Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2017 i Country Homes & Interiors

As a new season beckons, the colours of spring have been on our mind this month. Say hello to our favourite tones for country decorating this season by turning to our Decorating Special on page 65. Inspired by our ever-changing landscape and love of the naturally grown, the four shortlisted shades – denim, blossom, fern and honey – take on the colouration and character of frond and foliage patterns, sun-warmed florals, fresh sky hues and delicate painterly petals. These colours are at ease in rural-inspired settings and decor, and we show you how to use them in a fresh manner, matching them with of-the-moment furniture styles, textures and accessories for that modern country finish. For many of us, this is a time to refresh and revive. So regular readers will…

Katie is the current Designer in Residence at textiles brand, Woven. Bold painterly prints feature on cushions and throws in her new range, Rosehip & Poppy. What’s your workspace like? I share a studio in London with other artists, printmakers and designers – it’s a inspirational place to work. I find it hard to throw anything out so my desk is organised chaos but you never know where new ideas might come from! Describe the design process. I always carry a sketchbook with me, which I fill with scribbles, found objects and fabric samples. After coming up with a design, I try out different printing techniques and colours on various fabrics. Once I’m happy, I have them stitched into soft furnishings by a lovely local workshop. What inspired the collection?…

We want this now... Just made for an Aga or hob, the timeless design of this new stove-top kettle from KitchenAid will make a fine addition to any kitchen. The porcelain exterior resists staining and the thumb-press spout allows for easy filling. It’s also got a homely whistle. KitchenAid stove-top kettle, 1.9L, £99, available in Empire Red, left, Onyx Black, Almond Cream and Stainless Steel. Innovative ways to enjoy edible seeds Make the most of super seeds Edible seeds have been on our healthy eating radar for a while, but this spring we’re getting more creative with them. How about a seedy pizza dough? Just add 2 tbsp fennel, hemp, chia or sesame seeds to the ratio of 500g flour. Or try making your own seed butters. For pumpkin seed…

What we love most about living here... ‘It’s close to three major cities, but you wouldn’t know it from the miles of stunning rural countryside surrounding us’ What makes this house a home... ‘This house has stood for almost 400 years – it feels solid and strong, as if it has wrapped its beams around us’ Weve always loved Derbyshire,’ says Julie Smith. She and her husband, Mark, and their two sons, Oska, 16, and Ned, 14, were living on the outskirts of Derby but wanted to move to a larger house. ‘We wanted to live in the countryside,’ she says. ‘We liked one particular village, but not much comes up for sale there, especially with land. Then a house on the outskirts of the village with a…

Jeanetta’s style secret For a unique flourish, mix and match complementary fabric trims on made-to-measure curtains and cushions. Modern Country Classic Wall panelling Bring to mind the nostalgic look of seaside chalets and writers’ huts with tongue-and-groove cladding. Whether rustic or smart, this wall treatment just needs a fresh coat of paint to keep its good looks. As the name suggests, the boards are designed to slot together and are ‘secret nailed’ to supporting battens. The newer lookalike version consists of sheets of MDF with the v-joint profile already routed. It’s stable and can even be glued to a perfectly flat wall. Where to buy… • Homebase for softwood cladding and MDF panels. • The English Panelling Company for MDF panelling. • Murals Wallpaper for a made-to-measure rustic wood-effect mural.…

What I love most about living here… ‘I’m blessed with fantastic friends, including our neighbours, and family, who all feel at home here’ What makes this house a home…‘ The five open fires make this house so warm and welcoming, and people are just drawn in’  Shirley Gale has something of a passion for breathing new life into old houses. ‘One day I went to the hairdressers in a nearby village and looked out and saw an old house with a handsome façade that looked sad and completely unloved,’ says Shirley of the house she now lives in. ‘Half of the windows were missing and it felt like it needed rescuing, but I loved it. Then, luckily, I discovered that it was up for sale through auction.’ The…

SKY BLUE DENIM MOODBOARD (From top) Mazely, F4333/02, col Blue, £65 m, Colefax and Fowler. Country Sky, £24.49 for 2.5L matt emulsion, Dulux. Biscayne carpet, col Powder Blue, £73 sq m, Crucial Trading. Amelie, col Denim/Fudge, £54 m, Sarah Hardaker. Indigo Stripe Blue, £34.50 m, Ian Mankin. Briog, col Bilberry Blue, £48 m, Damson & Slate. ROOM Walls, painted in (top) Country Sky; (bottom) Boathouse Blue, both £24.49 for 2.5L matt emulsion, Dulux. Curtain, Sumi, V3206/06, col Indigo, £59 m, Villa Nova. Malplaquet chair, £856, Pimpernel & Partners. Covered in Amelie, col Denim/Fudge, £54 m, Sarah Hardaker. Cushion, Riko, 132080, £30 m, Scion. Snowdrop 2.5-seater sofa, in Blue Marl, £1,600, Sofa.com. Cushions (from left): 1 Dedalo, col Indigo, £60 m, Inchyra Designs. 2 Mazely, F4333/02, col Blue, £65 m, Colefax…

Finalist in the first series of BBC’s The Great Pottery Throw Down, Sally-Jo Bond juggles her interior-design business with her passion for potting. Since her TV appearance, Sally-Jo has turned a disused outbuilding into a studio, bought a wheel and kiln, and created a collection of terracotta tableware called Swoosh. As well as attending evening classes at West Street Potters in Farnham (‘there’s always something new to learn’), Sally-Jo has recently started to teach pottery herself and is thrilled with her students’ results. We headed to Petersfield to meet her… TELL US A BIT ABOUT WHERE YOU LIVE? My husband, Nick, and I are currently living with my parents in the family home that I grew up in. It’s a beautiful Victorian house on the edge of this bustling market…

WHETHER AN ARMCHAIR is soft and squidgy or firm and supportive, it’s the shaping and fabric choices that will really bring updated country style to your home. ‘The latest shapes offer a perfect excuse to refresh a room,’ says Tom White, Design Director, Parker Knoll. Those heritage favourites we’ve always loved to snuggle into are getting a modern twist, influenced by an interest in mid-century designs. ‘This year sees a new fusion of the classic and contemporary across seating styles with more traditional shapes combined with modern design details and an array of playful patterns,’ says Kate Tansley, Creative Director, Multiyork. THE BACKBONE OF EVERY ARMCHAIR is the frame. Until recently, the whole chair tended to be covered in padding and fabric with only the legs exposed, but with new…

1 Run a community woodland More and more groups across the UK are taking control of local woodlands in a bid to save trees, protect wildlife and bring people together. Here’s how to get started... • Ask the local council about available land in your area. • Find out about caring for woodland by signing up to a course, joining a woodland organisation or volunteering. Visit woodlands.co.uk to find those nearest to you. • Apply to The Woodland Trust’s Community Tree Packs scheme to receive a choice of free saplings and expert tree maintenance tips. • Host fundraising events for equipment. Organise a tree-planting day with other volunteers to get everyone involved. • Plan for the future; you could grow sustainable firewood, teach forestry skills, host community nature days – the list goes on! • Join…

SQUASHED FLY CHERRY SPELT BISCUITS These squashed fly biscuits are given a twist here with spelt flour and dried cherries. Spelt has a nutty, almost sweet, taste that makes it especially useful in baking. You can use plain flour or a mix of wheat and spelt flour, if preferred. MAKES 15-20 120g butter, softened 90g caster sugar 1 free-range egg, separated 210g spelt flour, plus extra for dusting ½ tsp baking powder Pinch of salt 70g dried cherries (or currants or dried cranberries, if preferred), chopped 1 In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer, cream the butter with 75g of the sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and beat to combine. 2 Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the creamed…

How to MAKE THEM YOURSELF Bordered storage Use this simple trick to personalise plain storage such as a country-style wooden crate. This wallpaper band can be updated time and again with the changing seasons, or as it starts to look untidy, and it only uses a small amount of paper. Work out the height and width of the band you need by measuring around all four sides of the outside of the box. Using a ruler, draw a band matching these dimensions onto the wallpaper and cut out. Glue the wallpaper band to the outside of the crate and then add a sealing layer using a decoupage glue and sealer, such as Mod Podge, and a small brush, gently pushing out any air bubbles as you go. Allow to dry…

A ABODE LIVING 01273 621116 abodeliving.co.uk ABRAXAS COOKSHOP 01327 341080 abraxascookshop.com AGA 0845 712 5207 agaliving.com ALEXANDER & JAMES 01159 835500 alexanderandjamessofas.com ALEXANDER & PEARL 020 8508 0411 alexanderandpearl.co.uk AMY KENT 07979 594651 amykent.co.uk AND SO TO BED 0808 144 4343 andsotobed.co.uk ANNE BLACK anneblack.com ANNIE SLOAN 01865 713089 anniesloan.com ANTHROPOLOGIE 00 800 0026 8476 anthropologie.com ARTISANS OF DEVIZES 01380 720007 artisansofdevizes.com ASHLEY MANOR 01384 486800 ashleymanor.co.uk ATKIN AND THYME 0844 409 9834 atkinandthyme.co.uk AUTENTICO 01233 878303 autentico-chalk-paint.co.uk AVENUE FLOORS 0845 226 8273 avenuefloors.co.uk B BC DESIGNS 01206 827100 bcdesigns.co.uk BEAM CLEAN & RESTORE 01299 841977 beamcleanrestore.com BEAU DECOR 01709 477705 beau-decor.co.uk BEDECK 0333 200 7331 bedeckhome.com BELOW STAIRS OF HUNGERFORD 01488 682317 belowstairs.co.uk BENNISON FABRICS 020 7730 8076 bennisonfabrics.com BERT & MAY 020 3744 0776 bertandmay.com BIG SKY…

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We want these now... It’s the best time to prune roses. Cuts should be no more than 5mm above the bud and should slope away from it so water does not collect on the bud. A sturdy but pretty pair of waterproof gauntlets like these will make the job so much easier. Bradleys Floral gardening gloves, £26, Garden Divas. Go undercover for vivid colour and delicate flavour Grow sweet, early rhubarb If you have an established plant, it’s not too late to encourage an early crop of rhubarb. You’ll need something to cover the plant – a big plastic pot will do, although you can’t beat the look of a traditional terracotta rhubarb forcer. Remove any rotting leaves from the crown of the plant, then give it a mulch of…

In the beautiful hills of Co Down, Abernethy country butter is handmade in the traditional way. Alison started making butter as a hobby using her great granny’s churn and three years ago gave up her job as a nurse to focus on the business full-time with her husband Will, after Heston Blumenthal asked them to supply his restaurant The Fat Duck. What’s so special about your butter? The cream we use is the very best and results in a lighter, creamier butter. We add a pinch of salt and nothing else, so it’s very pure. Commercially made butter is squeezed at high pressure, while ours is slowly churned. There is no comparison. We started with a 2 litre churn and now use a 35 litre one. As well as the…

Julie’s style secret Use an empty alcove to create a store for firewood – it’s an innovative way to create a decorative feature wall. Modern Country Classic Solid wooden shutters Solid shutters work for small windows and wide patio doors alike. In the Georgian period, the panelled type that’s still so popular was a must for fashionable homes, replacing plain-boarded versions; now shutters come plain or with mouldings in Georgian, Victorian or Edwardian styles. Painted and natural wood finishes are usual, but shutters can be covered in fabric, suede or faux-suede for a softer look to match your scheme. Where to buy… • Fabric Covered Shutters for unique, bespoke designs. • Hillarys for solid shutters in custom colours. • The New England Shutter Company for a range of styles.…

What makes this house a home... ‘ With children and dogs, and neighbours popping in, it’s always relaxed, and there’s nothing too precious here’ What we love most about living here... ‘ We’ve got gorgeous green countryside and beautiful walks, but we’re close to plenty of amenities, too’ A brief taste of urban living confirmed to Kate Davies that she is definitely a country girl at heart. She and her husband, Max, quickly realised that their modern family home on a new, edge-of-town development was the wrong choice. So they sold up and moved to a rural, rented property, hoping to buy in the area within a couple of years. ‘It’s a lovely, quiet spot, with fields and great schools, but because it’s so nice, properties rarely become…

Shirley’s style secret Add playful notes to your kitchen by including painted cabinetry in pretty pastel tones and accessories in co-ordinating colours. Modern Country Classic Larder cupboard Not every country kitchen has space for a walk-in larder, but a beautifully appointed cupboard, dedicated to all the kitchen essentials, is the next best thing. Traditional-style cupboards now come with soft-close drawers and adjustable shelves. Door racks are handy for spices and oils, and shallow shelves are a good option. Consider having a marble shelf to keep food cool, plus lighting and sockets for appliances. Where to buy… • Harvey Jones for a pantry larder with deep drawers. • John Lewis of Hungerford for larder doors that are glazed or wired. • Smallbone of Devizes for a built-in larder cupboard.…

Enjoy breakfast even more with make-you-smile serving ideas. CH&I LOVES Dine oak toast rack set, £40, LSA International. CH&I LOVES Dorset Charcoal wall plate rack, £750, Laura Ashley. 3 TOP FREESTANDING LARDER SUPPLIERS… * MARTIN MOORE’S handmade larders and dressers (below) are bespoke to help you create the perfect piece for your country home. Kitchens from £35,000. * LAURA ASHLEY’S Dorset storage unit has a chalky painted finish inspired by a traditional country cottage. It is available in seven colourways and costs £1,600. * JOHN LEWIS OF HUNGERFORD’S classic Artisan collection of freestanding kitchen units makes a strong style statement while providing a social space to prepare food and entertain. Prices start from £7,000. Master your barista skills and start the day full of beans!…

FRENCH FLORALS Beautiful hand-embroidered details ensure these towels will become firm favourites. • Aubépines cotton terry towels by D Porthault, from £154 for a 40x60cm towel, Harrods. HAMMAN STYLE These handwoven Turkish towels are ethically made and come with a 20-year guarantee. • 100% Turkish cotton towels, from £25 for a 90x170cm towel, Lüks Linen. ORGANIC OPTION A contrasting blanket-style embroidered trim gives this organic cotton towel artisanal appeal. • Varzea 100% organic cotton towels in stone grey, from £10 for a 50x100cm hand towel, Urbanara.…

• HOW DO THEY KNOW WHERE TO GO? Most robotic vacuums use sensors to feel their way around, moving slowly until they gently bump into something and change course. More expensive designs use cameras to map out the space. It can be frustrating to watch, but left to their own devices, they’ll cover every inch of available floor space, often many times. • ARE THEY SAFE ON THEIR OWN? Aside from irritating the dog, or occasionally getting stuck on a hearth or deep-pile rug, robots work best when you’re not there. Methodical cleaning takes time, so programme them to get busy while you’re at work and simply empty when you get home. • ARE THEY GOOD FOR PET HAIR? You’ll still need a normal vacuum for deep cleaning, but set…

BALLYVOLANE HOUSE, CASTLELYONS, COUNTY CORK We love it because… This Irish country house has bags of old-world period charm. Soak All the bedrooms have lovely bathrooms, with the most coveted featuring antique baths. Lather up with award-winning Voya bathroom products made from organic Irish seaweed. Sleep Choose from six bright and spacious rooms with in-room treats including homemade elderflower cordial and freshly baked biscuits. Eat House chef Teena Mahon prepares menus packed with flavour from great roasts to dishes showcasing fresh and saltwater fish, game in season, homegrown veg and delicious bread. Explore Take riverside walks along the scenic Blackwater valley to see plentiful wildlife and leaping salmon. How much? From €198 a night for a double room with breakfast. Ballyvolane House, 00 353 25 36349, ballyvolanehouse.ie. PENNYHILL PARK, BAGSHOT,…

PROJECT PROFILE Owners Lou White and her husband, Guy, who works in engineering. They live here with their children, William, 13, Freddie, 11, and Beatrice, eight, plus their two Labradors, Molly and Dilly. House Six-bedroom barn conversion in Berkshire. The project Dark woodwork revamped and tired cabinetry replaced with fresh finishes and a more sociable layout. Kitchen size 7x6.8m. Designer Richard Stillman, Moneyhill Interiors. Cabinetry Davonport’s Tillingham range, painted in French Grey Mid 113 and French Grey Dark 163 Intelligent Eggshell for the island, by Little Greene. Lou and Guy White fell head over heels with the soaring vaulted ceilings and light-filled rooms of the barn conversion in Berkshire that they bought to accommodate their growing family. While the kitchen enjoyed an impressive ceiling…

An idyllic childhood in the country and bringing up her own children in the West Sussex landscape has provided plenty of inspiration for Hannah Watchorn’s range of beautiful textiles. ‘I grew up on a farm in Hertfordshire,’ says Hannah, ‘We had lots of animals and I spent much of my time riding horses and exploring the land. I was always artistic and creative, and the rural charm of the countryside inspired me and captured my imagination. My mother has a passion for interior design – I have her eye – and my father is a talented artist, so I inherited those skills from him.’ Hannah was fascinated by fabrics at school and went on to do a degree in Illustration at Plymouth University, before realising that she wanted to move…

Love a jug! Designer Gisela Graham has partnered with the UK’s Butterfly Conservation charity to create Papillon, a pretty pastel giftware range inspired by seasonal blooms and the beautiful butterflies they attract. This charming milk jug, £22.99, is an ideal gift for Mother’s Day. Mix natural woods with modern wicker Love a laidback look This season sees an update of our favourite Croft collection at John Lewis with the launch of new products and ranges, all designed with a modern rustic lifestyle in mind. The fresh palette of soft blues, pinks and leafy greens are beautifully complemented by crafted wicker and wood furniture. Seed collecting and foraging are at the heart of the accessories range, which features detailed grass, perennial and seedhead designs across cushions, bedding, kitchen linens and more,…

Roger Parsons has been growing sweet peas for over 30 years and is custodian of a National Collection of Lathyrus. He is THE sweet pea expert. How did you get into sweet peas? I remember growing them as a child, going with my mother to Woolworths and buying 6d packets of seeds. They’re so easy that they’re addictive – then there’s the fragrance, the myriad colours, and elegance of the flowers. When is the best time to sow? For late-summer and autumn flowers, sow in March or April. If you want the longest stems for cutting and early flowers, sow in October from the Midlands south; January or February further north. Any good tips on climbing structures? Traditional pea sticks are best. Some gardeners weave them into lovely arches or…

Town and country... Regency classic The place to go... Cheltenham Set at the gateway to the Cotswolds, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this Regency spa town is popular with shoppers, book lovers, royalty and race-goers. Don’t miss the highlight of the National Hunt racing season, The Cheltenham Festival (14-17 March, cheltenham.thejockeyclub.co.uk). Explore Pitville Park and its Pump Room where you can taste the town’s therapeutic spa water (visitcheltenham.com). Eat at No.131 restaurant (theluckyonion.com/ no-131), which offers classic British and modern European dishes. The tasty weekend brunch menu will set you up for the day. Stay at the Hotel du Vin (hotelduvin.com), and enjoy boutique-style interiors, wine tastings and great food in the pretty Montpellier part of town. Love garden butterflies! There’s an extra splash of uplifting colour at…

Yellows, chalky neutrals, and khaki with a touch of pink make this look nostalgic and playful. It’s the place to sit on a sunny morning, a place to watch what the weather is doing, it’s a place to savour a mug of tea and a good book. The window seat has been a nostalgic mainstay of the country house since time immemorial, and is still on our style wishlist today. WHAT’S THE STORY? It’s the small spaces in a home that make us smile the most. In cramped early cottages with no room for extra seating, the niche by the window allowed for a simple bench on which to take the weight off your feet. In more formal Georgian times, the popularity of graceful sash windows allowed for an elegant…

What makes this house a home... ‘The furniture is a mish-mash of styles – either inherited or bought on the road up from London’ What I love most about living here... ‘ This house represents coming home as I grew up in Scotland. It is where my heart is’  The picturesque tin house in the Highlands of Scotland has been in Jeanetta Rowan Hamilton’s family for a couple of generations and was her childhood holiday home. Once there were many such houses in the area – Jeanetta’s house was bought by her grandfather as somewhere to stay when he fished in the nearby Helmsdale River with its reputation for migrating Atlantic salmon. However, by the time it passed to Jeanetta, the house was starting to – quite literally…

Kate’s style secret Opposites attract! Team country-style accents with industrial chic to create an authentic look with a quirky touch. Modern Country Classic Cottage windows Choose replacement windows that are a close match to the originals. Cottage-style windows are divided into individual panes but, due to modern energy regulations for double glazing, they will require thicker bars to hold each pane than the originals. To give a similar look, spacer bars are fitted within the large panes of a sealed unit and sometimes bars or leading are added to the inside and outside as well. Where to buy… • Clement for steel windows with elegant slimline bars. • Mumford & Wood for windows with internal and external bars. • The Sash Restoration Company for a box sash unit with individually glazed panes.…

1 Colour Sky blue denim Look to the skies and evoke the crisp, clear colours the new season brings. From pale and cool mornings to darker end-of -the-day dusk, there’s a blue for all. Build up the colour spectrum tonally, adding and taking away layers to suit changeable spring weather, creating cosy nooks or airy spaces. Mix with… Warming wood textural rope vintage metals. Make pattern work... Use striking mini hand-block designs to bring an upbeat and pretty appeal. Match with graphic repeats and herringbone weaves for an sophisticated style fusion. HERO BUY Trestle coffee table Choose a lean design made with salvage-look boards and cross-style legs for refined rustic appeal. Decorating tip Accentuate the appeal of light and dark by using two paint tones on the walls. Use a…

1 THE WONDER OF WOOD Upcycling and reusing discarded materials is a popular way to add character to a space, and salvaged farm barn doors are increasingly of interest to designers of country conversions. ‘Their appeal comes from the straightforward but robust construction and their weathered look from decades of exposure to the elements,’ believes Rupert Woods, Director at English Salvage. 2 COUNTRY CONTRAST Introducing a stable door to a modern kitchen will enhance other classic design features, such as Shaker panelled cupboards, factory-style lighting or a classic Belfast sink. ‘Stable doors have featured in country kitchens for centuries and are a highly practical way to evoke a country feel in a more contemporary kitchen,’ says Richard Moore, Design Director, Martin Moore. Enhance the country look with rustic-style latches and…

• KNOW YOUR RATINGS Strict regulations govern which fittings can be used in a bathroom. Every light fitting is given an Ingress Protection (IP) rating, which refers to how good it is at preventing water or steam entering the fitting – an IP44 rating or above is essential. Areas within bathrooms are also divided into separate zones, each requiring a minimum IP rating. The highest IP ratings are within zone 0, which covers inside the shower and bath. Zone 1 refers to lighting within 2.25 metres above the bath and shower, and Zone 2 covers the area around the basin and directly next to Zone 1. • FIT SAFE SWITCHES The safest light switches are pull cord, or regular switches positioned outside the bathroom door. For a more advanced solution,…

We’re delighted to be able to offer you the chance to visit the new Tom Howley Bespoke Kitchens showroom in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, to hear company founder Tom Howley sharing his 30 years of expertise on what makes the perfect kitchen. Find out what you should consider when planning your new kitchen, the inspiration behind the new showroom designs and how to get the most from your space when working with a designer. You’ll get culinary advice from a guest chef as they showcase the appliances, preparing and cooking a delicious three-course lunch for you. The day will also include the chance to learn more about Tom’s top design tips and the opportunity to speak to one of the designers about any projects you have in mind. • When Thursday…

1 French charm  A chunky top in weathered wood finish lends a farmhouse feel. Reclaimed pine butcher’s block, £649, Hicks & Hicks. 2 Simple beauty This double drawer frame boasts an antique marble top. Work table in Easy Blue, from £1,409, John Lewis of Hungerford. 3 Natural form In solid spruce with a cool zinc top, this design is both stylish and practical. Aldsworth butcher’s block, £250, Garden Trading. 4 Rustic style This large oak butcher’s block-cum-island serves as a multi-functional space. Cotswold kitchen butcher’s block, £699, The Cotswold Company. 5 Neat size The simple shape and handy hanging rail make this ideal for smaller kitchens. Suffolk chopping block, £940, Neptune. 6 Beautiful colour  Choose from six chalky shades to co-ordinate or contrast with units. Dorset butcher’s trolley in Duck…

1 BREAKFAST CUPBOARD Lined in warm oak veneer, the breakfast cupboard features bi-fold doors that tuck out of the way. Electric sockets inside allow the toaster and blenders to be on stand-by and there’s plenty of space for the bread bin and cups. ‘We wanted as little clutter as possible on the worktops in this kitchen. I love how I can shut the doors and everything looks so neat and tidy,’ says Lou. ‘Sitting this cupboard directly on the Caesarstone worktops means the appliances slide smoothly out and it’s easy to wipe down any crumbs from the toaster. 2 BOOT ROOM Located just inside the back door – the family’s main point of entry – the boot room plays a vital role in keeping the kitchen clutter-free. ‘Each child has…

The one lesson I have learned... ‘TO TAKE IT ONE STEP AT A TIME. I HAVE SO MANY IDEAS AND IT’S IMPORTANT TO DO EACH ONE PROPERLY WITHOUT RUSHING IT’ Hannah Watchorn’s inspiration comes from nature and the objects of everyday life. ‘Hannah has developed her own distinctive style using simple, beautifully drawn designs and motifs in monochromatic earthy colourways,’ says Juliette Barrell, Marketing and Business Development Partner at Cognoscentis. ‘Hannah’s recent trip to Rajasthan gave her fresh inspiration for the Chikoo collection. It is a progressive design development in that, although it is new, it has all the hallmark qualities of her brand.’ Juliette advises budding designers to view inspiration as a key part of planning their business, rather than something that is done as-and-when. ‘Finding inspiration for the…