Innehållsförteckning för November 2015 från 25 Beautiful Homes

If you were to ask me what I’m looking to add to my home right now, my answer would be furniture. More specifically, bedroom furniture. Now that our son’s a teenager, he treats the floor as if it were a storage system – something needs to be done. It seems his clothes have outgrown the wardrobe and I keep trying to think of a better answer without filling the room with too much furniture. This is the constant challenge of children’s rooms – when they’re young it’s all about storage for toys, and then as they get older it’s how to fit a desk in without overcrowding the space, as well as ensuring that they’re happy at all times. At the back of my mind, I know I could spend…

WOOD-AND-STEEL DINING TABLE Can you tell me where Louise and Scott Coates found the beautiful dining table that takes pride of place in their kitchen-diner (p102, September 2015)? ANGELA FYFE, BY EMAIL The Coates spotted their Plank table, by Danish company Naver (navercollection.dk), while in Copenhagen. The design has oil-burned steel legs, a solid-wood top in a choice of timbers and finishes, and it comes in five sizes, with the possibility to extend with up to two extension leaves. Prices start at £4,000 for the smallest size, H74 x W180 x D100cm, from The Conran Shop (0844 848 4000, conranshop.co.uk). You might also like the Darby table (shown right) by Steven Owens for Benchmark (01488 608020, benchmarkfurniture.com), which is made from either oak or elm with legs in cast iron…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Edwardian detached with 1950s additions LOCATION West Sussex ROOMS Sitting room, drawing room, kitchen-diner, dining room, five bedrooms, three bathrooms PURCHASED 2010 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a detached Victorian house in London before moving here,’ explains Georgina. When Georgina Znowski and her husband Mark first viewed this property in West Sussex, it wasn’t a case of love at first sight. The house, originally Edwardian, had a 1950s extension, and the resulting mixture of styles made it feel dated and impractical. At the time the couple were living in London, but with a young family to bring up, which now includes William, 9, Lottie, 7, and Henry, 5, they were keen to find a place in a more rural setting. ‘Having the countryside and the…

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REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Semi-detached Victorian home LOCATION West Sussex ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner/family room, downstairs cloakroom/ wet room, three bedrooms, bathroom, loft room PURCHASED 2005 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a flat in Putney, west London,’ says Katherine. After several years in London, Alistair and Katherine Nicholls decided it was time to start a family and return to the West Sussex coast where Katherine had grown up. Alistair, who photographs interiors and loves design, was looking for a project and the couple both saw the potential of this Victorian house, which was in serious need of modernisation. ‘We really wanted a challenge and this place fitted the bill,’ says Alistair. And so the couple, who now have two children, Sophia, 6, and Freddie, 1, set about a sensitive…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Terrace, built in 1900 LOCATION South London ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen/ diner, rear sitting room, media room, cloakroom, laundry room, four bedrooms, two bathrooms PURCHASED 2011 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we had a flat near London’s South Bank,’ says Corinne. Having a growing family, Corinne and Tom Lewis-Reynier sacrificed location for space – they decided to sell up their flat in central London and moved a few miles southward to gain a garden plus local parks. Their daughter Loanne, now 11, was already attending school in south London and the area had good transport links. Although this traditional terrace had been rented out for many years, it had instant appeal, with generous proportions and ‘a very comfortable feel,’ as Corinne recalls. One of its…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Grade II listed farmhouse, dating from 1786 LOCATION Herefordshire ROOMS Hall, sitting room, drawing room, kitchen-diner, study, cloakroom, five bedrooms (one en suite), two bathrooms PURCHASED 2002 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We were renting a modern detached bungalow in a nearby town before this,’ says Catherine. With their first baby on the way and looking for some occasional respite from city life, Catherine Barr and Webster Wickham began to rent a weekend bolthole in the Herefordshire countryside, but they hadn’t quite meant to move there. ‘Then we saw this place,’ says Catherine, of the 18th-century farmhouse perched high on a hillside with amazing views. ‘We knew it was a renovation project that would allow us to put into practice our joint passion for green building.’ The Grade…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian terraced house LOCATION Southwest London ROOMS Sitting/dining room, kitchen, music room/guest room, three bedrooms, bathroom, shower room PURCHASED 2005 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived in a two-bedroom flat, which we also renovated,’ says Isabelle. Isabelle Peterson-Reid and her husband Simon had a simple list of criteria when they decided to move from their much-loved, but outgrown southwest London flat. ‘We wanted to stay in the area and find a house with a good-sized garden on a quiet family road,’ says Isabelle. ‘But, after viewing many places, we found that there were very few properties available that fitted this description.’ However, their efforts were eventually repaid when they viewed a small Victorian terrace nearby with bags of potential. ‘We instantly fell in love…

1 KEEP ON SHINING Henge light ring, from £3,726, Summerhill + Co 2 CELESTIAL FEAST Seletti Jupiter porcelain dinner plate, Dia 23.5cm, £29, Amara 3 STAR STRUCK Santorini stars in distressed dark blue metal, from £7 each, Nkuku 4 ALL SYSTEMS GLOW Black matte star light, £95, Bhs 5 GLITTERING COMET Gold Star tea light holder, £6, The Contemporary Home 6 SOCIAL SPACE Menu turning table in white oak, £329, The Scandinavian Shop 7 MAP TO THE STARS Diagram of the Comet of 1858 Birch Ply Print, 1 metre sq, £310, Surface View 8 FLY ME TO THE MOON The Karlsson Moon wall clock, £84, Houseology 9 AFTER DARK Pollux candle holder, £25, Habitat…

SWEET DREAMS Planning a new look for your bedroom, but don’t know where to begin? Whether you’re shopping for brighter bedding, or an entirely fresh scheme, you’ll find all the design inspiration you need to create your most beautiful boudoir at housetohome.co.uk/bedroom FIND US ON FACEBOOK See the rooms we’re lusting after on facebook.com/25beautifulhomes. We’d love to hear from you, so get in touch and tell us all about your favourite interiors. LOOKS YOU’LL LOVE Want to create the perfect look for your home? Find a scheme to inspire your interior at housetohome.co.uk/25beautifulhomes EXPERT ADVICE From planning a layout to choosing cabinetry, or buying appliances, we’ve got all aspects of kitchen design covered at housetohome.co.uk/kitchen TAKE A LOOK INSIDE Other people’s homes are always a valuable source of…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Edwardian red-brick terrace LOCATION Dublin ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner, TV room, study, cloakroom, four bedrooms (one en suite), family bathroom PURCHASED 2012 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We owned a similar but smaller house nearby before buying this place,’ says Alja. As soon as Alja Kramberger and husband Tom found out the house next door was up for sale they put in an offer. ‘We had grown out of our smaller Victorian home and sold it, but with the housing market uncertain at that time, we decided to rent for a year and see what would happen next,’ explains Alja. ‘We really liked this neighbourhood and the Edwardian red-brick architecture, so we it was the perfect place for us.’ Once the sale was complete, the couple stood…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached house built in 1912 LOCATION York ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, family room, cloakroom, four bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2012 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a 1930s house in Oxford before this,’ says Susan. For Susan Bradley and her partner Simon Onion, their Edwardian house renovation has been about creating an authentic family home surrounded by belongings that they love. ‘We kept the original bones of the house but our plan wasn’t to stick specifically to the period,’ says Susan, a furniture and homewares designer. ‘It was more important that we created a warm and welcoming space using furniture, treasures and pictures that we already owned which meant something to us both.’ As both are designers, it isn’t surprising to…

FEATURE CAROLINE FOSTER | PHOTOGRAPHY NICK HUGGINS DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached Victorian house LOCATION Berkshire ROOMS Hall, drawing room, sitting room, kitchen/family room, study, utility room, cloakroom, five bedrooms (one en suite), dressing room, three bathrooms, attic snug PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before we moved in together, I lived in a house in Surrey and Greig lived nearby,’ says Anouska. Buying a house can often involve stressful setbacks, but interior designer Anouska Lancaster, who runs her own company, Noushka Design, and her fiancé Greig Scott, didn’t anticipate a dramatic turn of events as they exchanged contracts on the Victorian country property they had set their hearts on. ‘Greig and I were bringing our families together and looking for a suitable place for our children Kai, 11, Harry, 11,…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Extended 1950s bungalow LOCATION Wexford, Ireland ROOMS Hall, sitting room, drawing room, dining room, kitchen, cloakroom, four bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 1995 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived in a house in Gorey,’ says Mairead. When Mairead and David Sinnott first viewed their house in Wexford, it was in need of complete refurbishment. The previous owners had let it fall into disrepair, but the couple could see its potential and knew they could turn the bungalow into a light and spacious home. ‘David had great ideas for the house from the off,’ says Mairead. ‘He’s good at seeing the bigger picture and looked beyond the gloomy layout, but I needed to be convinced. The whole place was very basic, complete with swirly carpets and dated…

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INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Arts and Crafts detached house LOCATION Southwest London ROOMS Hall, sitting room/ kitchen-diner, study, cloakroom, five bedrooms (two en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2012 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived in a 1960s coach house nearby,’ says Cindy. Despite feeling exhausted after 10 months of project-managing her own home renovation, interior designer Cindy Fuller insists she would quite happily do it all again. ‘It was a labour of love,’ says Cindy, whose skill, experience and passion proved invaluable. ‘The house was in need of a complete makeover and although I’d undertaken renovations before, this has been my biggest project,’ she says. ‘As soon as I walked into the hall, I could see the potential of the house because it had some lovely features and enough…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Former 18th-century pub, extended in 1911 and remodelled in 2014 LOCATION New Forest ROOMS Sitting room, family room, kitchen-diner, cloakroom, four bedrooms, three bathrooms PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘The last property we bought was a small cottage situated quite nearby,’ says Paul. When Paul Ledger and his partner Sarah first viewed a property in the New Forest, there was no doubt in their minds as to how it should look – they wanted it like the decor in their favourite local hotel. The house was a former pub and was derelict. ‘It had seven cramped little rooms downstairs, and it had once been used as staff quarters,’ says Paul who learnt it had lain empty for nearly 10 years. ‘I’d been told that for much…

NEW-BUILD HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached new-build LOCATION Somerset BUILT 2013 ROOMS Kitchen-diner/family room, sitting room, utility room, snug, gym, five bedrooms (three en suite), wet room, games room PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before here, we lived in our first self-build in a village nearby,’ says Stacey. Lisa and Stacey White were certainly not looking for a building project, but in 2009 on a family day out to a village near their home in Wiltshire, they came across an interesting proposition. ‘We spotted a very run-down house on a wonderful plot of land,’ explains Lisa. ‘We knew that it would be the ideal spot on which to build a contemporary home.’ And the couple also felt it would be a perfect place to raise their children Jazdon, now 11, and Honaya, 10.…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Former police station, built in 1895 LOCATION Edinburgh ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, playroom, four bedrooms, bathroom, shower room PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Our last home was a two-bedroom ground-floor flat a few blocks from here,’ says Henry. When Henry Beckett and his wife Elena came to the UK, having worked abroad for many years, they decided to settle down in Scotland. ‘We moved from Turkmenistan, where Elena is from and where I was working, and thought Edinburgh would be a great city to live in,’ says Henry. Henry had visited the city when his sister was at art school and loved the clean, wide streets and handsome Georgian buildings. ‘We initially bought in the south of the city but decided we’d like to live in…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY 1950s red-brick semi LOCATION Belfast ROOMS Open-plan sitting room/kitchen-diner, with piano and family areas, cloakroom, three bedrooms (one ensuite), bathroom PURCHASED 2011 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before this, we lived in a terraced house nearby,’ says Deborah. Some might not even have looked inside the tired old semi with no heating or electricity and overgrown front garden, but for Deborah and Graham Moore the neglected building in East Belfast seemed perfect. ‘We’d been living in a three-bedroom terraced house not far away but we wanted a “project”, somewhere we could make our mark,’ explains Deborah. ‘This place ticked all the boxes, and on top of that it had a lovely atmosphere.’ The last owner was elderly, so not much had been done to the house for quite…

UNIQUE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Early 19th-century cottage LOCATION West London ROOMS Hall, sitting room/dining room, kitchen, cloakroom, three bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before we bought this place, we lived in a flat nearby,’ says Najwa. Since spending her childhood in war ravaged Beirut, interior designer Najwa Mroue dreamed of a secure home and luxuries many people take for granted. ‘Many things were destroyed, and we always had to make do,’ says Najwa. ‘But I learned to value what we did have and to treasure items that could be given a new lease of life.’ Years later, when Najwa and her husband Karim Bazzi viewed a west London cottage that was built for soldiers returning from the Napoleonic wars, she knew it could be the…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY End of terrace, built around 1910 LOCATION Hampshire ROOMS Hall, sitting/dining room, kitchen, office, two bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 2010 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We both lived with our parents for a year while the project on this house was completed,’ says Kathryn. When Kathryn Hender and Ryan Clifford decided to take the plunge and move in together, they ended up taking on a run-down renovation project that was certainly not the natural choice for a pair of inexperienced first-time buyers. Having both lived with their parents for a few years in order to save for a deposit, they were keen to find a place they could finally call their own. Kathryn, an interiors stylist, was especially eager to find a property in which she could unleash her…

1 HIDE AND CHIC Rose gold jewellery box, £18, Joy 2 GILT EDGE Criterion coasters, £18.50 for set of four, Within 3 SWEET SCENT Athena ultrasonic aroma diffuser, £70, Madebyzen.com 4 ORE INSPIRING Terena room divider in antique gold finish, £1,120, Out There Interiors 5 ROSE BOWL Polka vase in pastel pink, £15, Annabel James 6 GOLDEN HANDSHAKE Brass hands nutcracker, £198, Jonathan Adler 7 ALL THAT GLITTERS Lisbeth pendant, £175, Laura Ashley 8 BLUSH TONES Lara peach linen hand and guest towels, £15 for two, LinenMe 9 HAPPY HOUR Boutique hotel cocktail shaker, £70, John Lewis 10 SUGAR CRUSH The Hunter chair in Moon Earth Candy wool, £1,200, Sofa Workshop…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Grade-II listed 18th-century lodge LOCATION Surrey ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, games room, orangery, utility room, cloakroom, four bedrooms (two en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2009 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a semi-detached nearby before here,’ says Vicky. Despite having only just completed a three-year renovation on their semi-detached in Surrey, Vicky and Daniel Whatford couldn’t resist going to view a run-down Victorian lodge nearby after Vicky spotted it in a local property paper. ‘I persuaded Daniel to come to the open day, although he wasn’t very keen as we’d only just finished laying the carpets that week and hadn’t yet had time to enjoy the fruits of our labours,’ smiles Vicky. Never one to shy away from a challenge, the couple were unfazed…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Cotswold cottage, built in the 1850s LOCATION Gloucestershire ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, utility room, cloakroom, three bedrooms (one en suite), two bathrooms PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We also own a house in Dulwich, south London,’ explains Stephen. A weekend bike ride in the Cotswolds led Stephen Ireton and his husband Dan Moore to their country cottage in Gloucestershire. ‘We’d been searching for a place for four years and had become disheartened after our dream home fell through,’ says Stephen. ‘But one day, when looking for a bite to eat, we discovered this house – ideally located opposite a pub.’ They arranged a viewing there and then, and the pair were smitten. ‘The village is stunning, nestled among undulating hills,’ he continues. ‘We’d made up our…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY One of four cottages, which were formerly part of a working farm dating back to 1840 LOCATION Wicklow, Ireland ROOMS Hall, kitchen-diner, sitting room with dining area, three bedrooms (all en suite) PURCHASED 2004 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a cottage nearby before moving here,’ says Noel. Back in 2004, when Noel and Dee Kelly first viewed Coolattin Lodge near the village of Shillelagh in Wicklow, they were seduced by the picturesque stone cottages to the rear, which had formally been farm staff quarters. Although they were in a very bad state of disrepair, the buildings themselves were full of nostalgic character. Fortunately the Kellys were no strangers to the world of renovation. ‘I had spent a great deal of time researching period artefacts for…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Oast house, built in 1890 LOCATION Kent ROOMS Hall, sitting room, drawing room, dining area, kitchen, seven bedrooms (four en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2007 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived in a house in a neighbouring village,’ says Cathy. Moving from London to a pretty village in Kent in 1997, Cathy and Ian Miles embraced country life wholeheartedly. ‘We chose an area with a pub and church, and great schools,’ says Cathy. ‘There was one drawback to the house we bought – our daughter Sophie, now 22, was a keen rider and wanted to keep horses. It was impossible to stable them where we were, so I started looking for houses with more land, and I convinced Ian that it would be cheaper to…

NEW-BUILD HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY New-build extension to an existing stone barn LOCATION County Londonderry ROOMS Kitchen-diner/sitting room, utility room, store room, three bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom, shower room PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We also own a family home in Belfast,’ says Kim. Growing up on the family farm in County Londonderry, Derek Loughery used to take for granted the beautiful Northern Ireland countryside. It was only after he left home that he realised how fortunate he was to live in such a stunning setting. ‘I think you need a bit of distance sometimes to appreciate what’s been right under your nose,’ he says. The farm had been in the family since Derek’s father bought it in the 1940s, and it looked like Derek might not carry on the…

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DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Stone-built farmhouse and stables, dating back to the early 1700s LOCATION Lincolnshire ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen, conservatory, bedroom, shower room, plus main farmhouse and outbuildings PURCHASED 1998 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived in a three-bedroom cottage in Northamptonshire,’ says Mandy. Mandy and Tom Foottit have a keen interest in historic buildings and gardens, so it’s no surprise that they snapped up their Grade II listed Lincolnshire farmhouse and its outbuildings as soon as they saw them. Set in three acres of paddock and garden, it was the perfect option for a growing family, which includes sons, Joey, now 17, and Angus, 14. It also provided the pair with the ideal place to accommodate their parents as they got older. ‘At first I was…

Design ideas PICTURE HOOKS Nothing personalises and breathes life into a home more than a creative display of framed pictures. Catherine Barr and Webster Wickham have stamped their identity on their hallway by hanging wall hooks topped with favourite family photos. The wooden block-style hooks have been specially designed to balance a framed picture perfectly. Thoughtful touches like this help make your house feel more homely. A similar idea would be to hang a series of framed photos by rope from a simple Shaker-style peg rail mounted on the wall. This idea would translate equally well into a family bathroom, where everyone has a personalised hook to hang their own towel or robe. VERSATILE ISLAND A well-designed island such as the one in the Lougherys’ contemporary, open-plan kitchen is a…

UNIQUE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A flat in a detached Victorian villa LOCATION Sussex ROOMS Sitting room, dining room, reading room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom PURCHASED 2007 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘I bought a flat in Brighton when I was 17 but after six years, I wanted to buy a place in my hometown,’ says Harry. Stepping through the door of Harry Diamond’s Victorian flat in East Sussex is like walking into the pages of a magical storybook. Every room is a celebration of nature, texture, art and antiques, all set to a theme of fairy tales with a strangely compelling dark edge. Until recently, Harry was travelling the world as a music producer and DJ. ‘In 2012, after 13 years, I decided to stop travelling, but I had very little idea of…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached remodelled house, built in the 1950s LOCATION Buckinghamshire ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner, study, utility room, cloakroom, three bedrooms, dressing room, two bathrooms PURCHASED 2010 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived in an old vicarage in a quiet village nearby,’ explains Prue. Having moved house 11 times, Prue Manolescue and her husband George are experts at renovating and have a flair for creating relaxed and elegant homes. ‘I’m from Bristol and George grew up in London,’ explains Prue. ‘Since having our three girls, who are now all grown up with families of their own, we’ve lived in all sorts of properties here in Buckinghamshire.’ About five years ago, when the couple were looking to downsize, Prue discovered the ideal spot. ‘We had just…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Converted doctors house and surgery, built in 1830 LOCATION Cheshire ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, study, five bedrooms, three bathrooms PURCHASED 2005 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We last lived in a Victorian semi in southwest London,’ says Jan. Until we successfully bid for this house, I had only ever bought a cupboard at an auction,’ says textile designer Jan Constantine, remembering the day she and her husband David bid for the Old Doctors House. ‘We were visiting my sister in Cheshire and saw the property advertised in a local newspaper.’ It was irresistibly pretty, with a perfect Georgian façade encircled by hedgerows and lush green rolling fields, plus a separate garage and stable block with paddock and old bakehouse thrown in. ‘We hadn’t even…

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