Your life made easier - every day. 25 Beautiful Homes is a magazine for readers with a sense of personal style. Aspire to your dream house and enjoy looking at other people's homes, designs and styles for inspiration.
New year – new-look home? If you’re in planing mode, we have spaces big and small to inspire you this month. Flexibility was key for empty nesters Lesley and Paul Owen when they revamped their country house to suit their new lifestyle and the results are amazing (p8). Kate and James Thompson also undertook a total renovation and brought a derelict former carriage workshop back to life (p40). For Anna Foster, it was the irresistible appeal of an abandoned plot and two old barns that marked the start of a three-year journey that has ended with the most stunning house (p110). Whatever changes you’d like to make this year, enjoy the planning and all the transformations in this issue.…
HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Arts and crafts-inspired new build ROOMS Kitchen, dining room, snug, study, sitting room, reading room, four bedrooms, two bathrooms LOCATION Surrey the decision to upsize rather than downsize was an obvious choice for Lesley and Paul Owen when their Victorian family home was no longer serving their lifestyle. ‘Once our three children had left home, we were looking for a more intimate living arrangement, but we also wanted plenty of space for when they visit with the grandchildren,’ explains Lesley. ‘And we love to host, especially at Christmas, so there were lots of factors to consider.’ Lesley became more confident after finding a sprawling new build in Surrey, and considered how the sizeable house could evolve to suit this new phase in their life. ‘Once we’d…
HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Extended farmhouse, originally built in the 1800s ROOMS Kitchen-diner/living area, sitting room, snug, cloakroom, five bedrooms, three bathrooms LOCATION Suffolk When Laura Emmerson first viewed this property, located in a peaceful Suffolk village, she could immediately visualise the extension they would add. ‘I knew I could bring order to what was a very higgledy-piggledy home,’ she explains. She and her husband Shaun were moving out of London to the countryside with their young children, Annabel, eight, Willa, six and Rory, four, and they wanted an older property that they could modernise and shape to their needs. ‘I really wanted to give our children a country childhood,’ she shares. Laura and Shaun started with a basic upgrade to the decor, making do with the small but perfectly…
HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Terraced townhouse built in 1840 ROOMS Sitting room, dining room, kitchen, TV room, two cloakrooms, four bedrooms, two bathrooms, dressing room LOCATION North London While visiting one of London’s most photogenic areas for the very first time, Penny Smythe was so impressed with the iconic streets that she immediately began looking in estate agents’ windows. ‘That impromptu stroll changed my life,’ Penny confides. ‘I loved the energy and vibe of this part of London and felt an overwhelming urge to move here. Luckily enough, the moment I walked into this house – the third property I’d viewed – I knew it was the one.’ At the time, Penny was living in Central London and hadn’t anticipated moving. ‘During my first viewing here, as soon as I…
HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian terrace in a conservation area ROOMS Sitting-dining room, kitchen, three bedrooms, two bathrooms LOCATION West London WHAT WAS THE BRIEF? A full house renovation from top to bottom, including changes of windows, installation of air conditioning, optimising the layout of all rooms, change of flooring, new bespoke staircase and bespoke joinery in various rooms, and full redecoration inside and outside. DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE. Growing up and studying in Paris, I was deeply influenced by what I call ‘the Parisian style’, a blend of effortless chic and elegance. Additionally, 10 years living in Hong Kong exposed me to the challenges of limited space, which influenced my design to be extremely efficient and make sure the space is used to its best potential without compromising on style.…
HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A former carriage workshop ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen, utility room, study, cloakroom, cinema room, four bedrooms, three bathrooms LOCATION Buckinghamshire Kate and James Thompson’s new home had so much kerb appeal that Kate knew she wanted it even before the pair had crossed the threshold. ‘It was one Saturday afternoon that the email from the estate agent pinged up with the photos of the property. I instantly fell in love with it and called them on the spot,’ says Kate. ‘At the time we were living in a renovated cottage, a mere three miles down the road, but we felt we were outgrowing it and also wanted a bigger garden,’ Kate explains. Upon viewing, the couple found that while the exterior was everything that they had…
