Tag Archives: design

Ett Hem, Stockholm

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Ett Hem means ‘a home’ and I think this boutique hotel might be the most beautiful home I have ever seen. Located on the outskirts of Stockholm, this fairy tale house is welcoming and comforting. With just twelve rooms, the atmosphere is intimate and the service personal. Despite the luxurious setting the ambience is relaxed and casual and guests are encouraged to sit where they wish, dine where they desire and work where they want.

The converted 100-year-old red brick building reminded me of a gingerbread house, especially from the outside. It has striking turquoise features on the roof and pipes and a surrounding brick wall with an intriguing but unassuming wooden door, which makes it all feel very exclusive but friendly.

Designer Isle Crawford has added character and charm to a variety of buildings, hotels, and shops… but at Ett Hem her passion for the art of interior decorating seems more vital than ever before. Repetition doesn’t exist here, every corner features an inimitable vintage find and every surface showcases a unique item. Should you wish to read there is a colourful bookcase to choose a story from, or if you want to play music, a stylish guitar sits patiently nearby. In the kitchen the farmhouse style dining table is always ready for diners and the fridge is open 24 hours a day for hungry visitors. I loved the whimsical greenhouse area and the romantic courtyard garden which I’m sure is particularly lovely in summer. I also spotted a few bicycles here which guests can take out and use round the city.

Our bedroom was at the top of the house, room number 11. Downstairs the living room space is magically decorated with quirky things in every corner. Our bedroom however was more typically Scandinavian… simple clean aesthetics with a dose of style and plenty of character, the colours more muted and the furniture more minimalist. The floor was a warm honey coloured wood and the big bed looked majestic draped in grey blankets and cushions with a spotlight from the bedside tables on either side.

A small retro cabinet held the minibar temptations and a low book shelf was stocked full of intelligent and pretty books. Beneath the window a small desk offered a place to work, and also displayed a copy of owner Jeanette Mix’s beautifully illustrated book of carefully selected things to do in Stockholm. The bathroom was the perfect glamorous boudoir. Clad in a sand shade of marble with gold fittings and Kiehl’s coconut shampoo and conditioner, it was an immaculately swish room.

Breakfast at Ett Hem feels like a particularly special meal, you are offered ‘anything you like’ to be eaten ‘anywhere in the hotel’. We found it difficult to choose between the equally beautiful rooms but eventually decided on the chic sofas in the light and airy glasshouse. Here we were served sweet freshly squeezed orange juice, smooth creamy coffee, and a variety of bowls holding thick yoghurt, homemade granola and jewel red fruits. If I wasn’t so full from our meal the night before, I would have indulged in the just-cooked waffles too!

Although small, this boutique hotel caters for business needs adapting various rooms and spaces into creative meeting environments. For fitness and wellness there is a small exclusive sauna and a gym downstairs for those wishing to burn a few calories. However where Ett Hem really excels is in its culinary offerings. Many are vying to visit to try the innovative and delicious meals from the rustic but revolutionary kitchen. The seasonal dishes are lovingly prepared and brilliantly executed and the menu changes frequently.

My favourite details at Ett Hem were the things you don’t see instantly, but instead the thoughtful subtle touches that make one’s stay unforgettable: the alluring, bespoke scent from Fueguia in the air, the specially made Italian duvets that feel like you are collapsing into a marshmallow, the daily home baked cake that guests can tuck into throughout the afternoon.

More information and book a stay at Ett Hem here.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 254

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Harriet Hastings co-founded Biscuiteers with her husband, Stevie Congdon. They are also co-directors of leading London catering company Lettice and parents to four young Biscuiteers.

“We came up with the idea for Biscuiteers on a weekend in New York. We were sure that there were lots of people who are as passionate about biscuits as we are and that there was a real opportunity to set up a biscuits gift business online that was completely different from anything else in the market – biscuits that would look as beautiful as they tasted. In fact, biscuits that people would want to talk about.

We started planning Biscuiteers properly in the spring of 2007, testing our biscuit recipes in Stevie’s catering kitchens. From the start we were committed to using the very best natural ingredients to get the flavour we wanted. We then started planning our launch collections, working on our designs and deciding on the big occasions. We wanted the biscuits to be beautiful and witty. We called them ‘collections’ because we knew we wanted to launch them seasonally like fashion collections and to keep refreshing and developing the range.  It was important that we found our own style- distinctive designs that would make our biscuits instantly recognisable.”

Biscuiteers launched online in September 2007 with the mission statement ‘why send flowers when you can send biscuits instead?’ The business has grown enormously but the biscuits and still made and iced in exactly the same way. They are all handmade using old fashioned non-industrialised techniques. Many of the icers are artists and enjoy creating new designs and perfecting existing ones regularly. Every single biscuit is lovingly made from the start to finish and each one is therefore totally individual.

One of the real joys of iced biscuits is their incredible flexibility. The experienced icers at Biscuiteers do some wonderful work copying logos, fashion designs and all sorts of products. They often work on exciting commissions, including a collaboration with Anya Hindmarch to create a tin of her handbags and a circus tin exclusively for the Conran Shop. They  have created bespoke designs for outstanding brands such as Mulberry, Boden, Swatch, and Burberry among many others. The imaginative biscuits are also used for press launches, as iced place names and biscuit card invitations or party bags.

In 2010 they published their first book ‘The Biscuiteers Book of Iced Biscuits‘ to much acclaim. It has since been translated into a number of languages and introduced the brand to a worldwide audience.

You will also find Biscuiteers in Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason, Harrods, The Conran Shop, as well as Colette and le Grand Epicerie in Paris.

In October 2012 the doors opened to the very first Biscuit Boutique & Icing Cafe in Notting Hill.  Showcasing the much-loved Biscuiteers biscuit, chocolate and cake collections, the Boutique also has a drop-in icing cafe where they host themed icing lessons, children’s icing parties and is the home of the Biscuiteers School of Icing where you can be taught by expert icers to ice like a Biscuiteer.

More information and order a box of beautiful biscuits here: www.biscuiteers.com

Hotel Indigo, Helsinki

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Hotel Indigo had only recently opened when we stayed. The smell of fresh paint still lingered in the air and I could feel the brand new carpet beneath my feet. The staff had a genuine enthusiasm and excitement for their new workplace, with grins permanently on their faces.

This new venue is part of a chain of boutique hotels, which has other branches across the UK and Europe. The Hotel Indigo Helsinki – Boulevard is located in a stylish and arty district in the centre of town. This design-conscious hotel fits in with the typical Scandinavian look. There are 120 guest rooms to choose from, some of which have murals by Linda Linko. Our room was small but comfortably equipped with a large double bed, ample storage space, a small desk and a smart bathroom. The décor felt masculine with shades of brown and grey dominating. The furniture was minimalist, fresh and functional… it was an ideal base for a city break.

There were touches of luxury dispersed around the room and the materials were soft and lavish; I especially liked the pillows and blankets covering the bed, ready to warm you after coming in from the frosty streets of Helsinki. I was excited to find Aveda rosemary and mint toiletries in the bathroom, a lovely invigorating collection of products that freshen and awaken your senses in the morning.

It wouldn’t be a Finnish hotel without a sauna, and this special facility can be found on the lower ground floor along with a petite gym for fitness fans, or those trying to work off jetlag. On the ground floor there are light open spaces to meet friends and relax which would also work well for casual business meetings. The modern restaurant is a pleasant dining room for the deli-style breakfast, although should you feel like going out to eat there are plenty of options on the nearby streets.

Hotel Indigo proved itself to be the perfect blogger’s base in Helsinki. Conveniently located, chic in design and efficient in service, we couldn’t fault it.

More information and book a stay at Hotel Indigo Helsinki here.

Many thanks to the Helsinki Tourist Board with their help with this trip.