After early September’s sluggish back-to-school start, by the beginning of October everything is fully and frenetically back up to speed. It’s a creative, vibrant time of year – there’s the capital’s annual celebration of design, LDF, swiftly followed by the influx of collectors flocking to shows such as PAD and Frieze.
Although this issue was compiled during the slower days of summer, we’ve still filled it to the brim with that sense of energetic artistic endeavour and carefully crafted attention to detail, ready to inspire and delight you for the months ahead.
The start of October sees another event: my birthday. In many ways I am typical of someone born under the sign of Libra, which is represented by the scales of justice. People often assume this means Librans are a balanced, level-headed bunch, but when you dig deeper into our traits, the reality is that we crave balance and are in a constant search for equilibrium. Whether or not you think astrology is a load of woo-woo nonsense, I believe this quest for peace, harmony and serenity is pertinent at this time of year, especially when it concerns our homes.
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This sense of balance is particularly significant when it comes to decorating. The ways you combine colour, pattern and texture in a space are crucially important and, let’s face it, getting it right can be daunting. Fortunately, this issue sees our biannual focus on the latest wallpapers, fabrics and paints – how to work with them, what to put with what, and the latest finishes and effects exciting our network of interior-design contacts around the world. Gloss paint, striped wallpapers, lashings of lavender and yellow, fabrics featuring graphic prints and slubby, frayed details are just some of the elements set to influence the look of where we live.
Libra is an air sign, which is ironic as, actually, I’m obsessed with water. I live for being in and around the stuff: the sea, lidos, splashing in puddles as a child… This issue is when I get to indulge this in an interiors sense, as bound to the back you’ll find Volume 9 of our comprehensive ELLE Decoration Bathrooms magazine – full of everything related to our interactions with water in the home.
Most notably this year, we’ve seen a soaring number of examples where the bathroom is no longer just a functional place to get clean, but a space to hang out, to linger and relax. More than just a home spa, it’s like a bathroom with benefits. We’re calling the trend ‘bathroom sprawl’ and I, for one, am totally onboard.
Whatever the zodiac or anything else has in store for you this month, we hope you enjoy the issue and manage to find a little balance among the chaos.
