Influencer Edits

How Influencers Work From Home

We sat down with some of our favourite influencers to discover their top tips on working from home. Like us, they’re all spending a lot more time at home. So, in collaboration with Paper Collective and Anglepoise, we sent each of them a few gifts to personalise their workspaces. Discover how they styled their gifts and how they work from home below. Emma @apogee_interiors “Try and create a work-only space in the home. Be it a study, a small desk in a room or even an arm chair, this allows you to isolate work to one space. If you work from the same sofa you spend the evening watching TV from then there’s no definition. Do anything to try and define your work environment and your home life.” Marisa @oakappledecor “As I work from home a lot, over the years I’ve realised the impact my surroundings have on the way I work. For me, having a clean and tidy work space with practical yet beautiful storage is so important. Functional lighting is a must too. A visually pleasing space helps to keep you happy and mentally stimulated; No one wants to work in a messy and boring space do they?!” Melanie @melanielissackinteriors “Lighting is important in any situation, but particularly for productivity. On darker days, avoid working under harsh overhead lighting such as spotlights and glaring pendants by adding a task lamp. If you don’t have a desk lamp, borrow a bedside table light or a side light from your living space. An atmospheric lamp will make your workspace feel more cosy, comforting and inviting than working in a stark, bright room.” Ross & Ian @our1930sfixerupper “As we’re both working from home during the current UK lockdown, it's important for us that we have our own spaces to work quietly and take a business-as-usual approach to our working day. At the close of play, we put all our work gear back into storage and transform the dining room table back to what it should be so you don't feel like you are living at work 24/7!” Jess @thestayoverlife “Write out your to do list the day before. Write the list in chronological order and next to each item on the list write a timeframe and only spend that long on that task. It’s not a race to finish it but it's easier to focus on tasks when you know there are breaks coming.” Emma @1fiveone “My tip for working from home is to make whatever corner of your home you’re working from as comfortable as possible. Even if it’s by adding some new cushions or a throw. And lighting is really important, if you’re not by a window make sure you have a nice lamp, this will ensure it’s a more productive space to work from. If you de-clutter the space it will help you focus.” Jackie @jackie.hoyte “I find structure and routine essential when working from home and always take a break for lunch. But make sure you get a change of scenery and don’t eat at your desk. Creating a space that’s both practical and aesthetically pleasing is vital to me. I’m lucky that my desk is right next to a window so having a constant source of natural light makes a big difference.” Emma @the_old_posthouse "Set those boundaries. Video calls, especially when back to back, are so exhausting! I make sure I block time out in my diary for lunch, 1-2 hour slots for emails and non-working hours. It has helped me have a lot more control over my time!" Take their lead and update your workspace with a Type 80 Desk Lamp from Anglepoise and a series of wall art from Paper Collective.

Influencer Edits

Melissa Hemsley Takeover: Monday Miso Bowl

We've teamed up with Melissa Hemsley as part of our Heal's SPACES exhibition, a celebration of London's most pioneering women and the spaces in which they create. Melissa is the bestselling author of Eat Happy, a cookbook packed with 120 delicious, flavour-packed recipes that take no more than minutes to make. In Melissa's second guest post, she's showing us how to make a soothing, easy and restorative Miso Bowl. The perfect Monday night dinner, it's quick and easy to make and will set you up nicely for the week. If you're look for even more home cooking inspiration, find out how to make her Spanish Chickpea and Almond Stew. Be sure to visit Melissa's recreated kitchen at our Tottenham Court Road store between 11th-22nd September. - Monday Miso Bowl Ingredients Serves 4 10g (about 8 tablespoons) seaweed, such as dulse or arame 330g buckwheat noodles 1 tablespoon coconut oil 3cm piece of ginger, finely chopped or grated 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (or to taste) 1 bunch of spring onions, sliced 200g shiitake mushrooms, roughly sliced 1.2 litres stock/bone broth or water 4 eggs, at room temperature 1 cabbage (400g), shredded Miso Stir-In 2 tablespoons miso paste (or to taste) 1 tablespoon hot water Juice of ½ lemon To Serve Toasted sesame oil, for drizzling 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds ½ lemon, cut into 4 wedges Sea salt Method 1. Soak the seaweed (if using) in water according to the packet instructions, then drain, rinse in fresh water and roughly chop before setting aside. Boil the kettle. 2. Fill a saucepan with boiling water and cook the noodles according to the packet instructions until al dente (about 5 minutes instead of the usual 6–8), then drain, rinse with cold water to stop them cooking, and set aside. 3. Meanwhile, melt the oil in a second, larger saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, chilli and white parts of the spring onions and fry for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. 4. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a medium simmer to cook for 2 minutes and then add the cooked noodles back to the pan to heat through for 1 minute before removing from the heat. 5. While the mushrooms are simmering, fill the original pan with boiling water and lower the eggs into the pan. Simmer over a medium heat for 6½ minutes (for a just-runny yolk), then cool the boiled eggs under cold water, peel and halve. 6. Remove the soup pan from the heat, drop in the shredded cabbage and the soaked seaweed, then mix together the ‘miso stir-in’ in a small bowl and stir through the soup. 7. Divide the soup among four bowls, add the egg halves and top with the remaining chopped spring onions and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. Sprinkle the egg halves with sea salt and black sesame seeds and serve with a lemon wedge if you wish. Extracted from Eat Happy by Melissa Hemsley (Ebury Press, £20) Photography by Issy Croker

Influencer Edits

Melissa Hemsley Takeover: Spanish Chickpea And Almond Stew

Cook and wellness guru Melissa Hemsley is the best selling author behind Eat Happy, a book that celebrates fuss-free, real food that can be made in under thirty minutes. Her passion, love and joy for food is infectious and we are thrilled to be collaborating with Melissa for our forthcoming SPACES exhibition. Melissa will be constructing her own kitchen - the space that inspires her the most and where she spends much of her time honing her craft. In the first of her guest blogs, Melissa shows us how to whip up a hearty and comforting Spanish Chickpea and Almond Stew. Using store cupboard staples and spinach from the freezer, this Seville-inspired stew comes together in under 20 minutes and is a hit with everyone. Spanish Chickpea and Almond Stew Ingredients Serves 4 3 tablespoons chopped or flaked almonds 1.5 tablespoons butter or ghee 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 large red or orange pepper, deseeded and chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 large handful of fresh parsley, stalks finely chopped and leaves roughly chopped 1 tablespoon tomato puree 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes 2 x 400g tins of chickpeas, drained and rinsed 100ml stock/bone broth or water (optional) 250g spinach 1 tablespoon lemon juice Sea salt and black pepper Extra-virgin olive oil, to serve Spices 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Method 1. In a large, deep frying pan, toast the almonds over a medium heat for just under a minute until golden, then set aside. Melt the butter in the hot pan, add the onion and pepper and fry for 6 minutes until starting to soften. 2. Add the garlic, spices and parsley stalks and fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent them from burning, then add the tomato purée and cook for another 30 seconds. 3. Tip the tinned tomatoes into the pan, turn up the heat to a medium simmer and cook for 15 minutes, uncovered, to thicken and reduce. Add the chickpeas and cook for another 3 minutes with a lid on. If you want the stew to be more soup-like, add the stock. 4. Turn up the heat, drop in the spinach and cook for 1 minute, covered with the lid, then add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. 5. Serve each bowl with a good drizzle of olive oil and with the parsley leaves and toasted almonds scattered over. Extracted from Eat Happy by Melissa Hemsley (Ebury Press, £20) Photography by Issy Croker

Influencer Edits

The Little Plantation: Red Cabbage Salad With Sweet Potato Wedges

Bright, light and above all delicious, the Little Plantation’s red cabbage salad recipe with sweet potato wedges is ideal as a quick-fix for mid-week suppers or lunch with friends. Red cabbage salad with sweet potato wedges Preparation time: 20 mins Cooking time: 25 mins Serves: 4 – 6 Ingredients for the sweet potato wedges: Ingredients for the sweet potato wedges: 4 small sweet potatoes (about 700g in total) A pinch of salt A drizzle of vegetable oil (I used rice bran oil) Ingredients for the red cabbage salad: 1/4 cup of quinoa + 1 cup of water A pinch of salt Small red cabbage 750g handful of nuts (I used almond slices. Omit for a nut-free version) Handful of seeds (I used pumpkin seeds) A good handful of fresh parsley, washed and finely chopped The seeds of 1 large pomegranate or a large handful of dried cranberries Edible flowers for decorating (optional) Ingredients for the dressing: 3 tbls maple syrup 2 tbls fresh lime juice (1 lime approx.) 2-3 tbls extra virgin olive oil Instructions First, make the sweet potato wedges by washing the sweet potatoes, cutting them into discs and boiling them in water with a pinch of salt for about 5-10 minutes or until they are just starting to get a tiny bit soft. Then, pour away the water, drizzle the sweet potato with some vegetable oil, place on a baking tray and roast them in the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until they start to brown around the edges and are nice and soft on the inside at 200C/400F. Next, prepare the quinoa by washing the grains and placing the quinoa in a small pot with water and salt. Cook for about 15 minutes or until almost all the water is absorbed and the quinoa opens. Drain away any excess water and set aside. Wash the red cabbage and discard any unsightly external layers. Then remove the stalky core at the bottom and with a mandolin thinly slice the cabbage and place in a large bowl. Add the cooked quinoa, the nuts (if using), seeds, chopped parsley leaves, pomegranate seeds (or dried fruit) and mix well. Finally, make the dressing by combining the maple syrup, lime juice and oilive oil and mix well. Pour over the cabbage salad just before serving and garnish with edible flowers (optional). Serve with the sweet potato wedges and enjoy! Visit the Little Plantation blog for more beautiful, delicious and healthy recipes and why not have a flick through our dining accessories collection to find the perfect dishes to match.

Influencer Edits

Hygge Your Home With Meik Wiking

Not so much an interior trend as a way of life, Hygge has invaded British interiors this season with its blend of cosy comforts and Scandi style. So who better to turn to for a masterclass in all things hyggelig than the author of The Little Book of Hygge, Meik Wiking. What’s Hygge? Hygge, or 'hue-ugh' as it’s properly pronounced, originates from the Norwegian word for ‘well-being’ and is an intrinsic part of Danish culture in the colder months (and boy does it get cold up there). As Meik remarks, ‘Hygge is the antidote to the cold winter, the rainy days and the duvet of darkness’ and seeing as Denmark is regularly voted ‘the happiest nation in Europe’ it’s probably time we Brits started to take note. Turn down the lights With the days getting shorter, it can be tempting to illuminate every inch of your home. Yet the Danes take a different approach by turning the lights down low. Hit the ‘Hygge sweetspot’ with candles and lower temperature lighting designs, such as filament bulbs or diffused lamps to ‘create soothing pools of light’. Danes burn more candles per person than anywhere else in Europe, so bring them out in force! Alternatively, Meik suggests to ‘use several smaller contemporary lamps around the room to create a more hyggeligt light than one big lamp set in the ceiling.’ Feather the nest Roughly translated as a ‘nook’, no Hygge home is complete without a hyggekrog. This is the space where you snuggle up in the evening after a cold commute home or relax on a lazy Sunday. Cushions, throws and furs are the building blocks for a homely hyggekrog with bay windows providing the perfect place to create your refuge. That isn’t to say you can’t add a bit of hyggelig to your sofa – after all what better place to lay back and watch the latest Scandi TV series. Bring the outside in From rugged and rustic furniture to handcrafted accessories, Hygge is all about embracing the beautiful forests and scenery that are intrinsically linked to Scandinavian design. Yet why stop at furnishings? As Meik comments, ‘Any piece of nature you might find is likely to get the hygge greenlight’ with foliage used for decoration on a table top while furs provide a textural element to a bed, chair or even the floor. Say it with ceramics The curve on a vase, the spout of a teapot or even the simple pleasure of a warm mug of coffee in your hands, the Danes excel at turning ceramic homewares into an art form. When creating your Hygge home, you can’t go wrong with iconic Scandi ceramics from Kähler and Marimekko. Shop Now Back to top

Influencer Edits

The Little Plantation: Vegan Mini Layer Cake Recipe

Pretty as a petal, this gluten-free Mini Layer Cake with vegan cream “cheese” frosting is the latest recipe from the Little Plantation and provides the perfect show-stopping bake for all to enjoy. This bake is a vegan friendly take on a recipe featured in Aimee's Perfect Bakes by Aimee Twigger. For best results make sure to check Kimberly’s tips at the bottom of the page prior to baking. VEGAN GLUTEN FREE MINI LAYER CAKE Preparation time: 20 - 25 mins Baking time: 40 – 50 mins Cooling Time: 30 - 40 mins Serves: 10 – 12 (makes 2 mini layer cakes). Ingredients for the sponge: 3 tbls ground flax seeds + 9 tbls water 100g soft brown sugar 50g caster sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla powder 150g glutenfree flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon 150g coconut oil, melted + extra for greasing the ramekins 2-3 tbls almond milk (or any other plant-based milk) 1 small ripe pear, washed, cored, peeled and chopped into small chunks. Ingredients for the frosting: 200ml coconut yoghurt 1 tbls maple syrup 100g vegan cream cheese 1/2 tsp vanilla powder Seasonal flowers or evergreens for decorating. Instructions Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease four ramekins with coconut oil and line with grease-proof paper (3.5inch/10cm diametre each). Place the ground flax seeds and water in a little bowl, stir and set aside for 5-10 minutes. Next, in a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients for the sponge - the sugar, the vanilla powder, flour, baking powder and cinnamon – and briefly stir until combined, making sure there are no sugar or flour lumps. In a separate bowl mix together the wet ingredients - the melted coconut oil, the almond milk and chopped up pear. Then when ready, add the ground flax seed and water mixture and briefly combine. Next pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until nicely combined. If the mixture looks very dry, feel free to add a tiny bit more almond milk. Then evenly distribute the sponge batter into the 4 prepared ramekins and bake for 40 minutes. To test, insert a skewer into the centre; if it comes out clean the cake is ready. Whilst the sponge is baking, prepare the frosting by mixing together the ingredients for the frosting; you can do this by hand or use an electric whisk if you prefer. Once done, keep the frosting in the fridge until the sponge is ready. When the sponge layers are done remove them from the oven, leave to cool for 10 - 20 minutes. Then place them in the freezer for about 15 minutes or so - this will make cutting them in half so much easier! Remove from the freezer and carefully cut them in half. Frost each layer carefully until you have 2 – 4 mini layer cakes. Decorate with flowers and enjoy! Each mini layer cake will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. Tip 1: The cake is quite moist, hence the longer baking time, but each oven is different so it's worth doing the skewer test at the 30-minute mark. Tip 2: You can make only 1 mini cake by halving this recipe. We made 1 mini cake and just froze the two extra sponge layers, which we enjoyed a few weeks later (unfrosted) for brunch. Having extra layers and extra icing just means you're covered should something go wrong. Tip 3: Don't be fooled, despite their little appearance, these cakes are really rich with each easily serving 5 - 6 people. Tip 4: The riper the pears the more delicious the cake. You can also use persimmon fruit instead of pears if you prefer. Tip 5: Be aware that vegan cream cheese is generally only available in health food stores, but it's SO worth going the extra mile to get it. Tip 6: The ramekins we used were bought at a high-street supermarket and are easily available. You can also get them online. For more healthy and delicious recipe ideas, make sure to check the Little Plantation blog and find the perfect pairings from our Home Accessories collection. Shop Kitchen Back to top