Inside story

Brought to you by The Platinum Card® from American Express. A well-edited home is a happy one for Wallpaper* entertaining director Melina Keays. Here, she shares a glimpse of her London base, reflects on thoughtful acquisition, summer pleasures to come, a

For Melina Keays, Wallpaper* entertaining director, home is velvet cushions, antique Chinese porcelain pieces inherited from her collector mother, vintage coffee table books, parrot tulips and white orchids. Items are sourced from work trips, local stores and holidays in Singapore. She owns a classic Mies van der Rohe ‘Barcelona’ chair, a 1970s brass and marble coffee table, and an Albert Kahn photograph of a Mongolian horseman. Floors are wood or marble, walls painted in rich, warm shades, and the walnut kitchen cabinets rendered in clean, 1960s Danish style. A smoky ‘Tam Dao’ candle by Diptyque fragrances the space.

It’s a ‘London Indochine’ aesthetic that references Keays’ Asian heritage and keen eye for detail. Just like her, the apartment is glamorous and gently decadent. ‘I am a West End girl through and through,’ says Keays, who prefers to get around town on foot or by taxi. ‘I do my shopping in Selfridges, Marylebone and on Bond Street.’

The last year, she says, has been spent ‘editing my things, deciding what I want and what I want to get rid of ’. She believes that our period of enforced isolation during various lockdowns has encouraged people to reflect, to ‘buy better quality things that give genuine pleasure and lasting satisfaction’.

Keays has been more physically focused too, heading to Kensington Gardens for a Pilates class or a run, and long walks. She has bought exercise apparel – by Alo Yoga, Varley and Nike – online from Selfridges. ‘I would advise anyone visiting London to head for its big, famous stores first,’ says Keays. ‘We are much more of a department store city than a mall town.’

Keays shops in Selfridges’ Foodhall using her Platinum Card and collects Membership Rewards® points – one for every £1 spent, redeemable with a range of partners – saving them up for a treat, an investment purchase. ‘I like to redeem my points for something special that will last.’ She’s currently in the market for a new bed.

For fashion, she recommends Bond Street. ‘It’s then a short walk to the boutiques, restaurants and alleys of Marylebone High Street.’ She might eat at La Fromagerie or Fischer’s, her go-to Chinese eatery Royal China Baker Street, or head to nearby Soho for Italian restaurant Bocca di Lupo.

Her West End evenings out over the next few months have been arranged with the help of the Platinum Concierge service, on hand to Cardmembers for reservations and much more. ‘They help me find a good table by a window when I go for dinner, at Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, for example.’

The Platinum Concierge has also booked Keays’ upcoming summer stay at Gleneagles hotel in Scotland, part of Fine Hotels + Resorts, a curated collection of properties complete with benefits for Cardmembers. On arrival, Keays will be offered a room upgrade if available, and is looking forward to a long walk, maybe a cocktail, and enjoying the hotel’s spectacular views and cosy luxury.

REWARD YOURSELF

Retail is more rewarding with The Platinum Card. Treat yourself to your favourite things by earning a Membership Rewards point for every £1 you spend. Whether investing in fine art or indulging in fragrant candles, you can offset nearly all purchases on your Card statement using your points.

The Platinum Card can also help you enjoy dining out in style. Among its 30 travel and lifestyle benefits is the Global Dining Collection, which holds specially reserved tables at select restaurants. Call the Platinum Concierge service, on hand 24/7, which can find a restaurant for you and make the reservation. They can book your travel, too; stays at Fine Hotels + Resorts come with benefits for Cardmembers, such as late check-out and room upgrades, when available. And using your Card to book means you’ll also get complimentary worldwide travel insurance.

For more information and to apply for the Card, search Amex Platinum.

Annual fee: £575. Terms and Conditions apply. If you’d prefer a Card without any rewards, other features or a Cardmembership fee, an alternative is available – The Basic Card. Applicants must be 18 or over. Approval is subject to status, and Terms and Conditions apply. For full Terms and Conditions, visit americanexpress.co.uk/platinum

Promoter: American Express Services Europe Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.