{"id":914,"date":"2017-06-28T07:05:18","date_gmt":"2017-06-28T07:05:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-london-designers-guide\/"},"modified":"2022-08-08T23:24:02","modified_gmt":"2022-08-08T23:24:02","slug":"the-london-designers-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-london-designers-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"The London Designer’s Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Life at Ch\u00e2teau de Gudanes is often a whirlwind. Work progresses at a hundred miles an hour as the restoration continues. And, in between laying tiles and in-floor heating I have been in the throws of writing the Ch\u00e2teau Book.<\/p>\n

Not being a French resident I need to renew my visa every three months, and London<\/a> is a convenient and quick way with both Toulouse and Carcassonne airports nearby. Not that I would need much of an excuse to travel to one of the most popular cities in the world.\u00a0A city that perhaps captures like no other the essence of the past, the present and the future all in one place. Walking up and down the bustling streets is a joy in itself. I love looking at classic architecture dating back to bygone times standing right next to those which appear as if from the future. Buildings inspired by the concrete legacy of Le Corbusier sit but a stone throw away from a typical London townhouse, traditional craftsman work sit just a few paces from modern pioneers who are now making history. Music of all the ages booms loud from behind closed doors.\u00a0In London, the past remains respected, but the future is actively sought out.<\/p>\n

London is an essential city for a designer. No matter what your area of design may be, there’s always creative inspiration to be found in a fascinating myriad of styles, where high end rubs shoulders with high street, modern meets iconic, and cutting edge collides with classical. Here’s my London style guide:<\/p>\n

A hotel with history<\/h2>\n

I stayed at The Savoy<\/a> \u2013 one of London’s iconic hotels, where new meets old. The hotel was built in the late 19th Century, but has recently been beautifully restored.\u00a0It’s all about the details. I knew very little about the Savoy except that the narrow roundabout at the front of the building has remained unchanged through the many restorations that haven taken place over the years \u2013 having been designed specifically to fit the turning circle of the original, legendary London black cab.<\/p>\n

The interior is eclectic, with mixed arrangements of hot pink flowers sitting atop baroque inspired glossy black tables, adorning the lobby and acting as the perfect contrast against checkered black and white tiles and the rich mahogany coloured timber panelling that encases the room.\u00a0Overhead, ornate designs are painted in gold above each doorway and marble pillar. Lavish furnishings await guests to soak up in their comfort.<\/p>\n

The retro, old-Hollywood vibe is unsurprising, as some of the hotel’s most esteemed guests have included Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, John Wayne, Joan Crawford, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Humphrey Bogart and Elizabeth Taylor.\u00a0The true crowning glory is the breakfast room (also the location of the famed Savoy Afternoon Tea) where a delicate, white framed conservatory is perfectly placed below an exquisite, domed stained-glass ceiling. \u00a0At the Savoy, design has triumphed to seamlessly blend history and history in the making.<\/p>\n

 
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Perfect for book lovers<\/h2>\n

Given my recent dedication to writing the Ch\u00e2teau story, this visit to London I was very excited to find time to visit the annual London Book Fair \u2013 the meeting place for authors, publishers, book stylists, graphic designers and printers to mingle and meet. I had pre-registered and walked around with a badge declaring me an author, which at this point is a far stretch from the truth. Inside the fair, I stepped into another world. Everywhere I could see someone who reminded me of my English Literature teacher peering over small wired framed glasses in a Dickens sort of way.<\/p>\n

It was an informative few days \u2013 listening to lectures on publishing rights and talking to publishers and printers. I was able to show some of the 300 pages of the Ch\u00e2teau story currently in progress to publishers.\u00a0It will be a fairytale story with a romantic beginning, but also a story about 800 years of overcoming obstacles and facing challenges. A rollercoaster ride set within the beauty of mountainous valleys and the changing of the seasons. And, it will be about putting the Ch\u00e2teau back together again and accepting that it can’t go back to how it used to be, but nevertheless pushing forward to make it into a home.<\/p>\n

Books are as much objects to be reified for their design prowess as reading material. At the fair, I met book designers and printers from all over the world who produce everything from gold gilded and velvet covered books to those with more avant-garde covers with modern graphics and bold colour blocks. Traditional book binders worked to show their craft and old world ways, alongside e-books and kindle stallholders in customary London style.<\/p>\n

Studio time<\/h2>\n

Where To top my London experience off, I was also able to spend time with my lovely and dear friend, and international designer, Carolyn Quartermaine. I\u00a0met Carolyn in person for the first time last year after our mutual friend, Anne,\u00a0put us in contact with each other. But, I was first introduced to Carolyn’s designs over twenty years ago when given her book ‘Unwrapped’\u00a0as a birthday gift. I can recall carefully opening the book for the very first time and turning to the first page –\u00a0I happened upon a gold gilded French chair, dressed up in hot pink silk and pointe shoe perfect pink tulle, and embellished with the word ‘Mozart’ in gold thread and 18th Century style French calligraphy. In that moment my breath lay in the air suspended, and the beat of my heart was stolen.\u00a0Each page set forth anew another voyage into the imagination…<\/p>\n

Carolyn is an artistic phenomenon \u2013 designing and styling for clients such as Louis Vuitton, Dolce and Gabbana, Manola Blahnik, Terence Conran, Fortnum and Maison, Baccarat and Fragonard, just to mention a few. She was also named ‘Designer of the Year’ at Maison et Objet, at the Paris Design Fair in 2008.\u00a0Her work takes you on an endless and timeless journey through her and through your own imagination \u2013 sometimes awakening long-forgotten romance and fairytales, and at other times stepping into a daring adventure of bold and brilliant colour. Her work is not about preconceived notions of style, instead Carolyn chooses to disassemble the traditional and rebuild it into something that tugs directly on our heartstrings to become creatively unforgettable. The highest gift of work is that it is love made visible.<\/p>\n

This visit Carolyn invited me to her studio, which is a short Uber ride out of central London to Worton Hall Studios. Once upon a time it was the Islington British movie studio where some of the most beloved and romantic Hollywood movies were filmed, including African Queen.\u00a0Now the studio is home to various artists and large-scale printmakers.<\/p>\n

Stepping inside her studio the walls are painted white but the rest of the space is the most vibrant of rainbows. It is bright and the light pouring in from the windows illuminates all the colours that are strewn artistically around the room. It is nothing short of dazzling. I tip toed around pastel pots of purple, pink, blue, and green.\u00a0Canvases of all shapes and sizes are scattered over the floor as if the entire space is one great piece of art in the making.\u00a0Amongst all of this, there is an obvious order to things where every piece has its place in the wider artistic vision – akin to a master composer connecting notes in their musical symphony.<\/p>\n

Carolyn has always forged her own creative path and is adept in setting worldwide trends. Even Donna Karan has recalled pinning images of Carolyn’s designs into a secret compartment in her handbag, keeping them close as constant and every-ready inspiration.<\/p>\n

Right now, Carolyn told me she is re-designing the interior furnishings of The Glade in London. Several years ago, along with Didier Mahieu, Carolyn carefully handmade a\u00a0<\/strong>decoupage forest to create an enchanted fairytale inspired bar, deep in the heart of central London.
\n<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

Hot spots to visit<\/h2>\n

The Glade is right next door to Sketch, the glamorous rose-quartz coloured restaurant that’s one of London’s most popular at the moment. Sketch and The Glade have together been heralded in recent years as the epitome of the modern dining and drinks experience.<\/p>\n

Over the past few months, Carolyn has worked tirelessly hand-painting fabrics, which she has exclusively designed and created for the occasion. The designs have been printed, fire proofed,\u00a0and cut to fit new furniture which Carolyn has also designed and had custom built. Chairs have been metamorphosed into a kaleidoscope of swirling butterflies, and in complement, other furnishings have become gardens overflowing with flowers.\u00a0Once complete, they will be placed into The Glade as an eclectic contrast against the original emerald green decoupaged forest.<\/p>\n

The Glade will again be the most talked about place in town – a fairytale flower garden in the forest of the city. A place where flowers dream…<\/p>\n

It was difficult to tear myself away from her studio, but Carolyn had booked lunch down the road a few fields away at Petersham Nursery –\u00a0\u00a0another enchanted place of fairytales, flowers and food, but a stones throw from the centre of London.<\/p>\n

 
\n
\nLate last year we had met at the Chelsea Art Club for lunch. In 1890 the idea of a private club for artists, actors, dancers, filmmaker, photographers, musicians and poets in Chelsea gained footing. It is bohemian in principle with no dress code.\u00a0The annual parties are legendary, and the heart of the Club is a billiard table surrounded by donated mix matched chesterfield lounge chairs and bric a brac. We had a great time there and I was excited to see what Petersham Nursery had in store for us.<\/p>\n

In the late 1990’s the building that is now Petersham Nursery was under threat of demolition…\u00a0until an Italian prince and an Australian model, both with a shared vision to create a botanical paradise set amongst the bustle of London and undertook the restoration.\u00a0And so, Petersham Nursery opened in 2004.<\/p>\n

An endless expanse of chandeliers, homewares, mirrors and small trinkets all set amongst the fresh blooms of spring, Petersham Nursery is peaceful and picturesque. Jasmine and jonquils overflow from gigantic antique urns decorating each space, their scent filling the air with a refreshing sweetness. It is a botanical maze and you could easily find yourself wanting to become lost amongst the flowers and the ferns.\u00a0Petersham Nursery entices by playing on our sense of curiosity \u2013 there is a pot pourri of charming and secluded places to discover and where you can relax and feast as if sitting in the most luscious of gardens. There is a delightful tearoom with homemade cakes, \u00a0several greenhouses where you can eat amongst the blossom, and a grand conservatory style restaurant.<\/p>\n

This is no secret garden though –\u00a0Carolyn had booked well in advance.\u00a0We were greeted with a menu that enticed us to share starters, mains, and desserts. Shortly afterwards a delightful waiter appeared with a delicious artichoke and a Portland crab with shaved fennel, radish, pink radicchio and lemon arrived. Each bite was utterly delicious and botanically beautiful.\u00a0My favourite of all had to be the dessert \u2013 bite sized perfectly pink pieces of rhubarb set beneath the buttery crunch of a short crust pastry.\u00a0\u00a0And to top it all – edible flowers and homemade ginger ice-cream.\u00a0C’\u00e9tait<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>d\u00e9licieux!\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

A leisurely lunch relishing the time spent with my lovely friend was the perfect day and the perfect way to end a few days away.<\/p>\n

Expedia compensates authors for their writings appearing on this site, such compensation may include travel and other costs<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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