Tuesday, May 26, 2020 | METRO | 13 Continued on Page 14 » HOW WE DECORATE OUR HOME ISN’T A FRIVOLOUS SUBJECT. IT’S VITAL FOR OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND HAPPINESS, INTERIORS EXPERT MICHELLE OGUNDEHIN TELLS KAREN HOCKNEY Keep calm and carry on: Your home should reflect what you love, says Michelle Ogundehin HOME Page 18 » Rob Buckhaven on the tipples to transport your tastebuds to places far, far away HOLIDAY SPIRITS INTERIORS / INSPIRATION / FOOD I F EVER there was a time to discover the power our homes have to make us truly happy, that time is now. Former Elle Decoration editor-in-chief Michelle Ogundehin believes our mental health and happiness at home are inextricably linked. Her new book, Happy Inside, was inspired by the spiralling levels of chronic disease and mental health disorders all around us and she thinks delving deeper than decor alone is what will lead us to true contentment. ‘People aren’t thinking about their homes in the right way, especially in this digital age, where life has been sped up and home has become a place where you just crash,’ says the interiors expert, who was also a judge on BBC Two’s Interior Design Masters. ‘People are so concerned with what their homes look like on social media but more important is how it makes you feel. We are sensory beings. We Our place happy PHOTO: MARIANNA WAHLSTEN
Transcript
Tuesday, May 26, 2020 | METRO | 13
Continued on Page 14 »
how we deCorate our home isn’t a frivolous subjeCt. it’s vital for our mental health and happiness, interiors expert miChelle ogundehin tells karen hockney
Keep calm and carry on: Your home should reflect what you love, says Michelle Ogundehin
HOME INTERIORS / INSPIRATION / FOOD
in associationwith Halifax
Home Insurance Page 18 »
rob buckhaven on the tipples to transport your tastebuds to places far, far away
hoLIDay SPIrITS
HOME INTERIORS / INSPIRATION / FOOD
in associationwith Halifax
Home Insurance
If ever there was a time to discover the power our homes have to make us truly happy, that time is now. former elle Decoration editor-in-chief
Michelle Ogundehin believes our mental health and happiness at home are inextricably linked. Her new book, Happy Inside, was inspired by the spiralling levels of chronic disease and mental health disorders all around us and she thinks delving deeper than decor alone is what will lead us to true contentment.
‘People aren’t thinking about their homes in the right way, especially in this digital age, where life has been sped up and home has become a place where you just crash,’ says the interiors expert, who was also a judge on BBC Two’s Interior Design Masters.
‘People are so concerned with what their homes look like on social media but more important is how it makes you feel. We are sensory beings. We
Michelle’s top tips to creating a healthy and happy hoMe environMent
» From page 13
need to work out what makes our heart sing, the colours, materials and textures we intuitively respond to and dive into, as these have huge power to affect our feelings, moods and vitality.’
Michelle’s home is a charming 200-year-old cottage in Brighton where she
lives with her six-year-old son and two basset hounds. She has renovated throughout while retaining the original features of the climber- covered house.
‘I’m not minimalist but I’m anti-clutter and I’m big on things that tell the story of your life,’ she adds. ‘During my years as a magazine editor, I’d go into houses and ask about
something and people wouldn’t remember where it came from or tell me they didn’t like it. It’s better not to have it if it means nothing. A home should be curated according to who you are and what you love.’
Michelle believes that life – particularly during lockdown – is easier with your home to help you. ‘Our homes should represent refuge and safety, a place to recharge, reboot and reconnect in the midst of the madness of modern life. For some people right now, home might be more of a prison but you don’t need lots of
‘I’m anti-clutter and big on things that tell the story of your life...’
space, money or even to own your home to make it a happier, more supportive and sustaining space. You can become happy inside yourself if you’re happy inside your space. I want to debunk any idea of home-making as frivolous. It’s fundamental to our health and happiness. Your home is your secret superpower in this busy world!’
n Happy Inside: How To Harness The Power Of Home For Health And
Happiness is on sale now, Ebury Press, £18.99, amazon.co.uk
clean slateTidy before bedtime, no matter what sort of day you’ve had. Crumbs off the sofa, cushions straight, plates in the dishwasher and the dining table cleared for breakfast. You’re more prepared to seize a new day without needing to defeat the gremlins of yesterday first. Always make your bed as soon as you get up – it’s a small act of self-discipline when everything else feels out of control.
happy, inside and out...
easy does itTake it slowly. Most of us have never had to accommodate the entire family together, continuously, for such an extended stretch of time. It’s relentless. Tempers will fray. Be adaptable and establish the most important thing to each person – from some quiet time to a favourite TV programme – as well as how you will ensure they get it.
diy is a no-noDo not tackle any big DIY jobs now. This is not the time to turn the house upside down or render any room unliveable. Also, most accidents happen at home so steer clear of ladders, please. Confine yourself to a good clutter clear-out. Get rid of anything that doesn’t work, you don’t like or can’t be fixed immediately with needle and thread or a tube of superglue.
you get up. Daylight is pure, positive energy and proven to boost our happy hormones.
Opening the windows will detox stale air in your rooms from overnight. Clean your
windows. It’s a lot of impact for little effort.
Table talk: Michelle’s elegant dining space
Go on instinct: Michelle’s home reflects the colours, materials
and textures that she intuitively responds to
Down to earth: Natural tones create a relaxing vibe, which seems to be appreciated by
Michelle’s basset hounds
DINNER TIME!Eat on schedule. Much has been made of establishing a routine in this ‘new normal’ but this isn’t normal! However, keep meals on track. Your food fuels you. Eating at regular intervals will keep energy levels and body sugar balanced as well as bringing your tribe together. This is essential for good continued communication.
FIT FOR PURPOSEMake space and time for some exercise. Even if it’s just ten minutes of standing push-ups against the kitchen counter or a few stretches and star jumps next to your bed, it’ll help to keep muscles working, blood pumping and your mood even. Better yet, go for a brisk walk, which is proven to alleviate anxiety. And if you live alone, make a point of saying hello to anyone you see. We may have to social distance but
being socially engaged is so important for our mental health.
GROUND YOURSELFEstablish a supportive ritual. Rituals can be calming, reassuring and grounding in anxious times. It could be as simple as burning essential oils while you work or downloading a meditation app and giving it a try. Elevate a new good habit to a ritual and it’ll be something positive that you take with you into your post-lockdown life.
STAYING FLEXIBLEIf this is the first time you’re working from home, designate a specific area to call your own, however small. And if you have to use the dining table, be prepared to clear it at meal times. Working from home can be very efficient, but not if it overtakes all non-working hours and space.
JAY BLADES, presenter of BBC’s hugely popular The Repair Shop, began his career in furniture restoration in 2010 when he got involved in
upcycling furniture with a youth charity. Now, he’s launched his own show, Jay Blades’ Home Fix, in which he aims to help viewers become self-sufficient by doing simple DIY jobs, perfect in time of coronavirus when we’ve all been marooned at home. ‘It’s a mixture of Blue Peter and Saturday Kitchen,’ says Jay. ‘I present it and we have archive material showing people how do to low-level DIY. We’re showing people how to make things, from storage units to furniture polish.’ Here’s some of Jay’s top tips.
make a storage unitIf you have a wardrobe that just has hanging space, you can make a storage unit to fit into the bottom of it to keep your shoes in. On the show, I’ve made some units to fit into a wardrobe to hold shirts and T-shirts. The most important thing is the measuring tape – whenever you’re doing DIY you need to plan to avoid disappointment. So, measure the space, work out how much plywood or MDF you will need and order it online. Get it cut to the size you want, and have it delivered. Then you’ll need a drill and screws. Get the plywood drill the pieces together and slot it into the space in the wardrobe you’ve made it for. fix a squeaky doorI’ve neglected this job for two years. I get up at 5am, open a couple of doors, which creak like they’re in a haunted house, and it annoys the family. I didn’t have any WD-40 but I’ve finally got round to doing it. You just need cooking oil. Put it on your finger, rub it into the hinges, and they won’t squeak any more. Cooking oil is fine to use – don’t use washing-up liquid as that will just gunk it up.
shelvesMost people have a wonky shelf. Check if you have a brick wall or a stud wall. You’ll either need a masonry drill bit or a wood drill bit to drill through, then put a rawl plug into the wall and secure the shelf. To get it even, you’ll need a spirit level, but you can get spirit level apps for your phone so you don’t need to buy one. Then you might need Polyfilla. Where you’ve adjusted the shelf, the hole might have become bigger so you need to fill that up or it will look messy. If you’re going to put heavy stuff on there, you should use a bracket that fits in with the rest of the décor in the room. Most brackets will come with information saying how much weight they can hold. Picture frameYou need four bits of timber or you can even use a cardboard box. Cut a frame out of the box and paint it. People make a lot of stuff out of cardboard when they’re upcycling. If you put several bits of cardboard together it can be very strong. With a cardboard frame, you don’t need to do anything complicated, just paint it. You can use a small £2 tester pot of paint and make it look cool. make a table lightWe’ve made table lights on the show. You can buy a light with the socket and plug attached already and then make it quite fancy in your own way. We took the light bulb socket and put it into a heat-proof vase for example. Or, even more simple, buy an LED strip. You can stick those wherever you want some light. You can run them underneath kitchen units, turn them on and it looks swish and expensive.
sPruce uP kitchen unitsYou can order adhesive stickers online – they come on a roll and you can cut them to fit your existing kitchen units. Use them and new door handles to give your kitchen a new look. Watch out for air bubbles – if you get one you can put a pin prick in it to smooth it out but it can leave a ripple. You’re better off starting on a corner and then fanning the sticker out across the unit. make your own Pond!You need a big bucket – we used a 65 litre-bucket. Fill it with stones, decorate it and fill it up with water – and bosh, there’s your pond. If you have a garden, you can dig a hole and put the bucket in the hole. Or you can put it on a patio or balcony if you want a low-maintenance pond.
uPcyclingNow is the time to start upcycling if you’ve got time on your hands and you’ve been meaning to try it. You can make things with your family. A wooden chair is a good place to start. You can paint it and re-cover the seat but make sure any foam and material you use is fire retardant. It’s very simple to re-cover a seat panel that drops into the chair frame. Use water-based paint rather than gloss. With gloss, you need to wait 24 hours for it to dry if you don’t like it. With water-based paint or chalk paint, you can just wipe it out and start again.
n Jay Blades’ Home Fix is on week days at 10am on BBC1 until June 5, bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000jk7p
jay blades, star of BBc’s the repair shop, says now is the time to carry out small Diy projects that’ll make a Big Difference
do tRy tHis aT HOme
gentle surface scrubOut of all of my home-made cleaning supplies, I make and use this mild, abrasive cleanser the most. This recipe uses baking soda as an abrasive, castile soap to remove grease and dirt, hydrogen peroxide to disinfect and brighten, and lemon essential oil to bleach, degrease, deodorise, and disinfect. Can be used on kitchen sinks, countertops, bathroom sinks, tile, grout, and even pots and pans but should not be used on porous surfaces like untreated granite, marble, and wood.
inGredienTs3⁄4 cup baking soda1⁄4 cup liquid castile soap1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide5 to 10 drops lemon essential oil
direCTiOnsCombine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to form a thick paste. If the paste seems too dry, add more water or hydrogen peroxide. If it seems too wet, add more baking soda. Transfer the paste to an airtight container and store for a few months.
TO Use Place a dab of cleanser on a wooden scrub brush, apply to surface, and scrub. Let the paste sit and work its magic for ten minutes, then rinse or wipe clean with a damp rag or towel.
Lockdown projects: Give an old chair a new lease of life, or sort out those wonky shelves
LEMON LIQUID DISH SOAPWhen it comes to hand-washing dishes, I like to use a wooden-handled scrub brush and a bar of Savon de Marseille - a traditional olive oil–based soap that has been around for 600 years and makes an excellent alternative to chemical and petroleum-based soaps. That said, if you really love your liquid soaps, which I do understand, here is one recipe that is simple — perhaps not quite like a big dollop of Palmolive, but definitely more so than plain castile soap.
INGREDIENTS1⁄2 cup water (preferably distilled)2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar1⁄2 cup Sal Suds1 tablespoon jojoba or almond oil
DIRECTIONSUsing a small funnel, pour the water and vinegar into a glass soap pump dispenser. Cap and shake well. Add the Sal Suds, jojoba oil, and vitamin E oil and lemon oil, if using.
TO USE Tip the bottle upside down and right side up a few times to gently mix ingredients.
n Simply Living Well by Julia Watkins is published by Hardie Grant (hardback and
ebook), £11.99, amazon.co.ukJULIA WATKINS WAS TALKING TO
CLARE mORRISROE
sustainablity guru JULIA WAtkINS shares three home-made cleaning potions that cut down on cost, waste and harsh chemicals
CItRUS ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER‘If I were forced to turn in all but one of my home made cleaning products, this would be the one I’d beg to keep,’ says Julia. ‘Citrus-infused, all-purpose cleaner is such a pure way to lightly clean your home. It’s cheap and easy, and eliminates the need for essential oils to cover up the smell of vinegar. It can safely clean just about any surface aside from natural stones (like granite, marble, soapstone) and hardwood floors, as vinegar can strip the surface. I use it to clean windows, mirrors, carpets, toilets, sinks, appliances and linoleum.
Makes three cups vinegar, which can be diluted to make six cups.
INGREDIENTS2 cups citrus peel strips (lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit)3 cups vinegar (apple cider or distilled white)
DIRECTIONSPut the citrus peels in a 1 litre glass jar and cover with the vinegar. Cap with a tight-fittinglid or a cloth secured with a rubber band. If you are using a metal lid, place a piece of compostable parchment paper between the jar and the lid to
prevent corrosion. To infuse the vinegar, simply set the jar in a sunny spot for two weeks. Afterwards, strain and compost the citrus peels, then pour the infused vinegar into a clean glass jar with an airtight lid.
tO USE To transfer to a spray bottle, dilute by combining one part vinegar and one part water. Then, you can use it as you would any commercial all-purpose cleaner.
CLEANLIvING
Mixing it up: Julia Watkins creates her own home-made
ThailandMekhong Thai Spirit, £17.14, masterofmalt.comMany will know ‘Thai rum’ as full-moon party fuel, served in a bucket with Coke and Red Bull. Ah, backpacking holidays. SangSom is the dominant brand over there, Mekhong is lighter in alcohol and shows more herbal notes. So, is it a whisky, rum or brandy? It’s technically none of the above, but shares flavour elements of all three. Try it in a summery Thai Sabai cocktail, blending in lemon juice, simple syrup and soda.
18 | METRO | Tuesday, May 26, 2020
CaribbeanThe Duppy Share Caribbean Rum, £20, Asda‘Duppies’ are evil Caribbean spirits that pinch the best rum when no one’s looking. Good job they left a bit, with this one sourced from rum distilleries in Barbados and Jamaica. Aged for five years in bourbon barrels, the resulting nectar tastes like liquid almond brittle and slow-roasted pineapples. This is unmistakably a ‘sipping rum’, to be poured over a whopping bit of ice and supped leisurely.
GreeCeMetaxa 5 Stars, £20, AsdaYou can’t get much more Greek that this, aside from maybe Ouzo. Metaxa’s made from Muscat, one of the most floral grapes on the planet, grown on the sun-soaked islands of Samos and Lemnos in the Aegean. A blend of grape-based brandy, white wine and herbal extracts, aged for five years, hence the stars. Flavour-wise, it’s all pain au raisin and fresh peach, and it kills with ginger ale, ice and a twist of orange-zest.
SouTh afriCa Zalze Bush Vine Chenin Blanc, Coastal Region, £6, MorrisonsRecreating a safari holiday is tricky, unless you have access to an elephant. Luckily, South African wines are everything, or more importantly, everywhere. For now. South Africa has had a rough time of it, with epic droughts and now COVID-19, with the government banning wine-making practices and export under strict lockdown rules. So, let’s get them while we still can, starting with this apple-zesty Chenin Blanc, the Cape’s unofficial signature white grape.
rob buCkhaven recreates our cancelled holiday plans, bringing home the booze we would
be drinking on our favourite summer getaways
HOLIDAY SCHNAPPS
Tuesday, May 26, 2020 | METRO | 19
BRICKING ITIf you like your
lighting low-key, then this discreet solar-
powered brick light will pave the way to a stylish drive or patio area. Onyx solar brick light, £29.99, Solar Centre, thesolarcentre.co.uk
PoRTuGalTaylor’s Chip Dry White Port, £13.99, Waitrose Port, in summer? Hell yeah. More specifically, white port, in a tumbler with tonic, fresh mint and lemon. This is how they serve it in Portugal’s Douro Valley, the cradle of port production. With all focus on gin, we haven’t really run with it over here, until now. Its dry-creamy profile, and a lick of sea-mist on the finish, gives this benchmark white port shellfish-pairing superpowers.
ITalyAperitivo, £8, Sainsbury’s As a nation, we’ve really taken to the palate-cleansing, bitter-orange profile of the Italian aperitivo, like liquid sunshine in a glass. Aperitivos are spirit-based bevvies, flavoured with herbs, roots and spices for that sought-after bitterness. Pour in prosecco and soda, and boom, you’ve nailed the refreshment game. This one is just as good as the ‘real thing’, only you’ll be a fiver better off.
18 | METRO | Tuesday, May 26, 2020
uKPitcher’s 1l, £11.50, Sainsbury’s
Finally, a country we can actually take a holiday in. Whether you’re
coast-bound or in the park, it’s always Pimms knock-off o’clock. Supermarkets are dab hands at
recreating popular tipples for a fraction of the price, and
this is one of the most convincing Pimms dupes on
the market. Unlike some, this doesn’t stint on the alcohol,
and the £8.50 you’ll be saving makes it all the more
refreshing.
JaPaNAsahi Super Dry, £2.60, Tesco
With the Tokyo Olympics postponed, there’s only one thing
to do, crack open a bottle of Asahi, Japan’s No.1 beer and one of the Games’ top-tier sponsors.
Fun factoid, Japan has a long brewing history, dating back
to the 17th century when Dutch traders brewed for the
sailors. Asahi was the first crisp and dry Japanese beer to
hit the market, no surprise it nails a sushi pairing then.
FRaNCeMirabeau Pure Rosé Magnum, Provence, 1.5l, £29.99, WaitroseFrench summer holidays are all about rosé, fact. Lounging poolside with a carafe of chilled, pale pink plonk is the definition of unwinding, and many peoples’ happy place. Choice-wise, there’s a raft of rosés from all over France, but Provence just seems to have nailed the art. Ballet-slipper pale with a summer pudding palate, Mirabeau is a top name in Provençale pink production. Decadent in a magnum, and heck, they even make a rosé gin.
SPaINPrestige Cava Brut, £10, M&SA glass of chilled cava is a must-have item on any
Spanish holiday, along with sangria. Produced like a champagne, cava is made from Parellada, Xare-lo and Macabeo grapes, and if you can pronounce them, you deserve a bottle. Cava’s had a bad rap of late, but it should be back in our fridges for the long haul. Fun fact, whack in some gin, vodka and orange juice, and you’ve got yourself an Aigua de Valéncia cocktail.
GloW oN Suck UK Sun Jar, £15.50, Red
Candy, redcandy.co.uk
GloBe THeaTRe SOLVINDEN LED solar-powered pendant lamp.
From £4.50, Ikea, ikea.com
HaNG IN THeRe Cole & Bright
Copper Edison solar lamp, £15, Dunelm, dunelm.com
BRIGHT SPaRKSGive your garden a summery makeover with a cluster of sparkly, solar-powered lanterns hung from branches and hooks. Get in quick as the price tag is too good to miss. Wilko solar spiral lantern, £5, Wilko, wilko.com
ColouR SToRy
Drape strings of rainbow lights
between fences,
trees and walls –
spot on for a magical
outdoor vibe with a great price tag to match. Thirty pack colour garden solar
string bulbs, £10, Wilko, wilko.com
Enjoy your outsidE spacE for longEr with laRa SaRGeNT’S pick of thE bEst solar lights
FloWeR PoWeR This outdoor ceiling light is possibly the prettiest piece we’ve spied this season for illuminating the garden. Green fingers not required. A BY AMARA Outdoor open flower ceiling Light, £45, Amara, amara.com
Too CuTe
Your outside
space can be a stylish extra
room with layered lighting like this LED
lamp. SOLVINDENLED solar-powered table lamp in pink, £16.50,
DATE, BANANA & RUM LOAF(FLOUR REPLACEMENT: POLENTA)
stuck for baking inspiration on lockdown? you’ll win serious brownie points with these flour substitute recipes, says CLARE MORRisROE
MAKES 10 SlicES iNGREDiENTS250g stoned, ready-to-eat dates200ml water140g peeled bananas100g pecans; 85g roughly chopped, rest left whole200g raisins200g sultanas100g fine polenta
2tsp mixed spice2tsp baking powder 3tbsp dark rum2 egg whitesA few banana chips and 1tsp sugar (optional), to decorate
METHOD1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 2. Line a 900g/2lb loaf tin with
non-stick baking paper, using a little oil to make it stick. 3. Put dates into a small pan with the water, bring to boil and simmer for five minutes. Drain liquid into a jug, then put the dates into a food processor. Add the bananas and 100ml of the date liquid and whizz until smooth. 4. Mix the chopped pecans, dried fruit, polenta, spice and baking powder in a bowl, then add the date purée and rum and stir until combined.5. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and fold into the cake mix. 6. Tip into the tin then top with the remaining pecans, plus banana chips and sugar, if using. Bake for 1 hour until golden and crusty and centre is clean when you insert a skewer.
n Recipe from BBC Good Food, see
bbcgoodfood.com or #askbbcgoodfood
and check out their Facebook, Instagram or YouTube channels
RACHEL KHOO’S FREE FROM EVERYTHING CHOCOLATE CAKE (FLOUR REPLACEMENT: FLAxSEEDS AND BLACK BEANS)
WHO NEEDS
SERVES 8–10
INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE2 × 400g tins cannellini beans150ml set honeySeeds from a vanilla pod4 free range or organic eggs100g ground almonds2 tsp gluten-free baking powder100g melted coconut oilA good pinch of sea salt
FOR LEMON ICING200g silken tofu 2tbs melted coconut oilJuice and zest of 1 unwaxed lemon2tbs set honey1tsp orange blossom water
METHOD1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin. 2. Drain the beans. Blitz them in a food processor with honey and vanilla seeds, then add eggs, pulsing as you go. 3. Tip into a bowl and fold in almonds, baking powder, coconut oil and salt. 4. Pour in tin. Bake for 30–40 minutes.
5. For the icing, put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth and shiny. Transfer to a bowl and pop in fridge to set.
6. Once cool, top cake with icing. Grate over more lemon zest or finish with candied lemon [optional].
n Recipe from A Modern Way To Cook
by Anna Jones, Harper Collins, £17.99, amazon.co.uk
INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE250g dates, pitted90ml hot espresso or brewed strong coffee80g ground flaxseeds180ml vegetable oil. You can use coconut butter, which will give the cake a slightly coconutty flavour1 x 400g tin black beans, drained, but reserve 120ml of the liquid for the cake80g good quality cocoa powder2tbsp vanilla bean paste2tsp baking powder1tsp sea salt
FOR ICING/DECORATION2 very ripe avocados4tbsp cocoa powder4tbsp carob or maple syrupmixed berries50g dark chocolate, grated
METHOD1. Preheat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. line a 21cm cake tin with baking paper.
2. Roughly chop the dates, place in a small heatproof bowl, then pour over the hot coffee. Put into a food processor and blend the dates to a sticky paste. 3. Add the rest of the ingredients for the cake and blend until the mixture is perfectly smooth. 4. Dollop the mixture into the tin and use a palette knife or spoon to smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes in the centre of the oven. When you insert a skewer, it should still come out slightly wet. Leave to cool for 10 minutes in its tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.5. To make the icing, scoop the avocados out of their skins and blend in a food processor with the cocoa and carob or maple syrup. Taste. Add more syrup to your liking.
6. When ready to serve, transfer the cake to a
serving plate. Use a
palette knife to spread the icing over the top. Decorate with berries and finish with the grated chocolate.
n Recipe from The Little Swedish Kitchen by Rachel Khoo,
Michael Joseph, £20, amazon.co.uk
MAKES 24 biscuits INGREDIENTS110g golden caster sugar250g crunchy peanut butter 1 egg 100g white chocolate, chopped100g dark chocolate, chopped
METHOD1. Heat the oven to 170C/fan 150C/gas 3. 2. Mix the sugar with the peanut butter and egg until thoroughly combined. 3. Divide the mixture into 24 even balls. Line a couple of baking sheets with non-stick baking paper and put the balls on about 5cm apart. Press them down gently to uniform thickness.
4. Bake for 35 minutes then let them cool completely.
5. Put chocolate in two bowls and melt over a pan of boiling water. Dip one half of each biscuit in the dark chocolate and let them set completely. Then dip the dark chocolate covered
end into the white chocolate to get a line. Leave to set.
n Recipe from Olive magazine, olivemagazine.com. Subscribe
and get five issues for
only £5 at: buysubscriptions
.com
22 | METRO | Tuesday, May 26, 2020
HARRY DERBIDGE
MY FIRSTHOME
ALL ABOUT... BREnTwOOD
‘Neighbours asked me if I felt a vibe!’but the towie star wasn’t fazed living in a two-bed victorian conversion in a former asylum...
ShuT up – it’s harry Derbidge. The TOWIE star with the famous catchphrase was the one doing the listening when it came to taking sage advice from his
parents about not squandering the money he made from the show. At just 26, he has gone on to buy a Victorian, two-bedroom apartment and is now looking at a six-bed property – and having his own Instagram studio is a must. harry is the creator of affordable, professional make-up brush range Celebrity Brushes.
when did you buy your first home?I bought it two years ago with my partner, Dean. It was a two-bed apartment in my home town of Brentwood, Essex. It has been a perfect first flat for us but we are outgrowing it a bit. We are going through adoption and getting married so looking for the next step with our properties. I have done so many things in my career and I’ve saved quite well and want to put it into property. The next place needs to be quite a bit bigger.
How did you find house buying?Buying a house was the scariest thing I’ve ever done. You have to see a solicitor, then X, Y and Z. It’s quite a stressful time I think, but once you are in there and decorating how you want it, you know you’ve done something right in life.
How did you decorate the place?You can imagine – I’m from Essex. All the furniture was crystalised and mirrored. The sad thing is we will have to get rid of the mirror furniture if we have a baby because it’s not really child-proof. I think I might have to get rid of the diamante.
Did you add any bespoke features?One of my rooms in my flat is a studio because I film loads of Instagram and social media content. It cost about £20,000 in lighting and equipment. I’ve invested in cameras and lighting. It’s literally just treated as a studio, it’s crazy. I will definitely create another studio in the new house. I love a big kitchen, and the flat at the moment is open-plan. I love it when you have a massive kitchen, so a big kitchen is a must.
Is it a newbuild or something traditional?The apartment is in Warley hospital in Brentwood. It was an old asylum that had been converted into apartments. All my
neighbours would ask if I could feel a vibe in the flat and a lot of people say they feel spirits, but I didn’t notice anything. The flats are beautiful, though. They are Victorian with original fittings and high ceilings. I have to put 50 candles in them just to make the place smell nice. Everyone from TOWIE lives around this area – I love it there.
Is it important to stay near family and friends?Before I bought, I went to Manchester and rented but I never felt like I was home. You need to be close to friends and family.
Did anything go spectacularly wrong with buying?The most stressful time was talking to the solicitor and talking about finances. Because of the nature of my career, my money comes in differently every month. But there weren’t any surprises, I
always look at my accounts and I’ve always been good at saving and
really careful with my money. I was 16 when I did TOWIE and my parents helped me look after my finances. At 16, I was making £60,000 from a panto. Who makes that at that age? It’s crazy when you think about it. I look back and I can’t believe that was happening. I was lucky to have a mum and dad who said put it into saving and don’t buy expensive wine with your mates in a club. They told me that it would better to put into property.
what’s going to be your next step with property?I’m going to sell the apartment and buy a six-bedroom house. We have a business called Celebrity Brushes, and with a baby coming we want to run the business from home and be there when the baby comes. I’m hoping the prices drop a little bit and we can move in six months. I would definitely say look after this pandemic is over, my gut feeling tells me prices are going to drop. I still want the place to be
glam, but nothing too crazy. I’ll keep a little bit of bling.
n celebritybrushes.co.ukINTERVIEW BY
OLIVER STALLWOOD
While TOWIE may have celebrated the more extreme sides to Brentwood’s Essex style, this hasn’t put off potential buyers. City workers have been attracted by both a train connection of less than 40 minutes to Liverpool Street and the rural charm you can get on the capital’s doorstep. Much of the architecture dates back hundreds of years, but the prime property for sale tends to be more
early to mid-20th century, from 1980s studio flats to mock-Georgian mansions. The majority of sales in Brentwood during the last year were semi-detached properties, selling for an average price of £477,316. Flats sold for an average of £280,007, with detached properties fetching £791,935. Properties in Brentwood had an overall average price of £484,240 over the last year (rightmove.co.uk).
PhOTO: GETTy
Expanding: harry is looking to move to a six-bed house
