Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2023 i 25 Beautiful Homes

Creating your DREAM home can seem like an impossible challenge, but living in a place that you never want to leave is what so many of us hanker after. Alice Lancastle has achieved this. After a long search, she instantly knew that the Somerset farmhouse she came to view was ‘the one’. However, it was wise DESIGN decisions that have ensured her house can adapt as her family grows (p29). For Catherine Spain, it was childhood memories of the rugged County Kerry LANDSCAPE that persuaded her to view the run-down old cottage that she hoped would become HOME. Four years and two extensions later, the house is everything she could have possibly imagined (p151).…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY 280-year-old farmhouse ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, playroom, snug, boot room, five bedrooms, three bathrooms LOCATION Somerset ‘A SPECIAL LIMEWASH PAINT WAS USED ON SOME OF THE WALLS TO GIVE A LOVELY PATINA’ Four years after they started their search, Alice and Rob Lancastle walked into the house of their dreams. Their charming farmhouse is surrounded by lush Somerset countryside, so it’s hard to believe they didn’t notice the incredible sweeping views until their second visit. ‘It just felt like home the minute we stepped through the door,’ Alice explains. The couple were living in London but found themselves escaping the capital at every opportunity, especially after their first son Rufus was born. They realised they wanted the benefits of city life but the peace of the…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached new build ROOMS Sitting room/kitchen, dining area, four bedrooms, three bathrooms LOCATION Western Cape, South Africa With retirement nearing, Emma and Stefan Kruger knew exactly where they wanted to settle down for the next stage of their lives. ‘We were looking for a home in a beautiful setting, one we would be able to share with our grown-up children and extended family,’ says Emma. They settled on a historic town nestled in the foothills of the Wemmershoek Mountains surrounded by farmland, vineyards, nature reserves and peaks. Part slow-paced small town, part buzzing hotspot, it’s a dream location for anyone looking for a retirement property. The couple decided to find a plot and build their own house. The area of land they bought is relatively small…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTYA beach house built in 2019 ROOMS Sitting room, open-plan kitchen and dining room, study, utility room, boot room, cloakroom, five bedrooms, three bathrooms LOCATIONJersey I think there are only about 50 houses on the island that sit right on the beach so we consider ourselves to be very lucky,’ says Sally-Ann Habin, speaking from the home she shares with her husband Simon in Jersey. Sally-Ann, a counsellor, and Simon, a lawyer, had the house designed and built in 2019 and have now spent four blissful years living here. With grown-up children, Charlotte, Joshua, Emily, Ned and Sally-Ann’s stepson Ben, having flown the nest, the couple set their sights on a new way of life. ‘We had a large Victorian house three miles away. It was surrounded…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY 1970s detached farmhouse ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner/living area, study, cloakroom, five bedrooms, three bathrooms LOCATION South Eastern Highlands, Victoria, Australia With its sweeping views of the Delatite River and the mountains beyond, the location of this farmhouse in the South Eastern Highlands of Victoria is truly spectacular. ‘We decided we had to restore and refresh the property and share it with others,’ says Madeleine Roberts-Thomson, who bought the house with her mother, Jenee, three years ago. ‘This area is very popular for skiing in winter, and it is also beautiful in the spring and summer seasons, so we knew it could make a wonderful guest house,’ she explains. Madeleine and Jenee’s family business rears pasture-fed Angus cattle in three regions of Australia, and they own a…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached 18th-century former rectory ROOMS Double sitting room, kitchen/dining area, utility, six bedrooms, five bathrooms, guest cloakroom, lounge area LOCATION Northumberland HOW DID YOU COME TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT? The client followed me on Instagram and I then became involved. The house was extensively refurbished – quite a few original features had been taken out so it was all reinstated to be appropriate to the style of the house. WHAT WAS THE BRIEF? We wanted to create an eclectic scheme that also remained true and appropriate to the period of the property. We didn’t want it to be too traditional nor be too contemporary, but we wanted a mix that would feel timeless. DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE. All my designs are very eclectic and I…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian terraced house ROOMS Double sitting room/dining area, kitchen, study, library, cloakroom, utility room, six bedrooms, five bathrooms, dressing room LOCATION West London WHAT WAS THE BRIEF? The house was in need of an update. The client stripped everything out and made significant changes. As part of the renovation they extended the kitchen, converted the loft and dug out the basement. The clients had a specific vision in mind. They wanted an eclectic style that incorporated colour, pattern and glamorous touches. The goal was to create a welcoming, warm and relaxed atmosphere that reflected their personalities. They didn’t want a show home but rather a space that felt comfortable. Storage was a top priority, especially in the children’s rooms. DESCRIBE THE OWNERS’ STYLE. We used traditional…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTYA maisonette apartment in a Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse ROOMS Kitchen/dining/sitting room, three bedrooms, two bathrooms LOCATION Bath ‘If there is space, a dresser always adds a lovely informality when teamed with fitted kitchen units’ While a race against time to restore a Grade II-listed Georgian home in one of Bath’s most iconic settings might have fazed a lesser mortal than Sarah Druce, she exchanged in September and was ready to welcome guests by December 2022. Meticulously organised and an experienced designer, Sarah was more than capable of pulling it off. Mood boards were underway, builders booked in, and even the ideal sofa purchased, all before contracts had been completed. ‘The day I received the keys was the day the builders started,’ Sarah says. Having sold her…

as a child, Catherine swam in a tranquil loch surrounded by the mountains of County Kerry. Years later, after a career working overseas, Catherine moved back to the area and began to explore her lifelong passion for old cottages. Perhaps it was fate, but not only did she find the ideal cottage to restore, but it was set on the shores of that same loch. ‘From the moment I saw it, I knew this was the one,’ says Catherine. It must have been love, as Catherine saw past the ugly yellow plaster, uPVC windows and lack of indoor facilities. What did impress her was the cottage’s breathtaking setting on five acres of Ireland’s wildly romantic west coast. When builder Henry Thompson began to strip back the plaster and reveal the…

no. 2 HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian semi-detached house ROOMS Sitting room, internal courtyard, open-plan kitchen-diner, cloakroom, study, three bedrooms, two bathrooms LOCATION Southeast London When Sharon Lee and Lucas Dussurget decided to renovate their home in an eco-friendly way, they gave themselves time to discover what they wanted. ‘We lived in the house for a while before we made changes,’ says Sharon. ‘We wanted to get to know the space, to see how the light travels.’ The couple’s first step was to commission architects Emma and Ross Perkin of Emil Eve to help them revision the layout and oversee the project. Their brief to the architects was for a ‘generous entertaining space, lots of storage, natural light, two sinks in the en-suite bathroom – and somewhere to hide the…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian mansion flat ROOMS Sitting room, dining area, kitchen/breakfast area, library, two bedrooms, two bathrooms LOCATION West London As a frequent traveller, our client wanted a calm space, where she could unwind and celebrate her passion for African art, reading and global curiosities,’ says interior designer Églantine Sicat, who is great friends with fellow creative Pauline Dellemotte. The pair have collaborated several times over the past three years, although this was their first residential project. Initially, the owner had thought her new flat, which enjoys the top floor advantage of extra light and views, needed a ‘light touch’ renovation. Yet, when Églantine and Pauline saw it, they realised the flat would be a much bigger project. None of the floors were level, all the electrics were…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTYA three-storey Edwardian-style detached house ROOMS Sitting room, dining room, family room, kitchen, laundry room, four bedrooms, three bathrooms LOCATIONSan Francisco ‘Glazed kitchen units increase the sense of space and bounce light around, too’ WHY DID YOUR CLIENTS BUY THIS HOME? When they bought the house in 2013, our clients, Emily and Michael Wilkins, loved the cul de sac location in a family-friendly neighbourhood. The house itself has beautiful bones and architectural detailing, both of which they were very careful to maintain during the renovation. HOW DID YOU COME TO TAKE ON THIS PROJECT? Emily has worked with me at my interior design practice for over seven years. When she decided she needed a refresh we were very busy, but she was willing to wait until we…

HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY An apartment purpose built in the 1990s ROOMS Living area, dining area, kitchen, cloakroom, three bedrooms, two bathrooms LOCATION Berkshire HOW DID YOU COME TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT? The owners, who were living abroad, found us online as they liked our all-encompassing service. We offer design, build, decorating and furnishing. They wanted a complete renovation and project management every step of the way. WERE THE HOMEOWNERS INVOLVED AT ALL? Minimally, as they were not in the country. We were able to present initial ideas and then each stage of the scheme via Zoom and WhatsApp, with a couple of phone calls. It was an easy relationship and they signed off each stage with very few adjustments. DESCRIBE THE HOMEOWNERS’ STYLE The apartment was built…

FOREST GREENS These are classic hues that feel both luxurious and calming – and they are a great way to bring timeless and rich colour to your space AUTUMN VIBES Beautiful pieces in ochre, burnt orange and rust will ensure a warm and cosy look for the new season – and will still feel fresh come spring and summer RELAXED NATURALS Take it easy with soothing neutrals – these beautiful buys come in softly muted, easy-to-live-with shades but are also full of character for unique schemes…