Ultion Nuki 2025

Say goodbye to easy-to-break-into front doors with this police-approved, locksmith-approved handle, backed by a £5,000 security guarantee. Resisting picking, bumping and drilling, its features include built-in Wi-Fi, removing the need for extra hubs. Users can lock or unlock their door remotely through the Nuki app, voice assistants, or geofencing; working with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings through Matter. It’s nice to look at too, in seven colours and internal handles in black, white or chrome.

£588 including fob, fingerprint keypad and auto-lock sensor. www.ultion-lock.co.uk

Focal Mu-so Hekla

Elevate your home entertainment with the Focal Mu-so Hekla, an all-in-one sound system with the ability to redefine your AV setup. Delivering a Dolby Atmos experience with plenty of power, Hekla surrounds you in spatial sound that the brand promises will bring films, music and games to life. From cinematic explosions to the latest song, every detail is rendered with the clarity and depth Focal is known for. As part of the iconic Mu-so family, it integrates with the Focal and Naim ecosystem, offering multi-room streaming, iRadio, and Party Mode at your fingertips.

£3,000. www.focal.com

King Jasper Modular Curve U Shape Sofa

This smart tech sofa is engineered with advanced steel frames and King’s signature Postureflex® Seating System, with each piece offering long-lasting support you’d expect from a quality mattress. Cushions balance softness with structure, so whether you’re lounging with a book, hosting friends, or enjoying a film, it delivers comfort for every moment. It also comes with built in smart technology — simply put your phone down on the arm of the sofa and wireless charging does the rest of the work, with motion-controlled ambient lighting guiding you at movie night.

£11,469. www.kingliving.co.uk

Loewe X JACOB&CO Ice Diamond Headphones

If you really want to impress, these headphones could be the ones for you. Conceived as a standalone Hi-Fi audio solution, they integrate top-quality DAC, powerful amplification, and precision 50mm drivers. There’s 24-bit high-resolution audio for immersive sound — fully personalised via the Mimi Sound Personalisation feature through its app. It also benefits from adaptive active noise cancellation that adjusts in real time to ambient conditions, and AI for voice assistant and real-time translation. As for gems, its handcrafted 14k white gold ring weighing 42.5 grams is set with 12.47 carats of diamonds including 456 round stones.

£100,000. www.loewe.tv.uk

Smeg10 in 1 Multifunction Countertop Oven with Steam & Air Fry

If you haven’t got an air fryer we think it’s fair to say you’re probably one of the few yet to purchase. This intelligent appliance lets you choose among traditional cooking functions, with steam and automatic programmes including air fry, defrost and keep warm. Use its steam only functions or in combination to lock in flavours and nutrients, plus its 33 built-in recipes mean you can cook to perfection meat, fish, vegetables dishes, desserts, bread, pizza, and more. It even uses Galileo Multicooking technology: innovative airflow patterns and professional algorithms for the results you’d expect.

£849.95. www.shop.smeguk.com

Focal Diva Mezza Utopia

The Diva Mezza Utopia embodies the brand’s dedication to pure performance. Every element, from its beryllium inverted-dome tweeter to its W-sandwich composite cones, is engineered for exacting realism and effortless dynamics. The result is an immersive, emotionally charged listening experience, with a piece as suited to an art-filled penthouse as to an acoustically tuned salon. What’s more, this is a full active wireless system, so listeners can enjoy incredible performance without the stress of cables and wires ruining the vibe.

£55,000. www.focal.com

Luna Gen 2 Smart Ring

This ring measures SpO₂, temperature, heart-rate, and stress; as well as capturing moments such as eating, recovery, and environmental factors to reveal how choices influence readiness, energy, and vitality. Record meal intake, sexual activity, alcohol consumption, and recovery rituals; and describe a meal for decoded food items, calories, and macronutrients. Sleep intelligence captures factors like mouth taping to uncover how settings affect recovery and performance. It also edits entries seamlessly, ensuring the record evolves with your routine, and can even revisit any activity, reconnecting patterns for personalised optimisation.

£299. www.lunazone.com

MAGIC AI Mirror

This fitness mirror combines the expertise of a personal trainer, the variety of a gym, and the intelligence of AI from the comfort of your home. Its computer vision system delivers real-time rep counting, instant form correction, weight guidance, and body scanning. A hologram trainer appears in ultra-HD, giving one to one feedback, while the reflective surface allows users to perfect their form, with live cues to improve pace, and range of motion. Reps and sets are counted by the trainer’s voice, and it recommends when to increase, maintain, or decrease. There are over 400 exercises, and it builds weekly plans and four-week programmes designed by athletes and personal trainers.

£1,499. www.magic.fit

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The Penthouse, Claridge’s

A sky-skimming triumph which spans the entire rooftop of this legendary hotel, everything about the four-bedroom penthouse is next-level luxury. Stamped with the signature clean lines of visionary designer Rémi Tessier, this glass-wrapped, skylight-studded haven has its own garden and swimming pool, plus a private bar, 24-hour butler service, and a central lake, created by sculptor Andrew Ewing.

Actor Spencer Tracy declared that when he died, he’d rather go to Claridge’s than heaven — and that’s before he even got to sample this penthouse.

Price on request www.claridges.co.uk

The Royal Suite, The Lanesborough

Celebrated equally for its fine dining and hospitality, The Lanesborough is also in proud possession of London’s largest suite. This much-loved palace offers around-the-clock butler service, views of Buckingham Palace Gardens, seven bedrooms and bathrooms, two living rooms, and a large dining room, all exuding fine British craftsmanship and period detail. 

Spa access, return airport transfers, and a curated selection of complimentary amenities are also provided as part of this exclusive experience.

£20,000 per night www.thelanesborough.com

The Penthouse, The Emory

As the apex of the late Lord Richard Rogers’ vision, The Penthouse occupies the entire top floor of one of Belgravia’s magnificent hotels. Juxtaposing glamour and serenity, here impeccable service meets contemporary interiors to create a worthy luxury stay. The suite sleeps up to five, who can indulge in three large terrace spaces with sweeping, panoramic views of Knightsbridge and Hyde Park.

This penthouse also houses an impressive collection of artworks from leading artists, including Iván Argote, Maurizio Cattelan, and Jo Hummel.

Price on request www.the-emory.co.uk

The Shangri-La Suite, The Shard

The epitome of luxurious London style, whether you want to unwind, entertain or soak up the skylines of the capital, everything about The Shangri-La Suite is an attribute to the finer things in life. Refresh in its freestanding tub or rain-drenched walk-in shower, look out over the Capital from its floor-to-ceiling windows, and bed down in its 1,000 thread count luxury linens.

When it comes to cuisine, head to TĪNG, a dynamic dining experience inspired by Asian cultures and accompanied by an award-winning wine list.

From £10,000 a night www.shangri-la.com

Oliver Messel Suite, The Dorchester

Reopened in early 2025, The Dorchester worked with historians and conservators to ensure this suite was restored back to its best. Bursting with silk-lined walls and golden mouldings, it was originally the vision of designer Oliver Messel, with it taking over 2,000 hours of work and more than 2,750 sheets of 23.5-carat gold leaf to return it to its original brilliance.

Now regarded as a living archive of British design and craftsmanship, a scale model even forms part of the permanent collection at the V&A.

From £15,000 per night www.dorchestercollection.com

The Royal Suite, The Goring

A proud holder of a Royal Warrant, it was in this suite the Duchess of Cambridge spent the night before her wedding. Enjoy the stunning balcony views or marvel at the treasure trove of hand-picked antiques, including Georgian glassware and royal artefacts, such as handwritten letters and military regalia — and an astonishing life-size portrait of Her Majesty Queen Victoria in the double shower.

Amazingly, the walls of the master bedroom are lined with the same beautiful silk that graced the First-Class Dining Room of RMS Titanic in 1912.

From £9,500 per night www.thegoring.com

The Apartment, The Connaught

At the height of Mayfair style, The Apartment is one of the capital’s in-demand suites and sleeps up to five. Push open the hand-carved doors to enter a world of supreme hospitality, where discreet service and exquisite design meet. A two-bedroom penthouse swathed in natural light and dotted with original artworks; step out onto a private balcony, where two terraces give bird’s-eye views over Carlos Place.

Guests also get to enjoy a 24-hour butler service, an exclusive tasting menu in The Connaught Grill, and a complimentary bottle of Krug Champagne on arrival.

Price on request www.the-connaught.co.uk

Royal Garden Suite, Four Seasons Hotel Tower Bridge

This spectacular suite boasts panoramic views of London’s iconic landmarks, including the Tower of London and the River Thames. Unwind in its master bedroom with an expansive marble bathroom complete with deep soaking tub and rainfall shower before entertaining in the living area. Don’t forget to take in its private terrace, complete with perfectly manicured garden.

A sanctuary amidst the bustling cityscape, the Royal Garden Suite can be connected to a premier room should you wish to sleep more than three.

From £3,186 per night www.fourseasons.com

Crescent Pavilion Penthouse, The Berkeley

The Berkeley has been wowing travellers with its signature style and elegance for over 100 years — and most guests agree there is nothing quite like the Crescent Pavilion Penthouse. Created by internationally renowned interior architect André Fu, this two-bedroom suite is the pinnacle of modern luxury, lavished in tactile fabrics, earthy tones, and glistening metallics.

Housed within a glass pavilion, there’s a wrap-around terrace with impressive views. Don’t forget to take home your monogrammed bathrobes embroidered with your initials.

Price on request www.the-berkeley.co.uk

Pan Pacific Suite, Pan Pacific

Those craving modern decadence will concur this suite ticks all the boxes. On the 19th floor and spanning 119 square metres, there are views of landmarks such as The Gherkin and The Shard. Featuring a lounge and dining area, dressing room, private study, guest washroom, and master bedroom, a dedicated butler service demonstrates how every detail ensures a comfortable stay.

Touches like complimentary spa access, Chinese teas, and an irresistible afternoon cocktail turndown elevate every moment.

From £3,500 per night www.panpacific.com

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Why wine belongs in a portfolio

“Investment rests on a few durable features. Prices are shaped by a market with its own cycle, driven by quality, reputation, limited production, and the ageing curve, rather than quarterly earnings. Historically, benchmarks such as the Liv-ex 1000 — which tracks a thousand wines from across the world — have been relatively stable during episodes that unsettled equities, including the global financial crisis and COVID-19. History does not guarantee future results, but it does help explain why many investors use wine for diversification.”

How value builds in the cellar

“How, then, does a bottle become more valuable? Three mechanisms do most of the work. First, improvement in a bottle. Fine wines are built to evolve, and as they approach an ideal drinking window, the demand heightens. Second, scarcity. Every cork pulled elsewhere reduces the pool of pristine stock, so well-stored cases start to command a premium. Third is desirability. Growing and evolving reputation, quality, and critic appraisals concentrate interest on the best producers and vintages.”

What to buy and how to build

“Build from regions rather than labels, looking at Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne. For breadth add wine from Italy, USA, and Rhône, and include an allocation from the rest of the world like Spain, Chile, Germany, Australia, and Argentina. Selection also matters; not every wine is investment grade. Professionals weigh producer standing, vintage strength, credible critic scores, production volume, and evidence of active secondary-market trading. They also consider proximity to the prime drinking window and relative value within a peer set, rather than headline hype.”

Think years, not months

“Wine is patient capital, so plan exits around market depth and drinking windows, and remember, liquidity varies. Great names move readily, while niche can take time to sell. Independent benchmarks and valuations help momentum before you act. Practicalities protect value. Climate-controlled, bonded storage is non-negotiable if you want to ensure saleability on the secondary market. Condition and provenance are also critical, so keep audit trails complete. Wine investment operates in an unregulated space which offers flexibility but makes your choice of counterparties important. Work with reputable sources, and insist on transparency around ownership, fees, and storage.”

There’s a UK taxation advantage

“For UK-based readers there is an additional point when it comes to investing in fine wine, as many tend to fall under the ‘wasting asset’ rules for capital gains, which can mean profits are exempt from Capital Gains Tax for private individuals, subject to various criteria such as expected lifespan, as well as HMRC guidance. This should be checked with a professional adviser, but it is a meaningful feature of the market and part of the appeal to domestic investors.”

The next steps on your journey

“Formalise what you do for pleasure. Decide on the role wine should play, whether diversification, long-term growth or a family cellar. Set a budget that gives a selection, with a smaller allocation for discovery. Buy the best you can, store original cases in bond from day one, and track independent references as you review holdings over time. The reward is two-fold. You gain an asset that’s shown the ability to steady a portfolio, while retaining the pleasure of opening a bottle at the right moment. For people who already spend on the best wines, that blend of enjoyment and financial sense is the sweet spot.”

How investing has evolved

“The modern market access has improved hugely. Digital platforms such as CultX — a wine investment app and trading platform — now combine pricing data, execution, and storage, lowering barriers for global investors while making discovery within regions and vintages easier. For those who prefer a fully managed approach, fine wine investment specialists can facilitate the process end-to-end, from sourcing and portfolio construction to storage, reporting and eventual resale. This leaves you free to focus on the enjoyment and enlightenment that comes naturally with being in this exciting market.”

Disclaimer: This feature is for editorial purposes only. Best of Living supports mindful enjoyment of alcohol — please drink responsibly. For guidance, visit www.drinkaware.co.uk

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A garden office for better work-life boundaries

With remote or hybrid working part of everyday life, creating a purpose-built garden workspace is a smart move, helping you separate work from home, avoiding the dining table desk setup and letting you shut the door at the end of the day. Plus, if you’re meeting clients or running a business from home, a stylish garden office adds a professional edge and gives your family the home life they deserve.

Embrace a ‘big room’ feel, even in a smaller garden

Even modest gardens can accommodate a substantial garden building; it just needs thoughtful design. A larger structure becomes the standout feature of the space, adding depth and balance. For the best effect, place the building square to the back boundary so it ties naturally into fences or landscaping, and choose materials and finishes that scale the size without overwhelming the garden.

Sustainable garden rooms that are built for nature

Owners increasingly want garden rooms that do more than look good. Think sedum roofs, excellent thermal insulation, responsibly-sourced cladding and manufacture that co-opts low-impact processes. These features support biodiversity, improve energy performance and allow you to give something back to the environment, all while enjoying your new space.

Choose a room to make a bold design statement

Another area to consider when it comes to a garden room is that it can be a striking architectural feature – not merely a functional extra. From large, glazed sliding doors to contrasting finishes or bold rooflines; styling matters. When well executed, the building becomes a visual highlight of the garden rather than an afterthought, and it can transform the character of your outdoor space.

Think smart storage for a smart space

Why simply settle for a bog-standard shed when you can instead integrate stylish and insulated storage into your garden building? Sectioning off part of the space gives you secure, weather-proof storage alongside a beautifully finished room for daily use. It’s a seamless solution: one smart structure and two highly useful functions.

Explore the prospect of man caves and hobby rooms

Garden rooms don’t need to strictly follow the rules. Want a private pub, a creative studio, a home gym or your very own cinema? Go for it. These bespoke spaces let you carve out a room that’s just for you, whether that’s for entertaining, unwinding or pursuing a passion, and crucially, it keeps the activity away from the main house.

Versatility with a multi-purpose room

One of the most compelling advantages of a garden room is flexibility. Instead of being assigned a single use at the outset, it can flex as your needs change. A space might begin life as a home office, then evolve into a guest room as required. With clever furniture or partitioning, you can switch up the room’s role without major cost or fuss.

Views and light to let the garden in

When your garden’s view is one of its strengths, choose large glazed doors and windows to bring the outside in. Premium double glazing ensures you’re comfortable year-round, even on cooler days. In warmer months, folding or sliding doors can open the space completely, creating a strong indoor-outdoor link and making your garden room feel like part of the landscape.

Stylish garden pods for tiny spaces

Even if your plot is compact, you don’t have to sacrifice quality. Garden pods are a smart choice for tighter spaces: they offer cosy, carefully considered retreats, and with minimalist furniture and clever storage, you can genuinely harness the square metres you have. A well-designed pod can feel luxurious and purposeful, and it might just become your favourite room.

Bring leisure to you with a golf simulator

With golf growing in popularity and home leisure demand rising, garden rooms designed specifically for simulator use are becoming a top trend. A building with generous internal height and strong design allows you to practise swings, host friendlies and stay active whatever the weather. It’s a perfect blend of leisure, sport, and home-life investment.

Outdoor entertaining to be redefined

Why head out when the party can be in your garden? A dedicated garden bar, pub room or lounge offers a gorgeous setting for socialising and entertaining, and keeps the mess, noise and tidying up outside of the main house. Choose finishes that complement your garden, add lighting and seating, and make the space as inviting as your favourite venue.

A games room for a dedicated fun space

Into board games or pool? What about gaming or bingeing the latest Netflix series your spouse refuses to watch? A separate building lets you relax or play as loud as you like – with no disruptions and no compromises. The separation from your home gives you freedom and focus; while offering flexibility to design the space exactly as you want it.

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