Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2026 i The English Home

Well, that’s what always feels like the longest month of the year out of the way, and now we’re into the shortest. The garden is starting to sprout with early flowers such as snowdrops, so it’s a time to, well, spring forward! Our seasonal feature celebrates these first signs of life, from snowdrops to early blossom, which can be to cut and displayed in long, elegant branches to bring a touch of the outdoors in. This month marks the start of a new series we hope you’ll love, where we delve into the homes of some of our favourite interior designers to see how they furnish their own spaces – and gather their best tips for making the most of yours. We showcase the latest movers and shakers in the…

ARTISTIC CONNECTION Lewis & Wood’s newest collection of wallcoverings, The History Papers, traces design techniques used over centuries. Folklore, shown here, celebrates the relationship between English and American craft traditions, based on an antique stencilled wooden wall found in New England, which is now in the American Museum in Bath. Though it references early American folk art, the clean and striking colourways bring it up to date for a bold, pretty look that has the effect of being a hand-stencilled wall. Other designs in the collection span inspiration taken from 2,000-year-old American rock carvings to glorious Georgian damask. Folklore wide-width wallpaper, Buttermilk Blue, £94 a metre, Lewis & Wood…

Sanderson has had much success with its first collaboration with the National Trust, a collection which drew inspiration from a range of properties across the country, launching new incarnations of different period styles. Ahead of the launch of another collaboration with the National Trust in February, this time focusing on just one property as its muse, Sanderson is pleased to give The English Home readers an exclusive preview. The property at the heart of this exciting new offering is Brockhampton, a medieval manor house in Herefordshire. ‘We were drawn to Brockhampton as it’s quite a humble dwelling, as opposed to some of the grander properties in the National Trust’s portfolio. It’s also its 600th anniversary year, and it is celebrating 75 years under the guardianship of the National Trust, too,’…

PARSNIP BREAD WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES A slice of this freshly baked bread made from sweet earthy parsnips and tangy sun-dried tomatoes is the perfect accompaniment to hearty stews and soups Makes 16 slices INGREDIENTS 7g pack active dried yeast400g rolled oats250g parsnips, peeled and coarsely grated100g sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped1 tbsp dried rosemary2 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus extra for greasing2 tbsp honey2 tsp salt160g white bread flour10g pumpkin seeds METHOD • Measure 800ml of warm water into a bowl. Add the yeast and oats and allow them to soak for 10 minutes. • Add the parsnips, tomatoes, rosemary, oil, honey, salt and flour, and combine to a dough. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover the dough, allow to rise in a warm place for about an…

SPOTLIGHT ON… Hand-printed fabrics by Jessie de Salis Drawing on her Swiss–Italian heritage, textile designer Jessie de Salis found inspiration for her Como collection in the endless summers she spent on Italy’s sun-washed shores. Now based in Somerset, Jessie began her small textile studio at the kitchen table, working alongside her cousin, natural dyer and textile designer Alice Jacoby. Today, her hand-printed fabrics fill a barn. Each design is printed by hand using water-based inks on organic linen from Europe. ‘Many of my previous collections have been bold and expressive,’ explains Jessie. ‘With Como, I wanted to create something simpler – a collection that feels soft, familiar and effortless to live with. These fabrics are designed to sit harmoniously alongside brighter patterns, bringing balance and ease.’ jessiedesalis.com…

FEEL-GOOD FLOORS Taking its approach to creating ‘carpets with a conscience’ to the next level, Alternative Flooring has launched the world’s first fully-recyclable floor covering. The Echo Co-RE collection is proof that eco-responsibility, comfort and style can happily coexist. Made of 100 per cent polyester and yet so soft underfoot it feels like wool, the range comes in a choice of 10 shades with options for fully-fitted carpets or bespoke runners or rugs. And though each piece is made to last, to switch things up should a change of decor be on the cards, unlike other carpets and rugs, the entire product can be recycled into something else due to the fact the backing, yarn and fibre are all made from the same smart source. Sounds like a very clever…

Having lived in a handsome 16th-century farmhouse in rural Essex for 45 years, downsizing was much less of a wrench for Gill Jerram than she had imagined when an opportunity arose to build a beautiful bespoke home just a stone’s throw away. ‘Although the house where my late husband, Robert, and I had raised our four children was a lovely family home, it gradually became too big for me to manage on my own,’ she explains. ‘I realised that the farmhouse needed a new, young family to move in and cherish it.’ However, in 2023, a solution materialised. ‘For a number of years, a 1950s bungalow, just beyond the bottom of my back garden, was owned by a farm worker and his wife,’ Gill reveals. ‘When the couple sadly passed…

A BOLD APPROACH Take the plunge with a highly saturated shade that is both deep and vibrant. This sumptuous teal, Mylands’ Colour of the Year, has been chosen ‘for its cocooning nature and sense of balance. Rather than cooling a space, it brings an enveloping richness,’ says CEO Dominic Myland. Introduce a contrasting colour to add further dynamism – just be sure it matches the intensity of the teal, whether opting for a hot pink or golden mustard. MIX IT UP English interiors have long benefited from a touch of eclecticism, blending influences from around the world. Embrace this spirit with a bold mix of patterns. Penny Morrison is renowned for this layered look, artfully combining florals, stripes and global motifs. The key to balancing such exuberance is to anchor…

Of all the rooms in the house, the kitchen must surely be the hardest working. Prepping, cooking, eating and socialising make for plenty of use, so surfaces need to be able to withstand wear and tear, balancing good looks with functionality and durability. Counter solutions Worktops are routinely exposed to spills and all the prep activities that cooking requires, so ideally they need to be stain-resistant, moisture-proof, resilient to heat and scratches and easy to clean. Natural stones are a time-honoured choice, with marble a favourite for its classic beauty and natural veining, and no two slabs ever identical. ‘It brings a sense of uniqueness and elegance to a space, while being relatively easy to care for with routine cleaning and occasional resealing,’ advises Oliver Webb, director, Cullifords. ‘Over time,…

Style Maven Approved: Sink Into Chic A new collection from Hill House Vintage and Sofa.com Paula Sutton of Hill House Vintage has gained a devoted following for her style and love of vintage-inspired interiors. This Norfolk-based style maven has collaborated with Sofa.com on a new collection of sofas, with six fabrics – classic stripes in a rich fudge and a woody brown, a heritage gingham, two bold florals in fuchsia and china blue, and a nature-inspired design. Paula says: ‘It was wonderful to have the opportunity to collaborate with Sofa.com, a brand I’ve always loved. This collection feels like the perfect embodiment of me and my personal style. Bringing my ideas to life was such a fun and fulfilling experience, and seeing my designs shine across such a wide range…

‘The blend has been keeping an eye to the past, with elements that are a bit more interesting and a bit more contemporary’ There are several details throughout this listed townhouse in Hampshire that betray its varied history. ‘It was once a sheriff’s house and used to hold a lock-up. The door on the downstairs loo is still the original cell door with bolts, hatches and a peep hole to check on miscreants,’ explains owner Nick Williamson, who also points out another noteworthy door, installed in the west elevation when the building served as a bookmaker’s. Later, it functioned as a hotel, before finally settling into being the welcoming home it is today. The townhouse was far from pleasant when Nick first moved in 12 years ago. He was confronted…

The secret to a home that flows to perfection is often hidden in plain sight. It lies in the rooms that may well be called the workhorses of a property, the seemingly less glamorous parts of a house, but the ones that make life that bit easier. Ancillary rooms such as a utility or laundry space, boot room, and defined areas for enjoying hobbies and crafts provide places for designated tasks, helping to make life more organised and, in turn, calmer. There are important considerations to ensure such places are well designed but get the foundations right and these out-of-sight spots will bring just as much joy as elsewhere, becoming the true champions of a joyful home. Beauty in utility A successful utility room begins with an efficient layout and…

The Reform Club, Pall Mall, SW1 Founded 1836 The Reform Club (1838–41) is the final word in the extraordinary triptych of clubs on this stretch of Pall Mall begun with The Athenæum (1827–30) and continued with The Travellers (1829–32). Like The Travellers next door, this is an Italian palazzo, the work of Charles Barry, but significantly larger and more luxurious, more Rome than Florence. The stucco of its earlier neighbours has become Portland stone, a strong central entrance high above the street contrasts with the more modest entrance of The Travellers and the club’s extra storey, majestic cornice and additional four bays firmly establish it as the big boy on the block. The Reform was the largest and most expensive clubhouse when it was built, and in many ways remains…

Who do you live with and where? I live in west London with my husband Owain, our children, Wilf, 10, and Willow, nine, and our cats, Zola and Ziggy. What kind of English home do you have? Our house is a traditional Georgian townhouse, built in 1790. I love it because it has beautiful windows and always feels very light inside, while overlooking the River Thames from the garden. How long have you lived there and what kind of work have you done to the house? We have lived in the house for almost 11 years. We moved in days after our son was born. In fact, I went into labour when we were still living in Wandsworth and never returned to our old house. It got me out of…