Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2025 i 25 Beautiful Homes

It’s amazing how a room can suddenly look dated or no longer work as well as you want it to – or a house that suited small children needs to function in a different way with teenagers. Emmajane Varley had to rethink her home after a change in family circumstances, and an elegant updated decor has brought new life to her property. See the results on page 54. Nisha and Mit Patel moved into their Victorian house believing that it just needed a new coat of paint. A few months later, those few cosmetic changes developed into a full-scale, two-storey extension with a brand-new kitchen. Take a look on page 28. Whatever changes you’re planning, we hope you find plenty of inspiration here.…

PROJECT DETAILS DESIGNER Alfie Guard, senior designer, Ripples (ripplesbathrooms.com) PROPERTY Detached house WORK Redesign as part of a house renovation LOCATION Surrey ‘My clients wanted their bathroom to feel like they were walking into a five-star hotel,’ says designer Alfie Guard. ‘They were keen to include a variety of natural-looking materials and textures, such as teak wood units and brushed brass fittings.’ 1 REINVENTING THE SPACE ‘The original layout felt cramped and uninviting as the shower was previously tucked away in a dark corner, with lots of wasted space in the middle,’ says Alfie. ‘We initially considered extending, but decided to reconfigure the bathroom’s layout instead and invest the budget in high-end fittings. By using light-reflecting materials and installing mirrors, we created the illusion of more space within the original…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY 1870s terraced cottage ROOMS Sitting room, cloakroom, kitchen-diner, three bedrooms, bathroom LOCATION Cumbria HOW DID THE CLIENTS FIND YOU? The holiday cottage in the Lake District had been a dream of theirs for a long time. They live in the Middle East and return several times a year to visit family and friends. My client found me online and liked my interiors approach to period properties – preserving the traditional and bringing in a calm, contemporary style. WHAT WAS THEIR BRIEF? The couple wanted the property to reflect its Lake District location and were open to ideas. It’s a long journey for them to get here so it was important they instantly felt at home. They’re active, outdoorsy people so the home needed to be practical,…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A 1930s semi-detached house ROOMS Sitting-dining room, kitchen, utility room, cloakroom, three bedrooms, bathroom LOCATION Kent In search of a family-friendly home in their beloved Margate, Claire Rother and partner Raven Bush decided to swap their three-bedroom Victorian terrace for a spacious 1930s property on the outskirts of town. ‘Margate has an energy you can’t help falling in love with,’ says Claire. ‘It’s an inspiring place to live, rich in history, with sandy beaches, spectacular views across the harbour and a vibrant arts scene.’ Twenty years before, Margate was a very different place. The town had fallen into neglect, but property was affordable and Claire was able to purchase a house to rent out. It turned out to be a wise investment as Margate’s fortunes improved…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY New-build detached villa ROOMS Kitchen-diner/living area, sitting room, study, cloakroom, utility room, boot room, gym, cinema room, three bedrooms, two bathrooms LOCATION Kent ‘AN AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMP AND A HEAT RECOVERY VENTILATION SYSTEM WERE TWO ECO CHOICES TAKEN’ When James and Nicola Collyer bought a stunning 500-year-old property in a Kent village in the summer of 2020, they truly believed it would be their forever home. However, it turned out their dream didn’t match up with reality. ‘The maintenance was constant, and using oil to heat a leaky home was becoming increasingly expensive,’ says Nicola. ‘Deep down we longed for a maintenance-free home but we couldn’t bear the thought of giving up our magical space in the country.’ One morning, the couple noticed a planning…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Apartment in a Victorian townhouse ROOMS Open-plan sitting room, kitchen and dining area, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, dressing room LOCATION West London The story of Amanda L Hoyle, creative director, founder and principal designer at Sey Studios, and Oliver Friesen, CEO at Guardian Metal Resources, sounds like it could be straight out of the movie Notting Hill. Both from Canada, the couple met in London, where Amanda lived and Oliver was on holiday. After a few months of long-distance dating, they took the leap and moved to be together. Love at first sight also played a role in their home search in the capital. ‘The moment Oliver and I stepped into this apartment, we knew this was the one,’ remembers Amanda, who opted for the two…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached 1930s house ROOMS Sitting room, open-plan kitchen, dining space and snug, utility room, study, three bedrooms, shower room, bathroom, plus a garage LOCATION Dorset ‘I’D RECOMMEND OPEN-PLAN LIVING TO ANYONE – IT’S GREAT TO ALL BE TOGETHER AS A FAMILY, BUT IDEAL FOR ENTERTAINING, TOO’ To say Gemma and Justin McCann take a positive approach to life is an understatement. ‘I suppose we always think things will be OK, and so far that has been the case,’ Gemma laughs as she recalls how the couple took a leap of faith when they first saw their classic 1930s house for sale while out on a bike ride. ‘It was on a lovely road, but this was during the pandemic and we weren’t allowed to view it…

PROJECT DETAILS DESIGNER Collette Ward (collettewardinteriors.ie) PROPERTY Georgian townhouse with five bedrooms WORK Bedroom renovation LOCATION Dublin ‘I was commissioned to redesign the interior for this townhouse, including the main bedroom,’ says designer Collette Ward. ‘My client’s vision was for a calming retreat that included plenty of colour, yet which would be very relaxing, too.’ 1 GO FOR BESPOKE Collette designed custom furniture, creating an ambience tailored to her client’s family lifestyle. ‘Although the bed and oversized chaise longue are both bespoke, they’re also highly functional and practical enough for my client’s children to pile on for a cuddle or a story,’ says Collette. ‘The four-poster bed is a family favourite, it’s like a “room within a room”.’ 2 MIX IT UP ‘The bedroom had a wonderful fireplace and cornicing,…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian terrace ROOMS Living room, snug, cloakroom, open-plan kitchen-dining area, utility and bar, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, office LOCATION Southeast London When Lauren Dean and her husband, Dan, first viewed their Victorian terraced house in southeast London in 2021, it was far from love at first sight. The property had been neglected for decades, it was damp, dark and in need of an overhaul. However, despite its dilapidated state, Lauren, who is head of marketing for a telecom company, and Dan, director of design and build company Benya Developments, could immediately see the potential. The couple had already renovated a flat nearby and were ready for something bigger. ‘We enjoyed transforming the flat and loved it, but wanted more space,’ Lauren says. ‘When we first saw…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A 17th-century former coaching inn ROOMS Sitting room/dining area, kitchen, utility room, study, cloakroom, three bedrooms, bathroom LOCATION Dorset Unless you were looking for a renovation challenge, you wouldn’t have given the run-down pub a second glance. For Alastair Humphries, however, it was perfect. He and his partner Carlo had been about to relocate to the US, but a change of plan saw them house-hunting in Dorset, with two important factors to take into account – their Weimaraners, Guthrie and Billy. ‘We wanted to rent somewhere before buying but we couldn’t find anywhere that allowed big dogs,’ says Alastair. ‘Then we heard about the old coaching inn in Shaftesbury.’ Last orders had been called for the final time three years previously, and the town’s oldest pub…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A double-fronted Victorian house ROOMS Sitting-dining room, kitchen, office/music room, cloakroom, games room, five bedrooms, three bathrooms LOCATION West London ‘THE METAL-FRAMED WINDOWS OF THE KITCHEN EXTENSION FEEL MODERN BUT ALSO HAVE A PERIOD TOUCH SUITABLE FOR THE HOUSE’ Synchronicity was at play when the owners of this classic-with-an-edge period townhouse in west London came to engage architectural designer Emilie Mauran to renovate their home. ‘They had seen various projects of mine – including my own house – published over the years and they felt we’d be on the same wavelength,’ says Emilie. When the London-based couple – she is French, he is Cypriot – found Emilie was also French, it felt like fate had stepped in. ‘But they still researched me thoroughly and visited projects…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Edwardian terrace ROOMS Double sitting room, kitchen-diner, utility room, three bedrooms, two bathrooms LOCATION West London Cottage in the city sums up the west London Edwardian terraced home of Jules O’Carroll, co-founder with Nancy Parker of Parker & Jules. The brand’s signature printed textiles and wallpapers embrace timeless patterns that are infused with lashings of modern colour, so it’s no surprise that Jules celebrates them in her house with an alluring verging-on-the-maximalist, country-style interior. The house’s period charm won over Jules and her husband Dero when they first viewed it. ‘It was shabby chic and everything was white, but there was still a cosiness to it,’ says Jules. ‘It hadn’t been hugely modernised and a lot of the features were still there. Our house in the…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Semi-detached Queen Anne-style home built in 1886 ROOMS Entrance hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen with breakfast nook and family room, two laundries, boot room, wine cellar, office, playroom, games room, six bedrooms, five bathrooms LOCATION Chicago HOW DID YOU COME TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT? When my friends bought a place in downtown Chicago, they turned to me. DESCRIBE THE HOMEOWNERS’ STYLE. Athena Calderone’s influence was a guiding force for the homeowner, shaping my vision with a love for contemporary minimalism. Her signature style – elegant, understated and thoughtfully curated – served as a road map, inspiring a design approach that celebrates simplicity and timeless beauty. WHAT WERE THE BIGGEST PRIORITIES FOR THE HOMEOWNERS? Creating a space that felt serene was essential. The goal…