INTERIORS

Jewish

SUPPLEMENT

14 July 2016

Edited by Brigit Grant

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The Jewish News 14 July 2016

www.jewishnews.co.uk

INTERIORS
Unit from West Elm

THE

STYLIST
INSIDER

Alex Galbinski gets to nose around the houses of

women who transform other peoples homes
Emma Gurner, Folds Inside (www.foldsinside.com)

Vases and bowls

from Folds Inside

love being creative and I try to get on the same wavelength as the client, but they come to me because they
Ilike
what I do and my style, she says. My personal style tends to be a cocktail of Scandinavian simplicity
with touches of bold, original elements.

Rug by Eva Sonaike

Cupboards from Ikea, painted

Emma has lived in her family house in Whetstone for six years. It is where she co-founded her
online interiors store Folds Inside three years ago with business partner Suzi Philip and it helps
showcase the best of the vintage-inspired goods the pair sell. Starting off as an assistant to a
photographer, Emma, who studied art and design at Middlesex and Manchester universities,
used to visit what she describes as the most incredible homes.
Becoming a stylist herself, the 42-year-old mother-of-two saw her future in the interiors industry,
gained experience at BBC Good Homes and Ideal Home magazines and did a course at the KLC School of
Design. She gets requests from people to style their homes, and her jobs range from advising on what furniture to
take to a new home to room plans and extensions, finishing touches and electrics and flooring.

Enchanted Wood wallpaper

by Hibou Home

Deer head from Graham & Green

Magnetic paint

ESSENTIAL TIPS WHEN DESIGNING

YOUR OWN ROOM SCHEME:
1 Create a mood board of materials you

will be using to help you visualise how

the elements will work together, such as
floor, fabric, paint wallpaper etc.

Chair by Ikea

2 Include pieces that you love in your

scheme, such as a piece of art, sculpture

or item of furniture. This could be the
starting point to inspiring you and will
give your scheme a personal depth and
character.

3 Dont listen to all your friends giving you

different advice as it could end up even
more confusing and no one knows what
you like better than you do!

Cupboard from Ikea

Amy Caplan, Studio 7, amy@studio7.london;

www.facebook.com/Studio7-386813838177779
Amy Caplan had her work cut out when she moved into her new home in Finchley.
Heavily pregnant with her third child, she began trying to make the house into a
home for her husband and children. Luckily, Amy has a postgraduate diploma in
interior design and architecture from the KLC School of Design in Chelsea Harbour.
Afterwards, Amy, 36, bagged herself a job as an assistant designer with a company in Belsize Park,
before going onto M&Y Interiors as a designer. She now runs Studio 7 with friend Didi Stoppelman,
who used to work for Kelly Hoppen, as a response to all the people who would ask them: Can you
help me with?
But she stresses that their prices are affordable. A lot of people cant afford to move and, after
extending their home, cant then spend 3-4,000 on an interior designer, she explains. We thought
there must be a way of creating a more accessible interior design consultancy who charge by the hour.
The pair help people with choosing paint colour up to a whole redesign and floor plans. We have
no loyalty to any company, but have lots of contacts and trade discounts that can be passed onto our
clients, she adds. We can source good bits that are not crazy prices. Anyone can have nice things.

Wallpaper by Matthew Williamson

for Osborne & Little

Desk from Ikea

Drawers from Atkin and Thyme

www.jewishnews.co.uk

14 July 2016 The Jewish News

Wallpaper by digital print company

photowall.co.uk

ESSENTIAL TIPS WHEN DESIGNING

YOUR OWN ROOM SCHEME:

I3

Pictures originals by Gillian Lawson

1 Mix high end pieces with high street/

lower end items. Buy one or two wow

investment pieces and the other items
will be carried by them.

2 If you're renovating, make your doorways

and openings as high as possible. This will

give the illusion of space and make your
ceilings look higher.

3 Accessorising should be a lifetimes work.

Collecting bits gradually from holidays,
outings and general living will make your
home reflect your style and family much
more than buying generic items all in one
go. But remember... less is more.

Bed from Barker & Stonehouse

Cushions from H&M

Vintage light from Alfies Antique Market

Freddy Antell (07958 533 774, thefredm@yahoo.co.uk)

When my teacup leaves a mark on interior designer Freddy Antells lovely wooden
kitchen table, she laughs. Dont worry, she says, with two boys and a dog, I cant
be precious about anything.
Indeed, her family never know what colour they will come home to find the walls or
position of the furniture which she often adapts or sells.
I always, always, change things around and I try things out, says Freddy, 45,
who was born in Scotland and lived in Israel from the age of 10 until she came to the UK to study.
Training in fine art photography at Central St Martins I became fascinated by the spaces that
people occupy and how we inhabit them Freddy later did an interior decorating course at KLC. She
has herself taught an interiors course at LJCC.
She describes her style as very eclectic; a combination of vintage and contemporary but concedes that
it changes quite a lot. She favours a lot of brass and a mix of metals in the kitchen and bedrooms and
says you can personalise many things, for example using different handles, different lights. Its just paint.

best part of the job, she says, is creating somewhere that people enjoy. I love making it
The
look good and personalising it for people, making them feel at home, and happy in their space.

Bookcase by Pierre Vandel bought at auction

Table by Raft

Looking for Art?

ESSENTIAL TIPS WHEN DESIGNING

YOUR OWN ROOM SCHEME:
1 Dont be afraid to mix it up. I love to

combine mid-century modern furniture

with 70s brass as well as some contemporary pieces keeping it connected via
a colour or theme. Eclectic and fresh!
Mishegas print by artist
friend Zohar Flax

Price: 395

Vintage chair recovered in

Christopher Farr fabric
If you love a funky wallpaper but

2 worry it may be too much, dont!

Commit to it by using it in a small
room, or just put it on the ceiling.
is key and must never be
3 Lighting
underestimated. I recommend using
at least six (preferably eight) sources
of light in any given room. You can
mix up the styles too theres no
need to be too prescriptive.

71 The Broadway
Mill Hill
London
NW7 3BU

T: 0800 690 6000

www.mylivingroom.com

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The Jewish News 14 July 2016

www.jewishnews.co.uk

INTERIORS

A MOVE IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION
BUYING PROPERTY IS A SEISMIC MOMENT.
Unlike the purchase of a car which is really
great at the time, a house or a flat becomes
the focus of your world from the second
you open the door and, in part, defines you
as a person.
Remember how you felt when you got your
first set of house keys? That expression on your
face is the one Nigel Sears likes to see and not
just because he has made a sale. Having worked
through the years when estate agents were
demonised, he along with his partner Helen
Bladon-Reid know that their job is all about
understanding the needs and tastes of their
clients and finding a property that ticks all the
boxes. As an independent firm of estate agents,
Bladon Sears have also learnt to specialise,
notably in the area their clients want to sell
from or reside within.
Whether selling, letting or buying, we know
our local expertise work in your favour, says the
dashing and affable Nigel. If you are selling,
we will work with you to agree a marketing plan
to suit the needs of your property, designed to
achieve the best possible price for your home.
We will consider every aspect of the transaction, working within the timescales available and
in relation to the market conditions in the area.
One of the main benefits of selling your property

through Bladon Sears is that the details of your

home will be published online, reaching not only
local buyers, but also regional and national
home movers.
Established in 1990, Nigel and Helen have more
than 40 years experience in selling properties
around Edgware and have been credited as Fellows of the National Association of Estate Agents.
Proud of their competitive commission rates,
delivered on a no sale, no fee basis, the real joy
of Bladon Sears is they are the sort of agents
one enjoys spending time with and, when you
consider how long it takes to find and complete
on a property, that is very important.
Spending a day with Nigel Sears, viewing
doesnt feel like a chore at all and, as we visited
houses and flats to suit a first-time buyer, family
on the move and empty-nesters keen to downsize, it was interesting to see how enthusiastic the
sellers were to see him just to say hello.
You do build a relationship with clients, and
many of them return to us during the various
stages of their lives, says Nigel.
He is particularly sensitive to the needs of a
first-time buyer as he knows how to manage
expectations and show affordable choices.
Although the property we viewed on the day was
snapped up, a peruse of Bladon Sears website
reveals another gem. And there are many.

Whether buying or selling

you need the right team,
as Brigit Grant discovers
while meeting estate
agent Nigel Sears

PERFECTLY SITUATED
In Windsor Avenue, we saw an equally suitable three-bedroom family home (675,000) with a
really welcoming sunny pale yellow hallway and a TV room with French doors on to the garden.
The house, which is immaculate, has a garage with a shared drive and, once again for catchmentkeen lookers, it is ideally located for junior schools, places of worship, parks and is within the eruv.

FAMILY HOME
For a home to suit a young family, we visited an outstanding fully detached newly-refurbished
three-bedroom house with a garage and off-street parking in Wolmer Gardens for 699,950.
Refurbishments, which include rewiring, CCTV cameras to front and rear, re-plastering, fresh
decoration, stripped and varnished floors and newly-laid carpets, make for a really fabulous
home, particularly as there is a beautiful landscaped rear garden. Any family could just move
straight in,but its worth noting there is also room to extend and, for parents keen to get into
the catchment area for Rosh Pinah and Beit Shvidler primary schools, it is ideal.

EASY LIVING
Finally, for those looking to downsize or swap their stairs for something more manageable, Nigel
recommended a visit to Dudley House (420,000) to see a really spacious two-bedroom ground
floor set between Edgware and Canons Park that was recently refurbished. With a new modern
kitchen, new bathroom, two WCs, communal
gardens and a garage en bloc, it is certainly
worth a viewing. And definitely with Nigel!

FIRST-TIME BUYER
A three-bedroom maisonette
with a guide price of 309,950
is available where Edgwarebury Lane meets Hale Lane.
We are all familiar with the
lingo but, for interested
parties, the maisonette is
well-proportioned, with
each room being of a
favourable size and it has
recently been updated.

www.jewishnews.co.uk

14 July 2016 The Jewish News

LOST IN SPACE
Do not tidy up
before she comes,
warns my husband.
He is not referring to
a cleaner, but rather
to Nikki Glantz, clutter
clearer extraordinaire.
For Nikki, owner of
Clutter Clear London
(soon to be renamed
Precious Space), is perNikki Glantz
haps the British equivalent of Marie Kondo, who can transform an overfilled space into one in which you can breathe and
find joy.
Joy is a word Nikki uses a lot. Does it still bring
you joy? she asks, when I am reluctant to part with
something that is no longer useful. If not, acknowledge its former worth and say goodbye.
I had asked Nikki to help me sort out my overstuffed office; a box room that is my dumping
ground for books I want to read, paperwork, newspapers (old), stationery and a chest of drawers filled
with all sorts of paraphernalia including batteries,
old phones and pens (you wont need to buy any
more pens for a long time, Nikki laughs).
Then there are files. Lever arch files full of old
bank statements (why arent you looking at them
online? asks Nikki, who shows me an app on her
phone that lets her log straight into her account),
old journalism notes and press cuttings.
Clutter is oppressive and it can get you down. It
is with a heavy heart that I have been going into the

office and each time I do, I have felt guilty for not
transforming it into a space of which to be proud.
But with Nikki, within 10 minutes, we had discarded
most of the press cuttings and started on the overfilled drawers.
Keeping things like old birthday cards or like
you have all your press cuttings is a type of narcissism. Why not look through them, acknowledge
them and any joy they gave you and say goodbye,
she advises.
We have to question why we feel the need to
keep everything. We dont need to hold onto all
the physical objects that remind us of an experience we have the memories themselves, she
says. A clearer home is a clearer mind.
We clear out some barely working headphones,
mobile phone boxes, business cards (you can find
peoples details online) and other miscellaneous
items that have not been used in years. This allows
room for a dedicated wrapping paper drawer, complete with scissors, sellotape and greetings cards.
As mother-of-two Nikki, 45, says on her website:
I come to this work with the passion to enable
others to enjoy a clear and ordered space.
But for all her efficiency even ruthlessness
at clearing out things that suck the energy out of a
room, Nikki is in no way judgemental. A former social worker for more than 20 years who has worked
with Holocaust survivors, Nikki had one client who
was very disorganised and hoarded, among other
things, lots of papers. I helped her to find important financial and legal documents and we cleared
so much along the way, she says.

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Alex Galbinski saw the light [and the

bottom of several over-stuffed drawers]
when a declutterer came to call...

This was Nikkis first time helping someone clear

their home and, over the years, she has worked
with friends and clients to become a trusted name
to help people breathe new life into their space.
Aside from helping people clear clutter in all
sorts of rooms, including kitchens, bedrooms, and
offices, she also designs peoples spaces, including
kitchens and lofts that are in the planning stages.
She begins with a consultation to find out what
changes her client wants to see and then puts
together a package to help them achieve that.
She will look at your home either to reorganise
its current state or to redesign it in line with architects plans and may even suggest storage solutions to design or buy. Shell sit with you as you go
through your possessions and, working in threehour slots, be the gentle reminder that, actually, you
dont need to keep whatever it is you think you do.
You might think you have a good eye for design
and can clear your own clutter, so why pay someone like Nikki to come to your house. Well, as I can
attest, clearing stuff is not necessarily something
one actually does make time for. I have an eye for
space and I love making peoples lives better by
making their home a better environment, she says.
Nikki also organised my kitchen cupboards/
drawers, turning one drawer of kitchen utensils into
a dedicated space for neatly-labelled spices.
Thank you, mouths my husband to Nikki as
she prepares to leave, taking bags of my things to
be delivered to the charity shop the following day.
Nikki Glantz can be contacted on 07979 693931 and
http://clutterclearlondon.co.uk

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I5

Before

AfterThings in the stationery drawer can be found

Sorting through books takes time but frees up space

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The Jewish News 14 July 2016

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INTERIORS

SHOW

STOPPER
Steve Bailey meets a woman who knows how to make you buy a home

LORAINE CHASSELS TUCKS A SMALL

NAKED MAN UNDER HER ARM AND
USHERS ME INTO THE NEXT ROOM
AT HER AWARD-WINNING INTERIOR
DESIGN STUDIO...
The sheer amount of furniture is breathtaking.
Silk sofas. Ornate Chinese horses. Vintage photographs in large silver frames. Mirrors by the
hundred. Relief carvings of the Buddha. Lamps
made of everything from driftwood to hi-tech
chrome. Silvered chests of drawers. Even a Le
Corbusier chaise longue. You can have that in
black leather or real pony hide, Loraine explains
helpfully.
And on it goes, room after room, thousands of
items of furniture and every single piece earning
its keep.
Clients visit my studio so that I can get a handle
on their taste, explains Loraine. What kind of
things excite or interest them? What takes their
eye as we walk around?
Contemporary, modern, eclectic, traditional
a Kandinsky painting? Or a Rococo chair? Its a
clue to their gravitational pull what floats their
boat, design-wise.
The ornamental naked man is placed on a
prominent shelf hes due to appear in a photoshoot next week as the tour continues.
Its a candy box of interior design, she says.
A strawberry truffle on the left, a chocolate fondant on the right... Anything you like? Weve got
it in seven colours and five sizes. And do you
want it for the weekend?!
She has an infectious sense of joy for the job
and a crusading zeal for the benefits of hiring
an interior designer. If you thought it was an
indulgence, think again.

Its like Im
a clients furniture buddy, she
says, and were
embarking on an adventure together... a new
experience which is going to be good. Because
Im going to stop them impulse-buying that sofaas-big-as-a-bus which will never fit in their room.
Im going to help them make all the right decisions and open their eyes to a new and exciting
world of interior possibilities.
Design-wise, having a sense of the complete
picture is vital. People pick a gorgeous rug in one
place, a great mirror in another, a chair somewhere else, thinking theyre designing a racehorse
but in fact, theyre building a camel. You need a
much more holistic approach.
A good designer has a vision of the completed body not just an ear, an eye or a foot.
And that body should be a supermodel. I need to
get her perfectly turned out, ready to strut down
the catwalk and looking like a million dollars
without spending a milllion dollars!
Price is a key selling point for Loraine. During
20-plus years in the business, her Glasgow-based
company XS Interiors has tackled jobs in London
and across the world everything from stately
homes to city penthouses and budget housing
developments aimed at the first-time buyer marker.
Cost control has become a speciality.
Why pay exorbitant London rates when you
could have the job done for a fraction of the
price? she says. A number of our clients buy
a return air ticket to Scotland and see that
small investment recouped many times over in
the final bill.
Design prices start at a modest 395 per room
for a package that includes a consultation at
Loraines studio, full interior design including layouts and colour schemes, detailed pricing for all

the components involved and a computer-generated story-board illustrating the furniture selected.
And although a personal visit to her studio is
ideal, its not a deal-breaker. Loraine regularly
works off plan completing the designs from
scale drawings when shes never seen the
actual room.
Youd be surprised at the relatively modest
outlay involved sometimes, says Loraine. Even
if you have champagne tastes but a lemonade
pocket-book, we can usually work something
out... Were a can do business not a can talk
business.
The unique structure of her company is the
vital secret to low prices. Its effectively six different operations under the same roof. The interior
design business holds a massive store of furniture which not only provides inspiration for visiting clients, it also furnishes show homes for
a string of blue-chip property developers who
employ Loraines services.
Afterwards, pre-hired furniture is sold off at
reduced prices meaning there are countless
bargains to be had. In addition, the studio also

operates as a furniture store for the general public and other designers. Oh and theres a thriving
hire operation renting furniture to TV and film
production companies. Not to mention a pimp
your home for a fast sale business which re-vamps
your house with beautiful furniture and fittings to
guarantee it looks amazing when the estate agents
are showing people around.
Its just the way things have developed over the
years, said Loraine. But were now the most prolific interior design company in Scotland.
Loraine even acts as a ghost designer for some
of the big names in interiors who take on projects
then subcontract the work to her.
I wont mention names, she said, but Ive
designed for multimillion pound properties without ever seeing the house. Its a regular event, in
fact and the clients dont even know Ive done the
work.
Whoever dubbed Loraine the designers
designer spoke truer than they knew....
www.xsinteriors.com
0141 942 0519

www.jewishnews.co.uk

14 July 2016 The Jewish News

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BLADON SEARS
EDGWARE,
MIDDLESEX
A 3 bedroom duplex
maisonette located
above the shops on Hale
Lane. Modern kitchen
and bathroom.
Convenient spot. Guest
WC. Sole Agents.
For sale or to rent 309,950 / 1,450 pm

020 8958 1822

BROADFIELDS
AVENUE,
EDGWARE

HIGHVIEW
GARDENS,
EDGWARE

Within the Eruv, a

large 3 bedroom semi
detached family home.
Guest WC, TV room.
Off street parking.
Delightful garden.
Freehold 633,500

A particularly large 2
bedroom semi
detached bungalow in
need of some
modernisation.
Garage. Sole Agents.
Excellent potential.
Freehold 550,000

EDGWARE,
MIDDLESEX

EDGWARE,
MIDDLESEX

Set on prominent corner

position, impressive and
substantial 4 bedroom, 2
bathroom, 3 reception room
family home. Within the
Eruv. Carriage driveway.
Garage. Sole Agents.
Freehold.
SOLD JULY 2016

A spacious 4 bedroom, 4
reception room detached
family home moments
from town centre. 100ft
rear garden. Garage with
off street parking. Utility
room. Viewing a must.
Sole Agents.
Freehold 850,000

WOLMER
GARDENS,
EDGWARE
An attractive fully
detached 3 bedroom, 2
reception room family
home. Kitchen/diner.
Guest WC. Pretty
garden. Garage. Off
street parking.
Freehold 699,950

STRATTON CLOSE,
EDGWARE
Recently refurbished, 2
bedroom ground floor flat.
Modern kitchen, bathroom
and guest WC. Excellent
storage. Communal
gardens. Garage. Sole
Agents.
Share of Freehold
420,000

Website: www.bladonsears.co.uk

updated daily

WINDSOR
AVENUE,
EDGWARE
Excellent location.
3 bedroom extended
semi detached house.
TV room, pretty rear
garden. Garage.
Within the Eruv.
Sole Agents.
Freehold 675,000

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The Jewish News 14 July 2016

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INTERIORS

ENRICHING THE

KITCHEN
and, as the winner of the Innovation through
Technology Hertfordshire Business award,
Cameo Kitchens is the right company to take
on such an enormous job. A unique blend of
kitchen design specialist and online appliance
retailer, Cameo ensures you get the best quality and advice because they rely on recommendations and referrals from satisfied customers.
Unlike many so-called experts, some of
Cameos staff have been in the business since
the 1970s and with that many years of combined experience in design and installation,
they are able to create the dream kitchen you
have always wanted. Here are some tips from
Cameo to get you thinking and planning...

hen it comes to creating a new

look for the hub of the house, it
is not something you want to do
alone. Designing kitchens is an
intimidating task that requires expert guidance

GREY KITCHENS
White has been popular for a long time, but
grey is becoming the colour of choice because it
takes away the starkness of white and fashion
trends, with paint manufacturers such as Farrow
& Ball producing great grey colours. Grey looks
smart as a contrast to other colours, but also
mixes well with materials such as wood and
there is a distinct trend towards matt and satin

finishes rather than glossy.

Another trend at the moment is for handleless
kitchens or a mixture of both, with invariably a
mixture of materials.
NEW INNOVATIONS IN ISLAND DESIGN
With the arrival of effective compact and downdraft extraction systems, island cooking is now
a lot simpler as you no longer have to overcome
the large barrier of an extraction unit. As a result,
we are building bigger and bigger islands, which
allow people to be much more sociable and face
their family and friends while cooking, as
opposed to having their backs to them.
The trend is for islands to be on a variety of
different levels and feature different materials,
with the thickness of the worktops creating an
interesting design feature and becoming part of
the feel of the kitchen.
SPLASHBACKS
Forget about splashback tiles or glass bricks.
Now manufacturers such as Opticolour and
Deco Glaze are producing a wide variety of
colours of toughened glass, which can be templated and installed after the kitchen is fitted.
This method can complement the kitchen by
colour matching to pick feature units. In Cameos
showroom, for example, there is a kitchen featuring grey shelving and yellow glass.

TILES
The days of tiled kitchen worktops are long
gone for both practical and hygiene reasons.
Tiles are almost exclusively now used as feature elements of a kitchen design, with materials such as porcelain very popular. Tiles are
primarily used on the floor, with larger tiles of
up to 600mm square, using colours such as
whites, creams, blacks and greys and natural
stones such as limestone. Glass is very popular
to create a wow factor in your kitchen, with
fashionable paint finishes that complement a
material such as slate or porcelain from a feature wall and create texture in a kitchen design.
LIGHTING
Lighting is a very important element of kitchen
design, which is often overlooked. The way you
light your kitchen has practical benefits but can
also allow you to change the mood and the ambience of the room. Lighting concealed within welldesigned units can offer illuminated work surfaces
without shadow by allowing the light to fall in front
of you while you are working, not behind, and so
helping you to prepare and cook food. But it can
also enable you to change the tone and brightness
of the kitchen to suit the occasion for a kitchen
supper or bring some clarity to a girlie lunch.
www.cameokitchens.co.uk, 0333 222 1487

www.jewishnews.co.uk

14 July 2016 The Jewish News

I9

ARTON REQUEST

A painting speaks a thousand words and Jo Goldberg

has mastered most of them, finds Brigit Grant

hen you have been holding a paintbrush

since the age of five and producing
artwork that belies your years, the
question of what to do for a living is redundant.
But life isnt that simple and, as Van Gogh and
Modigliani would testify, a career as an artist is
rarely easy or profitable. Jo Goldberg knows all
of this, but once she realised her natural place is in
front of a canvas, she was determined to make a
success of it and that is what is happening.
Her work on a variety of themes now hangs in
restaurants and in the private homes of clients for
whom she has created bespoke paintings. And
now with a growing list of private commissions
ranging from pet portraits to landscapes, she is
now able to work less as an advertising executive
to boost the coffers.
Like so many artists Jo, who grew up in Hatch
End, is reluctant to describe her personal style,
preferring it to be evaluated by an audience but,
when the question is asked, she reveals: My
painting style is figurative but not completely
realistic. I keep it expressive, so that part of me
goes into the work. I like to describe it as

observational; whether its a portrait, a landscape

or one of my antique objects, I just love to pick
out interesting details that can go unnoticed.
As a graduate of Londons celebrated Slade
School of Fine Art where Lucian Freud taught,
Jo learnt from the best.
I like to generate a presence in my work, she
says, adding: I think art is there to enhance
and evoke, so Ill always have this in my mind as
I paint.
Free of the pretentions that are common to so
many artists, she is happy to take on commissions
of all kinds.
I have had very specific requests such as a
large series of London landmarks for a restaurant
in Leicester Square and most recently, a
colleagues friend who was turning 40 wanted me
to do a painting as a birthday present. It was a
painting of her a single mother and the two
children she had through IVF. I knew immediately
that there was a really special bond between them
and when my colleague gave her the painting, she
cried and said it was the best gift she had ever
been given. I was so touched by this response. To
move someone with your art is what it is all about.
Painting people and capturing the sense of
spirit and presence contained within a persons
face is a passion of Jos.
I enjoy looking for subtle details that I know will
really distinguish the character and persona of the
subject. It can come from the whole face or even
just a light speck in the eyes; its a great pleasure to
be able to capture and inject something that
perhaps photography cant.
Although people rank highly on her list of
favourite subjects, animals are up there too and
she has just been commissioned to a painting for
a client who has requested a portrait of a close
friends dog who is about to pass away.
Its very sad, but knowing I can provide a visual
memory and touch someone with my art is an
amazingly fulfilling feeling, says Jo.
Although the idea of posing for a portrait may

available and if it is from life, it will be five to seven

sittings of three hours but with some breaks.
For those who recall Woody Allens Hannah and
Her Sisters in which actor Max Von Sydow plays an
artist who flies into a rage when asked to paint to
size, there will no such problems with Jo.
I will create something to any size and have
made paintings up to 8ft sq in the past! And I also
do murals, mainly for childrens bedrooms, so I can
literally make the wall into a painting.
As Jos art is visually priceless, it seems rude to
ask what she charges but, with bespoke portraits
starting at 1,000, she is well within many budgets
and the finished work is so much more impressive
than another set of family photographs.
Currently working from her flat in east London,
she is about to move north-west. Much more
convenient for clients, says the artist who hopes
to see her work adorning the walls of boutique
hotels or your house very soon.
sound like a commitment for the subject, Jo works
mainly from photographs.
I will try to meet the subject first if they are

To contact Jo Goldberg, call 07957 146798 or

visit jogoldberg.com

I10

The Jewish News 14 July 2016

www.jewishnews.co.uk

INTERIORS

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE having architectural

elements in your house that allow your indoor
living to expand and blend with the outdoor
space. Large, sliding glass windows or doors
dispense with the separation between indoors
and outdoors completely and although we live
in a country where the weather regularly disappoints, letting in the light in (even if its grey)
opens up your house.
If you want to do something wonderfully dramatic in your home, such as replacing walls with
floor-to-ceiling windows or just need a simple
single window replacement, Swan Windows and
Son is who you need.
The company was started by James Swan and

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his son, Robert, who took over the day-to-day

leaves the factory until it has been thoroughly
running in 1997 and built up their wide cuschecked over.
tomer base, which ranges from homeowners
When it comes to installation, Swan believes
wanting a full house of windows or a conservain causing minimum disruption while working in
tory installation, to local builders and housing
your school, office or home. The staff always
developments. All their designs are bespoke to leave your property clean and tidy, removing
you and your property in timber, aluminium or
old windows and installation debris when they
uPVC, to ensure that the result will not only
finish, which is unusual for any workmen.
complement your building and home, but also
And you can forget about pushy salesmen,
your lifestyle.
as Swan Windows has a very relaxed approach.
With a background in the window industry
We believe our product sells itself, says
supplying directly
Robert. When
to the trade as
you call us out for
well as installers,
an appointment,
Swan pays close
there is absolutely
attention to purno pressure. We
chase of materials,
will come out to
manufacturing
your office at a
process and
time to suit you,
recruitment of
discuss your
highly skilled
requirements and
labour, so it can
then send a no
provide the best
obligation quote.
quality at an
We guarantee not
affordable price.
to take up more of
We make sure
your time than you
Fabulous windows that bring the outside inside
every detail is
want, and we will
correct before we
tell you as much as
start to manufacture doors, windows or archiyou want to know. You can even go and visit
tectural glass structures, as checking all measits showroom at Beesons Yard, Bury Lane,
urements makes for a smooth installation,
Rickmansworth, or call 01923 720 792 for an
says Robert. Our highly-skilled craftsmen use
instant quote. So if you want your windows to
the highest quality materials to ensure that the
be a talking point outside and inside Swan
finish of your product is perfect, so nothing
Windows & Son will be able to help.

www.jewishnews.co.uk

14 July 2016 The Jewish News

I11

FURNITURE ENVY
Do you look through magazines drooling at all the
stunning designer furniture you could never afford
and then trudge off to make do with high street
retailers? Louisa Walters says there are options
out there you just need to know where to go
HYDE HOUSE offers bespoke
handmade furniture at really competitive prices. You end up with a
piece of furniture that is the exact
design, size and finish of your
choosing, made to a high quality
that will stand the test of time. You
can also have bespoke fret work, taking the design to a whole other level.
Hyde House also offers monogramming
for childrens rooms and nurseries.
The talent behind all this is Joanna Hauptman.
She trained as a graphic designer and spent many years working in high end fashion, flitting
between Harpers Bazaar, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Harvey Nichols. Once she started building
her own house, Joanna felt that there was a lack of affordable bespoke furniture. She set up Hyde
House with a partner who is a third generation furniture craftsman.
Joanna is inspired by fashion, architecture, art, texture, colour and the world around us. She
travels extensively, which helps in terms of aesthetics and experiencing different hotels, furniture
and schemes. I love the innovative designs that are coming out of California, which has an
amazing array of contemporary and design-forward interior shops, she says.
Hyde House works to each clients specification and does home visits to advise and measure.
It also offers an interior design consultancy service. www.hydehouse.co.uk

MY LIVING ROOM in Mill Hill is a shop that

supplies lighting and offers an interior design service
as well as furniture. The team has a background in
decorating and furnishing high-end residential
property developments, so they are well-schooled
in bringing a room to life.
The shop is an Aladdins cave of both branded
and bespoke items, ranging from signature pieces
to silk wall rugs with Hebrew calligraphy. There are
items from all over the world, including funky Mickey
Mouse and Louis Vuitton paintings from an artist in
LA, which are shipped all the way to Mill Hill Broadway.
These are incredibly popular and clients go crazy for them.
The shop also has a good range of inexpensive knickknacks, including ridged glass cotton wool jars, which are
inexpensive and add glamour, style and that interior design
feel to any bathroom, bedroom or dressing room.
Everyone who enters the shop remarks on the carpet.
It is a product called TekSilk, which is exceptionally hard
wearing and exceedingly soft and luxurious to walk on;
clients often remove their shoes on entering the shop
just to feel how great it is beneath their feet.
Our clients love that they are purchasing something
they wont see at their friends houses, says studio manager Amy-Fleur Simmons. One of my favourite items at
the moment is our Serip table lamp. Made in Portugal, this
is a glass and bronze sculpture and lamp which sparkles
beautifully at night. www.mylivingroom.com

MAC+WOOD is an online furniture business. Not having a showroom enables the

company to keep prices down, and as it ships all over the UK and Europe, there is no logical
place to have a showroom anyway.
It all began when graphic designer Marcel Cowan struggled to find a statement kitchen table
that would add warmth and drama to his new contemporary, streamlined kitchen. He wanted the
table to be the hub of the home, big enough to seat the extended family, hard wearing and great
looking. A tall order, so he designed his own. Realising he had hit on a style that others related to,
he established Mac+Wood, adding new designs and extending the material and finish options to
help it grow into an online business. All pieces are made to order and customers can change the
sizes and see a sample of the wood before production starts.
As our furniture designs and material choices were born out of fulfilling a real need, we
understand the homes our pieces will go into and how they will be used, he says.
Mac+Wood has just designed a 24-person board table for a corporate client that is a mix of
reclaimed wood and bronzed copper tops, but its original signature table has proved to be the
most popular design. Recently, the company made one with a reclaimed wood dark finish top with
brushed stainless steel frame and matching benches and another in ash grey wood. It is a great
product to work with and it looks fantastic, says Marcel, who is currently working on an aged
copper table top, which is going to be a very special piece indeed. www.macandwood.co.uk

64 Watling Street, Radlett, WD7 7NP

Tel: 01923 850444 | Fax: 01923 850456
Email: sales@radlettpremierbathrooms.co.uk
www.radlettpremierbathrooms.co.uk

I12

The Jewish News 14 July 2016

www.jewishnews.co.uk

INTERIORS

KNICK

KNACKS

Debra Barnes picks out the

newest and best knick-knacks
around to brighten your
home on a budget
Venetian Glass Knobs
Fitting some new knobs on drawers, cupboards
or doors is a great way of freshening up interiors
with minimum cost and effort. Anthropologie
has a large selection from 4.95,
including these made from
Venetian glass.
www.anthropologie.com

Faux Flowers
The new generation of faux flowers are so lifelike and
very reasonably priced. Graham and Green does a
large selection, including these beautiful ranunculus,
sold individually at 6.95 per stem.
www.grahamandgreen.co.uk

Russell & Son Landscaping

French Chefs Salt And Pepper Set

How cute are these 6.95 tin can salt and pepper
shakers?! www.dotcomgiftshop.com

Anchovies Tin
A quirky pink anchovies tin
perfect for storing bits and
bobs for 3.95. Available
in mackerel, octopus and
sardines too!
www.dotcomgiftshop.com
Set of two Rustic Craft Tape Measure
Storage Crates
Give your craft supplies a beautiful home in
these rustic craft storage crates, 35. These are
best used for your bigger crafting goodies, like
spare fabric and canvas, as the large crate is
40 x 30 x 12cm and the small crate is 35 x 25 x
9cm. The beauty is in the details, such as the
rustic wood finish and ruler design.
www.dotcomgiftshop.com

Creating that perfect garden for you

Call today for a free quotation

0208 5183388
enquiries@russellandson.com

| 07736 670531

62 Albermarle Gardens, Ilford, Essex 1G2 6DL

www.russellandson.com

Scented Candles and Reed Diffusers

Not knowing what fairy dust smells like, I have to say that this bestselling range by
Lily-Flame reminds me of the smell of baby girls after bathtime..... delicious. Fairy Dust Reed
Diffuser from John Lewis, 20. Ever popular Yankee Candle has a new collection for summer
called Riviera Escape with four fragrances, including Olive & Thyme and Sea Salt & Sage
which you can get at its huge new shop in Brent Cross. Small jar candles from 8.99.

www.jewishnews.co.uk

14 July 2016 The Jewish News

Pointe Duchess Pitcher

Gorgeous stoneware jug,
lace-embossed in bluegreen drip down hues,
38. It will look great on
any summer table.
www.anthropologie.com

Poo-Pourri
Spritz the bowl before you go
and no one else will ever know!
This before-you-go blend of
natural essential oils creates a
barrier to embarrassing bathroom
odour. Available in a range of
fragrances, the original is
delightfully lemony. From
6.99 from Luv It, in
Radlett, or various
stockists online.

Folk Birds Washing Up Sponges

& Language of Love Tea Towel
Brighten up the most boring job
of the day with these cute folk
birds washing up sponges,
1.95 for a pack of three from
www.dotcomgiftshop.com,
then dry off with the
Language of Love tea
towel, 16 from
www.anthropologie.com

I13

Ceramic Pineapple Lamp

Deliciously kitsch, fun and
fruity, this white ceramic
pineapple table lamp, costing
35, gives off a warm glow, evoking
chilled out tropical evenings.
www.grahamandgreen.co.uk

Pretzel Shape Biscuit Cutter

Add a quirky touch to your baking
with this pretzel-shaped cookie
cutter, 2.95. Even better, the spring
loaded ejector means you get the
perfect shaped biscuit every time!
www.dotcomgiftshop.com

BLIND FAITH

If your windows need dressing, Brigit Grant

recommends Flamingo (not the bird)
IN A STATE OF THE ART MANSION on the corner of my road lives a man with no blinds.
Its a house that attracts attention for its design but, more importantly, because of the
cinema-sized window in the main bedroom that faces the street. Suffice it to say that cars
have been known to lower their speed while driving by. It isnt until you see a house without
blinds and curtains that you realise just how important they are. Not just for avoiding exposure or hiding behind, but because they can change the way light works in a room and
provide the finishing touch that unifies a theme. As with all structural or decorative elements
in your house, you can go out on a limb and buy your blinds off the shelf, but if you really
want to get it right (and were talking about measuring different sized- windows and doors)
you need Flamingo Blinds, one of Londons oldest and most reliable blind businesses.
Thirty years of furnishing properties in north London has made it an expert in its field
and, having left its original base in Winchmore Hill in 2008 for larger
premises in Potters Bar, it now has its factory unit on-site.
From initially supplying blinds to domestic customers, Flamingo
has expanded into the commercial market and now also specialises
in motorised products, such as awnings, curtain tracks and all manner
of internal blinds for shops, restaurants and hair salons.
HOB Salons are clients, along with Planet Organic, Harvey Nichols,
McDonald`s and even the great chef Yotam Ottolenghi, who got the
company to make the exterior blinds for his restaurants. Flamingo
director Eric Bradman could talk blinds and awnings all day, but he did
reveal the most popular kind. Currently it is plantation shutters where
the increase in sales is constant, he said, while giving a nod to battery-operated roller and Duo blinds. Curtains are making a comeback
too, he added. Perhaps my neighbour will take note of the new trend.

Flamingo Blinds supplies external awnings and all manner of internal blinds for homes, shops and restaurants

For more information from very helpful experts, visit

www.flamingoblinds.co.uk or call 01707 649 137

I14

The Jewish News 14 July 2016

www.jewishnews.co.uk

INTERIORS

TURN EAST FOR

INSPIRATION
The W Residence
penthouse

Raizel Druxman meets the designers transforming Israeli neighborhoods

ONE WOULD HARDLY THINK OF JERUSALEM and Old Jaffa as

fast-paced urban neighborhoods. They typically conjure up images
of cobblestone roads, church bells ringing, prayer calls from
mosques, tourists gathering at the Western Wall, the shouts of shuk
sellers trying to outprice each other, and old men playing cards on
the stoops of small, dome-shaped homes that line the horizon.
However, these ancient cities, rich with history and tradition, are
quickly evolving into urban metropolises of art, culture, and hightech start-ups. Home designers are utilising this transformation to
create stunning homes that reflect the developing modernity and
the unique flair of Israeli culture.
Jerusalem Design is a company that was founded by two Israelis,
Chezi Spero and Yoav Ehrenhalt, who wanted to see the city in which
they grew up flourish. For us, there is a personal component, in that
were getting to rebuild Jerusalem, Spero explains, which means
a lot to us, because this is where we grew up.
A more minimalistic culture, Jerusalem is somewhat monochromatic and many of the houses in the city centre are quite old.
Its called the city of gold and in many old paintings, Jerusalem
is depicted as a neighborhood of golden-domed houses, says
Spero. But thats not what it looks like anymore. We want to make
Jerusalem beautiful again and create a culture of nice homes, both
interior and exterior.
One of the ways Jerusalem Design is helping people transform
their old homes is by creating a new culture in the design business.
Not everyone can afford high end, but everyone deserves high quality, says Spero. We are bringing that sense of quality to Jerusalem,
even when you dont spend millions of dollars.
According to Spero, the first questions you need to ask when
designing your home are: what is the house is being used for and
who by? Sometimes people end up using their space for storage
instead of living in it. Plan ahead and ask yourself how you want the
house to function.
Another issue to consider is what floor plan works best for your
lifestyle. An open-floor plan gives you more actual space, but separating the space into definable rooms can create a feeling of more
space, Spero said. In urban planning in particular, bedroom sizes
are important to consider. If its a holiday home, make the rooms
a little smaller so you can maximise the living space, where you are
likely to be spending the most time, Spero advises.
The smallest details sometimes make the biggest difference.
Placing hooks in specific spots, using small niches to reduce clutter
and even how you angle the floor tiles can make the space feel bigger. Windows are often overlooked as an element of design. Explore
with colours on your windows and in the design in general. There is
an abundance of beautiful underutilised colours in the world.
Old Jaffa in Tel Aviv is also getting a facelift with the W Tel Aviv
Jaffa Hotel and Residences that will open next year. You may not own
the penthouse in the W Residence, but you can certainly draw inspiration from renowned architects John Pawson for your own home.

Lighting is a crucial aspect to design and Pawsons expertise in

using the natural light surrounding the architecture is part of what
makes his design so spectacular in creating a beautiful and functional
space. The right light makes a huge difference, says Pawson.
What is light meant to do in this area? is the most important question to ask. If you buy a beautiful couch, but have the wrong lighting,
it could look like the couch is the wrong colour, Spero explains.
To add to the charm, the residences at The W Hotel were built
within one of the 19th century buildings that once held Jaffas
French Hospital, a hospice for the needy. Major restoration work
was done to preserve the historic aspects of the property that date
back to the 19th century and also include Crusader-era elements.
Sitting above the old citadel, the
penthouse will offer a unique perspective on one of the worlds oldest
cities north to modern Tel Aviv and
seaward to the ancient port of Jaffa.
From this elevated location, one will
be able to experience the exciting
way in which the different characters
and energies of these two places
come together, Pawson says with
an important footnote.
Whether your live in London,
Johannesburg, California or Sydney,
when it comes to redesigning
your home, architectural masterpieces in Israel can provide a lot
of inspiration.

Clockwise: A Jerusalem Design home in Baka, Israeli designer Chezi Spero, a W Residence bedroom and a Jerusalem Design bathroom

www.jewishnews.co.uk

14 July 2016 The Jewish News

ON DISPLAY
A

FRIEND HIDES AWAY her ceramic challah board as she

thinks its too flashy, writes Alex Galbinski. But, as it was
bought for her by close family, she feels obliged to use it.
Not so the people who buy products from Contemporary
Judaica which, in the words of its founder Danya Kay, delivers
meaningful art for the home.
Danya offers a modern and eclectic range of designs by
Israeli and other artists and prices start from an affordable 20
for Judaica and gifts for the home. Many of her customers set
up a wedding list for Judaica alongside a main list, as Natalie
and Jonathan Lamb did when they got married in March.
Natalie says the items they put on their list things for
Friday night and festivals are very pretty and not like the
Judaica of old. Theyre not to be hidden away; theyre really
modern so we like to have them out.
Indeed, they proudly put on show their Wedding Kiddush
cup by Quest Collection that was used under their chuppah. We
loved it because its large enough that it was a real feature and looks
gorgeous in our photographs. It was also lovely that the family member who bought it for us got to feel part of our ceremony.
The couple found that family members in particular
liked to buy Judaica as wedding gifts. My grandma
bought us the Crystal Infinity Shabbat Candlesticks,
which are absolutely stunning and my other grandma
bought us various things, including a blessing for the
home and a mezuzah. Its nice when they come round
and see we are enjoying them.
Having been given two absolutely gorgeous seder
plates, the couple hosted the second night seder this year.
Natalie says: I dont think we would have done it if we
hadnt had such nice things. It was a really nice start to
married life. Visit: contemporaryjudaica.co.uk

Top:Jacquard Lace Chanukiah by Metalace

Art. Above: The happy couple in Love Birds
Crystal Picture Frame by Anat Mayer

Left: Crystal Infinity Candlesticks. Top: Quest

Collections Wedding Kiddush Cup. Above:
Seder Plate by Brian & Alice Bergner

AUTOMATED
INTELLIGENCE

If youre looking for security at the touch of a button and an

efficient Shabbat timing device, Brigit Grant has the solution

WE MAY NOT HAVE REACHED THAT TIME

when we can beam ourselves from place to
place, but there are days when it feels as
though we are living Star Trek. Smartphones,
not so smart phones; multiple apps; flat
screens, curved screens and more gizmos and

gadgets than we have room for

has turned us all into wouldbe Captain Kirks venturing
where no man has gone
before boldly or otherwise. Resistance is
futile (to quote a Borg)
as every family has
become The Jetsons.
It is for that reason and
the fact that there are as
many technophobes as
techno freaks that we need
a company such as iHomes
London to help us navigate our
way around a new electronic age.
iHomes London solves the problem of using
multiple electronic devices by combining the
different elements of your house into one, easyto-use interface otherwise known as an integrated home. Home automation takes your
separate audio, video, lighting, heating, security
and CCTV and combines them into one intuitive user interface. Remember how cartoon
space dweller George Jetson could turn everything on or off at the tap of a button? Well that
will be you. On a more serious note, for those

who are shomer Shabbat and rely on timers

for every aspect of
their weekend, iHomes
London can simplify
and radically update a
system so that lighting,
cooking, heating and
security is simplified.
iHomes understands
that peace of mind is priceless
and have made it easy to secure a
home and give you the tools to make sure it
stays secure. iHomes integrated system allows
you to view your CCTV cameras, set and unset
your alarm, open and close garages, gates and
doors. Best of all, if visitors arrive before you get
home, a tap on your phone will save them from
being stranded outside.
Its programmable lighting system will
brighten your home by allowing you to easily
switch lighting scenes, moving seamlessly
from soft gentle lighting to a perfect cinema

experience to a bright party at the touch of a

button. Imagine just settling into bed and
remembering youve left the kitchen light on.
With the iHomes system, you dont have to go
all the way downstairs to fix it, as you just have
to reach over to your interface to control all the
lights in your home.
There will be no more worries about leaving
your house dark and empty, with curtains wide
open while youre out for the day, on holiday
or, more significantly, in synagogue during the
winter months. The vacation mode will automatically close the blinds and have the lights
come on to a schedule, making it seem occupied, warm and welcoming when you get in.
iHomes offers the sort of whizz bang services
you first saw in a sci-fi film, but they are now
readily available. A chat with the company and
a look through its brochure tells you iHomes is
very here and now. Technology, as we would
like to know it (to paraphrase Mr Spock).
ihomeslondon.com or call 020 3700 0720

I15

I16

The Jewish News 14 July 2016

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Control at
your ngertips
iHomesLondon brings your home automation
together into one simple to use app that is
easy to install and is incredibly reliable.
Control4 Crestron Automation Lutron Lighting Control Sonos Audio

Call Us: 020 3700 0720 www.ihomeslondon.com

info@ihomeslondon.com
Sterling House, Langston Road,
Loughton, IG10 3TS