Indholdsfortegnelse for September 2023 i 25 Beautiful Homes

‘WE DIDN’T WANT TO HAVE AN INTERIOR THAT FELT TOO PRECIOUS – AN EARTHY FEEL WITH HINTS OF REFINED MATERIALS WAS OUR FOCUS THROUGHOUT’ HOW DID YOU COME TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT? Our clients purchased the property in 2004, having lived across the creek prior to that for 20 years. Built in 1962 and set within two acres, the original single-storey property was torn down and rebuilt as a two-storey home using the same footprint. Their architect – EBTA Architects – had worked with us in the past and thought we would be an ideal fit. WHAT WAS THE CLIENTS’ BRIEF? The clients are incredibly genuine people and we wanted the interior to reflect their strong sense of family and love of hosting. It had to complement the…

no. 6SITTING ROOM FOCUS Susan and Doug and their two sons, Eric and Otis, turned to interior designer Courtney B Smith to refresh the decor in their sitting room. Working with the family, Courtney came up with a design that ‘could just as easily host kids birthday parties as adult cocktail hours’. 1 PRACTICAL MATTERS The sitting room is the heart of the home, and gets a lot of action. ‘This is their TV-watching, game-playing, homework-doing and casual entertaining space,’ says Courtney. Based on the need for practicality, furnishing choices weren’t precious or delicate while at the same time Courtney’s aim was to design ‘a functional and beautiful home’. 2 PERSONAL PALETTE When it came to deciding the palette and direction, Susan’s wardrobe was an inspiration for Courtney. ‘She…

‘Glazed internal doors are light and space enhancers and give a sense of openness’ HOW DID YOU COME TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT? The clients found us online on a website of interior designers. We started working with them on floor plans, mood boards and inspiration to understand their taste and likes, and then we did the planning in terms of design. WHAT WAS THEIR BRIEF? They sent us a couple of photos of inspiration to show us what they liked. They especially wanted to maximise the space, given that the staircase was in the centre of each floor and was taking up a lot of room. Above all, they wanted a space that felt like home, was cosy but not too cluttered. HOW INVOLVED WERE THE HOMEOWNERS? Pretty…

‘THE VEINS OF COLOUR IN THE CUSTOM-MADE STAIR RUNNER ARE A CONTEMPORARY TWIST ON CLASSICISM AND MIMIC THE MARBLE USED ELSEWHERE’ HOW DID YOU COME TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT? ‘I met the client when she attended a course I was teaching on how to use antiques in contemporary interiors,’ says designer Tom Carey. ‘She and her partner are a young American couple with two children and they were moving into this 1820s townhouse. Laurence [Katz of Elemental Studio] and I had worked together on a couple of projects previously and, this one being quite large, it made sense to collaborate.’ WHAT CONDITION WAS THE HOUSE IN WHEN YOU STARTED THE PROJECT? ‘It had been gutted by a developer and featured a lot of “greige” walls and glitzy chandeliers…

After years spent searching for a family home, even before setting foot inside a handsome Victorian property, Zanna Westgate had a feeling it may well be the one. ‘When I viewed this house, the facade was covered in wisteria,’ says Zanna. ‘It looked incredibly pretty and I couldn’t wait to find out more.’ Impressed by the room proportions and wealth of charming period features, Zanna’s interest was piqued. ‘It was a gorgeous day, and as my husband Alistair and I strolled into the sunny walled garden at the back of the house, we realised there was plenty of potential,’ says Zanna. Back in 2008, when the Westgates sold their London house, they hoped to find another property quickly. ‘Having worked for my father’s architectural practice, I’d initially thought that we…

When Kim and Tom Chappell relocated to Austin they decided to build a house for their family. Tom likes modern design, while Kim prefers traditional styles. The couple didn’t know how to bring their differing tastes together so turned to interior designer Sara Malek Barney. 1 SETTING THE SCENE The new-build house is largely contemporary with the architecture of the main bedroom nodding to the traditional with its high ceilings, tall windows, ceiling beams and stone fireplace. ‘It was great to be on board during the construction phase as I was able to design materials and finishes to bring the blended interiors concept to life,’ says Sara. 2 STYLE GOALS The couple’s brief was for an elegant, restful space that wasn’t too formal – no chintz and frills. ‘They wanted…

After many years living in Johannesburg, Lisa Storer and her partner Brad were keen to build a new home for their family including children, Maxine, 21, Tomas, 17, and Lucy, 11. ‘It was time to shift gears, so we found a plot of land on a grassy habitat known as the Highveld, an hour from the city,’ explains Lisa. Having previously left her role as a retail buyer to open a lifestyle store called The Storer, Lisa found it a challenge to juggle a new career alongside a new build. However with the help of architect Adrian Morris of Morris&Co., the couple devised a contemporary interpretation of a farmhouse with a pool and pavilion set away from the main house. ‘We looked at the landscape and light first, which informed…

no. 10KITCHEN FOCUS Keen to replace a dark and dated kitchen, the homeowners – a couple with young children – approached bespoke kitchen specialist Martin Moore. ‘The room could have been anywhere,’ recalls senior designer Matthew Sedgwick. ‘It bore no relevance to the period beauty of the house, nor did it suit busy family life.’ 1 HERITAGE INSPIRATION ‘It was immediately apparent that our clients wanted a timeless design to suit the Georgian heritage of their home, but with a lighter and brighter feel,’ says Matthew. ‘They also wanted more storage and a more functional layout, better suited to the comings and goings of life with three children.’ 2 PERFECT PROPORTIONS Matthew selected Martin Moore’s New Classic furniture and his starting point was to design a stud wall with…

‘I love the intimate dining room, which is nestled into a nook next to a stone slab woodburning fireplace with walls adorned with modern paintings and photography’ ‘To create privacy and maintain interior light, we used cafe curtains with linen fabric, which solved the issue and created a beautiful warm glow throughout’ Owner of home furnishings brand ALT for Living and co-founder of design hot spot The 1818 Collective (with Kristin Fine), Analisse Taft-Gersten is a busy, multitalented woman. However, both she and her husband managed to somehow find time to renovate this Connecticut house. Built in the 1900s as a two-family home, the structure was converted to a single-family home in the 1980s. About one hour from the hustle and bustle of New York City and their working life,…

‘IT WAS A SMART CHOICE TO KEEP THE PATIO LEADING OFF THE DINING AREA COVERED – IT CAN BE USED ALL YEAR’ HOW DID YOU COME TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT? I was recommended by a previous client who is friends with the clients. They had found a plot with an old bungalow. They wanted to knock it down and build a new house. We became involved at the beginning, when they had the architect’s plans but before they had planning permission, so we were able to advise on areas that we thought could be improved within the layout. WHAT WAS THE BRIEF? To create a family home that was going to be a long-term home. It had to be teen and pet friendly so involved use of stain-resistant…

‘To live comfortably in a small space it is crucial to stay organised and have nearly every piece of furniture perform double duty’ When Joanne Gordon first saw the Californian cottage that’s now her home, she was immediately smitten. ‘I was selling the family home where I’d raised my two sons and was looking to downsize,’ she explains. ‘Then I happened to drive through Solvang in the lush Santa Ynez Valley. The town has a kind of European charm and I soon fell under its spell. The moment I drove past this cottage, I was instantly taken with it. The front garden had a rose-draped arbour, there was a picket fence and a brick path bordered with an abundance of roses in bloom. It was dreamy!’ As well as its…

‘BREWING A SLOW POUR-OVER COFFEE ON OUR RANGE AND OPENING THE DOORS ON A COOL, QUIET MORNING IS THE PERFECT WAY TO START EACH DAY’ WHY DID YOU BUY THIS HOUSE? My partner Erik and I had been looking for four years for the perfect place in Washington DC’s coveted Georgetown neighbourhood, and were either priced out of the market or found the spaces too small for our family. Although this home – a dilapidated 1900 Victorian terrace – was a larger project than we had envisioned, seconds after walking in I knew I had to breathe new life into this historic gem. We loved the size – private bathrooms for all of us, including guests, is a major benefit. There’s also a third floor where we have built an…

The imposing Welsh mountains on the far horizon provide a formidable yet somewhat familiar backdrop for the home that Richard Glover shares with his partner and their golden labrador Inca. After living in Scotland for several years, the time came for Richard to return to the Shropshire countryside where he had grown up. ‘We’re a young couple who were looking to create our forever home, along with our beloved labrador. We lead busy working and social lives so we wanted a welcoming base to return to,’ explains Richard of the decision to buy this wonderful Georgian property they now call home. ‘This house was in fact the first one we viewed,’ he says. ‘We had planned on taking time to see a number of properties but this one was absolutely…

Preparations for their new life as a family involved a radical house move and refurbishment for Jonathan Baker-Perry, his husband and their three-year-old son Monty, as they exchanged city living in London for a five-bedroom home in Surrey. While the new home on the edge of the North Downs has all the trappings of family life, it maintains a sophisticated edge thanks to a full-scale redesign and an array of contemporary artwork. The house appealed for many reasons, not least because of its generous footprint and large garden overlooking fields. ‘It was homely and the layout was good,’ says Jonathan. ‘It felt cosy even though the rooms were large and we liked the flow of the house, with all the main rooms opening onto the garden.’ The decor was dated,…

After buying a Grade II-listed house in Kent, a couple with two children asked designer Tom Howley to create a kitchen for an extension to the property. ‘I became involved at the outset,’ says Tom. ‘This helped to ensure that all the key aspects of the design were factored into the build.’ 1 STARTING WITH THE ESSENTIALS ‘They have lots of parties and are a very sociable family, so it was essential that the kitchen be designed for entertaining as well as the practicalities of day-to-day life with young children,’ he says. On the wish list was a large island to form the convivial hub of the room and to provide space for relaxed family meals or drinks with friends. They also specified top-of-the-range appliances to make it easy to…