Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2025 i The English Home

If there is a single element that’s crucial to how we experience the interiors of our English homes, it is natural light. Whatever the actual dimensions or scale of a room, daylight can ultimately transform our perception of it, dramatically affecting how that room feels, increasing its sense of airiness or loftiness and highlighting its architectural features. How interior designers and architects harness daylight is something we explore in detail this issue. The second instalment of our Essential Elements series (page 92) takes a close look at clever solutions – both architecturally and decoratively – for achieving an increased sense of light and space in a wide variety of interiors. And on page 102 we chart all you need to know to commission an architect and get the best from…

SLEEP WELL Add some timeless quality to the bedroom with the Cornish Bed Company, the last working foundry to make cast-iron, nickel and brass Victorian bed frames using techniques first perfected 150 years ago. While other companies make metal beds, the Cornish Bed Company, based just outside Fowey in Cornwall, is the last remaining company to use gravity casting and traditional knuckle joints, which connect the head and foot sections of the bed. Tapped in place using a hammer, with no need for screws, the joints are guaranteed to last a lifetime, and each receives a Certificate of Authenticity when leaving the foundry, ensuring the company’s beds become the antiques of the future. cornishbeds.co.uk TAILOR-MADE Joinery and handcrafted kitchen specialist Bakehouse Kitchens is on a mission to create customised home…

Whether it is a traditional conservatory or orangery, a sunny garden room or an extension that affords views out to the garden, these spaces are perfect for blending the indoors with the outdoors. To make the most of them, focus on maximizing natural light and creating a seamless transition between interior and exterior. make the most of such a space by letting in the light and decorating it to create a soft transition between inside and out. These rooms are often designed with a specific purpose in mind – whether for leisurely breakfasts, having a drink with friends, or simply relaxing while enjoying the view. Here, we explore how to enhance the flow of natural light, make the most of the windows and views, and add playful character through decorating…

RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH WILD GARLIC BUTTER AND SPRING VEGETABLES Combine spring vegetables with the heady scent of wild garlic for a classic pasta dish Preparation time 25 minResting time 10 min 500g ricotta, drained 2 eggs100g Parmesan, grated150g plain flour40g semolina nutmeg, grated500g white and green asparagus, trimmed70g butter150g peas, frozen1 handful wild garlic, sliced1–2 tbsp lemon juice1 handful baby spinach METHOD • Mix the ricotta with the eggs, Parmesan, flour, semolina and nutmeg to form a dough. Rest for 10 minutes. • Roll 2cm-wide strips from the dough on a floured surface. Cut into small dumplings and cook in boiling, salted water for 3–4 minutes. Dip in cold water then drain. • Boil the white asparagus in salted water for 10 minutes, the green asparagus for 5 minutes. Dip…

As the clocks spring forward at the end of the month, longer, lighter and brighter days are here to stay. Maximise this warmth and energy with a vibrant wallcovering. This additional new golden colourway of a favourite Osborne & Little design brings fresh life, depth and luxury to this delightful, rich tropical scene. The metallic ground will reflect light, bringing in the sunshine, while the exotic trailing orchids and colourful hummingbirds offer a sense of escapism... and perhaps inspire the planning of a holiday to far-flung destination. Until then, bask in the golden glow of a show-stopping wall that sets the scene for the sunny days ahead. Trailing Orchid, Metallic Gold, Ananda wallpapers, £339 a roll, Osborne & Little…

SPOTLIGHT ON… Cinny Aumonier’s debut interiors collections Proudly produced in the UK, and five years in the making, Cotswolds interior designer and textile artist Cinny Aumonier has launched her debut ranges of fabrics, wallpapers and home furnishings. “I’ve been working in interior design for over 20 years, and launching my own collection of fabric, wallpaper and homeware has always been a dream,” she says. “I’ve carefully curated a collection of fabrics and wallpapers, featuring a mix of geometric and floral patterns in a range of scales, all designed to work beautifully together. The thoughtfully crafted designs let you create spaces that feel both unique and welcoming, blending textures and patterns that draw inspiration from 18th-century Indian chintz reimagined for a distinctly English style. The result? Rooms that feel effortlessly stylish,…

“I love to be nosy and see what’s on the market,” says Harriet Nimmo, who happened to stumble one day upon an advert for an early 20th-century, four-storey townhouse in west London. “We weren’t really looking, and rarely do I actually book a viewing to see a property, but I saw this house online and thought it was really special, so I had to take a look.” With limited knowledge about the area and community, it was purely a gut feeling that drew her to the house. “By total coincidence, the day after I saw it we found out I was pregnant with our first baby. It was fate,” she adds. While Harriet and her husband, Josh, had been set on staying in the area of London they were currently…

There is never one kitchen design that can truly fit all. A kitchen can be the heart of the family home, a creative hub for the flamboyant foodie or a polished space that comes alive for elegant entertaining. For some, it might also be a flexible scheme that doubles up for occasional home working or incorporates a bed for the most spoilt family member – the dog. Kitchens are rooms of all shapes, sizes and possibilities. Function, form and flexibility play a key role in creating unique spaces that are tailor-made to enhance different lifestyles. One brand offers an end-to-end service that helps its customers to realise their dream kitchen... …surprise, it’s IKEA Distinctive designs for living IKEA caters for every type of homeowner and space via its customisable, super-flexible…

Few concepts are as integral to a home as light and space. Both are inextricably linked, since light helps shape our perception of space. Yet a home’s size is not necessarily commensurate to its quality of light: a modest cottage’s interiors can harness both light and space, resulting in proportions that seem more generous and airy than they really are. Conversely, a vast room with little relief from light can appear unwelcoming. As Sir Terence Conran noted in his indispensable The Essential House Book, “Natural light enhances the character of a room, throwing detail into relief, drawing the eye to warm sunny spots, shrouding corners in cool shadows. A positive enjoyment of light, views and spatial diversity are all part of the same picture.” These days, with space more at…

ITALIAN WALLCOVERING These rustic, vintage-style tiles hark back to the colourful designs seen in traditional Itallian nonnas’ kitchens. There are seven designs in the edit, offering floral and fruit motifs to add suitable themes to kitchen and garden room walls. Nonna’s Kitchen Cornelia ceramic tiles, £115.42 for a box of 14 tiles, Ca’ Pietra FINE STONEWARE Make everyday meals feel special with a simple artisanal tableware set. This Portuguese stoneware is crafted from a handmade mould and the style is known for its hardwearing surface and unique look, edged here with beads for a modern finishing touch. Lyon Portuguese stoneware in sets of four: dinner plates, £80, dessert plates, £46, and cereal bowls, £56, Anthropologie ELEGANT WINGBACK The addition of a classic patterned wingback chair brings a softer touch to…

‘We tried to put it back to its original Georgian design and looked at period properties from that era with a country look for inspiration’ Thanks to some clever architectural alterations and designer Alice Moylan’s flair for combining colour and pattern, this generous, charming, 19th-century cottage has a wonderful coherence while providing a series of distinct spaces for family life. Situated in the heart of Derbyshire’s countryside, near the heritage spa town of Matlock, this four-bedroom house, built in 1850 in the local vernacular, looks from the front every bit the chocolate-box cottage. However, step inside and the ceilings are high, and the rooms feel spacious and seem far bigger than the exterior implies. Any alterations made are inconspicuous, with little to distinguish old from new, where a picture rail…

FULLY IMMERSED Taking a wallpaper up onto the ceiling has been an enduring trend of the last year or so. While it is easier to do with a pattern where the repeat is less obvious or the direction is easier to blend, this mural-like design creates a beautifully executed immersive effect. Much of the success is down to the oversized scale of the design, which creates the feeling of being in the midst of a bamboo grove, with birds fluttering around. The delicate use of a monotone palette also keeps this large-scale, cocooning treatment calm and serene. Perfect for an indulgent bathroom in which to enjoy a peaceful soak surrounded in beauty. Celeste Mural, £43 a square metre, Sandberg (from 5 March)…

Although planning a bedroom may be a very personal matter, there are a number of key issues that must be addressed. “While a bedroom must be beautiful, inviting, calming and offer a private sanctuary, it also needs to be practical and functional in terms of storage, sleeping and personalised tasks,” explains Emma Deterding, founder of Kelling Designs. To this end, incorporating premium mattresses and beds, soft lighting, sumptuous layers, a calming palette and well-considered furniture will go a long way to balancing requirements and creating the most comfortable as well as aesthetically pleasing scheme. 1 The perfect MATTRESS “A vital factor in achieving a good night’s sleep is a supportive mattress,” says Adam Black, co-founder of Button & Sprung. Quality pocket-sprung mattresses are considered the most supportive. “With breathable, natural…

Hellebores are a little treat in the garden at this time of year, they are a classic plant for floral interest during the winter and continue blooming until mid-spring. These perennial plants thrive in shade and can be planted directly in the ground or in pots. They are easy to look after and do not require to much attention once planted and established. They also self-seed and can spread and fill shadier spots. Sometimes called the winter rose, despite having no connection to the rose species, these plants instead are more closely related to the buttercup family. The array of colours, from pale pinks, deep burgundy and fresh greens, found in hellebore flowers can spark inspiration in the home as well as the garden, from styling a seasonal table for…

Cleanliness, they say, is next to godliness, and these days, thanks to a plethora of tools for dusting, mopping, brushing, scrubbing and sweeping, it has never been easier to do a seasonal refresh and end up with a conscience that is equally as clean. Whether preferring to follow wisdom handed down over generations or use eco products that are free of harmful chemicals, there has never been a better time to welcome in the new season with a thorough spring clean. Eco credentials Creating a home environment that is clean to the core is simple with eco products. Chemical formulas can be polluting to the environment as they often rely on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and harmful substances, such as ammonia, bleach and phosphates to perform. To avoid using products…