home and property magazine phần 2 pdf

Nothing like a Dane
Open your mind and your living space to simple Continental form
and handmade contemporary craft, says Corinne Julius
Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007
INTERIORS
15
FOR MORE DESIGN IDEAS, VISIT
homesandproperty.co.uk
R
ARELY do curators go to the lengths
the Danish government has gone to, to
share its vision of Danish design with
Londoners. Not content with holding a
simple exhibition, it has taken over a
Knightsbridge mews house and turned
it into a Danish home — right down to rye
bread and herrings in the fridge.
As part of the London Design Festival, Dan-
ish architect Rene Hougaard, in conjunction
with CGL Architects, has remodelled the
house, replacing internal walls with glass
bricks and inserting skylights and a glass floor
in the home-office, to allow more light to enter
the ground floor.
This traditional mews house has been
completely opened up, creating an open-plan
living area and kitchen on the ground floor,
with two bathrooms, an office and a bedroom
on the second.
The plank floors by Dinesen flooring are the
widest and longest possible. The furniture and

LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL
15-25 September
‘Purchasers could move in
without having to buy a thing –
not even a dustpan and brush’
best, highlighting contemporary trends and
traditional quality,” says Laerke Haiberg
Svendsen of the Danish embassy.
At the end of the show the house and all its
contents will be for sale. It is fully furnished
and purchasers could move in without having
to buy a thing — not even a dustpan and brush.
■ Townhouse DK, 20 Egerton Gardens Mews,
SW3, is open during London Design Festival,
15-25 September, from 10am to 5pm daily, then
10am to 5pm Monday to Friday until December.
Rene Hougaard has completely
opened up the mews house.
Right, at £1,291, this three-legged
shell chair by Carl Hansen & Son is
just one example of the functional,
but stylish, Danish design items to be
seen in the house
accessories showcase newer designers and
companies; such as a smart, white dining table
with steel legs and a day bed by Dnmark,
ornately patterned, stackable, paper storage
units by Pure Nomade and engaging asymmet-
rical ceramics by Rikke Jacobsen and Rigmor
Als. The house is aimed at a young professional

couple with no children and is a very classic
modern design.
“Designers and architects, as well as
furniture and product manufacturers are
collaborating to show Danish living at its
Above, open-plan living just got wider, with long,
wide planks by Dinesen flooring adding to the
sense of space in the living area
A
DANISH interior space
would be the perfect
setting for many of the
handmade objects in
Hue, Line and Form at
Contemporary Applied Arts.
Founders of consultancy
Briing, Peter Ting (from
Asprey’s) and Brian Kennedy
(a fine artist and curator),
harness current trends in
design and fashion to show
how to select the best of
contemporary craft.
“Colour is one of the
strongest themes at the
moment,” explains Ting, “so
we’ve gone for really strong
colour like the acid yellow of Natasha
Daintry’s enormous platter or Rupert Spira’s
teapot or harlequin coffee service.”

Strong graphic imagery is another theme
represented by David Roberts’s almost Pop Art
black and white ceramics, Katie Walker’s
ribbon chair or Mark Bickers’s lights.
“Form, too, is really important and
we’re recommending pieces by people like
Ed Teasdale, who makes blanket boxes from
reclaimed wood, or silversmith David Clarke,
who cuts up and reassembles traditional silver
in challenging new forms that combine into
new functions.”
Unusually, the curators will move in half-way
through the show and re-curate the themes
using work by another 30 makers. In part two,
the work will be a gentler and less forceful
take, with ceramic installations by Kuldeep
Malhi in softer tones and glass by Stewart
Hearn and Rachel Woodman. There will be
colourful graphic textiles by Alpha Mistry,
chandeliers by Bob Crooks and wooden
furniture by Jim Partridge, Olivier Drouillard
and Martin Grierson.
“We really want to show people that
there is another side to the word
“design”. It doesn’t always have to be
hard-edged and impersonal. It can
be handmade with you in mind,”
enthuses Ting.
“People forget that craft is
contemporary, often more so than

mass manufacture. In fact
production work often takes ideas
from craft somewhere down the
line. We want to show people how
to live with contemporary craft, the
functional and the more challenging,
because we believe it is the way to live.”
■ Hue, Line and Form is at Contemporary
Applied Arts, Percy Street W1. Part One
runs from 5-30 September, Part Two from
5 October to 3 November.
Colour is a
strong theme.
Katie Walker designed
this ribbon rocking
chair (£5,495). Below is
an Aesculus gold-over-
orange bowl (from
£2,220) by Gillies Jones
HUE, LINE AND FORM
until 30 September
Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007
L
ONDON leads the world in
design. The proof is in the
fifth London Design Festival
(LDF) Europe’s biggest and
most glamorous home
interiors event which launches this
week, where more than 200 exhibition sites,

shops and design companies throw open
their doors during a fortnight of
celebration beginning on Saturday.
From the biggest companies to the
smallest groups, from established
figures who star in the design world to
hundreds of young, cutting-edge makers
and producers, there will be something
for every Londoner who ever wanted to
have the latest, and the best, in their home.
It is more wide-reaching than Milan and
more varied than the Paris shows. Yes,
some big events are for “the trade” but all
have public access, with design freebies
thrown in (get a Tom Dixon light, or an
energy-saving bulb, in Trafalgar
Square). “Design isn’t just about
product,” says Will Knight, LDF
deputy director. “It is a whole
lifestyle. And interactive is our
name of the game. Look and
listen, also join in, exchange
views, have a go, engage.”
Don’t miss the iconic 100%
Design at Earls Court for big
brands and small new names. Then, as a softer
décor antidote, dally a little at Decorex in its
huge tent in Chelsea. Thrill to sheer
showmanship at the big West End stores, or join
the buzzy little specialist outfits. Discover the

avant-garde at the new event, Tent London, in
this case not actually under canvas but in the
20
COVER STORY: DESIGN
vast caverns of The Old
Truman Brewery. Welcome
the talent and products in
group shows from all over
Europe and beyond.
Remember to go down
river to Chelsea Harbour
where you will find all the
fabrics, patterns and panache
at its event, Focus. Make a date
with design: LDF highlights.
For the full programme go to
www.londondesignfestival.co.uk, or
pick up a free guide, available at all
festival venues.
■ From 15 September
Head first to the Festival Hall, which is
this year’s “hub” or information point.
Admire the sparkly chandeliers from
festival sponsor Swarovski, then
look for the guys in the red T-
shirts with LDF logos — they will
tailor a personal route.
Outside, on the riverside walk, is
the Size+Matter installation.
There are 150 black polished-

concrete blocks by Zaha Hadid
and an organic flowing
shelter/sculpture moulded in
Corian by Amanda Levete.
■ Monday to 19 September
Trafalgar Square
: Tom Dixon has made 500 low-
energy Blow lights from recycled plastic to hang
as a chandelier from a nine metre lightweight
scaffolding dome. And 1,000 lights will be given
away on the 19th at 5pm. But each day there are
1,000 Glowb light bulbs to pick up free. Also, get
a free Lomo camera, take a picture, themed
around design, and see it pasted into a huge
maze-like LomoWorldWall, which is expected to
grow by 22 September to an installation of
100,000 images from around the planet. For more
information on the Blow lights, visit
www.tomdixon.net. For more information on the
LomoWorldWall, visit www.lomography.com.
■ 18 September
Pimlico Road
Design Day, SW1 (10am to 6pm).
Free talks/clinics with design luminaries such
as Nicky Haslam, Joanna Wood and Paolo
Moschino. To register (essential), visit
www.thepimlicoroad.com.
■ 19 to 25 September
Bags of goodwill is at twentytwentyone,
18c River Street, EC1. Forty international star

designers have decorated Fairtrade organic
shopping bags — from veterans Robin and
Lucienne Day and Pierre Paulin to youngsters
Doshi Levien, as well as design celebrities
Marcel Wanders and Giulio Cappellini. Bid for
the design you love and have one of the coolest
handbags around. For more information, visit
www.twentytwentyone.com.
■ 20 to 23 September
Space & Design comes to Selfridges, Oxford
Street, W1, with sensational windows asking
What is Great Design? Head for the fourth floor
for free advice from the experts at Elle Deco —
and all the latest lines in home merchandise.
Tent London is the new baby of Ian Rudge who
co-founded 100% Design. His mission (ably
abetted by Jimmy MacDonald) is a multifaceted
amalgam of events in
The Old
Truman Brewery
(Brick Lane,
entrance on
Hanbury
Organic flowing sculpture moulded in Corian by Amanda Levete is part of Size+Matter at the Festival Hall
Ball Boy Chaise by Charles Furniture is
showing in 100% Futures in 100% Design
London on 23 September
(www.100percentdesign.co.uk). For more
information, visit www.charlesfurniture.ie
From established to cutting-edge, the London Design

Festival has something to excite everyone,
says Barbara Chandler
The InOut light (£732) for
Metalarte is part of the
Conversational Spanish event
(15-25 September) in W1. Call
020 7323 3360. Free
Ahead
of the
times
Voido chair (£1,022)
by Ron Arad for
Magis, available at
Greenwich Village,
on the fourth floor
at Selfridges,
Oxford Street, W1
Selfridges’ sensational windows ask the question: What is Great Design? To find out, head to the fourth floor
Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007
21
FOR MORE DESIGN NEWS, VISIT
homesandproperty.co.uk/design
Get a free camera in Trafalgar Square and add to
the “LomoWorldWall” (www.lomography.com)
In Trafalgar Square, Tom Dixon
has made 500 Blow lights from
recycled plastic to hang as a
chandelier from a nine metre
light-weight scaffolding dome
Matthew

Hilton’s new
storage piece
comes in teak
(£2,780), paramara
(£1,685) and mahogany (£2,020).
For more information, visit
www.matthewhilton.com. See his
work at 100% Design at Earls Court 2
David Colwell’s
Contour chair is
part of the British
Modernism 1945-
1975 exhibition at
Twentytwentyone from
20-23 September.
At 18c River Street, EC1
(020 7837 1900;
www.twentytwentyone.com)
Street, E1). “Content” is cutting-edge modern
design; Circa sells unique vintage furnishings.
Superbrands serves up the big international
players. Talent Zone has work from new
graduates. Tickets cost £7.50 booked online
before this Friday, or £10 for adults, under-sevens,
free and under-16s, £5, at the door.
Ticket offer: Homes & Property readers are
being offered two tickets for the price of one
when booked in advance. Quote code ES1.
For more information, visit
www.tentlondon.co.uk.

Do not miss the 10th Designersblock with
thrilling international alternative talent. This
year, Sunday’s family day provides a softening
touch. Watch out for Liquid Projects — see live
glass blowing/casting using discarded bottles.
Out the back, explore cosy igloos made on-site
in papier-mâché. Visit Claystation and decorate
your own cardboard car. From 10am to 7pm at
The Nicholls & Clarke Buildings, 3-10 Shoreditch
High Street, E1. Tickets cost £5 for adults; £3 for
concessions. For more information, visit
www.designersblock.org.uk.
■ 21 to 23 September
Super Design Market at the Festival Hall, SE1.
Buy limited-edition designs direct from the
designers, at prices from £5 to £100. For more
information, visit www.scarletprojects.com.
■ 23 September
Public day at 100% Design, Earls Court 2,
Warwick Road, SW5; 11am to 6pm. Bonus shows
are 100% Detail (architectural products), 100%
Light and a new section for fresh talent called
100% Futures. Tickets cost £15 in advance online;
or £15 plus £2 booking fee when you call 01923
690633, or £20 on the door.
Ticket offer: Homes & Property readers are
being offered two tickets for the price of one
when booked in advance. Quote code ESM1. For
more details, visit www.100percentdesign.co.uk.
■ 25 September

Public day for Decorex interior design show at
Royal Hospital, Chelsea, SW3, with exclusive
fabrics, lighting, furniture, accessories and more
(from 3pm to 7pm). Tickets cost £20 and include a
glass of champagne, plus talks by interior design
luminaries such as Mark Wilkinson and Joanna
Wood. For more information, call Decorex on
01923 690665, or visit www.decorex.
■ 26 September
Public day for Focus, the autumn interiors trade
show, at the
Design Centre Chelsea Harbour,
Lots Road, SW10, with fabrics, papers, furniture
and accessories. For more information, call 020
7225 9101, or visit www.designcentrechelsea
harbour.co.uk.
Twentytwentyone,
(19-25 September;
address as
before). Top
designers
have
decorated
Fairtrade
organic
shopping
bags. Bid
for the one
you like
DESIGN

From left: Michelle Mason displays her Egg Candleholders (£69.75 a pair); Jake Phipps has a playful take on
lighting with his Jeeves & Wooster (£210/£225) designs; and Olivia Monthan shows her Species range of
tiles (£37.50). All are part of 100% Design and can be found at Hidden Art on www.hiddenartshop.com
At the cutting edge
Gianluca De Girolamo at The Original Packshot Company
Watch the paint dry
Ecos Organic Paints has a revolutionary matt wall paint. Called
the Atmosphere Purifying Paint, it absorbs and neutralises
pollutants in your home when applied to walls.
The paint is applied in the normal way but, when it is dry, it
continuously absorbs chemical unsavouries. The Atmosphere
Purifying Paint costs from £89.90 for five litres.
For more information, call 01524 852371, or visit
www.ecospaints.com.
Idea of the week
You can rely on the Swedes to do things properly, so it comes as no
surprise that a new Heat Pump from Ice Energy hails from those
Scandinavian shores, where 97 per cent of new houses are now
built with heat-pump systems.
Heat Pumps work by collecting heat from your garden and
moving it into your home — essentially a refrigerator working in
reverse — and they are so efficient that even when it is freezing
outside your home is still warm and cosy.
And as you are moving heat rather
than creating it, and the fact that
there are no local emissions, it can
Alison Cork finds a “Barcelona” chair we can all afford, discovers paint that will
purify your home and learns how packed lunches can be monstrously appetising
Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007
SHOPPING

26
YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE. Bradford & Bingley plc. Registered Office: PO Box 88, Croft Road, Crossflatts, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16 2UA. Registered in England No 3938288. Calls may be monitored or recorded.
0800 011 3372
or simply pop into your local branch
‘Wouldn’t you like
enough cash to buy
your first home
and furnish it too?’
First-time
buyers mortgages
up to
11 0
%
meandmydreams.co.uk
Loafing around
If you love bread why not extend that emotion to your bread bin.
Here is a bin with a lid that doubles as a bread board.
It is made from a tough melamine-and-beech combination and
comes in a choice of red, black or white to fit comfortably into the
style and colour scheme of most kitchens. The bread bin costs £39.
For more information, call 020 7261 1800, or visit
www.josephjoseph.com.
You’re such a brick
If you want to be seriously green this winter why not make
recycled logs with the 100 per cent Recycled Logmaker from
www.greenshop.co.uk? The log maker, with easy-to-use plunger
and clear instructions, makes the most of old newspapers, junk
mail, cardboard, leaves, and more, as well as helping to keep you
warm during the winter.
The log maker costs £24.95 from www.greenshop.co.uk.

Barcelona beauty
The popularity of the Barcelona chair by Mies van der Rohe never
seems to wane. And, luckily for those who cannot afford the
genuine article, Siedasi offers a first-class
selection of reproduction chairs, stools and
tables, inspired by the great designs of the
20th century. Its “Barcelona” chair and
matching leather footstool is usually £450
but costs only £405
for Homes &
Property
readers.
To claim your
discount, call
07962 580977
mentioning this
offer before 1
December. For more
information, visit
www.siedasi.co.uk.
REALLY USEFUL
ideas & bargains
save you up to 70 per cent on your annual
energy bills while making a contribution
to the reduction of greenhouse gases.
The Heat Pump costs from £5,000 plus
installation costs, but a £1,500 grant is
available to home-owners; and, if you
combine the Heat Pump with one of
Ice Energy’s VBX units, it acts as an

eco-friendly, low-cost, cooling system
in summer, too.
For more information, call 0845 310 5600,
or visit www.iceenergy.co.uk.
Heaven’s light
Contemporary Heaven has a stylish and
affordable range of lighting, where
pieces such as the amber shade and
pearl-white glass pendant (just £19)
by Massive Lighting are sure to
set an ambient tone to dark
evenings.
For details call 01462 451199, or
visit www.contemporaryheaven.co.uk.
YOUR Gardener is in the business of giving you a wonderful
garden. It can create a new lawn, offer site clearances or tidy up
a jungle-like garden, and even lay artificial turf on a roof
or terrace.
So it is good that Your Gardener is giving away £700-worth
(including VAT) of new lawn (approximately 247sq ft) to
one lucky reader.
For your chance to win, send your name, address and contact
number to , before 30 September.
The winner will be picked at random and contacted via
email by 8 October. If you do not want your contact details
to be kept by the company, write “NO” clearly after your name.
Terms and conditions apply.
For more information, call 020 8133 4906, or visit
www.yourgardener.com.
The lads at Your Gardener will turn a jungle into a tidy wonderland

A tough new
bread bin
that doubles
as a cutting
board costs
£39 from
Joseph Joseph
(020 7261 1800),
and comes in
three colour choices
Shelves in a spin
A rotating bathroom cabinet is a
clever idea. Shades has one that
features four large shelves with
frosted glass panels to keep its
contents in place and then it can
spin around for a view in a mirror.
The rotating cabinet (right) costs
£199 including VAT.
For more information, call Shades
on 01937 842394, or visit
www.shadesfurniture.co.uk.
Siedasi’s
reproduction
“Barcelona”
chair and
matching
footstool is now
only £405
A pretty

pendant light
in amber and
pearl-white
glass costs
£19. Call
Contemporary
Heaven on
01462 451199
Giveaway of the week
Rotating cabinet costs £199
OPERATING out of its huge warehouse in Hendon, Elite Tiles and
Interiors sells quality floor and wall tiles and is one of the largest
importers of porcelain tiles in the South East.
Its porcelain floor and wall tiles are sold at trade prices from only
£19 a square metre, plus VAT. And there are hundreds of styles and
colours to choose from in the warehouse.
Elite Tiles and Interiors is offering Homes & Property readers
30 per cent off the already discounted prices across it tile range.
To claim, present this page when you visit Elite Tiles at Elite House,
The Broadway, West Hendon, NW9.
For more information, call 020 8202 1806, or visit www.elite
-tiles.co.uk. This offer runs until the end of September.
AS AUTUMN looms, it is the perfect time to get your windows
into shape. The Sash Window Workshop can make new
craftsmen-built hardwood windows, but also works wonders
upgrading existing windows.
This family-run business offers an on-site draught-sealing,
repair and double-glazing service — all of which is a cost-
effective alternative to replacement, and helps retain the charm
of your original windows.

A variety of different glass options is available with
all-year-round benefits that include noise reduction, enhanced
security, “anti-fade” protection against UV rays in summer and
increased warmth in winter.
Especially for Homes & Property readers, The Sash Window
Workshop is offering up to 15 per cent off all orders placed before
1 October. To claim, just mention this offer.
Sash Window Workshop is at Lancaster Mews, W2 (freephone
0800 597 2598; www.sashwindow.com).
Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007
SHOPPING
27
FOR MORE SHOPPING BARGAINS, VISIT
homesandproperty.co.uk/bargains
Post your feedback
IF YOU’VE read the column and would like to give feedback (positive
or negative) on any of the companies featured, then give us your
comments by emailing and putting
“Really Useful” in the subject line. Go on — tell us what you think.
DISCOUNT OF THE WEEK
Reach the dizzy heights
New Heights now has five shops in London with a wide range of
solid-wood chairs, tables, sideboards, chests of drawers, and
much more, each made to the highest standards,
and well priced.
Especially for readers, New Heights is offering
its Franklin nest of solid-oak tables for £333.75
instead of the usual £445 — a discount of
25 per cent. Take this page with you to your local
branch before 30 November.

For details of your nearest store, visit
www.new-heights.co.uk.
Be a bit crafty
There is no shortage of the rare and unusual at
Origin: The London Craft Fair,
which returns to Somerset
House in October. This is where
more than 300 international
designer-makers sell their
innovative wares.
Find glass, ceramics, jewellery, metal,
furniture, basketry, wood and textiles,
and pieces such as this
extravagantly shaped
Soak up the luxury
The name of the company says it all, and Bargain Baths is a first
port of call if you are looking for just that.
It stocks a large range of Clearwater baths, showers and
bathroom accessories at discounted prices and has a special
bargain basement page on its website, where stock with flaws that
sometimes the eye can barely see is sold even more cheaply.
This Ontario two-person bath, for example, is priced at only
£939 instead of the usual £1,405.
For more information, call 0113 239 4577, or visit www.bargain
baths.co.uk.
A bath for two is priced at £939, down from £1,405, at Bargain Baths
chaise longue (£2,800) by Sixixis. The event takes place from
2 to 7 and 9 to 14 October. Tickets cost £8 on the day, or £7 in
advance. Call Ticketmaster on 0870 160 2853.
However, Origin is giving away a pair of tickets each

to 20 Homes & Property readers. For your
chance to win, send your contact details
to , mentioning
this offer, by 19 September.
For more information, visit www.crafts
council.org.uk/origin.
The monster
munchies
Great Little Trading
Company makes going
back to school fun for
your children and
encourages healthy
eating with its Fun Fruit
Carriers (£3.99, product
code G0541). This is a great way to protect
fruit from being bruised and, therefore,
rejected by your child, as each
carrier inflates and a clip lets you
attach it to a school bag or buggy.
Small compensation for having to
do maths, but they will thank you
later for encouraging them to eat
more healthily.
For more information, visit
www.gltc.co.uk.
Children can
enjoy their
packed lunches
with GLTC’s Fun

Fruit Carrier
(£3.99). Visit
www.gltc.co.uk
BARGAIN OF THE WEEK
The Franklin nest
of tables, is down
from £445 to
£333.75 at New
Heights
(www.new
-heights.co.uk)
At Origin: The London Craft Fair,
coming soon to Somerset House, you
can find innovative pieces, including
this chaise longue by Sixixis (£2,800)
When I’m cleaning windows
Upgrading sash windows can help keep your home warm
Miles of tiles
Heavily
discounted tiles
have a further
30 per cent off
at Elite Tiles
Your turn to recommend
Here are some of the tradespeople you have recommended this week:
■ Purple Lizard, property maintenance, covering west London.
Call 07970 917255, or email
■ Creative Urban Tree Surgery, covering all of London.
Call freephone 0800 279 2156, 020 8743 5121, or visit
www.ecocuts4trees.com.

■ Victoria Heating and Plumbing, covering south London.
Call 020 7630 1166, or email
■ Martin Sheirtcliff, painter, decorator and tiler, covering
south-east London. Call 07944 148974, or email

For your contacts book:
Visit www.homesandbargains.co.uk for other great value
products. For general advice, call the Homes Advice Line on
0871 287 0344 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm; calls are charged
at national rates) and for our home-owner’s directory of
companies and services, visit www.thereallyusefuldirectory.co.uk.
If you can recommend a bargain outlet or tradesperson,
email
Bobbles ’n’
squeaks
Gardening news by Matthew Appleby
Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007
OUTDOORS
30
Time-less classic
The Time-Saving Garden is an idea that will appeal to many
busy Londoners. This 320-page, 660-photograph hardback from
Reader’s Digest shows how to maintain a beautiful garden with
minimal effort and very little time.
Homes & Property readers can buy it at the special price of
£21.99 (normally £26.99) with free p&p in the UK. To order, call
0870 990 8222, quoting the code A0145.
From bulbs to borders of bold bobbleheads
Add a bold splash of colour to your borders, or containers, with a collection of
cottage garden alliums from Suffolk seedsmen Thompson & Morgan.

Plant the bulbs now and you will be rewarded with masses of impressive
stems bearing large bobbly spheres of tiny star-shaped flowers during spring
and early summer next year. These are ideal flowers for cut displays, or for
dried flower arrangements.
Homes & Property readers can buy 100 mixed bulbs for £14.99, or 200 bulbs for
only £19.98 and save £10. To order, call 0845 218 4840 (quoting the code MRES4) or
send a cheque made payable to TMYP (with your name and address on the back
and details of your order) to: Evening Standard Allium Offer, Dept MRES4,
PO Box 99, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2SN. The offer is open until 31 October.
Legless in comfy chair
Ideal for that Indian summer that we are all praying for is the
OutABox, a remarkably sturdy and comfortable seat that you
can carry anywhere — in the garden, out at an event or down
on the beach. The manufacturing process is very green-
conscious (carbon neutral all the way) and the seat is
completely recyclable, too.
It is called a ground seat, so has no legs,
but does give very firm back support,
with the back of the box moulding
around you.
They cost only £5 each,
plus £3.50 delivery.
Call 020 7266 1044, or
visit www.outabox.com
to place an order
online.
Homes & Property
also has six
OutABoxes to give
away; simply email

your name and
address to

Please put “No” after
your details if you would
prefer not receive any
further mailings.
The cup that cheers
We Britons love our tea, so perhaps it
is not surprising that the Balcombe
Street Window Box Company has
created a giant teacup and saucer as
a feature for a patio table.
Choose from a cup filled with a
selection of herbal plants — lemon
balm, camomile, lemon grass and
mint — or a cup filled with indoor or
outdoor flower arrangements.
They make fun centrepieces, but
could be placed anywhere outdoors,
and, though they normally cost £85,
Homes & Property readers can order
them for £75 by calling 020 7723 4496,
or visiting www.window-box.co.uk.
Tiny plants are little pets
Pet Plants, the latest Japanese craze, are regular plants produced
in miniature form. The number of varieties available expands
all the time, but the most recent to come on to the market are so
tiny, when set into a little glass case, they can be daggled from a
mobile phone or used as a key fob.

To keep your “pet” plant thriving, simply dunk it into a
saucer of water from time to time. Of course, talking to them
might make them grow a little faster, but when they are about
to burst their little domes, you can easily repot them.
Pet Plants are available from www.prezzybox.com and are
£4.95 each. Order online or call 0870 122 1007.
A little house for Mr Hedgehog
With hedgehogs fast becoming a rarity in many of our gardens,
AHS Direct’s mammal house (below) could be a welcome
addition to your plot and a boon for its wildlife, especially those
home-hunting hedgehogs.
Homes & Property readers receive a free two-kilogram bag of
Bill Oddie’s Really Wild Bird Food with every wildlife box they
buy, too.
Hedgehogs will use the house to hibernate from November to
April. They breed in May, with babies born and remaining in
the nest until June or July. The boxes measure 320mm high by
480mm wide and 400mm deep and cost £29.99; call 01797 227300,
or visit www.ahsdirect.co.uk to order, quoting the code W107.
Dates for your diary
Make a stab at
compost
EVERY gardener worth his or
her salt should have a
compost maker, but not
every gardener knows how
to make the best of
their compost bin.
Darlac’s compost
aerator “lifts and

mixes” the bin’s
contents, both
speeding up the
composting process and
making it much easier to
check its progress — you
don’t have to empty it out to
look at it.
Homes & Property has
three Darlac aerators to give
away, worth £10 each. Email your address
with “Darlac competition” in the subject
line to:
Please write “No” after your details if
you do not wish to receive further
mailings.
For stockist details, call 01753 547790.
■ The Royal College of Physicians is
holding its third public open day
on Saturday, from 11am-4pm, at
11 St Andrews Place, Regent’s Park, NW1.
Plantsman Dr Henry Oakeley will be
giving talks on the herbal plants in the
college’s gardens, and re-enactments will
show how these plants were used by the
health service of Tudor times.
Call 020 7935 1174, or see www.
rcplondon.ac.uk/openday for more
information.
■ Join the Bulb Bonanza on 15 and

16 September at the Wisley Plant Centre
in Surrey, with Broadleigh Gardens bulb
expert Christine Skelmersdale.
Demonstrations are held at 11.30am
and 2pm on both days.
Call 01483 224234 or email
for more details.
■ The annual Spitalfields Show and Green
Fair is on Sunday at Allen Gardens and
Spitalfields City Farm, Buxton Street, off
Brick Lane, E1.
Admission is free and it is open from
noon to 5pm.
Call 020 7375 0441, or visit www.
alternativearts.co.uk.
What to do this week
Sow winter lettuce, harvest apples, pears and raspberries. Plant spring cabbage and
onion sets and dig over soil before it gets too wet this autumn. Cut back Jerusalem
artichokes and asparagus to ground level. Clear old pea and bean plants and dig over.
If your tomatoes won’t ripen, lift the plant and hang it up in the garage or cellar. The
tomatoes should get the hint that the plant’s days are over and begin to redden.
Otherwise, remove any flowers to signal to the plant that is time to finish setting seed
by ripening the existing tomatoes.
Throw away the old rule books — along with the pesticides.
There is a new way to garden now. Pattie Barron hails the philosophy
of ‘green gardening’ guru Matthew Wilson
Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007
OUTDOORS
31
F

IFTY years ago the biggest worry facing
gardeners was how to create the perfect
lawn. Now our concerns are broader:
how do we make a garden that with-
stands climate change? Which plants
thrive through storm, flood and
drought? How can we use gardening to make a
positive impact on the environment?
It is time to throw away the old, irrelevant
rule books — along with the pesticides — and
embrace a new way of gardening. Leading the
movement is Matthew Wilson, who has pio-
neered its principles and naturalistic planting
style at the RHS Garden Harlow Carr, North
Yorkshire, where he is curator, and has written
the first reference book that redefines the RHS
standard practice.
New Gardening: How to Garden in a Changing
Climate (Mitchell Beazley) sets out an achiev-
able and sustainable way of gardening for our
uncertain climate.
“At the heart of new gardening is the ques-
tioning of practices that are detrimental to the
environment,” says Wilson. “I’ve gardened
successfully with negligible to zero chemical
use. I’ve done this by encouraging and embrac-
ing natural cycles in the garden, choosing
appropriate, disease-resistant plants and by
taking care of the basic elements that keep a
garden healthy.” Knowing your soil type, and

how to improve it, is key, says Wilson.
Use a tester kit to tell you how acid or alka-
line it is and a “feel test” to judge its type —
make a ball of the wetted soil a little bigger
than a golf ball. If it feels gritty, and won’t roll
into a ball, it’s sandy; if it easily moulds into a
ball, it is clay. Improve it with organic matter
such as leaf litter, garden compost or green
waste produced by local councils. Add grit or
spent mushroom compost to heavy soils and
manure or chopped clothing to light soils.
Layer it on, don’t dig it in — this can damage
soil structure — and allow bugs and the
weather to break down the organic content.
Reuse, recycle, sustain is the new gardening
mantra. Trading in your power mower for a
push mower is one way to reduce your carbon
footprint as well as keep fit. Grow your own
produce for “zero carbon” herbs and veg.
Harvest rainwater and mulch plants to pre-
serve moisture. Store water in butts connected
to gutter downpipes. Wielding a watering can
rather than a hose, points out Wilson, will lead
you to discriminate between the plants that
need watering and those that don’t.
Composting is one of the oldest means of
recycling. A compost bin can take shredded
paper as well as grass clippings; a wormery
Nectar bars and berry buffets
Consider covering garden structures with

drought-tolerant plants to reduce water run-
off: a shed or garage roof can be converted to
green status with sedums, stipas and ferns.
You can make a green sofa by forming and
firming soil into the shape of a seat and laying
turf over the top. Replace the garden fence
with living willow screens that absorb carbon
and need no preservative treatments.
Instead of manipulating soil to suit the
plants, choose plants that suit your soil. Use
perennials that have a wild rather than culti-
vated look and which need less watering and
soil improvement to flourish. “By encouraging
Work with, not against, the site and situation of your garden. A shady plot presents a good case for planting woodlanders such as alliums and hostas
No going back
In Beth Chatto’s dry gravel garden, eremurus
and poppies thrive
Consider a smaller, more manageable lawn that you can keep looking good in most conditions
without a massive amount of maintenance. Decking and broken stone might involve less upkeep
Grow plants together that like similar conditions,
such as these eryngium, crocosmia and lychnis
With a little ingenuity you can create a container
garden using found objects and recycled scrap
processes cooked food waste; a refuse sack and
fallen leaves of deciduous trees is all you need
to make leafmould, a great soil conditioner.
Use your purchasing power: only buy garden
furniture made from sustainable timber. Be cre-
ative: by using old paving stones instead of new,
you breathe fresh life into found materials,

helping the environment and saving you money.
Reader offer: New Gardening costs £18.99,
but Homes & Property readers can buy it for
£14.99 by calling 01903 828503 and quoting
the order code MB127.
a healthy, balanced garden with a wide variety
of plants that provide food sources at different
times of year you will have far fewer pest prob-
lems and a garden teaming with wildlife,” says
Wilson. “A garden stocked with ornamental
plants can be a nectar bar, while fruits and
seeds provide berry buffets late in the season.”
Whereas gardeners used to “put the garden to
bed” for winter, new gardening advocates leav-
ing perennials and grasses standing, to provide
food and shelter for wildlife.
Most important of all, though, believes
Wilson, is for us to change our attitude.
“Develop an appreciation of the natural cycles
of nature. There is much to admire in the
decaying seedheads and stems of a perennial
as there is when it is in full summer flower; it’s
just a case of re-tuning.”
‘Knowing your soil type and
how to improve it is
the key to a healthy garden’
How Mummy loves to mix it
Textile designer Victoria
Richards has created
a modern family home

by mixing styles from
five centuries,
says Katie Law
Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007
OUR HOME
32
OUR HOME
33
FOR MORE FABULOUS HOMES, VISIT
homesandproperty.co.uk
T
EXTILE designer Victoria Richards has
certainly put her mark on the interior of
her late-Victorian red-brick house in
Stockwell, south London. Yet the regi-
mented façade of the terrace in which it
sits gives little hint of what is to come as
she opens the door.
With its deep corridors and high ceilings, the
inside of the two-storey house is much larger than
you expect. This is the first of many surprises in a
house that feels improbably old, perhaps because of
the Jacobean oak panelling in so many of the
rooms. These panels appear in the kitchen and in a
bathroom that also sports 17th century Delft tiles,
while the sitting room has Georgian-style wooden
shutters, and, incongruously, a baroque-style
carved wooden pediment above its door.
There are plenty of genuine period details,
though, such as ornate Victorian fireplaces, some

with their original floral tile inserts, and fine
encaustic floor tiles in the hall.
It all makes for a curious mix, which might be
overbearing were it not for the clean sweep of
white walls, the judicious displays of contempo-
rary crafts, some very smart lighting and plenty of
toys and gadgets belonging to Victoria and her pub-
lisher-husband Adrian’s two sons, Percy, 13, and
Hector, six.
“We moved in here when I was pregnant with
Percy,” says Victoria. “I think the previous owners
were antiques dealers and they must have added
most of these interior details themselves. They
lived by candlelight, and the whole place was
incredibly dark. All the walls were bare plaster and
the floorboards had a dark stain.”
Apart from installing a solid iroko-wood work
surface in the small kitchen, the couple have done
nothing to the structure of the house, instead
Where to get the look
■ Kitchen: the tiles above the door are by Lubna
Chowdhary (www.lubnachowdhary.co.uk), with artwork
by Margaret Proudfoot, and lighting from Flos (available
at Icone; call 01332 866430, or visit www.icone.co.uk).
■ Dining room: pots above the fireplace are by Dan Kelly
(www.studiopottery.co.uk), the tapestry and Bonnet print
are from Shelly Goldsmith (email S.Goldsmith@
soton.ac.uk); the Glo-Ball light and Air chairs are by
Jasper Morrison and the Ghost mirror is by Philippe
Starck, all from SCP (135 Curtain Road EC2;

020 7739 1869; www.scp.co.uk). The RSPB clock is
available from 0845 120501, or www.rspb.org.uk.
■ Sitting room: sofas from Conran (www.conran.com),
the Sax Mini armchair in blue is by Terence Woodgate and
is available at SCP (as before). The rug is from Crucial
Trading (01562 743747; www.crucial-trading.com) while
the floor-to-ceiling lights, called Parentisi, are by
Castiglioni and available from Flos (as before).
■ Bedroom: textiles and gown by Wallace Sewell and
Victoria Richards (020 7833 2995;
www.wallacesewell.com). For Victoria Richards’ ties,
from £50, visit www.victoriarichards.com.
■ Paints: all from Farrow & Ball (01202 876141;
www.farrow-ball.com).
concentrating on bringing in more light and mak-
ing sure it could function well as a family home.
“We painted the floorboards and the walls, and
softened some of the surfaces using rugs, textiles,
prints and ceramics,” Victoria explains.
As a textile designer, based at the nearby Clock-
work Studios, she is surrounded by other design-
ers and craftspeople who can give her inspiration.
Also, whenever she jointly exhibits her work, she
rewards herself by buying something from her
contemporaries, a framed textile by her friend
Shelly Goldsmith, perhaps, or a ceramic item by
Dan Kelly.
While Victoria loves to collect other people’s
work, she has plenty of her own textile designs
featured in her house, including silk cushions and

upholstered stools.
Victoria, 43, was born in Devon and trained in
textile and fashion at West Surrey College of Art.
She went on to set up her own label, but also
designed for other companies. Her commissions
have included work for high-end fashion labels,
such as Valentino and Nicole Farhi, and even for
Coventry Cathedral, where her ecclesiastical vest-
ments, designed for the Millennium celebrations,
have joined John Piper’s superb Sixties designs.
But her most successful line to date has been
her “Jon Snow” ties. It started 15 years ago when
the Channel 4 News presenter visited a studio
sale and snapped up several of Victoria’s brightly
striped ties.
“At the time, I was making them out of scraps of
silk from end-of-print runs,” she says. “What hap-
pened next was that everyone started asking him
where he got his ties. It became the most fre-
quently asked question from viewers of his pro-
gramme, so Channel 4 put a link from its website
directing viewers to my website. I have even
received calls from people complaining about
news items they had seen but didn’t like.”
Victoria found herself so overwhelmed by tie
orders, she was forced to outsource some of the
work to a firm of silk weavers in Suffolk, creating
a range of woven ties to complement her hand-
painted collection. This has left her with more
time to devote to one-off commissions and large-

scale textile pieces.
However, Victoria is now working on a new
range of ties to go on sale in the Tate galleries in
time for Christmas.
When she is not working, Victoria does her
thinking, sometimes with a glass of wine, in the
garden, which is her husband’s domain and “a
real little oasis”.
It feels both pleasantly overgrown and well-
maintained, with its old-brick paving, billowing
hydrangeas, large bay and elegant olive trees,
lavender bushes and vines, which at this time of
year are dripping with bunches of grapes.
Victoria and Adrian are also working on a com-
bined photographic and textile project at the
moment but, otherwise, it’s family life as usual.
Above: Georgian-style
shutters and Conran
sofas provide the mix
in the light-filled
sitting room
Left: Victoria has her
own work featured
throughout the
house, including
hand-prinked silk
cushions, available to
see and buy at
Clockwork Studios
Left: Jacobean wood panelling has been fitted in

many rooms, including the small, but still
highly functional, kitchen
Pictures by David George
Below: Victoria’s pretty, stripy throws and
scarves in silk are available from
Clockwork Studios
Right: a panelled bathroom has a wonderful set
of 17th century Delft tiles
Far right: the garden is mostly Adrian’s domain,
but provides Victoria with a “little oasis” in
which to sip a glass of wine and seek inspiration
for her designs
‘The previous owners lived by
candlelight. It was all bare plaster
and dark-stained floorboards’
Victoria Richards, with sons Hector, six, and Percy, 13, in the handsome family home in Stockwell, SW9
A magnificent shuttered window throws light onto the modern dining set, with Air chairs by Jasper Morrison, from SCP
‘The most frequent question for
Channel Four was “where does
Jon Snow get his ties”’
VICTORIA Richards is exhibiting at Origin, Somerset
House, Strand, WC2 from 2 to 7 October. Open
Tuesday to Friday, 11am to 7pm; Saturday and
Sunday, 10am to 6pm, with opening until 9pm on
Thursday. Her work can also be seen at Clockwork
Studios, 38 Southwell Road, SE5, by appointment
only. Call 020 7737 8009.
Terence Woodgate’s Sax Mini blue armchair, from
SCP, sits by an original marble Victorian fireplace
When Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow began

wearing her stripy ties, Victoria received a rush of orders
See Victoria’s textiles
Andra Nelki
Andra Nelki
Andra Nelki
Healthy savings
MONEY MAKEOVER: Pushpa’s independence could be just a year away. By Toby Walne
Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007
MONEY
38
What’s your story?
IF YOU would like to be considered for a money
makeover, in which our team of experts will
advise you on how you can manage your finances
better, send a brief outline of your current
situation, adding a daytime phone number, to
Money Makeover, Homes & Property Editorial,
Evening Standard, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5EE,
or email Please
do not enclose documents. If we follow up your
story, we will contact you.
FOR MORE MONEY THIS, VISIT
homesandproperty.co.uk
Profile
Name: Pushpa Raj, 23, lives with her parents
Job: Sales executive for internet firm
Home: Parent’s house in Ilford, east London
Pension: None
Assets: None
Debts: £9,000 student loan, £900 NatWest

student overdraft, £500 First Direct overdraft
Cover: None
Virtues: Already saving cash and has the self-
discipline to work hard towards achieving goal
Vices: Wanderlust for expensive foreign travel
and no budget plan
P
USHPA Raj, 23, is desperate for independence. But
despite completing a degree in criminology and
film studies she hasn’t a clue how to achieve her
own happy ending. She lives in Ilford, east London,
with her parents and is saddled with a £9,000
student debt. She also suffers from rare Lupus
disease, which means she must avoid direct sunlight.
She saves £100 a month from her £23,000-a-year job, but
ultimately hopes to join the police. She is keen to see the
world, and plans to visit Australia for a holiday while seek-
ing a cure or treatments for her illness. Pushpa helps with
Savings and investments: Pushpa should stay at
home to work off debt believes Tucker: “Save at
least £400 a month – getting into the habit of
putting a large amount of salary aside is vital.”
Chalmers explains: “The priority is to clear the
overdrafts. Consider selling the car, it is too much
of a luxury with public transport in the area and
will reduce expenditure by £2,500 a year.”
Both believe a top-paying mini cash Isa is ideal
and £250 a month into this is a good target. Put a
further £150 a month into a savings account.
Property: At present, a one-bedroom flat in Ilford

may cost £170,000 so Pushpa is in no position to
buy, points out Tucker. She believes the borrow-
ing on Pushpa’s income would be about £80,000,
so it may be better to look further out, where you
can get more for your money, such as nearby
Romford or Grays.
Other options include buying a shared flat with
friends or getting a shared ownership deal, such
as via the Government’s HomeBuy Scheme
Budgeting: Tucker recommends Pushpa goes on
a “clothes diet”. By clearing out her existing
wardrobe she may find she has enough outfits
for the following year — anything extra can go
on eBay.
Things to do: Make a budget plan and work out
exactly where the money goes and how to cut
expenses — selling the car, paying off debts and
switching phones will offer immediate savings.
Enjoy life. Go to Australia to reward yourself
for saving, and seek help for your illness.
Consider further advice once you have money
in the bank. Call IFA Promotion on 0800 085 3250
or visit unbiased.co.uk. Check out comparison
websites such as uSwitch.
the bills but does not pay rent. Her main expense
is a car and she spends £1,000 a month.
She adds: “All I want is independence — but
how can I afford to get on the property ladder?”
What the experts say
Katie Tucker of Charcol says: “Save for a year

and you may be in a position to buy. Australia is
great a idea before you start as it may help with
your disease – a consideration for your career.”
Toni Chalmers of The Financial Practice says:
“Pushpa must first complete a three-month bud-
get exercise to see where the money goes.”
Chris Frost, at uSwitch, adds: “Look at areas
where savings can be made by switching to differ-
ent deals – £200 a year could be saved just on
mobile phones.”
Please quote reference ES1209 when making enquiries based on this table. *LTV - Loan to Value
*Droplock is a feature that guarantees you can switch to any of the lender’s fixed/capped rates at any point within the specified period, subject to paying any
fixed-rate arrangement fee.
If you transact business through John Charcol, it may charge a broker fee of up to 1% of the sum borrowed for a regular mortgage applications (no fee will be payable
when bought online through www.johncharcol.co.uk). It is Charcol’s usual practice to offset the fee by the amount of commission it expects to receive from the lender.
In addition, a £75 booking fee will be payable upon application for any exclusive or semi-exclusive product.
YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE
This is a summary sheet of interest rates currently available on the market and these figures are correct at the time of going to press. The products highlighted here
have other criteria that will require evaluation before deciding whether the product is right for you as this table is for information purposes only and is not to be
viewed as a recommendation. Loans subject to status, type and value of property. Minimum age 18. John Charcol is a trading name of Charcol Limited. Registered
office: Holbrook House, 10-12 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5DD. Registered in England No: 3397767. Charcol Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial
Services Authority (FSA reg. 427339). Calls may be recorded for training and monitoring purposes.
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Homes & Property lawyer
Karen Whitburn
answers your questions
Diary of an estate agent
A nude balcony scene, a squirrel-chasing terrier and a set of missing photographs keep one Tower Bridge agent on his toes
Monday
I had been asked to go and value
a two-bedroom flat in Shad
Thames at 8am. It was a lovely
flat and I was halfway through
my sales pitch to get the instruc-
tion when a movement caught
my eye. Across the narrow
street in the building opposite,
a young woman was throwing
open the French doors to her
Juliet balcony. She hadn’t a
stitch on. Suddenly, my tongue
seemed to be tied in a knot.
Tuesday
I have heard some excuses for
being late into work, but this
morning’s was a winner. My
mobile rang at 7.30am and my
colleague’s first words were:
“You’ll never believe this but…”

She was unavoidably delayed,
because her Jack Russell — on
being let out into the garden —
had chased a squirrel into the
kitchen. The squirrel was now
hiding behind the boiler and
obviously could not be left
there. She had to wait until her
mother came round to keep
guard before she could come to
work. Mother called at 9am to
Last Friday I was due to move. Transfer
of funds for the sale of my f lat was late
and, as a result, I could not send purchase
moneys on to my seller’s solicitor. The seller
agreed to release keys and let me move in over
the weekend on the basis that funds would be
transferred, and completion take place, the
following Monday. He is now claiming interest
and costs from me. Should my buyer pay?
This story illustrates one of the difficulties
of being involved in a property chain, with
several sales and purchases taking place on the
same day, and money from the first sale being
passed up the chain to the last purchaser.
It is fortunate your seller was persuaded to take
a reasonable view, as I once had to inform a family
they must stay in a hotel over the weekend as their
seller would not release keys until the full comple-
tion money had been received by his solicitor.

The terms of your purchase contract probably
allow the seller to charge interest on the purchase
price (less any deposit already paid), and a sum
for additional legal costs incurred as a result of
your late completion of the purchase.
Whether you can claim these costs back from
your buyer will depend upon the terms of your
sale contract. Most contracts provide that funds
should be received by 1pm or 2pm. If the money
had arrived by 2pm your solicitor would have had
time to send it on. If the contract does have such
a time limit, you can probably charge interest
and costs on late completion.
Whether you can charge on the difference
between your sale price and the purchase price of
your new property will depend on the specific
provisions of the contract with your buyer.
I bought a semi-basement flat in a build-
ing that is Grade II listed. I have found
the flat has rising damp and I am going to
have to carry out damp proofing. Is this
allowed in view of the listed nature of the
building, and what action must I take before
telling the builders to go ahead with the work?
Try to discover the cause of the damp prob-
lem. If guttering or pipes are blocked, this
could lead to water penetration. However, if you
have rising damp you’ll need to look at the struc-
ture of the external walls. Most modern buildings
are built with two layers of brick with a cavity

between them and a damp-proof membrane. The
cavity and membrane act to prevent damp passing
from the exterior wall to the interior.
However, many old buildings are constructed
with only one wall, which allows moisture to rise.
Typically, such older buildings are built with lime
mortar, which allows the building to “breathe”,
as moisture rises and evaporates into the atmo-
sphere. Problems can arise where an old building
has been repaired or rendered using cement,
which stops the breathing process. Often, the
problem can be remedied by removing the
cement and replacing it with lime mortar. It is
unlikely that you will be allowed to put in a
damp-proofing course. Instead, you should dis-
cuss with the council which method of work will
be acceptable to ensure listed-building approval
is given. I suggest you also investigate the terms
of your lease to see whether the work should be
carried out by the freeholder, with the cost being
apportioned between the lessees in the building.
Q
Q
A
Key to unlock a chain
A
say the squirrel had vanished,
but that the dog was refusing to
budge from a gap by the boiler.
Meanwhile, I went to value

a three-bedroom duplex pent-
house overlooking the river. It
was a beauty and I was sure we
could get £1.2 million for it.
Wednesday
The squirrel had squeezed itself
into a suspended ceiling and the
dog kept a vigil all night, hoping
it would fall out. It wasn’t until
early this morning that they
managed to tempt the squirrel
out with a peanut-butter sand-
wich, and then throw a coat
over it so it could be bundled
outside without biting anyone.
We were all laughing, imagin-
ing the scene when the owner of
the Shad Thames flat called, to
tell us to start showing it. The
question was, should we show it
mornings or afternoons? Would
a naked lady add value?
I got home to find my neigh-
bour — who has been trying to
sell his house for months — had
switched agents again and
added £50,000 to the price. This
is not good news. I was hoping
desperately he would sell soon,
as I have endured six months of

his ground-shaking music.
Thursday
The owner of the riverside pent-
house called to say she has a
private buyer, having posted its
details on the residents’ notice-
board. Maybe I should post all
our properties on their board.
As I was parking, I met an old
friend I worked with years ago.
He reminded me of the day
I arrived at our office and saw a
parking space right in front of
the door. I had nipped into it,
ignoring loud toots from a
woman in a Volvo behind, who
also had her eye on the spot.
Fifteen minutes later, we looked
out to see the lady brandishing
a large gateau — bought from
the bakery nearby — which
she smeared all over my wind-
screen. Hell hath no fury…
Friday
There was a frantic call on my
message list when I arrived. A
couple who recently completed
on their flat and moved to
France had told their buyer he
could have everything left in

the property. They’d forgotten
about their collection of framed
black-and-white photographs.
I called the new owner to find
he had thrown out one he didn’t
like, but still had the others,
which I could collect. I then had
to drop them off with friends of
the Francophiles.
Good news. I got home to find
a Sold sign on my neighbour’s
house. Things must be looking
up in my area, thanks to the
promised new East London
Line. It can’t come soon enough.
And my neighbour can’t go soon
enough, but I won’t put the
champagne on ice until I see his
music system disappear into a
furniture removal van.
Carl Davenport is sales
manager at Chesterton in
Tower Bridge (020 7357 7999).
Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007
EXPERT
42
What’s your problem?
IF YOU have a question for Karen Whitburn, email
, or send your
question to Legal Solutions, Homes & Property,

2 Derry Street, London W8 5EE. We regret that
questions cannot be answered individually but
we will try to feature them here.
Karen is a partner in the property team at
Thring Townsend Lee & Pembertons Solicitors
(www.leepem.co.uk).
FOR MORE EXPERT ADVICE, VISIT
homesandproperty.co.uk
Coming soon to Clapham
A cinema in Clapham will be saved from
demolition as part of a small-scale homes
project for the area, says David Spittles
AXIOM REACHES ITS
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C
LAPHAM continues to spring
small development surprises.
The latest uncovering is a
former Odeon cinema on the
corner of Plough Road and St
John’s Hill.
It comes five years after London’s
very first residential conversion of a
listed cinema — a fine Art Deco struc-
ture on Balham Hill now known as
Foyer Apartments — which, by coinci-
dence, is also in Clapham. A two-
bedroom apartment is currently for
sale at £475,000, through estate agent
Marsh & Parsons. Call 020 8673 4377.
As with pubs, churches and bank
branches, when given the right treat-
ment, redundant cinemas can be
transformed into desirable homes. It
is not just the scope for dramatic
loft-style interiors. Many old cinemas
This Grafton Square development will include 102 apartments. Call 020 7758 8495
are landmark buildings, have grand
entrances providing a sense of arrival
and, by virtue of their high street loca-

tion, are close to transport links as
well as shops, bars and restaurants.
At the peak of film-going in the 1940s,
London had more than 150 traditional
cinemas but now has less than 50.
Many cinemas were demolished in
the 1960s and 1970s but, since then,
heritage groups have succeeded in pro-
tecting some of the most prized build-
ings — at least by getting planners and
developers to agree sensitive conver-
sions rather than wholesale demoli-
tion. The new project in Clapham will
create 59 one- and two-bedroom apart-
ments, many in a glass box roof exten-
sion to the existing building, a curvy,
brick-facade 1930s edifice.
In keeping with the site’s history, a
private cinema room will be installed
for residents’ use only, while the cen-
tral auditorium area has been desig-
nated for commercial use. Prices range
from £290,000 to £950,000 and comple-
tion is due in early 2009. Call Hamptons
International on 020 7758 8488.
The Sanctuary, as the name suggests,
is a niche scheme of eight mews-style
houses and five flats tucked away
behind Clapham Road.
Contemporary-design interiors

include Poggenpohl kitchens, lime-
stone floors and underfloor heating.
Small patios and courtyard gardens
are attractively landscaped. Prices are
from £249,950 to £825,000. Call Knight
Frank on 020 7173 4900.
Clapham Old Town, which is between
the common and the high street, is a
newly gentrifying pocket that is losing
its gritty edge and acquiring a villagey
character. Gastropubs, gourmet food
shops, galleries and boutiques have
arrived: run-down Georgian and Victo-
rian properties are getting a face-lift;
and gaps between the buildings are
being redeveloped.
Grafton House is one of several new
pavement cafes surrounding The Poly-
gon, a triangle formed by three roads.
Built in 1792, it is again the hub of the
Old Town, with a turning point for
buses soon to become a public square.
A handsome missionary church on
Grafton Square — best address in the
Old Town — has been split into 12
flats. And coming soon is a big six-
storey development of 102 apartments
overlooking the square.
These apartments will be released
for sale towards the end of the year.

Call Hamptons International on 020
7758 8495.
Expected next year is redevelopment
of Parkside Hotel, facing Clapham
Common. The Victorian mansion
block will be converted into 30 apart-
ments, including family flats of up to
2,600 sq ft. Call Savills on 020 7409 8701.
£290,000 to
£950,000:
The former
1930s Odeon
cinema will
house 59
one- and
two-bedroom
apartments
Evening Standard Homes & Property Wednesday, 12 September 2007
SMART MOVES
57