We reckon that, within 18 months, there might be a choice of half a dozen boutique hotels within a concierge’s dash from the Huntingdon - our proposed new residential-led development in the heart of Shoreditch.

The Boundary still rules Redchurch Street, while the hot and happening Ace Hotel runs the the High Street. Hats off to them for getting David and Pablo of Bistrotheque fame to open Hoi Polloi there.

Another NY import, the Gansevoort is being built on Curtain Road. The Nobu Hotel will be situated next door to one of our favourite pubs, the Griffin, on Leonard Street. We also hear that the super cred Dutch operator, Citizen M is eyeing an interesting site off Great Eastern Street.

Perhaps though, the most exciting news is the possibility that the daddy of them all, Ian Schrager, is about to raise the bar by opening his Public Hotel concept very near us.

US Interiors Store West Elm arrived last winter, but has failed to make a big impact despite the press coverage (bring on Crate & Barrel I say). Regardless, it’s still worth a visit, if only to avoid other design stores and to grab a coffee from their in-house cafe. A bit unfair? Actually yes because pricing is sharp and look carefully and gems can be found - like this great stack of boxes in every conceivable shape, size and finish…

And they have a design service, which is a great addition at this price point. Check them out - flagship store is on Tottenham Court Road.

Robert Soning, COO of Londonewcastle took time out to reflect on the changes in the London residential property market recently:

The style and quality of design of new developments has changed dramatically since 2007 - for the better. Developers have to try a lot harder and really get the details right – specification, style, finish and services have all got to be right to appeal to buyers.

The Growth of Residential Services

What has also really changed, is the continuing upwards drive for residential services which used to be the preserve of prime area developments only – I’m not just talking about swimming pools and gyms, but screening rooms, private residents clubs, libraries, business centres, wine storage and 24hr onsite concierge services. When we tabled the idea of the latter for The Henson development in Camden back in 2007, people thought we were mad, but residents really bought into it. We are going to see this trend continue as people continue to work longer hours and travel more, spending less time in their homes while buying more goods online for delivery to their home address.

I think interior design has evolved and become more expressive. Thankfully, most developers have moved on from thinking that every buyer in the world wants an Eames chair.

In terms of demand, it’s well documented that we are currently experiencing a surge in international buyers – with 59% of all buyers of prime stock being International and up to 70% for new build developments in prime areas.

New Markets

The two main difference between now and 2007 is the breadth of new markets that are now investing in London beyond the traditional major European states and selected Far Eastern and Middle Eastern nations.

The breadth of areas that are now being invested in beyond the usual has also changed to encompass areas that would not have previously been considered and this has been driven by quality developments with quality specifications and services that meet the needs of these international buyers and investors.

For example, Russian clients didn’t really featuring back in 2007, but we had a number of buyers from the country at The Henson. Mainland Chinese customers were also not a part of the market, but now represent about 3% with a heavier bias in Canary Wharf. Malaysians have also entered the market in greater numbers – with about 350 off the total 900 or so off plan sales for Circus West, the first phase of Battersea Power Station’s regeneration.

What will be interesting over the next couple of years is if Chinese customers will grow as a percentage of the market – especially outside of their currently favoured areas and price point - and the oft talked about growth of BRIC countries – especially India, where few inroads have been made other than a few sales at the top of the market.

Londonewcastle creates individual developments for people with individual taste. We develop with the domestic owner-occupier market in mind and it’s that vision that our overseas customers want and buy into.

Inside/Outside Space

Outside space is always at a premium, but customers really want to maximise useable space. As a result, ‘Winter / Sky Gardens’ do seem to be in vogue at the moment. They can now be seen at numerous other developments across the capital. We have designed them into our Dollar Bay development in Canary Wharf and it’s easy to understand why they have become popular with architects, developers and planners alike. They provide flexible, year round, usable inside-outside space and amenity. You have the flexibility to use what would traditionally be a terrace for a number of uses – sun lounge, library, study or additional living space.

Customers see the benefit because we are limited to the amount of time we can use outside spaces in this country due to the climate or in a tall building, due to the height, perception of safety and wind. It’s the opposite situation in hot climates, where there is a preference for shaded and/ or climate-controlled spaces to escape from excessive heat, humidity and poor quality air.

In addition to private amenity space, it is also good to provide shared communal spaces in developments where neighbours can relax. It improves the richness of the development and helps to foster communities with the development.

A New London?

Yes, as prime areas have extended it has pushed traditional notions of prime (defined by areas that cost £1,000 per square foot (psf) – Nine Elms, the city fringe (encompassing Old Street and Shoreditch), Paddington, Kings Cross all spring to mind.

Shoreditch is now commanding £1,000psf for quite average developments on the right streets and we have high hopes for our proposed development of the Huntingdon Estate in this area which will deliver a specification and living experience that has not been seen in the area before.

Welcomed Legislation

Legislation is always changing and evolving – from greater community/ public consultation – which we welcome - to moving towards carbon-neutral new developments including thermal efficiency, the use of recycled materials in construction to the energy efficiency heating/ cooling systems and appliances.

Interior Design Evolved

Open plan living has continued as a trend, rather than it being new. I think we are moving away from Scandinavian simplicity to more expressive interior design with a wider palette of seemingly clashing materials that work well when used intelligently together, but admittedly this is in more individual areas and seems to be less prevalent in the ‘greige’ parts of town.

One thing we are really seeing in new developments is demand for as much storage space as possible throughout the apartment – or within the development; for example, the provision of storage boxes in basements can command as much of a premium as car parking spaces.

Technology in the Home

We are going to see the continued increase of home automation – the one thing that hasn’t been linked up yet is bathrooms and kitchens. You will be able to switch on appliances remotely via smart devices, fill a bath and put your fridge in holiday mode for example. There is no reason to believe that you won’t be able to control security and access to your home too as it is already possible to set up profiles for home automation systems today.

I think we are likely to see screens and audio systems being even more integrated into the fabric of the home – multi function screens that act as TV, home hub and communication devices.

Mishcon de Reya and Central recent hosted the second in a series of linked discussions that examine the potential property future of London post-Olympics.

The second in the series was a round table, sponsored by Londonewcastle and James Andrew Residential Management with Property Week as media partner, that examined new ways of living and housing fit for London’s growing future.

An eclectic bunch of professionals came together to voice their views in an attempt to form an agenda that can be taken forward at Borough, Mayoral and Governmental level. Thankfully, participants were keen to air their views and get some traction going to help the industry tackle the current issues.

Click here to watch a short film of the event.

The event will be featured in the 14 December issue of Property Week and there will be a more detailed supplement on The Big Think series of debates in the pre-MIPIM issue in March next year.

Spotted in West London yesterday, but never seen before on this city’s streets, the Nissan Rasheen looks like the bastard love child of a Jeep Cherokee and a 90s Eastern-bloc Dacia. What it also is, is very cool and kooky - especially in must-have flat beige paintwork.

Built between 1994-2000 when Nissan’s Japanese designers were allowed to have fun on their home turf, the Rasheen was ahead of the trend-curve which is here today for smaller, more fuel efficient 4x4 SUVs … you may have heard of the ever so on-trend yet rather gauche Land Rover Evoque - and the Victoria Beckham special edition.

What it lacks is perhaps is a sense of any style - other than a sort of utilitarian, minimalist, functional aesthetic - but what it gains is uniqueness. Let’s face it, Evoques are ten-a-penny while this baby is positively bespoke.

Can you have a healthy diet working in London? With the Olympics upon us and healthy athletes on all our screens, most of us have been thinking about getting into better shape. But how does one integrate a decent diet into our work lives without sacrificing time and sleep?

I have a massive sweet tooth, but have found myself completely changing the food I eat - and the times I eat - to contribute to my own fitness goals. I’ve never been a fan of eggs in any way, shape or form, but due to their high protein levels and the resulting benefits for my training, have found that removing the yolk (which essentially takes the fat and cholesterol out) and making an egg white omelette is the perfect way for me to get the goodness I need, without relying on powders and shakes.

This new routine is easy at the weekend when I’m not working, but is under pressure during the week as time is restricted and home prepared food a hassle to bring to work.

And what can be done for lunches? Whilst one can go to the trouble of preparing food at home, for most this isn’t practical and therefore the only option is to eat out. This situation leads to new questions based on the type of foods you should eat for the fitness goals you are aiming for.

For the most part, people are aiming to lose weight and to do this you need to reduce carbohydrate intake. The main problem is that all major food chains use ingredients high in carbohydrates as the mainstay of their menus. An added issue is the lack of sufficient protein portion size to maintain muscle mass…

The solution to both of these issues is to find an independent deli where you can tailor meals to your needs. In this way you can ensure the portion size is more or less correct for your needs. This doesn’t seem much of a revelation perhaps, but it’s the best way to ensure you can get the correct portion sizes of each food group to meet your dietary needs.

There’s no other place like London for discovering innovative, sophisticated, one-of-a-kind design, be it fashion or furniture, jewellery or artwork. The Londonewcastle ethos is all about pioneering great design and the very best emerging talent, so here we share with you a selection of our favourite design stores across the capital, where you can get your hands on something rather special.

SCP Department Store Deserving of our top spot is SCP Department Store, with its flagship store in the heart of Shoreditch. A foray through the warehouse-style shop on Curtain Road uncovers everything from contemporary homeware and artwork to gifts and accessories, with glorious things such as Seletti neon lights, Peter Marigold shelving and Rob Ryan crockery to be found - and that barely scratches the surface. If you’re into Donna Wilson, then even better, because SCP stock an impressive range of her products, from her signature soft toys to especially commissioned, SCP-manufactured furniture. You can buy it all online too and those in West London needn’t worry about travelling east, because SCP has a second store on Westbourne Grove.

Tom Dixon Shop Skip across town to a perennial favourite - the Tom Dixon Shop in its tranquil location at Portobello Dock, Ladbroke Grove. Mainly showcasing the Tom Dixon lighting and furniture collection, the store has some other interesting gems that complement the home range. There are classic Adnet mirrors, embroidered products by social enterprise Fine Cell Work, which trains prisoners in needlework to help their skills and self esteem, Made in Nano tiles and tabletops, infographic homeware textiles by Stuart Gardiner, and Cire Trudon candles for a spot of indulgence, to name a few.

Dover Street Market Whether you’re planning to part with your cash or not, a visit to Dover Street Market is an experience in itself that every fashion fanatic should seek out. Six floors of carefully curated stock, pitching fashion icons such as Alexander McQueen beside lesser known emerging talent, make up the brainchild of Rei Kawakubo, of Commes des Garcons fame. It’s a department store-cum-market-cum-fashion addict’s dream. Be prepared to lose quite a bit of your day, and seek out Rose Bakery on the fourth floor to give your energy levels a delicious boost. We’ll wager you’ll need it!

Aram Store Positioned as ‘London’s best furniture store’, the Aram Store near Covent Garden is a stalwart of the contemporary furniture scene, and family-run too. Zeev Aram, with a little help from Terence Conran’s then-new venture, Habitat, started something of a design revolution in Chelsea back in the sixties, with his first tiny showroom on King’s Road. Today, the Aram Store, in its substantial, architect-designed warehouse space on Drury Lane, brings together innovative, cutting-edge design of the highest quality. The Aram Gallery on the upper floor holds some pretty interesting exhibitions too, with a focus on new techniques, experimental design practice, and fresh talent.

Fab UK

Fab UK Of course, we couldn’t ignore the internet altogether, so we’re throwing a new online design store into the mix. Fab UK is a carefully curated site that has grabbed our attention lately. The team previously known as Llustre, has been taken under the wing of existing design e-commerce business, Fab.com. Now it’s busy signing up some of the most sought after designers around, offering their products at discounted prices, presented as online ‘sales’ for defined periods of time. You have to sign up to be a member, but it’s completely free of charge and a no brainer really if you’re after something truly unique.

Folklore Our wild card, just because it’s brand new, is Folklore in Islington. Opened in January by husband and wife team Danielle and Rob Reid, the company was created on the premise that ‘better living is possible through design’. Well said, we say. Less is certainly more, not only in the design of the shop which features stripped floorboards and upcycled fittings galore, but also in the product range. Folklore sells homeware, lighting, art and lifestyle accessories that have a focus on high quality craftsmanship, be they antique, upcycled, recyclable, or brand new. Environmental sensitivity is another key attribute of their carefully selected ranges. One to watch we think.

It’s barely open, but I’ve made two trips to the show already. Produced by the tireless Ed Bartlett of The Future Tense in collaboration with Opera Gallery who represent France’s highest profile, contemporary art photographer Gerard Rancinan.

The show opens with a bang and doesn’t let up until you get into the final gallery space. The images are large, glossy and absorbing - more so with the accompanying notes beside each one which help the viewer to understand Rancinan’s vision and take on the modern world.

The exhibition is the final act which will complete the series - click here to see the making of the other pieces. Back to this show - and the final gallery, in which is installed a set, lights and camera. I’m not sure visitors get this, but this is the setting for the final piece that will be photographed by Rancinan and his team next Tuesday, 12th June. What makes this special is that the participants in the piece will be drawn from a public casting - an amazing opportunity to be involved in a composition that could be worth £100,000 today - and more in the future. The piece below sold recently at Phillips De Pury auction for £97,250 - a world record for the artist and a living French photographer (see it in the gallery until the 24th June close).

It’s an intriguing proposition: lots of contemporary art locks you out, with this you get to become a part of it. Details of how to be a part in the casting here.

The Who? is Londonewcastle and some friends and guest authors that will pop up from time to time giving us and you their views. The What? is London life. What else? It’s who we are, it’s what we do, it’s what we breath. And for us and above all else, it’s where we live. The Why? is to share our enthusiasm for this greatest city on Earth … its richness, its diversity and its ever changing nature.