Country Homes & Interiors

WE’RE SINGING THE RAINBOW this month, as we celebrate the joyous and uplifting power of colour in interiors. It’s so personal, of course, the hues that we respond to – one person’s ‘bright’ is another’s ‘too much’. You might think a pattern is ‘beaut

HOLLY REANEY wrote our Career Shift feature this month. ‘It was so inspiring to hear how Anabelle de Gersigny followed her dream of starting her coffee roastery,’ Holly says. ‘Her enthusiasm was infectious – not only for the business but also for her

Filling your home with blooms for months on end brings so much joy, especially when you’ve nurtured them in your own cutting patch. Choose cut-and-come-again varieties, such as zinnias and cosmos. Blossom fabric, £32m; Blossom tea towels, £21 set of

American-born Katie established Illyria Pottery in 2008, but it was a few years later that her practice really got going, when she moved to the UK and set up shop in central Oxford. Fast forward seven years and with a baby on the way, she decided upo

The new collection from designer Cathy Nordström is inspired by the work of 19th-century textile artist Karin Larsson who, together with her artist husband Carl Larsson, pioneered the Swedish aesthetic. Cathy’s hand-drawn fabric designs combine expre

Chunky stripes are everywhere this season, and we love their timeless appeal and versatility. So we’re pleased to hear that fabric designer Alice Palmer – known for her signature box-pleat lampshades – has extended her jolly Tangier Stripe design to

Would you, could you, should you paint your woodwork as colourfully as this? Oh yes, is the resounding answer. These colourful door frames don’t just complement the décor of their respective rooms, they lead you through the house in a joyful kaleidos

Amelia Harvey never tires of seeing her visitors’ astonished expressions when they first set foot in her multicoloured Cotswold home. ‘From the outside, it looks fairly unassuming, but that is certainly not the case inside,’ she smiles. ‘Behind the s

The advice that interior designer Charlotte Thomas gives to anyone wanting to add colour to their home is simple: ‘Paint walls off-white or at least a neutral shade when you first move in. Live with it like that for a while and learn how the light af

Realising that her mother was struggling to care for her father presented a dilemma for Catherine Wells. What would be the best way to help? ‘My husband David and I knew we had to step in, and initially toyed with moving from our home in Hertfordshir

This characterful, colourful country home is only – wait for it – 18 months old, yet it has none of the featureless, play-it-safe conformity you might associate with a new build. Rather, it is a rich evocation of the owner’s life, filled with artwork

COUNTRY HOMES & INTERIORS Subscribe now and receive a free gift worth £33* Covered in the popular Sophie Allport Bee design, this mini Oundle bag, worth £33 – in matt oilcloth with faux leather detailing – makes a fabulous everyday handbag. Visit mag

FEATURE ANDRÉA CHILDS PHOTOGRAPH KIT & CO, INSTAGRAM @KITANDCO_ ■

Fabrics are great for softening the hard edges and cold glazing of a conservatory. Whether opting for neat blinds, billowing sails or a combination of the two – as seen here – framing the space in decorative prints brings a burst of colour, while als

Ruffles, stripes and plates (on the wall) – three little words, or thereabouts, that sum up the hottest trends we’re seeing this spring. What makes them more than a one-season wonder? It’s that they’re already country classics, simply updated in scal

From wallpaper to fabric, paint to accessories, pick your perfect palette and transform your home with style and confidence. Colour plays an integral role in our lives. Not only does it help us to express our personalities, but the colours we surroun

‘Embracing the darkness of a room can result in a magical space,’ says Helen Parker, creative director of deVOL. ‘Here, we went for dusky pink on the walls contrasted with rich, dark cupboards to create a really moody atmosphere.’ It can be useful to

Associated with spirituality, coral tones are some of the most therapeutic hues in the colour spectrum. Full of positive vibes, they rouse energy and awareness as well as promote wellbeing and protection. The amber traffic light might tell us to slow

An icon of period homes, mouldings bring a sense of gravitas and elegance to a property – this is the case regardless of whether they are an original feature or a new addition. ‘From simple cornices to elaborate ceiling roses, original plaster mouldi

We think of adding colour to the garden through our choice of plants, carefully picking a palette of complementary blooms and striking foliage. Walls and structures such as sheds take a back seat; we hope to camouflage them, rather than making them s

There is no better way to start the day than with a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee. And no one knows that better than Matt Wade and Anabelle de Gersigny, who traded life in the big smoke to start their own coffee roastery in the Shropshire Hil

Property renovators often talk about their trials and tribulations, of escalating budgets, and living in a building site. But the dramas are short-lived and the properties involved are of a manageable size. But what about the current trend of ordinar

Today feels like a cause for celebration. Nothing extraordinary has happened, no great achievement or life milestone has been met; there isn’t a birthday or anniversary on the horizon. However, the urge to celebrate this day is undeniable. It might b

Watching butterflies reduces anxiety by almost 10 per cent, enhances joy and increases motivation to care for nature, found a study from Butterfly Conservation into the impact of its annual Big Butterfly Count. Let’s sow some butterfly-friendly flowe

Stirred by the promise of a summer well lived, the new spring/summer collection from nkuku invites you to enjoy the simple pleasures of relaxed, outdoor entertaining and intentional living within the home. From weathered, reclaimed truck-wood furnitu

The words ‘estate and vineyard’ denote a certain level of luxury when applied to a travel destination. And in this respect Pinkmead Estate & Vineyard has it all. The private house and 24 acres of grounds are tucked onto the banks of the River Medina

Situated on the waterfront in East Cowes, this rustic pub has tasty brunch and lunch menus best enjoyed in the sunshine on the riverside terrace. This prime spot faces Pinkmead Estate on the opposite bank; book a water taxi and you can be taken from

SERVES 4 Peaches are one of my favourites to poach – the colour alone is so pleasing and, when served cold, makes for the most refreshing summery dessert. 450ml white wine 200g caster sugar Pared zest (using a swivel peeler) of 1 lemon 3 sprigs of th

Fans of plot to plate gardening are adding heritage edibles to their veg patches. The trend for heirloom crops is driven by their full-on flavour and keeps alive the unique biodiversity of these historic plants, which once thrived in their local envi

Often referred to as the ‘queen of climbers’, clematis offer a variety of flower sizes and shapes, from tiny bells to large dinner plates, and a myriad of colours. They also present a host of different flowering times – you can enjoy a clematis in fl

The design principles we consider so carefully for our back garden sanctuaries are often sacrificed when it comes to our front gardens. All too frequently, they are all about driveways, lawns, paths and hedging, with a focal point shrub as an afterth

It’s easy to be dazzled by images of elegant alfresco dining, but are those sumptuous seating areas really the must-have items for a charming summer feast? Surely what’s missing from such show-garden perfection is the warmth of a gaggle of people sha

If you want to grow cut flowers in a small garden, or even a window box, there is one characteristic each plant needs to share. It should be cut-and-come-again – you cut a handful of flowers and within days they grow back. It’s like an ever-filling c

Expertly bred for their compact habit and precocious flowering nature, Boulevard clematis produce a torrent of bright, star-shaped blooms for six months a year. Perfect for pots or containers, these clematis offer massive colour impact in a limited s

I was brought up in the Lake District and I love places that are far off the beaten track. So a perfect day for me would be exploring the remoter parts of the Lake District, or Scotland’s Highlands and Islands, on a clear sunny day in autumn or sprin