Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2024 i Country Homes & Interiors

SMALL HOMES present us with unique challenges, whether that’s boxy rooms, a lack of flow, reduced storage (and headspace), or decorating dilemmas. But the best bijou spaces are also rich in character, cosiness and compact utility. In this issue, we look at both the problems and the promise of living in a less-than-large property, with owners and design pros sharing their ideas on what makes a small home more than the sum of its petite parts. I hope you find the ideas as inspiring and insightful as I have. We’re also finding out how to uncover the story of our homes –from the people who have lived there before us to the mundane, magical and sometimes macabre things that have happened within their walls! Look through the keyhole on page…

TIME WELL SPENT… DISCOVER Shiny Things London; as the name suggests, it’s the place to go for sourcing pretty antiques and decorative pieces. There’s some lovely furniture to be found, too, shinythingslondon.co.uk SUPPORT local farmers with a Zero Waste online food shop; the British-grown products are all delivered in reusable packaging, zerowastebulkfoods.co.uk DOWNLOAD the AllTrails app; 200,000 trails worldwide can be sorted by length, difficulty or activity (hiking, cycling or running). You can also filter dog- or child-friendly trails, alltrails.com…

Giselle De Hasse never intended to move to the country. ‘I’ve always liked living in town,’ says the interior designer. But a need to downsize forced her to look beyond pricey Tunbridge Wells in Kent, to the surrounding area. ‘This village in neighbouring East Sussex was picturesque and the views were amazing. Once I’d viewed the cottage I didn’t look at anything else,’ she says. The small house had been neglected. ‘The rooms were pokey and dark and the garden was overgrown. But I knew I could make something of it,’ she says, ‘even though the doors didn’t shut, the radiators were rusting and the heating broke down the week after I moved in.’ Giselle created space and light by taking out the ceilings and exposing the rafters. ‘ It…

ONE-WALL WONDER In smaller kitchens, the position of windows and doors may mean there is only one wall available for cabinetry, and no room to fit in an island. The solution may be to opt for one sweep of wall furniture, including worktop, sink, appliances and storage in a single neat and practical row. ‘This layout can help make the room feel larger than it is,’ advises William Eaves, design and development director, British Standard by Plain English. Open shelves offer storage, while also allowing for personalised displays that break up the design and add a touch of individuality. ‘Painting your kitchen in lighter tones will help keep the space visually light and bright,’ notes William. GALLEY ALLEY This layout is great for narrow rooms. Furniture on two facing walls…

The secret to decorating a small space is to embrace its natural character, rather than fighting its flaws. If your room is naturally dark, welcome the hygge aesthetics with cosy textiles and warming hues. If the space is bright but soulless, bring personality with pretty prints that celebrate its lighter feel. ‘Decorating small spaces can be enormous fun,’ says Joanna Hauptman, co-founder of bespoke furniture brand Hyde House. ‘As the area is smaller in scale, the money saved on quantity can be invested in quality. By curating a collection of one’s most treasured picture frames, luxury scented candles and objects to dress surfaces, combined with smaller scaled furniture pieces, a tiny haven can be achieved.’ Q Can I use a dark colour scheme in a small space? A Don’t be…

When Liz Toth and her husband moved into a cottage in Cornwall, the gentle sound of the stream running around it added to their enjoyment of the tranquil garden. It was a revelation to discover that, until the start of the 20th century, it had been a noisy waterway used by the thriving tin mining industry. ‘Now that we know the history of our cottage, it makes the personal connection almost tangible. I imagine people over the past 230 years sitting by the 18th-century inglenook fireplace with its granite lintel, just as we do now,’ Liz says. To discover her home’s story, she used Pursuing the Past to research its history. ‘You get to see past events through the eyes of the people who lived in the same space as…

Popular in gardens since Victorian times, when plant hunters brought back new varieties from far-flung travels, ferns, whether native or exotic, are still valued for their atmospheric, long-lived foliage. Elegantly feathery or large and lush, ferns mix well with other plants in borders. Choose from evergreen and deciduous varieties, in a range of colours and sizes, to add interest throughout the year. Ferns thrive in naturalistic woodland settings, lend informality to borders, are the stars of stumperies, and create textural interest under trees and in containers. They like shady, moist but well-drained conditions, making them ideal for areas that get little sun. But there are some varieties, such as Asplenium, that will happily pop up in cracks in walls, while aquatic ferns form colonies in ponds. Ferns can be planted…

I live for most of my time near Lechlade on Thames, Gloucestershire, with interior designer James Mackie. But I also migrate back to Nottingham to see grandma Sheila, mum Jill and my bantam chickens. I also have hens in the country now – Cotswold legbars, which lay blue eggs. My perfect day would be at Chatsworth farmyard in Derbyshire. It’s my happy place. On the most recent visit, a donkey foal had been born a few days prior. Have you ever stroked the face of a baby donkey? They feel like velvet. I’m dreadful in the morning. I always starts with a good cup of builder’s tea, with any bits of cake or biscuits about the place. Next, porridge with golden treacle, with the oats soaked in water the night…

Raised in the Golden Valley in Herefordshire, renowned for its stunning landscape, Layla has always loved flowers. Her passion continued when she trained in horticulture and garden design, before setting up her own sustainable floristry business. After several years of juggling weddings and events with having three young children, she decided to swap fresh flowers for the dried variety, creating exquisite sculptures that bring nature into the home all year round. How would you describe your work? Everlasting floral art and sculpture. I take a fresh approach to using dried flowers, staying modern but capturing the mythical folklore essence of wild hedgerows and colourful abandon. My work is a curious mixture of slightly stark minimalism mixed with passion, colour and joy, which works together to bring interiors to life. Where…

The village of Sutton in West Sussex is where you’ll find Daisy Cottage, once part of an estate owned by the Barlavington family which dates back at least 200 years. ‘I often used to ride my bike through the village and had always loved this cottage,’ says Paul. ‘Luci and I were living nearby and looking for a bigger house. When we saw the cottage had come up for sale, we snapped it up!’ The house hadn’t been touched for years, which meant it was a project but also that Paul and Luci could add their own style to it. ‘On the day we moved in, Luci burst into tears,’ says Paul. ‘She had left an immaculate, comfortable home to move to a damp, dated building that needed everything doing…

You can increase the size of a small room without any need for construction. Reducing the door width gains internal space and isn’t often noticeable from the outside. Otherwise, let these expansive designer tricks be your small-space guide. GET CREATIVE WITH STORAGE For slightly smaller rooms, it’s essential to utilise storage space and find ways to conceal storage so that it feels like a genuine part of the scheme. In a living room, use an ottoman or trunk to stow blankets and magazines. If you can add joinery around the TV or fireplace this can be both a standout feature as well as an excellent use of vertical space. SCALE UP FOR GREATER IMPACT One of the misconceptions when decorating a compact space is that you need to keep everything…

Today, my good friend Steve is coming over. We will tell stories and ask about each other’s families. Then he will leave and email me an invoice later this week. Steve is not a therapist; he is my electrician. We have known each other since he had one baby and a fledgling business. Now he has two children and a successful company. Our conversation moves from work to life. Problems are dealt with swiftly and with honesty. Respect is genuine. On the flip side, we recently had a bathroom fitter who, while excellent at his craft, failed at all other aspects of respecting our home and family. Many tradespeople believe they are there simply to install a kitchen or decorate a sitting room. What the great ones understand is that…

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TRY THIS… Add foraged finds, such as rosemary leaves or dried lavender flowers, to the mix for added scent and colour – ideal if you’re displaying in a jar in the bathroom With the internet awash with cleaning hacks, tips and tricks, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to sustainable, homemade cleaning products. To help you find your way, we have rounded up our favourite recipes. Simple and economical to make, and super-effective at the job, they’re perfect for a naturally fresher home. TOILET FIZZERS This easy toilet cleaner is perfect for giving your lavatory a quick refresh. Simply drop a tablet or two into the bowl and let it fizz away. Citric acid will get to work on limescale and removing staining, while…

Greens and filo pie SERVES 6 Inspired by the filo pies of Greece and Turkey, this version uses pesto to add flavour. You can use fresh herbs, such as dill, basil and parsley, instead. 1tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing the filo800g Swiss/rainbow chard, stalks finely chopped and leaves roughly chopped3tbsp pestoZest and juice 1 large lemon7 sheets filo pastry, thawed if frozen200g feta cheese2tsp sesame, nigella or cumin seeds 1 Heat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Heat 1tbsp oil in a large pan, add the chard stalks and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the chard leaves, pesto, and lemon zest and juice, then cover and cook until the greens are wilted. Set aside while you prepare the pastry. 2 Brush 4 sheets of filo with oil…

Combine floral elements such as decorative plates and napkins with pretty glassware. Fresh-picked flowers arranged in vases will bring your bloomcore scene to life Not a fan of full-on florals? Modernise the look by adding in stripes, checks and even animal prints, and keep the flower-power pops for rugs and walls Peach, umber and rust shades give a hint of retro 1970s style and combine well with blowsy blooms. Painted canvases – and even furniture – add to the joyful display…

Green is a perennial colour in interior design. Leafy, lush and verdant, ranging from the palest pistachio to the deepest pine hues, it suits many moods and settings, where its broad range can be used as a balancing backdrop or offer a surge of energy, just like new growth in the garden. Green’s shoots are seen throughout history, from Ancient Egypt and Rome to medieval and modern times, used for ornamental painting, printing and dyeing, with pigments derived from plants, minerals and metals. The hue is globally accepted as the colour of the environment, adopted by peace organisations and used by recycling schemes. Used on paper money, it is also linked to prosperity and wealth – and to the related greed and envy. Ironically, despite its links to life, green…

I really look forward to March after the long dark days of winter,’ says Bec Briar, at the loom in her workshop. ‘Our log pile has dwindled and we’ve had enough of the cold and wet. Then everything changes the day our wonderful shearer, Michael, arrives. In one or two days, I have a whole year of fleeces to work with’ She will use the coarser fleeces for peg-loom weaving; some go to a mill for carding; others are boxed up for sale to spinners; and the rest she will keep for herself to create unique blankets, shawls, scarves and craft materials, often dyed with plants and herbs grown outside her front door. Bec particularly likes tree-based dyes and inks from twigs and bark. ‘To make dyes stick you need…

The scent of hope is in the air, along with the sweet fragrance of Narcissus ‘Bridal Crown’. I have a bunch crammed into a jug on my dressing table and their scent, coupled with the lighter mornings, is motivating me to hop out of bed and make what are still relatively short days as long as possible. It’s straight to my sewing studio this morning to complete more cushion orders, always popular as we enter into spring. There is no quicker way to refresh a room for the new season than to introduce new pattern, texture or colour through cushions. I’m hoping to find an afternoon to make a couple for my own living room – but what fabric to choose? After a thorough search of the studio, I’ve come…