Indholdsfortegnelse for March 2017 i 25 Beautiful Homes

When friends or family are house hunting, I love accompanying them. It’s always interesting to see what they look for and what makes them decide that a particular property is the right one for them. Usually, we agree on most of the aspects that would make it a great home, but the areas where we differ can be surprising. When we viewed the 200-year-old farmhouse we now live in, there were two reasons why I liked it: the main rooms were big and light, and the owner wanted a quick sale, which was ideal for us as we had already sold our home. However, what really caught my imagination were the original panelled doors and the quirky details, such as the small drawers built into the wall below the windowsills…

WINE CABINET Could you help me track down a stylish wooden console table cum wine rack similar to the one in the dining area of Yvette and James Craig’s home ( p48 , December 2016 )? LYNDA FRANK, BY EMAIL A versatile unit like this will keep wine to hand in the dining room while also offering a useful surface. The Cotswold Co (0333 200 1725, cotswoldco.com) sells a Newark wine rack cabinet (shown) made from oak, which stores 28 bottles and has two drawers; it measures H91.8 x W90 x D32cm, £199. Barker & Stonehouse’s (0370 218 8706, barkerandstonehouse.co.uk) Carisbrooke wine rack is made from reclaimed pine with an off-white painted finish and a sun-dried ash top. It can house 24 bottles and incorporates two drawers and a cupboard,…

UNIQUE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY 16th-century Scottish castle with 18th-century additions LOCATION Aberdeenshire ROOMS Sitting room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, family room, office, utility/ cloakroom, seven bedrooms (three en suite), two bathrooms INHERITED 2007 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘I lived in a three-bedroom farmhouse nearby,’ says Sarah. ‘Once upon a time’ seems an apt way to begin the story featuring the restoration of this magical looking castle. Time was indeed a factor as this tale involves a restoration project that took a full seven years to implement even before work could begin. The latest chapter in this property’s tale started when local farmer David Stephens inherited the Aberdeenshire pile from his father and together with his wife Sarah, a TV presenter for BBC Scotland, determined to make it a home fit for…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian terrace LOCATION Southeast London ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner, cloakroom, four bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived a few streets away but in a much smaller house,’ says Claire. When Claire Fox and Mike McDarby upsized to their southeast London property, they took on a big challenge – to create a family home from four bedsits. ‘We’d been living around the corner in our two-up two-down, which we had renovated from scratch, but it was beginning to feel more cramped than cosy with our daughter Mollie, now 3, on the move,’ says Claire. ‘When we first viewed this house, it was a challenge to see its potential. There were sinks in every room and heavy locks…

UNIQUE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Church, dating back to 1835 LOCATION Edinburgh ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen-diner, study, four bedrooms (two en suite), two bathrooms PURCHASED 2010 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived in a flat in Leith in northern Edinburgh,’ says Zoe. Finishing their church conversion was a bittersweet experience for Zoe and Richard Berry. Not only had they weathered the challenge of a complex conversion in an Edinburgh conservation area and had two babies (now aged 5 and 3) during the build, but they also lost their architect and friend, Anthony Rochmankowski, who sadly died before it was completed. The whole thing started off as something of a joke, when Richard sent Zoe an email about a crumbling 19th-century church that was for sale in…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Fourth floor new-build apartment LOCATION Warsaw ROOMS Sitting room/kitchen-diner, study, one bedroom, one bathroom, outdoor terrace PURCHASED 2011 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We used to live in a tenement flat that I inherited from my grandmother,’ says Karolina. When interior designer Karolina Henke and her partner, Kuba Socha, first saw their stylish apartment, it ticked all the boxes on their wish list. ‘We wanted a bigger flat with parking, a lift and an outside space,’ explains Karolina. ‘This one had a good layout, was on the fourth floor with great views and had windows or glazed doors on three sides of the apartment, so it was flooded with light. It was, however, the large terrace that sold it to us – you can access it from every…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Terraced house built in 1880 LOCATION Hove ROOMS Kitchen-diner/ living area, four bedrooms, one bathroom, cloakroom PURCHASED 2015 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We moved here from a Regency flat in Hove,’ says Jade. Jade Aloof describes the moment she picked up the keys to her new home as ‘one of the most nerve-racking in my life’. The Victorian terrace in Hove had been untouched for 40 years and needed complete modernisation. ‘I was so confident when we viewed the house,’ she says. ‘It was a period property at a good price and I was excited about creating a home in my style rather than paying for something done to someone else’s taste. However, when I opened the front door that day and realised I was going to…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian terrace LOCATION Worcestershire ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, laundry room, three bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 2004 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here we both lived with our parents,’ says Suzanne. ‘This is our first home together.’  The powder blue front door offers just a hint of what you will find inside this Victorian terraced house – home to self-confessed colour addict Suzanne Smith and her husband Matt. Step across the threshold and you are met by a rainbow of colours, a patchwork of patterns and kitsch collectables. Suzanne has masterminded a complete overhaul of the pair’s first home, as its original design was not to her taste. ‘The sitting room was decorated in textured wallpaper painted in bright yellow,’ recalls Suzanne, ‘and the walls in the kitchen-diner…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian double upper apartment LOCATION Edinburgh ROOMS Hall, drawing room, kitchen, snug, utility room, cloakroom, four bedrooms (two en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a Georgian garden flat, which I also completely refurbished,’ says Jo. Interior stylist Jo Tutton had a good feeling about a tired-looking Victorian double upper apartment in Edinburgh when she first viewed it. ‘I walked into the drawing room and it was very traditional with heavily varnished floors and dark furniture,’ says Jo, ‘but when I looked out of the window across to the buildings on the opposite crescent, it reminded me of old Paris with its mansard roofs and beautiful dormer windows.’ Jo and her husband Nigel snapped up the property and set about overhauling every…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Country house and cottage knocked into one, dating back to 1750 LOCATION Dorset ROOMS Hall, drawing room, sitting room, dining room, kitchen-diner, breakfast room, studio, workshop, four bedrooms (one en suite), three bathrooms PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a larger farmhouse, also in Dorset,’ says Georgie. A winding Dorset lane flanked by high hedges leads to Georgie Maynard’s picturesque 18th-century home, overlooked by a stately eucalyptus tree, with views of a private estate. ‘My late husband and I were looking for a smaller property, but having restored six English houses and four in France, I was keen to find something that didn’t require any major building work,’ says Georgie. Having had so much experience of stripping properties back to their bare bones, Georgie…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Terraced house, built in the 1890s LOCATION Northwest London ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner, office, cloakroom, three bedrooms, two bathrooms PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We were living in a house in a not-so-nice street nearby, before moving here,’ says Paul. Back in 2013, Paul de Zwart was living in a leafy street in northwest London with his wife Ariel Childs and daughter Daphne when a nearby property caught his eye. ‘Although we liked the area, our house backed onto a railway so we were keen to move,’ says Paul. ‘We viewed the house as soon as it came on to the market, and found it was unusual since it was five feet wider than neighbouring properties, even though it was built at the same time.’…

Old chapels, water towers, factories, mills, fire stations, warehouses and railway stations are just a few types of building that have been successfully transformed into private dwellings. For some it’s a way of creating an unusual, original home, but for others it’s about taking on a project few would attempt in order to get on the property ladder. Do your research Old warehouses and factories can make stunning homes. Detailed planning permission will be required, however, so enlist the help of an architect. Industrial buildings were never intended to be homes, so will most lightly have to be adapted to comply with building regulations. Try to preserve original features, including reminders of the building’s former use. Converting an industrial property can be an expensive business, so it’s important to get…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian terrace LOCATION Ramsgate ROOMS Hall, sitting room/ dining room, kitchen, three bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2010 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We rented in Ramsgate before buying this place,’ says Hayley. Hayley Stevens and her partner Benjamin Scott already owned their shop Junk Deluxe in Margate, which specialises in second-hand furniture and objects from the 1930s to the 1980s, before they moved to Ramsgate. ‘We were renting in southeast London and commuting to the shop, but when we decided to buy a house we couldn’t afford to stay in the area,’ explains Hayley. ‘Ben is from Margate so it made sense to move to Kent, while the coast was a pull for me as I grew up on Canvey Island.’ The couple rented locally while…

Design ideas WALL MURAL A large mural of a vintage city map has been used to create an eye-catching feature in the Berrys’ spacious open-plan sitting/ dining room. Such designs can add a wonderful sense of theatre and drama to a room, and are a great way of elevating a relatively plain scheme out of the ordinary, as well as helping to adding depth. Before experimenting with a mural, be sure to choose something that’s personal and relates directly to you or your family. Think about the mood that you would like to create, too, and how you plan to use the room. A wide range of designs can be bought off-the-peg, alternatively you can have your own bespoke design or image printed onto wallpaper to fit the dimensions of…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Terraced house, built in 1890 LOCATION Brighton ROOMS Sitting room/dining area, kitchen, three bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2015 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘I lived in a two-bedroom basement flat nearby before moving here,’ says Maxine. Within days of moving into her new Brighton home, Maxine Michaelides began work on transforming it into a welcoming, vibrant place to live. ‘A friend owned the house and she wanted to pass it on to safe hands,’ explains Maxine. ‘I’d always loved the property, as it has so much potential, so within months of her telling me she was putting it onto the market, I snapped it up and moved in.’ Before Maxine had even unpacked her boxes, she was up a ladder with paint brush in hand. Working…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian mid-terrace LOCATION West London ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner. snug, office, cloakroom, five bedrooms, two bathrooms PURCHASED 1979 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We moved from a similar terraced property in Pimlico,’ says Judy.  Judy Lever and her husband Roger have lived in their West London home for nearly 40 years – and for good reason. ‘I love it here,’ says Judy. ‘We have a pretty double-fronted house with a big garden in a vibrant area of the city. Our previous home was a very nice, tall, thin property, but because we hoped to have children, we thought the layout and the lack of outside space weren’t ideal, so decided to move.’ SURPRISE GUESTS The couple identified the area they wanted to relocate to and a few…

A   Alexander & Pearl, 020 8508 0411, alexanderandpearl.co.uk. Amara, 0800 587 7645, amara.com. Amazon, amazon.co.uk. Ambiente Direct, 0870 005 2275, ambientedirect.com. Andrew Martin, 020 7225 5100, andrewmartin.co.uk. Annie Sloan, 01865 247296, anniesloan.com. Another Country, 020 7486 3251, anothercountry.com. Antiques Atlas, 0161 613 5714, antiques-atlas.com. Arighi Bianchi, 01625 613333, arighibianchi.co.uk. Artisanti, 0845 259 1410, artisanti.com. Aspace, 0845 872 2400, aspaceuk.com. Aston Matthews, 020 7226 7220, astonmatthews.co.uk. Autentico, 01233 878303, autentico-chalk-paint.co.uk. B   B&Q, 0845 609 6688, diy.com. Barker & Stonehouse, 0333 920 1320, barkerandstonehouse.co.uk. Bathstore, 0800 023 2323, bathstore.com. Bauline, 00 39 099 885 7252, bauline.it. Bed Bath & Beyond, bedbathandbeyond.com. Bedeck, 0845 603 0861, bedeckhome.com. Benchmark, 01488 608020, benchmarkfurniture.com. Best & Lloyd, 020 3410 2031, bestandlloyd.com. Black by Design, 01889 502716, black-by-design.co.uk. Black Country Metalworks, 0800 688 8386,…

1 LAID-BACK LOOK Madeleine slipper chair in Bamboo Rust, £649, Iqrup + Ritz 2 SHADY NUMBER Moroccan metallic hanging light, £120, Barker & Stonehouse 3 ON THE FRINGE Coral throw, £19.99, Dobbies 4 TROPICAL TASTE Paradise Palm table lamp and shade, £120, Biba Homeware at House of Fraser 5 OUT OF AFRICA Zebra cushion, £25, Marks & Spencer 6 NATIONAL DISH Alimazi decorative plate, £68, Oka 7 ORIGAMI STYLE Safari lamp, £29.99, Firebox 8 ON THE TERRACE Fusion wire web round coffee table, £375, Libra 9 DIVIDE & RULE Havannah foldable bamboo screen, £240, Out There Interiors…

Wood rarely goes out of fashion, but the many and varied finishes of this versatile material are subject to trends. Brown woods, often seen as the preserve of traditional schemes, have taken a back seat in recent years in favour of lighter options such as birch, ash, oak and painted wood. Rustic finishes, like those in Paul’s home, are popular for creating a contemporary look. Subtle touches Eco-friendly and natural, wood is a versatile element to work with, whether incorporating it into an interior, using it as an exterior façade or refreshing original wooden features. It can, however, also present difficulties – internally, an over-abundance can become monotonous, so a light touch is called for. ‘For a cohesive look, use similar tones and vary textures, from smooth to unfinished,’ advises…

UNIQUE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Converted oak and brick building LOCATION East Sussex ROOMS Hall, sitting room/ Kitchen, cloakroom, three bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 2015 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a simple wooden house, not far from Rye, before moving here,’ says Sarah. When designer, writer and photographer Sarah Charles and her artist husband Michael B White spotted a basic building for sale in a dell near Battle in East Sussex, they decided to turn it into a ‘glam-rustic’ retreat. The couple named the house Naulakha, a Hindi word meaning ‘jewel beyond price’, after Rudyard Kipling’s home in the US state of Vermont, where they once stayed. ‘When we took the building on, it had four walls, a floor and running water, and that’s about it,’ says Sarah. ‘It was around…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY 1960s detached house LOCATION Gloucestershire ROOMS Sitting room, dining room, kitchen-diner, office, utility room, cloakroom, four bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a terraced house with a little garden,’ says Sam. Sam Wightman and Tom Brown swapped their Regency terraced house in central Cheltenham for a 1960s detached property on the outskirts of the town, so that their family, including Dylan, 12, and Flo, 8, plus Labrador Tally, could have more space. Their new home needed work to bring it back to life, but with Sam’s love of retro style, they were confident that it could be done. ‘I grew up in a similar home and have a sentimental pull to houses of this era,’ she explains. Having purchased the property, the…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian terraced house LOCATION London ROOMS Sitting room/kitchen/diner, office, media room, utility room, wine store, spa suite, playroom, three bedrooms (one en suite), dressing room, shower room, roof terrace PURCHASED 2012 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We had a rented house before buying this place,’ says Irina. A six-month work project in London triggered a chance meeting between former banker Irina and her future husband, David. Living in Milan at the time, Irina’s trip was followed by a 12-month long-distance relationship between the pair, but in 2010 they finally decided to move in together. As their time in London had been so romantic and it held such special memories for them, it won out between the two cities, and it was there they married and set up home.…

Almost every home can easily feature at least one unique piece of lighting made from an old object, such as a vase or vintage tin. The key to pulling off this look is to balance elements of drama with subtle, more contemporary designs. Try pairing quirky pieces with practical task lighting to create an ideal fusion of beauty and purpose. Retro style From industrial-inspired pendants to lamps made with re-found objects, the trend for inventive lighting is on the rise, thanks largely to more imaginative interior design in commercial premises. Vintage and retro lighting, widely used in the hospitality industry, has made its way into the home. Antique finishes remain a popular and practical choice given the wide range of 20th century-style bulbs now available. Simplicity is key – the…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY 1850s terrace with later additions LOCATION Cornwall ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, studio, cloakroom, three bedrooms, bathroom, shower room PURCHASED 2003 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a Victorian terraced house in London,’ says Caroline. When Caroline Kelley-Foreman’s mother decided to sell the family holiday home in St Ives, the loss was too much to bear. ‘I panicked,’ admits Caroline, a jeweller. ‘I’d grown up there, and when my husband Mark and I had our own children, Chloe and Sam, now 22 and 27, they also experienced the freedom of being by the sea. So in 2001, we decided to let out our house in London and try living in Cornwall for a while before committing to a permanent move.’ Two years later, with Mark working as…

The days are getting longer, but it’s still too early to throw open the windows to let the fresh air and fragrant blooms burst into our winter-weary rooms. But why wait for the warmer weather to enjoy all that the new season brings? This is the perfect time to give your interior decor a spring refresh. In this bedroom, cheerful sunshine yellow walls and verdant grass-green accents create a country feel and a pleasing sense of renewal, while the floral fabrics, butterfly prints and framed botanicals provide a connection to nature. To prevent the look from becoming too chintzy, the freshness of the white-painted rattan bed frame, the sage-green suitcase and the clean-lined table lamp give the scheme a fresh, modern edge. The soft throws may still be needed, but…