Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2016 i 25 Beautiful Homes

Once we have made all our decorating decisions, from the colour of paint to the ideal flooring, choosing furniture is the next big priority. Obviously, we don’t change our furniture every time we decorate, but we do buy quite a lot of pieces over a lifetime, which has become a lot easier to do due to the internet. No longer do we have to spend precious time searching for the shop with the perfect set of shelves. But the downside of buying online is that the choice can be overwhelming, so I often return to the same websites in the same way I would shops because I trust their choice. It has also reduced the amount of impulse purchases I make. Much of my furniture was acquired when we bought…

ENCAUSTIC TILES I have fallen in love with the beautiful floor tiles pictured in Elaine and Malcolm Wilde’s kitchen (p90, March 2016) and wondered if you might know where they are from.FI PALMER, BY EMAIL These striking tiles help to define the cooking area within the Wildes’ kitchen-diner. They are traditional cement tiles and the design is called Diamond in the Rough (shown right) by Popham Design (pophamdesign.com), which is available to buy in the UK at Ann Sacks (020 3055 0802, annsacks.com). The tile measures 20cm and comes in 100 colours. Expect to pay from £150sq m, plus freight costs from Morocco. You might also like the Vigo design in Navy, £204sq m, from Bert & May (020 3744 0776, bertandmay.com) or the Grau tile from Fired Earth (0845…

UNIQUE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY 1920s townhouse LOCATION Bordeaux, France ROOMS Hall, sitting room/kitchend-diner/office area, three bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before this place, we lived in a city apartment here,’ says Natacha. Natacha and Charles Gilles had their doubts about a rundown townhouse in the heart of Bordeaux, until they ventured outside and saw the lush garden. ‘It was the exotic banana plant that sealed the deal,’ says Natacha. ‘We didn’t love the interior with its orange and fuchsia decor, but we were immediately attracted to the outdoor space.’ Previous owners had already built an extension, but the couple had very clear plans of their own. ‘We added a huge window in the dining area, which looks directly out to the garden,’ explains Natacha. ‘It helps open up…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Grade II listed Georgian farmhouse with 19th- and 20th-century extensions LOCATION Cranleigh, Surrey ROOMS Hall, drawing room, sitting room, kitchen-diner, playroom, pantry, utility room, cloakroom, eight bedrooms (one en suite), three bathrooms PURCHASED 2002 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before this, we lived in a Tudor cottage nearby,’ says Grace. After they got married, Grace and Tom Watson decided to swap the fast pace of city life for a laid-back rural existence. Initially, they moved to a picturesque chocolate-box Tudor cottage in Surrey, but with the imminent arrival of their second baby they realised they needed a larger home with room for pets, guests and an office, too. ‘We were instantly struck by the scale of this property, the size of the rooms and the period details,’ says…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY An 18th-century house with modern extension LOCATION The Cotswolds ROOMS Drawing room, dining room, kitchen, sitting room/dining area, study, studio, utility room, cloakroom, five bedrooms (one en suite), dressing room, two bathrooms PURCHASED 2012 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a four-storey Victorian house in Surrey before moving to Sydney,’ says Jules. Having lived in five countries during their married life, UK born artist Jules Forth and her Zimbabwean husband, Patrick, longed to find a property in the heart of the Cotswolds that they could call home. It was the couple’s good friends that first spotted this charming house near Cirencester four years ago. ‘We were living in Sydney at the time and they strongly suggested we come over to look at it,’ says Jules. ‘We…

NEW-BUILD HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Four-bedroom detached LOCATION Gloucestershire ROOM Hall, sitting room, family room, kitchen-diner, study, utility room, cloakroom, four bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom BUILT 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before this, I renovated a 1970s house in Bath,’ says Michelle. After retiring in 2006, Michelle Johnston embarked on a new career in property restoration. Having completed a revamp on a 1970s house in Bath, she started searching for a contemporary property for herself. ‘I was after a modest place with a view,’ says Michelle, ‘but all I came across were manor houses or homes that had been extended piecemeal and lacking coherence.’ Instead, she decided to find a location where she could build her own place. Finally, after years of looking, she came across a 1930s bungalow that was…

NEW-BUILD HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A detached house built in 1996 LOCATION Lincolnshire ROOMS Hall, sitting room, snug, kitchen, utility room, cloakroom, five bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2012 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived in a rambling 17th-century farmhouse about eight miles away,’ says Sally. Having toyed with the idea of downsizing for several years, a horse-riding accident was the catalyst for Sally and Roger Finney to finally make the decision to move house. ‘Being told I was unlikely to be able to ride again was a big blow,’ says Sally. ‘Also, my children had flown the nest and Roger and I were starting to rattle around in our large farmhouse. The gardens were becoming increasingly difficult to keep on top of and, since I’d sold my…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY 1930s semi-detached house LOCATION Southwest London ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining area, kitchen, utility room, cloakroom, playroom, five bedrooms (two en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2009 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We rented a modern flat nearby in Kew when we returned from living in the US,’ says Veronica. As a child growing up in Spain, Veronica Linares used to tell her family that if she won the lottery, she would buy a house and decorate it. ‘I’ve been passionate about design since I was very young,’ she says, ‘and there’s nothing I like more than looking through interiors magazines or creating boards on Pinterest.’ Each design feature in the southwest London home Veronica shares with husband Steve Van Dyk, and sons, Mikel, 9, Alex, 6, and Jon, 2,…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached house built in 1938 LOCATION Cheltenham ROOMS Hall, sitting room, family room, kitchen-diner, study, cloakroom, six bedrooms, three bathrooms PURCHASED 1998 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before this, we lived in a flat in Herefordshire,’ explains Beatrice. Soon after Beatrice von Tresckow and her husband Alex Gardiner moved into a flat in Herefordshire, they realised they needed more space. ‘With two toddlers, Fredericke and Max, it was starting to feel quite cramped,’ says Beatrice. ‘So when Alex’s mother decided to downsize, we jumped at the chance to move into his family home in Cheltenham.’ For years the family had lived in countries threatened by war, so moving to a house filled with happy childhood memories was an ideal place in which to semi retire. ‘It also had…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian flat with loft extension LOCATION Southwest London ROOMS Sitting room/kitchen, dining room, office, bedroom (en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘This place is our first home together,’ says Amy. Block-printed linens, embroidered motifs and patterns in rich tones proved the key to enlivening and adding layers of decorative depth to Amy and Alex Pike’s London apartment. ‘This is our first home together, and we moved in the day we got back from our honeymoon,’ says Amy. ‘I couldn’t wait to start making it our own.’ Before the couple bought this flat, the rooms were decorated modestly with plain pale walls and flooring. ‘It served its purpose as a rental, but we wanted to turn it into a proper home,’ explains Amy. As showroom…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Mid-terrace, built in 1890 LOCATION South London ROOMS Hall, sitting room/ library, kitchen-diner, office, utility room, cloakroom, playroom, six bedrooms (two en suite), shower room, bathroom PURCHASED 2006 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before this, we lived in a loft-style flat in north London,’ says Katie. Soon after they got engaged, Katie and Cameron Wright knew it wouldn’t be long until they started a family, so they decided it was a good time to look for somewhere larger than their one-bedroom loft-style apartment in north London. After failing to find anything they liked nearby, the pair expanded their search and discovered a beautiful house in south London. ‘I fell in love with the leafy green area, plus lots of our friends live nearby,’ explains Katie. The property had…

1 TASK FORCE Erik table lamp in orange, £35, John Lewis 2 GOING FOR GOLD Buttoned velvet Chesterfield-style Dimple footstool in Thatch house fabric, £445, Loaf 3 TALKING SCENTS Orla Kiely Sicilian Lemon diffuser, £32, House of Fraser 4 PICTURE THIS Gingko hand-pulled screen print in yellow moss, £45 unframed, Bold & Noble 5 PILE ON THE STYLE Wool-rich geometric appliqué cushion, £18, Next 6 CUP CLASSIC Jansen + Co loop espresso cup and saucer, £17.50 each, Houseology 7 SAY IT LOUD Hive 2 Speaker, £60, KitSound 8 TABLE TALK Onda small jug with yellow rim, £12, Habitat 9 TANGERINE DREAM Rattan orange armchair by Ian Snow, £171, Wayfair…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Edwardian semi-detached LOCATION Southwest London ROOMS Hall, drawing room, kitchen-diner/sitting room, utility room, boot room, cloakroom, six bedrooms (two en suite), two bathrooms, garden office PURCHASED 2011 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived in a small terraced house in Battersea, with no garden, ’ says Polly. It took some time for Polly and Christian Troughton to find a family home that met their brief. ‘Our list of requirements was very specific,’ says Polly. ‘We were looking for a sizeable London house in need of renovation, with original architectural details, a garden, off-street parking potential and within walking distance of a leafy common or park.’ The couple had been living in a terraced house in nearby Battersea, but after the birth of their third child…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached house, built in 1910 LOCATION Cornwall ROOMS Hall, sitting room/ dining area, kitchen, utility room, cloakroom, four bedrooms (all en suite) PURCHASED 2015 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Our main home is in a quaint little village in Wiltshire,’ says Emma. Over the years, Emma Sims Hilditch and her husband John had enjoyed many holidays sailing around the South Coast with their children, Daisy, 24, Betty, 22, and Billy, 18, and were keen to find a bolthole in the area. Then one day, while moored in the estuary of a Cornish village, they noticed a house for sale. Drawn to the enormous potential of the elegant Hamptons-style property, the couple arranged a viewing and put in an offer in September 2014. Initially the offer was turned down…

NEW-BUILD HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Four-storey terraced townhouse LOCATION York ROOMS Hall, sitting room/ dining area, kitchen, garden room, cloakroom, utility room, three bedrooms (one en suite), dressing room, two bathrooms PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Our last home was in a set of converted farm buildings in a village outside York,’ says Sarah. Country life suited Sarah and Chris Booth well while sons, Harry, now 24, and Will, 20, were growing up. ‘I thought we’d stay rural forever,’ says Sarah, ‘but as soon as the boys left for university, I felt too isolated. I wanted life around me.’ The couple’s move to the city of York wasn’t planned, as Sarah discovered their new home by accident. ‘The reason I looked at this place was because my sister, who lives in…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY 1930s semi-detached house LOCATION Southwest London ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, office, laundry room, four bedrooms, three bathrooms PURCHASED 2011 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived in a much smaller house in Battersea,’ says Katrin. Mixing different decorative styles is a skill that can take years to master. For Katrin Cargill, though, it’s second nature, thanks to her nomadic childhood and career as a designer and stylist. ‘My father was American and my mother is Swiss, and we travelled a great deal when I was growing up,’ explains Katrin. So it’s no surprise to discover that the London home she and husband David share is a seamless blend of New England and classic Scandinavian style. ‘I love the simplicity and proportion – a pared-down version…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Grade II listed terraced house, built in 1825 LOCATION Cheltenham ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner/sitting area, laundry room, wine cellar, cloakroom, three bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘I used to rent a Victorian cottage in the Cotswolds,’ says Edward. After leading a largely rural life, Edward Mawle finally let his sister, Alison, persuade him to move out of his cottage in the remote Cotswolds countryside. ‘Having been brought up on a farm, I was used to my solitary lifestyle in the sticks,’ he says, ‘but Alison kept nudging me to join her in Cheltenham for a more lively existence.’ As Edward was working in finance with a company that has offices in the town, settling in a property near his place of work made…

LAKE COMO, ST MORITZ & THE BERNINA EXPRESS Eight days’ half board from £829 per person DEPARTURES TO OCTOBER 2016: Return flights, taxes and transfers Seven nights’ four-star hotels with half board See St Moritz and Lake Maggiore, and take a Bernina Express rail journey Lake cruise to Bellagio and private visit to Villa del Balbianello and its gardens Escorted by an experienced tour manager DORDOGNE, ALBI & CARCASSONNE Eight days from £959 per person DEPARTS TO OCTOBER 2016: Return flights or Eurostar* and TGV, taxes and transfers Seven nights’ four- and three-star hotels with breakfast and five dinners Tour Carcassonne, see the Lascaux cave paintings, enjoy a Dordogne valley boat tour Stroll around Marqueyssac gardens and Albi’s Gothic cathedral and museum Escorted by an experienced tour manager BARCELONA &…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Four-bedroom 1920s semi-detached LOCATION Newcastle ROOMS Sitting room, dining room, kitchen, playroom, office three bedrooms, two bathrooms PURCHASED 2015 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in my new-build home outside Newcastle before buying this place together,’ says Penny. After living in a new-build with small bedrooms, Penny and Simon Gregg-Noel were excited when they laid eyes on this spacious 1920s house in a Newcastle suburb. Close to good schools for their son, Archie, 3, it ticked every box on their wish list – except one. ‘I nearly cancelled the viewing because it didn’t have a garage,’ says Penny. ‘But as soon as I walked in I got a good feeling, as it had a wonderful sense of balance and flow.’ In the end, the pair overcame the…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian former council building LOCATION Gloucestershire ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner, home office, cloakroom, two bedrooms (both en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2010 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘I lived in a four-bedroom modern detached house nearby,’ says Tim. With money tight, Tim Cooper had two choices when he was searching for a new home. ‘I could either buy a tiny new-build or something with more character that I could do up,’ he explains. In the end, Tim chose the latter and bought a derelict Victorian former community hall owned by Cheltenham Council. Tim had passed by the building many times and when he viewed it properly he was amazed to find that it was much bigger and taller than it had seemed. ‘But arsonists had left their mark…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian semi-detached villa LOCATION Cornwall ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner, two bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 2012 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We used to live just outside London,’ says Camilla. Over a refreshing holiday beer, Camilla Banks and Chris Yacoubian had one of those idle ‘what if’ conversations that ended up getting a little out of hand. The result was their upping sticks, moving to their favourite Cornish seaside village, and taking on an ambitious renovation project. ‘We visited Mousehole three or four times a year,’ says Camilla. ‘One day, Chris asked, “If you could own a holiday house here, which would it be?” and I picked out a lovely granite villa on the hillside. We couldn’t believe it when we then saw a For Sale board outside.’ Navigating…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Gothic Victorian villa LOCATION Ramsgate, Kent ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, office/cinema room, three bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2012 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We used to live in a two-bedroom flat in east London,’ says Rebecca. When Rebecca Schiller’s filmmaker husband Jared visited Margate to make a documentary about the Turner Contemporary art gallery, he started to think that the Kent coastline would be a good alternative to their home in east London. ‘We had a lovely ground floor flat in Hackney, but at the time, our daughter Sofya was 2, and we were both working from a tiny office in the garden,’ says Rebecca. ‘We found we needed more space so we started looking further and further out of London. When we saw how beautiful…

A Abraham Moon & Sons 01943 873181, moons.co.uk Alexander & Pearl 020 8508 0411, alexanderandpearl.co.uk Alternative Flooring 01264 335111, alternativeflooring.com Amara 0800 587 7645, amara.com Amazon amazon.co.uk A Modern World 020 3432 4050, amodernworld.co.uk Andrew Martin 020 7225 5100, andrewmartin.co.uk And So To Bed 0808 141 5838, andsotobed.co.uk Anglepoise 02392 224450, anglepoise.com Annie Sloan 01865 713089, anniesloan.com A Pretty Penny aprettypenny.co.uk Artisanti 0345 259 1410, artisanti.com Ashley’s Trade Carpet Centre 0115 985 6700, ashleystradecarpetcentre.co.uk A Splash Of Colour asplashofcolour.com Atmospheric Interiors 01623 429747, atmosphericinteriors.co.uk B B&Q 0333 014 3098, diy.com Barak‘7 020 3514 0292, barak7.co.uk/en Bardoe & Appel 01483 511477, bardoeandappel.co.uk Barker & Stonehouse 0370 218 4468, barkerandstonehouse.co.uk Bathrooms by Design 020 7125 0271, bathroomdesignlondon.com Bathstore bathstore.com Bean Bag Bazaar 0800 988 1286, beanbagbazaar.co.uk Bhs 0344…

1 INDIAN INSPIRATION Gymkhana solid beech armchair in herringbone, from £699, Iqrup + Ritz 2 NATURAL LIGHT Alesia table lamp, £645, Osprey London 3 PLAN AN ADVENTURE Nautilus globe with antique brass armillary rings, £162, Artisanti 4 HOT POT Rosie mustard polka dot bud vase, £15, Dickins & Jones collection at House of Fraser 5 OUT OF AFRICA Elephant plate, £4.99, H&M 6 COLLECTOR’S PIECE Horn sculpture, medium, £120, Jonathan Adler 7 TRIBAL VIBE Silver metal embossed pitcher, H22cm, £45, Plumo 8 PALATIAL PEW Aimee upholstered bench, £995, India Jane 9 SUMMER LIGHTS Jaipur candle lantern in brass, from £45, Amara…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Terraced house, built in the late 1890s LOCATION Southwest London ROOMS Hall, sitting room/ dining room, kitchen-diner/family room, cloakroom, four bedrooms (two en suite), three bathrooms PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived in a small flat in Chelsea,’ says Lily. ‘We were longing for a dog and knew we couldn’t have one in our little upper-floor flat,’ says Lily Paulson-Ellis. This was the reason why she and husband, Matt, began looking for a larger home. When they spotted this Victorian house in southwest London, it was its spacious feel and pretty garden that appealed, while the leafy neighbourhood and proximity to parks and riverside walks offered near-perfect conditions for life with their new black Labrador puppy, Inca. The condition of the property…

NEW-BUILD HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached villa, built in 2002 LOCATION Newport Beach, California ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, playroom, three bedrooms, three bathrooms PURCHASED 2011 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We also own a Spanish colonial house in Las Vegas, where we’re based for work,’ says Taylor. This is like a little piece of 1950s Americana,’ says Taylor Borsari of the bayside location of her holiday home. ‘You drive past one adorable little house, with postage-stamp gardens and picket fences, after another. There are people walking dogs, riding bikes or sailing boats – it’s magical!’ Having grown up in California, both Taylor and her husband, Craig, were keen to buy a holiday home by the coast. ‘We craved a beach getaway; somewhere to escape from the heat and spend time with our children,…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY 12th-century hay store converted into a shepherd’s dwelling LOCATION Provence ROOMS Hall, drawing room, dining room, kitchen, cloakroom, four bedrooms, two bathrooms, two shower rooms, swimming pool, orchard PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before, I used to own a manor house nearby,’ says Annie. When friends visit Annie and Thomas Jackson’s holiday home in Provence, they comment on its similarity to Annie’s previous French manor house. ‘It’s a scaled-down version,’ she agrees, ‘which is one of the reasons I fell in love with it. I was also taken by the orchard, and it’s just a five-minute walk from Villecroze, which is pretty beyond words and full of life. It has a market, boulangerie, church, antiques shops, boules tournaments and a music festival.’ Originally, the property was…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Conjoined Victorian cottages LOCATION West Sussex ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner/sitting area, utility room, boot room, cloakroom, laundry, four bedrooms (two en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2008 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We used to have a smaller cottage in the same village,’ says Teresa. From the outside, the two whitewashed Victorian cottages Teresa Brewer and her husband Bill Mathers knocked into one lead you to expect an equally traditional view on the inside. It is only when the front door opens, revealing a modern, lateral space characterised by clean lines and classic modern design, that the impact of the light contemporary style truly hits the first-time visitor. ‘It’s the startling contrast between the outside and inside that always surprises everyone,’ says Teresa. ‘Most people expect to encounter cottage-sized…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Mid-terrace, built in 1911 LOCATION Southwest London ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner/family room, four bedrooms (one en suite), master bathroom PURCHASED 2011 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We used to live in a two-bedroom top floor maisonette in Thames Ditton, Surrey,’ says Clare. With many of their contemporaries moving out of London to start a family, Clare and Sam Altarafi bucked the trend by moving further into the city to fulfil their ambition of creating their dream home, while reducing Sam’s commute at the same time. Despite Clare being pregnant with daughter, Evie, now 4, the pair viewed around 20 properties before discovering this three-bedroom property on a tree-lined street. ‘The decor was tired, with yellow walls, dark blue carpets and a traditional country kitchen plus terracotta floor tiles,’…

UNIQUE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached villa, built in 1960s LOCATION Ithaca, Greece ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner, utility room, study, six bedrooms (all en suite), outdoor sitting/dining areas, poolhouse PURCHASED 2009 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We live in a Sussex farmhouse when we’re not here,’ says Lucy. When Lucy Judd spotted a villa for sale in Ithaca in the property section of The Sunday Times, she had high hopes it could fulfil her husband Dominic’s dream of having an idyllic holiday home. ‘On our first visit to the island, it became obvious to me that we had hit upon one of Greece’s little-known gems,’ says Lucy, ‘and when we arrived at the house, the view took our breath away.’ The location is certainly stunning, with a quiet sandy beach just a…

Design ideas TV FEATURE WALL For many of us, the television is as much a part of daily life as sleeping and eating, so deciding where to position it merits careful consideration. In Jules Forth’s sitting room, a state-of-the-art flat screen television has been mounted on a bespoke wall panel designed to match the media unit below it. Rather than hide her TV behind closed doors, she has decided to make a feature of it. When fixing a television on a wall or panel consider mounting it on a bracket that enables you to swivel the screen to the perfect position. As a general rule, you should try to sit four times the distance from the screen as its size. Other housing ideas are to conceal the set behind a…

‘The past five weeks have expanded my interior design horizon and given me the desire and inspiration to learn more.’ CELINE DRUILHE, LONDON ‘Join us for five weeks in our international online classroom, and share your design problems, inspiration, and projects with me and your fellow students. Bring your latest decorating project to the course – I’ll bring mine too – and work through it as we study the design process, finding your style, colours, fabrics and window treatments, and sourcing lighting and accessories. Though there’s something new in the classroom every weekday, you can do the work entirely when it suits you. And if you feel uncertain about your online skills, please don’t worry. Jump in, and I’ll help – technical support is a feature of the course.’…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Grade II listed Victorian townhouse LOCATION London ROOMS Hall, sitting room, drawing room, three bedrooms, two bathrooms PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘I grew up here, but after I got married, we had a flat in San Francisco for six years,’ says Louisa. Going back to live in your childhood home may not sound like the most desirable move for some. But fashion designer Louisa Parris is an exception. The airy London townhouse where she lives with her husband, Chris, and their children, Art, 3, and Eliza, 15 months, belonged to her parents. Louisa has lived here since she was 14. ‘It’s filled with memories of family parties, fashion shoots and cups of tea,’ she says. Her parents put their stamp on the Grade II listed…