Editor’s Letter
Growing up in a modern house, I was always fascinated by heritage properties, with their picture-postcard façades and hidden histories. That passion never faded and today I am privileged to edit home and garden of the year in full glory (page 35), and reveal our category winners and runners up, who will all be featured in forthcoming issues. Home of the year winners Tom and Jenny Williams have created a warm and inviting property for their family out of a dilapidated former laundry and dairy (page 40). Meanwhile, garden of the year winners Tim and Olivia Payne transformed an unappealing plot with cottage garden planting and lots of hidden surprises waiting around every turn (page 132). I hope you find them as inspiring as I do. Elsewhere this month, conservation and heritage expert Lee Bilson takes a look at the design of our nation’s most ubiquitous period housing stock, from the Victorian era (page 116). During the 19th century, there was a boom in housebuilding and innovation that meant even the most humble of terraces could have illusions of grandeur with architectural detailing, beautiful sash windows, and decorative tiled floors and fireplaces. Whether or not you live in a home from this period, it’s an essential read, and will help you to be more clued up about design so you can start to ‘read’ buildings yourself. Finally, this month don’t miss the chance to subscribe to for just £20 for six issues, and receive a Sophie Allport Bees bag, worth £30, completely free (page 52). It’s the perfect treat for yourself or gift for a friend. I do hope you enjoy the issue.
