Indholdsfortegnelse for September 2025 i Period Living

Autumn will soon be here, and while we make the most of the remaining lazy days of summer, the changing of the seasons brings so much to look forward to. This time of year in the garden, in particular, is one to be relished and the show is far from over. Aside from appreciating the beauty of the landscape as leaves turn to rich shades of red and gold, there are many late season performers in garden beds that put on a colourful display well into the colder months. For this issue, Lottie Allen, head gardener at the National Trust’s stunning Hidcote Manor in Gloucestershire, advises on how to maintain interest through to the first frosts with a vibrant mix of foliage and flowers – ‘the icing on the horticultural…

SUBTLE GLIMMER For a touch of glamour, opt for exotic prints in luxurious materials. With their light-reflecting qualities, velvets and silks work beautifully with jewel tones, while wallpapers with metallic finishes add extra shimmer. Monkey Business wallpaper from Clarke & Clarke’s Exotica 2 collection, shown here in metallic Gilver, would dazzle in a living room; alternatively, try it on the inside of a drinks cabinet for a dash of pattern. ‘Exotica 2 pays homage to tropical island life. The collection is bursting with vibrancy directly from nature, while metallics bring an opulent Art Deco feel,’ says Jessica Ellis, senior designer. ‘For a complementary print, try something with a smaller-scale pattern, such as soft-sheen Congo. With its dense feathery leaf design in soft deep tones, it’s perfect for upholstery or voluminous…

Take a look inside Peet Schreuder’s beautifully renovated farmhouse and you’ll be enchanted by the original features and careful attention to every detail. Peet loves antiques and browsing at brocantes, and has combined vintage finds with a few special pieces of contemporary art and furniture in her historic home in the Dutch countryside. It’s a natural, homely scene and gives the impression that things have just been casually allowed to find their own place in the mix. However, even though the finishing touches look effortless, it has taken Peet and her husband Ruud many years of hard work to get it to this point. They first visited the old farmhouse as a young couple back in 1977. ‘We used to see the farm from the main road and wished we…

BRIGHT IDEAS Let your home office layout be guided by the natural light, as seen in this space designed by Salvesen Graham. Positioning your desk in front of a window has been proven to boost your focus, productivity and mood, due to the increased exposure to natural light and views of outside. What’s more, facing natural light will also provide a more flattering look in video calls! To prevent glare and provide shade in the summer, dress the window with a light-coloured sheer or semi-sheer blind, such as these elegant designs in Feuilles Nina, £375m, Décors Barbares at Floren. Equally, plan for winter, when it’ll be dark by early afternoon. Layering artificial lighting – such as a pendant, wall lights and desk lamp – will provide ample flexibility, allowing you…

BACK TO THE WALL Counter a compact bathroom by choosing a wall-mounted vanity unit instead of a bulky freestanding piece. A wall-mounted design ‘floats’ above the floor, leaving free space underneath that draws the eyes to the edges of the room, creating a sense of openness. ‘When choosing a vanity unit for a traditional bathroom, prioritise timeless materials like solid wood, marble tops and ceramic basins, while heritage colours such as creams, sage, or navy enhance period charm,’ says Tyler Stubbings, designer at Ripples, Bishop’s Waltham. Wall-mounted double drawer vanity unit with shaker style fronts, bespoke finish, £1,489, Ripples. DOUBLE DUTY If lack of space isn’t an issue, a double-sink vanity can be a practical option to help speed up busy mornings. The standard width for a double-sized vanity starts…

While painting the walls of your period home is one of the most common DIY projects, it can be difficult to achieve a streak-free and professional-looking finish. We’ve asked the experts for their insight to help you achieve a seamless finish. All in the prep You may be itching to pick up the paintbrush and get started, but do take your time to prepare the space beforehand. Remove as much of the furniture as possible – including window treatments and light shades – and cover anything that can’t be moved. Then turn your attention to the walls. ‘Fill all holes, cracks and imperfections with a suitable filler,’ says Edward Bulmer, founder of Edward Bulmer Paints. ‘If a lot of the surface has been filled, consider applying lining paper.’ Lightly sand…

Essential equipment used on orchards and farms from the 19th to mid-20th centuries, fruit-picking ladders offer a fascinating glimpse into the history of rural labour and craftsmanship. Typically made from hardwoods, such as ash, elm or chestnut, their distinctive long, narrow frames and splayed legs allowed workers to reach high into fruit trees, while maintaining stability on uneven ground. In many cases, the ladders were constructed by hand, often locally, reflecting the regional materials and practical ingenuity of agricultural communities. In the UK, they originate mainly from the counties of Kent, Sussex and Herefordshire, known for apple and pear growing, while in continental Europe, similar designs appeared in the vineyards of France and cherry orchards of Germany. Many ladders are a tripod shape, with a single rear leg for balance…

STUFFED PEPPERS WITH HARISSA YOGURT SERVES 6 This elegant-looking dish with aromatic yogurt is bursting with Middle Eastern flavours and lets the flavour of the pepper sing. YOU WILL NEED FOR THE PEPPERS 1 onion, chopped ● 1tbsp olive oil ● 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped ● ½tsp ground cinnamon ● 1tsp ground cumin ● 200g puy lentils, rinsed ● 400ml vegetable stock ● 150g spinach leaves ● 2tbsp raisins ● 2tbsp pine nuts, toasted in a dry pan ● 2tbsp chopped mint ● 2tbsp chopped parsley ● 6 red peppers, halved and deseeded FOR THE YOGURT ● 2tbsp harissa paste ● 300g Greek yogurt 1. Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. In a pan, gently fry the onion in the oil for 10 mins. Add the garlic, cinnamon and…

SNUGGLE DOWN As the days grow shorter and cooler autumn evenings draw near, swap out your lightweight linens for cosier bedding. Add softness and warmth with plenty of layers to create a warm, inviting retreat – think vintage-inspired florals, delicate crochet and slubby linen with ruffled edges – for a welcoming lived-in feel. ‘Curate favourite pieces to help build a story of comfort and character,’ says Shelley Cochrane, accessories buyer at Furniture Village. This charming bedroom reflects the brand’s new Cottagecore Comfort trend – creating spaces that feel personal and nostalgic using furniture and bedding that appears familiar and full of personality. Lance ottoman king-size bed frame in Plush Corn, £1,149; Stratford table, £219; Jolena table lamp, £129, all Furniture Village. ARTFUL GLOW Part two of Growing Wild, the exquisite…

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We are looking for characterful, beautiful period homes, both large and small, to feature in Period Living magazine – from townhouses to country cottages; conversions to sweet terraces. If you are passionate about your home, have completed a renovation or interior decoration project and want to share the results with other readers of the magazine, we’d love to see it. Please email photographs and brief details about what work you have done to your home to periodliving@futurenet.com Would you like to see your property featured in the pages of Period Living magazine?…

ON THE BENCH Incorporating storage into an otherwise dead space ensures that you are making the most of every available corner in your home. Benches can capitalise on these overlooked areas and can come in the form of a window seat, a hallway perch or a kitchen-diner banquette. Whether fitted or freestanding, this seating can include low-level drawers, as shown here in Studio LBI’s classic design, or lift-up seats to include hidden storage space. The best option for you will depend on what you want to store and where the bench is located. Lift-up seats are often better for banquettes, as drawers will be difficult to access in conjunction with a table. For a window seat, however, drawers will give you clear access to your stowed items. CRATE EXPECTATIONS As…

Modern decorative tastes are often heavily influenced by an international cocktail of design ideas, but early architectural vernacular spoke strongly of time and place. The materials used, including those selected for floors, were a direct reflection of locality in terms of woodland species, as well as native stone and clay. For centuries, oak – and, to a degree, elm – was the predominant wood of choice for flooring in Britain, for example. When it comes to stone flooring, territory-specific raw materials include slate in Wales, Portland limestone and Yorkshire stone in England, all manner of marbles in India, Italy, Turkey and China, and terracotta clay in North Africa and around the Mediterranean. But with trade and travel, ideas – as well as products – began to spread from continent to…

1 MISCANTHUS SINENSIS ‘GRACILLIMUS’ (Chinese silver grass) is a compact clump-forming perennial with feathery panicles from mid-summer to early winter. It creates height in a border and a rustling sound in the breeze. 2 DAHLIA, with its wide range of varieties, provides many options for foliage colour, shape and flower size. Our Red Borders are planted with ‘Arabian Night’, ‘Grenadier’, ‘Alva’s Doris’ and ‘Bishop of Auckland’, flowering from mid-summer to the first frosts. 3 BUDDLEJA DAVIDII ‘BLACK KNIGHT’ offers deep-violet plumes of tiny flowers from mid-summer to early autumn. It’s brilliant for insects, particularly butterflies, but has a tendency to be leggy so hard-prune it annually. 4 COTINUS COGGYGRIA (PURPUREUS GROUP) (smoke bush) is a large, bushy deciduous shrub with purple obovate (almost round) leaves which turn bright red in…

Opening one of the many dozens of drawers in Kate Kato’s studio, you could be forgiven for thinking this is an entomologist’s collection of interesting specimens, varying in size, shape, gender and pattern. In one drawer are what appear to be miraculously preserved wildflowers; another holds all manner of mushrooms, including the rare Ballerina Waxcap, found on nearby Hergest Ridge; and in the next, at least half of the UK’s species of butterfly, like a Victorian collector’s cabinet of curiosities. But in this case, curiosity without cruelty. Look again, and you discover these are all made from simple everyday objects – paper, wire and thread, brought to ‘life’ with the artist’s skills in painting, embroidery and millinery. One flower can take days to make, from sketching in the open air,…

Moving day in September 2021, and Leah Clark found herself wondering whether she’d made a big mistake. ‘There’d been some delay handing over the keys and by the time the removal van had unloaded all my stuff, it was dark,’ she recalls. The lateness of the hour was the least of Leah’s worries, however, as most of her furniture was now piled around her in the living room, including her bed, wardrobe and several bookshelves. ‘None of it would fit up the narrow stairs so it was all left just inside the front door,’ she says. ‘I could hardly get through to the kitchen.’ When Leah viewed the cottage in lockdown, it was empty and although she realised the house had the typical compact proportions of a Georgian terrace she…

Glazed to perfection 1 Glass shades maximise light throw while preventing visual clutter, both priorities above an island or table. If the bulb is positioned at eye level, pair with a dimmer switch to reduce glare. This kitchen, designed by Humphrey Munson, features Jim Lawrence’s Bloomsbury pendants, £265.30 each. In the spotlight 2 Spotlights provide minimalist, wide-reaching illumination and offer a good backbone for kitchen lighting. ‘For a 12sq m space, we suggest between eight and 12 dimmable spots,’ says Lee Lovett, co-founder of Soho Lighting. ‘During the day, a 2700K warm white offers focus for cooking, then come evening, switch to a 1800K sunset glow to create a cosy atmosphere.’ Up and down 3 Rise-and-fall pendants provide the utmost in versatility. Operating on a pulley system, the pendant can…

Curved & cosy Designed with compact bathrooms in mind, Imbue is a new double-ended bath from Claybrook. Elegantly sculpted, it has been crafted from Marbleform – a luxurious blend of fine marble dust, premium resins and bonding agents. The marble is a by-product of Claybrook’s tile production, where offcuts from larger slabs are ground into fine dust and repurposed, instead of being thrown away. Unlike standard acrylic tubs, Marbleform offers a soft, matt texture – each bath is meticulously hand-polished for over 60 hours to achieve its signature smooth curves and satin finish. With a smaller footprint perfect for cosier spaces, the Imbue tub still provides generous room for a deep, indulgent soak, £2,500. TAKE CONTROL Bathroom brand Drummonds has unveiled two updates to its shower controls – Dalby (far…

The wildflower meadow in my garden in Devon is at its peak from early to midsummer. During this time, it’s bursting with grasses, including lush purple heads of knapweed starting to flush and swathes of hawkweed shining bright yellow in the morning sun before releasing their fluffy seedpods as the sun sets later in the day. Butterflies and hoverflies flit from flower to flower, and the crickets and grasshoppers begin to make themselves known, a quiet hum that builds as the season progresses. Teasels are standing tall and statuesque at the rambling edges of our garden, bright green for now, with their purple top hats. In my opinion, this is the perfect time to pick them, but many people prefer to wait until they are golden brown later on in…