Interior Design 2024 - Sample Issue

CREATING THE PERFECT ENGLISH HOME

Essential resources, expert insights, brilliant tips, inspiration & ideas

COMFORT & STYLE

Whether formal for hosting guests or relaxed for unwinding with family, a sitting room will need practical details and considered finishes to be inviting as well as aesthetically pleasing

PLANNING Sitting rooms

a more formal tone. Blinds

chairs,

THIS PAGE Calm cream and blue sets the scene in this drawing room. Chic pencil-pleat curtains give window treatments

and

Asscher, Blue Haze, £80 a metre; curtains, Connaught Silk, Whisper White and Vista, £69 a metre, all James Hare OPPOSITE A smart armchair provides a comfortable spot by the fire. Armchair, William Yeoward; fabric, Robert Kime; room design by Vanessa Macdonald at Melissa Wyndham.

The island is the centrepiece of this kitchen designed by Lolita Colenso Design with Spitalfields cabinetry by Plain English.

KITCHEN

EVOLUTION

Whether looking for a complete redesign or a few clever updates, both functionality and style are key ingredients when creating a dream kitchen

Often the heart and the hardest working space of the home, a kitchen needs to work practically and be a pleasure to use aesthetically. Commissioning a replacement can solve functional problems and introduce flair, and kitchen designers can help analyse what works and what requires altering for specific

needs, from transforming functionality by changing the layout, lighting and technology to streamlining the design to enhance the feel of the space. Alternatively, a smaller transformation that makes a big difference may be possible simply with changes to areas such as surfaces, hardware and storage. Here we consider a range of different options, as our experts explain.

Guiding LIGHT

As one of the most important decorating decisions, it is essential to consider placement and style of lighting carefully when updating interiors

It is hard to over-emphasise how important a well-lit room is to our daily lives, whether for completing everyday tasks or creating an inviting ambience. Achieving this requires careful planning to ensure lights are correctly sited for their purpose and to create a layered effect that can be altered as the mood dictates. Here industry creators and innovators impart their expert advice on realising a practical as well as aesthetically pleasing scheme.

Add to a symmetrical kitchen layout with a trio of pendants. Lights, Slate Grey Classic Traditional, £545 each, Curiousa; kitchen, Martin Moore OPPOSITE Assess how the kitchen island and pendant shades will work visually when viewed together. Constance shade, Stone, £44; cone pendant fitting kit, £46, Pooky

A bespoke, mirrored four-poster bed makes a grand design statement, as shown in this design by VSP Interiors.

SLEEP SUCCESS

Experts provide the best advice on creating the ultimate principal bedroom and a relaxing haven for a good night’s rest

Peaceful sleep is important to health and well-being, and a tranquil bedroom can make all the difference to achieving this. Comfort is key, but so is maintaining a serene atmosphere with clutter kept out of sight, lighting to enhance a relaxing mood, and furnishings to ensure a personal and intimate feel.

DECORATING & DETAILS

Expert advice on the finishing touches from paints and curtains to antiques and accessories

ALL IN THE DETAIL

The most succesful decorating has a relaxed, uncontrived aesthetic that belies the careful consideration of each and every element. From paint colour to a trim on a cushion, each detail matters in creating a balanced, evolved look.

Sitting room by Annie Sloan