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THE RESTORATION YARD ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE
Restoration Yard is all about Christmas but we also understand the stress of finding that perfect gift, so just for you, we’re offering up our definitive Christmas gift guide to everyone on your list pinpointing gifts they’ll love within the beautifully curated emporium that is Restoration Yard’s store. Photography by Blue Sky Photography. Styled by Laura Russell @satisfashion.co.uk
The SYBARITE
She loves a bit of luxury in her life. So give her just that with some sparkle or (fake) fur. She will adore.
Clockwise from top left: Feather, £1.95. Helen Moore Fur Scarf, £57. Vilagallo skirt, £110. Gustav sweater, £190. Bird, £15.50. Prosecco Made Me Do It book, £9.99. Elie Beaumont watch, £55.00. Kew Gardens Botanical magnolia & pear soap, £6.50. Your Ideas Are Precious notebook, £4.99. Christian Lacroix notebook, £29.95. Pineapple light, £89.95. Pink tree bauble, £8.25. Star earrings, £13.95.
The INTELLIGENT WANDERER
Make the itinerant intellectual in your world happy with some cleverly iconic pieces for at home and away.
Clockwise from top left: Restoration Yard globe, £95.00. Lobby telephone, £69.95. Umbrella, £24.95. The ABCs of Adulthood book, £9.99. Vilagallo women’s blouse, £85.00. Vedoneire men’s sweater, £55.00. Izipizi reading glasses, £29.95. Christmas bauble, £3.00. Mug, £14.95. Charades game, £9.95. Do One Thing Every Day That Inspires You book, £12.99.
The BEAUTY BUFF
Add some seriously lovely refinement to the most picky of beauty aficiondo’s bathroom cabinets with these handpicked treats that will delight all their senses.
From top (and left to right): Hanging glass star, £38.95. Hydrea amssage brush, £7.50. Art House Meath soaps, £2.95 each. Bar soaps, £3.50. Aromas Artisanales de Antigua floral lotus flower hand cream, £3.95. Aromas Artisanales de Antigua orange blossom hand cream, £3.95. Restoration Yard soap, £4.95. Burt’s Bees Lip Colour Kit, £14.99. Kew Gardens Botanical elderflower & pomelo Soap, £6.50. Restoration Yard Soap, £4.95. Burt’s Bees Lip Balms, £9.99. Burt’s Bees lip set, £9.95. Kew Gardens Botanical summer rose soap, £6.50. Essential Oils, £13.95. Lothantique lavender liquid soap, £11.50. Thisworks the big bang kit, £12.00. Bath salts, £10.95. Beefayre reed diffuser, £14.95. Beefayre handcream, £8.75. Burt’s Bees gift baubles, £6.95 each. Aromas Artesanales de Antigua soap set, £9.95. Thisworks dream to sleep kit, £34.00. Hand Harmony hand-creams, £20.00. Baubles throughout, £7.50 for set.
The ADVENTURER
Practical does not need to mean boring. Your loved explorer deserves to enjoy their favourite external pursuits with added style plus comfort.
Clockwise from top left: Vedoneire shirt, £54.95. Vedoneire gilet, £55.00. Bauble, £4.75. Kusan bobble hat, £29.00. Explorer bottle, £13.95. Bird pencil, £3.50. Roka bag, £59.95. Jar of matches, £12.00. And So The Adventure Begins glasses case, £4.95. Hit the Road book, £35.00.
The OUTDOOR LOVER
A bit of gardening, dog walking or trekking out with the kids need not mean saying goodbye to feeling and looking amazing.
Clockwise from top left: Ilse Jacobsen raincoat, £190.00. Part Two sweater, £99.95. Salsa embroidered jeans, £175.00. Bauble, £6.95. Tretorn short welly boots, £75.00. Bauble, £6.50. Wreaths book, £14.95. Ornamental bird, £12.75.
The GOURMAND
Elate your connoisseur of good food this Christmas with a selection of delicacies they can enjoy throughout and beyond the festive season.
From top (and left to right): Hanging glass star, £38.95. Belvoir mulled winter punch, £3.95. Belvoir festive fruit punch, £3.95. Opies cherries in kirsch, £7.95. Christmas shortbread, £4.95. Gingerbread santa, £3.95. The Treat Kitchen gin & tonic bon bons, £12.95. Stocking chocolate, £5.50. Elf gingerbread, £3.95. Restoration Yard Christmas pudding, £5.50. The Treat Kitchen strawberry & prosecco bon bons, £12.95. Opies peaches in Courvoisier, £7.95. Mr Stanley’s chocolate hip flask, £5.50. Whittards hot chocolate selection pack, £14.25. Butlers truffle crackers, £2.95 each. Sprout truffles, £8.95. Chocolate wreath, £4.50. Ross & Ross homemade curing kit…bacon, £22.00. Bakedin Gin & Tonic cupcake kit, £19.95. Restoration Yard chutney mini hamper, £16.95.
The LITTLES
So Christmas is all about the kids. Give them joy, fun and a sprinkling of unicorn (and dinosaur) magic.
From top left: Dinosaur lights, £29.95. Little People Big Dreams Coco Chanel book, £9.99. Letters to My Baby book, £12.99. Magical Unicorn Dreams book, £10. Baby Dragon book, £5.99. Little People Big Dreams Frida Kahlo book, £9.99. Luella pink & blue star cashmere sweaters, £34.95 each. Baby Unicorn book, £5.99. Ballet dancing peacock soft toy, £18. Pom pom lights, £31.95.
The STOCKING FILLERS
Stocking emptying on Christmas morning will see faces lit up with happiness – just add a few off-list gems that take them beyond screen time.
From top left: Pom pom lights, £31.95. David Fussenegger blanket, £34.95. Dinosaur bingo, £16.99. Build a mega-bot, £12.95. Book end £15.95 for set. Cushion, £15.95. Tin Can alley game, £25.00. Dinosaur lights, £29.95. Bus puzzle, £10.95. Coin bank puzzles, £13.95 each.
Wishing you all very happy Christmas and good luck with the gift sourcing and let us know how helpful you found our Christmas Gift Guide. RY.
MEET THE NEW SEASON WOMENSWEAR AT RESTORATION YARD
Giving you the heads up on new season shopping Sisi Gibreel, Head of Retail at Restoration Yard talks prints, colour and just some of the new collections for autumn. Come in store to see for yourself. Happy shopping.
What collections should we be looking out for this season? The store is full of beautiful new pieces. One of my favourite collections this autumn is the new season Vilagallo with all its beautiful prints and fabrics. I introduced this gorgeous brand last season with just a few of its pieces and everyone loved it so we have gone deeper into the collection for autumn/winter. It’s spot on trend. Its silk prints and colour combinations in the dresses and tops have a sophisticated allusion to Pucci. It’s only been on the rails a few days and already customers are loving the extra details that are synonymous with the label’s handwriting – like the lurex sparkle tuxedo trims on the beautifully tailored trousers.
VILAGALLO SILK PRINT DRESS
Knitwear is always a strong part of the RY offering. What have you picked up for autumn?
Wyse London has nailed it again. The luxurious knits stand out because of its use of contrast colour trims on beautifully made, luxurious knits – neon pinks and greens on rich greys and navy. There is a relaxed elegance to the collection especially the loungewear hoodies with the star-detail cuffs.
WYSE LONDON KNIT
WYSE LONDON HOODIE & TRACK PANTS
It’s autumn and after the cold winter last year what other cosy knits are you loving? Oh the other knitwear brand that’s exciting me is the lovely British brand Foxology. These gorgeous and clever pieces will become a must-have in every closet.
FOXOLOGY
Any must-have accessories? Well, it’s clear from our buying that I love uniqueness and quirkiness. So Pom Amsterdam scarves are looking amazing this season. It’s all about the contrast and again the printed fabrics. These scarves elevate every look from everyday to stand-out.
POM AMSTERDAM SCARF
Where to turn to for our autumn staples? Part Two just never goes wrong. From the mustard blouse to the classic belted coats, there are wardrobe staples in this collection that work for women, again and again.
PART TWO SHIRT
10 ways to cope with and conquer Stress
Feeling a bit frazzled? April is Stress Awareness Month so to help you deal with stress, Restoration Yard’s Wellbeing Consultant, Lifestyle Coach and Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, Jen Wood has shared her top 10 tips to help you conquer the stresses of everyday life.
1. Start a journal
Writing down your feelings can reap health benefits, including improved cognitive functioning. Journaling feelings of stress – as well as exploring possible solutions to these problems – can soothe you and help process difficult feelings. Plus, you’ll be more likely to take proactive steps to avoid stress in future. Restoration Yard’s Store has some gorgeous stationary to write your thoughts in.
2. Mindfulness meditation
Whether you meditate ‘formally’, or weave it into your daily life, the practice of mindfulness meditation can greatly reduce stressful feelings, and counteract some of the negative effects of stress. Meditation can also be a tool for introspection – focus on the cause of stress you’re experiencing and, as you relax, solutions may come to you with more ease and clarity. Restoration Yard’s Wellbeing Lab hosts regular classes and mindfulness workshops.
3. Self-hypnosis
Self-hypnosis is similar to meditation, as it harnesses the power of your unconscious mind and offers many of the same benefits. What’s more, self-hypnosis can help address the underlying cause of stress by focusing on changing unhelpful habits that may be creating that stress, while relieving current symptoms. For more information on hypnotherapy please contact Jen Wood.
4. Ask for help
Sometimes we need the support of a professional to help us to break free from negative patterns and transform our lives. Working with a therapist is another great way to relieve stress and get to its root cause at the same time. Find out more about Jen Wood’s therapies here.
5. Unleash your creativity
Exploring your creative side can be a great stress reliever. Drawing a picture provides distraction from stress, and gives restorative experience of being in ‘flow’, while helping you explore your inner world on a non-verbal level. As well as being therapeutic, it will have allowed you to create something beautiful which will act as an anchor and remind you to come back to the present moment. Restoration Yard runs a variety of classes from candle making to felting.
6. Ditch self-criticism – turn to affirmations
Negative self-talk can be very stressful, and because it’s unconscious it slips under the radar – it comes from that internal voice that evaluates things positively or negatively, and tells you about things you’re experiencing and about yourself. Our ‘inner critics’ can be loud, and drown out the quieter voice of our inner wisdom. Redress the balance and challenge negative self-talk by using positive words and affirmations. The results include stress relief and growth, and new, more supportive neural pathways in our brain.
7. Learn to say no and let go
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, overscheduled and overstressed, it’s definitely time to slow down and learn how to say no to other people’s demands on your time. Setting boundaries and realising you can prevent the hectic lifestyle that keeps the cycle of stress going will empower you. You can also look within yourself to see why you may say yes too often, and take steps to feel better right away.
8. Get out of your own way
How often do you get so stressed and overwhelmed that you react aggressively and then regret it? If this happens regularly, you may be suffering from self-sabotaging thought patterns that cause additional mental and emotional stress. You can look within and change these patterns, reducing future stress in yourself – and in those around you.
9. Massage
A recent study found that massage therapy can reduce pain, promote muscle relaxation, and improve both mood and sleep quality, and another found that, after subjects were massaged, the levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) in their saliva decreased. Studies have shown massage can also lead to recipients reporting feeling better about their body image, especially for women. Restoration Yard’s The Sanctuary, offers massage.
10. Yoga
Yoga can provide a feeling of being grounded, a feeling of safety and security, and offer relief from the symptoms of stress as well as the supportive skills to enhance everyday life, now and into the future. Restorative Yoga is particularly beneficial for stress, but any yoga or mind/body exercise is great to reset the nervous system. See Restoration Yard’s full Wellbeing Lab programme here.
As well as coordinating a full programme of sessions including yoga, Pilates and mindfulness, Jen also offers cognitive behavioural therapy, hypnotherapy, mindfulness coaching, Harmonizing Lifestyle Coaching and Harmonizing Massage at Restoration Yard, which is just five miles from Edinburgh.
Study references:
1 Physiological responses to touch massage in healthy volunteers
Autonomic Neuroscience, 2010 – autonomicneuroscience.com
2 Effects of massage on pain, mood status, relaxation, and sleep in Taiwanese patients with metastatic bone pain: a randomized clinical trial
PAIN®, 2011 – Elsevier
3 A preliminary examination of the effect of massage on state body image
Body image, 2011 – Elsevier
New Lifestyle Coaching Sessions at The Sanctuary
Seeking Sanctuary: Overhaul your lifestyle with new coaching sessions
Brand new lifestyle coaching sessions are now available for those looking to revamp their outlook on life for the year ahead. They will take place in The Sanctuary, a new therapy room which has been created here Restoration Yard to supplement the calming space used for a timetable of yoga, Pilates, mindfulness and CBT workshops at our Wellbeing Lab.
Wellbeing Consultant, Lifestyle Coach and Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist, Jen Wood will lead the Harmonizing coaching sessions and is the first to qualify as a coach in Scotland after receiving expert training from the creator of the Harmonizing Process, Dawn Breslin. Jen also manages our Wellbeing Lab programme here at Restoration Yard.
The sessions aim to help women manage the stress and pressures of modern living. With around one in four people in the UK living with stress, anxiety and depression, these sessions aim to help those who can feel overwhelmed by life at times*. Jen will lead participants in a lifestyle assessment and offer gentle lifestyle changes to help them discover their soul’s purpose, rekindle their zest for life and find clarity and confidence.
Those looking to de-stress can also book an hour-long Harmonizing massage session with Jen in The Sanctuary.
Harmonizing massage is a holistic technique that balances the body, mind and spirit. It involves soft tissue massage on a comfortable massage couch in the beautiful surroundings of The Sanctuary at Restoration Yard. It integrates techniques from Therapeutic, Shiatsu and Indian Head massage as well as Reiki and Reflexology. The result is a sense of peace and harmony.