Innehållsförteckning för June 2017 från 25 Beautiful Homes

Whenever I try to get a little healthier, I always start by making small changes. This could be walking an extra ten minutes a day or simply cutting out biscuits, both of which I know will help towards my overall wellbeing. I can also relate this notion to the decorating frenzy I’m in the middle of at home, and which I’ve learnt to approach in a similar ‘major improvements can be made through small adjustments’ way. Taking on the challenge of doing one room at a time, and displacing ‘stuff’ around the house while getting the job done, has made me look at spaces differently. I’ve become ruthless – objects that have just been sitting on a shelf for years are having to earn their place, and if they don’t…

DISGUISING A CHIMNEY FLUE What colour paint should I use on a wall to minimise the visual impact of the black flue of our free standing, wood-burning stove? TESSA SLIMON, DEVON I spoke to Judy Smith, colour consultant at Crown (0330 024 0281, crownpaints.co.uk), and she advised against using a pattern behind the flue, as this will draw attention to it. She suggested a dark matt emulsion such as Midnight Navy, from £14 per 1.25 litres, or City Break, from £13 per 2.5 litres. Jenny Luck, colour consultant at Little Greene (020 7935 8844, littlegreene.com), recommends an absolute matt emulsion in a deep, sumptuous tone, and suggests Cordaba for a warm, rich feel, Obsidian Green (shown) or Invisible Green for a dramatic effect, or Scree or Lamp Black if you…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS PROPERTY Detached oak-framed cottage LOCATION Herefordshire ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner, utility room, snug/playroom, studio, pool room, four bedrooms (two en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2015 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We used to live in a modern cottage nearby,’ says Kate.  As soon as I stepped inside, I knew this would make a fabulous home,’ says Kate Powell, a fabric designer who lives in this 16th-century oak-framed cottage with daughter Molly, now 11, and their dogs, Billy and George. ‘There was the perfect balance of space, character and atmosphere, and it’s situated on the edge of a stunning village. ‘It was clear to see that the property had been loved by the previous family and there was nothing that required urgent attention,’ continues Kate, ‘so Molly and I were…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Semi-detached village house, dating back to 1760 LOCATION North Oxfordshire ROOMS Sitting room, dining room, kitchen-diner, utility room, cloakroom, play room, four bedrooms, two bathrooms. PURCHASED 2005 PREVIOUS PROPERTY We lived in a farmhouse in a nearby village,’ says Wendy. Stumbling upon the Oxfordshire village where Wendy and Ian Sandford eventually found their home was a happy accident. While out on a scenic drive one day, they found themselves weaving through a narrow lane into a village that seemed frozen in time, with stone houses set around a village green. The couple fell in love with the area and soon after moved into a farmhouse close to the village. But they were still keen on that particular spot and spent a lot of time there…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian maisonette with loft extension LOCATION East London ROOMS Open-plan kitchen-diner-sitting room, utility room, three bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2012 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We moved to this maisonette from a converted warehouse nearby,’ says Carrie. Carrie Hegan’s first taste of warehouse living was her husband Eoin’s old bachelor pad – a converted factory space in East London. A few years on, when the couple set up home together in a Victorian townhouse, they fondly remembered the relaxed vibe of open-plan living. ‘When we moved here, the first floor was three rooms, but it was always our intention to knock them into one large space,’ says Carrie. ‘We had become used to the light, airy and easy feel of warehouse living, so wanted to recreate…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached house, built in 1935 LOCATION Scunthorpe ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, office, den, utility room, cloakroom, four bedrooms, family bathroom PURCHASED 2007 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We moved here from a 1930s semi nearby,’ says Anna. From the road, Anna Straw’s house looks as innocuous as any other in her street – but step through the door and you enter a world of fantasy, curiosities and collections. Unicorns, pink flamingos and budgies perching on lampshades are all par for the course in this eclectic space. ‘I have antiques from my grandmother mixed with things from my own childhood, and offbeat bits and pieces I just couldn’t resist buying,’ explains Anna. ‘Our home reveals a lot about us as a family and everything has a…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Former mill house LOCATION East Yorkshire ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, snug, utility room, three bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘I lived in a three-bedroom, 1950s farmhouse,’ says Mary. It was the land, rather than the house, that convinced Mary Rook to buy a run-down Yorkshire mill that had been poorly extended over the years. ‘It was a mess of flat roofs and industrial sheds,’ recalls Mary. ‘In the 19th century, it had been the site of a lovely old windmill, but that was long gone and all that remained were a series of mismatched buildings.’ But the field that came with the property appealed to Mary, who wanted somewhere to keep her two horses. ‘I came to see it with my…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Converted barn and cottage, dating back to the 1700s LOCATION Oxfordshire ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, six bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 2011 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We moved here from another village nearby,’ says Karen. Karen and Jon Holloway found a new home in Oxfordshire by pure chance. The pair had been looking for years without success when some friends asked them to go for a country walk. ‘They told us about a lovely pub where we could have lunch after, so we couldn’t resist,’ says Karen. A week beforehand, an estate agent had informed the couple about a house nearby on a hill for sale, but Jon had ruled it out, as only the gable end was visible from the road and he wasn’t impressed.…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Semi-detached cottage LOCATION Kent ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner, cloakroom, utility room, four bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2010 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived near the family farm a few miles away,’ says Holly. Finding the perfect property with land attached was proving an impossible task for Holly Levett and her husband Chris as they set about looking for their first marital home. ‘We lived in Cranbrook in Kent where Chris works on the family farm, so wanted to stay local,’ explains Holly. ‘We also needed a few acres to keep our horses and raise a family, but kept drawing a blank.’ Quite by chance, they found their current home while driving to the airport to go on their honeymoon. Holly spotted…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Grade II listed farmhouse LOCATION Kent ROOMS Hall, two sitting rooms, kitchen-diner, snug, playroom, utility room, boot room, seven bedrooms (three en suite), two bathrooms PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We live in London and this is our country escape,’ says Perrine. Bringing up a family in cosmopolitan London holds great appeal for many people, including Perrine Parker and her husband Ben. However, the couple also yearned for a country escape where they could spend quality time with their three children, Amelie, 9, Charles, 6, and Clemence, 3. ‘I’m a real city girl,’ says French-born Perrine, ‘but Ben grew up in the Weald of Kent and wanted us to have a place where we could get away from the hustle and bustle. And this area’s easy…

1 BEAT THE HEAT Bloomingville Tapanga outdoor shower, £135, Out There Interiors 2 AT YOUR SERVICE Ben de Lisi Home bamboo servers, £10, Debenhams 3 WATER WORKS Blue and copper watering can, £16.99, Dobbies 4 SITTING COMFORTABLY Summer Solstice Flag floor cushion, £18, Sainsbury’s 5 SMALL WONDER Sentry garden shed, £180, QVC 6 DO THE TWIST Bottle opener, £15, Paperchase 7 LUXURY LAMP Pols Potten lantern, £103, Amara 8 GROWTH AREA Contemporary steel window box, from £195, Garden Requisites 9 HANGING AROUND Andaman hanging chair with seat pad in Blue, £350, Next…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached Victorian villa LOCATION Edinburgh ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, TV room, conservatory, utility room, boot room, play room, cloakroom, six bedrooms (two en suite), four bathrooms PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a terraced house in London’s Holland Park,’ says Jo. Leaving London to be nearer family in Scotland felt instinctively right for Jo and Matt Smith when their daughter Isobel, now 4, was born. ‘We already had a son, Oscar, 10, but I was beginning to feel that we would all really benefit from living closer to our relatives and the space and lifestyle that Edinburgh had to offer,’ explains Jo. The couple viewed several properties before falling in love with this Victorian villa. ‘The huge window over the staircase…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached 1920s house LOCATION North London ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, TV room, four bedrooms (two en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We used to live in an Edwardian mansion flat,’ says Clayton. Every house has its own special qualities, but many come with their own set of problems, too. The unusual triangular plot of this handsome 1920s property turned out to be both the biggest challenge and the source of its unique character. As soon as Clayton Coburn and his partner Sarah Andrews spotted the place in 2014, its bargain price told them that it must be dilapidated. But, they were well-prepared for a renovation job and quickly decided to take it on. The pair moved in with their young son Henry, now 5,…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Renovated former Post Office LOCATION North London ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining area, kitchen, two studies, cloakroom, four bedrooms (two en suite), family bathroom PURCHASED 2012 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We downsized from a large family house nearby,’ says Colleen. With their children now grown up, Colleen Brand and her husband Rob decided it was time to downsize to a more manageable property. The couple’s son Nicholas had already moved out and their daughter, Sophie, 24, was also keen to spread her wings. Having sold their north London home very quickly, the couple approached an acquaintance with a view to renting his Victorian house nearby, then discovered it was up for sale. The former post office had been converted for residential use in 2008 and rented out…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Duplex apartment LOCATION West London ROOMS Sitting room, dining room with mezzanine kitchen, two bedrooms (one en suite), family bathroom RENTED SINCE 2011 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a two-bedroom Georgian apartment nearby,’ says Gabby. Gabby Palumbo and her husband Matthew couldn’t believe their luck when what looked like a pokey flat above a shop in central London turned out to be a spacious duplex apartment. ‘It had quite an unusual, split-level layout, which meant the main living area was above the bedrooms, with steps leading up to a mezzanine kitchen,’ explains Gabby. ‘I loved the light coming through the roof windows; it was such a bonus.’ The couple began renting this apartment in 2011, having moved from a flat nearby after their landlord decided…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A 16th-century listed farmhouse LOCATION Kent ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, snug, den, utility/boot room, cloakroom, five bedrooms (one en suite), family bathroom PURCHASED 2003 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a London terrace, but decided to swap city life for the countryside,’ says Alexis. Living in the capital was convenient for interior designer Alexis Wylie and her husband Fergus, who works in the city, but they yearned for privacy and a rural lifestyle. ‘Fergus and I met in South Africa and we were both used to wide-open spaces with no neighbours,’ explains Alexis, ‘so London always felt rather claustrophobic. Top of our wish list was a farmhouse in the countryside with outbuildings suitable for conversion and land to keep horses.’ While the pair…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY First-floor apartment in a 1890 mansion block LOCATION Hove ROOMS Hall, sitting/dining room, kitchen, three bedrooms, (one en suite), two bathrooms PURCHASED 2012 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived in a rented seafront flat also in Hove,’ says Justine. When Justine and Nathan Askew moved into their apartment in a Victorian mansion block in Hove, East Sussex, five years ago, the property needed a complete renovation. ‘The building was stunning, but the flat itself hadn’t been touched in 30 years,’ says Justine. ‘We didn’t mind, as it was very different to anything else we had looked at – and as it used to be two apartments, the size was amazing.’ Not sure if this would be their ‘forever’ home, the couple were determined to…

Design ideas BOLD SPLASHBACK With its white walls and deep grey cabinetry, Katie and Adam Brown’s kitchen is smart yet understated, and has a clutter-free feel. The couple have gone for a striking splashback above the range cooker to add interest and impact. This distinctive herringbone pattern creates a focal point around the statement stainless steel cooker. Its zig-zag design, composed of rectangular tiles of the same size, is more traditionally seen on parquet floors. By using this pattern for wall tiles, predominantly in the palette of colours that make up the room, the Browns’ add a contemporary twist. Bolder colours mixed into the design ensure the look is really striking. UPCYCLED VANITY In the Gulson-Brookes’ distinctive bathroom, the marble countertop basin sits on a unique, upcycled cast-iron mangle stand.…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS PROPERTY Semi-detached 1950s house LOCATION Cheshire ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, utility room, garden room, three bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We were renting a two-bedroom semi nearby before moving here,’ says Laura Jayne. After fruitlessly house-hunting for a year, first-time buyers Laura Jayne Aldridge and her husband, Spencer, were delighted to discover a dated semi on a corner plot in a leafy part of Cheshire. ‘The interior was stuck in the past with old floral wallpaper, a pink bathroom and wood cladding in the hall and bedrooms,’ says Laura Jayne, an estate agency director. ‘It had a tiny kitchen, but we could see there was ample space at the side to extend.’ Since they had two children, Mia, 11, and Zac, 6, the family decided to…

UNIQUE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Extended 1930s cottage LOCATION County Dublin, Ireland ROOMS Hall, kitchen-diner/ sitting room, study/music room, utility room, three bedrooms, family bathroom, shower room PURCHASED 2007 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Our last place was in New Zealand, where we’d lived for 18 months,’ says Cathy. Returning home to Ireland from New Zealand in 2007, interior designer Cathy Hoey and her husband Liam decided to settle down in a quiet coastal town in Fingal, 20km from Dublin. Situated right on a green, this ex-council property in a row of modest-sized cottages was just what the pair were looking for. The biggest plus was the garden, which was large enough to accommodate an extension, while still retaining a generous outside space. ‘We’d completed a couple of home builds in the past,…

A  Aflair for Home 020 8789 7377, aflair.co.uk Alexander & Pearl 020 8508 0411, alexanderandpearl.co.uk Amara 0800 587 7645, amara.com Amazon amazon.co.uk Andris Berzins & Associates 020 7485 3133, aba-architects.uk And So To Bed 0808 144 4343, andsotobed.co.uk Andy Thornton 01422 376000, andythornton.com Arlo & Jacob 0330 037 9199, arloandjacob.com Artisans of Devizes 01380 735888, artisansofdevizes.com Austin Matthews Design 01926 857744, austinmatthews.co.uk B  B&B Italia 020 7591 8111, bebitalia.com B&Q 0845 609 6688, diy.com Baileys 01989 561931, baileyshome.com Barker and Stonehouse 01642 230988, barkerandstonehouse.co.uk Bathshack.com 0844 588 9596, bathshack.com Bathstore 0330 053 5661, bathstore.com Bibliotheque 020 8365 2084, bibliotheque.co.uk Blanket & Throws 0131 557 5814, blankets-and-throws.co.uk Bohemia 0131 555 2485, bohemiadesign.co.uk Broken Hare brokenhare.bigcartel.com Bronte by Moon brontebymoon.co.uk Brooke Ceramics 01482 585888, tile.co.uk Burford 01993 823117,…

1 TAKE A SEAT Jolie chair, £449, Marks & Spencer 2 LIGHT THE WAY Hue pendant shade, £29, Made 3 NATURAL BEAUTY Staghorn faux coral, £98, Oka 4 ALL BOXED UP Bundleberry trunks, £88.50 for two, Amanda Holden collection at QVC 5 PASSION FOR PATTERN Samode indoor/outdoor rug, from £52, Dash & Albert Europe 6 TABLE MANNERS Hinterland cotton napkins, £6 for four, Sainsbury’s 7 CHIC CERAMIC Russel Wright American Modern, pitcher, £60, Eclect Design 8 FORM AND FUNCTION Rice DK cane table in Soft Coral, £250, Sisters Guild 9 SOFT TOUCH Harkin Geranium cushion, £52, Voyage Maison…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Georgian farmhouse extended from a 1609 cottage LOCATION Dorset ROOMS Hall, dining room, sitting room, kitchen, snug, cloakroom, five bedrooms (one en suite), three bathrooms PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We used to live in a Victorian house in London,’ says Amanda. Amanda Wedge and husband James have lived in their magnificent Dorset farmhouse with their now grown-up daughters, Alice and Lily, for more than 25 years. ‘Before we moved here in 1990, neither James nor I had ever lived in a place for longer than a few years,’ says Amanda. The pair met through work in London in the mid-1980s. ‘James now paints full-time in his studio in one of the barns, but in those days he was a fashion photographer and I was a make-up artist,’…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Three-storey apartment, built in 1928 LOCATIONEast Amsterdam ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, three bedrooms, bathroom, attic living space with roof terrace PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a rented apartment in the south of the city before moving here,’ says Maartje. Living in a rented apartment in Amsterdam, Maartje Oudbier and her husband Bart were on the look out for a house with a garden that didn’t take them too far from their beloved city. ‘Most of the properties we viewed were beyond our budget,’ explains primary school teacher Maartje. ‘Then, one weekend, we cycled to a pretty enclave in the east side of town. It had a lovely village-like atmosphere and period buildings that were in our price range.’ The couple compromised on an…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A top-floor apartment in a modern block LOCATION Fulda, in the state of Hesse, Germany ROOMS Hall/family room, sitting room/kitchen-diner, three bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 2009 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving to this place, we lived in an apartment in Munich,’ says Julia. Few of us have the pleasure of waking up to the smell of freshly baked bread every day, but Julia Ballmaier lives in an apartment above a bakery run by her father-in-law. Each morning her children, Joshua, 13, Oskar, 8, and Otto, 6, nip downstairs and bring back delicious rolls for everyone. Having lived away from loved ones for a long time before moving here, this regular contact with the children’s grandfather is something Julia doesn’t take for granted. ‘Being closer to family was…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A 20th-century villa LOCATION Amalfi Coast, Italy ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, utility room, four bedrooms, two bathrooms INHERITED 2000 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘The villa is our holiday home. When we’re not here, we live in a house in London,’ says Anna. When James and Anna Brown inherited a villa on the Amalfi Coast in 2000, they were keen to update it without spoiling its architectural splendour. The only problem was going to be getting materials and manpower to the site. ‘The villa, my grandfather’s creation, is high up on the hills and there is no road,’ explains James. ‘The shelf on which the house was built was literally blasted out of the rock and supplies were delivered by donkey. Even today, the only…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A duplex apartment in a Victorian terrace LOCATION Southwest London ROOMS Sitting room/ kitchen-diner, three bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a smaller apartment around the corner,’ says Héléna. Finding a house was what Héléna Bradford, an energy engineer, and her husband Oliver, a financial services manager, originally had in mind when they began their search for a new home. ‘As houses in this area were beyond our price bracket, we’d started looking further out of southwest London,’ recalls Héléna. ‘But when we saw this garden flat advertised, there was something about it that made us want to go and take a look. As soon as we walked in here, we fell in love with the place.’ Being on…

UNIQUE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian terrace LOCATION Southwest London ROOMS Sitting room, family room, kitchen-diner, utility room, five bedrooms (one en suite), two bathrooms PURCHASED 2016 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a two-bedroom flat before,’ says Emma. A childhood spent on holidays in Andalusia gave Chris Gulson-Brooke a passion for old fincas, lemon trees and the sun-bleached colours of the Mediterranean. Now, he has passed his love for southern Spain on to his wife, Emma, so much so that after buying their run-down three-storey Victorian terrace in southwest London, they headed to Seville to start sourcing items for their new home. ‘We found ourselves in a tile shop, ignoring the glossy new ceramics and staring intently at the beautiful old cement tiles on the floor,’ recalls Emma. The shop…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Edwardian detached LOCATION North London ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner/family room, study, utility room, gym, five bedrooms (two en suite), dressing room, family bathroom PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a modern townhouse before living here,’ says Katie. Moving from London’s West Hampstead was a wrench for Katie and Adam Brown, but the period property they found further out from the centre of town eased the transition. ‘We loved the sociable layout of this Edwardian house, as well as the original features,’ says Katie, ‘but we wanted to add our own touches, too.’ After moving in with their one-year-old son, Ezra, the couple started making plans to turn the garage into a gym and utility room, and convert the loft. While searching for decorating…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY A 1930s semi-detached house LOCATION Surrey ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner, family room, office, utility, playroom, cloakroom, four bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in an Edwardian flat in south London,’ says Fiona. Having outgrown their Edwardian flat with the birth of daughter, Erin, now 4, Fiona Brass and her husband, Chris, were keen to find a larger family space – somewhere suburban, but with an easy commute to the capital. ‘To optimise our budget we widened our search boundaries and discovered this house on a quiet, leafy street, near the centre of Esher in Surrey,’ says Fiona. ‘The property had been rented out for five years and was in a bad state of repair,’ she recalls, ‘but we could…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Georgian townhouse LOCATION Kent ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, utility room, three bedrooms, family bathroom PURCHASED 2016 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving into this place, we I lived in a house in nearby Gillingham,’ says Kelly. Step inside the unassuming front door of William Durrant and his wife Kelly Simmons’ Canterbury home, and you are enveloped by a punchy, uplifting shade of blue. Further exploration reveals colourful artworks and playful decorative touches, creating an eclectic scheme a world away from how the Georgian townhouse looked a year ago. ‘It had been rented out to students for decades,’ says William, ‘so it had been set up for maximum rental income, with shower cubicles wedged into bedroom corners.’ The house is Grade II listed, and dates…