Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2025 i Country Homes & Interiors

IF WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE, OUR HOMES ARE FULL OF LOVE. There’s the doorstep we crossed as a newlywed, the kitchen table we’ve shared meals around, the bedrooms we’ve tucked up our children in, the sofa that’s seen movie nights with friends, even the dog beds and cat baskets our pets have slept in. Of course we love our homes, but it’s the emotions and memories they hold, and the lives they enable us to live, that make them truly special. And it’s this we celebrate in these pages, from Sophie Robinson’s guide to visualising your dream home (page 94) to discovering romance deep in the country (page 134). We also interview an incredible couple united by a passion for each other, their businesses and their values (page 120). We’ve…

This was the ugliest, smallest house on one of our favourite roads in the village,’ says Chess Johnson. But just look at it now! From a forlorn one-bedroom bungalow, empty for two years, she and husband Ross have created their dream home. They extended to the side and rear, and raised the roofline to add a second storey. Although it’s a narrow plot at just 8m wide, their ingenious design made way for three additional bedrooms, a utility room, two bathrooms, an office and a snug. The sociable kitchen-diner/living room is the showstopper with its panoramic views across farmland beyond the back garden. ‘It was that outlook that sold the property to us,’ says Chess. ‘We knew the view was there even though when we first looked round, the garden…

A gentle rhythmic thump and thwack from the adjacent tennis club brings a surprising sense of calm to this seaside home in Kent, where abstract artist Caroline Yates and her osteopath husband, Graham, live and work. It was this idyllic location on a Victorian square, a stone’s throw from Deal’s pebble beach, that prompted the couple to make the move from East Dulwich 16 years ago with their twin sons, Milo and Lucian, who were two at the time. ‘We’d visited Whitstable just up the coast and loved it, but this area was more our budget. So, when this unprepossessing house with a pebble dash front came on the market, we jumped at the chance. It had huge potential for creating studio spaces for us to work from,’ says Caroline.…

PERFECTLY IMPERFECT Tiles with a handmade look have artisanal beauty, adding personality to a bathroom design. Rob Whitaker, creative director of Claybrook, recommends selecting such tiles in biscuit-toned, clay or pale plaster hues to accentuate their warmth. ‘Taupes and earthy beiges feel more cocooning for spaces like bath and shower rooms,’ he says. While a brick-shaped or square tile can be used alone in a simple pattern to create a classic look, Rob suggests combining two formats to accentuate their handmade aesthetic and perfectly imperfect style. This can be especially effective if the surface and edges of the tiles are slightly undulating and if their colours vary, as here. MARVELLOUS MOSAIC Cloakrooms are often compact spaces, so why not have some fun with their design? ‘A mosaic floor pattern adds…

The right windows can transform your home’s appearance, elevating its look both inside and out. But upgrading to more efficient designs also creates a warmer home and helps cut energy bills. MATERIAL MATTERS With a warm aesthetic, timber is the ideal choice for the majority of country homes. ‘Timber windows add value to an older property, maintaining or improving the character, and, as timber is a naturally insulating material, they also provide excellent thermal performance, saving money on heating bills,’ says Richard Dollar, managing director at The Sash Window Workshop. ‘Depending on the type of timber you choose, the warranty will often be longer than plastic windows – for example, an Accoya window will come with a 50-year anti-rot guarantee, but it should give a service life of at least…

There is no doubt that passion drives Geetie Singh-Watson. It shines through everything, from the way she approaches business with foundations built on unwavering principles, to her respect for the rural landscape and the way it should be managed. Not least, it’s there in the life she shares with her husband of 11 years, Guy Singh-Watson. ‘Well, ours is a real love story,’ she laughs, ‘but like many of the best, it didn’t get off to a great start!’ Geetie recalls how she first met Guy – the pioneering farmer behind Riverford and its organic vegetable box delivery scheme – in 2005, when he came to her award-winning London pub, The Duke of Cambridge, with an interest in buying it. She had founded this, the world’s first organic pub, in…

Moving from London to mid-Wales 13 years ago, I carefully weighed the pros and cons for work, access to culture and making friends, but gave no thought to dating until I was settled. What opportunities would there be in a village of 1,500 people for a non-driving woman to meet a man who shared her interests? The nearest city was 25 miles away, the book club were all women, and while I met middle-aged farmers on market day, that wasn’t a future I envisaged. I discovered that few couples today meet at dinner parties or weddings – though funerals are apparently fruitful, especially for divorcees – and that dating apps are where it’s at. With a phone to hand, you can scroll through profiles 24/7 but imagine the embarrassment of…

As spring stirs and much of the garden still lies dormant and dull, it is the baby bulbs that take centre stage, injecting splashes of jewel-like colour into beds or borders, containers and lawns. ‘On their own, they may be rather small and insignificant, but planted in bold groups, they make an impact far exceeding their individual size,’ notes Christine Skelmersdale VMH, author of A Gardener’s Guide to Bulbs. Among their number are dwarf daffodils, cyclamen, silvered crocuses, species tulips, purple windflowers, and blue-flowered beauties including reticulata irises, grape hyacinths and scilla – ranging in colour from cobalt and sapphire hues through to ice or midnight blue. Many are available now from garden centres, sprouting and ready to slot into containers. For the greatest impact, plant a single variety per…

In search of a new creative challenge, sofa.com founder Rohan Blacker decided to swap settees for chandeliers and, in 2014, Pooky was born. Over the past decade, the brand’s passion for bold colour and playful pattern has placed it at the forefront of the lighting industry, demonstrated by a series of successful collaborations with the likes of Matthew Wiliamson, GP&J Baker and Morris & Co. Ever innovative, the brand has recently launched a rechargeables collection, set to revolutionise the way we light our homes. What inspires Pooky’s aesthetic? We draw on multifarious styles and cultures: from the polychrome ikats of Uzbekistan, to the extraordinary block prints of Rajasthan and the breathtaking dupion silks of ancient China. We seek out skilled ceramicists, glass blowers, wood carvers and casters of brass –…

When Sarah Sleightholm and Beth Chilton met, they bonded over a shared love of art, interiors and travel. Their fashion brand Hope & Ivy is the result. Epitomised by beautiful embroidery and hand-drawn prints, their dresses (including bridal and maternity) exude femininity with a bohemian edge. The Edith (left, £95) in chiffon woven with gold Lurex feathers, features blouson sleeves and a velvettie belt. The Honey (above, £130) is a flattering maxi-length wrap dress detailed with sequin and bead embellishments. hopeandivy.co.uk TIME WELL SPENT… SIGN UP little ones to Arcana’s ‘Curiosity Club’; a letter-box-sized subscription pack of beautifully illustrated, screen-free activities designed to spark and foster a love of nature. From £20.50 a month, arcanaliving.com BUY eco bedding from Snuggledown. The Ultimate Retreat collection features duvets and pillows all made…

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Dynamic and dramatic, the wintry sea, skies and escarpments along our shorelines provide a captivating palette to explore for our homes. Oceanic sprays meld with the coastal terrain to inspire décor, either as evocative tonal layers or as handsome highlights. Reflective or rousing, the soulful aquatic shades are suited to rooms designed to host guests, whether that’s to create a calm waiting and entrance space or a striking reception. These commanding colours need to be artfully balanced in suitable tones and pigments to make a friendly rather than frosty feel. Here, the hero shade is a deep marine blue, used to define architectural details and woodwork. The shadowy shade ebbs away from the eyeline, making the space seem larger. It is complemented by fragmented aquas on wallpapers and fabrics, where…

TOUCH OF LUXE More choice in compact freestanding baths allows for that all-important statement feature in any bathroom, whatever its size. The Slipp bath, L1590mm, £2,086, BC Designs TEXTURE Touch is an important sense often overlooked in bathroom design. But no more – look out for fluted finishes on furniture, plus rugs and tactile tiles. Stratto vanity unit in Dusky Blue with washbasin, 600mm, £1,219, Tissino BRASSWARE THAT ELEVATES Copper, soft gold and brass finishes for taps, showers and fixtures add warmth and jewel-like detailing to bathroom design. COLOURFUL VANITIES Joyful colour has been embraced as an upbeat interiors trend – and now va-va-voom vanities in various shades bring the look to bathrooms. From soft pinks to punchy orange, singlecolour schemes to bold mixes, this is a great way to…

Baked camembert with hot honey SERVES 2 Our hot honey is infused with chilli and garlic to give a savoury edge to the cheesy fondue. 1 whole Camembert cheese (about 200g), top scored in a criss-cross patternToasted sourdough, pickles, crudité veggies (chicory, etc), charcuterie, to serve For the hot honey: 100g good quality runny honey1 small garlic clove, crushed1tbsp chilli flakes1tbsp white wine vinegar1 thyme sprig, plus extra to serve 1 Heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Put all the honey ingredients in a small saucepan and gently simmer for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. 2 Put the cheese in a small, snugfitting dish. If it comes in a wooden box you can bake it directly in that, removing any packaging or labels first. Drizzle over 2tbsp of the honey mixture…

Spread throughout the grounds of the bucolic Consall Estate in Staffordshire, The Tawny has already attained a fine reputation as a destination hotel where a collection of treehouses, boathouses, huts and more gather round a singular aim – to enjoy the finest food in an environment with nature at its heart. Now this ‘deconstructed’ hotel has spread beyond the immediate grounds; its owners have converted some glorious barns, or Fledglings, into houses to rent. You get all the independence of taking a luxury cottage in the country, with the service of one of the UK’s best hotels. The Fledglings help to solve one of the oldest problems with hotels – that they struggle to accommodate grown-up or expanded families. Our family of four tried the brand-new Falcon Farmhouse for a…

RUSH HOUR Bedfordshire-based Felicity Irons, founder of Rush Matters, is committed to keeping the ancient skill of rush weaving alive. Over summer, she harvests freshwater bulrushes from local riverbanks, just as it was done in Anglo-Saxon times, then spends the rest of the year hand-weaving, plaiting and coiling them into all-natural mats, baskets, cushions and more. She also holds courses and workshops throughout the year, find out more at rushmatters.co.uk NATURAL NEUTRAL Eco-friendly paint company Earthborn has unveiled its colour of the year as Crocky Road – a warm beige with subtle, heritage-inspired green and yellow undertones. A true Victorian colour, it not only enhances features typical of period properties, but protects them, too – the brand’s ultra-matt clay recipe champions highly breathable paint in the home. Cathryn Sanders, head…

Add charm and whimsy to your rooms with fairy-tale touches. Sleeping Beauty nooks and Goldilocks bobbin armchairs imbue the ordinary with a touch of fantasy Think about the scale of patterns to create an intimate feel, picking all-over designs that will envelop a room and make even practical spaces feel playful It’s the details that make the difference with this enchanting look. Think skirted chair covers, scallop-edged rugs and curvaceous shapes for furniture pieces and accessories…

Sophie Robinson, by her own admission, is bonkers for colour. The designer has been eating, sleeping and breathing all things ‘home’ for 25 years, creating thousands of rooms, presenting TV shows and collaborating with popular interiors brands, to bring her own, colour-to-the-max style to everything she touches. In 2015, having been a long-time city dweller, Sophie yearned to give her young son Arthur the sort of idyllic, countryside upbringing she had experienced. ‘I longed for him to have the privilege of living with nature and lots of space, so the search was on for a house; one that wasn’t listed, so we could do our own thing.’ House searches usually start with maps and estate agents’ websites, but Sophie has a different approach to finding a dream home – one…

THE START No stranger to a design challenge, Louise Ashdown, showroom manager and head of design at West One Bathrooms, found herself faced with an unusual project. ‘The house dates back to the 16th century and it is an absolutely idyllic setting in the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex,’ she says. ‘The owners wanted a total rethink of their en suite, which was in a particularly tricky long and narrow space. And the style needed to be in keeping with the character and age of their home.’ THE BRIEF The existing en-suite bathroom included a small built-in bath, WC and pedestal basin. ‘The owners wanted a luxurious and cocooning retreat; somewhere to unwind after work,’ recalls Louise. ‘They particularly wanted to include a shower in the new design, but they…

Olga Prinku has always been inquisitive. And it’s this curiosity, teamed with an eye for detail and a deep appreciation for nature, that set her on the path of dried flower embroidery. One spring day she had been pottering in her garden in North Yorkshire when the green shoots of an idea started to emerge. ‘I picked up a garden sieve and experimented with using it as a frame for a wreath, tucking in the stems of foliage through the mesh. It crossed my mind that I could do the same thing with tulle fabric stretched across an embroidery hoop,’ she explains. Olga began experimenting with fresh flowers, but soon noticed how the design changed as the flowers aged, so she switched to using dried flowers for her projects. ‘I…

February is technically the last month of winter, but in reality, it still feels like midwinter for us here in Scotland. By this time of year, I am itching to break out of hibernation and return to the garden. Yet, I’m stopped in my tracks by freezing temperatures and hard ground, making it difficult to plant the bare root shrubs I bought on sale, prune my straggly roses or divide ever-spreading clumps of snowdrops. So instead, I tend to make haste to the potting shed, a halfway point to the outside world. The potting shed, whether called a she-shed, man’s shed, wood shed, or even a hut, is by any other name still a humble single-storey structure made almost entirely from wood. Some have heating; most don’t. Some may boast…

Vintage map roses Create a single rose or a bouquet to give to a loved one on Valentine’s Day YOU WILL NEED PencilStiff card for templatesScissors or craft knifeSelection of vintage maps (or find free printable maps online to download)Crimson acrylic paintSmall flat artist’s paintbrushFlorist’s 8in stub wireGreen floristry tapeDark green crêpe paper, 100x50cm, £1, HobbycraftGlue gun and glue sticks 1 Begin by making three petalshaped templates from stiff card, using slightly differing shapes. Make one small (H6cm), one medium (H8cm) and one large (H10cm). Cut these out using a sharp craft knife. Place the petal templates on top of the map and draw around them with a pencil, then cut out the petal shapes using scissors or a craft knife. For each rose you will need to cut six…

Tools have a sacred space in the gardening world. Perhaps you have a favourite pair of secateurs (although never get too attached as the garden has a habit of swallowing them up)? Maybe you inherited your dad’s spade, or you have a collection of tools hung with ornamental precision on the wall of your shed? With more idle time, these winter months are great for sorting through your kit. Check the blades and handles and work out what you need to repair or replace. I still get childishly excited by a new piece of kit – there’s a lot of charm in a fine blade and a beautifully crafted handle. But the choice can sometimes seem overwhelming – is there really a tool for every job? And are those new,…