Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2016 i 25 Beautiful Homes

A new year is approaching and all we have between now and the beginning of 2016 is the festive period. Once my son’s birthday has passed, on 14 December, I really start to get into the swing of it, from the office Christmas party – Secret Santa present still to be bought – to Christmas Eve in the village with carol singing. I’m not one to rush off to the shops on Boxing Day as it’s my ideal time to sit and do as little as possible, and eat as many turkey sandwiches as I can manage. Then New Year’s Eve will come with a bang! I’m slightly dreading the thought that the children will be needing a taxi service – a definite downside of living in the country when…

FAUX-PINE GARLAND This Christmas, I would like to invest in a good-quality faux-pine garland, and I wonder if you can recommend any that have a particularly realistic look? TANYA HOLLINGSWORTH, BRIGHTON I’m a big fan of a garland, as you can do so much with one, from decorating the mantelpiece, embellishing a staircase or front door, or running them along a console table as a decoration, as nicely illustrated with this lovely version, pictured, by Rockett St George (01444 253391, rockettstgeorge.co.uk), measuring 190cm and costing £24. John Lewis (03456 049049, johnlewis.com) has a few different options, the most luxurious – and realistic – being its Fern and Pine Cone garland, 180cm, £45. JENNY LIND-STYLE BED My daughter is moving out of her cot into a single bed and I have…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY 1920s detached house LOCATION Near Västerlösa, Sweden ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen-diner, family room, study, three bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 1998 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a flat nearby before buying this house, says Annelie. Annelie Stålnert is a firm believer in planning ahead; she had yet to buy her dream home but that didn’t stop her sourcing things to fill it with. ‘My husband Tomas tried to stop me, but I just couldn’t,’ she says. The reason for Annelie’s enthusiasm was a simple matter of economics. At the time, the couple were living in Beijing, where it was possible to find rare and ornate antiques without the hefty price tag. ‘The shopping in China was fantastic in the 1990s,’ says Annelie. ‘During the…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Early 1900s terraced house LOCATION Dublin ROOMS Hall, sitting room/ kitchen-diner, two bedrooms, shower room PURCHASED 2015 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before this, I lived in a rented house share on the south side of the city,’ says Katie. When you’re looking for a place to live, it’s undoubtedly a help if your dad is a location scout as well as an interior designer. Katie O’Brien’s father Wesley had completely refurbished several small houses in the Stoneybatter area of Dublin, and was well-versed in the layout and potential of its two-storey terraces. So when Katie needed a two-bedroom home within reasonable distance of the city, and small enough to maintain, she knew who to ask. Built in the early 1900s, the homes comprised a downstairs front parlour,…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Late-Victorian semi-detached house LOCATION Southeast London ROOMS Through sitting room, kitchen-diner, study, utility room, cloakroom, en-suite bedroom, dressing room, bathroom PURCHASED 1985 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We renovated a Regency terraced house in Ramsgate before buying this place,’ says Shirley. Examples of hair-raising decor, including a rainbow mural on the sitting room wall and architraves in dark green paint, greeted Shirley Parker Gore and her husband Graham when they first crossed the threshold of their late-Victorian semi. But for Shirley, these were minor details that failed to sway her determation to make the place her home. ‘I could picture the final look right down to the finest detail,’ she says. ‘Even when the property was a building site, I could imagine exactly what it was going to…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A 200-year-old converted barn LOCATION Devon ROOMS Sitting room, dining room, kitchen, snug, bedroom, bathroom PURCHASED 2008 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘My job in finance meant we spent a lot of time abroad,’ says Richard. After three decades working and living abroad, Odetta Matthews and her husband Richard were looking to settle in Devon in 2008. But it took a while before they found this slice of rural heaven. ‘We covered a lot of ground and viewed and rejected 29 properties before we came to see this place,’ explains Odetta. ‘And as we looked down from the top of the hill and saw the lovely landscape and not another house in sight, we both had a feeling that this could be the one. ‘We knew it would…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A 19th-century terraced cottage LOCATION Cornwall ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner/studio, workshop, two bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 2012 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, I lived in an Edwardian house not far away,’ says Sally. Sally MacCabe is an intuitive type of person, so when she saw a photo of a pretty terraced cottage in the local paper, she instantly knew it was the one for her. ‘It jumped out at me and I felt as if it was meant to be,’ she says. Sally had been house hunting for a small property that offered her security, independence and enough space to pursue her mixed-media work in the coastal town of St Ives in Cornwall. ‘I walked in the front door and knew I could happily live…

Design ideas BED CANOPY A graceful bed canopy adds a stunning finishing touch to Philippa and Phil Heath’s spacious master bedroom. Perfect for adding elegance to a simply furnished room, its also helps create a soft, feminine feel. This effective yet fuss-free alternative to a traditional four-poster bed is also a great way to give a bedroom a focal point. The canopy is created from tab-top curtains suspended from the ceiling by a pair of wooden curtain poles, with a swathe of voile across the top. A beautifully layered bed stacked with cushions completes the luxury look. Before installing a bed canopy, try to locate the ceiling joists and align the poles across them. This ensures they will be able to take the weight of the curtains. PAINT POTS DISPLAY…

1 LEADING LIGHT Rascal table lamp, £85, Fishpools 2 CUTE CRITTER Billy the Cat wash bag, £14, Not Before Tea 3 HIGH SPIRITS Whisky Arran decanter with walnut base, £85, LSA International 4 WRITE ON… Ingenuity ink pen in white/gold, £153, Parker 5 ROSE TINTED Barista & Co copper eight-cup cafetière, £44, Lakeland 6 NEW SHOOTS Plantini mini planthouse metal flat-pack kit, £25, another-studio.com 7 LEND A HAND Bronze palm dish, £295, Luxdeco 8 GLOBAL APPEAL Armillary decorative sphere, £30, Marks & Spencer 9 TREASURE TROVE Green jewellery box, £140, Nina Campbell 10 COOL CURVES Tom Dixon plum glass & copper ice bucket, £200, John Lewis…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached house, built in 1932 LOCATION Nebraska, USA ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, TV room, utility room, cloakroom, three bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2010 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before here, we lived in a country farmhouse close by,’ says Anna. Our road is nicknamed Christmas Street,’ says Anna Eickholt of her hometown in Nebraska, USA. ‘Here, everyone decorates their house and garden, and people drive by just to look. I put my lights and garlands up after Thanksgiving at the end of November. It’s a great way to get in the festive mood.’ Swedish-born Anna makes a lot of her own decorations, and reveals that she’s a diehard DIY aficionado. ‘I’ve been watching renovation programmes on TV for as long as I can…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Grade II listed terraced house built in the 18th century LOCATION Southwest London ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, snug, playroom, laundry, cloakroom, three bedrooms (two en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We moved here from a house in Los Angeles,’ says Anna When American-born Anna Norman and her husband Luke moved into their southwest London home, they lost no time enlisting the help of old friend and interior designer Gretchen Trusted. ‘Gretchen and I go back a long way,’ she says. ‘I had faith in her ability to make a house classic and fun at the same time.’ The tall Georgian property had everything going for it. ‘Its position overlooking the Thames is fantastic,’ says Anna, ‘and it has an elegant façade,…

UNIQUE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Converted 1800s workers’ cottages, extended in 2000 LOCATION Derbyshire ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, utility room, four bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 1992 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘As Phil used to be in the Navy, we lived in cabins on board various merchant ships,’ says Philippa. An old stone cottage, nestled among thick woodland on the edge of the Peak District, is home to the Heath family, who start preparing for Christmas on the first day of December every year. ‘We love this time of year,’ says Philippa. ‘Phil and I got married in December, and my birthday’s the week before Christmas, so it’s a very special time. Phil and one of the boys head out to pick a tree, and collect twigs that I form into decorations such as…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Converted brewery, dating back to 1798 LOCATION Cotswolds ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner, snug, office, utility/cloakroom, four bedrooms (two en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We were after a home in the Cotswolds and this project caught our attention,’ says Jacky. While house hunting, Simon Gill, a property investor, and his partner Jacky Hobbs, a stylist, came across a council-owned, Grade II listed, former Cotswold brewery that was up for auction. Plus, it came with planning permission to convert the mishmash of offices into a family home. With their interest sparked, the pair swiftly arranged a viewing. ‘The property was cavernous, dark and gloomy with unattractive bolted-on rooms to the side and rear,’ explains Jacky. ‘It wasn’t the obvious blueprint for a dream home…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY End-of-terrace cottage, built around 1815 LOCATION The Cotswolds ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, back kitchen, office, cloakroom, two bedrooms, bathroom MOVED IN 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, I lived in nearby Cheltenham in a garden apartment,’ says Patsy. Not everyone would spend money renovating a rental cottage. But interior designer Patsy Holdsworth had always loved the Cotswolds village in which this end-of-terrace is situated, so she was more than willing to help bring it back to life. ‘There are only 30 houses in the village and it’s a delightful place with a strong community spirit,’ she says. ‘I’d always wanted to live there ever since I began riding horses through its one and only street. I often passed a pretty Regency cottage where an 80-year-old…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Converted grain store, built in 1898 LOCATION Norfolk ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner, utility room, cloakroom, playroom, games room, four bedrooms (three en suite), dressing room, bathroom, two-bed annexe with bathroom PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We also have a house in east London,’ says Claire. Claire and Ed O’Neill instantly fell in love with the architectural details of their former grain store in Norfolk. ‘The features are beautiful,’ says Claire, ‘and the garden, which had been well kept by the last owners, was another big draw.’ The O’Neills purchased the property after all the family holidays they had enjoyed in the area with their daughters, Ivy, 7, and Ruby, 4. ‘It’s ideal for the kids,’ says Claire, ‘as there are beaches, country walks and stately…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Grade II listed Georgian detached LOCATION Lincolnshire ROOMS Hall, drawing room, dining room, open-plan kitchen/ sitting room, cloakroom, five bedrooms, four bathrooms PURCHASED 2000 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, I lived in an old cottage nearby,’ says Gerry. The idyllic panorama of the Lincolnshire Wolds was what drew Gerry Peckett, a keen gardener, to her Grade II listed Georgian home. ‘It was in a poor state,’ explains Gerry. ‘There was no flow between the rooms, which were divided up by partition walls, fireplaces were empty and the windows were boarded up.’ However, its lofty proportions, generous quantity of outbuildings and the prized view convinced Gerry that it could become a family home, albeit with serious time and effort. ‘Over the last 15 years, we’ve opened…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Semidetached villa, built around 1870 LOCATION Brighton ROOMS Hall, drawing room/ home office, sitting room, kitchen-diner, five bedrooms, three bathrooms PURCHASED 2012 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a house in a more suburban area of the city before buying this place,’ says Niki. Niki Hudson and her partner Graham Madigan specialise in architectural design, so it’s no surprise that they were immediately drawn to their Brighton home. One of eight Victorian villas on the block, it is a picture of period elegance. ‘Finding such a spacious house remaining as a whole, with a large south-facing garden, is rare,’ says Niki. ‘Best of all, it’s in the centre of this vibrant city and has private parking.’ As soon as you enter the property through the floor-to-ceiling…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Log-built lakeside villa LOCATION Hausjärvi, Finland ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner, office, three bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 2007 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We also have a home in Espoo, near Helsinki,’ says Merja. Merja Pesonen makes no bones about the fact that Christmas is her favourite time of year. ‘I’m absolutely crazy about it, and I always start my preparations several weeks beforehand,’ she says. ‘Yuletide is a very big celebration here in Finland, and I enjoy planning how I’m going to decorate the house and entertain my family and friends.’ Merja, her husband Lauri and their teenage daughters Iida and Riina, love celebrating the festivities at their holiday home, which is situated on the bank of a lake in Hausjärvi, an hour’s drive from their main house…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Regency-style house, built in 1840 LOCATION New Forest ROOMS Hall, drawing room, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, study, laundry room, six bedrooms (two en suite), two bathrooms PURCHASED 2007 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We moved from a terraced house in southwest London,’ says Carole. Carole Gannon and her husband Jim were looking for a new adventure as they approached semi-retirement nine years ago. So they decided to swap their terraced house in London for a rural life, and scoured property ads for interesting boltholes up and down the country. It wasn’t long before they found a potential home. ‘The New Forest location is what sold it to us,’ says Carole. ‘The forest isn’t all trees; its wild heath is beautiful and unspoilt. We fell in love with…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Semidetached Edwardian house LOCATION Northeast London ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room/study, kitchen, utility room, sun room, three bedrooms, two bathrooms PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before this place, we lived in a two-bedroom Victorian terrace in east London,’ says Sean. After enjoying more than a decade in their two-bedroom home in east London, Sean Keyes and Chris Phillips were on a mission to move. ‘It was time for a change – we wanted a new project after completing all the work on our old house,’ explains Sean. ‘Plus we needed more living space and a bigger garden for our cockerpoos, Scooter and Banjo.’ The couple also wanted somewhere with more green space and good transport links, and after looking at various neighbourhoods, they were seduced by…

A Adventino 01529 307812, adventino.co.uk Aga 0845 712 5207, agaliving.com Alexander & Pearl 020 8508 0411, alexanderandpearl.co.uk Allissias Attic & Vintage French Style allissiasattic.co.uk Amazon amazon.co.uk Amberth 020 7354 8958, amberth.co.uk Annie Sloan 01865 713089, anniesloan.com Another Studio 020 7404 9397, another-studio.com Anthony Edwards 01730 260870, anthonyedwards.co.uk Anthropologie 0800 0026 8476, anthropologie.com Antiques Atlas 0161 613 5714, antiques-atlas.com Argos 0345 640 3030, argos.co.uk Ashley Wilde 01707 635201, ashleywildegroup.co.uk B B&B Italia 00 39 031 795213, bebitalia.com/en/ B&Q 0333 014 3098, diy.com Barker & Stonehouse 0370 218 4468, barkerandstonehouse.co.uk Bathstore 0800 023 2323, bathstore.com Bedroom Furniture Direct 01989 763343, bedroomfurniture.co.uk Beswickstone 01285 885795, beswickstone.co.uk Bhs 0344 411 6000, bhs.co.uk Birdie Fortescue 01328 738634, birdiefortescue.co.uk Birgit Israel 020 7376 7255, birgitisrael.com Bloom 0844 482 2332, bloom.uk.com Blue Isle 01425 653031,…

1 RETHINK PINK Ascaso Strawberry dream versatile coffee machine, £500, Debenhams 2 SWEET TREATS Il Massimo hamper, £65, Carluccio’s 3 STELLAR SAVING Robot money box, £12, Debenhams 4 EYE SPY Polaroid Cube HD action camera, £79, Currys 5 ROLL WITH IT Superball storage container in turquoise powder-coated steel, £55, Wesco 6 INTO THE GROOVE Crosley Cruiser turntable, £90, Amazon 7 PAST, PRESENT, PERFECT Record player tin, £25, The Contemporary Home 8 POWER PLAY Retro racing car, £39, Halfords 9 ON SONG Pure Pop Midi DAB radio, £90, John Lewis 10 SPOIL YOURSELF Pomegranate, argan and grapeseed fragrance trio, £36, Crabtree & Evelyn…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Grade II listed 14th-century hall house LOCATION East Sussex ROOMS Reception room, hall, kitchen-diner, library, office, snug, four bedrooms (three en suite) PURCHASED 2012 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We moved here from a flat in east London,’ says Matthew. Christmas is the time of year that Matthew Fox loves most of all. And with its high ceilings, oak beams, woodburning fires and bags of character, the East Sussex Tudor house he shares with his partner Chris Knowles is the perfect place to curl up and keep warm in the winter. ‘Our house is quintessentially English,’ says Manhattan-born Matthew. ‘We had been looking for a while for a period property but they can be quite small and dark. This one stood out because of its generous proportions. It…

UNIQUE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Grade II listed 17th-century cottage LOCATION Somerset ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen-diner, study, utility room, cloakroom, five bedrooms (two en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a house in Guildford but needed a project when our son Barnaby left home,’ says Michael. Back in 2013, the freshly painted walls were still glistening wet and the last workman to leave had barely gathered up his tools before Michael and Jane Findlay’s Christmas guests arrived. Fast forward two years and all that’s now required are a few festive flourishes. The Findlays’ Grade II listed, 17th-century cottage with a Georgian extension, on the Somerset-Dorset borders, stands in a garden that’s bountiful even in winter. And, filled with painterly florals, its interior pays homage…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Converted barn and outbuilding LOCATION Northamptonshire ROOMS Sitting room/diningarea/kitchen-diner/TV room, office, workshop, five bedrooms (all en suite) PURCHASED 2002 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We moved here from a new-build in a village nearby,’ says Sue. Sue and Andrew Kirkpatrick’s daily journey into work was usually an uneventful affair, until one day they spotted an interesting proposition. They used to rent an office space for Andrew’s financial company on a local farm in Northamptonshire, where the outbuildings included a rustic, undeveloped barn. ‘We had been looking for a property to buy, with the potential to rebuild and create an open-plan living space from scratch,’ explains Sue. ‘So when we noticed the farm was up for sale, it was just too good an opportunity to miss.’ The couple wasted…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached villa, built in 1854 LOCATION Rynkeby, Denmark ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, snug, five bedrooms (one en suite), dressing room, bathroom PURCHASED 2002 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived in a house near Copenhagen,’ explains Tine. Tine Kjeldsen’s home is every inch the festive dream. Here, vintage tealights cluster on the mantelpiece, flames from the open fire dance in the hearth, and native Danish spruce decorated with simple baubles and shimmering ribbon adorns the sitting room. ‘I look to nature at Christmas time and like to bring the outside in,’ says Tine, who runs online interiors store Tine K Home. ‘Me and my family love to take long walks in the countryside and bring back pine cones and twigs. They look…

NEW-bUILD HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A Cotswold stone townhouse built in 2006 LOCATION Oxfordshire ROOMS Hall, sitting room, family room, kitchen-diner, five bedrooms (two en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2010 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we were living in a large Modernist house nearby,’ says Lisa. The impetus to downsize came in 2010 for Lisa Hughes and her husband Ant, when they discovered they were expecting their third child, and wanted to reduce their outgoings by selling their large 1960s home. ‘We felt life was too short to be a slave to bricks and mortar and wanted to save money for new adventures,’ explains Lisa. ‘Our last home was difficult to market, as people usually move to the Cotswolds to find a traditional country cottage. So when we got a buyer,…

UNIQUE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY 200-year-old farm shed, extended and converted in 2008 LOCATION Brittany, France ROOMS Kitchen-diner/sitting room, bedroom, shower room PURCHASED 2007 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We also have a 200-year-old cottage next door,’ says Liz. Some of us might have dabbled with making over a find from a junk shop, but how many of us would have the courage and imagination to upcycle an entire home? But Brittany-based farmer’s wife Liz O’Brien is definitely a lady who dares. ‘All my husband Korenta and I had was an old shed, some ancient farm equipment and a field full of hemp,’ she says. ‘We thought, what kind of home could we make?’ An answer hit her like a lightning bolt – a pretty cottage full of romance and character. ‘The shed…

FLOWERS ON CHRISTMAS DAY OFFER 1: Tri-coloured Christmas cactus This new, unique variety of Christmas cactus really has it all. Gorgeous tri-coloured blooms atop evergreen, succulent foliage arrive in late November. Flowering for two months, it will be in full-flower on 25 December, ensuring a sensational display. The diversity of bloom colour will suit any room setting, making it a perfect choice for a gift. Height and spread is 20-40cm, supplied in 9cm pots. Buy one NEW tri-coloured Christmas cactus for £14 or three for £21, saving 50 per cent OFFER 2: Christmas Beauty camellia japonica A rare and unusual variety that will captivate the eye of the beholder with its velvet-looking flowers. Blooming from November into March, its semi-double, festive cerise-red flowers with sparkling golden sepals contrast against the…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Extended semi-detached Edwardian house LOCATION East Belfast ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner, snug, study, four bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2004 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived in a new-build nearby,’ says Lynne. Lynne Doherty admits that it wasn’t love at first sight when she viewed the property that was to become her much-loved family home. ‘The house was in need of major TLC and had obviously been neglected for some time, so there’s no way I could say I fell for its looks,’ she says. ‘But me and my husband Hugh knew the area well – it’s great for schools for our children Katie, 15, and Madeline, 10, and we both liked its tree-lined avenue. At first we were outbid, but the…

UNIQUE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached 18th-century farmhouse LOCATION Lincolnshire ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, family room, office, utility room, two cloakrooms, conservatory, four bedrooms, two bathrooms PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We used to live in a new-build house close by,’ says Kim. ‘You couldn’t get more of a contrast!’ Kim and Nick Smith have always shared a passion for classic vintage and retro design, and started homewares company Smithers of Stamford about two years ago. ‘We initially ran it from the front room of our old home a few miles away from where we live now, but we quickly began to run out of space to store everything,’ says Kim. ‘Plus the treasures Nick sourced looked out of context in our new-build house when we photographed them…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached 1930s villa LOCATION South Belfast ROOMS Sitting room/kitchen-diner, utility room, cloakroom, four bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before buying our family home we lived in a modern apartment, also in south Belfast,’ says Lisa. The chance to live in a house before buying it doesn’t come up very often, but newlyweds Lisa and Conor McCann were in that very fortunate position when it came to their Belfast home. ‘We’d been living in an apartment nearby and decided to sell up and look for something bigger, which would give us room to grow,’ says Lisa. ‘But there wasn’t anything suitable available, so we decided to rent this place while we carried on our search.’ The pair moved in a couple of weeks after first…

We’ve long been accustomed to using reclaimed wood for flooring, but why aren’t we as confident about fitting it on walls or cupboard doors? Cladding a wall with this material creates a focal point, as well as adding a sense of scale, character and creativity. It brings a feeling of warmth, offering texture that the eye can instantly relate to. Plus once installed, it only improves with age, with every knock and scratch telling a story. But of course, balance is key, as wood can give a dark ambience and soak up the light, so it works best alongside pale accessories, which is what they’ve done here. The lilac and light grey furnishings, combined with a whitewashed ceiling offer the perfect contrast. Some Highland trimmings and tartan patterns complete the…