I had the privilege of having my artwork grace the rooms of the beautifully and mindfully renovated The Moorings Hotel, which is now open for booking.
I asked the lovely Iselin Jones, one half of The Moorings Hotel some questions about how the process of bringing this picturesque hotel to life in its mindful renovation went.
What was the journey like that you’ve been on in revitalising the hotel, what were the most exciting moments?
This project has been all about the end goal, and the vision we had from the moment we stepped into the building, seeing past all the old décor, and the serious need for a huge amount of work. We actually walked away from it at first, but there was something about it that just drew us back in. It’s such an amazing place, with such an incredible amount of history, we couldn’t let the opportunity pass us by. Let’s just say, the potential was too good not to realise! The big moment for us was when in the weeks after opening, people were giving us their assessment of the place, using the exact same words that we had always used in describing our vision and dream for The Moorings. That really was amazing.
What was your vision and aim for the aesthetic of the hotel and restaurant? What do you love the most about it?
We wanted to lift it all into the 21st century really, but retaining those bits of the old that were worth keeping, and worth preserving, and that meant something to all those people who’d been coming for years, if not decades, like the arches in the restaurant. We wanted to brighten it all up, but also, importantly, make it a place that people would want to come to in winter as much as in summer. We were very clear that we wanted to create an all year destination. I think how we’ve achieved that is one of the things I do love the most. It’s bright and airy for summer, but equally warm and cosy in winter.
I love that the hotel combines a wonderful mix of old and new in its design to give it authenticity, yet keeps it fresh and modern at the same time. What are your favourite parts of each of the old and new?
I love some of the old chests of drawers and bedside tables which we’ve re-used in the bedrooms. It’s the kind of furniture you just can’t buy anymore. As for elsewhere, I love the Thibaut wallpaper that runs throughout and the Collectiviste rattan lampshades. I love how they reflect in the ceiling and create such a warm atmosphere. The wallpaper really adds a wow-factor, and it’s super fresh!
What are your favourite unique elements that you’ve added to give it that special little extra, I’ve seen that you’re providing a thermos of fresh Jersey milk in each room and using compostable coffee capsules and I adore that attention to detail. What else can your guests look forward to?
Everyone that checks in will get a little thermos of fresh milk on arrival, to go with their speciality teas and coffees in the rooms. We’ll also be offering people an aperitif in the rooms if they’d like a taste of our barrel aged Negroni, before dinner.
I’m so excited about having my work hanging in the rooms and am so grateful to be involved. What other local producers and suppliers have you worked with?
There are so many amazing local businesses and companies we’re so grateful to for their involvement. Upholsterer, Tony Morris has been an absolute star. He’s re-upholstered all our banquettes, lots of armchairs, and stools. He’s also made all the headboards for the bedrooms, which we think are just beautiful. We’ve got blankets for the bedrooms but also for the al fresco area from Dot+Tom. They add a lovely dash of colour and warmth. And we’ve worked very closely with Landes Interiors in St Martin, which is run by Matthew’s brother and his wife, Manon, who’s an interior designer. They’ve helped us source materials as well as lots of furniture, particularly the Vincent Sheppard Chairs, and plant pots, which people ask about all the time! I have to give Manon credit for the wallpaper too!
Brought back into the limelight during the pandemic, puzzles are again all the rage! And for good reason too.
Having recently completed my own puzzle (you’ve got to quality check your own products right?) I am totally sold and get it. After doing some digging into the ‘why’ I loved it so much, I found out some really interesting research done in the area. So here are some surprising ways puzzles are good for your health and reason why they’re so satisfying.
It’s a workout for your brain
Doing a puzzles utilises both the right and left side of your brain, The two hemispheres of your brain control different functions. The left side of your brain is in charge of the analytic and logical thought processes whilst the right-side focusses on creative thinking and spatial reasoning. When you are working on puzzles, you have to engage both sides of the brain and therefore engaging it in its totality. Exercising the brain in this way can also help prevent cognitive decline.
It’s a Method of Practicing Mindfulness
When you’re focussing your mind on the task at hand when working on a puzzle, you are in turn allowing your brain to stay present in the moment. A puzzle is a pleasant distraction from screens and lets you remain present and clears your mind of the chaos.
The ‘Aha’ Moment and Dopamine Hit
Moments of insight occur when new ideas and solutions emerge suddenly into your consciousness. One moment, you didn’t know the solution to a problem. A flash-second later, you do. Just like when you find where that puzzle piece goes.
“This is a moment that triggers a lot of excitement. But why do we need so much drama?” asks Carola Salvi, a research scientist at the University of Texas at Austin. “Having an insight involves the brain’s reward system, “which is the same system that responds to food and to other basic pleasures.”
A recent study out of Philadelphia’s Drexel University provides some evidence. Thirty students solved anagrams while researchers used electroencephalography (EEG) to record their brain activity. Very soon after activity in the right middle frontal gyrus, located near the forehead, indicated a moment of insight, activity then occurred in the orbitofrontal cortex, above the eye, which is responsible for processing rewards. Co-author Yongtaek Oh, a doctoral candidate in psychology at the university’s Creativity Research Lab, says, “Generally, such activity is associated with ‘wanting’ and ‘liking.’
It Improves Short Term Memory and Problem Solving
Working on a puzzle reinforces the connections between our brain cells and also forms new ones. This makes them a great way to improve short-term memory. We have to utilise our short term memory when completing a puzzle to remember shapes and patterns, and to visualise where they fit in. Studies have shown that the growth of new brain connections that are formed to help reduce the amount of brain damage in Alzheimer's patients.
Reduces Stress
Puzzles have been know to reduce stress, this is because our brains flow between a "Beta" or awake state, to an “Alpha" state/our subconscious mind, when we work on puzzles. The Alpha state is similar to the state we are in when we are dreaming and helps in reducing stress levels.
A well placed piece of artwork in a room can completely transform a space and be the finishing touch to tie a room together. A collection can create balance and personality in a space and arranging these pieces correctly can make a room.
The Centrepiece
For large and detailed art pieces that you want to make a bit of a show out of, I think one of the go to ways for displaying a larger scale artwork is to make it a centrepiece. You want it to be the first thing that draws your eye when you walk into a room, but fits seamlessly with the interior design as whole. Above a fireplace or a central focal point in the room is key. Try and match colours from the artwork with items in the room to tie the scheme together as a whole.
The Sisters
When you have two similar pieces of art, to have them displayed side by side can be incredibly pleasing to the eye and commands attention. It’s a bold choice and shows real intent in the design of your home. This kind of styling works well above a large piece of furniture such as a sofa or a sideboard and will anchor the works of art to create a pleasing overall effect.
Design Rule of Three
Just like when arranging objects in your home and displaying items, the rule of three is an oft-used technique when pulling a room together. This generally works when there is an element of symmetry to your scheme and can work better if you have smaller pieces of art to hang as it fills the space in a mindful way.
The Gallery Wall
If you have a lot of artwork to display on your walls, the gallery wall is the perfect method for styling your wall decor. Some tips for creating a considered gallery wall are firstly, create balance in the display. By using a combination of minimal prints and detailed designs, having white space within the wall decor allows for breathing space where it could potentially become cluttered and busy. Having a specific theme or using complimentary colour schemes allows the space to look intentional whilst still having fun with a higgledy piggledy arrangement.
The Leaners
A newly popular way of displaying artwork is simply by just leaning it against a wall. Again, this generally works with larger scale pieces so it doesn’t look as though you’re waiting to hang them (or get damaged because they’re harder to spot on the floor!) Try and combine two or three pieces of different shapes and sizes to add interest. Perfect for a room you’d like to resemble a studio space and create a casual, but still incredibly stylish aesthetic. This is also a great way of filling a bit of dead space in a room without reducing too much space by using bulky furniture instead.
Mirror items in your Room
A nifty way of tying a scheme together is by mirroring items or colours from the artwork into the room to create a flow.
