Find your happy place
Take inspiration from where grazia’s favourite design creatives retreat to for a shot of joy Michelle Ogundehin
‘All my home is designed to actively contribute to my wellbeing, but there is a great Aristotle quote that goes, “Nature requires us not only to be able to work well, but also to idle well,”’ says the co-presenter of Interior Design Masters and author of Happy Inside. ‘So my happiest place is when I get the sofa all to myself, plus comfy casuals and cashmere socks, a pot of tea with a magazine, papers or a book to hand; no TV and no pressure to do anything or be anywhere else. My sofa, upholstered in velvet, is deliberately dressed to give me a hug! And I have a ridiculous number of cushions, all of them profoundly tactile.’
‘My happy place is the space just outside the kitchen,’ says the co-founder of the curated fashion, beauty and lifestyle site collagerie.com. ‘It’s a veranda with a roof, so I’m outside even when I’m indoors. I particularly love this area first thing in the morning, rain or shine, with a cup of tea, listening to the birds and thinking about the day ahead. It’s also where I go with that last glass of wine before bed. I’ve had the chairs for ages; the cushions and rugs are replaced as they get faded or the foxes play on them, and there are quilts to wrap around you if it’s a bit chilly. It all creates a lovely calm, restorative space.’
‘I live in a small flat with no outside space, so having something to do inside is really important,’ says broadcast journalist and foodie writer (@felicityspector). ‘When I’m not working, I relax by planning what I’m going to cook, so this spot by my bookcase – with about 150 books – is where I love to be. Cooking is creative and satisfying and I enjoy sharing the recipe on Instagram, being able to be part of a community. At the moment, I look at the ingredients I have and check out a cookbook’s index to see what’s possible. If I can, I message the author and ask if they can suggest an alternative to any missing ingredient and they are usually more than happy to respond.’