Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2025 i Country Homes & Interiors

FREE DIGITAL ACCESS TO 130+ ISSUES FOR SUBSCRIBERS SEE PAGE 72 FOR DETAILS HOLIDAYS AWAY ARE WONDERFUL. BUT A HOLIDAY AT HOME HAS A SPECIAL MAGIC. Yes, there may be mayhem to manage and many balls to juggle, but there are also lazy breakfasts to enjoy, day trips to new and favourite places, snoozy afternoons in the sunshine, and the chance to embrace the good life with those we love. So join us as we enjoy a summertime staycation in this issue. We’ve brought you the perfect meadow picnic (page 76), ideas to turn your outside space into a holiday oasis (page 86) and al fresco kitchen inspiration, whether you want a simple barbecue or a set-up for serious home chefs (page 102). If you do fancy a few days away,…

Retiring to the countryside had long been the dream for Helen Cartwright and her husband Simon Skinner. The pair had worked in Edinburgh for years but they were looking for a change of lifestyle. ‘We were ready to make the move away from the city and we wanted to spend much more time outdoors,’ says Helen. Weekends saw the couple travelling from Scotland to Devon then Wiltshire to view properties. Then a barn conversion near Tetbury captured their imagination and they bought it in 2022. ‘Simon wasn’t too keen until he saw the setting: a tiny hamlet of 17 houses and farm buildings. It was so pretty with a beautiful outlook. We fell in love with it before we even opened the front door,’ says Helen. The cowshed, part of…

RELAX AND RETREAT Create a garden hideaway where you can stretch out on a chaise and escape the heat of the midday sun or simply relax with a good book. Bring a splash of colour by making your own fabric canopy in a jaunty summer stripe. You’ll need a lightweight frame to start – use an old gazebo and give it a new lease of life or build one from tubular piping. Then just add a few tie-top fabric panels, on top and around the sides, and you’re all set. GROW A GALLERY OF GREENERY Give brickwork or panelling a decorative facelift by creating a living gallery wall. Set behind a seating or dining area, it will make a colourful backdrop and fabulous talking point. Utilise junk shop finds, vintage…

Q What outdoor cooking kit is worth buying? A There are all sorts of types and sizes of barbecues, smokers and pizza ovens, so first consider where you plan to cook and how many people you regularly cater for. Choose from portable table-top models which may be best for balconies and terraces to barbecues with larger cooking areas, great for parties. Consider the type of fuel you prefer: gas barbecues are convenient and quick to heat, but those who love a smoky barbecue flavour often prefer a charcoal barbecue. Electric models are a convenient option. You may also want an outdoor pizza oven, which reaches high temperatures for cooking pizza, focaccia and flatbreads quickly and evenly, available in charcoal, gas or dual-fuel options. A smoker cooks food slowly over lower temperatures…

Papier mâché vase Fill with dried or artificial flowers for a bright and vibrant display YOU WILL NEED Old cardboard boxesPencilRulerCutting matSharp craft knifeHot glue gun and glue sticksMasking tapeOld newspapersPlain flourMixing bowlWhiskMicrowaveFine grade sandpaper (optional)Daler Rowney White acrylic gesso, £6.30 for 500ml, HobbycraftSelection of acrylic paints, tester pots or leftover emulsionArtist’s paintbrush 1 Start by making your cardboard understructure. Cut out two large discs measuring 26cm in diameter, with a 9cm diameter hole cut out from the centre. You also need one small disc measuring 22cm in diameter with a 9cm diameter hole cut out from the centre. Plus, a large rectangle measuring 57cm long x 15cm high, and a smaller rectangle measuring 31cm long x 6cm high. Cut a slit in all three discs that runs from the…

Black pepper fritto misto SERVES 6 AS A STARTER This makes a great dinner-party starter. I’ve gone with courgette and seafood, but you can use this batter to coat whatever you’d like; try it with broccoli or mushrooms. Vegetable oil, for deep-frying25g plain flour150g raw peeled king prawns165g raw squid, cleaned, tubes sliced into thick rings and tentacles left whole1 courgette (yellow or green), sliced into half-moons 1cm thickSmall bunch of sage, leaves picked Lemon wedges, to serve FOR THE BATTER 90g plain flour90g cornflour½tsp baking powder1tsp cracked black pepper¼tsp fine sea salt, plus extra to serve200ml sparkling water or soda water 1 Pour oil into a large, heavy-based saucepan or cast-iron pot to a depth of 6cm. Heat until the oil registers 180C on a thermometer. If you don’t…

Vanessa Arbuthnott can help you bring delight to your house and garden with beautiful nature-inspired soft furnishing fabrics. All the patterns are created by Vanessa, with images drawn from the flora and fauna of the countryside, printed in a gentle colour palette that suits both contemporary and classic interiors. The small family-run company has a unique commitment to using organic cotton for its designs. This is to protect both the cotton pickers and the environment from harmful pesticides and herbicides. The cotton is blended with linen to make a strong cloth suitable for all soft furnishings. You can buy fabrics by the metre, but Vanessa Arbuthnott also has an expert Made To Measure team who will make bespoke curtains, blinds, cushions, sofas, chairs, headboards and footstools to order. You just…

Amber Clery’s home maps her lifelong love of travel better than any journal or photo album could. Café Tortoni prints brought back from Buenos Aires call to mind a once-in-a-lifetime trip on which she and her husband got engaged 12 years ago. A shell bowl found at a market in Lake Garda is a reminder of a favourite family holiday. And an antique carved Indian panel unearthed at a salvage yard in Somerset holds the happiest memories of a trip there with her father. ‘I’ve been obsessed with interiors since I was a child,’ Amber says. ‘Long before I had my own home or business, I was hunting and gathering.’ The founder of online lifestyle emporium Amber + Willow once carried a handwoven wall hanging in her backpack around South…

1 COVER STORY Sofa covers are the unsung hero of upholstery, disguising dated or worn fabric and allowing you to easily refresh your furniture. Plus, as they are removable and machine washable, covers are a must-have for families and pet owners. ‘Most sofa and chair designs are cover-suitable,’ says Sophie Clark, brand ambassador at Plumbs. ‘Tailored covers can be designed to follow every curve and crevice of your furniture for a look indistinguishable from reupholstery. Or, for those who prefer a loose cover, shabby chic-style sofa covers with a valance may be the perfect way to create the relaxed style you’re looking for,’ she adds. 2 INSTANT REFRESH If your armchair or sofa has a solid structure but has seen better days, reupholstery is a sustainable way to revive it.…

The sight of wildflowers makes for a joyful range of colours to inspire our room decor this season. A carefree collection of happy-go-lucky hues found in cornflowers, daisies, poppies and more, this maximal palette delights with scattered shades. Beloved of bees and pollinators, these bright pops animate interiors, too, with a hotch-potch of paintbox pigments. Recreate these drifting displays by imitating the balance of foliage and flowers. Start with a vibrant green with underlying blue tones, which will ground bright and busy patterns. Paint the green on cabinetry, wall panelling or woodwork. Adding a dash of white also refreshes the setting and provides a cooling tonic to bold colours. In this washroom, white is seen on woodwork, the basin and counter, but could easily look at home on tiling or…

A‘blazing row’ between Ali and Ian Paice ultimately led to a complete career shift. Until then, they were very much part of the London rat race – she, with her own copper worktop business, and he, as general manager of a software company. ‘We were moving to a new location for my business, taking on more debt and Ian had resigned from his job to join me – it was an all-or-nothing moment,’ Ali says. ‘After we calmed down, we both listed the top things we wanted in life – thankfully, being together appeared on both lists!’ Like something out of a movie, within two weeks the couple had pulled the kids out of school and nursery, given away most of their belongings and embarked on an epic adventure that…

Effervescent and majestic, delphiniums are sure to draw attention in summer beds and borders. These vivid flowers have been grown in our gardens for centuries – their common name ‘larkspur’ dating back to Tudor times. ‘The cultivars we now use have been selected and bred from the wild forms for their uniformity, size of flower and colour,’ says Lou Nicholls, previously head gardener of Godinton House and Gardens in Kent, famous for its display of delphiniums. Flowering at the start of summer, delphiniums will also come back and flower again in autumn if they are cut back hard after their first blooms. ‘They are special because few other plants give you such colourful height, with bee-friendly intricate flowers in solid columns in blues, whites, pinks and mauves,’ says Guy Barter,…

Fanny grew up in Wiltshire, surrounded by historic architecture and idyllic countryside. A daughter of teachers, her love of pattern was encouraged from an early age. She worked as an illustrator for 10 years before launching a line of screenprinted fabrics in 2015. Working from her studio in Chalke Valley, she recently launched her debut wallpaper range. Have you always been creative? My father taught at Winchester College, so my sister and I lived and learnt at the school. At the time it was all boys – we were two of only three girls. I spent a lot of time in the music and art departments, which were inspiring in their own right but also provided sanctuary in what was quite an unusual situation! My mother was a violin teacher…

‘The benefit of planning a modest extension was that it left room in the budget for us to use robust, pleasing materials for the décor, like limestone flooring and Caesarstone worktops’ When Giles Kime and his wife Katie found this house in a Hampshire village, they decided to buy it before their car had even crunched up the drive. ‘The second thoughts lasted only a few (Arctic) months as we decided what to do with the tired 1630s cottage that had been badly extended in both the 1880s and 1950s,’ says Giles. Understanding its past was key to plotting its future. Built as an unassuming hall house, it was embellished in the 1730s and furnished with ‘mod cons’, including a hearth and bread oven. In the late 19th century, a…

MEADOW MEET-UP Fashion a unique picnic spot using sturdy vintage crates. Stack the larger ones to make a table, then upturn more crates to use as seats (make them comfy with throws and cushions). Add foldaway stools for extra guests. YOU’RE INVITED Forgo the typical WhatsApp group invite in favour of posting personalised invitations to your friends – they will love receiving one of these pretty cards through their letterbox. 1 If you are new to painting with watercolour, get some scrap paper and play with mixing colours and seeing what effects you can make with your brushes. 2 You can create your own design in rough before repeating onto your blank cards. Don’t worry about the cards looking perfect; aim for a handmade, artisan look. 3 Fold A5 ivory…

SHELTERED STYLE ‘For a long-lasting outdoor kitchen, a covered area is the best choice, especially given the unpredictability of the British weather,’ says Louisa Eggleston, creative director of Humphrey Munson. ‘Coverage ensures durability, protects appliances and enhances year-round usability.’ Louisa recommends iroko, a wood known for its resilience and resistance to moisture. For worktops, she suggests the natural stone, Dolomite. ‘It is a standout choice as it is naturally beautiful, highly resilient and perfectly suited for withstanding the elements,’ she says. Here, the kitchen is completed with an outdoor grill and fridge drawers by SubZero & Wolf, both designed for outdoor use. COMPACT CREATIVITY A smaller garden, compact patio and even a modest courtyard can become an inviting outdoor kitchen with some planning. Here, the cooking set-up forms the heart…

Creating an adaptive garden is surprisingly simple and, in most cases, affordable. Whether looking to aid an elderly relative, accommodate wheelchairs and pushchairs, protect a roaming toddler or cater to the needs of friends or family with disabilities, these little amendments can make a huge difference. Q How do I make my garden pond safe from falling in? A A net over a pond is a popular option but it won’t stop someone falling in, while fencing can disrupt the garden’s sense of flow. Instead, pond grilles, like SafaDeck, can be installed just below the waterline so they are invisible to the eye but provide a strong barrier to prevent drowning. ‘For maximum safety, the grille should be installed above the water to prevent contact between the child’s face and…

Locking the door to the studio comes with a sense of finality today, and if I’m being completely honest, a bone-deep weariness too. Even though my days as a burnt-out COO feel like a distant memory from someone else’s life, I still, on occasion, fall back into bad habits of over-committing to clients, tipping the work-life balance scale out of my control until said work is finally delivered. Which is why this break, the ultimate at-home staycation, is all I’ve dreamt about over the last month. The anticipation of what the next 10 days will bring is dancing around like butterflies in my belly. From past experience of what not to do – namely, fill all my time off with DIY or daily chores – entering into staycation mode has…

WOOD BROTHERS DISTILLERY CRAFT SPIRITS Quietly tucked away in a corner of their family farm, Wood Brothers Distillery is a sibling-run business in Bampton. Wood Brothers produces a range of lovingly crafted spirits – signature small batch, single estate vodka, traditional gin, a collection of liqueurs and there is even a whisky in the making. Visit the working distillery to get an insight into the process, with an informative distillery tour, a day at gin school, or even a special ‘supper by the still’ event. The shop showcases the full collection for sale or you can enjoy a Wood Brothers cocktail made in house. Elmwood Farm, Bampton OX18 2PL, woodbrosdistilling.com BURFORD GARDEN COMPANY GARDEN CENTRE SHOP AND CAFÉ This independent family-owned garden centre is so much more than the bountiful…

Afruit tree at the peak of summer is rich with promise. But in order for it to fulfil its potential, it is now time to thin out the developing fruits, prune back some of the branches and allow the sun to reach in and ripen them. Tom Coward, head gardener at luxury hotel Gravetye Manor, insists that every garden should have at least one fruit tree tucked within its borders. At Gravetye, he is spoilt for choice. The orchard and the unique elliptical walled kitchen garden are bursting with apples, pears, plums, cherries and apricots, as well as peaches and figs grown in the glasshouses. Gravetye is famous as the historic home of William Robinson, Victorian pioneer of the wild gardening ethos. But he was also instrumental in promoting fruit…