Ham Yard Hotel London … modern British style

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Firmdale Hotels has opened another hotel in London this month with Kit Kemp the designer working her magic.  She is renowned for her confident play with fabric patterns and bold use of wallpaper and artwork.
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Kit Kemp is also incredibly clever with the detail.  I have had the pleasure of visiting a number of her other hotels in London … the Knightsbridge, Number 16 and The Pelham and can say that I have loved all that she has accomplished.  She has a signature style … however each property, very much it’s own look and feel.
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At the Ham Yard Hotel in Soho, colour and pattern have been taken to a new level. Even though some of her pattern combinations I find almost too bold, they work and I can only marvel at the attention to detail.
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There are areas with schemes such as the Suite above, that for me, don’t work.  There is just one fabric too many !!! and there will be those who think it is fabulous.
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The drawing room, for reasons quoted above, falls into the same category.  However, I do feel that this room is probably a lot more appealing in reality, so will put it down to the photograph … I find it difficult to imagine the very clever Kit Kemp getting it wrong … or am I not fully appreciating modern British style.

Indigo … the colour everyone is talking about

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The colour indigo conjures up images of either the night sky or deepest ocean.
Indigo is a colour that is tranquil. It is not just blue … indigo is a particular shade of blue … it is sophisticated.
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The most exciting thing about this colour is how easy it is to work with. Indigo brings to life any shade of timber from the rich and golden tones to the bleached and lime washed.
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Indigo is at its most sophisticated when paired with chocolate brown, tan or bronze.
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It goes without saying that the combination of Indigo with .. crisp white .. rich cream .. soft dove grey or cappuccino shades, is perfect no matter what the season.
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Introduce indigo into any room that takes your fancy.  Pottery Barn have embraced indigo this season as has William Yeoward with his latest furnishing collection.

Loving london’s boutique hôtels 2014

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The Pelham Hotel in Sth Kensington is, for me the perfect location in London.  A short stroll to the V&A or along the gorgeous Walton Street to Harrods … more specifically, their Stationary Department.
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Kit Kemp the designer has created a luxury town house style hotel, the interiors ‘a tailored version of grand English style’.  I love the idea of individually designed bedrooms, and there are 52 to choose from.
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What sets these hotels apart is the unexpected … the combination of antique and contemporary furniture … quirky lighting and modern art set within a a wood panelled drawing room or library … it is perfect.

5 sleep essentials

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Of all the rooms in a house the bedroom is possibly the most important … it is where we spend half our life !!!

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1.  A good mattress is essential to ensure a restful night’s sleep.  The very best mattresses support our spines in their natural, neutral position.  The latest technology allows the mattress springs to mould to the shape of our body.

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2.  Mattress toppers are becoming extremely popular … they add an additional layer of padding and comfort, particularly good where the mattress itself is too firm.  Reversible toppers with wool fleece for autumn and winter … and cotton percale to keep you cool in spring and summer, are the ultimate.

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3.  Choice of pillow is critical to a good night’s sleep.  The right choice depends on a number of factors including neck problems, allergies (non allergenic filling choices)and preference for firm or soft, one or two pillows. How soft or firm your pillow feels is determined by the ratio of feather to down used … feather being firm and down being soft.

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4.  Beautiful bedlinen is a luxury and you really do get what you pay for.  Thread count (number of threads in a square inch of fabric) isn’t everything and other factors such as the quality of the raw cotton (firmness of yarn) and the way threads are woven comes into play.  I love the softness and elegance of Cotton Sateen without the expense of Egyptian Cotton.

5.  Your choice of Doona/Duvet is all to do with weight and seasons/climate,  however your first choice is natural or non allergenic filling.  The right choice of doona weight for your particular climate is essential to a good nights sleep.  The weight of doona for a cool climate will be vastly different to that where winters are mild.  Down doonas trap more air between clusters than feather fillings and are therefore warmer and incredibly light.  The greater the percentage of down and the higher the quality of the down, the more you pay.

Yes, lots to think about … however worth spending a little time to get it right.

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