Innehållsförteckning för February 2018 från 25 Beautiful Homes

Recently, I made a Roman blind for one of my windows and, while I was measuring up, I noticed that there wasn’t a single straight line or 90 degree angle to work with. This got me thinking that, out of the nine properties I’ve lived in – with the exception of student flats – each one has been an older house, nothing later than Edwardian, and equally full of wonky lines. Those of you who own a new build will probably say that your home isn’t perfect either, reminding us that all houses carry individual quirks. Despite modern building materials and machine-made elements, the finished property can be just as characterful. And, of course, part of the charm of any house is its little imperfections. This issue, we’ve brought you…

Louise Maconachie reworked her home, utilising what was essentially wasted space by creating one large, open-plan room, combining kitchen, dining and sitting areas. The success of the space lies in effective zoning, so each area has a subtle division, yet feels cohesive. Making plans Create a floor plan and mood board to ensure furniture and accessories tie together and to avoid the space feeling empty or bitty. Some zones, such as the kitchen, will be designated by functionality and others, like the dining area, for socialising – a snug for watching television will offer a cosy feel. Well-planned furniture can help to delineate sections, while statement accessories, such as artwork or accent wallpaper, can act as a visual cue, separating one area from another. A considered colour scheme is crucial.…

A golf course is an unlikely venue for negotiating a house sale, but the story of how Mike Walsh and his late wife, Sally, came to buy their cottage did indeed begin on the fairway. They were living in a period cottage in a Norfolk village, and one day, when Mike was playing a game of golf with a neighbour, the conversation took an unexpected turn. ‘As we played our round, he told me that he and his wife wanted to sell their property to a family like ours with children, then added that they would like us to buy it and named the price,’ says Mike. This was in 1999, when Mike and Sally’s now grown-up children, Oliver and Annika, were still at home. Not only did the Walshes…

Design ideas ROOM DIVIDER An en-suite bathroom is one of the better ways to add value to your property. In the Prigent-Labeis’ home, a wall has been replaced with a partially glazed room divider, which separates the main bedroom from the bathroom without overpowering the scheme. The partition takes up less space than an internal wall and ensures the two connecting rooms receive plenty of light. To create a flow between the zones, the spaces have been decorated in similar tones. The hard and soft flooring are also in a matching neutral shade, which helps to create a sense of continuity. A degree of privacy has been ensured by making the bottom of the partition solid. For greater privacy, you could opt for etched or smoky glass panels. ZONE WITH…

Hard to believe, but Liz Hellmer and Gary Cleaverly’s property was intended to be a quick renovation project to raise extra funds for a forever home. But four years after buying and reworking this Eighties house, having rented it for two years prior to that, the couple are firmly ensconced here. ‘We started renting it in 2012 while searching for our dream house,’ says Liz, who’d just sold a 16th-century barn conversion. Liz remembers the property being dark, oppressive and dated. ‘It was my worst nightmare. I ripped up the pink shagpile carpet in the sitting room and painted the walls white, while we carried on looking for a house,’ says Liz, an interior designer for her family’s business, Lathams. However, nothing came up that they liked or was near…

Having already built their first house, Sam Honour and her husband, Stuart, never expected to find themselves starting from scratch again. ‘But we’d caught the building bug,’ says Sam. ‘Having done it once, we’d gained the confidence to do it again.’ In 2010, the couple began the search for land they could build on. ‘I’m a country girl at heart,’ says Sam, ‘so we were looking for a rural location. One day, we spotted a brownfield site with a scout hut on it, in a village we knew well. We discovered it had residential property permission for a one-and-a-half storey dwelling. After seeing the site and meeting the landowner, we made an offer virtually straight away, which he accepted.’ Sam and Stuart then had to decide what style of house…

Waking up early every morning with a new baby definitely gave Joanne Galvin a head start when it came to house-hunting as she was always the first in the queue for viewings. That was five years ago, when Joanne and husband David were looking for a new home in Harrogate, where they were already living. The couple had accepted an offer from the first person who viewed their house and were on a mission to find a new place. ‘Having a buyer sent me into a panic as the specific area where we were looking to buy is highly sought after and I couldn’t find anything suitable,’ recalls Joanne, who now has two children – Darcy, five, and Isla, two. ‘So when I spotted a dated three-bedroom Thirties house with…

American-born Colette Gandelot had lived with her family in England during her early teens. When she returned for a visit in 2014 she met up with an old school friend living in Bristol, and in so doing rekindled her love of all things English – and the search for a property across the pond began. ‘There was no urgency for my wife, Suzanne, and I to move to England,’ says Colette. ‘So we had the luxury of taking our time with the search – and developed a ridiculously long list of must-haves. For example, we wanted one-level living and to be near a Cotswolds village where we didn’t need a car. In the end, I think we had a list of 29 requirements and this place met 28 of them.…

Fourteen years ago, Jeannette and Patrick Kelly were living in the centre of London. ‘We had a small house with wood floors, white walls and a sheltered walled garden right in the centre of town – everything was within walking distance,’ says Jeannette. ‘There was life and noise around us from morning until night, and we had a door leading onto a roof terrace where we could see the Red Arrows as they flew over Buckingham Palace. We loved it – then we had our children, Helena, now 14, and Jack, 12.’ When baby Helena arrived, the couple decided that as much as they enjoyed the hustle and bustle of London, they would move to the countryside. They began looking at properties and finally viewed this striking 17th-century building in…

There is nothing like the glow of a real log fire, and having a woodburning stove will give your home a cosy feel while creating a focus. Woodburners also boost your home’s energy rating as they have an 80 per cent efficiency rate, compared to the average fireplace with 20 per cent. Burning wood is usually more affordable than gas or electric heating, too, and as wood is a renewable energy source it is environmentally friendly. Before you install a stove, however, consider these factors. Firstly, check which rules apply to your home. Under the Clean Air Act, local authorities may declare their districts a smoke control area, so you cannot burn wood unless you are using a DEFRA-exempt appliance. An existing chimney breast should be checked and may need…

Both Jane Willoughby and her husband John Gibbons were brought up in country houses very similar to this one: John in Co Kilkenny and Jane in neighbouring Co Waterford. Having lived in Dublin, where John’s business is based, for 15 years, they were hankering to return to their roots. ‘We had always planned to move back to a country house as soon as our daughters, Sophie, 15, and Simone, 13, were old enough to go to college,’ says Jane, ‘so we kept an eye out to see what was on offer. We were looking for something that wasn’t too large or isolated as we’d become accustomed to an urban lifestyle and wanted to still be able to walk to the shops. We also wanted a traditional Victorian walled garden so…

Framed lantern If you covet the striking lantern in the Griffiths’ bathroom, then try the Ayushmati pendant light in chrome and glass, £315, The Chandelier & Mirror Company. Classic plates Blue and white china is a perennial favourite, and makes a stylish addition to Lorraine Johnson’s dining table. For similar, take a look at this blue Italian dinner plate, £16.50, Spode. Console table With bold curves, an imposing console table strikes the right note in the Honours’ home. For something similar, try the steel and composite marble console table, £546, Alexander & Pearl. Kelim rug An attractive patterned kelim anchors the look of the Knights’ dining room. For similar, try this colourful flatwoven Persisk Kelim Gashgai, £150, Ikea. Standing Buddha Serenity personified, a tall Buddha stands in the Kellys’ sitting…

Moving to London from their native France in 2003, Alexandra Prigent-Labeis and her husband Leo found they had brought some favourite traditions with them. ‘Having friends for dinner is typical in France,’ says Alexandra, and the dining room-cum-library in her London home regularly hosts evenings for 12. But despite the imposing period-style proportions, and the bookshelves lining the walls, the emphasis is on conviviality rather than grandeur. ‘It’s not Downton Abbey – it’s just us,’ says Alexandra. The couple may stay true to their French roots when it comes to entertaining, but they also love the traditionally Georgian design of their home. ‘We like English architecture,’ says Alexandra, ‘and this place is so beautiful, with lovely features and mouldings.’ But despite the period details and heritage-style elegance, the house was…

A Abbott & Boyd Aabbottandboyd.co.uk Abraham Moon moons.co.uk Achica achica.com ADM Architects admarchitects.co.uk Agence Mind agence-mind.com Alexander & Pearl alexanderandpearl.co.uk All Square Lighting allsquarelighting.co.uk Amara amara.com Amazon amazon.co.uk Andrew Martin andrewmartin.co.uk And So To Bed andsotobed.co.uk Andy Thornton andythornton.com Annie Sloan anniesloan.com Anthropologie anthropologie.com Antiques Atlas antiques-atlas.com Aram aram.co.uk Arte Form arteform.co.uk Atkin and Thyme atkinandthyme.co.uk Atlantic Shopping atlanticshopping.co.uk B  B&Q diy.com Barker and Stonehouse barkerandstonehouse.co.uk Bathstore bathstore.com Bean Interiors beaninteriors.co.uk Bedroom World bedroomworld.co.uk Benjamin Moore benjaminmoorepaint.co.uk Bennison Fabrics bennisonfabrics.com Bert & May bertandmay.com Billie Dainton billiedainton.com Blithfield blithfield.co.uk Bluebellgray bluebellgray.com Blueprint Ceramics blueprintceramics.com Boen boen.com Boffi boffi.com Borderline borderlinefabrics.com Brink & Campman brinkandcampman.com Bronte by Moon brontebymoon.co.uk Burge & Gunson burgeandgunson.co.uk C Cabbages & Roses cabbagesandroses.com Caravane caravane.fr Casadeco casadeco.com Casa Dolce Casa florim.com Cast Iron Bath Company castironbath.co.uk Chaplins chaplins.co.uk Charles Edwards charlesedwards.com Chelsea Textiles chelseatextiles.com Chests & Trunks chestsandtrunks.co.uk Chez Soi chezsoi.co.uk City Plumbing cityplumbing.co.uk Clarabelle Interiors clarabelleinteriors.co.uk Clearview Stoves clearviewstoves.com Clippings clippings.com Cole & Son cole-and-son.com Colourtrend colourtrend.ie Content by Terence Conran contentbyterenceconran.com Copper & Silk copperandsilk.com Country Knole Interiors countryknoleinteriors.co.uk Country Life Furniture countrylifefurniture.co.uk Cox & Cox coxandcox.co.uk CP Hart…

1 COOL STOOL Boylan side table, £850, Eichhotlz at Pad Lifestyle 2 TAKE A PEW Salvage mango bench, £250, French Connection 3 NATURAL LIGHT Glass Bottle table lamp, £75, House of Fraser 4 TIP-TOP TUMBLERS Luxe glassware, from £4 each, French Connection 5 SKIN DEEP Gotland sheepskin rug in grey, £395, Toast 6 PILLOW TALK Mended tweed cushion, £145, Mourne Textiles at Margaret Howell 7 CUPBOARD LOVE Flutterby wardrobe, £1,095, Loaf 8 RUSTIC TOUCH Longton jug in teal, £8, Neptune 9 ROCK ON Melbury chair, £699, John Lewis…

Leanne and John Williams were living in south London when John’s new job prompted them to relocate to Hampshire with their sons, Oliver, 13, and Sam, 11. They were somewhat reluctant to leave their Brixton home, but soon stumbled upon this beautiful Grade II-listed Jacobean property in Alton, originally a grammar school, and were enchanted by its period features. ‘We were struck by the property the minute we saw it,’ says Leanne. ‘It needed completely redecorating and updating with more earthy tones to complement country living, but we knew we could make it work.’ It’s clear from her honed eye for detail that Leanne grew up in a creative family. ‘My mother is an artist and I remember her climbing up scaffolding to paint golden stars on our ceiling,’ recalls…

After several enjoyable years living abroad, Tricia and David Palmer decided to look for a base in the UK. ‘It was time to put down roots and create a home for our children, Arabella and Christopher, who are now grown up,’ says Tricia. ‘At the time, we had to be within easy reach of their schools. I have happy memories of growing up in the New Forest, so I began house hunting in Hampshire.’ With an open mind, Tricia looked at several townhouses in Winchester and eventually chanced upon a Victorian country house with plenty of character and a pretty façade, tucked down a lane close to the River Test. ‘I fell in love with the secluded location and the garden, which rolled down a gentle slope towards the river,’…

Coming from an American west coast background, Courtney Griffiths valued space, light and lateral living. These would prove to be must-haves when it came to finding the ideal London home for herself, her husband Tom and daughter Caris, seven. ‘Being from an environment where space was never an issue, I’m used to having plenty of room,’ says Courtney. ‘Before we found this flat, we were renting a Victorian terrace and the two-up, two-down layout didn’t suit us well. I knew that apartment living would be a more natural fit.’ So when Courtney and Tom came across a late-Victorian first-floor mansion flat in west London, with high ceilings, period features and generous windows, they snapped it up. ‘It wasn’t in great condition, but the bones were intact,’ says Courtney. ‘Previous owners…

Despite living in London for many years, when Abigail and Peter Harrison were expecting their first child, they decided to relocate from their flat to a larger place outside of the capital. And, as Peter worked in Surrey, it seemed an obvious choice. Here they found a Thirties house, where they lived happily for many years With three growing children in tow, the couple decided it was time to upsize their home again and, in 2014, Abigail discovered that a nearby house had been put on the market. The property was a Georgian former language school with a wealth of features, including oak wall panelling, original floor tiles and an enticing view of a walled garden. ‘We fell in love with the place as soon as we walked in,’ recalls…

After living in the south of England for several years, Nicole and André-Jacques Duvivier wanted a fresh adventure. So, in summer 2016, they went to André-Jacques’ native France not just to look for a home, but to start a different life as the owners of a guest house. ‘As we knew our new house had to be both a home and a business, we had several things on our wish list,’ says Nicole. ‘We wanted an old, characterful property in a pretty area, with plenty of room, a market and shops nearby, a good school for our son Louis, now seven, and outside space.’ So when they came to view this 13th-century stone-built house set within the ramparts of a popular medieval village they knew their search was over. ‘I…

Owning a building with historical interest has undoubted appeal. Restoring such properties, however, requires use of traditional materials and building techniques and, if the house is listed, meticulous planning. Treading carefully It’s often imperfect details, such as the unevenness of roof lines, the texture of old glass and tool marks in stone, that give historic buildings their distinctive charm, so it’s important to maintain as many of these features as possible. Repair is preferable to restoration, so think about making good a sash window rather than installing modern equivalents, or repointing stonework with lime mortar. Original brickwork can be dismantled, hand-cleaned and rebuilt, while chimney pots can be reproduced using traditional methods. Integrate modern features with sensitivity, ensuring that the property’s history is visible. As in Grace Hyams’ historic home,…

Grace and William Chapelle are no strangers to Devon, where Grace spent her childhood and where they owned a holiday cottage when their four children were all under the age of 10. But when the children grew up and flew the nest, an opportunity to buy a farming estate persuaded the couple to sell their London base and forge a new life in the country. Despite the Chapelles being seasoned property restorers, transforming the 350-acre farm was certainly not a task for the faint-hearted. ‘I remember standing at the kitchen window and looking out onto a mound of rubber tyres encased in mud, which reached up to the second floor,’ says Grace. ‘We cleared truckloads of old metal, too.’ Today, as you walk up the drive, lined with new stone…