Autumn is once again here, bringing crisp air and fresh perspectives. As if on cue, the breezy space of Olympia London has been buzzing with brand-new launches and impressive displays at the annual interior design fair, Decorex. Between 8-11 October, this highly anticipated exhibition welcomed designers and makers to come together to celebrate fresh ideas and inspiration for the year ahead. After scouring the stands, here’s what to expect for our homes in 2024 from the best in design at Decorex. Ban the bland This year’s show has unveiled that bland interiors are certainly falling out of favour for more cheerful hues – even if they just appear as accents. I caught up with the co-founder of YesColours, Emma Bestley, who revealed that Electric Blue is their best-selling shade right now. Think the colour of Dory in Finding Nemo, a purple emperor butterfly, and a lapis lazuli stone. The brand likes to pair this with olive green and fresh peach hues. If you’re not ready to commit to a full ultramarine space, Bestley recommends adding a dash to your window recesses and sills, or to an otherwise unappreciated small space, like a downstairs loo. I imagine Electric Blue would make for a captivating front door colour, sitting prettily against stucco or red brick. Supersized seating The industry’s best and brightest seem to agree that bigger is indeed better – currently gravitating towards deep, U-shaped wall-to-wall sofas and cavernous armchairs that you can really curl up into. Joanna Hauptman, managing director of bespoke furniture maker, Hyde House explains: “Comfort has surged to the forefront of seating design and having larger-scale pieces helps support sociable arrangements. We’re seeing an increasing trend for cinema-style twin seats, corner suite sofas, and curved-edged chairs right now to accommodate at-home entertaining and bigger gatherings, especially ahead of the festive season.” Hyde House exhibited its Miami capsule collection with sink-in boucle seating that embraces graceful curves and soft edges. If you’re enticed by this supersized aesthetic, also look to Belgian designer, Mublo, whose modular Benedicte sofa is reminiscent of ultra-plump, loose cushions lying against each other. Florals, for winter? Groundbreaking It’s no secret that flora and fauna have long been beloved springtime motifs. House of Hackney, the British interiors and lifestyle brand known for reworking traditional design for a new generation, encourages us to embrace florals even as the weather gets chillier and nights get longer. The brand revealed its dark and decadent Gothic Garden range at Decorex, featuring rambling blooms against backdrops of jacquard and velvet. Le Boudoir D’ecorexxx – this year’s unapologetically lusty VIP lounge bar designed by Brian Woulfe – was decked with Gothic Garden textiles. In jewel-like greens and blacks with pops of amber, dusty blush, and periwinkle blue, the collection’s theme is moody mysticism meets medievalism with touches of Art Nouveau and country garden influences. Say goodbye to grey grounds It’s no secret the materials used underfoot can set the tone of a room. Christoph Wellekotter, head of product management at German flooring brand Parador – which officially introduced its expertise to the UK’s design audience this Decorex – shares, “Grey tones are losing popularity as we’re rejecting anything clinical or cold in pursuit of warmer, cosy palettes. Beiges, medium browns, and dark chocolatey woods will reign for our floors in the coming year.” He finishes, “In 2024, parquet, a flooring style which originated in the chateaux of France in the 16th century, will reign again. The elegant chevron pattern adds texture and interest to space whilst remaining neutral.” Read More Daylight saving time 2023: When do the clocks go back in US? From collars to gloomy garments: How to dress like Wednesday Addams for Halloween Don’t be a scaredy-cat: Can pets see ghosts? Daylight saving time 2023: When do the clocks go back in US? From collars to gloomy garments: How to dress like Wednesday Addams for Halloween Don’t be a scaredy-cat: Can pets see ghosts?

An incident with a manhole cover that damaged Carlos Sainz’s car on the Las Vegas Grand Prix track is “just unacceptable”, Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur has said. The first practice session on Thursday night (16 November) was cancelled after just nine minutes when Sainz hit a drain cover that had come loose. Vasseur said the car suffered a damaged chassis, engine and battery in the incident, and would miss the second practice session. “I think it is just unacceptable,” he told Sky Sports F1 in the team principal news conference.

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My mum makes this incredible stir-fried cabbage to accompany our curries, so one day, I thought, ‘I wonder how this would work as a fritter?'” says former Bake Off contestant Crystelle Pereira. “I am pleased to report that the result is an absolute delight. I fry them in coconut oil to form crispy, aromatic patties and serve them with a cooling coconut yogurt dip.” Goan-inspired coconut and cabbage fritters Makes: 3 small Ingredients: 1 large white potato (200–240g), coarsely grated 1 medium brown onion, grated 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt 5 tablespoons coconut oil 7 curry leaves 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1 teaspoon mustard seeds ¼ white cabbage (130g), finely shredded (I use a mandoline) 20g desiccated coconut 2 large eggs ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric 2 tablespoons plain flour 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 thin green chilli/Indian finger chilli, finely diced For the coconut yogurt dip: 4 heaped tablespoons unsweetened coconut yogurt Juice of 1 lime ½ teaspoon garlic powdera pinch of fine sea salt ¼ teaspoon chilli powder Method: 1. Place the grated potato and onion in a bowl with ½ teaspoon salt and mix well to combine. Transfer the mixture to a large colander over a sink and allow the excess moisture to drain while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. 2. Now temper the spices. Gently heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a frying pan over a low heat and, once warm, add the curry leaves, cumin seeds and mustard seeds, frying for a few minutes until fragrant, making sure not to burn them as they will turn bitter. Tip these spices into a large bowl. 3. Using your hands, squeeze out as much moisture as possible from the grated potato and onion, then tip the drained mixture into the bowl with the spices, mixing well to combine. Add the cabbage, coconut, eggs, turmeric, flour, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and diced chilli and give this one last final mix to combine everything together. 4. Now fry the fritters. Place the remaining oil in the same frying pan used to temper the spices, over a medium heat. Once the oil is hot, spoon a heaped tablespoon of the mixture into the hot oil, flattening it with the back of the spoon to make a fritter. Fry this for 2½ minutes on each side until crispy and golden, then transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper, to soak up the excess oil. Repeat with the remaining batter. 5. Finally, make the dip. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine. To serve, dip the fritters in the yogurt sauce and enjoy! Recipe from ‘Flavour Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes with Creative Twists by Crystelle Pereira is published by Kyle Books, priced £22. Photography by Vanessa Lewis. Available Now.

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A “heartbroken” George Russell struggled to hold back the tears after he believed victory slipped through his hands in Singapore on a frenetic night when Red Bull’s winning streak finally came to an end. Max Verstappen arrived in the city-state on a record run of 10 straight victories, with his Red Bull team unbeaten this season. But Formula One’s all-conquering team were nowhere here – dashing their hopes of becoming the grid’s first ‘Invincibles’. Verstappen finished fifth. Instead it was Carlos Sainz, who was crowned the first non-Red Bull winner of the year. The Ferrari driver took the chequered flag just eight tenths clear of McLaren’s Lando Norris, following another fine drive by the British star, with Lewis Hamilton third for Mercedes. Russell’s bid for victory ended in the wall on the last lap with only nine corners left. “In the moment you want to curl up in a ball and be with nobody,” said Russell as he cleared his throat and his eyes red. “It is the most horrendous feeling in the world when you are so physically and mentally drained and you miss out on an opportunity for victory. I made a mistake. It is truly heartbreaking.” At a circuit where overtaking is almost impossible, Mercedes rolled the strategy dice by putting both Russell and Hamilton on fresh tyres on lap 45 of 62. Russell left the pits 17.5 seconds behind Sainz. On lap 53, he swatted Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc aside and victory – which would have been only the second of his career – looked possible. Sainz, on old tyres, was eight seconds up the road. Norris was nibbling at the Ferrari gearbox, as Russell and Hamilton, in the other black-liveried Mercedes in tow, set about hunting them down. Russell was soon on the back of Norris’ papaya McLaren. With Norris out of the way, Sainz would surely be easy prey. With three laps to run, Russell was handed his golden opportunity. The Mercedes man got better traction out of Turn 14 and nearly drew alongside Norris before slipping back into his tow and attempting to plant his machine around the outside of his countryman under braking for Turn 16. But amid of a flurry of orange sparks, Norris could not be dislodged. And Russell’s chance was gone. Then, on the last lap of a race which ran for one hour and 46 minutes in the intense heat and humidity and is regarded to be the most challenging of the year, Russell was out. He brushed the barrier on the entry to Turn 10 and crashed into the barrier. “No, no, f***, f***,” the breathless Briton yelled over the radio. “What the f***.” “I had half-a-chance with Lando,” said Russell. “Half-a-car’s length difference and I think we would have won the race. “I would have got ahead of Lando and Carlos would have been stuck without DRS and I would have flown by him. Instead, I ended the race in the wall. “I don’t know how it happened, maybe a lack of concentration, frustration knowing that was the last lap and the opportunity had gone and a one centimetre mistake has clouded the whole weekend. “It was such a nothing of a mistake. If I span off, or locked up and ended up in the wall I would be feeling very different. But to clip the wall on the last lap is such a pathetic mistake which is why it feels so strange right now. I put everything on the line, I was knackered at the end. “I will have a tough night and a tough morning, but I will put it behind me and go again. I can only apologise to the team because they deserved more, but s*** happens.” Hamilton tapped Russell on the midriff to offer his sympathy as the seven-time world champion conducted his interviews. Russell wore dark sunglasses as he walked off into the glaring light of the paddock – perhaps to hide the pain. Hamilton, who claimed his 196th podium, said: “For George, it was really unfortunate to finish that way, but he continues to grow and improve. “I know he will get stronger and faster, and if can help him, I will naturally be part of that over the next couple of years. It can happen to any of us and it it just one of those things.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Lance Stroll to sit out Singapore Grand Prix after huge crash in qualifying ‘You can forget about that’ – Max Verstappen rules out another win in Singapore Lance Stroll crashes into barrier at 110mph in Singapore Grand Prix qualifying