Displaying posts from November, 2021

Colour, pattern, texture and personality. It’s a sensory overload in the best possible way. Think rooms maxed out with wallpaper next to calming, neutral breakout spaces. It’s luxe and loud, welcoming and at times cocooning. It’s the reworking of a home in London’s Chelsea by Bryan O’Sullivan Studio.

My previous post was of the cabin at Settle. Now time to introduce the restored train carriages. Perfect for a calm, rustic, back to basics getaway. We rescued three retired railway goods carriages, sympathetically restoring them to offer luxurious lakeside retreats. Each offers two sleepyheads a lounging area by a wood fire, a well-stocked kitchen, a cosy bathroom, and a decking terrace, with a fire pit, overlooking a scenic lake.

This is everything a cabin getaway should be. So cozy and relaxing! SETTLE is home to three beautifully restored vintage railway carriages, a handcrafted lakeside cabin and luxury canvas camping, blissfully set in our private Norfolk parkland. The Cabin. Perfect for slow living, our bespoke lakeside cabin is a truly luxurious stay… This handcrafted space was meticulously designed and built by us, combining settle’s signature palette of earthy textures and heritage materials with sleek contemporary fittings and clean lines. Flanked by mature trees and an abundance of native wildlife, this dreamy cabin overlooks the largest of our idyllic waterlily lakes. Heritage timber – one of our most prized materials – clads all the cabin’s interior spaces, its authentic textures bringing the outside ever closer. Mid-century furnishings blend with Scandinavian influences to create a calm, restorative ambiance. For colder days, a large, contemporary wood-burning stove, along with salvaged cast iron radiators throughout the cabin, ensure toasty warmth.

Hannukah is right around the corner, with the period between the 28 November and the 6 December just weeks away. Around the world, those celebrating Hannukah will dedicate nine nights to lighting the nine candles of the Hannukah Menorah – not to be confused with a Menorah, which only has seven.

The Menorah is perhaps the most crucial part of a Hannukah table – it doesn’t matter whether it’s real or embroidered into the tablecloth. Below, we will explore how a modern Menorah design can make your Hannukah table.

The Symbolism Of A Menorah

In Judaism, the Menorah symbolizes universal enlightenment. It’s one of the most widely recognized Jewish ornaments, although many people outside of Judaism may not know its name. The tradition of lighting a Menorah began after slaves left Egypt for the Promise Land, and God commanded the fleeing Israelites to light a candle to represent the seven days of creation. 

Now, the Hannukah Menorah is an adaptation of the Menorah that has nine candle holders for each day of the holiday. It’s symbolic to Hannukah, and you could argue that Hannukah would not exist would it not be for the lighting of a new candle on a new day.

How A Modern Menorah Will Transform Your Hannukah Table

Whether you’re going to make your Hannukah steeped with tradition or not, a modern Menorah can transform your Hannukah table to combine class and style with ancient tradition. Traditionally speaking, your Menorah only needs to have the nine candle holders – the rest can be left to the creativity and artistry of the Hannukah table arranger. 

When you think about a traditional Hannukah Menorah, your mind might jump to a simple gold design with curving branches that glide away from the stem – modern Menorahs are anything but that. When you buy Menorahs online, you’ll notice bright colors, designs that are anything but the traditional curved horns, and grand designs that boast modern art.

It’s awe-inspiring to watch artists like Yair Emanual and Simon Pearce explore modern-day design trends – but yet they are still able to pay tribute to Jewish Hannukah Menorah traditions. The sanctity of the holiday is upheld by including the nine candle holders – whichever way the artists choose to put them.

Design Ideas To Explore

As mentioned, traditional Hannukah Menorah designs usually comprise a central stem with eight branches spanning from it. Modern Hannukah designs are anything from it. When looking at Yar Emanuel’s work, you can see the combination of traditional artistry with modern-day, vibrant colors. If you want to move further away from traditional Jewish designs, look for any design that differs from the classic central stem and branches.

We also mentioned that a Hannukah Menorah doesn’t have to be a physical ornament. Some households prefer to paint their own Hannukah Menorah onto the tablecloth. It still upholds the traditional values of Hannukah by including the nine stems, of which you could put a tealight candle at the top of each one to light each evening. This idea gives you the chance to be your own artist and create your own stunning Hannukah Menorah designs. There are, of course, plenty of modern-day designs online if you’d prefer to shop for one.

Hannukah is a sacred and beautiful holiday that millions of people celebrate around the world. It gives us a chance to reflect on the creation of life and explore the beauty of light, reminding us that the light of the Lord is there in everything we do. How will you celebrate Hannukah this year?

“The kitchen in this 1914 Arts and Crafts home was the anchor for a whole-house remodel project in San Francisco’s Richmond district. The client, a well-traveled artist, was inspired by English country houses. Both the existing kitchen and main bath had undergone an earlier remodel in the 1990s in a style that was incongruent with the historic architecture of the home and devoid of light and circulation. By moving the kitchen to the back of the house, we were able to expand the views to the back yard and design a generous pantry hall with a powder room located behind a secret bookcase door. New windows and architectural elements abound with the intention of introducing materials that feel like they belonged to the house from the beginning. The farmhouse palette includes salvaged wood, brick and marble counters, and wood flooring painted with a checkerboard design. Antique furnishings throughout and a bouquet of patterned wallpaper accentuate the client’s taste for eccentric English playfulness.”

Tradition country house meets contemporay city living. England meets California. Designer meets client’s dreams. Geary English Eccentric by Landed Interiors & Homes. Favourite room? The kitchen.