Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2023 i Country Homes & Interiors

WE’RE ON THE THRESHOLD OF SUMMER, heading into the garden to make the most of sunny days, but also bringing a lighter, brighter touch to our interiors to echo the warmth and colour of the season. Which means that this issue has an inside-outside feel, with both cheerful gingham and check decorating ideas for indoors (page 76) and expert tips on how to style an outdoor room (page 82). We’ve the lowdown on choosing kitchen flooring (page 91), plus sensational table-setting ideas for dining alfresco (page 96). We’re out and about shopping for vintage home buys (page 110), and tempting our palates with tasty recipes from the Med (page 114). Plus, of course, we’re taking a tour of four gorgeous homes and discovering how the owners live their best country…

She had resisted stepping into the dated, derelict cottage for almost a year, but when Becky Eades finally set up a viewing, she realised that the property was exactly what she wanted – and didn’t want – in equal measure. ‘After completing our first house renovation, the last thing my husband and I were after was another project,’ Becky says. The couple’s first home had been perfect for them and daughter, Iona. But when Becky found out she was expecting their second child, Fyfe, in 2016, she knew they would soon outgrow it. Spotting the larger, dilapidated property online, Becky had concerns about the amount of work required. ‘Despite continuing to house-hunt, nothing ticked all the boxes, and I’d often find myself taking a little detour to see whether that…

BRIGHT AND BREEZY Flapping tablecloths and flyaway napkins are the bane of outdoor entertaining. Keep your tabletop anchored by opting for neat placemats and knotting napkins around cutlery. Short-stemmed tumblers and nightlight holders defy knock-over breezes. Hastings ribbed jug, £30; Moreton wine glasses, £40 set of four; Portobello china collection in White, from £8; Soft Blue fringed napkins, £28 set of four; Ribbed domed candle holder, £18; Bruton cutlery, £165 set of 24, all The White Company GEO CACHE Opposites attract when small-scale geometrics and dainty florals come together. Layer cloths, crockery and cutlery for a pile-on of pattern and print, and don’t worry about making each place setting match. Use a varied selection of vintage plates for a unique touch. Tapestry tablecloth, from £195; Diamond Star napkin, £45 for…

A serendipitous house rental in London many years ago re-sparked a love of plants that would eventually lead to a career change into garden design and horticultural sustainability for Alison Jenkins. Her first career was in the art world, but she now runs successful workshops from her smallholding in the tranquil Somerset countryside, near Bath. ‘I loved London in my twenties and early thirties and as I’d grown up in a small market town in Shropshire it felt really exciting to be somewhere where there was a lot going on,’ Alison explains. She studied for an MA in Art History at Goldsmiths College while working in galleries, organising exhibitions of contemporary art. But by the time she was 35, her interest had started to wane. ‘I spent my childhood in…

There is no definitive difference between cordial and syrup. Cordial, perhaps, implies that it will be diluted and served as a drink, while syrup suggests a wider use for poaching fruit, drizzling on cakes, or adding to dressings. Both are made with sugar, water and flavourings – in this case, edible flowers. There are a few ways to extract the flower flavours for syrup, but the primary difference is when you add the sugar. My preferred method is to add the sugar at the end of the process, once the flowers are strained, and I haven’t yet found a scented edible flower for which this doesn’t work. MAKING A SYRUP 1 Put your chosen flowers or petals in a heatproof container. Removing as much of the green parts or stalks…

MICHELLE MASON is a designer, stylist and the author of Love Vintage, which we’ve featured an extract from this month (page 110). ‘This summer, I’m looking forward to a holiday in France and Spain and visiting some brocantes on the drive down. I’m also launching a new range of vintage-inspired fabrics and wallpapers,’ she says. MAGGIE COLVIN wrote our Family Values house (page 22). ‘In summer, I love the sunshine on my back and kayaking in salty water under a blue sky that turns orange and yellow in the setting sun.’ ROBERT SANDERSON photographed our Family Values house (page 22). ‘I’m a lover of wildlife and I look forward to butterflies appearing and the song of a lark ascending in summer.’…

I’ve mentioned before that I am a ‘slow decorator’. I take time to savour the evolution of my interiors, allowing them to flourish at a sedate and organic pace. With that said, even I am not immune to the lure of a newly decorated room, and I certainly get excited when faced with a blank canvas that needs to be accessorised and styled for a dedicated season or special purpose. I currently have a guest annexe nearing completion that has been eight years in the making (I told you I was slow). We gathered enough money to complete the shell, then had to wait a few years while family commitments channelled our resources in different directions. Time has passed and now the moment has come to create the dedicated guest…

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Boutique hotels are in the business of creating characterful and relaxing bedrooms that ooze personality while also ensuring a good night’s sleep. But why should these design secrets be reserved for professional spaces? Ottalie Stride and Camilla Clarke, creative directors at Albion Nord, who have over 15 years of combined experience in interior design, share their tips for achieving this luxe look at home. PRIORITISE THE BED ‘Your bed defines your bedroom both in terms of space and function. While we always recommend dressing your bed in crisp, white linen, there are still plenty of opportunities to bring individuality to the room. Patterned headboards offer a great way to add vibrancy and texture, as do throws and cushions.’ CURATE A COLOUR SCHEME ‘There are no rules regarding the palette for…

Even if you’ve kept your outdoor furniture covered over the winter, chances are it will need a little TLC before it’s ready to grace your garden again. Here’s how to give your furniture a seasonal scrub-up ready for the summer. WOOD Before cleaning wooden furniture, make sure it is dry, then remove any loose dirt using a soft brush. ‘Mix washing-up liquid with warm water and use a sponge or cloth to remove dirt before leaving it to dry,’ says Rian Habergham, garden furniture expert at Leisure Bench. ‘Many people think pressure washing is the way forward, and although it might seem satisfying as you watch your furniture change colour, we’ve seen lovely pieces destroyed by the powerful jets stripping away timber along with the dirt,’ says Martin Young, founder…

Whether your vintage collection is limited to a handful of pieces or your passion for antiques has taken over your home, chances are you can remember the first piece you owned. And that’s often how the obsession starts – with a keepsake or a favourite flea market find. We collect to archive and conserve the past; drawn to the craftsmanship of everyday objects from previous times, attracted by items of beauty or with sentimental value, and bound to heirlooms passed down through generations. Building and curating a collection takes time, consideration and financial input but raking through salvage yards and flea markets is, for most, the highlight of the collecting adventure. Curating your collection As a shopkeeper I think of each collection of vintage objects as a story waiting to…

As well as filling the air with perfume, sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) inject the garden with colour throughout summer. Snipping a bunch every few days to enjoy fresh flowers in the house is one of the joys of the season and ensures these annual climbers continue to bloom for months. Sweet pea seeds should be sown in spring, but you can buy the plants in nurseries and garden centres now, ready to plant into pots and borders. ‘You can sow sweet peas into the ground in spring,’ says supplier Roger Parsons, ‘but they are vulnerable to slugs and birds, so I prefer to start them in a glasshouse or cold frame. If they’re on a windowsill or similar with limited sunlight, move them to a sunny spot outdoors as soon…

Edible flowers beautifully combine the aesthetic and the practical. At Chiswick House and Gardens, our productive growing areas date back to the 1680s, when edible flowers were a key component of kitchen gardens. It wasn’t just about colour; many blooms provided flavour to salads, baking and infusions. Today, we work with community groups to grow flowering plants that they would like to use in their cooking at home, and invite visitors to ‘pick their own’ when we can. At home, in a space around two metres square, you could grow enough flowers to eat and adorn your dishes throughout late spring and summer. There are a few things to bear in mind before you start – people with allergies should be careful when eating flowers; not all flowers are edible;…

I live at Knepp Castle in West Sussex, my husband Charlie Burrell’s family home, in the middle of our 3,500-acre rewilding project. My perfect day would be wandering around the place. There’s always the possibility of bumping into a free-roaming Tamworth sow and her piglets, or a herd of Exmoor ponies, or some super-relaxed longhorn cows. Overhead, there could be white storks bill-clattering in their huge nests in the tops of oak trees (the first white storks to nest in Britain for 600 years were here at Knepp in 2020). I go for a 40-minute run as soon as I wake up. My favourite route is along the green lane – an ancient droving road edged by old oaks, field maple, spindle, blackthorn and hazel on high banks, so you…

Beginning her career as an intern at the home of design brands, Chelsea Harbour, Cinny then trained at an architectural interiors practice, before launching her own interior design business. Busy family life quickly took over, and she decided to pursue a new creative outlet, fulfilling her dream to create her own hand-printed wallpaper and fabric designs. And, in 2022, she was back at Chelsea Harbour to launch her first collection. Have you always been creative? I always loved Art and Textiles at school. I found drawing peaceful, a way to escape – I lost many hours! How did the collection come about? I was running my own interior design business, but the demands of a young family meant I had to re-evaluate. I studied wallpaper and pattern design before setting…

Colour-confident designer and founder of Firmdale hotels, Kit Kemp has teamed up with heritage pottery brand Spode to launch an eclectic collection of tableware and giftware, inspired by her love of the countryside. Featuring classic woodland scenes interspersed with eclectic birds and mythical creatures, the Tall Trees range brings a touch of whimsy to the table. Prices start at £20 for a side plate, available online at spode.co.uk MINDFUL MAKING Did you know that stitching can be as restful as meditation? With that in mind, Cornish designer Helen Round has launched a collection of soul-soothing craft kits, in partnership with fellow textile artist, Rebekah Johnston, designed to help you unwind. Choose from a set of four coasters or a mini quilt, each costing £36 and containing all the materials and…

As first-time buyers we were keen to find a project we could develop over time, ideally in a quiet, rural spot,’ says Michaela Shoebridge. ‘We’d been renting locally for two years, keeping a keen eye on properties that were coming onto the market – and this four-bedroom bungalow, in the countryside on the outskirts of Hull, was perfect. We loved that the rooms were well proportioned and logically laid out on one level. It had a generous footprint, large back garden and bags of potential to extend and add value.’ The property had been built in the 1980s and although it needed updating, it wasn’t in bad condition. The majority of the house had been decorated in magnolia, apart from a jazzy red kitchen! The layout had a cohesive feel,…

Chunky checks bring a joyful touch to your interiors and can’t help but raise a smile. Choose a design rendered in gentle pastel shades so it doesn’t overwhelm the space Combine gingham with a ruffle or frill to soften its geometric design. Layer on style by playing with the scale of the check across curtains and cushions For all their pep and personality, checks don’t need to be the main event in your scheme. A gingham valance or cushion is all you need to add a touch of cheer…

RECLAIMED BRICK A kitchen floor must be durable and preferably easy to maintain, but your choice is not just about practicality – it can be a feature that enhances the style of your space, adding character and charm, as the original brick floor in this converted Suffolk barn suggests. ‘Farmhouse kitchens always work well with a combination of new and old or antique elements,’ says Helen Parker, creative director of deVOL. If you are lucky enough to have an original brick floor, it may require cleaning and repair to bring it back to life: the surfaces can be porous, allowing a build up of dirt and stains, so, if in doubt, consult a specialist for advice. Or scour architectural salvage yards for reclaimed options. WOOD ‘Parquet, herringbone and chevron floors…

First rising to popularity during the Victorian era, a greenhouse is a must for any keen gardener. Offering a wealth of horticultural potential, it provides a setting in which the increased control over sunlight levels, temperature and soil type allows you to significantly extend the growing season, inspite of the British weather. Even with an unheated greenhouse, you can delay the effects of frost by several weeks, maximising the yield of crops and protecting plants from frost and dampness. A heated greenhouse will help you continue your horticultural efforts throughout the bleakest months, let you cultivate tropical or sub-tropical plants and advance the growing and harvest periods by several weeks. However, a greenhouse is one of the more costly additions to a garden, so it is vital to choose the…

Pink grapefruit granita with caramelised citrus slices SERVES 4–6 Perfect as a palate cleanser or at the end of an indulgent dinner, this granita is refreshing and zingy. For added richness, serve with chilled custard drizzled over the caramelised citrus. 800ml pink grapefruit juice200ml elderflower liqueurFreshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon, strained6tbsp caster sugar or to tasteGin, to serve (optional)Chilled custard, to serve (optional) CARAMELISED CITRUS SLICES 1 pink grapefruit, peeled and sliced into rounds1 orange, peeled and sliced into rounds1 clementine, peeled and slice into rounds40g brown sugar 1 Stir the grapefruit juice, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice and sugar together in a large measuring jug or bowl until the sugar has totally dissolved, then strain the mixture into a freezer-proof container. Put on the lid and place in the…