The January Edit

Brightening up these dull winter days with blooming designs, intricate accessories and gingham frocks

January is usually my least favourite month of the year. I thrive in sunshine and light, and like to be kept busy; January is not only cold and dark and grim, but it’s always one of my quietest work months of the year. This month has been somewhat busier than previous Januarys, with a lovely shoot in a cosy cottage on the Yorkshire coast and a scattering of articles to write. I’ve also had many, many meetings and plenty of exciting emails landing in my inbox, as I confirm shoots and trips for the year ahead. I feel much more enthusiastic for the year ahead than I usually do at this time of year!

One trip that I’m particularly anticipating this year is my first time leaving the northern hemisphere since I was 21. I’m heading to South Africa for ten days in April, visiting Cape Town and the Cape Winelands for my usual fusion of work and leisure. I can’t wait to share more about this trip, and will be writing a travel-and-work diary throughout April, as well as sharing all my tips and everywhere I stayed when I’m back home. I’m still in the midst of booking hotels, researching restaurants and weighing up whether we need to hire a car or rely on taxis — any intel from anyone who has recently visited Cape Town would be really helpful if you’re reading this!

Without any further ado, let’s dive into this month’s Edit. It’s a little more concise than usual, as I haven’t found this month particularly inspiring and not that much has stood out to me. Everything seems to have fallen together in my favourite colour palette of reds, pinks and greens, which is always a treat!

I’m currently planning my Cape Town trip, looking at the hotels I’d love to stay in; this one is at the top of my list. Perched on Signal Hill, above Bo-Kaap with views of the town below and Table Mountain looming overhead, Dorp (meaning 'village' in Afrikaans) offers a tranquil sanctuary from the city. Charming bedrooms and suites are designed to be cosy, featuring spa-like bathrooms with huge soaking tubs, fireplaces and cosy reading nooks — most offering views of the surrounding landscapes. The hotel's restaurant is helmed by chef Melanie Lukulu, who creates comforting yet creative dishes bursting with local ingredients; tables here also boast the best vistas of the city below. The hotel was founded by the late artist and fashion designer Gail Behr, its characterful design a tribute to her legacy.

A little closer to home, The Vaults at Stow has just opened, boasting three beautifully designed apartments tucked away in the heart of the town, in a former bank. Named for the former use of the building, Tuppence, Shilling and Farthing share common design characteristics, yet each has its own distinctive design. Two have roll-top baths, and they all have a pretty pastel colour palette, antique touches, whimsical fabrics, and private terraces with Cotswolds views. I only visited the Cotswolds for the first time last year and am keen to return to explore further; The Vaults would make the perfect base.

I stumbled across Heimatt Atlantic through Instagram, instantly falling in love with their ethos of a socially responsible, handmade accessories brand. They create limited edition, made-to-order designs, utilising the unique know-how of craftswomen based on the Atlantic coast of northern Spain and Portugal. Handwoven reed baskets, fine leatherwork and porcelain talismans all feature across their collection, but it’s their Camariñas Travel Sets, crafted from pure linen and Galician lace that I can’t stop thinking about. These personalised travel pouches are made specificially for you, with your initials embroidered in contrasting red thread. Such a special gift for a loved one, or a treat for yourself for organising your suitcase.

I’m always on the lookout for handmade jewellery brands, and Les Beads nicely fits the bill. Based in Spain, the brand plays around with timeless materials and organic shapes to create fun, playful jewellery crafted from natural stones and sterling silver. I love all their beaded necklaces and simple beaded rings (shown below) for a subtle yet contemporary twist to even the simplest outfit.

I can’t stop thinking about Linen Fox’s Lena Gingham Smock Dress in this rich terracotta check. It’s the ideal loose fit for long spring and summer days, perfect for everything from picnics to dinner dates. I have a few pieces from them in my wardrobe, which I get so much wear out of, and know that the linen would just get softer with age. I keep thinking about treating myself to this for my upcoming South Africa trip … I also have my eye on their cropped linen top in a couple of colours for wearing with everything from jeans to shorts and high-waisted skirts.

It’s the year of the horse, didn’t you know? To celebrate, I wish I could afford to use a couple of these stunning Maha Alavi FOAL knobs in my home; they’d look incredible used as drawer handles or fixed on a wall to hang bags or jewellery off. Or have a scroll through the styling on the product listing — they look equally good just perched on a shelf. Inspired by the wild herds of Mongolia and Hokkaido, each piece is hand-sculptured and cast in solid bronze or brass (there are three colours to choose from). They’re £100 each, so definitely not cheap, but using just one as a stand-out piece of hardware would elevate any space.

I came across Argentinia-artist Maia Bunge via a wonderful interview on my beloved Blumenhaus’s online journal and instantly couldn’t get enough of her botanical-based work. Based in Spain but calling Marrakech her second home, Maia sees her art as visual poems, seeking influences as varied as Japanese art, the work of Matisse and her own grandfather’s paintings. Utilising hand-made papers from around the worlds and mix of materials such as ink, oil pastels, acrylics and gold leaf, her works are rich in colour and detail. I’d love to hang one of her pieces on my walls.

I’m always lusting after Sea New York’s folksy-inspired designs, so was thrilled to see they have a more accessible collection launching in collaboration with Sezane. Sea New York X Sezane features the feminine-designs, patchwork designs and intricate details that one would expect of such a collab. A few of the pieces are too fashion-forward and trend-led for my own wardrobe, but I’ve fallen for the Dakila and Toma dresses — and that beautifully crafted crochet collar to add interest to everything from dresses to jackets and t-shirts.

I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole of beautifully designed homes thanks to GEREMIA (aka Lauren Geremia), a San Francisco-based interior designer. I adore the subtle seventies influences across her work (see that INSANELY great floral sofa paired with the dark wooden wall unit below) and how she incorporates muted colours and drama into her work. In general, her designs are much moodier and theatrical than what I’d have in my own home, but I’ve been pulling lots of inspiration from scrolling her Instagram as I plot the re-design of the entire downstairs of my home. Now to convince my boyfriend we should source a floral sofa ….

Finally, I realised I haven’t shared which dahlias I’ve ordered for 2026! I’ve gone for all reds, pinks and oranges (plus my beloved Cafe au Lait) this year, and have ordered 12 tubers (enough to fill one bed, the same as last year — although I’m always tempted to order more!) They’re mostly from Sarah Raven: Cafe au Lait, Sweet Sanne, Jowey Frambo, Bizon Red, Islander, Waltzing Matilda and Statue of Orange. I also ordered a few tubers from Farmer Gracy: Viking, Rembrandt and Jowey Winnie (all of which I grew and adored last year), and Teun and Wizard of Oz, which are new-to-me varieties. I’m almost as excited to pot up the tubers as I am for them to start flowering in early summer — I really miss growing plants over the winter months. They’re shown below in the layout of how I’ll grow them: shorter varieties on the front row, more space at the front of the bed and less at the back.

Here’s a quick review of everything I’ve read recently (affiliate links used).

The Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler — This was one of those books I’d been meaning to read for years but had yet to pick up, so I was delighted when my local book club chose it for our January discussion. I raced through it and was completely hooked throughout, but also really struggled with the horrors of the world I was reading about. What makes this such a distressing read is that it is eerily close to the current situation in the USA today — I can’t quite believe this was written in 1993. The sequel (reviewed below) even has a fascist government whose slogan is ‘Make America Great Again’. If you enjoy dystopian books such as The Handmaid’s Tale and 1984, this is an essential read; it just might feel a bit too close to home when you’re reading it.

The Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler — I immediately ordered the sequel after finishing The Parable of the Sower. This picks up immediately after the first book ends, told through the diary entries of the protagonist and her husband, but also from the future point of view of their daughter. It actually manages to be bleaker than the first novel, so bear that in mind if you found Parable of the Sower hard to read. It also feels even closer to modern-day America, with brutal vigilantes ripping apart communities and Christianity being forced on the population. Grim, but essential reading.

Give Me Everything You’ve Got by Imogen Crimp (pr) — This transported me to a hot, sexy summer in a sprawling countryside mansion; exactly what I needed after Octavia Butler’s books! I really enjoyed Imogen Crimp’s debut, and think she’s only improved with her sophomore release. The plot focuses on and up-and-coming young filmmaker who is invited to spend a couple of weeks in the home of her idol, a famous producer, But this older woman and her alluring younger daughter seem to be playing mind games. It’s released in May, and would be the perfect read for hot and sweaty summer days.

Dandelion is Dead by Rosie Storey (pr) — I had mixed feelings about this upcoming (March) release. I enjoyed the story of a grieving woman who decides to go on a date with a man her sister matched with on an app — only she’s pretending to be her sister, who passed away six months prior. It reminded me somewhat of a book I read a few years ago called The Double Life of Daisy Hemmings but with its own, unique twist of the mistaken identity of similar looking sisters. However, I couldn’t get on board with the male protagonist, who has alternate chapters in the book, and the ending didn’t work for me at all.

Ever Land by Amy Abdelnoor (pr) — This is one to pre-order now for its July release, especially if you enjoyed other books focusing on the Palestinian experience such as Enter Ghost and Against the Loveless World. Its definitely not an easy read, flipping between flashbacks to a young Palestinian girl’s death and her sister’s upbringing as the only surviving family member, and the story of a teenage Jewish girl moving to a settler’s community from London and beginning to question the world around her. Like the other two books mentioned in this paragraph, it had me in tears at times and taught me much more about the horrors that Israel commit on a daily basis. If you want to learn more about the history of Palestine and Israel, all three of these novels will educate you.

I haven’t decided what I’ll be writing about in February yet (although I do have an exciting Postcards from interview with two former Conde Nast Traveller editors that I can’t wait to share!). I’m thinking about writing another Q&A newsletter, similar to this one from last year though — if that would be of interest, let me know and send over your burning questions by DM or leave a comment below.

Enjoy the rest of your weeks!

Emma xx