Indholdsfortegnelse for May 2025 i 25 Beautiful Homes

This issue is all about making the very most of the space you have – and for Louise and Patrick White that meant transforming a student rental into a characterful house inspired by their research into the origins of the property. The results on page 20 are amazing. Similarly, Jenny Thorpe looked to the past when she took on the renovation of her 1930s semi, bringing back the original layout that had been lost in more recent alterations. Have a look on page 54. Charlotte Woodwards’ clever use of colour and pattern has turned her dark and dated Victorian terrace into a joyful house that lends itself perfectly to family life. You can take a tour around it on page 78.…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A detached Victorian house ROOMS Double sitting room, playroom, kitchen-diner/media room, larder, utility room, cloakroom, office, five bedrooms, three bathrooms LOCATION West London HOW DID YOU COME TO BE INVOLVED WITH THIS PROJECT? The clients were working with Katherine Brown Curtains and Blinds – a frequent collaborator with my studio, Alex Interior Design – and Katherine introduced us. This busy family found themselves with a fully renovated house that was perfectly functional but lacked atmosphere, a sterile grey and white space, with furniture from their previous home that wasn’t quite right. WHAT WAS THE BRIEF? They were keen to inject the bland rooms with personality, which we did by blending period elements with a more vibrant contemporary edge. We layered rich colours, bold soft furnishings, bespoke…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY 1940s Cape-style cottage ROOMS Three sitting rooms, family room, dining room, kitchen, pantry, boot room, cloakroom, five bedrooms, five bathrooms LOCATION Nashville, Tennessee While interior designer Kate Figler was content in her spacious new-build Nashville home, having grown up in a converted barn in Connecticut, she yearned for the character and history that comes with an older property. She had always coveted the charming architectural details and Cape Cod-style exterior of a nearby property, so when she spotted it was for sale, she jumped at the chance to put in an offer. Kate and her husband Todd, along with their children Charlotte, 16, Wyatt, 14, and Will, 12, and three dogs, bought their dream home in May 2023, with a goal to finish everything before the…

PROJECT DETAILS DESIGNER Zoe Jones from Roper Rhodes (roperrhodes.co.uk) PROPERTY Farmhouse dating to the 15th century WORK Bathroom renovation LOCATION Somerset As part of a project to extend and renovate their 600-year-old farmhouse in Somerset, the homeowners asked Zoe Jones, who is senior creative producer at Roper Rhodes, for her help with designing their new family bathroom. 1 IN THE BEGINNING Creating a scheme that combined the best of classic and contemporary was a key part of this project. ‘The house has parts dating back to the 15th century, so the homeowners were keen to create a bathroom that was sympathetic to the age of the property, while being part of a modern extension,’ explains Zoe. ‘They also wanted to bring in a sense of quiet luxury, to make an…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Extended bungalow, originally built in the 1920s ROOMS Kitchen-diner/living area, snug, utility room, cloakroom, home office, four bedrooms, two bathrooms LOCATION Surrey This was the ugliest, smallest house on one of our favourite roads in the village,’ says Chess Johnson. Just look at it now! From a forlorn one-bedroom bungalow, empty for two years, the property was turned into a dream home by Chess and husband Ross for themselves and their two-year-old son, Huish. They extended to the side and rear, and raised the roofline to add a second storey. Although it’s a narrow plot at just eight metres wide, their ingenious design and clever use of space made way for three additional bedrooms, a utility room, two bathrooms, an office and a snug. The sociable…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached single-storey new build ROOMS Sitting room/kitchen-diner, utility room, boot room, study, cloakroom, four bedrooms, two bathrooms LOCATION Austin, Texas The opportunity to build a home on a scenic plot with only llamas and horses as immediate neighbours proved irresistible to Dillon and Chad Womack. ‘The land backs onto ranches, so we are surrounded by nature while still being just 15 minutes from downtown Austin,’ notes Dillon, who adds, ‘We get regular visits from wildlife, including deer.’ The couple, who have a teenage daughter, commissioned Nalle Custom Homes to build a single-storey property with a modern yet timeless aesthetic. As the plans took shape, they also brought in interior designer Meredith Owen for her expert eye. ‘Meredith had worked on a number of projects with Chad’s…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Former rectory dating back to 1810 ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, snug, garden room, boot room, utility room, cloakroom, study, six bedrooms, four bathrooms, games room, separate three-bedroom annexe LOCATION Suffolk ‘The building work – including the extension to get a bigger kitchen – honours the Georgian period’ it took a certain amount of chutzpah to believe this former rectory could become a welcoming family home, but Lindsey Rendall had the courage of her convictions. ‘The house had been gutted by a fire a few years previously and then poorly renovated with an insurance payout,’ recollects Lindsey who, as co-founder of Suffolk-based interior design firm Rendall & Wright, has spearheaded many a substantial renovation. ‘The interiors had been painted black, lime green and pink – it felt…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A semi-detached house built in 1891 ROOMS Sitting room, family room, dining room, kitchen, den/office, cloakroom, four bedrooms, two bathrooms LOCATION Washington, DC We chose Georgetown for its deep and rich history and proximity to great restaurants and shops,’ says Laura Kim referring to the Washington, DC location of the historic, 1891-built, Federal-style townhouse she shares with husband Chip Newton. The area, with its cobblestone streets and fashion and design shops, is becoming increasingly popular with an arty community and foodies alike. Laura and Chip fell in love with the charm and character of the house and the fact that it was in a quieter part of the city with a strong micro community with the bonus of everything being within walking distance. Although it had…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A 1950s detached house ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen, dining room, family room, cloakroom, four bedrooms, three bathrooms LOCATION California ‘The kitchen island has a substantial overhang so it acts as a proper table and provides comfortable seating when entertaining’ HOW DID YOU COME TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT? I’m known for my traditional aesthetics and I’m especially inspired by English design because of my dual citizenship – my mother is from England – and my frequent trips there. A former colleague introduced me to the clients as the wife is from the Cotswolds and they thought my heritage and fresh spin on traditional ideas would be a good fit for this project, which it was! WHAT CHANGES WERE THE CLIENTS MAKING TO THEIR PROPERTY? Their…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian mid-terrace ROOMS Sitting room, office, kitchen-diner, cloakroom, two bedrooms, bathroom LOCATION West London ‘EVERY INCH OF SPACE WAS USED IN THE LONG AND NARROW KITCHEN – STORAGE WAS EVEN BUILT AROUND THE BABY BLUE SMEG FRIDGE’ HOW DID YOU COME TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT? As both the interior designer and homeowner, I was fully immersed in every aspect from start to finish. My husband and I purchased this house seeking a property with original features and charm, but one that also offered exciting renovation potential. DESCRIBE YOUR INTERIORS STYLE. It is inspired by my North American roots, having grown up in Canada. I blend contemporary and traditional elements to create spaces that are both timeless and approachable. WHAT WERE YOUR MAIN PRIORITIES? Our…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A modern barn conversion linked to a 17th-century oak-framed barn ROOMS Kitchen-diner/living area, loft space, snug, utility room, five bedrooms, five bathrooms, dressing room LOCATION Kent After years of transforming properties for clients, Emma and Terry Hazelwood decided the time was right to create a home for themselves that reflected their expertise and creativity. The couple, who own Hazelwood Building & Interiors, specialise in restoring listed barns, farmhouses and oast houses, so it seemed fitting to take on a project close to their hearts. The opportunity arose in 2018 when they discovered a plot in Kent featuring a 17th-century oak-framed barn and spectacular countryside views. The purchase, however, wasn’t straightforward. Boundaries needed renegotiating and the couple acquired additional land to accommodate their vision. ‘We didn’t like…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A late 19th-century, three-storey, listed canal house ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen/dining/living area, laundry room, playroom, four bedrooms, two bathrooms LOCATION Haarlem, the Netherlands When interior designer Nicole Dohmen first received a call from Haarlem-based couple Jacqueline and Tako, she quickly felt a connection. ‘They wanted their house to reflect the character of their family, to feel free-flowing, creative and, most importantly, not too serious.’ Stepping through the front door for the first meeting, Nicole found an easy-going atmosphere: children eating strawberries on the sofa; busy parents coming and going; a football flying through the room… ‘I loved that Jacqueline and Tako wanted lots of colour. It wasn’t meant to be a standard interior, but rather surprising. That’s exactly what I love to do.’ Jacqueline had a…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A 1930s semi-detached house ROOMS Sitting room, playroom, kitchen-diner, snug, utility room, five bedrooms, three bathrooms, dressing room LOCATION Essex HOW DID YOU COME TO BUY THIS HOUSE? We weren’t looking for a project but while on the hunt for our next home we spotted this 1930s semi, split into two independent dwellings. It had great potential and we decided we could transform it back into one family home for us and our two children, Sylvie, five and Dora, three. WHAT APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT THIS HOUSE? To be honest, if this place had come up on any other street we probably wouldn’t have gone for it as it needed so much work. The right half of the property had been converted into a self-contained annex…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A detached, two-storey, mid-century house ROOMS Kitchen-dining/living space, TV room, laundry, two home offices, gym, two cloakrooms, four bedrooms, four bathrooms LOCATION Australia It’s that age-old story: a young family needs more space, so decides to swap inner city life for the coastal dream. ‘We were living in a terraced house in Darlinghurst (a district in Sydney), but going up and down stairs all day became tiresome with little children and it was no longer practical,’ recalls Australian style director Kerrie-Ann Jones. Having grown up in Sutherland Shire and with relatives close by, it was the obvious choice for a change of scene. Kerrie-Ann and her husband Andrew initially looked at an empty waterfront plot and planned to build their own property but were put off…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A four-storey, Grade II-listed house built in 1863 ROOMS Double sitting room, kitchen-diner, utility room, cloakroom, four bedrooms, three bathrooms LOCATION North London ‘THE NEW BANQUETTE SEAT WRAPS AROUND TWO WALLS, ENVELOPING THE TABLE FOR A REALLY COSY FEEL’ Soft minimalism is a good way to describe the aesthetic of this calm, elegant and beautifully restored Grade ll heritage house, which was built in 1863. Its current caretakers, Joe and Johanna Jones and their three-year-old son, Eliot, were keen to honour its history with a gentle restoration that would make it function in an energy-efficient way now, and for the next 100 years. ‘When I first met the owners,’ says interior designer Andrew Griffiths of A New Day design studio, ‘what really came through, along with…