From the Editor
Ithink I’m more desperate for a holiday than ever before… Our new normal of post-pandemic hybrid working has benefits, of course, but surely I’m not alone in feeling that the day-to-day pressure has ramped up considerably. Being almost permanently available and beholden to tech solutions, which were once meant to simplify our lives, does not make for a stress-free existence. So yes, I’m craving a summer switch off.
Travel these past couple of years has been beyond difficult – a fraught confusion of masks, vaccination certificates, fit-to-fly tests and anti-bac. Not the enjoyable and exciting way to see the world it once was, sure, but I’ll take short-lived inconvenience in the name of getting away for a while. For me, part of the escapism of any trip has always been the opportunity to immerse myself in the pages of novels and magazines; combining a physical voyage with a journey of the imagination has a certain satisfaction to it. For our first summer special, we are focusing on homes that, for me, define summer. Not chosen because they all have beachfront aspects and sea views (although some do), but for the sense of escapism rooted in the innovative ways they challenge what a home could and should be. If ever there was a time to re-evaluate that, it’s now, when we have time to stop and take stock.
At home or abroad, holidays as a youngster would invariably include a visit or two to an art exhibition. My mum, an art teacher, would take my sister and me around grand galleries, enthusiastically telling us about the works of artists, from the Italian Masters to the postmodernists, and all those in-between. It instilled in me a love of art, which I now know to be fundamental when creating a home. Working out what to choose can be daunting though, so we’ve spoken to those at the forefront of the new accessible-art movement – people who are getting rid of the fear factor and allowing everyone to transform their spaces with beautiful works.
Before the summer shutdown, I’ll be heading to Milan for another postponed Salone del Mobile (the international furniture and design fair), where brands will be presenting the exciting pieces that will shape the months and years ahead. See our preview on p31 to pique your interest about what’s to come.
But first, focus on the holidays. Whether this summer you escape to a gallery, a beach, the end of the garden or just your sofa, enjoy it and, above all, relax…
Combining a physical VOYAGE with a journey of the IMAGINATION has a CERTAIN SATISFACTION to it