Innholdsfortegnelse for Apr-2018 i Country Homes & Interiors

We are saying hello to the first boughs of blossom this issue. Inspired by the pale pink and scarlet hues of the crab apple tree, we’ve created the perfect country-style designs and crafts for the Easter weekend. Turn to page 72 and find delightful vintage-style ideas, charming decorations and gorgeous gifts. Colour plays such an important part in our lives and yet it is often the hardest thing to decide on when you are thinking about refreshing walls. Brush up on the season’s new country paint shades – from serene greens to honeyed hues – on page 98. Our design special of 10 pure and simple spring kitchens (page 109) also takes a look at the less-is-more palettes and pared-back materials that are topping our wish lists. Closely observing nature’s…

TAKE A TEA BREAK There’s nothing better than taking a few moments for yourself in a busy day, which is why we love Daylesford’s new Wellness Teas, each designed for a different time of day, or mood. Radiance is a lovely caffeine-free, gingery alternative to coffee, while Digest is perfect for after meals. Pretty packaging is a bonus, too. £4.99 for a 30g bag, daylesford.com . OUR FAVOURITE ARTISAN PRODUCER Broughgammon Near the Giant’s Causeway is the Broughgammon farm. Charlie Cole realised male goats were being put down at birth as they don’t produce milk, and set about rearing them with his wife, Becky, for healthy, free-range meat. They now also raise ethical rose veal and game. At the farm, there’s an artisan butchery and shop, but…

Born and in the beautiful Yorkshire brought up countryside, Hannah Gray and her husband Mal were keen to move from their new-build on a housing estate to the village where Hannah grew up and where her parents still live. ‘It’s such a lovely place to be and to bring up a family,’ says Hannah. It was Hannah’s mum who spotted the house where they now live. ‘The property itself was not very appealing but the location drew us to it,’ says Hannah. It had no kerb appeal and it needed decorating, but we fell in love with the location on the outskirts of the village, overlooking fields for miles. We could be a part of the village community yet be in the countryside, too.’ The previous owners had lived in…

Celebrate British wildlife and country living with animated motifs on soft furnishings. Michelle’s style secret Layer softly textured, oversized and inviting Welsh blankets to add warmth and colour. Modern Country Classic Picture shelf Slim in profile and versatile in nature, these super-handy ledges are perfect for displaying anything and everything from favourite art collections in the living room to bedtime books in the children’s room. Crafted wood designs lend character to rustic schemes, while a contrast-colour painted finish can give an edge in both traditional and modern settings. Change displays each season for a quick cost-effective room update. Where to buy... • Willow & Stone for handmade, solid oak designs in a range of lengths. • Neptune for clean lines and modern country appeal. • The Organised Home for sleek, contemporary styles.…

It was a case of from one extreme to the other when going Jemima Withey and her family moved from a very modern house to an old period property. They were living on the outskirts of a Suffolk town in a Bauhaus-style house – a contemporary home they had built themselves. ‘The children were tiny and we didn’t have dogs then,’ says Jemima. ‘As time went on, we really wanted a period house with land and spent a while looking for the right property. Then, however, we decided to have a gap year and took the children out of school for two terms in 2012 to travel around the world.’ As luck would have it, the day before they left for their trip, the estate agent phoned up and said,…

MAKE PATCHWORK EGGS Polystyrene 6cm eggs,£1.70 for 3; clear varnish,from £1.50, both Hobbycraft. Liberty fabrics,from £15.95m, Liberty London. Vintage botanical book,£8, eBay. HOP INTO THE GARDEN Vintage wooden bench, £650; dolly tub (to right of bench), £90; crate (under bench), £20; plant pots, £3 each; red lantern, £15; basket, £25, all from a selection, Packhouse. Bench, painted in Pink Slip, £65 for 2.5L intelligent exterior eggshell, Little Greene. Cushions (from left): 1 Camilla FP, made to order, from £50, Charlotte Gaisford. 2 Primrose Hill, col Cream/Olive, 221941, £35m, Sanderson at Style Library. 3 Hermitage Birds G, made to order, from £50, Charlotte Gaisford. 4 Hand-printed bunny rabbit plushie, £17, The Print Bee. 5 Poppy Damask, col Fuchsia/Cream, 225344, £49m, Sanderson at Style Library. Galvanised bucket, £15, from a selection, Decorative…

THE JUG Flower jug, H15cm, col Anemone/Lime, £30, Dartington. THE LIGHT Bonnie wall light, Dia27cm, col Turquoise, £129, Pooky. THE DRINKWARE Peony glasses, £80 for 6, Pols Potten at Alresford Linen Company. THE TABLE ADDITION Fin de Siecle candlestick, H24cm, col Grey, £19.95, The Hambledon. THE RECYCLED PICK Hyacinth bulb vases,H16cm, £12.95 each, Finch & Crane. THE PARTY GLASS Mixology champagne coupe, H15cm, £225 for 4 assorted, Waterford. THE WOW-FACTOR SPLASHBACK Up The Garden Path splashback, 60cm sq, £270, Emma Britton. THE DECORATIVE ACCESSORY Jadagrace ribbed glass bottle,H41cm, col Yellow, £78, Out There Interiors. THE SERVEWARE Coloured glass plate, Dia16cm, col Blue, £65 for 6, Sophie Conran. THE LOOK-AT-ME LAMP Orba base, H39cm, £120; shade,Dia50cm, £44, Oka. THE BRUNCH CHOICE Granada juice glasses, H9cm, £6 each, Anthropologie. From water jugs…

FRESH BREEZES, LONGER DAYS, NOW’S THE TIME TO GET OUT THE COLOUR CHARTS AND BRUSHES for a painting session. ‘Creating great decorating schemes is a bit like cooking – where colours are your ingredients,’ says Marianne Shillingford, creative director of Dulux. There are currently plenty of country picks from the seasonal colours. Among Crown Paints’ newest colour influences is the Bloom palette of fresh floral tones, on a spectrum from lively green Feeling Fresh to deep pink Fuchsia Fizz and Scrumptious purple. ‘This collection is a joyful acknowledgement of summer promise, where every colourful bloom is layered one over the other,’ says Neville Knott, Crown Paints colour consultant. For its colour of the year, Dulux has homed in on Heart Wood, a beautiful warm neutral with a hint of heather.…

1 ISLAND DISPLAY Wooden pot-board shelving at the end of the island neatly frames a stylish vignette of art, books and baskets. ‘This is the end viewed from the dining table so I wanted it to have a decorative element with nice shapes and textures,’ says Kirstie. ‘The small drawers are more practical storage-wise, but they look good, too.’ 2 WALL TO WALL The dining area’s rear wall has been clad in Neptune’s Cranbrook Shiplap, which has the rustic texture of naturally weathered boarding. ‘I just love the textural connection between the shiplap and the adjoining exposed Cotswold stone wall,’ says Kirstie. ‘It helps to blend the transition between new extension and old cottage, and create a more unified room.’ 3 RANGE COOKER UPDATE Having stretched the budget on the…

Charge on the move This ingenious Power Purse clutch bag from Iphoria means you can keep essentials to hand and charge your phone at the same time. The bag has an in-built charger with enough power for one full charge. Made from veggie leather, the Love Me Power Purse costs €89.90. Spritz it If the changing seasons make you long for a fresh fragrance, try Jo Malone’s new English Fields collection of five limited-edition colognes that capture the essence of English country meadows. The evocatively named Green Wheat & Meadowsweet, Oat & Cornflower, Primrose & Rye, Honey & Crocus and Poppy & Barley come in 30ml ceramic-effect bottles, £47 each. INVEST IN THE BEST If you’re looking for smart and timeless occasionwear for a spring wedding or a day at…

‘Brunch is the mealtime that doesn’t really exist during the week, and that is part of its charm. Inviting people round for brunch instead of lunch or supper will give a pleasant change of pace to your weekend’ BAKED STUFFED MUSHROOMS Serve with eggs as an epic brunch dish or use smaller mushrooms for the fanciest mushrooms ever to grace your fry-up! SERVES 4 4 tbsp butter 1 leek, finely sliced 1 onion, finely chopped 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme 8 slices of rindless streaky bacon, finely chopped (optional) 80g fresh white breadcrumbs Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 large field or Portobello mushrooms 1–2 tbsp Dijon mustard (to taste) 150ml double cream 4 eggs (optional) 1 Preheat the oven to…

When Emma Sutton decided to bring print back to Mosney Mill, she wanted to use British know-how to do it. ‘It felt right to use the skills of people here because print was done at Mosney by skilled people who were pioneers with their machinery,’ says Emma. ‘I was also sick of seeing things at fairs and finding out that while they looked quintessentially British and were created by a British artist, they were actually made overseas.' Get your quality and pricing right. ‘For me, it was a balance of creating something special but at an achievable price. I wanted to produce a decent product at a decent price. At the same time, I didn’t want to sell a teapot for £95 when my mugs cost £12. It had to…

Love a leaf We’re still enjoying the renaissance of green leafware, from cabbages to lettuces. Oka has taken it further with a new table range that includes ferns, artichokes and these fabulous fig plates. Available in three sizes, they’re made from earthenware and are microwave and dishwasher safe. A set of four dinner plates costs £48. OUR FAVOURITE ARTISAN LIGHTING DESIGNER Naomi Paul From a young age, Naomi Paul was making items from objects found on her family’s Sussex farm. These days, from her east London studio, she uses a coppered frame and hand-crocheted cotton cord to create unique lighting designs. Naomi tells us more… How did you get into lighting? I was commissioned to make a crocheted sculpture for a jeweller, and while making this, I thought about how…

Inject a note of luxury with on-trend purple. Burlington crystal lamp base, H58xW18xD18cm, £185; Henry shade, H25xDia50cm, col Damson, £50, both Neptune. Hang this rustic, country charmer for a sentimental touch. Wicker heart, H93cmxW67cm, £57.95, Melody Maison. For storage and comfort, choose this multi-tasking piece. Elliot large lift-top footstool, H44x W130xD65cm, col Highland Check Grape, £625, Laura Ashley. Make the chimney breast the stand-out feature by painting above the mantel. Add vibrancy to your living area with beautiful flowers that last all year. Summer shades bouquet, H65xW50cm (vase not included), £115.99, Blooming Artificial. This heritage-inspired shade lends a muted subtlety. May Queen, £18.50 for 2.5L flat matt, Period Collection, Crown Paints. Hannah’s style secret Flowers will always bring a burst of colour to any room – perfect for an instant,…

Hang an odd number of pendants – three or five works well – over your island unit for smart task lighting. Jemima’s style secret Make a strong style statement in your kitchen with a coloured-glass splashback in your favourite shade. Modern Country Classic Circular breakfast bar Originally designed for informal meals (and in some homes, replacing the dining table), the breakfast bar has evolved into a hub that reflects today’s busy lifestyles and need for multifunctional areas. As well as adding an extra worktop, circular space-saving designs often include storage, while providing a place to perch for everything from home working to reading the weekend paper, plus informal social gatherings. Where to buy... • Earthy Timber for bespoke worktops by skilled artisans. • Evoke Furniture for efficient schemes to suit all styles.…

Country botanicals Bring the uplifting feel of spring into your bedroom with painterly, nature-inspired flourishes, abstract markings in vibrant colours and mix-and-match designs. Simple stripes and checks For time-honoured style with a modern twist, opt for check and stripe designs reworked in simplified scales, crisply smooth finishes and subtle sorbet shades. Relaxed plain linens Laze in cosy-soft layers of chalky-hued crushed linen and embrace the crumple factor… it’s time to give the iron a break!…

Whether your take on vintage is laid-back country or effortless glamour, choosing the right window treatment is key. Blinds, curtains and shutters have the power to transform the look and feel of a room completely, adding texture, colour and depth. To celebrate Mother’s Day, Hillarys asked British fashion and textiles designer Pearl Lowe and her daughter, model Daisy Lowe, to redecorate a room in their own homes with a stylish new look. While the two share a close relationship, the competition was on. Bedrooms in Pearl’s Somerset home (left) and Daisy’s London home (above) were given a new look. Daisy wanted a stylish sanctuary, so chose white furniture and accessories for her scheme, using the window treatments to add personality by mixing pretty blue toile curtains and striped Roman blinds.…

Check out the 12 colours and three designs of these rugs online where they’re teamed with co-ordinating Farrow & Ball paint shades. Silk Border rug, 2.29x1.52m, col Wizlet, £1,820, The Rug Company. Each of the six new additions to this range has three suggested toning or contrasting Little Greene paints. Castlemead Twist, col Yellow Submarine CD128, £42sqm, Adam Carpets. Team this gorgeous floral with Laura Ashley’s Pale Iris paint shade for a beautifully elegant look. Violetta Iris rug, 140x200cm, £180, Laura Ashley.…

1 Light touch Introduce a driftwood feel with these hoop-backed beauties and you’ll never cease to enjoy their characterful grain. Bossy kitchen chairs, H98xW51xD41cm, col Scuffed White, £290 for 2 including pads, Loaf. 2 Perfect proportions An upholstered seat pad teamed with a solid oak and veneer frame painted in a soft natural finish… this is the epitome of modern country chic. Hambleton dining chair, H98xW45xD53cm, £500 for 2, Laura Ashley. 4 Scandi inspired This subtle duo feature elegant curves, spindle backrests and gently tapered legs, and will complement almost any style of table. Bergen oak chairs, H92xW45xD45cm, £400 for 2, Cox & Cox. 7 Post-war design Maximise use of space with this stackable seat, in a range of colours and finishes. Originals stacking chair, H77xW45xD50cm, col Forest Green, £390,…

Choosing the right hob is key to any kitchen and, traditionally, one of the first decisions has been which heat type to use – gas, induction or (less popular now) ceramic. Thankfully, manufacturers have realised that we want flexibility, which is why we are so impressed with the new combination hobs. These have a mix of heat sources, meaning there’s the perfect way to cook every meal and, even better, a ring for every pan, from the non-magnetic pans, which won’t work on induction, to heavy cast-iron pots. 1 Best for... THE SERIOUS CHEF Genesi G10FF-4C, from £1,957, Steel Cucine For heavy-duty high performance, try this 90cm hand-crafted Italian hob. With four gas burners and two induction zones, there’s space for all kinds of cooking. The grids are made from…

1 Signs of spring Made with eau-de-nil coloured white chocolate finished with a silver lustre, this lovely egg is decorated with sugar paste flowers, bumble bees and a butterfly. Spring Bloom Egg, £30, Bettys. 2 Nest eggs This charming nest of eggs is handmade from Belgian milk chocolate and caramelised white chocolate, hand-painted to look like British birds’ eggs. Organic Hand-painted Clutch of Eggs, £25, Daylesford. 3 Paisley pattern Hand-painted in pretty paisley, this dark chocolate egg is filled with four dark chocolate ganaches and three carrés. Paisley Handpainted Easter Egg, £27.50, Rococo.…

Soar Mill Cove, Salcombe, Devon This luxurious hotel with its own golden beach sits in an elevated position on a Devon hillside above the sandy cove after which it is named. Many of the rooms have stunning ocean views, and it’s the perfect place for a British seaside escape. The hotel itself has two resident Labradors, Farley and Daisy, and your own pet will be greeted with dog treats on arrival. There are plenty of local coastal walking trails to explore, as well as a spa with a heated saltwater pool to relax in. Salcombe itself, with its bustling harbour, cafés, restaurants and shops, is just a short drive away. THE COST Three-night stay from £195pp*. THE DATES Offer applies Monday to Friday, until 24 May 2018 (excluding 4-6 May…

A  ABRAHAM MOON 01943 873181 moons.co.uk ADAM CARPETS 01562 829966 adamcarpets.com ALCHEMY alchemykitchens.co.uk ALDWORTH JAMES & BOND 020 8269 0883 aldworthjamesandbond.co.uk ALRESFORD LINEN COMPANY 01962 734221 alresfordlinen.co.uk ALSO HOME 01483 608611 alsohome.com AMARA 0800 587 7645 amara.com AMAZON amazon.co.uk ANTHROPOLOGIE 0800 0026 8476 anthropologie.com ARGOS 0345 640 2020 argos.co.uk ARLO & JACOB 0333 222 1643 arloandjacob.com ASDA 0800 952 0101 asda.com B  BATHSTORE 0800 023 2323 bathstore.com BAYTREE INTERIORS 0808 168 9242 baytree-interiors.co.uk BENJAMIN MOORE 01753 575756 benjaminmoorepaint.co.uk BERTAZZONI ATBRITANNIA 0800 073 1003 bertazzoni.com BETTYS 0800 456 1919 bettys.co.uk BLOOMING ARTIFICIAL 0800 977 7589 bloomingartificial.co.uk BLUEBELLGRAY 0808 164 0130 bluebellgray.com BOHEMIADESIGN 0131 555 2485 bohemiadesign.co.uk BOHZAAR 01531 553000 bohzaar.co.uk BRINTONS 0800 505055 brintons.co.uk BRONTE BYMOON brontebymoon.co.uk BURBIDGE 024 7667 1600 burbidge.co.uk BURLEIGH 01773 740740 burleigh.co.uk C  CHARLOTTE…

Just what you need now... It’s time to plan your container displays for late spring and summer, so add style to your terrace with this hand-thrown, hand-pressed Windrush Iris Pot, inspired by the work of William Morris. It’s a handy size, practical shape and guaranteed frost-proof. Made and designed at the famous Whichford Pottery in Warwickshire, it measures H25xDia39cm and costs £59.50. Q&A WITH A SHARING GARDENER All hail the tulip To enjoy tulips at their best, head to the world-famous Tulip Festival at Pashley Manor Gardens, in East Sussex. Head gardener Keith Boylett explains how he prepares. How did the Tulip Festival begin? It began over 20 years ago to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the tulip to Europe. The event has grown, from 5,000 bulbs…

Regarded by most as the main ingredient when creating a country kitchen, you can’t beat a range for conjuring up images of rural living. Central to making the kitchen the heart of the home, it’s a place to cook, cosy and cuddle up against for year-round comfort. WHAT’S THE STORY? The metal stove was a replacement for open fires and braziers, first appearing in our kitchens in the 18th century bristling with cast-iron boxes, vents and pipes. Ranges originally ran on solid fuel, then oil, and more recently on gas and electricity, and were designed to cook and heat a room more reliably while removing smoke and pollutants. The latest designs have many eco-friendly attributes to cut down on heat loss and wasted energy, including timers and oven isolators. WHICH…

Incorporate the trend for exposed pipework with characterful taps and freestanding towel rails in copper, brass and nickel. Tori’s style secret Maximise storage potential with clever built-in solutions that save on space in unconventional layouts. Modern Country Classic Bateau bath These iconic roll-top tubs are perfectly suited to a country bathroom. Their name comes from the French for boat, owing to their similar silhouette. In the early 19th century, they were a must-have for the fashionable elite – desired for their generous depth and heat-retaining qualities. Modern freestanding options have a contemporary edge with sleek, polished exteriors in copper, cast-iron and colour-painted finishes. Where to buy... • The Cast Iron Bath Company for handcrafted British-built models. • William Holland for metallic finishes. • Drummonds for flat-bottomed and footed options.…

MAKE PATCHWORK EGGS Simply cut out small, randomly shaped pieces of patterned fabric and stick onto a polystyrene egg using PVA glue and a glue brush. Insert a cocktail stick into the egg and push into a potato (or similar) to dry. Paint on clear varnish to seal, and allow to dry overnight. See page 80 for details. HOP INTO THE GARDEN Enjoy sunny spring afternoons on a perfectly peachy styled bench. Add easy comfort with floral-print cushions, and tuck in a cute bunny. Position potted blossoming trees and spring blooms nearby for colour and scent. See page 80 for details. SIT PRETTY Decorate your garden room, conservatory or dining room to serve Easter treats. Cut boughs of blossom for a zinc bucket centrepiece. Echo its petals with plain and…

The charming motifs on Sophie Allport’s home accessories are inspired by her love of nature. This season, she has launched over 250 new products to her collection including some beautiful new designs. Garden Birds, on a duck egg blue background, captures the beauty of great British birds. You’ll also find a new Sheep collection, the Dinosaur children’s range, and three new dog designs, Fab Labs, Dachshund and Pug, joining the existing Labrador, Terrier and Woof lines. This month, Sophie Allport is offering Country Homes & Interiors readers 15% off her entire range, from her best-selling fine bone china and kitchen fabrics to her new bags, children’s items and pet products, so you can enjoy her charming country style in your home for less. • How to claim your 15% discount Simply…

1 PERFECT FOR PETS Prepare a beautiful, tucked-away country-style den for your pooch to retreat to for a nap, complete with a dog bed in a gorgeous fabric. We like the way a vintage look has been created with a distressed wall shelf that features handy hooks for storing shopping bags and dog leads ready for walks, and a stylish French chair positioned close by for pulling off shoes in comfort. 2 ROOM FOR THE BROOM Under-stair cupboards are ideal for storing cleaning items – enamel buckets and wooden-handled brushes give a pretty country look. Organise the space to pack away as much as possible. Brooms can be stored on wall-hung clips and an over-the-door hook rack is a great space-saving solution for brushes and dusters. Pop a step-stool or…

Artist Kate Kato has always been a country girl at heart. As a child in Bristol, she lived along the river Avon where she and her brother explored the waterside and the woods. Originally training as a graphic designer at the University of the West of England, she went on to do numerous jobs such as portrait photographer and branding designer, then retrained as a social worker, with creativity purely for personal pleasure. After moving to Herefordshire in 2014 with her husband Robin and their two girls, Poppy, five, and Rowan, three, she began work as an artist, using the two things she loved most: nature and paper. TELL US ABOUT YOUR HOME. I live in Gladestry, a small village in a valley on the Welsh borders. We live in…

 It’s not hard to appreciate the allure of Kirstie and Tim Smart’s pretty double-fronted cottage in creamy Cotswold stone. The decision to purchase it 10 years ago was based on far more than simple kerb appeal. ‘Tim grew up in the village and had always loved this house, which borders the bottom of his parents’ garden,’ says Kirstie, who didn’t need much persuading either. ‘This is an amazing area – we are close to Blenheim Palace and now we’ve got Soho Farmhouse nearby, too,’ she enthuses. ‘I’m really happy with the modern-classic design of the cabinetry; it has a country look, but with fresh, clean lines that will never date’ Besides the advantages of having family on their doorstep, the couple also benefitted from the donation of a parcel of…

Arriving at Mill Dene, you know you’re about to be treated to a garden that will raise your spirits and make you smile, thanks to a sign at the gate that says, ‘Drive very slowly. Deaf cats, daft ducks and wild children!’ The deaf cats refer to the beautiful Birmans that owner Wendy Dare used to breed; the daft ducks fly in and out as they please, making their home on and around the tranquil mill pond that defines this garden; and, these days, now that Wendy’s own family has grown up, the children belong to the many visitors who find joy and solace in this special place. Mill Dene was once one of a number of working watermills in the picturesque Cotswold village of Blockley. The original waterwheel remains…

As soon as I walked down the lane, I knew this was where I was meant to be,’ says Emma Sutton of her idyllic Lancashire home, surrounded by the wildlife that has inspired her whimsical designs and led to her business, Mosney Mill. Emma had always excelled at art, taking a BTEC qualification in it, and then working as a teaching assistant specialising in the subject. ‘It was my passion,’ she says. Then, five years ago, her father John retired and went with Emma’s sister Jo to have a look at Mosney, an old market garden that is set in 11 acres, as he was looking for another property. ‘It was in a state of disrepair, and to reach it you had to cross a bridge over the river Darwen.…

One of my favourite places to visit is our family home in Ireland’s County Kildare. From my bedroom window I can see the big – and beautiful – Wicklow Mountains. They’re fantastic to watch throughout the year as they do change so much with the seasons, from their snow-capped summits in the winter to the fresh and grassy fields of spring. There’s something about the mountains that makes you feel really small and it brings you back down to earth as a human being, because you’re looking at something way bigger than yourself. The mountains are mostly green, but the sun creates the most amazing shadows on them. Around sunset they’re especially stunning, because the landscape’s covered in a golden light, casting shapes from the trees. It’s great to come…