Innehållsförteckning för August 2025 från The English Home

With summer in full swing we are indulging ourselves with our Country Issue, bringing together all the wonderful things the season has to offer, in and around the countryside. There are beautiful homes in a range of styles, in some of our prettiest counties, lived in and decorated by families that have decamped from the city, or abroad, to fulfil their dreams of life in a rural idyll and all that has to offer. But first, it’s an absolute MUST to turn to page 67 for the most wonderful ahhh moment! It had all of us in the office cooing… We have created our dream country house, using rooms from different esteemed interior designers, each lending their expertise to create that perfect English look. There are also country-style kitchens to…

IN THE CORNER A sectional sofa provides ample seating within a neatly sized footprint. For a lighter visual aesthetic, opt for a sleek design with slimline legs and space visible underneath the seats. To balance this contemporary silhouette, a symmetrical shape covered in a traditional fabric, such as a plain cotton as seen in the image above, will add a nod to classic designs. Ottilie symmetrical corner sofa, from £4,735, Love Your Home LEAFY CENTREPIECE Cabbageware plates and bowls are ideal to capture a whimsical summery mood, but to add a different twist to the look, this vintage-inspired cabbageware vase brings a characterful charm to a traditional floral arrangement. For a more casual style, fill the vase with a loose, wild arrangement paired with neutral table linen and mismatched tableware.…

NATURAL SPECTACLE Carpeting moorlands in a haze of purple, heather is in full bloom in the last few weeks of summer. This vibrant sight brings with it the buzz of bees, who particularly adore violet-hued blooms, transforming the nectar into delicious honey. Curlews and red grouse, too, can be spotted among the shrubs. The northern moors of Yorkshire, Cumbria and Northumberland are some of the best to visit to take in this glorious display of colour. Meanwhile, in the lowland heaths of southern England, contrasting golden flashes of gorse also peak in August, making for a dazzling spectacle across the countryside. PICK SUNFLOWERS These vibrant, enormous blooms are sunshine in flower form. Growing steadily through summer – perhaps competing for the longest stem – they flower from July to September.…

Family pets are a heartwarming addition to life at home and experts can advise on stylish fixtures and furnishings suitable for the daily requirements of owning a pet. ‘As the majority of our projects are country houses, muddy boots and dogs come as standard and creating a style which is uncompromised and hand-in-hand with practicality is essential,’ says interior designer Emma Hooton, founder of Studio Hooton. Like-minded designer Rebecca Hughes, founder and creative director of Rebecca Hughes Interiors, agrees and takes a holistic approach. ‘I always begin with a sturdy, easy-to-clean foundation, such as outdoor-grade performance fabrics, wipeable paints, and resilient flooring, while maintaining the high level of style my clients expect.’ Durable flooring When it comes to hard flooring, natural and man-made stone is a popular choice for homes…

It was after 14 years spent in Hong Kong that Edwina Ellson felt a pull towards home. Nearing the end of her time there, the pandemic struck and harsh quarantine rules meant she and her family had to remain in the country. ‘I just began to feel so nostalgic,’ Edwina recalls. ‘The house we ended up buying is quite similar in style to the house I grew up in, so it was very much a feeling of wanting to come home.’ While living abroad, Edwina and her husband James’s family had grown to include daughter Xanthe, now 15, sons Hugo, 14, and Bruno, 10, and rescue dog, Thabo. ‘We had been living in what is called a village house,’ says Edwina of their former home, a traditional style of Hong…

CARLOS GARCIA Carlos Garcia Interiors ‘The main and most important ingredient of country house style is comfort. Whether a grand room or a small cottage, comfort is paramount. The presence of chintz is another unifier, as are antiques from different periods. This amalgamation of styles and periods in a room helps to create the “generational layering” that is so inherent to the country house style. This drawing room (opposite) is an example of all of this. A balance between the grand architectural details and some of the more domestic elements of the decoration. A room not to feel intimidated by, but approachable. A home. Comfortable sofas covered in practical loose covers in chintz mix effortlessly with the damask on the more formal Gainsborough chairs, creating that balance between elegance and…

A carefully placed sculpture can add an extra layer of beauty and interest to a garden, enhancing its role as a place of contemplation and calm or introducing a dramatic flourish to an exciting scheme. It can be used as a focal point in a garden design, drawing the eye through the space, as a point of attention in a perhaps overlooked corner of the garden, or to frame a view. A sense of place ‘Setting a piece back from an entrance or house leads the eye into the grounds and accentuates the depth and scale of the wider landscape,’ notes sculptor Adrian Gray. ‘When grounds are expansive, a sculpture tucked away from the main property can provide a stunning additional focal point to be stumbled upon.’ While a large…

Revel in Quiet Pleasures Secret Linen Store collaborates with Glassette The Postcards From Home collection by Secret Linen Store and Glassette is inspired by quiet pleasures, the charm of the everyday and a slower rhythm and pace of life. All 15 pieces in the collection are intentionally tactile and comforting, from a reversible quilt to a checkerboard napkin and an embroidered tablecloth, fusing Glassette’s joyful aesthetic with Secret Linen Store’s high-quality fabrics. Glassette founder Laura Jackson (pictured below) says: ‘This collaboration is a celebration of the little things that make home feel special, inviting you to slow down, settle in and enjoy the comfort of considered living – with our Glassette signature of personality and fun.’ secretlinenstore.com; glassette.com Royal Ascent: Daphne Bouquet Penhaligon’s scent inspired by The King’s garden His…

An unassuming elegance and profound sense of comfort are at the heart of the quintessential English country house style, qualities that are undeniably present in the home of Charlotte Langton. It begins to make perfect sense as she cites her sources of inspiration: ‘I’ve always liked a classic look and was a huge admirer of John Fowler. I also love some of Veere Grenney’s work and American designer Cathy Kincaid.’ Following the lead of these greats, she has created an exquisite yet welcoming family home for herself, her husband, Tom, and their three dogs. The home in question is a late-Georgian building, constructed in 1830 to replace a previous house which burnt down during the Civil War. The stately symmetrical facade, generous sash windows and delectable assortment of period features,…

‘It was really important to me to make the interior feel as if it had evolved over time’ The poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s assertion that ‘All things come round to him who will but wait’ seemed very appropriate when interior designer Anna Hewitson and her husband, David Hobden, a chartered surveyor, finally found a beautiful home in West Sussex in which to bring up their children, Poppy, nine, and Wilfie, seven. Having decided to up sticks and relocate from London, they waited for some years before finding an area that they really liked, settling on West Sussex when they found a school that really appealed for their children. Eventually, they spotted a 300-year-old Sussex stone cottage in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with breathtaking views over the South Downs…

The kitchen should be the heart of a country home, a place of conviviality and sociability, a place to gather with family, to cook, entertain and relax in. It should be practical and purposeful, but suitably stylish, with an aesthetic that reflects the intrinsic beauty and simplicity of rural life. We explore the key elements involved in creating the perfect country kitchen, from classic cabinetry, kitchen mantels, walk-in pantries and clever storage, to natural materials and rustic textures. Advice from leading industry experts helps design a space that is functional and beautiful, too. 1 The perfect CABINETRY AND SURFACES From heritage detail to rustic simplicity, there is much to consider with cabinetry. Traditional Shaker-style panelled doors have timeless appeal, countertop cupboards add an air of grandeur, while aged wood delivers…

With its honey-hued villages, rolling hills and dramatic castles, the picturesque Cotswolds region is in many ways the ultimate English getaway. Spanning an area of almost 800 square miles across the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire, it attracts visitors from all over the world to its pretty villages, grand country houses, ancient woodlands, lively market towns and rural trails. There is plenty to see and do, including medieval sites, beautiful gardens and traditional pubs, and our insider guide will help make the most of time spent in this designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Villages, towns and cities Cirencester is known as the capital of the Cotswolds and is best for history buffs, with a Roman amphitheatre and excellent museum. While independent boutiques and luxury names make…