Brits had never had breakfast in bed. A combination of busy lives and the annoyance of crumbs in the bed might help to explain this. Give this timehonoured tradition a modern makeover, set your alarm 15 minutes earlier, and reap the benefits of a day started slowly.
The essential kit
Standing tray The White Company’s simple, sturdy ‘Breakfast in Bed’ tray has high sides to contain crumbs ( below left, £50; thewhitecompany.com). Toast rack To celebrate its 60th birthday, Robert Welch’s ‘Campden’ stainless steel design has been reissued ( below right, £40; robertwelch.com). We also love ceramicist Charlotte Storrs’ handmade design (from £46, Maison Numen; maisonnu men.com).
TAKING TEA
Since its origins as a medicinal tonic in China over 3,000 years ago, tea has become the most popular drink in the world after water. It is iced in America; taken with lemon in Hungary; and simmered with cardamom and condensed milk in India. Builders’ tea – a strong brew with a splash of milk – is the infamous British breed of the beverage, but the art of making and taking tea properly is enjoying a much deserved resurgence. Embrace leaves, a proper pot, a strainer and porcelain cups and saucers.
The essential kit
Storage Milanese brand Toncelli’s ‘Tea Tall Unit’ is made from Ziricote wood and comprises a pull-out table, a steel facility for tea-leaf washing and a myriad of compartments. Given the price, it’s an indulgence for the most discerning of tea drinkers ( below left; £29,142; toncelli.it). Brewing equipment Put Kinto’s ‘Unitea’ range on your wishlist (teapot, below; from £25; kinto.jp). Tea Visit Kanuka’s St Albans tea house or buy exotic infusions online ( below; kanuka tea.com).
COCKTAIL HOUR
‘ What one needs is some kind of a party that starts at half-past five...that lasts ninety minutes, at which alcohol is served, but not too much food,’ declared Evelyn Waugh’s brother and fellow writer Alec, in a 1974 Esquire magazine column. Today, with craft breweries and cocktail joints popping up everywhere, it’s easy to forget the pleasure of hosting preprandials at home. So tonight, cancel the cab: a lit fire, your own playlist and sparkling aperitifs served in glamorous glasses is surely still the stuff that Sinatra’s swellegant, elegant parties were made of.
The essential kit
Cocktail glass Soho House’s homeware range, Soho Home, includes the perfect old-school glass: a Champagne coup ( below right; £28; sohohome.com). Ideal for bellinis are Jochen Holz’s coloured flutes, ( below right, £150 for two, The New Craftsmen; thenewcraftsmen.com). Drinks trolley A requisite for the retro host. Our top pick is Atkin and Thyme’s sturdy ‘Oriental’ ( below, £279; atkinandthyme.co.uk). Ice bucket We love Brit designer Richard Brendon’s sparkling, heavyweight ‘Diamond’ bucket ( below, £140; with decanter, £200; richard brendon.com).
28 WINTER GARDENS
Unearth your woolliest jumper and brave the chill in the air, because fairweather horticulturalists miss out on some of the most atmospheric months in British gardens. The Royal Horticultural Society’s landmark plots richly reward those who venture out: one of the oldest concentrations of winter planting in England, Yorkshire’s Harlow Carr will be resplendent with daphnes, witch hazel and – for this year only – 5,000 specially planted irises. Further south, of particular wonder is Wisley in Surrey, where the steamy glasshouses will be bursting at the seams with exotic butterflies in December. The national collection of hollies make Devon’s Rosemoor well worth a midwinter visit, too – more than 150 varieties will be in full bristly bloom this season (rhs.org.uk).
29 TWILIGHT ZONE
This cosy pairing will keep you toasty in style as the nights draw in. With its comforting hood, velour outer and towelling lining the ‘Sati’ bathrobe by Coze Linen is a cossetting option post-soak. It’s available in four colourways, but our favourite is the deep grey ‘Mist’ (from £70; cozelinen.com). If you want a hot-water bottle, make it a cashmere-covered one like this ‘Damen’ design by Scottish cashmere specialist Johnston’s of Elgin (£100, Amara; amara.com).
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‘My favourite winter comfort is lighting our two log-burning stoves and curling up with a soft lambswool blanket and a cup of hot chocolate. I love the slight smoky smell from the stoves, especially if you burn lavender or sage clippings from the garden. I’ve also discovered the best hot chocolate – ‘Chocolate de Oaxaca’ (£12.95, SCP; scp.co.uk) – which has vanilla and a bit of spice in it.’ Donna Wilson, designer (@Donnawilsonltd)
31 CUSHIONS TO PILE HIGH
You can never have too many cushions! Here are our current favourites
32 DEEPLY FELT
There’s a reason Scandinavians love felt homewares: few materials are quite as tactile, or offer such powerful insulating and sound-buffering qualities. San Francisco felt rug specialist Peace Industry has teamed up with California pottery Heath Ceramics to create a modern collection of felt rugs, storage baskets and ottomans. Handmade from lambswool at Peace Industry’s workshop in Iran, they will take you through winter in style. ‘Slice’ rug, £1,612; ‘Choob’ ottomans, £540 each; basket, £282 ( heathceramics.com).
33 GOURMET TO GO
If things get busy over the Christmas period, worry not: the takeaway has had an upgrade. JKS Restaurants, the group behind the critically acclaimed Gymkhana, Trishna and Hoppers, has launched a London-based home delivery service called Motu Indian Kitchen (motuindiankitchen.com). It offers an à la carte menu, but we like the feast box – a fragrant main course plus kachumber raita, homemade naan and chutneys.
Wine is taken care of, too, thanks to Covent Garden bistro 10 Cases’ new wine-delivery app, Drop. The electric bike service couriers carefully chosen bottles of vino to anywhere in zones 1 or 2. The reasoning behind the launch? ‘People are taking a greater interest in what they’re drinking, but don’t want to spend a fortune or waste money on hangover-inducing wine from the corner shop,’ says co-founder Will Palmer. Hear, hear! With no minimum order, you can have a chilled bottle of Riesling delivered pronto (dropwine.co.uk).
34 THREE OF THE BEST MODERN STOVES
Traditional warmth with a contemporary design twist
Best for a shot of colour
Italian brand Palazzetti’s ‘Anna’ stove features glossy ceramic cladding, and its automatic fire-stoking system means it can be pre-programmed. £2,373 (palazzetti.it).
Best for street cred
British brand Charnwood’s ‘Cove 1’ stove recently made an appearance as part of an art installation at White Cube gallery in London. £1,218 (charnwood.com).
Best for cosy corners
The ‘6643’ stove by Danish brand Morsø has an elliptical shape that makes it perfect for corner spaces and a 180-degree window for a wide view of the flames. £1,890 (morso.co.uk). ED