Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week

An art incentive

Gabriel Annouka, Senior Designer

I don't usually go to Shoreditch unless bribed or baited, but I made an exception for Gilbert & George. Their centre on Heneage Street – an 1820s brewery tucked behind the 200-year-old pub, The Pride of Spitalfields – was renovated in 2009 as a shrine to the artist duo. The current exhibition, ‘Death Hope Life Fear’, pulls together works from the 80s and 90s, some of which belong to Tate. The second floor hosts works from Gilbert & George’s New Democratic Pictures series, including ‘Teething’, where outrageous greens, fragmented faces and a sense of creeping dread come together in a seductive, grotesque way. Worth the detour: beautiful space, free entry and just enough self-importance to make it fun. On until 2026.

New in North London

Ellie Stathaki, Architecture and Environment Director and Nick Vinson, Contributing Editor

ES: I got a sneak preview of Newcourt Street in St John's Wood. The project, a contemporary boutique rental development and the first of its kind for the studio, is the newest scheme by Wendover, the team behind deli Sol’s on Leinster Terrace, newsagents' institution Shreeji on Chiltern Street, and numerous residential spaces. Co-founder Gabriel Chipperfield gave me the grand tour, and I felt a little jealous of the sun trap terraces, continental-style cobblestone courtyard and immaculate detailing. Look out for the article on it on Wallpaper.com...

NV: One of the aforementioned residential spaces, 20 Newcourt Street, has in the centre of its courtyard a shared space for its future residents to use, which was inaugurated with a dinner hosted by Chipperfield and his spouse Laura de Gunzburg. Above the table hung an enormous red Imi Knoebel, ‘Archetyp XIII’, on loan from the White Cube, and the food was prepared by Sol's, which is part of the Wendover stable.

A Scottish stay

Anna Solomon, Digital Staff Writer

I had the good fortune of staying at Scotland’s first outpost of The Hoxton mere weeks after its opening. Spanning 11 unified Georgian-style townhouses, the hotel is just minutes from Edinburgh Castle, Princes Street and the Old Town. Design-wise, it's a delight: parent brand Ennismore’s in-house AIME Studios has blended original features – cornicing, high ceilings, sash windows – with mid-century furnishings, geometric textiles and statement details like Murano glass chandeliers. The atmosphere is first and foremost cosy, with plush textures and jewel tones adding just the right measure of opulence.

A top-tier treatment

Sofia de la Cruz, Travel Editor

I recently ventured into the glamorous Art Deco world of Claridge’s to enjoy a facial signed by Teresa Tarmey, who is currently doing a year-long residency at the hotel’s luxurious spa. Her Signature Microneedling Facial left my skin glowing for days. The treatment uses microneedling to gently stimulate your skin’s natural repair process, encouraging the production of collagen and elastin for a refreshed, radiant complexion.

An enchanting exhibition

Anna Fixsen, US Editor

When the weekend rolls around, you’ll usually find me hunkered down in Brooklyn. Which is why I was delighted to find out that the Brooklyn Public Library, just a two-minute walk from my apartment, was hosting a special exhibition on the Moomins. The show, Tove Jansson and the Moomins: The Door Is Always Open, aims to introduce us Yankees not only to the delightful world of Moominvalley, but also the fascinating life of its creator, the Finnish artist Tove Jansson. I loved learning about Jansson’s career as a writer, painter and illustrator, but also the challenges that came with being a queer woman at the time, and the cuddly creative shackles her imaginary characters would eventually become (Jansson, at one point, detested them, due to their runaway success). A favourite vignette was a display case filled with Moomin-themed merchandise, from dinnerware to puppets to Acne Studios pants. It was a reminder of how libraries can be about so much more than books. Even so, I made sure to put my library card to good use.

Emergency sunglasses

Charlotte Gunn, Director of Digital Content

I've decamped to Los Angeles for a few weeks to visit family and, in the post-Oasis-at-Wembley euphoria (arguably the highlight of my year), neglected to pack a pair of sunglasses. Fortunately, local eyewear label Akila came to the rescue. A visit to their beautifully curated Silver Lake store resulted in a new pair crafted from eco-conscious acetate and presented in reusable cork packaging. My eyes are now stylishly – and sustainably – shielded from the Californian sun.