Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2025 i Country Homes & Interiors

THIS YEAR’S ‘BEST OF BRITISH’ SPECIAL ISSUE HAS BEEN SUCH FUN TO PUT TOGETHER. In our first planning meeting, we decided the theme should be ‘icons’ – a celebration of brands, designs, people and recipes that represent the qualities, craft and taste for which this country is admired. So, we meet the individuals – brothers, sisters and parents – behind some of our favourite family businesses (page 100), highlight prints and patterns that define British country homes (page 114), showcase the potteries and factories still making the classic china and kitchen appliances we’re renowned for (pages 126 and 127) and the nostalgic puddings and bakes that belong on our kitchen tables (page 128). We also discover why tennis icon Andy Murray wanted to rescue a hotel in his home town…

WOOLLY THINKING ‘Check it’s Wool’ is the message from The Campaign for Wool as it launches its annual Wool Month this October, supported by King Charles III, farmers and manufacturers, designers and brands around the UK. Look out for pop-up events, limited-edition designs and special offers. For details, go to campaignforwool.org. House in the Forest blanket, £119.95, countrymouse.co.uk Lay it down We’re coveting Ruggable’s new rug collection, designed in collaboration with tablescaping brand, Mrs Alice. Designer Alice Naylor-Leyland’s designs encapsulate the charm of English country homes and gardens, with a playful twist – think floral and gingham prints, bows and pastel tones. Each of the 12 designs come in two pieces – a non-slip rug pad, with a detachable cover that can be washed in the machine, ‘designed to help…

MATERIAL MIX A bootility room might be somewhere to hang coats and store shoes, keep pet leads and stash pet supplies, house laundry equipment, cleaning kit and vases for flowers… Often sited close to an outside door or off a busy kitchen, a bootility demands hardwearing flooring. Grazzie Wilson, head of creative at Ca’ Pietra, recommends natural stone for its timeless beauty, or low-maintenance porcelain tiles. Grazzie also suggests a focus on character to boost the impact of the space. ‘A checkerboard layout, for instance, brings a sense of intention and play,’ she says. ‘Patterned tiles can add joy to the everyday, especially when paired with painted joinery or open shelving.’ FLOWER AND GARDEN MAGIC ‘A bootility room designed for garden prep and flower arranging is a sanctuary where you…

Established in Blackburn in 1946, Graham & Brown has been at the heart of British wallpaper design for nearly 80 years. Still proudly family-owned, the business is now helmed by the third and fourth generations, with Iona Graham recently joining her father, CEO Andrew, as the company’s community and social manager. Known for combining heritage craftsmanship with cutting-edge innovation, their ‘Factory of the Future’ in Lancashire fuses analogue artistry with state-of-the-art digital printing. This autumn marks the launch of a showroom on the King’s Road – the brand’s first in four decades – bringing a touch of northern soul to SW3. ANDREW Harold and Henry were boyhood friends who grew up in Blackburn and worked together in the industry before they started Graham & Brown. They had a dream to…

A fifth-generation family business specialising in fabrics and wallcoverings, The Romo Group was founded in 1902 by Robert Mould. Today, the company has six distinct brands, including Romo, Kirkby Design and Villa Nova, all designed in the in-house studio in Nottinghamshire and sold worldwide. Now semi-retired, chairman Jonathan Mould (the founder’s great-grandson) has handed the reins to his three children, Emily, Felicity and Jordan, who lead the 500 employees while upholding Romo’s core principles and passion. FELICITY Dad always took us into work with him but the first time I had a true sense of the business was when a trip to India to work with some embroidery suppliers was combined with a family holiday. We saw the silkworms and visited the mills; it was an incredibly sensory experience. EMILY…

Kim Murray’s first visit to Cromlix hotel wasn’t an auspicious one. ‘We were there for the wedding of Jamie, Andy’s brother, and arrived in the dark, with the satnav in our rental car sending us the wrong way around a farm so we arrived late for the rehearsal dinner,’ she laughs. ‘The hotel was lovely but very traditional, with “thunderbox” loos and typical Victorian country house décor. I didn’t actually think much about it again, until it came onto the market in 2013 and Andy was approached by the owners about buying it. He was advised not to – back then, he was a tennis player on the up and he was told the hotel would be a money pit. We were children really – I was still at university!…

CLAIRE BINGHAM photographed two of the family businesses in our Best of British special feature (from page 100). ‘I loved capturing the playful bond between Little Greene’s Ruth and Ben Mottershead. And Andrew Graham’s pride in his daughter, Iona, joining Graham & Brown was very moving.’ POPPY OKOTCHA heads to the garden to write our seasonal story, Autumn’s Ease (page 140). ‘This season is a reminder to rest,’ she says, ‘as the land drifts towards the stillness of winter.’ AMY HODGE chose favourite British bakes for our food story, Heart & Soul (page 128). ‘For me, the best are those simple, hearty puds and desserts that make the most of what’s in season,’ she says.…

When Emily and David Jacobson decided the time had come to move house, the brief to the estate agent was clear. ‘We wanted idyllic countryside living that was still within commuting distance of city centres and general transport networks,’ says Emily. With busy jobs and demanding work schedules, both needed a home that provided a sense of calm and relaxation, but that was large enough to satisfy their love of entertaining. So when the estate agent organised a viewing to a converted Victorian vicarage in the quiet Cheshire countryside, within a commutable distance to Manchester, they knew it was the ideal fit. ‘This house is perfect for hosting friends and family, with multiple reception rooms and spare bedrooms,’ says David, of the now magnificently restored period property that oozes style…

‘A mix of vintage cupboards and dressers lends French farmhouse style to the kitchen, while a vintage butcher’s block has been fashioned into a rustic-looking island’ Were you to be looking for a renovation challenge, it’s unlikely you would have given this run-down pub a second glance. For Alastair Humphries, however, it was perfect. He and his partner Carlo had been about to relocate to the US, but a change of plan saw them house-hunting in Dorset. There were two big factors to take into account in their search – the couple’s Weimaraners, Guthrie and Billy. ‘We wanted to rent somewhere before buying but we couldn’t find a landlord willing to allow two big dogs,’ says Alastair. ‘Then we heard about an old coaching inn in Shaftesbury.’ Last orders had…

If you’re planning a room makeover, don’t forget to give your windows – or rather, the curtains and dressings around them – some love. These can act almost as a feature wall in a living space, adding drama, depth and design detail to your room scheme. When you’re choosing window treatments, it’s important to think of practicality as well as style, with the shape and size of your window and the room’s function as important as the fabric, heading and lining choice. ‘So many people forget to include window treatments when planning a new look. Windows take up a huge amount of space within a room and are an ideal canvas for expressing your creativity,’ says Yvonne Keal, senior product manager, Hillarys. A NEW BOLDNESS After years of relatively plain…

Founded in 2001 by David Mottershead, Little Greene is a family-run British paint and wallpaper company known for its rich heritage colours, sustainable credentials and impeccable quality. Now joined by his children, Ruth and Ben, the business has grown from a small factory in North Wales to an international name with showrooms across Europe – and recently, the US. Riding the wave of the 2000s ‘posh paint’ revolution, Little Greene distinguished itself with deeply pigmented paints and historically inspired palettes. Today, the Mottersheads continue to shape the brand’s creative direction, championing craftsmanship, environmental responsibility and timeless design from their headquarters in Manchester. DAVID I worked for several paint manufacturers, but I’m also a farmer’s son. You might think those two worlds don’t connect, but farmers always run their own businesses.…

CHARNWOOD Across 50 years and three generations, AJ Wells & Sons has been proudly making beautiful wood and multi-fuel stoves at its factory on the Isle of Wight. From an original workforce of three, it now employs more than 100 staff, some of whom have been with the business for more than 30 years. They’re as committed to the environment as they are to their people, with Charnwood’s energy-efficient stoves made as sustainably as possible with majority fully recyclable materials, and replacement parts available for repairs. See charnwood.com And another thing… AJ Wells & Sons Architectural Enamel provides enamelling for range cookers, baths and signage – including Tube signs for Transport For London. PLUMBS Tom and Bernice Plumb started selling home accessories on Lancashire market stalls in 1953, founding the…

Strawberries and cream cake SERVES 12 This showstopper of a cake uses strawberries and cream, quintessential British flavour combinations. FOR THE SPONGE 350g self-raising flour350g caster sugar350g butter6 eggs2tsp baking powderSplash of milk FOR THE CREAM 600ml double cream2tbsp icing sugar1tsp vanilla bean paste FOR DECORATING 3tbsp strawberry jam400g strawberries 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4 and grease and line three 18cm round cake tins. 2 In a large mixing bowl, beat together all the sponge ingredients with an electric hand mixer or blitz in a food processor until well combined. 3 Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and bake for 30 mins until the sponges are golden and springy to the touch. Turn out the sponges onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. 4 Meanwhile,…

I’ve never felt jealous of anything. I just don’t see the point. But there is one thing I’ve felt a type of benign envy towards over the last 20-plus years, and that is my husband Andrew’s close-knit friendship group. They’re not flashy or loud about it, but whenever it has mattered and even when it hasn’t, they’ve shown up for each other through marriages, babies, funerals, job changes and bad hips. There’s an ease between them, a shorthand as it were; a quiet loyalty I’ve admired from the sidelines, always warm but never mine. The longest of those friendships began in earnest at aged five on the walk to the first day of primary school, in school shorts and long socks with their mums not far behind. An unbreakable bond…

‘Parts of the house date back to the 1600s, and it was extended in Georgian times. We wanted to create an exterior that reflected that history but was better suited for modern family life’ Somewhat of a cliché perhaps, but it was a cricket match and a rustic pub that tempted Ali Griffiths and her husband Ben to trade city life for the country. That was way back, explains Ali, as she describes how they moved to a pretty part of rural Surrey when the children, now teenagers, were small. ‘We were in London with two young children, and visited Surrey on a sunny day. We were struck at how picturesque village life was with the cricket, the green and the pubs,’ she says. After making the leap and living…

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A fabulous final flourish before the turn of true autumn, the decadent, blowsy blooms found in borders and hedgerows are a worthy wait. Out in the wild, floral shades have shifted and faded in the sun, with tawny, slightly turned-leaf tones prevailing at this time of year. Prolific in perfume and graced with the softest of petals, they are a sensuous delight; floribunda forms entwined together, resulting in a palette of ebbing pigments. In your country home, why not mirror these abundant, late-season florals with a single bountiful fabric designed for heady effect? Drench an interior across a tented ceiling and wall panels – or, in this instance, a bed canopy, curtains and coverlets. Enrich the muted and hazy hues with complementary shades of afternoon-sky blues, cosy coppers and warming…

‘Iconic’ may be the buzzword of the moment, but it also describes design, brands and individuals that stand apart from the rest. In our third annual Best of British issue, we’re celebrating the icons of creativity and industry that make our homes and interiors shine. We join in conversations with incredible family businesses, delight in patterns and prints that have changed how the world decorates, collect the china and cookware for which our country is famed, and the recipes that have fed us for generations. Let’s cheer these success stories together.…

This Hampshire-based family business almost didn’t make it to its third generation – twins Barny and Warrick Gloyn, and younger brother James. Founded under the name Monkwell Fabrics by their grandfather, Sid, then run by their father Richard, the company closed its doors when Richard retired. Soon bored with the quiet life, he rebranded the company Linwood, named after the Hampshire village the family calls home, and started again. Today, Linwood employs more than 50 staff and its fabrics and wallpapers are sold around the world. BARNY The secret to three brothers running a business together? We give each other a lot of space! It helps that we all have our own areas. I joined first, and as managing director I deal with the running of the business. Warrick is…

Chintzy florals Conjuring elegance and romance, chintzy florals are a hallmark of British country interiors. ‘Chintz’ was first used to describe brightly coloured glazed cotton printed in India for Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries, but it has evolved into a general term for exuberant floral prints. Chintz was championed in the 20th century by the interior decorating firm Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler and became identified with their English country style. The fixation faded for a while, yet today our appetite for maximalist interiors and nostalgia has caused chintz to flourish once more. Timeless stripes Stripes are a décor staple, loved for their versatility. Depending on their scale, colour and configuration, stripes can be striking or subtle and will look at home in a smart townhouse, a country…

Ceramics has always been a big part of my life,’ says Jo Taylor. ‘When I was a child, I was forever drawing and playing with mud in the garden.’ Jo signed up to an evening throwing class in 1991, but admits she was a happy hobby potter for many years, alongside her career as an administrator and then a police officer (in Bristol and Swindon, respectively). While in the police, Jo bought a kiln and a wheel and spent her spare time making pots ‘just for fun’ at home. She then enrolled on a part-time ceramics degree and in 2005, her passion for the craft led to a complete career change. Following her graduation, Jo was offered a job teaching ceramics by a friend, and for a while she combined…

Halloween vignette Make a hauntingly beautiful bell jar display YOU WILL NEED Fimo Effect Galaxy White modelling clay, £33.50 for 57g, HobbycraftBaking parchmentRolling pinTin foilClay modelling toolsPencilUni-ball Posca PC 3M fine Black paint pen, £3.80, HobbycraftGlass clocheCardboardPencilCraft knifeGlue gun and glue sticksGreen acrylic paintPaintbrushGreen reindeer moss, £4.50 for 50g, HobbycraftTwigsFaux cobwebsMini toadstools (optional)Cake stand 1 Begin by kneading a block of clay into a ball to make it malleable. Place the ball of clay between two sheets of baking parchment, to prevent it from sticking to your work surface, then roll it out into a circle approximately 25cm in diameter. 2 Mould a piece of tin foil into a cone shape with a rounded top, approximately 12cm high, with a base that’s 10cm wide. This will create the support structure…

With winter on the horizon and earthy, evergreen tones dominating the landscape, we need something to look forward to – and the promise of spring-flowering bulbs is often too much to resist. But as we long for those bright spring colours, how do we navigate the vast range on offer? And as we strive to garden more thoughtfully and sustainably, can we even justify planting bulbs to bloom and discard after just one spring? There’s also the question of how bulbs are raised at source, what pesticides have been used and what means are required to produce endless variations in colour and form. Are those acres of Dutch bulb fields a ‘fast-fashion’ source of spring colour, grown at the expense of nature and insects? There’s no doubt that we need…