Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2022 i Country Homes & Interiors

There’s big change ahead in my home this coming year… My son will be travelling to Japan (Covid rules permitting), then heading to university. My youngest is eyeing up his room, and planning to turn it into a chill-out space for when friends come over. I’ll be back commuting to the CH&I office and hoping my cat Hector won’t miss me as much as I will him. Transition times are emotional, but they’re also a chance to rethink our homes. Our next project is a new kitchen, with flexible storage so my husband can pack away his work to stop it taking over the dinner table! I’ll be spending the early days of the year browsing catalogues and planning. I hope this issue will help you squeeze every last joyous…

Ana’s style tip… DARE TO BE DIFFERENT WITH A COLOUR SCHEME THAT’S BOTH CALMING AND BOLD CH&I MODERN Country CLASSIC…

“Everything I do is wrapped up in nature”EMMA CONNOLLY, FOUNDER OF A BUNCH OF WILD Having no regrets about the way her life has evolved, Emma Connolly has come almost full circle to arrive at where she is today – a grower, a painter, a potter, and host of creative workshops where a small number of guests are invited into her Bedfordshire home to make beautiful things inspired by nature. Emma sees every step, even every misstep, as part of her natural development and integral to life’s purpose – to play, to learn and to grow. ‘I need to be constantly exploring and experimenting,’ she says. ‘I think we should all try what we love, but we shouldn’t lose any sleep if it doesn’t work out or we simply change…

SET THE SCENE Get the party started with a dressed-to-impress hallway. Forage hedgerows and woods for seasonal foliage and interweave with baubles, beading and supersized paper shapes. GORGEOUS GREENERY Complement your tree with a simple mantelscape of fir branches lit with starry LED lights. White and silvery tree decorations add a frosty finish. Dinner date GIVE GUESTS A TAKE-HOME TABLE DECORATION – A BAUBLE OR WOODEN TRIMMING – THAT’S MORE SPECIAL THAN AN OUT-OF-A-CRACKER GIFT. FABULOUS FOLIAGE Create a wonderful overhead arrangement with simple stems woven into a twiggy wreath and suspended above the table for a stylish centrepiece. COSY CURL-UP CORNERS Retreat to a snug setting after the party. Textural layers of faux fur, velvets and fleece bring the comfort factor. Soft and soulful CREATE A FESTIVE HAVEN WITH…

FOR JUST £34.99 plus FREE SOPHIE ALLPORT CHRISTMAS BUNDLE Your free Sophie Allport bundle includes an apron, mug and a Country Christmas book The Sophie Allport apron and mug both feature a wonderful festive Christmas design Your Country Christmas festive book will help you make this year the best yet! Terms and conditions Offer closes 31st January 2022. Offer open to new UK subscribers only. All gift subscriptions will start post-Christmas with the next available issue. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Your gift will be delivered separately within 60 days after your first payment has cleared. Gifts only available to subscribers on the UK mainland. In the unlikely event that we run out of this gift, we promise to offer you an alternative gift of the same value.…

“CHOOSE A TAPERED LEG DESIGN WITH A MIRRORED AND LIT INTERIOR FOR INTOXICATING STYLE”…

1 BREAKFAST AND DRINKS STATION In a busy kitchen used for entertaining, it makes sense to create an area for making breakfast and drinks away from the main cooking zone to avoid tripping over each other. Here, a dresser-style cupboard has two sets of bi-fold doors: one set opens to reveal a toaster and coffee machine, the other a full bar. Glazed shelves and a mirrored back included in the bar allow the light to flow softly through the cupboard for a touch of glamour. 2 PANTRY As a keen cook who entertains regularly, Amanda has plenty of dry goods and small appliances to store. The walk-in room includes shelves painted to match the kitchen island, allowing for easily visible rows of well-organised storage jars and lower-level baskets for snacks.…

Things that make us happy…“ADDING ‘FOLLOW THE STAR’ SPARKLE IN THE GARDEN”…

Helen’s style tip… CREATE A RICH, WARMING SCHEME WITH RUSSET AND BURNT ORANGE MIXED WITH BURNISHED METALLICS CH&I MODERN Country CLASSIC…

Lynda’s style tip… CREATE A WELCOMING, SOCIABLE SCENE WITH CLASSIC PIECES, COSY TEXTURES AND RICH, HERITAGE COLOURS CH&I MODERN Country CLASSIC…

The pandemic certainly has a lot to answer for, financially as well as in terms of our mental and physical health, and small businesses have taken a hit. Emma herself made a slow recovery from Covid, but she was determined not to let it ruin her business or take over her mood. She says, ‘I didn’t have the energy, so I sat as still as possible, and focused on doing what I could without wearing myself out. Being realistic about what you can achieve is important.’ MAKE USE OF NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES Social media has been a constant source of support for sole traders pre and during Covid, whether you’re part of a close network of like-minded makers or follow bigger accounts offering pearls of wisdom to help you get through…

GIVE THE KIDS A PLACE TO CELEBRATE Let the young folk sit at their own table for supper. Then they can make their own entertainment in an area with a dressing-up box, movie den and games. Make party favours filled with novelty glasses, paper hats and a few treats. Provide jars and ask them to write down their wishes for the year ahead. Prepare for their ‘midnight’ with a playlist, bring out the disco lights and have party poppers at the ready. THE BIG SPREAD An informal set-up can be impressive using serving boards and platters, table linens and trays. Beautifully styled grazing boards are still the party food trend. The key to making it an impressive platter is presentation. Swirl cured meats into nests, include hard and soft cheeses,…

WOVEN STYLE This chunky sisal bubbleweave not only has a beautiful tactile knitted texture and nuanced earthy tones on the surface, it’s softer underfoot too. That’s thanks to the weave, which is not as tight as finer sisal styles. It can also be used with underfloor heating. However, do discuss your type of underfloor heating with the carpet installer. Available in five natural shades. 1 PLANT BASED Hardwearing coir is made from the fibres of coconut husks, which are soaked, spun and woven into this rustic-style matting. Ideal for hallways, it’s a cosier option than wooden, tiled or stone flooring, without the maintenance required of a soft carpet or runner. Choose from six earthy tones. 2 AU NATURAL Fibre Flooring is renowned for its expertise in sustainably sourced, natural floor…

WHAT TO SEE, DO & CREATE Stargaze… and learn the constellations. Events at Dark Sky Reserve, cranbornechase.org.uk. Start… a nature diary with drawings, musings or photos to record the changing seasons. Organise… your cupboards so everything is easy to find – the perfect job for cold winter days. Check… whether bird baths are frozen. Add fresh water and a light ball to keep them from freezing. BE YOUR OWN BARISTA Coffee connoisseurs will love Smeg’s new retro-style Bean To Cup coffee machine. Simply choose your favourite beans, then experiment with grinding levels and coffee styles to find your perfect brew. A one-touch menu grinds and preps, while water heats in seconds producing a steaming ristretto, espresso or Americano. There’s a handy milk frother too, for lattes and cappuccinos. It’s available…

DELVE INTO THE ARCHIVE AT SANDERSON DESIGN The quintessentially British collective is delighted to unveil Archive by Sanderson Design. Transcending styles, genres and trends, Archive celebrates the group’s heritage, with flairs of eclecticism and maximalism. Classic designs have been reimagined with a contemporary look through vibrant new colourways across fabrics, wallpapers, accessories and made-to-measure curtains. Discover the full treasure trove at archive.sandersondesigngroup.com. New from Sophie Allport and National Trust Bringing countryside charm to hunker-down homes, Sophie Allport has partnered with conservation champion, the National Trust, to launch two adorable new collections of bespoke homewares: Hedgehogs and Trees. From sales generated from the collections, a minimum of £20,000 will be given to the National Trust to woodland conservation projects. Equally, the hedgehog design draws attention to our endangered nocturnal natives. Be…

A lot of expectations were riding on this little house when Ana Perez and Alan Flett made the decision to buy. Alan had a yen to live in the countryside, but city-girl Ana was reluctant to leave London. The compromise seemed to be a shift to suburbia, but neither was sure this would be the best option. ‘We decided to buy a holiday home instead,’ says Ana. ‘We had fallen in love with Norfolk and started visiting at weekends before finding this place online, and it solved the dilemma. The cottage is in a lovely little hamlet backing on to a forest and it has a stream running down the side – it really is magical.’ Almost all the properties the pair had viewed needed work but this was in…

Maxine’s style tip… COCOONING BLUE MINGLES WITH ART DECO TOUCHES, WELCOMING GUESTS INTO A SOPHISTICATED YET RELAXED RETREAT CH&I MODERN Country CLASSIC…

Founded to serve the stately home that sits along its northern edge – staffed by 135 servants at the height of its fortunes – Petworth is a pocket-sized town nestled into the rolling hills of West Sussex’s South Downs. These days, many of the town’s 3,000 inhabitants are still employed by the estate using traditional skills to maintain land and buildings. Perhaps it is a legacy of this craftsmanship, as well as the treasures contained within Petworth House, including paintings by Turner, Van Dyck and Gainsborough, that has given rise to a more recent signature feature of the town: the multitude of antiques shops. IN THE ESTATE AGENT’S WINDOW The appeal of cobbled streets, Georgian cottages and red-tile hung buildings, surrounded by the beautiful Shimmings Valley, has not been lost…

GO WILD IN THE COUNTRY Homespun motifs get a sprinkle of glitz for the festive season. A glittery greenhouse? Yes, please! YOU SPIN ME ROUND! Ring the changes with a fabulous faux wreath – for dressing up doors, inside and out MISTLETOE & WINE Add a seasonal twist to your tablescape, with winter whites, starry night sparkles and a touch of green RELIGHT MY FIRE Transform the hearth of your home with gorgeous garlands, colourful trimmings and some jingle bells…

MIRROR IMAGE One approach to decorating a twin bedroom is by enhancing its symmetry. After all, if you have identical beds, why not double up on matching headboards and accessories. Hanging mirrors will further emphasise this symmetrical note. A single bedside table between the two beds will act as the point of reflection, while saving floor space. Add a sense of fun by choosing the same bedspread in two different colourways. STACKED UP Bunk beds are a classic way of adding multiple beds to a child’s room, but consider going down the bespoke route to get the perfect fit. ‘This bunk stretches from floor to ceiling to maximise space,’ says interior designer Nicky Dobree who designed this room. ‘Built-in drawers keep clutter at bay, while curtains provide a cosseted space…

SEASONAL SWAG A decorative alternative to a wreath, a swag adds a luxurious touch to a door YOU WILL NEED Wooden dowels, fruit (such as satsumas or oranges), flowers, foliage, florist’s wire or string, ribbon TO MAKE 1 Push a dowel (we used 25cm dowels) into each satsuma. Holding one of the dowels, arrange your chosen flowers and foliage around the satsuma. 2 Lay the next dowel over the top, with its satsuma positioned slightly below the first, then layer more flowers and foliage as before. Continue until all the satsumas are used. 3 Secure the dowels with florist’s wire and snip the stems to neaten. Tie with ribbon. FRUIT BOX Repurpose an old fruit crate or tray as part of a festive fruity display YOU WILL NEED Wooden box…

Returning from holiday to find water gushing across the kitchen floor was not the welcome home Amanda and Andrew Cumming expected. ‘The flood was a nightmare, making the floor start to sag and water seep into the cellar below,’ recalls Amanda. ‘But the silver lining was that it prompted us to get going on a new kitchen.’ After living in the listed Suffolk farmhouse, dating back to the early 19th century, for 14 years, the couple had long wanted to replace the 1980s extension that housed the kitchen with a structure more sympathetic to the age and style of the property. After the flood, decisions had to be made – so they set about obtaining planning permission to build a new single-storey extension on the existing footprint, using matching brickwork…

WHISKY VODKA GIN RUM…