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APRIL 2018 £4.40

Fresh new looks for spring Decorate with pretty pastels

PLUS

BEST HOME BUYS Chosen by the HB team WIN! £2,000 worth of Kährs oak flooring

20%OFF Brewers paint for every reader

15-page kitchen special Inspiring transformations, shopping and trends

9 770955 353353

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Wow-factor homes Escape-it-all bathrooms Glorious flowers

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FROM THE EDITOR This month I’m loving...

W

ith the long holiday weekend and the weather warming up, I always feel that Easter truly is a time to celebrate.

Circle decorative mirror, £129, Barker & Stonehouse

We usually spend it having a leisurely lunch with a few friends, and if we’re lucky with the weather, we have

the added joy of being able to eat outside. I’ll use the inspiration from our gorgeous flowers feature on page 44 to bring the colours and scents of seasonal blooms into the house, and I’ve already stocked up on the ingredients to make the scrummy Victoria sponge on page 163.

There’s celebrating of a different kind as we announce the results of the House Beautiful Awards. Late last year, the House Beautiful team, together with a panel of distinguished judges including designers Sophie and Sebastian Conran, Clarissa Hulse, and Russell Whitehead and Jordan Cluroe – better known as 2LG – selected the products and brands from the world of homes that reflect the best in quality and design. You also

House Beautiful curtains and blinds collection with Hillarys, see page 38

had your say in several reader-voted categories – turn to the 15-page Awards special starting on page 107 to see what you chose.

In keeping with the freshness of the season, this issue has a new look.

HB Project, which for so long has been a 24-page magazine inserted into the main issue, is now a 32-page stand-alone title. It’s packed with even more information, expert advice, and inspirational photography and trends, and now it’s easy to store away for when you’re ready to undertake a project. In the main issue, we continue to have your favourite features, but

Floris tile collection, from £9/tile, Neisha Crosland at De Ferranti

we’ve added even more design and decorating news and advice, aspirational house and room transformations, and glorious gardens to inspire. Enjoy!

LIZ MURPHY Acting Executive Editor

Inez console table, £250, Andrew Martin FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 3

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CONTENTS WHAT’S HOT 9 11 12 13 14 17 18

TOTALLY TERRAZZO Not just for flooring…

5 MINUTES WITH… Creative company Patternity NEWS Baskets, armchairs, rugs and more DECORATING Spring hues NEWS Wallpaper, crockery, fabric and books SHOPPING Sumptuous plum accessories PEOPLE Interior designer Abigail Owens

STYLE & DECORATING 20 SPRING WATCH Welcome the new season with bold botanical designs, cool marble and pale woods 31 MOODBOARD MASTERCLASS Create our cover look, plus other schemes to inspire you 44 IN FULL BLOOM Fill your home with flowers

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APRIL 2018

INSPIRING HOMES & GARDENS 53 PROPERTY OF THE MONTH Thatched cottages 56 GARAGE MUSIC A former motor spares yard is transformed 66 76 86 96 103 159

into a stylish, contemporary home THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS Farmhouse conversion UNDERNEATH THE ARCHES A terraced home with a difference IT’S JUST AN ILLUSION Architect-designed modernity THE SECRET GARDENS Award-winning outdoor space GARDEN NOTES Expert advice for the season PLANNING ADVICE Clever ways to get light into a basement

BY HOUSE BEAUTIFUL 38 DESIGNED FOR YOU The new collection of blinds and curtains from House Beautiful and Hillarys

107 44 BEST HOME BUYS House Beautiful award winners

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87 167

143

KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

COVER STORIES

126 132 138 143 144 152

13 20 44 56 106 107 126 144

LEVELLING OUT Disguising a sloping floor SPACE CREATION Making a small kitchen bigger COLOUR BURST A yellow splashback brings sunshine KITCHEN TRENDS Worksurfaces and stools BATHING BEAUTIES Gorgeous new bathroom looks BATHROOM TRENDS Taps and statement baths

IN EVERY ISSUE 3 6

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Plus this month’s buys CONTACT US And sign up to our newsletter 154 ASK THE EXPERTS Our team answer your questions 161 HEALTHY HOME Natural and ecofriendly ideas 163 TIME FOR TEA Fabulous cakes and Easter treats 176 WHERE TO BUY Stockist information 178 WHAT MY HOME MEANS TO ME Saffron Hare

HB OFFERS AND COMPETITION 102 READER OFFER Enjoy 20% off paint at Brewers 104 SUBSCRIPTIONS Get a great deal when you subscribe 106 WIN £2,000 of beautiful wood flooring from Kährs

DECORATE with pretty pastels and get 20% off paint FRESH NEW LOOKS for spring GLORIOUS FLOWERS Easter celebrations WOW-FACTOR HOMES Four fabulous properties WIN FLOORING! Enter our Kährs competition 44 BEST HOME BUYS Chosen by our experts KITCHEN SPECIAL Three spaces transformed ESCAPE-IT-ALL BATHROOMS Luxe sanctuaries

COVER LOOK Turn to Moodboard Masterclass on page 31 to discover how we put together our cover look Cover photo Rachel Whiting Styling Sally Cullen House Beautiful is available as a digital edition.

Visit housebeautiful.co.uk

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 5

.co.uk Find more expert advice and stylish inspiration online

GROUP EDITORIAL DIRECTOR SUSY SMITH ACTING EXECUTIVE EDITOR LIZ MURPHY PA to Susy and Liz Sandra Tear 020 7312 4114

HOMES & FEATURES Home & Gardens Content Director Pip McCormac Home & Interiors Editor Alison Davidson Stylist Lorraine Dawkins Home & Gardens Assistant Amy Neason Junior Features Writer Alicia Ford Digital Web Editor Olivia Heath Web Writer Katie Avis-Riordan GROUP EDITORIAL PRODUCTION Workflow Director Carly Levy Group Managing Editor Ingrid Eames Chief Sub-Editors Helen Bonthrone, Michele Jameson, Clare Sartin Acting Chief Sub-Editor Julie Pannell-Rae Sub-Editor Rebecca Hastings

ART & PICTURES Creative Directors Barbora Hajek, Angela Lamb Art Director Philippe Blanchin Art Editors Kirstie Bird, Roger Browning, Junior Designers Jack Melrose, Victoria Smith Picture Editor Anita Isaacs Picture Researcher Phoebe Lowndes CHIEF BRAND OFFICER, LIFESTYLE & HOMES SHARON DOUGLAS PA to Sharon Helen Hart Brand Development Director, Lifestyle & Homes Alistair Wood CLIENT DIVISION Managing Director, Beauty Jacqui Cave Managing Director, Fashion & Luxury Jacqueline Euwe Managing Director, Fitness & Health Alun Williams Director of Endorsements & Food Laura Cohen Director of Travel Denise Degroot Director of Motors Jim Chaudry Client Director, Personal Finance Jacquie Duckworth Client Direct Director, Fashion & Beauty Emma Barnes AGENCY DIVISION Chief Agency Officer Jane Wolfson Executive Assistant Tanya Stewart 020 7439 5532 Lifestyle Group Agency Director Matt Downs Lifestyle Group Regional Director Lisa Bhatti Senior Agency Manager, Digital Crystal Malachias 020 7439 5520 Head of Business Management Lucy Porter 020 7439 5276 Business Manager Kelly Abbott 020 7439 5088 Hearst Direct Manager, Head of Classified Lee Rimmer 020 3728 7707 SHOWS & EVENTS Director Of Events & Sponsorship, Hearst Live Victoria Archbold Shows Manager Rhian Hughes 020 7312 3792 Event Campaign & Marketing Manager Alice Taylor 020 7439 5219 BRAND LICENSING Managing Director, Business Services Judith Secombe

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CONSUMER SALES & MARKETING Marketing & Circulation Director Reid Holland Head of Consumer Sales & Marketing James Hill Head of Marketing Promotions Aoibheann Foley Head of Subscriptions Karen Sharp Digital Marketing Director Seema Kumari

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RULES OF ENTRY FOR COMPETITIONS AND GIVEAWAYS There are no cash alternatives to any prizes or giveaways. Entrants must be aged 18 or over and reside in the UK (including Northern Ireland). Employees of Hearst Magazines UK and their families and sponsors/promoters or associated companies are not eligible to enter.

One prize opportunity per entry. Proof of postage is not proof of receipt. Prizes will be awarded to entries with the correct answers, the most original tie-breakers, if applicable, or according to criteria specific to the competition.

Prize-draw winners will be drawn at random after the closing date and will be notified within a month of the closing date. Winners must take part in publicity if required. For a list of winners’ or giveaway recipients’ names, write (enclosing an SAE) to House Beautiful, Hearst LSQ London, 30 Panton Street, London SW1Y 4AJ. The judges’ decision is final. The sponsors/promoters, and not Hearst Magazines UK, are responsible for all prizes and have the right to alter prizes if necessary. Prizes must be taken as stated and cannot be deferred although Hearst reserves the right to change the prizes in the event of unforeseen circumstances. Only one entry per household.

Hearst does not accept any responsibility for late or lost entries. Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these rules and agree to be bound by them. Hearst shall be permitted to exclude any entrant at any time at its sole discretion. Where Hearst runs a competition with a promoter such that the promoter is responsible for the selection and/or the provision of prizes then Hearst shall not be responsible for or have any liability for the provision of such prizes. If there is any conflict with these rules and the specific competition rules then the latter take precedence.

IMPORTANT NOTE While we make every effort to quote correct prices of all merchandise, it’s possible prices may have changed since we went to press. While we do our best to ensure firms and organisations mentioned are reputable, the Editor can give no guarantee that they will fulfil obligations in all circumstances. Readers must therefore deal with them at their own risk. We regret free gifts, supplements, books and other items included with the magazine when sold in the UK are not available outside the UK. Printed and bound by Wyndeham Southernprint Ltd, 17-21 Factory Road, Upton Industrial Estate, Poole, Dorset BH16 5SN. Distributed by Frontline Ltd, Peterborough Tel: 01733 555161. House Beautiful ISSN no. 0955-3533 is published monthly (11 times a year except January) by Hearst Magazines UK c/o USA/CAN Media Corp at 123A Distribution Way, Building H-1, Suite 104, Plattsburgh, NY 12901. Periodicals postage paid at Plattsburgh, NY. POSTMASTER: Send North American address changes to House Beautiful, c/o Express Mag, PO Box 2769, Plattsburgh, NY 12901-0239.

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COMMUNICATIONS Interim Head of PR & Communications Debra Johnson PR Managers Clare Fenny, Alice Roberta Taylor Journalist enquiries media@hearst.co.uk PRODUCTION Senior Advertisement Production Controller Paul Lockett 020 7439 5682 Production Manager Greta Croaker HEARST UK PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER JAMES WILDMAN Chief Finance Officer/Chief Operating Officer Claire Blunt Chief Operations Director Clare Gorman Chief Strategy Officer Robert Ffitch HR Director Surinder Simmons HEARST INTERNATIONAL Senior Vice President/CFO & General Manager Simon Horne Senior Vice President/International Publishing Director Jeanette V Chang Senior Vice President/Editorial Director Kim St Clair Bodden

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WHAT’S HOT The latest trends, design news and shopping

TO TA L LY TE RRA Z Z O Traditionally used in flooring and wallcoverings, this gorgeous material looks amazing on homewares too Ornamental Grace has collaborated with surface design brand Olivia Aspinall Studio on these beautiful terrazzo-print vessels. They’re a great option if you’re looking to splash outon a statement piece. Cone vessel in Oxide, £590; Tall vessel in Ziggy, £655; Bowl vessel in Stellar, £475; all Ornamental Grace. Terrazzo Blue wallpaper, £50/roll, Graham & Brown

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 9

WHAT’S HOT SHOPPING

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1 For a gentle nod to the trend, try this concrete pendant light, £65 from Ross & Brown 2 Mipic is a new online platform that lets you upload and print your own designs onto homeware. Pillow in the Terrazzo print with gold by Cafelab, £20 3 Black iron combines beautifully with terrazzo for an industrial look. Side table, £175 from Mink Interiors 4 Gorgeous jug from Dassie Artisan, delicately handpainted and starting at just £26.95 for the small size 5 Handmade in cast concrete, the Tempus 32 clock in Terrazzo 10 housebeautiful.co.uk

White, £109.20 from Clippings, is built to last 6 The Terrazzo lampshade in Cobalt proves that the sky’s the limit with this trend. From £18, House

by John Lewis 7 A peach cocktail chair, £595 from Florrie & Bill, is a softer take on terrazzo 8 Give a home to your favourite plant in this subtly speckled pink terrazzo pot, £40, Room 356 9 Store treasured odds and ends in these tin boxes in Rose, £30 for three, Ferm Living FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

COMPILED BY AMY NEASON

TOTA L LY T E R R A Z Z O

WHAT’S HOT PEOPLE 5 MINUTES WITH…

PATTERNITY Understand the language of pattern and how it can benefit your mood with the duo behind this brand Improving wellbeing through pattern is an unusual concept, but it’s the ethos behind creative company Patternity. Founders Anna Murray (left), 35, and Grace Winteringham, 32, believe that their bold, monochrome patterns encourage people to connect to their surroundings and be more mindful. Earlier this year, John Lewis launched a collection with the design duo that spans both fashion and homeware, including more than 100 pieces from rugs and cushions to dresses, bedlinen to gymwear. Here, Anna and Grace explain how pattern can influence your mindset and enrich your home.

HOW DID PATTERNITY BEGIN? Anna After meeting in 2009, we quickly realised that we had a love of pattern in common. We’d both collected lots of inspirational pictures that we wanted to share with others, so we set up an online image archive, which by 2011 had evolved into a creative studio.

Grace We started to run workshops, which led us to notice a link between pattern and wellbeing, and so we moved towards organising events that were more about experiences, including meditation, plant drawing and marbling classes.

FROM LEFT Ritual Reflect woollen throw, £60; Reflect weave velvet cushion, £45; Flow linen cushion, £30; Reflect weave cushion, £30; Reflect organic cotton bathmat, £20; Multi soap dish, £12; Multi tumbler (holding toothbrush), £12; Multi soap dispenser, £16; all John Lewis

WORDS ALICIA FORD

WHAT MAKES PATTERN MINDFUL? Anna Certain patterns, such as waves or the Fibonacci sequence (have a look for this in Romanesco broccoli), are known to put us into a relaxed mindset. In our collection, we’ve used two distinctive patterns. The first is very fluid, to encourage relaxation, while the other is a strong geometric design that represents the principles of symmetry and can help us to find order and calm.

HOW CAN WE USE MONOCHROME PATTERN? Grace It’s all about balance. Pairing bold, black and white patterns with natural elements is the key. Our own homes are a varied mix of natural and man-made textures and patterns – we combine monochrome textiles with lots of plants, mirrors and clean, clear natural surfaces, such as marble.

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 11

WHAT’S HOT NEWS WORTH A FLUTTER

FAIR PLAY

They’re big in the world of fashion and now feathers are floating from the catwalks into our homes.

Designer Peta Darnley has created a whole tableware collection around them. Taking inspiration from the feathers she found while walking near her home in rural Herefordshire, she’s produced a unique pattern featuring buzzard, jay guinea fowl and Reeve’s pheasant feathers, which are silkscreen-printed onto bone china. Mugs, £13; plates, £25; side plates, £20; all Hyde Inside

As well as designing and crafting unique homewares at their workshop and studio in Dorset, Helen and Charlie Camm scour the world to find beautiful, practical objects to sell through their online store, Oggetto. Latest finds include a collection of handmade fairtrade baskets from Tanzania. The Iringa baskets (below) are made from milulu grass, which has subtle variations in colour and comes in plain or patterned versions and three sizes, priced£25, £40 and £60.

STORY OF RUGS Handmade in the Atlas

Mountains of Morocco, these Ben Ourain rugs portray the life, hopes and dreams of the women who make them. Now they’re available in the UK, each one unique and handcrafted in 100 per cent wool. Available from Tate & Darby, the Azilal (pictured) is £650.

3 OF THE BEST

YELLOW ARMCHAIRS

1 Calvin armchair in Mustard Yellow and Linen, £399, Atkin & Thyme

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3 Fitz cocktail chair in Primrose velvet, £295, Swoon Editions

COMPILED BY JULIA EVANS

2 Crumpet armchair in Tuscan Yellow brushed cotton, £1,025, Loaf

WHAT’S HOT DECORATING SPRING HUES

WORDS AND STYLING AMY NEASON PHOTOGRAPHY RACHEL WHITING FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

If you’re planning to decorate over the long Easter weekend, take inspiration from these subtle shades that will look gorgeous all year round

Background: Linara fabric in Vole, £37.50/m, Romo. Jug, £17; Pebble blue bowl, £25; teaspoon, £5; all Mud Australia. White small bowl, £12.50, Rose & Grey. Colours in bowl Threadneedle marble matt emulsion, £46/2.5L, Mylands; Pressed Petal matt emulsion, £27.56/2.5L, Dulux. Egg on fabric in Old Ochre wall paint, £39.95/2.5L, Annie Sloan. Marble-topped cakestand,

£250, Grace Souky. Napkin, £6, Arket. Colours in egg box (from top, l-r): Venetian Lace matt emulsion, £44/2.5L, Designers Guild. Tuffet clay paint, £40/2.5L, Earthborn. Ethereal Blue emulsion, £45/2.5L, Edward Bulmer Natural Paint. Diorite matt emulsion, £35/2.5L, Paint The Town Green. Pearl Colour Mid absolute matt emulsion, £42/2.5L, Little Greene. Tea Rose flat emulsion, £59/2.5L, Cassandra Ellis

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 13

WHAT’S HOT NEWS

ALL THAT JA Z Z Founded by Jamie Watkins and Tom Kennedy in 2016, south London-based design studio Divine Savages seamlessly fuses classic and contemporary styles to create daring and decadent homewares, wallpaper and limitededition prints. This Deco Martini Blush wallpaper, £140/roll, combines blush and blue tones and an Art Deco-inspired digital print to emulate the glamour of the 1920s. It’s also available as fabric for curtains, upholstery and lighting and other bespoke designs.

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

These could be the ultimate coffee table tomes. Vintage Classics has collaborated with Made to come up with three jazzy new covers for a trio of literary hits: The Great Gatsby, The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (£8.99 each).

Each one features an abstract room set inspired by the book, which is decorated with furniture and homeware designs from Made’s latest collection. If you fall in love with a look, you know where to buy it.

PAINTING BY FLOWERS Formerly a senior textile designer at Designers Guild, Helen Hallam decided to set up her own business last year.

Working from a studio nestled among flowers at the bottom of her garden in rural Bedfordshire, she paints watercolours of botanical and geometric 14 housebeautiful.co.uk

designs, which are transferred on to fabric and birchwood. Now she’s launched her first collection of bright and uplifting cushions, table runners and trays, which includes this delicately coloured linen and cotton Kynance cushion in Berry, £49.

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY

WORDS AMANDA CABLE, ALICIA FORD, JULIA EVANS

BOOK CLUB

Designer Ali Miller has brought out a new collection of gold plates, aptly named ‘Memories Are More Precious Than Gold’ – and hopes her trademark teapots and tea cups will soon join the range.

Ali, 37, who lives with her husband and two children in north London, thanks TV detective Sherlock Holmes for her global success… ‘The production designer on the BBC1 series wanted an unusual tea service for Benedict Cumberbatch to use, and by chance, chose one of mine. It was used in January 2012, but I missed the episode.

That night, I sold hundreds of tea services!

Up until then, I had been selling one a week. Overnight, the entire range sold out.’

Sherlock used Miller’s ‘Home Sweet Home’ design, £80 (right), while other series featured her ‘Hampstead Heath’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland’ ranges.

‘People are comforted by memories of childhood,’ says Ali, ‘so I think vintage style will continue to be big news this year.’

WHAT’S HOT SHOPPING

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COMPILED BY ALISON DAVIDSON

RICH PICKINGS Sumptuous plum brings one of nature’s boldest colours into the home. But, be warned - just a touch is enough 1 The Carroll velvet button dining chair, £295 from Out There Interiors, will add a luxe feel to any dining room 2 Make time for yourself with a Japanese-style tea set. Oriental Hobnail teapot and two cups in Fuji Lilac, £25.95, Not Just Jugs 3 Create drama with this glass ceiling light in a ridged design. Treviso optic lined pendant, £99, Swoon Editions 4 Subtle quilting gives this velvet cushion a vintage look. Valia cushion, £48, Out There Interiors 5 A sheepskin rug, £34.99 from Dunelm, will add an

opulent touch 6 Two-tone and reversible, the Juniper throw, £120 from Design Project for John Lewis, is ideal for chilly spring evenings 7 The Amethyst vase, £24 at Perch & Parrow, looks good enough to display without flowers 8 Add just a hint of this shade to a living room or bedroom with the Betty armchair in velvet, from £390, sofa.com 9 Glass detailing on the Stacked table lamp, £39.99 from Studio, looks so glamorous FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 17

WHAT’S HOT PEOPLE INTERIOR DESIGN

A B IG A I L OWENS Choose a paint colour to suit your part of the country, says the Yorkshirebased interior designer

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LEFT Abigail with mum, Carolyn ABOVE Whenby Grange, where their business is based

digging into the basement is a popular way of creating space. ‘When I convert basements, I go for plush carpets, velvets and deep, lush colours,’ says Abigail.

‘As there’s no natural light, I think it’s important to make basements fun. Put your biggest TV down there, or your drinks cabinet. I tell clients to make

any room a destination.’

Abigail’s own home in North Yorkshire is a converted stable block, with a downstairs living area akin to a basement extension. She says: ‘I love old block-printed fabrics, which are blousy and beautiful.

They’re more expensive, but I predict that in 2018, people will want more impact.’ Abigail

ABIGAIL’S PICK

Royal Court fabric by Hazelton House, £338/m, hazeltonhouse.com ‘Block prints are expensive, but this is lovely – you could choose a smaller swatch and have something upholstered.’

and her mother have launched their own fabric range with Gainsborough Silk Weavers – a nursery collection with an alluring whimsical touch.

‘Nursery themes are huge, especially with the newest Royal baby due to arrive this month!’ says Abigail. ‘It’s also a great way to introduce colour.’ carolynparker.com

3 OF THE BEST PRINTS

Mauritius wallpaper

by Pierre Frey, £160.80/m, pierrefrey.com ‘Wallpaper is all about making a big statement – and I can’t keep my eyes off this one.’

Hand-painted lamp

by Rosanna Lonsdale, £365, rosannalonsdale.com ‘All of her ceramic lamps are wonderful, but I chose the lobster one for something a bit wacky.’

WORDS AMANDA CABLE

As the daughter of a television interior designer, Abigail Owens was brought up alongside fabrics, pots of paint and ever-moving furniture. ‘My mum, Carolyn Parker, used to appear on television with Richard and Judy, transforming interiors on a budget,’ she recalls. ‘Even at the age of eight, I was obsessed with rearranging my room. I loved the effect that moving furniture could have. Now, my home changes all the time!’

It’s no surprise that Abigail went into interior design, studying at art college and then working alongside her mum. Now aged 33, Abigail is based in Castle Howard, North Yorkshire, and the bleak weather there has a huge influence on her interiors: ‘Nobody does the 50 shades of grey thing on their interior up here – because it’s so grey outside! Instead, everyone wants to use colour.

‘The lush green outdoors also reflects straight back into rooms, affecting pale colours, particularly whites, which all end up looking green. So, if you’ve a dark room set among greenery, don’t be tempted to use cold colours. Instead, go for rich, warm tones.

‘Certain colours work brilliantly here in the north of England. I‘ve recently discovered emerald green, and I love warm amber colours, such as a turmeric or paprika shade.’

Abigail finds that clients are extending homes more and more instead of moving, and

Spring watch Welcome the new season by mixing bold botanical designs with naturally beautiful materials such as cool marble and pale woods 20 housebeautiful.co.uk

ST Y L E I N S P I R AT I O N

A MUTED COLOUR PALETTE OF BLOSSOM AND STONE GREY COMES ALIVE WITH POPS OF TEAL AND ROSE GOLD

NATURAL SELECTION

MINERAL RICH

Opposite A group of burnished brass and glazed ceramic plates in a variety of colours makes for an eyecatching display

With the tones and patterns of marble, this wallpaper is the perfect backdrop for accessories in soft, leafy designs

SHEER DELIGHT A delicate voile makes a smart addition in this contemporary dining space, softening its utilitarian feel

GO WITH THE GRAIN Opposite Exquisite hand-painted ceramics, sophisticated marble and light-toned woods come together to look simply beautiful

ST Y L E I N S P I R AT I O N

PARE BACK AND LET THE BEAUTY OF NATURAL MATERIALS SHINE THROUGH

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 23

ST Y L E I N S P I R AT I O N

GOLD LEAF Sleek furniture allows the stunning Forest Ferns wallpaper to take centre stage

TRAILING BEAUTY Opposite The owing, natural forms of this elegant wallpaper mural look dramatic surrounding a hall doorway. Pale wood and glass add to the light and airy feel

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DELICATE BOTANICAL PRINTS FEEL CONTEMPORARY WHEN PAIRED WITH SLENDER FURNITURE AND MODERN ACCESSORIES

ST Y L E I N S P I R AT I O N

THIS LOOK WORKS WELL WITH MORE SHADOWY HUES, JUST BE SURE TO ACCENT WITH BRIGHTER HITS OF COLOUR

PERFECT BALANCE Soft silhouettes on a botanical wallpaper create a dreamy atmosphere when hung around the entire room

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TURN TO STONE Windows become striking focal points with the addition of blinds made up in a vibrant quartz-look fabric

ST Y L E I N S P I R AT I O N

Natural selection

Mineral rich

Brass plates, from Form Bowl small set, £75, Tom Dixon. Pale pink side plate, £26; Turquoise pasta plate, £37 by Brickett Davda; Toast. Sapphire glaze side plate, £16 by Mervyn Gers, Heal’s. Wonder-Full console table, £275, Loaf. Textured recycled glass vase, £40, Cox & Cox. Vera vase, £70, Oggetto

Walls in Makrana wallpaper in Rose Quartz, £68/roll by Harlequin, Style Library.

Skirting in Long Acre wood & metal eggshell, £60/2.5L, Mylands. Harman lamp, £180; Nestor coffee table, £595; both Habitat. Legna sofa, £2,995, Another Brand. Cushions (l-r) Brera Lino Pale Jade/Celadon, £60, Designers Guild; Camouflage, £45, Ella Doran; Evergreen Oatmeal, £85, Imogen Heath.

Pale Rosewood throw, £275, The Conran Shop. Alseda stool, £25, Ikea.

Blue throw, £160; plate, part of set, £76; cups, £19 each; all Oggetto. Green glass vase, £55, Cox & Cox. Cube vase, £18, LSA International. Rug, £750, Puik

Sheer delight

Go with the grain

Curtain in Ennis Luma Sheers fabric in Grey, £65/m by Jane Churchill, Colefax & Fowler. Milton table, £1,499; Hudson chairs, £199 each; Dome pendant in Khaki, £249; all Heal’s. SM05 wire chair, £408.33, Viaduct. Glass vase, £40, Cox & Cox. Toulouse serving bowl, £275; Glass and olive wood pourer, £38; napkin, £12.50; all The Conran Shop. Olive wood chopping board, £27, Oggetto. Crockery small bowl, £35 by Max Lamb, 1882 Ltd. Longji plates, £18 each; Lagoas bowls, £26 each; all Unique & Unity.

House knives, from 16-piece cutlery set, £30, John Lewis

London Plane chopping board, £70, The Conran Shop. Ceramic pot, for similar, Maud & Mabel. Lemon wood Beldi spoons, £3 each, Bohemia Design. Rainforest large plate, £90, by Mia Sarosi; White marble cheeseboards, £79 each; all Heal’s. Judson carafe, £30, Habitat.

Wooden spice spoon, £7.50, Rose & Grey. Accidental Expressionist large cup, £26, 1882 Ltd. Glass and olive wood pourer, £38, The Conran Shop.

Medium Grey plant pot, £13, by Hay, Future & Found. Wood Grain Grey tea towel, £14.95, Ella Doran

Gold leaf

Trailing beauty

Wall in Shaded White estate emulsion, £39.50/2.5L, Farrow & Ball. Forest Ferns handmade wallpaper with metallic gold leaf on Teal background, £185/3m panel, Louise Body. Celine desk, £480 by Case, Heal’s. SM05 wire chair, £408.33, Viaduct. Carrara marble table lamp, £295, The Conran Shop. Concrete desk tidy, £29.95, Future & Found. Other desk accessories, stylist’s own

Aralia wallpaper mural in Green and Grey, £192/180 x 270cm panel, Sandberg Wallpaper. Anders light, £1,295, Pinch. Spade chair, £431

by Faye Toogood, Twentytwentyone.

Wonder-Full console table, £275, Loaf. Textured recycled vase, £40, Cox & Cox. Amelie pink glazed plate (just seen), £12, Rose & Grey

Perfect balance

Turn to stone

Walls in Coralline Mineral wallpaper, £62/roll by Harlequin, Style Library.

Kingsize Smoke bed, £915; Grey linen pillowcases, part of Lazy Linen bundle, £285; table, £175; all Loaf. Dusky Sage duvet cover, £160, Cox & Cox. Cushions (l-r) Blue and pink fruit, £179 each, Olive & The Fox; Bluebell, from £38.50, Imogen Heath; Varese Pale Jade/Ocean, £55, Designers Guild.

Merino wool throw, £235, Oggetto.

Leaf lamp, £165 by Muuto; Nerd chair, £345; both Future & Found. Tela carafe by Hay, £35, Unique & Unity.

Cup, £26; saucer, £23; both 1882 Ltd. Ambrosia rug, £849, Heal’s

Blinds made up in Quartz Green, £96/m, Fermoie. Walls in Pavilion Gray estate emulsion, £39.50/2.5L, Farrow & Ball.

Mop Stick ladder, £135, Sebastian Cox. Grey and Eau de Nil bath towel, £40; hand towel, £25; both Cox & Cox. Rainy Day hand towel, £14; bath towel, £22; both Unique & Unity. Slippers, £69, Toast. Stool Two, Round in Ash/Natural, £245; Iris Hantverk ‘She’ brush, £12; both Another Country. Amelie pink glazed side plate, £12, Rose & Grey.

Shower gels and body wash, from £11, all Neal’s Yard Remedies. Natural Oak close-up mirror, £75, Oggetto. True Grace candle, £20, The Conran Shop

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE * FIND MORE GREAT STYLE IDEAS AT housebeautiful.co.uk

28 housebeautiful.co.uk

STYLING LORRAINE DAWKINS STYLING ASSISTANT AMY NEASON PHOTOGRAPHY MARK SCOTT

WHERE TO BUY EVERYTHING

ST Y L E D E C O R AT I N G

MOODBOARD MASTERCLASS Gather friends and family around an Easter table inspired by the teal and rose-pink hues on this month’s cover Background Blake dining table, £1,999, Heal’s. Bottom Lines plate, £39, Smug.

Mini gold server, £16 for two, Curious Egg. Amelie nibble bowl, £10, Rose & Grey. Neve teal tealight holder, £42 for three, Neptune.

London Plane chopping board, from £39.95, SCP. Fabrics, from left: Mottram Meadow in Teal, £49/m, Zoe Glencross.

Dorothy in Pink and Denim, £85/m, Imogen Heath. Gold Metallic Tasmania, available as a cushion, £55, Lara Görlach

NEW PASTELS Rose pinks are given a contemporary twist when partnered with rich shades of teal. Keep it smart with highlights of gold and marble, and geometric patterns House Beautiful APRIL 2018 31

CASUAL CHIC Contrast the modern feel of this gorgeous statement sideboard and marble-topped table with mismatched spindle chairs in a selection of colours for a sophisticated yet relaxed look

Wall painted in Chemise matt emulsion, £42/2.5L, Little Greene. Blake table, £1,999, Heal’s. Natterbox chairs in Soaped Oak, Easy Blue, Calm White, Inky Blue and Good Yellow, £230 for two; Bleaker dining chair (at head of table) in Soaped Oak, £265; all Loaf.

Shamsian two-door cabinet, £6,000, Bethan Gray. On cabinet Cake, £180, Claire Owen Cakes. Bowsley cakestand, £29; Belmont large glass lidded jar, £55; both Neptune. Pink curvy vase, £18, Debenhams. Myer Halliday jar (used as bud vase), £48, Heal’s. Ochre reactive vase, £32, Next. Speckled egg decorations (on branches), £9 for six, The Contemporary Home. On table Myer Halliday jars (used as bud vases), £48

each, Heal’s. Large white jug, for similar try Neptune. Teal water carafe, for similar try Dartington Crystal. Bowsley dinner plates, £96 for six; Neve teal tealight holders (used as water glasses), £42 for three; all Neptune. Lenneke Wispelwey Bottom Lines plates, £39 each, Smug. Cosmo party plates, £25 for four, Debenhams. Stoneware dipping bowls, £7.20 each, Murmur.

Copper-effect cutlery, £38 for a 16-piece set, Next. Persia long gold tray, £26; mini servers, £16 for two; both Curious Egg. Stonewashed Ice Blue napkins, £8.99 each, Linenme.

Scrunch cushion in Dusty Pink linen (on left chair), £55, Loaf. Pink splatter cushion (on right chair), £55, Smug.

Flowers by Sayeh & Galton

ST Y L E D E C O R AT I N G

Divine detailing Precious stone Solid marble is coated in a protective layer of thin resin to preserve its natural beauty.

Lucerne marble dining table, £1,199, Dwell

Style this gorgeous textured piece with seasonal pussy willow for a subtle nod to Easter.

Epoch tall vase, £42, Yod & Co

Bowled over Amsterdam-based Urban Nature Culture sources beautiful treasures from around the world.

Urban Nomad bowl, £9.95, Selfridges

Colour pop Light touch This modern update is the epitome of sophistication.

Elisa candelabra, £20, Made

Painted drawers from teal to navy contrast with the warm tones of the wood.

Janeiro mango wood sideboard, £399.50, Maisons du Monde

Honey tones Punctuate rose-pink and teal hues with drops of golden honey.

Amber wine glass, £6, WA Green

Simple style Launched in 1957,this classic design has been modernised with an Oceanic finish.

Originals stacking chair, £390, Ercol

Sitting comfortably Printed linen has been laid under a strip of cut-out felt to create a fabulous effect.

Skeleton and Dotty print cushion, £52, Georgia Bosson

Metallic wonder Subtle sparkle Glints of gold instantly add glamour to any dining scheme.

Everett 16-piece cutlery set, £139, Swoon Editions

The interior of this lovely retro model is white to maximise reflection of light.

The Zermatt hanging lamp, £165, Pib

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 33

ST Y L E D E C O R AT I N G

RICHLY VIBRANT Striking cobalt blue gives a bolder feel to rose-pink shades, while

Marble round placemat in pink, £99; Conran Blue everyday espresso cup by Emma Lacey, £29; both The Conran Shop. Hamlin fabric in Mushroom (background), £47/m, Romo.

Baltic Sea cotton in Blush, £85/m, Feathr.

Kitchen scissors by Hay, £5, SCP. Oiti wallpaper in Taupe, £17/roll, Graham &

34 housebeautiful.co.uk

Brown. Atil velvet in Sapphire, £47.50/m, Villa Nova. Velvet in Rose, £58/m, Vanessa Arbuthnott. Pebble bowl in Ash, £25, Mud Australia. Oblong gold tray, £13, SCP. Amelie glazed grey nibble bowl, £10, Rose & Grey; inside bowl, Pink Slip matt emulsion, £42/2.5L, Little Greene

COVER STYLING SALLY CULLEN COVER AND MOODBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY RACHEL WHITING MOODBOARD STYLING AND SHOPPING AMY NEASON

elements of brass and pared-back patterns in soft greys bring calm to the scheme

Tivoli three-seater sofa in Indigo, £1,099; Ritz chair in Blush, £549; Hagen small ottoman in Blush, £169; Globe coffee table in Iron and White Marble, £349; Pearl side table in White Marble and Metallic, £149; Pero mirror in Brass, £179; Soho handwoven rug in Smoke, £229; all Swoon Editions

ART DECO ELEGANCE Make the plush texture and luxe shades of velvet upholstery the star of the show by keeping surrounding furnishings sleek and simple

ST Y L E D E C O R AT I N G

Sculptural glow Two spherical shades on a concrete base will illuminate a gloomy corner.

Floreli lamp, £65, The British Home Store

Smarten up Choose graceful lighting designs in metallic finishes.

Retro brass floor lamp, £145, French Connection

Wonder wall Faux leather straps suspend this stunning mirror for an eyecatching display.

Aria hanging mirror in Gold, £59, Cult Living

Print works Add interest with soft geometric patterns. Dalston rug, from £245, Floor Story

Tactile addition Made and dyed by hand, this will add texture and colour to a sofa. Velvet cushion in Light Mauve, £40, Home Address

Balancing act

Luxe living

On this beautiful design, stained mango wood pieces are piled high for an unusual silhouette. Cono side table, £250, Oliver Bonas

Sumptuous velvet is a sophisticated choice for upholstery.

Izzy Two and a Half Seat sofa in Cobalt smart velvet, £1,840, sofa.com

Solid investment This standout piece is sure to introduce instant style credentials to any room. Stargazer candleholder multi, £387, Lara Bohinc

Pare back Accessorise with simple slender ceramics, focusing on colour and gorgeous natural materials. Bloomingville metal vase, £49, Amara 36 housebeautiful.co.uk

Strike a pose A black base on this elegant design brings some monochrome magic to a room.

White marble table, £239, Atkin & Thyme FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

HOUSE BEAUTIFUL HILLARYS COLLECTION

WINDOW DRESSING Introducing Essence, the new collection of curtains and Roman blinds from House Beautiful and Hillarys, with six stunning designs

DINING ROOM Blinds in Echo Shell, from £180, Hillarys.

KITCHEN Blind in Opulence Dove Grey, from £155, Hillarys.

Table, £595; spindle chair, £95; both Habitat. Oak chair, £299, Heal’s.

White chair, £269; grey glasses, £35 for four; all Future & Found. Light, £79, Swoon Editions. Pink napkins, £30 for four; chopping board, £39; both Rockett St George. Recycled glasses, £28 for four; carafe, £24; all Rowen & Wren. Bowls, £9 each, Unique & Unity. Plates, £19 each; jug, £34; all The Conran Shop. Cushion in Viaduct, £85/m, Imogen Heath

Arc pendant light, £68, Spark & Bell. Linen waffle hand towels, £22 for two; stoneware bowls, £38 each; all Rowen & Wren. For similar hob coffee maker, try Bialetti. Rainbow mugs in pink, £38 each; Everyday short pink mug, £34; Everyday teapot, stylist’s own; all by Emma Lacey, The Conran Shop. For similar wooden chopping board, try Hampson Woods. Gold tray, £29 by Hay, Amara. For similar storage jars, try Ikea

38 housebeautiful.co.uk

LIVING ROOM Curtain in Reflection Ocean, from £176, Hillarys. Saturday sofa, from £1,140, sofa.com. Linen cushion cover in blue grey, £50; Piet Boon plate, £19; both The Conran Shop. Bespoke cushion, £65, Melanie Williams. Larker throw, £159, Heal’s. Gala glass coffee table, £275, Habitat. In-Out mugs, £58 for two, Rowen & Wren. Carafe, £110, Mud Australia. Octagonal rug, £3,089, Jennifer Manners. Amelia chair, £350, Ercol >

HOUSE BEAUTIFUL HILLARYS COLLECTION

READING AREA Blind in Mirage Pumice, from £199; curtains in Mineral Blush, from £163; both Hillarys. Leta chaise with cushion, from £3,550, Pinch. Twill linen cushion cover in Copper, £45; Piet Boon low plate, £19; Everyday short pink mug

by Emma Lacey, £34; Grashoppa floor light, £639; all The Conran Shop. Gala glass side table, £150, Habitat. Pink vase by Hay, £59, Unique & Unity. Broken Maze rug, £1,750, Jennifer Manners >

40 housebeautiful.co.uk

HOUSE BEAUTIFUL HILLARYS COLLECTION

BEDROOM

Blind in Mirage Ink Wash, from £199, Hillarys.

Pendel armchair by Pinch, £2,299, Heal’s. Lazy linen duvet cover in Duck Egg, £145 for a double; Summer Days rug, from £125; both Loaf.

Velvet linen throw in Oyster (on bed), £195; Harlequin linen cushion cover (on armchair), £90; both Niki Jones. Linen square cushion cover in blue grey (on bed), £50, The Conran Shop. Vase, £30, French Connection. Corky glass, £35 for four, Future & Found

42 housebeautiful.co.uk

STUDY

Blind in Serenity Blush, from £199, Hillarys.

Treviso desk, £1,550, Ercol. Desk accessories: Penguin Classic books, £14.99 each, The Conran Shop. For similar paperweights, try Ben Pentreath. Plisse A4 folder, £25 by Hay, Liberty. Visu chair in white oak, £269; Primary clock, £69; both Future & Found. Bristol table lamp, £89, Heal’s

Visit hillarys.co.uk/housebeautiful HB

STYLING LORRAINE DAWKINS STYLING ASSISTANT AMY NEASON PHOTOGRAPHS CAROLYN BARBER

‘The six new designs are available in a range of colourways, so you’re sure to find the perfect blinds or curtains for your home’

S E A S O N A L I N S P I R AT I O N

In full Celebrate Easter and beyond by filling your home with colourful flowers and delicate scents

THINK PINK Introduce a fresh feel with flowers in pretty pastel hues.

And to make a mixed bunch work harder, split it between two or three complementary containers – just ensure the flowers work together by balancing their shapes, sizes, hues and heights, as with the chrysanthemum, ranunculus, narcissi and Sweet Avalanche roses shown here. ‘Spring flowers continue to grow in water, so think a little more carefully when using them in a mixed arrangement, as they’ll need room to stretch and spread,’ says Sonja Waites from florist Pulbrook & Gould.

Similar glass vases, from £21, LSA International

44 housebeautiful.co.uk

BLOOMING LOVELY If you break any stems while preparing a bunch for a vase, don’t discard them. Instead, put them to good use as a tabletop display. Simply trim off any excess stem or remaining leaves and float the flowerhead in a shallow bowl of water. They’ll only last a day or so, but in that time, they’ll make a striking centrepiece.

Round tray, £16.50, Garden Trading. For a similar floral-print bowl, try the Botanic Garden collection, £87 for six, Portmeirion. Crimple side plate, £35 for four, Loaf. Find a similar fabric at Cath Kidston (this is one of her archive designs)

‘There are so many gorgeous varieties and shapes of tulips. They continue to grow after being cut, and will open and move so the flowers have a life’ MAIREAD CURTIN, CO-FOUNDER, REBEL REBEL

TULIP FEVER Thanks to their punchy colours and architectural shape, tulips look spectacular displayed en masse. Because they’re affordable, you can justify splashing out on two to three bunches – or more – and generously filling an interesting container, such as this decorative enamel bucket. When selecting tulips, mixed colours are fun, but a single shade creates a more sophisticated look.

Mabel & Rose is a good source for vintage enamel buckets

46 housebeautiful.co.uk

SN T EA RL I N S P I R A T I O N S E AE SA O

DECORATIVE ART Why not decorate your mantelpiece for Easter? Line up a selection of vessels and fill with an array of seasonal flowers such as the nigella, lisianthus, mimosa, Clematis ‘River Dance’, anemone and ranunculus as shown here.

Add in some faux greenery

like the daffodil garland shown to fill in the gaps between vessels.

For a similar glass vase, try the Taffeta, £85, LSA International.

Baileys sells vintage French pottery. Faux floral garlands, from £16.99, Gisela Graham, or try the daffodil garland, £15.99, Museum Selection

S E A S O N A L I N S P I R AT I O N

WILD BUNCH A hand-tied bouquet really showcases spring flowers in tones of the same colour. Add structure to the arrangement with greenery – eucalyptus looks nice – and tougherstemmed flowers such as these Sweet Avalanche roses.

Don’t fasten too tightly, as your flowers will need some space to fully open out

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 49

S E A S O N A L I N S P I R AT I O N

WORDS KARA O’REILLY STYLING CAROLYN BAILEY & JAMES CUNNINGHAM PHOTOGRAPHY MARK SCOTT

MAKING ARRANGEMENTS One of the easiest tricks in an interior stylist’s book is to display single stems in a line-up of vases. This is particularly simple if you use one type of flower, but give it more interest by mixing varieties such as with the Clematis ‘River Dance’, scabious, asclepias and nigella here. ‘Astrantia gives a garden

look to flower arrangements.

Anemones and nigella are very short-lived, so enjoy their beauty while they last,’ says Kally Ellis from florist McQueens.

This test tube vase, £135, is

by Jamjar Flowers, who can do an arrangement for you.

Similar test tube vase, £19.95, Not On The High Street HB

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

PROPERTY OF THE MONTH

THATCHED COTTAGES T

hey’ve been part of our lives since the Middle Ages, and are often thought of as quintessentially British – it’s no wonder so many of us yearn to live in a thatched cottage.

Most common in the ‘corn-growing’ counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Kent, Devon and Dorset, thatched cottages can be found across the country. Even for new homes in rural areas, thatch remains a popular sustainable alternative to tile or slate.

The thatch itself differs according to location – reeds are used in the marshlands of East Anglia, heather in Scotland – but wherever the cottage is, there’s usually a potential buyer chasing it. ‘Thatched cottages are a perennial favourite,’ says estate agent Fenella Russell-Smith of Marchand Petit in Modbury, Devon.

‘They’re so attractive, with lots of history and character.’ Thatched

roofs were invented in the days when wattle and daub walls were too lightweight to support a heavy roof. By the 18th century, they had become a cornerstone of the English ‘picturesque’ movement.

Artists began to create paintings idealising rural life – and rose-entwined, chocolate-box cottages entered the popular imagination. Although most of these cottages were built as modest homes for agricultural workers, by the 19th century, the aristocracy were creating thatched retreats of their own. Iris Small, who’s lived in a listed thatched cottage near Winchester, Hants, for 35 years, says: ‘My furnishings are simple, in keeping with the property. Polished wood and painted white furniture with pale, neutral décor help reflect the light. We love living here, and the natural insulation means it’s cool in summer and cosy in winter.’

LORD OF THE THATCH

PROPERTY FINANCE SPECIALIST MELANIE BIEN Money expert and founder of Bien Media

renovation, Ebble Thatch is remarkably spacious with five bedrooms, two bathrooms, five reception rooms and a further one-bedroom detached cottage within its grounds.

Estate agent Fred Cook from Strutt & Parker in Salisbury said: ‘The unique heritage associated with this humble cottage with blue plaque status truly sets it apart from the rest.’

FOR SALE

£775,000

£875,000

WAREHAM, DORSET At Honeysuckle Cottage, there’s a paddock and a horse-house, plus four bedrooms including one ensuite, three reception rooms and a kitchen/breakfast room with garden views.

Connells, 01202 020131

MARKET HARBOROUGH, LEICESTERSHIRE This pretty four-bed nestles on the edge of a village and includes period details such as beams and sloping ceilings, as well as an orangery.

Strutt & Parker, 01858 438723

£1.15M

£265,000

MELBOURN, CAMBRIDGESHIRE Once a favourite restaurant of Prince Charles when he studied nearby at the University of Cambridge, The Pink Geranium is now a modern, five-bedroom family home.

Tucker Gardner, 01223 845240

MITHIAN, ST AGNES, CORNWALL A winding staircase leads from the open-plan living and dining space to two bedrooms in Tuckaway Thatch, a pretty little cottage close to the gorgeous north Cornish coast.

Clive Pearce Property, 01872 272622

54 housebeautiful.co.uk

How easy is it to get mortgages and insurance for thatched properties?

A

Thatched cottage owners must allow for higher insurance bills, mainly because they’re thought to have an increased fire risk. The cheapest mainstream insurers may not insure thatched buildings at all, so a small, specialist insurer is the way to go. It’s worth approaching a specialist insurance broker to find the most competitive deal, although it will still be higher than the premiums on a similar-sized property with a tiled roof.

Getting a mortgage to buy a thatched cottage can also be trickier, as lenders want to ensure that they can resell the property if it’s repossessed. This may be harder if the property has an unusual construction, like a thatch, than it would be for a straightforward threebedroom semi, as they assume there will be less demand for it.

While the big high-street lenders may not be interested in lending on a thatched cottage, one of the smaller building societies, which specialises in mortgages for character properties, may look at your case on an individual basis, using local valuers who understand the market. Seek advice from an independent mortgage broker who can point you in the direction of such lenders. HB

WORDS JAYNE DOWLE PHOTOGRAPH GETTY

Once home to Nobel Prize-winning author Sir William Golding , this thatched cottage in Wiltshire is on the market for the very reasonable price tag of £795,000. Sir William, author of Lord of the Flies, lived at Ebble Thatch in Mead End, Bowerchalke, near Salisbury in 1940, before leaving to serve in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He lived there again between 1958 and 1984. In need of

Q

INSPIRING HOMES

DINING AREA After exposing the wall down to the bare brick, Russell kept the industrial look by using metal conduit for the wiring above the dining table.

The pendants are from The

56 housebeautiful.co.uk

Lighting Company and the table is from Furniture Village.

The benches at the table are from Wicked Hairpins, while the ‘Freemasons’ wall letters are from one of his album covers

GARAGE MUSIC A former motor spares yard has been turned into a stylish contemporary home with some very individual touches WORDS MANDI MILLAR PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID WOOLLEY

‘The existing layout was perfect – I loved the big open-plan living and dining area’

58 housebeautiful.co.uk

MEWS HOUSE

LIVING AREA The doors of the old yard make a wonderful backdrop to the open-plan living space. It’s furnished with items Russell found on his travels as well as pieces from closer to home. The chaise is from Made while the coffee table is from Villa and Hut

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 59

HOME PROFILE WHO LIVES HERE Russell Small, 49, music producer and DJ THE PROPERTY A 1920s mews house in Brighton PRICE £357,000 MONEY SPENT £50,000 WHAT IT’S WORTH NOW £1.1m

60 housebeautiful.co.uk

W

hat began as little more than a financial investment almost 20 years ago has since evolved into a dream home for musician and DJ Russell Small. After success in the music business in the 1990s, Russell was keen to ensure his royalties were put to work and decided property was the way to go.

‘I reckoned that would be a good long-term investment, as well as giving me a house in the meantime. I was after somewhere that could be a home, somewhere to escape to when work was getting too manic, and somewhere that could evolve with me over the years,’ he explains.

It was actually a friend who spotted the property for sale. ‘He lived around the corner from me in Brighton and knew I was looking.

The property was in the perfect spot, central to everything and close to the sea. It was a large mews house and tucked away, which appealed to me, and it had a real sense of ‘home’ too, which is really important. It began life as a car

accessory shop in the 1920s and then became a scrapyard until the early 1990s when it was converted into a house.’

As the property had already been renovated, most of the hard work had been done. ‘It was a busy time in my career so at least I didn’t have major structural work to worry about,’ says Russell. ‘The existing layout was perfect, too – I loved the big open-plan living and dining area, but there was still enough scope for me to put my stamp on the place and make it very much my own,’ says Russell. ‘To begin with, I exposed a brick wall in the dining room. This area is famous for its ‘bungaroosh’ brick walls – a particular pattern of brick and mortar – you don’t get them anywhere else in the UK. So when we started chipping back the plaster on the dining area wall we exposed the bungaroosh brick beneath. Unfortunately, it was pretty patchy so I decided to build a new wall in front of it but as close to the original as possible. My friends and local builders, Pete and Eddie Savage, undertook the project management as I was away a lot of the time, travelling. Pete built the wall and even researched the style of

MEWS HOUSE

‘I like organic materials so for the kitchen I wanted wooden doors and stone worktops’

COURTYARD

KITCHEN

The living area leads onto a courtyard where vans and lorries would once have parked that now makes a great space to entertain friends

A designer look at a budget price: Russell spent most on the worktops from Lee Bealing Stonemasons, while the floor tiles were from Topps Tiles

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 61

MEWS HOUSE

pointing used – I think he did a great job. As we were removing the plaster we also uncovered a little fireplace, which we brought back to working order,’ says Russell.

Next in his sights were the bathrooms, and Russell had specific requirements. ‘I wanted the look and feel of the hotel bathrooms I stay in when touring, especially the ones in Asia. ‘We gutted the existing bathrooms and turned them into wet rooms using wedi boarding, designed specifically for this. I had all the fixtures and fittings shipped from Bali, which I’ve fallen in love with,’ he says. ‘The bath is carved from a native timber and the basin is honed from a stone we found by the roadside there. However, we had to re-build the main bathroom as the floor wasn’t strong enough to support the weight of the bath when filled with water. For added wow factor I wanted the bath to fill from the ceiling in a waterfall effect, which looks amazing, but the result was that it all cost around £35,000 – but it’s worth it!’

Having splashed out on the bathrooms, Russell looked to make some savings in the 62 housebeautiful.co.uk

kitchen but still sought a designer look. ‘I love organic materials so for the kitchen I wanted wooden doors and stone worktops but, with an eye on the budget, I opted for birch doors from Ikea then chose high-quality, matt granite worktops, designer taps and ceramic sinks.

When people see it, they assume the whole thing’s a designer kitchen!’ he says.

In terms of finishing touches, Russell has been heavily influenced by his travels. ‘I’ve been lucky enough to travel quite a bit so I’ve bought pieces of furniture and art back from overseas. Plain white walls are the perfect backdrop for my collection. I also buy things in the vintage shops in Brighton, including a Michelin Man who sits in the living area as a reminder of the house’s heritage,’ explains Russell.

‘It’s important to me to have a house that I can really relax in, a place where I can reconnect with friends and family and just kick back, away from work, airport lounges and deadlines. What started as a sensible investment has become so much more than that and that’s what a home is really all about.’ HB

BATHROOM Unique pieces include the basin honed from a rock and the timber bath tub shipped from Bali. For a similar model, try the Baula from MBrace Interiors

BEDROOM Russell has complemented the exposed timbers with natural materials such as woollen throws from Melin Tregwynt. The 1950s stool from Keep It Vintage has been re-upholstered

‘It’s important to me to have a house that I can really relax in’

INDUSTRIAL ST Y LE Natural materials and bare brick have inspired Russell’s scheme

4

2

3 1

5

7 8

1 Have a statement bath made to order in teak by this iconic British brand. Helio bath, price on application, William Garvey 2 A simple anglepoise lamp in a dark metallic grey adds to the pared-back look.

Altair desk lamp, £158, Barker & Stonehouse 3 Monochrome keeps the style industrial. Kita dove grey cushion, £50, Murmur 4 Designer lights add a softer look in an industrial setting, and the perforations create interesting shapes on the ceiling. Tatou pendant light by Flos, £243, Heal’s 5 A standout sofa in a bold shade brings colour to the scheme. Hardy leather sofa in Brooke Red, £869, DFS 64 housebeautiful.co.uk

6 Lambskins soften the look – use them as rugs, or on chairs and sofas for added comfort. Shadi Bloomingville Mongolian lambskin throw in grey, £130, Out There Interiors 7 Small stools can be used all over the house for extra seating, or as an alternative bedside table.

Felix footstool in Thatch Smart Velvet, £260, sofa.com 8 Benches are a simpler alternative to more formal dining chairs, and they don’t take up as much space. Calia dining bench in oak, £250, John Lewis Background ‘Industry Rouge’ wallpaper, £15/roll, Graham & Brown FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

COMPILED BY ALISON DAVIDSON

6

SPACE TO RELAX A contemporary L-shaped sofa sections off a cosy living area in the large, double-height extension

INSPIRING HOMES

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS An industrial-style extension adds a contemporary edge to a traditional farmhouse

WORDS SUE GILKES STYLING BEN KENDRICK PHOTOGRAPHY RACHEL WHITING

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 67

FARMHOUSE CON V E RS ION

DINING AREA Handmade lampshades and rustic chairs add colour against the backdrop of grey walls and oor and starkness of the factory-style windows

KITCHEN The grey panelling and concrete oors continue into this open-plan area (opposite), with a marbletopped island dividing the space

HOME PROFILE WHO LIVES HERE Eleanor Meeks, with her partner and two sons THE PROPERTY A 17th-century farmhouse in Cranbrook, Kent, that’s been extended to include a modern open-plan kitchen

H

aving already renovated a cottage, Eleanor Meeks thought she was prepared for anything this new project could throw at her.

She and her partner had bought a traditional tile-hung and brick property in a country setting, edged with mature trees and backing on to open fields. It had the potential to be gorgeous, but, explains Eleanor, ‘A family had been living there for more than 50 years and the house was in desperate need of attention. It was certainly the challenge I was looking for!

‘You could actually put your hand through some of the internal walls where the lathe and plaster had crumbled,’ she says. ‘And then,

when we took the wallpaper off the ceiling in the main bedroom, it all came crashing down!’

Originally a two-up, two-down cottage dating back to the 1650s, the house was added to in Georgian times and had a low-ceilinged kitchen and pantry at the side. ‘Our original plan was to extend the kitchen out into the garden, until a friend suggested the more radical idea of converting a dilapidated outbuilding at the rear into a large kitchen/living space,’ says Eleanor.

Working closely with the local planning department, the couple came up with a sympathetic, industrial-influenced design that reflected the building’s previous incarnation as a workshop.

‘Today, the exterior is clad in oak boards that will fade to a silvery grey, with a corrugated > House Beautiful APRIL 2018 69

FARMHOUSE CON V E RS ION

aluminium roof, inspired by farm buildings in the area,’ says Eleanor. Eight factory-style metal and glazed doors also run along the length of the back wall, maximising the glorious view of fields and trees. With matching windows on three other sides and a lofty ceiling that follows the line of the rafters, this vast, double-height room feels wonderfully light and spacious.

The deliberately plain and functional feel is lifted with bold bursts of colour, including a large, red Smeg fridge in one corner. A long rectangle of plywood with an eyecatching yellow surface resting on wooden trestles serves as the dining table and is surrounded by an eclectic assortment of mismatched country chairs – old and new, painted and bare. ‘I didn’t want a ‘finished’ look. It wouldn’t have suited

the space at all,’ says Eleanor. ‘I think that using traditional materials and mixing old with new fits the room perfectly and gives us the best of both worlds.’

Over in the far corner, a contemporary, L-shaped, grey sofa and comfortable old armchair are drawn up invitingly close to the woodburning stove. This snug spot, liberally scattered with cushions, vintage Welsh blankets and the odd sheepskin throw, is where the family loves to watch films. ‘We pretty much live in the kitchen extension now and barely venture into the rest of the house, except to sleep,’ says Eleanor.

With all that glass, underfloor heating was installed beneath the stylish concrete floor to keep the room at a perfect temperature, and >

COLOUR FOCUS A world map and zingy yellow chair create a fun look in the boys’ room

WET ROOM Just off the hall is a wet room that continues the traditional-meetscontemporary theme with Victorian-style encaustic floor tiles and crisp white Metro wall tiles

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 71

‘When we took the wallpaper off the ceiling in the bedroom, it all came crashing down!’

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FARMHOUSE CO N V E RS IO N

it continues into the old part of the house via a vernacular-style hall. Here, oak floorboards have been treated with a mix of Swedish Osmo oil mixed with a little greyish-blue paint. The tones work well in the low-ceilinged sitting room with its traditional inglenook fireplace, exposed beams and leaded-light windows.

‘We’ve used darker colours in here to make the room feel more cosy,’ Eleanor explains.

She’s also filled the room with bespoke lighting courtesy of the lampshades she’s covered with eyecatching fabrics, including her favourite vintage Sanderson florals, and the striking glass lamp bases she makes from large jars and bottles found at flea markets.

In the main bedroom, soft, linen bedding in muted shades from The Linen Press contrasts

with the zingy lime yellow colour above the picture rail, which enhances the low light coming from the small leaded windows.

The bathroom required a more thorough overhaul, so elegant, vintage-style fittings were sourced to complement a rolltop bath snapped up on Ebay, with a basin resting on an old chest of drawers and an antique mirror adding to the vintage feel.

Downstairs is a wet room where Victorianstyle encaustic floor tiles in a swirling blue and grey pattern are teamed with crisp white Metro wall tiles, echoing the successful mix of old and new, contemporary and traditional. ‘Each part has its own appeal,’ says Eleanor, ‘and we get to enjoy the best of both worlds.’ HB

MAIN BEDROOM In the main bedroom, a bold burst of bright yellow lifts a neutral colour scheme and enhances the light

BATHROOM The rolltop bath was an Ebay find

CUPBOARD An old wardrobe works well with the stripped, painted floorboards and vintage lamp

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 73

MODERN RUSTIC Mix vintage pieces with contemporary furniture to bring Eleanor’s eclectic style to your home

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1 A row of glass pendants works well above a kitchen island. For a modern twist, use different colours to create interest. Glass lampshade, £29, Finch & Crane 2 Choose a contemporary sofa in sophisticated blue wool and team with vintage side tables. Malvern sofa in Ocean Blue, £999, Swoon Editions 3 If you can’t find salvaged pieces, try these vintage-style crates, £44.95, Cult Furniture 4 Wooden finishes are a timeless choice. Beauvais bedside table, £295, Oka 5 Eleanor has used a vibrant mix of dining chairs for an individual look. This country-style one is a perfect fit. Windsor Quaker 74 housebeautiful.co.uk

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spindle-back chair, £405, Ercol 6 Add fun to a scheme with colour.

Eames-style dining chair in Lemon, £55, Cult Furniture 7 A trestle table will create a subtle industrial feel. Yeoman zinc top dining table, £450, Habitat 8 Keep a cosy throw on the back of the sofa for chilly evenings. Lambswool Multi Windowpane blanket, £89.95, Bronte

by Moon 9 A classic glass bottle lamp is given a modern update with a visible black cord in its base. Large Flagon lamp, £155, Loaf Background Parchment in Duck Egg, £49/roll, Designers Guild FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

COMPILED BY ALISON DAVIDSON

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UNDERNEATH THE ARCHES A unique and historic home, partly incorporated into a Victorian viaduct, has been brought back to life WORDS SHARON PARSONS PHOTOGRAPHY RICHARD GADSBY

INSPIRING HOMES

HOME PROFILE WHO LIVES HERE Wendy Leat, 60, an interior designer and her husband Ian, 57, a logistics manager THE PROPERTY A four-bedroom Victorian terrace in Torquay, Devon PRICE £148,000 in 2014 MONEY SPENT £70,000 WHAT IT’S WORTH NOW £300,000

OUTDOOR SPACE This fabulous upstairs seating area sits within one of the arches. At night the concealed lighting illuminates each one

KITCHEN All of the units are upcycled pieces that Wendy sourced

from three different kitchens.

An open shelf above the units is the perfect place to display pretty china. The butler’s sink and range cooker were picked up on Ebay. For a similar pendant light, try the Bora light, £495, Christopher Wray >

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 77

VICTORIAN TERRACE

itting unloved beneath the arches of an old viaduct, this Grade 11 listed Victorian house had been rejected by 50 different viewers when interior designer Wendy Leat stepped through the door.

Her grown son, standing beside her, was shocked by the peeling wallpaper, cheap laminate floors, dated bathroom and aura of neglect. But standing in the middle of the damp living room, Wendy felt nothing but excitement.

‘My son Alex was horrified,’ admits Wendy, as she recalls that very first viewing. ‘He said, “I don’t think so, Mum,” but as I looked around me, I could see what a wonderful home this could be.’

Wendy wasted no time persuading husband Ian that rescuing the house from total dereliction was a good idea. ‘The thing was, despite everyone’s misgivings, I could visualise the changes we could make. We’ve renovated lots of properties over the years, so I told myself I had some idea of what to expect, although I’ll admit this one proved to be our biggest challenge to date!’

The terrace, which had originally formed one house with the property next door, was built in 1875 for a sea captain and was partly incorporated into a Victorian viaduct that had been constructed to support the land for dwellings built on the hill above. This meant that the back rooms of the house featured massive domed arches, although these had long been concealed behind false walls and ceilings – and were forgotten over time.

‘The first thing we did when we got the keys in late 2014 was to strip everything back to see exactly what we had,’ explains Wendy. With their daughter Georgie working hard alongside them, Wendy and Ian removed rotten flooring and the plywood walls and ceilings hiding the arches. ‘It was a “wow” moment when we saw just how imposing these were and what a great feature they’d make,’ says Wendy. ‘It was as if history was being revealed after years in hiding.’ The downside of this discovery was realising how bad the extent of the damp was. The walls were covered in dark-green mould and the only solution was to fit an industrialstrength membrane – ‘like a huge bubble-wrap mat of rubber plugs’ – the breadth of the viaduct’s surface, to keep moisture out.

Coupled with the lack of basic facilities, the extent of the work meant that living in the house was far from easy, particularly as winter approached. ‘We just had to knuckle down and get on with it,’ says Wendy. ‘Initially, there was no heating and the only source of water was an outside standpipe. We joined a gym, just so we could use the showers!’ To make the house habitable, Wendy and

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KITCHEN Tongue-and-groove panelling enhances the room’s traditional look, but the floating shelf adds a modern touch. Units and fittings are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Railings

DINING ROOM The table, chairs and mirror were all found on Ebay and the chairs were then reupholstered with material samples from a friend’s fabric shop. The colour scheme is inspired by the rich colours 78 housebeautiful.co.uk

in the paintings of St-Rémyde-Provence by the artist Frederick Bromfield, which work beautifully with the walls painted in Warm Cement by Valspar

HALL & LANDING Victorian-look tiles from Topps Tiles make an impact in the hall, while Wendy painted a myriad of mirrors white for the stairwell wall.

Wendy’s mirror display dramatically links the hall downstairs and the landing above

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VICTORIAN TERRACE

‘I thought I knew what to expect, but this was our biggest renovation challenge yet’

BATHROOM

Opposite

LANDING

Positioning the walk-in shower and freestanding bath under the exposed viaduct arch brings wow factor to this former bedroom. The vanity unit is from victoriaplum.com and the travertine tiles are from Topps Tiles

UNDERSTAIRS NOOK

A Victorian slipper chair, in a vibrant rust-coloured fabric, contrasts with the monochrome scheme. The carpet is from Carpetright

In this snug little seating and display corner, the fabric on the cushion and seat was found on Ebay. The stained glass door came from a disused church, and replaced an unattractive 1980s design

LIVING ROOM Morris & Co Seaweed wallpaper from Style Library draws the eye to the fireplace.

The Beaumont & Fletcher sofa was found on Ebay

MAIN BEDROOM The first to be decorated, this room, with walls papered in Paper Meadow from Hannah Nunn, became the couple’s sanctuary from building works.

Classic plantation shutters feature in all front rooms >

VICTORIAN TERRACE

Ian created a makeshift kitchen in the box room upstairs and they concentrated on finishing the master bedroom first. ‘It became our sanctuary away from all the mess and chaos, and it’s something I’d recommend to anyone tackling a major renovation,’ says Wendy.

Over the course of the next nine months, the house was slowly restored to its former glory. With the basic essentials – wiring, plumbing and heating – in place, a new space for the kitchen was established at the back of the house, together with an adjacent utility room. Bifold doors leading to a tiny central courtyard were installed to let in valuable light. Windows were repaired, internal plywood doors were replaced with original Victorian ones, picture rails that had been ripped out were reinstated, plaster was chipped off the fireplaces that remained in situ, and decades of paint were removed to reveal wooden skirtings, picture rails and architraves.

Throughout this transformation, Wendy put another of her considerable skills – tracking down a bargain – to excellent use.

‘I scoured antique shops and vintage markets, and was constantly on Ebay,’ she says. One of her most impressive triumphs is the stunning kitchen. ‘The units are actually from three separate kitchens,’ she confesses. ‘I measured up the space and calculated what we needed where, and then tracked down the units.’

Once the various pieces – from cupboards and drawers to the magnificent island – arrived, they were numbered and stored in the living room until the kitchen could be installed. ‘It was almost a perfect fit,’ says Wendy. ‘Only two units didn’t work, and we turned one of those into a sideboard for the dining room instead.’

Once the disparate units were united with several coats of a dark blue-grey paint to complement the oak island, the stunning designer-look kitchen was complete.

Up on the first floor meanwhile, another showstopper – the bathroom – also benefitted from Wendy’s canny knack for establishing a high-end look without spending a fortune.

Travertine wall and floor tiles were sourced to complement the beautiful freestanding bath and walk-in shower. ‘We get a lot of our ideas from boutique hotel rooms,’ she says.

A muted paint palette and striking wallpapers were combined to bring the other newly renovated rooms to life, while a mix of antique, vintage and contemporary furniture, soft furnishing and finishing touches were introduced into the schemes. The end result is a calm, elegant home that feels comfortable and established. ‘When it comes to renovating, my mantra has always been to make the worst rooms the best ones, and then allow the others to speak for themselves,’ says Wendy. HB

COURTYARD The house has been built around this tiny courtyard – a great outdoor spot for relaxing during warmer weather. It can be reached via bifold doors on one side, or an unusual original Victorian window fitting in the dining room, where the sill opens like a door. The small outside space has had its own makeover too and is now full of charm, thanks to the plant-covered vintage bicycle found on

Ebay and the old window mirrors on one wall. At night the exposed Victorian viaduct arches are illuminated, adding another unique feature to the space

THE EXTERIOR The terraced house has been given a dramatic facelift with a new rendered frontage painted in a stone colour by Crown and a front door in Railings by Farrow & Ball. Window boxes bring a stylish finish to the original sash windows House Beautiful APRIL 2018 83

VICTORIAN ELEG ANCE Combine modern and traditional in shades of creams and gold to create Wendy’s style

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1 Make a style statement with a freestanding oval bath. Ellipse stone bath, £2,295, Waters Baths of Ashbourne 2 Perfect for flowers or just as a decorative piece on a shelf. Vase, £168.30, Broste Copenhagen 3 A glass chandelier never goes out of style, and this one is a great price. Audrey chandelier, £155, The French Bedroom Company 4 For a versatile piece, let an upholstered stool double as extra seating or a table. Theodore footstool in Amber, £390, Arlo & Jacob 5 Butler’s sinks are ideal for a country look, but squarer shapes work well in contemporary kitchens. Lingfield butler’s sink, £423, Caple 6 Wendy’s collection of white 84 housebeautiful.co.uk

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mirrors make an impact placed together in her hallway. Start your own collection by buying in junk shops and painting them yourself, or buy this shabby chic Florence wall mirror, £75, Ayers & Graces 7 It seems decadent to have a sofa in the bedroom, but it’s a great look if you have the space. Antoinette velvet sofa, £892.50, Maisons du Monde 8 A small-scale pattern picks up other colours in the room without overpowering. Milan wool cushion in Gold, £45 Bronte by Moon Background Clarissa Hulse Nettles wallpaper, £70/roll, Style Library FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

COMPILED BY ALISON DAVIDSON

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INSPIRING HOMES

HOME PROFILE WHO LIVES HERE Lizzie Fraher, 35, her husband Joe, 37, and their children Claudia, five, and Orla, three THE PROPERTY A Victorian terrace two-up, twodown in Lewisham, south London PRICE £610,000 MONEY SPENT Around £500,000 WHAT IT’S WORTH NOW Around £1.2 million

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IT’S JUST AN ILLUSION A beguiling, architect-designed contemporary interior has been created behind a traditional Victorian facade

WORDS SANDRA WALSH PHOTOGRAPHY ADAM SCOTT

HALLWAY Inventive storage makes the most of every inch of space in the hallway, while all the timber floors have been lowered to introduce more height. The levels of the original floors create a design feature on all the walls

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‘It’s lovely on warm days when the windows are folded back’

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KITCHEN AND DINING SPACE The unusual window above the sink is a bifold while the door to the garden works on a pivot. Lizzie and Joe upcycled the Habitat table and painted it pink

hen Lizzie and Joe Fraher’s next door neighbour said he was moving and did they want first refusal on his house, they jumped at the chance. The couple had been living in an adjacent flat for seven years, and with two young daughters, lack of space had become an issue.

‘We couldn’t believe our luck when we got the offer,’ says Lizzie. ‘We loved the Victorian two-up two-down terrace, one of a row of workers’ homes built at the end of the 19th century, and we’d had our eye on it for some time.

‘The timing was perfect for us as it meant we could stay in a location we’d grown to love and, as architects, Joe and I could showcase our talents while creating our dream family home.’

Excited about the project ahead, the couple started drawing up ambitious and innovative renovation plans, and by the time the house sale was completed in April 2015, they were ready to start.

‘We were used to working on this style of house at our architects’ practice – you see them all over London – but one of the big attractions was that the original layout was intact.

There was no need to undo previous renovation work, and the blank canvas meant we could really push the boundaries with our design,’ says Lizzie.

First of all, the couple stripped out the entire house, knocking down interior walls and the chimney breasts, and even removing the floors so that only the façade remained.

‘Before we started work, the house was gloomy and the rooms small. There was little storage space and a dark, straight stairwell with no natural light led up to the first floor,’ says Lizzie. ‘We wanted to transform it into an open-plan four-bedroom space with lots of hidden storage, which would work for modern family living and be full of light. The intention behind removing the floors was to create generous floor-to-ceiling height in the attic area where we were putting in two bedrooms and a bathroom. We didn’t want people to have to stoop under low ceilings, so we replaced the original timber boards with a sunken concrete floor, which gave us an extra half a metre of floor height to play with.’

One of the stand-out features of the property is the staircase, which Lizzie and Joe decided to position diagonally.

‘Instead of having a dark staircase going straight up to the first floor, we have a turning staircase bisecting the house diagonally. This meant we could make use of the original window positions allowing light to flood in to the staircase area. And we could create equal-sized bedrooms on the first floor. I’m really proud of the office in the dead space on the landing. It’s light and airy and I love using it.’

The kitchen is the heart of every home and Lizzie and Joe have made full use of the space here, installing bifold windows by the sink instead of doors. ‘We have bespoke units from House Beautiful APRIL 2018 89

STAIRCASE The staircase sits on an angle, bisecting the house and allowing in lots of light. Lizzie particularly loves the wild flower garden on the first floor roof.

‘I love looking out at it when it’s in full bloom,’ she says

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CONTEMPORARY STYLE

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CONTEMPORARY STYLE

Shape London, and the one beneath the window acts as a sort of kitchen island so you can pass food outside. This way we get extra worksurfaces for food preparation while still being able to open up the back of the house. It’s lovely on warm days when the windows are folded back and the pivot door is open because the garden becomes another room. It’s perfect when we have barbecues for friends and family.’

An important consideration for the couple was to create areas for their girls. ‘As well as a playroom we’ve added lots of little hidden play stations on all the other floors. Kids love coming over to our house.

Not surprisingly, when friends come to visit, they’re left openmouthed at the scale of the renovation. ‘We’ve produced a sort of visual key so everyone can see what parts of the house are original and which are new,’ says Lizzie. ‘We’ve got markers pointing out the level of the original floors and we’ve got a painting showing the location of the former staircase.

‘All the old walls have a plaster and paint finish but we’ve clad all the new features in Douglas fir plywood, which is renewable, organic and 92 housebeautiful.co.uk

so soft and tactile. It almost looks like wallpaper and wraps its way up through the house. We’ve used polished concrete throughout the ground floor and vinyl on the upper floors so we wouldn’t need to have fussy thresholds. It all adds to the illusion of yet more space.’

No modern house would be complete without addressing its carbon footprint. As well as timber-framed double-glazing and heavy insulation, a solar hot array system has been installed to give the family free heated water through the summer.

‘My favourite feature is the wild-flower garden we’ve put on the first-floor flat roof,’ says Lizzie. ‘Not only does it disguise a boring, grey roof, but the flowers attract butterflies and bees. I absolutely love standing and looking out at it when it’s in full bloom.’

The work was completed in just 10 months and the family love it.

‘We have so much to enjoy here,’ says Lizzie. ‘We knew we had to really go for it and I hope we’ve shown what can be achieved. It’s a sociable house, and we’ve got so much storage I have cupboards that are still empty after two years living here. We’re very lucky.’ HB

STUDY

BATHROOM

At the top of the staircase sits an open-plan study area with views over the garden. The desk is by Shape London

‘We let the girls choose colour schemes,’ says Lizzie.

They opted for yellow, orange and green, which we incorporated as accents

CONTEMPOR ARY HOME Use splashes of colour and sleek lines to help create Lizzie’s modern style

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1 A simple and classic design that will look great anywhere. Opal Studio pendant, £145, Holloways of Ludlow 2 Get comfort and style from a new sofa in a vintage design. G Plan Vintage The Sixty Seven sofa in Tonic Mustard, £1,550, John Lewis 3 Taking up minimal space, a designer radiator adds wow factor in a small shower room. Zingo Sultan floating rail radiator, from £1,383, Bard & Brazier 4 Create a bespoke sink and splashback in dramatic black granite to fit into an awkward space. Emerald stone worktop, from £680/sq metre, Lundhs 5 Hang this Oval solid oak mirror, £475, Heal’s vertically or horizontally 6 A wooden frame armchair is 94 housebeautiful.co.uk

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useful tucked in a corner, and a strong colour makes a style statement.

Reuben chair in Lime, with walnut frame, £395, Arlo & Jacob 7 Choosing a pink dining table is a bold move, so make sure you can live with the colour in the long term. Iconic Designs table, £159, Cult Furniture 8 This dining chair is a great buy, and wipe clean, too. Leifarne chair, £50, Ikea 9 Place a floor lamp with a positional head near an armchair to create a reading corner. Stirrup 3 floor light, £499, Original BTC Background Plywood sheet, £20.25/183cm length, B&Q FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

COMPILED BY ALISON DAVIDSON

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GLORIOUS GARDENS WINNER

THE SECRET GARDENS An expanse of lawn divided into ямБve secluded areas has created this lush, award-winning outdoor space WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY NICOLA STOCKEN

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TRANQUIL OASIS A pumped stream, edged in astilbes, hostas, ferns and primulas, tumbles down into a lily pond that sits at the heart of one of the gardens

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 97

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tep into Julie Alviti’s flower-filled garden, and you’ll be taken by surprise. Nestled behind the back hedge is a series of smaller, secret green spaces – hidden from view and each with its own unexpected twist. It’s taken Julie 37 years to create her havens.

‘Although my garden is big, I love small ones, so I divided the plot into a series of little, secret rooms that can’t be seen from the house,’ says Julie, 62, of her three-quarter acre garden in the village of Ashford Carbonell, Shropshire.

‘The idea was to have a garden you can’t see all at once, and when you walk through it, you go round a corner and discover unexpected features, or an inviting seating area,’ she adds. ‘I love the idea of various zones with different planting schemes – I can grow such a wide range of plants.’

Her creativity really impressed the judges of House Beautiful’s recent Glorious Gardens competition, who voted her the winner of the Large Gardens category for plots of more than 350 square metres.

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Included in Julie’s stunning plot is a gravel courtyard with a gazebo, a potager and greenhouse, a stream and pond, a cutting garden and parterre, a potting shed and a cottage garden.

She and husband Frank, also 62, moved to their 500-year-old, five-bedroom farmhouse and farm in 1981, having decided it was the ideal location to launch their agricultural machinery business. At that time the plot was largely laid to lawn, with two small topiary yews, a silver birch and apple trees. Julie began by planting a black walnut and a cherry tree to cast shade for their three children. ‘The garden became their playground,’ she says.

During the early years, Julie widened the borders to make space for roses, hydrangeas, coneflowers, astrantias, cosmos, verbascums and clematis. A wooden pergola was built beside the house to support some of her 50-strong collection of clematis. ‘I love clematis,’ she says. ‘They form stunning displays when they climb all over a structure.’ She also grows climbing roses, and has chosen the orange rose ‘Warm Welcome’, which

THIS PAGE Julie Alviti in her cutting garden amid dahlias, sweet peas, zinnias, calendula and clary sage.

Behind her stands a golden-leaved Indian bean tree. The judges loved this gorgeous plan Julie drew of her garden

OPPOSITE The summerhouse garden has a box parterre and borders filled with vegetables and cutting flowers: sweet peas, zinnias, clary sage and dahlias

GLORIOUS GARDENS WINNER

GLORIOUS GARDENS WINNER

flowers in June and September, for around her front door. ‘It’s the perfect welcome into the house.’

The garden evolved over time. ‘Each year, I created a new area, but there was never a masterplan.’ She maps any new layouts onto the ground using pegs and string for straight lines, or hosepipe for curves.

Frank helped her landscape the terrace with pieces of paving, bricks and pebbles interspersed with decorative circles.

Julie’s son Kevin is a carpenter and he helped out by building raised vegetable beds in a potager tucked away behind a blackberry-covered brick wall, which today spill over with herbs, fruit and vegetables. The nearby greenhouse is full of annuals. ‘It’s busy in spring, when there are lots of seedlings to transplant out. I love it in there, tucked behind the wall where no one can see me,’ she says. Kevin also made her an outdoor potting bench as a Christmas present.

A pond overlooked by a metal arbour takes pride of place in Julie’s gravel courtyard. ‘When making a new garden area, I always like to add seating,’ she says.

‘In spring, the border is carpeted with hyacinths.’ Her

most ambitious project was designing a man-made stream and lily pond in the garden’s furthest corner. On each bank are borders that start flowering in spring with candelabra primulas, just as the moisture-loving, large-leaved plants emerge. There’s even a wooden bridge built by younger son, David, a tree surgeon.

Recently, she created a cutting garden. ‘I laid a gravel path between the beds, and worked out which plants would go best,’ she says. ‘I’ve planted sweet peas, zinnias, dahlias, cosmos and clary sage.

I love picking flowers and giving them away.’

Today, there are five separate green spaces here, each with its own distinctive feel. ‘This garden has been my life for 37 years,’ says Julie. ‘Whatever the season, and wherever I stand, it never fails to thrill.’

Julie wins £2,500 of vouchers to spend at Forest Garden, the UK’s leading producer of sheds, summerhouses, garden structures and fencing panels. Runner-up in this category was Heidi Ingram from Edinburgh, who won £700 of Forest Garden vouchers. See next month’s issue for the winners of the Small and Courtyard Garden categories. HB

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The kitchen garden, with four raised beds planted with asparagus, lettuce, herbs and rhubarb; Clematis ‘Princess Diana’; the nearly-500-year-old farmhouse is set against the Shropshire hills; purple bell vine

OPPOSITE Tucked away behind trees, shrubs and a wall, the gravel garden has a small pond and is edged with phormium, dahlias and cosmos, while box balls continue the circular theme

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 101

READER OFFER

ENJOY 20% OFF PAINT AT BREWERS Save money and transform your home with this fabulous discount

Walls painted in Sidley vinyl matt emulsion, £13.99/L, Albany Traditions, Brewers

o help you bring a fresh feel to your home, Brewers is offering House Beautiful readers 20 per cent off paint. Brewers Decorator Centres have been providing expert advice since 1904. Visit your local store to select just the right shade for your revamp, with expert decorating advice on top.

O To find your local branch just visit brewers.co.uk. If you’re too far away from one of Brewers’ 150 branches (listed on the website), or you prefer to shop online, then you can also browse and buy from designerpaint.com

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HOW TO CLAIM YOUR 20% DISCOUNT Take this voucher to a Brewers Decorator Centre or visit housebeautiful.co.uk/brewersapr18 to redeem your online code TERMS AND CONDITIONS This offer is valid from 6 March 2018 to 4 April 2018 at any Brewers Decorator Centre or online at designerpaint.com. The value of this voucher includes VAT. It cannot be exchanged for cash (cash equivalent value £0.001) and no refund will be given. Vouchers cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer/discount. The offer is strictly one per household. Multiple copies and/or photocopies will not be accepted. Brewers staff retain and process as per company systems 2.6. Product code ZX520PAINT

GARDEN NOTES Expert advice to make your outdoor space flourish

GE TT IN G I T RI G H T Before you splash out on new purchases at the garden centre, it’s worth bearing in mind Beth Chatto’s mantra: ‘The right plant for the right place.’ Here’s how to work out whether those blooms you have your eye on will work in your garden.

Be a nosy neighbour Check out what’s thriving – and what isn’t – in the gardens around you.

Read the label It may sound obvious, but if the label says plant in full sun, do so. While most plants can survive nearly everywhere, they’ll only really thrive in the right environment.

Pots of pots Using a planter gives you flexibility – you can create any eco-system you want in a container. And, of course, you can position it wherever the plant prefers, be it a sunny patio or shady corner.

Origin of the species If you’re seduced by the exotic plants that are becoming more widely available, it’s worth keeping in mind where they originated and therefore the conditions they need. : This wiIl give you an indication of what may suit.

APRIL JOBS Embark on some lawn TLC: aerate with a fork then scatter over a mix of weedkiller and feed. The key to a lovely lawn is to mow it regularly during the growing season, which starts in late spring O Sow salad leaves from seed in a window box: as long as they’re kept moist, you’ll be cropping salad all summer

WORDS KARA O’REILLY PHOTOGRAPHS ASA GREGERS-WARG, GETTY

PLANT OF THE MONTH

FRITILLARIA MELEAGRIS The delicate purple freckled snake’s head fritillaria is back in fashion. A native species, it will thrive in most gardens, but as it’s small, will look best at the front of borders. As with other spring flowering bulbs you need to plant, en masse, in autumn for a fabulous show now.

Order in June, £2.49 for 10 bulbs, Crocus

3 OF THE BEST S E C A T E U R S

Every gardener should have a pair of these Swiss-made bestsellers in their shed to make cutting through thick stems as easy as possible.

Model 2 forged metal alloy secateurs, £54.99, World of Felco

The Rolls-Royce of pruning tools, and a favourite of Monty Don, these are crafted in Japan to last forever.

Hand-forged carbon steel Tobisho SR-1 secateurs, from £79, Niwaki

Sophie Conran is a keen gardener, as well as a designer, and put both skills to use in her range of tools designed with women’s smaller hands in mind.

Sophie Conran stainlesssteel secateurs, £27.99, Burgon & Ball

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 103

Stylish Inspiration For Modern Living

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READER COMPETITION

WIN £ 2,000 OF BEAUTIFUL OAK FLOORING Three fantastic prizes to be won!

C

hoosing a new floor will transform any room, so why not bring some bespoke luxury to your home with the Småland collection from Kährs?

All designs are crafted in Sweden, where Kährs was founded in 1857. Included is the Oak Kinda design and Kährs is offering House Beautiful readers the chance to win one of three prizes of this flooring, each worth £2,000, to update a room of their choice.

Made from sustainable European oak with an individually hand-scraped surface for a modern rustic appearance, Oak Kinda is treated with a tactile nature oil that enhances its gnarled and knotty character and warm grey tone, as well as providing a durable, easy-care finish. The multi-layered construction of the flooring also gives it greater stability, so it’s ideal for use with underfloor heating.

O For more information on the Småland collection and the full Kährs range, visit kahrs.com, call 023 9245 3045 or email sales@kahrs.com

106 housebeautiful.co.uk

To enter, TEXT HBPRIZE followed by a space and then your answer to the question below and your name and address to 84915 (£1.50 plus usual network operator rate) or CALL 0905 789 0103 (80p/min plus your phone company’s network access charge; calls should last no longer than 2min*) and give your answer. Lines open 1 March 2018 and close 30 April 2018**. Alternatively, POST this completed coupon to HOUSE BEAUTIFUL/CPHSBN17938, WORKSOP S80 2RT to be received before 3 May 2018.

QUESTION: In what year was Kährs founded?

Answer Name

Address Postcode

Tel no

Email address

TERMS AND CONDITIONS *Calls from mobiles and other networks may cost more.

If you phone or text your entry after the advertised closing date, you won’t be entered but may be charged. Entry is open to residents living in mainland UK; only one entry per household. Winners will be selected at random from all correct entries after the closing date.

Service provider: Spoke (0333 202 3390). No purchase necessary. Prize is as stated, is not transferable and should not be resold. There is no cash alternative. Prize does not include installation or dismantling/removal of current floor. For full terms and conditions, please turn to page 6. DATA PROTECTION We will use the information you supply to process your competition entry. For Hearst UK’s privacy policy, visit hearst.co.uk/dp.

**

44 BEST HOME BUYS Selected by our team and an expert panel of judges, these products were all winners at the House Beautiful Awards

GOLD WINNER

BEST SOFT FURNISHINGS EVERYDAY LUXURY BEDROOM COLLECTION SAINSBURY’S HOME

SEVILLE STRIPE COLLECTION BRONTE BY MOON

A carefully curated collection of design-led essentials at great prices. Focusing on luxury, the range includes 400-thread-count Egyptian cotton bedlinen and goose feather and down pillows.

From £10 for a white frill cushion

Classic stripes are given a luxurious update in wool and angora. The cushions and throws in the collection come in 15 shades and are ideal for bringing a cosy, relaxed look to a bedroom or living room.

From £49.95 for a cushion; £89.95 for a throw

108 housebeautiful.co.uk

SILVER WINNER

BEST WALLCOVERING

GOLD WINNER

OAK TREE IN DARKNESS ABIGAIL EDWARDS

SILVER WINNER

A modern hand-drawn design featuring a gnarly oak tree with tangled vines and delicate acorns. Available in three colourways: First Light (shown), Darkness and White. £78/10m roll

GABLE FARROW & BALL Depicting a charming rural scene of picket fences, ploughed fields and farmyard animals, this intricate mural design is block printed and available in seven shades. £99/10m roll

BEST FABRIC

GOLD WINNER

SILVER WINNER

LILAEA BY CLARISSA HULSE HARLEQUIN Combining glamour with vibrant colourways, Clarissa’s contemporary botanical prints appear on a variety of fabrics, including silk dupion, linen and cotton mixes, and velvets embellished with foil.

From £35/m

PURE MORRIS MORRIS & CO Inspired by the original 19th-century designs of William Morris, this sophisticated range of printed, woven and embroidered fabrics focuses on elegant patterns in a pared-back neutral palette – perfect for today’s modern interiors. From £40/m > House Beautiful APRIL 2018 109

BEST FLOORING

SILVER

GOLD

WINNER

MARDI GRAS SAGRES VINYL CARPETRIGHT Make a statement in a bathroom or kitchen with bold geometric, tile-effect vinyl flooring that’s durable, easy to clean and affordable.

Available in grey/white or black/white. £15.99/sq metre

WINNER

LUX COLLECTION KAHRS Available in seven shades, this single-strip oak flooring has an ultra-matt lacquer finish that absorbs light, eliminates reflection and gives the appearance of newly sawn wood. £91.20/sq metre Turn to page 106 for your chance to win £2,000 of Kährs oak flooring

BEST LIGHTING SILVER WINNER

UMA SOUND LANTERN PABLO DESIGNS Stylish and functional, this innovative polycarbonate lantern with leather strap combines dimmable LED lighting and a surround-sound Bluetooth speaker, so you can stream music from your smartphone or tablet. It’s the ultimate accessory for outdoor parties and camping. £479

GOLD WINNER

J BY JASPER CONRAN GOLD LUNA MARBLED FLOOR LAMP DEBENHAMS Slim, elegant proportions and a solid marble base make this mid-century style brass lamp suitable for lighting up a reading corner. The mini table can also hold a cup of tea when you’re engrossed in the latest bestseller. £180 > House Beautiful APRIL 2018 111

BEST COOKWARE GOLD WINNER

CHEF RANGE MARKS & SPENCER Keen cooks will love this professional range of pans, utensils and roasting dishes, designed with the help of M&S in-house chefs and finished in on-trend copper, brass and marble. Marble utensil pot, £35; meat tenderiser, £12.50; chopping board, £45; mini copper butter pan, £22.50

SILVER WINNER

CAST-IRON RANGE LAKELAND The grill pans and casseroles in this collection offer excellent heat retention and robust functionality, and can withstand temperatures up to 260°C. Large curved handles make the casseroles easy to carry from the oven or hob to the table, where everyone can help themselves. From £59.99 for a 20cm round casserole dish

112 housebeautiful.co.uk

BEST BATHROOM PRODUCT

SILVER WINNER

AXOR UNO BASIN MIXER HANSGROHE For a smart, modern look, this built-in tap does away with a conventional handle and has a loop instead. It features Quickclean technology for easy limescale removal and comes in six finishes, including chrome, brass, nickel and bronze. £435 for a single-lever basin mixer with loop handle and 225mm spout in chrome

ACANTO UNITS GEBERIT Practical and functional storage is at the heart of this range of wall-hung bathroom units. Behind the sleek exterior are flexible interiors that allow for different configurations of drawers, compartments and shelves depending on individual needs.

Available in Lava (shown), Sand and Gloss White colourways. £870 for a 60cm wall-hung unit with washbasin >

GOLD WINNER

BEST TABLEWARE

GOLD WINNER

SILVER WINNER

HANDMADE CERAMIC KITCHENWARE DEVOL Hand-thrown by the company’s resident potter, Clare Fowler, each piece is unique and finished in a beautiful subtle glaze. The range includes wonderfully tactile mugs, espresso cups, lipped bowls and plates.

From £12 for a milk pourer

RICK STEIN COVES COLLECTION UNIQUE & UNITY Inspired by the deep blues of the Cornish coastline and handpainted in watercolour onto bone china, the range includes eight designs across mugs, bowls and plates.

From £10 each for a mug, cereal bowl and side plate

114 housebeautiful.co.uk

BEST HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE GOLD

SILVER

WINNER

WINNER

3N1 L SHAPE STEAMING HOT WATER TAP INSINKERATOR

CAFÉ CINO CAPSULE MACHINE DUALIT Enjoy barista-style coffee with this compact machine that won’t take up lots of worktop space. It has a built-in milk frother and programmable dosing memory to customise flavour. It heats up in just 40 seconds and turns off after 10 minutes of inactivity to reduce energy consumption. £199.98

For convenience you can’t beat a three-in-one tap that delivers cold, hot and steaming 98-degree water from one stylish design. Ideal for hot drinks and cooking, water is heated and stored in a tank sited under the sink. £769, including installation

BEST KITCHEN

GOLD WINNER

CERALSIO PORCELAIN WORKTOPS CRL STONE

BIOGRAPHY KITCHEN COLLECTION BIOGRAPHY

Tapping into the trend for ceramic surfaces, these large slab worktops create a sleek, streamlined surface with virtually no joins, have a slim 12mm profile and are stain and scratch resistant. £350/sq metre

Good quality units are designed with modern living and flexibility in mind. There are 45 door options, versatile storage solutions and a well-considered colour palette to create a unique mix-andmatch look. From £10,000 >

SILVER WINNER

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 115

BEST SMART TECH POWERVIEW MOTORISED BLIND LUXAFLEX

GOLD WINNER

This cutting-edge system allows you to raise, lower and tilt window blinds from a smartphone, tablet or the Powerview remote control.

You can also programme settings to optimise energy efficiency and security.

Duette Powerview blind, £380 for 800 x 600mm

SILVER WINNER

PURE HOT + COOL LINK PURIFIER FAN DYSON With its built-in thermostat, this bladeless fan and heater will turn off when a room reaches the desired temperature. It also purifies air using filters to capture pollen, bacteria and allergens. £499.99

BEST WHITE GOODS

GOLD WINNER

116 housebeautiful.co.uk

COMFORTLIFT BUILT-IN DISHWASHER AEG

FUSION BUILT-IN INDUCTION OVEN SILVER WINNER AKZM 8920/GK WHIRLPOOL

The bottom rack can be pulled out and lifted up to the level of the upper rack for convenient loading and unloading. It holds 13 place settings and has a handy short 30-minute wash. £999 for the integrated FSK93800P dishwasher

A removable induction shelf halves times for quick, energy efficient cooking. Multiple dishes can be made at the same time without aromas mixing and it works as a conventional oven when not in induction mode. £999

BEST CARPET OR RUG AFAW SHAGGY RUG LA REDOUTE

GOLD

A modern twist on a traditional Berber design, this stylish shaggy rug has a raw edge trim. In classic monochrome, it brings style and warmth to a contemporary living space.

It’s durable, too, as it’s made from polypropylene, but has the look of wool.

From £99 for SILVER WINNER 120 x 170cm

WINNER

QUIRKY B LIBERTY FABRICS COLLECTION ALTERNATIVE FLOORING Liberty’s iconic prints – many of which were created by William Morris – have been given a new lease of life and

woven into carpets, runners and rugs to bring pattern and pizzazz to a room. There are four designs in 10 colourways to choose from and the composition is 80% wool and 20% nylon. £149/sq metre

BEST HEATING PRODUCT SCAN 66-5 WOODBURNING STOVE JOTUL UK

SILVER WINNER

A sweeping S-shaped base with integrated log storage gives this highly efficient, DEFRA-approved model stand-out style. It also has a useful clean-glass system.

Available in black, white or Dusty Green. £2,195

GOLD WINNER

GOLD WINNER

ONI RADIATOR VASCO This wafer-thin model has an 8mm aluminium front plate that warms up and radiates heat quickly, and a low water content to reduce fuel bills.

Also available with optional cut outs for towels. From £849 for H140 x W50cm > House Beautiful APRIL 2018 117

BEST FURNITURE

GOLD WINNER

FERA OCCASIONAL TABLES RANGE CONTENT BY TERENCE CONRAN Ideal for smaller spaces, this collection includes a compact console (110cm wide) with shelf, and round and square

nests of tables, which come in pairs. The hammered brass and enamel tops rest on sleek black iron legs.

Console £529; round side tables, £329 for two; square side tables, £359 for two

SILVER WINNER

THE AMELIA COLLECTION ERCOL Perfect for relaxed, contemporary living, this collection comprises a dining table, dining chairs, coffee table, console, side tables, a sideboard and TV unit. All the pieces are made from solid ash and have a white-stained finish that allows the wood grain to show through. The dining table, featuring Ercol’s signature angled, turned legs, can be extended to seat six to eight comfortably.

Medium extending dining table, £1,170; dining armchairs, £350 each > 118 housebeautiful.co.uk

GOLD WINNER

BEST GARDEN PRODUCT DESIGN PROJECT NO96 LOUNGING CHAISE JOHN LEWIS Relax in style on a chair with an integrated side table. Made from FSC-approved acacia wood and with smart grey water-resistant upholstery, it can be used alone or with other pieces in the collection.

Chaise only, £699. Chaise, sofa and coffee table set, £1,549 120 housebeautiful.co.uk

HSA 25 CORDLESS SHRUB/GRASS SHEARS STIHL SILVER WINNER

Light and easy to use, the shears run for 110 minutes on a single charge. £109

BEST STORAGE

SILVER WINNER

GOLD WINNER

STRING POCKET SKANDIUM This functional shelf unit adapts to your living space, as it can be fitted as a single piece or as part of the larger String modular shelving system. Available in a variety of great finishes.

Shelf unit, £115

SUDBURY CONCEPT NEVILLE JOHNSON A tailor-made storage solution makes the most of a challenging space. The white shelving is adjustable to take all sizes of household items, helping to make the room feel bigger.

From £3,600, including design and installation

BEST HOME IMPROVEMENT PRODUCT

GOLD

SILVER

WINNER

WINNER

KATE FARLEY & LAYLA FAYE WINDOW FILM THE WINDOW FILM COMPANY For a quick and easy way to add privacy and decorative flair to windows, choose a film by one of these two designer collaborations.

Both are available as clear or white printed patterns.

Layla Faye Daisy Chain, £66 for a 100 x 100cm film

GLASS AND ALUMINIUM STRUCTURES APROPOS From conservatories and verandas to imposing doubleheight extensions, the company’s bespoke glass

structures – which it designs, manufactures and installs – flood the home with light.

Precision engineering and the latest aluminium frame and glass technology combine to ensure a highly efficient build.

From £25,000 > House Beautiful APRIL 2018 121

FAVOURITE HOME RETAILER OF THE YEAR GOLD WINNER

DUNELM For both a quick refresh and complete room transformation, Dunelm is your go-to store.

In this reader-voted category, you told us that you love the range of consistently stylish furniture, lighting and home accessories.

JOHN LEWIS The department store SILVER WINNER chain was recognised by readers for its standout service, inspiration and quality own-brand products. Now in its third season, Design Project by John Lewis is a flagship collection of beautiful contemporary pieces, while V&A Inspired is an exclusive series of decorative pieces that capture the creative spirit of the London museum.

FAVOURITE ONLINE RETAILER OF THE YEAR GOLD

DUNELM.COM

WINNER

A great selection of well-priced homewares, including big brands, plus a free click and reserve service have helped make dunelm.com the readers’ choice for online retailer for a second year.

EDITOR’S AWARD DOSHI LEVIEN COLLECTION JOHN LEWIS London studio Doshi Levien created this 13-piece Open Home collection to bridge the gap between high-end design and the high street. Comprising seating, tables, lighting and textiles, each piece blends Scandi modernism with mid-century Italian design.

Phulkari rug, £495 for 240 x 170cm 122 housebeautiful.co.uk

JOHNLEWIS.COM SILVER WINNER The wide selection of quality products, from home electricals and iPads to furniture and garden accessories, makes this a popular one-stop shop for House Beautiful readers.

DREAM ROOMS House Beautiful readers voted for their favourite room schemes. And the winners are….

DREAM BEDROOM SHARPS

COMPILED BY ANDREA MANLEY

When it comes to creating a relaxed, clutter-free bedroom, fitted wardrobes that make the most of the available space are a must. This smart system has interior storage for shoes, jewellery and clothes.

Element bespoke fitted wardrobes in Light Driftwood with Stone frame, from £2,000, including design, delivery and installation

DREAM KITCHEN BENCHMARX KITCHENS Pale grey cabinetry is teamed with striking wood worktops to create a light-filled contemporary space. The island, with its

drop-level counter top, offers a place to sit with a coffee or for children to do homework.

Chelsea cabinets in Matt Dove Grey, from £3,069 for an eight-unit kitchen

DREAM LIVING ROOM HOUSE OF FRASER Beautiful soft greys and earthy tones bring a smart, relaxed feel to this colonial-style living room.

Tactile fabrics, embroidered

cushions and a statement metallic coffee table add an elements of the exotic.

Palm side table, £250; Artichoke lamp, £120; Divya coffee table, £320

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 123

BOLD AND

BEAUTIFUL

For a bed that feels as comfortable as it looks, Rest Assured beds and mattresses combine form and function for a good night’s sleep

A

well-dressed, luxurious-looking bed is the centrepiece of any dream bedroom. For a truly restful night’s sleep, however, it should also be supportive, supremely comfortable and tailored to your personal preferences.

That’s why Rest Assured has made it its aim to ensure you can relax and unwind at the end of the day with a bed that’s perfect for you.

Rest Assured has been making quality mattresses since 1898 and this knowledge and expertise is evident in every product.

The company prides itself on producing beds that are wellmade and affordable, while also looking and feeling incredibly

HOUSE BE AUTIFUL PROMOTION

comfortable. The mattresses in Rest Assured’s Latex Collection, for example, include 2,000 zoned pocket springs to offer tailored support for your back and posture, topped with a blended latex pillow top for fabulous comfort. The Naturals Collection combines the same supportive pocket springs with the luxurious properties of wool, cashmere and silk. Care and attention is apparent in every detail, from the hand-tufted finish to the beautifully embroidered handles for easy rotation.

The mattresses in both collections come in a choice of three levels of comfort – softer, medium or firmer. Bed frames,

Care and attention is apparent in every detail – from the handtufted finish to the embroidered handles for easy rotation headboards and divans are also available to offer additional support, style and storage options for your bedroom. The fully upholstered Waverley bed frame (right) combines classic styling with deep-button detailing on its sumptuous headboard, and comes in 12 fabrics and three finishes for the wooden legs. The base is slatted and a matching storage ottoman is available to complete the theme.

Rest Assured’s beds and mattresses are designed and handmade in Britain, and rigorously tested for safety and quality in its accredited lab. It means you can relax, safe in the knowledge that your bedroom’s best feature will offer you a restful sleep for many nights to come. And you can save 10 per cent on selected Rest Assured mattresses and beds from participating retailers with this issue of House Beautiful.

See below. This offer is valid from 1 March to 31 May 2018.

*FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY. SEE REST-ASSURED.CO.UK FOR DETAILS

EXCLUSIVE

SAVE 10% ON SELECTED REST ASSURED MATTRESSES AND BEDS FROM PARTICIPATING RETAILERS WITH THIS MAGAZINE VALID FROM 1 MARCH TO 31 MAY 2018*

To see the full range and locate your nearest independent bed specialist visit rest-assured.co.uk

KITCHEN SPECIAL Three readers show how they met a series of very different challenges

LEVELLING OUT An inspired idea for floorboards and tiles has helped disguise uneven walls and oors, and created a striking, individual look in the process

SMART SOLUTION Martin used his carpentry skills to build storage units that match the kitchen on the opposite wall 126 housebeautiful.co.uk

LIGHTS Simple pendants add a punchy pop of colour

K I TC H E N T R A N S F O R M AT I O N S

SKYLIGHT Installing a skylight in the roof brings plenty of natural light to the middle of the ground floor

FURNITURE Martin designed the table. The pale wood adds to the spacious feel of the room and reflects the light from the skylight >

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 127

SPLASHBACK Oblong tiles were placed in a chevron pattern to complement the floor.

A line in black adds a dramatic flourish

INTERNAL POD The loo has been cleverly concealed behind walls that match the units

UNITS Budget carcasses have been fitted with bespoke doors

Deenie Lee, 38, who works in marketing, her partner, Martin Thomas, 39, a furniture and shop designer, and their children, Lilah, three, and Griff, one, live in this Victorian house in London.

The house, which is in Brockley, south east London, belonged to Deenie’s parents who’d bought it as an investment in 2003.

When Deenie and Martin were looking for a family home in the capital, they had the idea to split the property in half. They would move into one side, while the other half would still be let. Their stunning new kitchen is just one part of what was a major refurbishment.

‘Renovating the house as a whole was full of challenges, not least because the area was bombed in the war and, as well as cracks in the walls, the floors weren’t level,’ says Deenie. ‘As it was such a 128 housebeautiful.co.uk

complex build, we hired architect Tim O’Callaghan of Nimtim who came up with some clever ideas on how best to use the space.’

The first change was to extend into the loft, adding two dormer windows overlooking the back garden. A rear extension was then built, which created two kitchens and two bathrooms above. The enlarged house was then divided in two, right down the middle.

Tim had plenty of suggestions for the kitchen. He advised the couple to buy an off-the-shelf kitchen, with bamboo worktops and cupboard fronts in pre-finished ply, which the couple then colour-washed so the grain shows through. Martin then used his carpentry skills to build further storage in the living areas.

When the house turned out to be six degrees out of true, this was concealed by the floorboards being laid diagonally. To reflect the pattern, a chevron design was used for the tiles in the kitchen splashback.‘Now, instead of a tired house with wonky angles, we have a bright family home with a great kitchen, full of good ideas,’ says Deenie. ‘Having Tim working with us helped so much and we love the finished result.’

K I TC H E N T R A N S F O R M AT I O N S

WORDS PHILIPPA STOCKLEY PHOTOGRAPHY CHARLES HOSEA EVENING STANDARD/EYEVINE

SIGHT LINE The living area reflects the look of the kitchen, and there’s an uninterrupted view from the front to the back of the house

‘Now instead of a tired house with wonky angles, we have a bright family home with a great kitchen, full of good ideas,’ says Deenie. ‘We love the finished result.’

SHOPPING LIST Walls painted in Strong White, £43.50/2.5L, Farrow & Ball.

Engineered oak flooring, from £49.50/sq metre, UK Wood Floors. Kitchen carcasses, Howdens. Bamboo worktop, NEAT SPLIT The property was divided in two after being extended

from £140, Worktop Express.

Steel handles, from a selection at SDS. Equipe Masia tiles, £47.11/m, Cosmo Tiles. Nordlux pendants, from £23.95 each, The Lighting Company. HB

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 129

SHOP THE LOOK

CITRUS STYLE

RIGHT ANGLE

COMFORT ZONE

The Rosa pendant with 1m flex is perfect for hanging over the kitchen table. It costs £113.40 at Urban Cottage Industries

Choose a squarer shaped tap, such as Grohe’s Red U-spout hot water option, £2,160, for a more contemporary look

Perfect for perking up plain chairs, the Norway turmeric cushions, £50 each from Pib, are made from organic cotton

CROWD-PLEASER

TASK LIGHTING

SUPER SURFACE

Fit more people around the table with Ikea’s Ypperlig bench, £35, then push it under the table out of the way when the meal is over

Use Garden Trading’s Mast light, £35, to illuminate your worktop in a super-stylish way. It’s suitable for outdoor use too

The Typhoon marble-effect worktop saver, £12.99 at Very, is heat-resistant up to 180°C so can handle hot pans

WONDER WALLS

WINGING IT

ALL IN THE DETAIL

Arrange Craven Dunnill’s Ludlow tiles in Milk White and Squid Ink, £49.70/sq metre, in a Chevron design for standout style

This modern take on a wing chair is perfect for a quiet corner. Louis armchair in Dove Grey Smart Velvet, £1,040, sofa.com

A subtle geometric pattern on the top takes Ikea’s Olov/Linnmon table, £65, from simple to sophisticated

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

130 housebeautiful.co.uk

COMPILED BY ALISON DAVIDSON

Sunshine yellow, geometric patterns and pared-back pieces give Deenie’s kitchen a contemporary feel

K I TC H E N T R A N S F O R M AT I O N S

SPACE CREATION With no option to change the layout, clever ideas were required to increase the amount of storage in the U-shaped room

WALLS As they’re painted a similar French grey shade to the units, the space feels bigger

SIMPLE STORAGE Taller wall units with plenty of open shelving create a sense of space

132 housebeautiful.co.uk

WORKTOPS White worktops reflect light around the kitchen, while a small upstand and slate-effect sockets give a smart finish

UNITS The base units are narrower to create more floor space in the room >

FLOOR The existing wooden floorboards were sanded and resealed, with a few damaged boards replaced

BEFORE

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 133

K I TC H E N T R A N S F O R M AT I O N S

WALLS The same Hardwick White

by Farrow & Ball is used on the walls in the dining space, which helps the two areas flow

ARTWORK Kev McCoo by Steven Brown provides a multicolour hit in the dining area

Alexandra Greig, 46, lives with husband Guy, 48, and their children Hannah, 14, and Jamie, 10, in a Victorian house in Hertford where the kitchen needed updating What was your kitchen like before the renovation?

It was scruffy, didn’t have enough worktop or storage space and had definitely seen better days. I do lots of cooking so I needed a better organised and equipped room that could also work as a family space where we could all gather. The kitchen’s the main route to the garden, and as we have children and two Basset Hounds, it needed to be easy to keep clean!

Where did you start?

We looked at everything from bespoke designs to the DIY shed kitchens, but couldn’t find what I was looking for. I wanted something neutral that would be able to link the kitchen and dining areas. Then someone recommended The Hertfordshire Kitchen Co Ltd, who seemed to know exactly what I was looking for. Their designer visited us at home, then we went to the showroom to look at samples, talked through our ideas and listened to the designer’s suggestions before deciding on a painted range.

Did the room need much of a redesign?

As I wanted to keep our Smeg stainless steel range cooker – it was fairly new and I liked cooking on it – we couldn’t change the layout too much, and the dining space had already been extended so no building work was needed. The old kitchen was ripped out and the wooden floor re-sanded and re-oiled. Once the walls in both the kitchen and the family/dining area were painted, new units were fitted. We reused the butler’s sink, blinds and pendant lights, which helped the budget.

134 housebeautiful.co.uk

Tell us about the layout We wanted more space and the designer came up with some great ideas, such as making the base units a little less deep. This meant the wooden floor needed repairing in the newly exposed areas, but luckily there were some spare floorboards in our garage, which were in good enough condition to use. The wall units are also taller, almost to the ceiling, giving additional storage. We fitted a large larder fridge and dishwasher, which are both integrated to keep the run uniform. Luckily the previous owners had installed the washing machine and freezer in the basement, so the remaining cupboards could be used for storage.

What drew you to this kitchen style?

I was looking for something light, relaxed and simple and chose the Midsomer range in a Stone Grey painted finish, with open shelves and a wine rack in a textured wood finish to provide decorative interest. The walls were painted in a similar grey-green shade and we went for metro tiles with grey grout to bring the scheme together.

White solid-surface worktops and upstands are easy to clean and help to make the most of the light.

The designer suggested having a bit of fun and fitting a colourchanging under-cabinet light system, which we can control through our Amazon Alexa – I’m just getting the hang of it, but it’s the exact quirky factor I was after!

Were there any hiccups?

The whole project was remarkably smooth! Any problems were overcome easily, the whole kitchen arrived as ordered and actually came in under our £16,000 budget.

What’s your favourite thing in the room?

Apart from the whole kitchen, I love my noticeboard wall, and this one was made by covering the wall in chalkboard paint and then fitting salvaged cast iron stair risers and a grate. I find that, for a busy family, somewhere for us to put notes, meal plans and endless bits of paper is a must!

WORDS JENNIFER MORGAN PHOTOGRAPHY SIMON WHITMORE PLAN CHRISTOS PINIATIDES

TABLE Colours picked from the cow print are used to dress the eightseater table

IN DETAIL IN DETAIL MAKING

PLANS

‘The whole project was remarkably smooth.

Any problems were overcome easily, the whole kitchen arrived as ordered and actually came in under our £16,000 budget.’

THE NEW LAYOUT

SHOPPING LIST

Although the kitchen layout remained the same, clever use of space, units and colour mean the room now looks bigger, fresher and more modern.

Walls painted in Hardwick white estate emulsion, £43.50/2.5L, Farrow & Ball. Floor treated with Osmo Polyx-Oil Rapid in Clear Matt, £72/2.5L, Source Wood Floors.

Carrera white solid-surface worktop and upstand, £2,640, Minerva.

Metro wall tiles, £19.50/sq metre, Topps Tiles. Crown Imperial Midsomer kitchen units painted Stone Grey; and Textura Collection accent panels (for shelving), £9,240; Hafele Lamont knobs, £9.85 each; cup handles, £16.49 each; Essentials 600mm wall-mounted grill/microwave oven, £185; 600mm integrated tall larder fridge, £585; 600mm fully integrated dishwasher, £480; 1000mm stainless steel oven splashback, £130; Perrin & Rowe I0 pewter mixer tap with lever handles, £690; Philips HUE smart home undercabinet LED lighting system, £348; 400mm pullout bin unit, £225; slate-effect socket plates/ switches, £45; all The Hertfordshire Kitchen Co Ltd. Black matt chalkboard paint, £11.99 for 750ml, Rustoleum. Coving, £120, Coving Cornice Interiors. For similar Blinds try the 27mm Oak Wooden Venetian blind, from £15, Dunelm.

Clay bread bin and canister set, £58, Garden Trading. Kev McCoo canvas, £199, Steven Brown Art. Cushions made in Plains Eight 141781 and 141758, £23/m; napkins made in Plains Five 131180, £39/m; all Scion. Marit navy table runners, £4 each; Dinera bowls, £1.50 each; side plates, £1.70 each; dinner plates, £1.80 each; Rotera teal tealight lantern, £2; Beskara vase, £2.25; PS 2017 vase, £15; Korken bottle, £2.25; Sommar mug, £1.50; Forlaga mugs, £4 for four; all Ikea HB

LIGHTING Under-cabinet LED mood lighting is controlled by an Amazon Alexa

NEUTRAL BASE Revamping the previous sink and cooker helped keep costs down

WHAT IT COST Units Worktop and upstands Appliances Tap Paint and tiles Flooring Lighting

£9,240 £2,640 £1,250 £690 £211 £72 £348 Total £14,451

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY

WINE RACK A slither of full-height space has been put to good use with a wine rack House Beautiful APRIL 2018 135

SHOP THE LOOK

DAILY GRIND

BRICK WORKS

TRADITIONAL TOUCH

Choose coordinating accessories for a cohesive look. Oblique salt and pepper mills, £59.95, T&G Woodware

White rectangular tiles suit both traditional and modern kitchens. Metro White tiles, 39p each, Topps Tiles

A classic swan-neck tap with ceramic handles is the perfect match for a butler’s sink. Shaftesbury tap, £131, Caple

SERVE IT

ICONIC STYLE

SOLID CHOICE

A cast-iron casserole will last for years and still look good. Go Cook 4.6L casserole dish, £45, Tesco

Invest in a design that will stand the test of time. Dualit Classic four-slot toaster, £195 from John Lewis

Add depth and warmth to a neutral colour scheme with a wood floor. Reclaimed French flooring, from £120/sq metre, Indigenous

RUSTIC LOOK

CENTRE STAGE

SPACE SAVER

Slatted blinds afford privacy but also let light in. Oakwood faux wood Venetian blind, from £81, Hillarys

A glass shade is a good choice in a small room and creates a pretty focal point. Grand Paris pendant light, £75, Garden Trading

Taking up less room than chairs, a bench can be pushed out of the way under the table.

Shoreditch bench, £299, Furniture Village

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

136 housebeautiful.co.uk

COMPILED BY ALISON DAVIDSON

In a small kitchen, make the most of the light with gentle shades and touches of wood

HOUSE BE AUTIFUL PROMOTION

DESIGNS FOR LIFE Update your existing scheme with timeless furniture and accessories that are created to look beautiful in your home

B

uy once and buy well is the motto behind every piece in the Croft Collection from John Lewis.

Featuring natural materials and a neutral palette, the collection combines quality craftsmanship with classic, streamlined designs for furnishings that will look equally at home in a traditional or a contemporary scheme.

This stunning Lorn dining table and bench (above), for example, is made from solid oak sourced from managed European forests. Inspired by the trunks of the trees its wide planks are carved from, the sturdy top features a wavy edge.

Finished using natural oils to bring out the beauty of the grain, it’s robust enough to withstand family life, and can be sanded and reďŹ nished without compromising its beautiful lines.

The Croft Collection from John Lewis includes furniture, lighting, kitchenware, home accessories and outdoor living, as well as naturally dyed carpets and rugs. Soft furnishings in prints taken from handpainted watercolours and striking recycled glassware have been added to complete the new spring/summer range, which is in stores and online now.

Design integrity and thoughtful details are hallmarks of the Croft Collection from John Lewis

Visit johnlewis.com/croft to shop the Croft Collection now, or see it in person at your nearest store

K I TC H E N T R A N S F O R M AT I O N S

COLOUR

BLINDS Magnet-operated Venetian blinds have been integrated into the bifold door panels for a seamless look

BURST A yellow splashback brings a touch of sunshine to this light and spacious kitchen-diner

FLOORS Parquet ooring chimes with the age of the house and runs through from the kitchen to the lounge, unifying the different zones COORDINATED COLOUR The yellow of the splashback is picked out in accessories, including these contemporary mugs

138 housebeautiful.co.uk

BRIGHT IDEA Two skylights direct natural light over the food preparation area and dining table

CLEAN LINES The cabinets are opened with ďŹ nger grooves along the top or bottom, so there are no protruding handles

SMOOTH FINISH Matching ovens and a warming drawer are built into symmetrical wall cabinets >

BEFORE

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 139

RELAXING SPACE A restored original fireplace gives the lounge area a focal point and creates its own cosy atmosphere

Suzanne Szepeta, 37, a college course manager, lives with her husband Paul, 37, an engineer, in a four-bedroom 1920s semi in Mansfield. They created an openplan kitchen and dining space What was the existing kitchen like?

It was long and narrow, with vinyl flooring, a worn-out oven, and old-fashioned, dark wooden units. There wasn’t space for a table or seating. Next door was the dining room that we just used for storage! It was a total waste of space.

What was your dream?

A bright, attractive environment where we could relax and entertain family and friends in comfort. Knocking the two rooms together to bring cooking, eating and seating into one space was the obvious solution. We also wanted bifolding glass doors that would bring in lots of light and make more of the garden.

How did you decide on your the new kitchen?

We visited various kitchen companies for design inspiration and costings. I’d decided on a sleek bank of wall units and a central island, and as it’s open-plan, I wanted the kitchen itself to be quite low-key. I liked the idea of mixing dark and pale greys and I went for flat doors with a matt finish.

Where did you buy the main components?

A friend suggested a local firm, Colourhill Kitchens, and we were impressed with their design and the style, quality and value for money of the cabinets and worktops they offered. Most of the 140 housebeautiful.co.uk

appliances came from John Lewis as I liked the keen prices, as well as the reassurance of good aftersales service. I first spotted the herringbone floor on Pinterest. Luckily the supplier wasn’t too far away, so we visited the showroom to see the different styles before making our final choice.

What about other furniture and accessories?

Paul was really keen on having the classic, Eames-style armchair in the lounge area. We picked a dining table and chairs with a similar mid-century feel, and started building up a mix of retro and modern design. I felt a burst of colour was needed to lift the greys, so we chose to have a glass splashback painted yellow and then added some bright accessories to pull the entire room together.

Were there any issues with the kitchen design?

The island was too large for a single slab of worktop, but I didn’t fancy seeing a join in the quartz. Instead, Colourhill’s designer suggested having the contrasting walnut section, which forms a breakfast bar. It’s a real feature and everyone migrates there.

How did you manage during the work?

We had a microwave and fridge in the hall, and we did the washing up in the bath. The project took four months and although that part of the house was sealed, it didn’t stop dust ending up absolutely everywhere once the walls came down.

Is there anything you’d change?

As the room is open-plan, we do have to be quite tidy as everything is always on display. That said, I’m so pleased with how it’s turned out, and I don’t mind a little effort to keep it looking lovely.

How has the way you use your kitchen changed?

We couldn’t really have friends over before, but now there’s a lovely space to relax and entertain in comfort. Everything’s to hand, whether there’s just the two of us, or a gathering.

WORDS ANNABELLE GRUNDY PHOTOGRAPHY COLIN POOLE PLAN CHRISTOS PINIATIDES

NATURAL TOUCHES The walnut breakfast bar contrasts with the white quartz work surface

K I TC H E N T R A N S F O R M AT I O N S

DETAIL IN DETAIL MAKING

PLANS

THE NEW LAYOUT The open-plan layout creates a large sociable space with garden views and an easy flow from the cooking zone to the dining table or lounge area. Using the same colours throughout gives a cohesive look

COLOUR The yellow splashback adds just enough colour to lighten the grey units

‘We couldn’t really have friends over before, but now there’s a lovely space to relax and entertain in comfort. Everything’s to hand, whether there’s just the two of us, or a gathering.’

SHOPPING LIST

SPACE SAVER The gleaming tap incorporates hot, cold and boiling water in a stylish, single appliance, so there’s no kettle to clutter the worktops

Walls (kitchen) painted in Pure Brilliant White matt emulsion, £11.76/2.5L; living area painted in Chic Shadow and Urban Obsession paint mixing matt, £25.72/2.5L, all Dulux. Bespoke carcasses with Second Nature Remo matt doors in Dove Grey and Graphite, £14,900; solid surface white mirror chip quartz worksurfaces, £2,800, and solid walnut breakfast bar, £700; Franke ARX160 sink, £220; all Colourhill Kitchens. Dubové engineered oak flooring in Aztek, £79/sq metre, Birbek.

Neff induction hob, £809; Neff built-in electric oven, £729; Neff microwave-combi oven, £984; Neff warming drawer, £395; Neff downdraft extractor, £1,464; John Lewis wine fridge, £250; Bosch integrated dishwasher, £400; AEG fridge freezer, £614; Flos Arco floor lamp, £1,442; all John Lewis.

Grohe Red integrated boiling water tap, £1,400, Appliance House. Glass splashback, £200, Byron Glass Company, painted in Honey Mustard paint mixing matt, £25.72/2.5L, Dulux. Aluminium bifold doors with integral blinds, £6,500, Origin. Replica Tulip table, £580; and Tulip chairs, £190 each; Eames-style lounge chair and ottoman, £955; all Swivel UK. Hay About A Stool AAS32 stools, £195 each, Pink Apple Designs HB

WHAT IT COST Units Work tops Splashback Appliances Sink and tap Flooring Bifold doors

£15,000 £3,500 £200 £5,645 £1,662 £4,000 £6,500 Total £36,507

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 141

SHOP THE LOOK

SPLASH OF COLOUR Echo the hue of your splashback throughout the space. Velvet cushion in Curry Yellow, £40, Raj Tent Club

GATHER ROUND

SITTING UP

A pedestal design means no table legs get in the way. Tulip oval table with laminate HPL top, £600 from Swivel UK

High level seating works well in this scheme, and this Thelma bar stool, £99 from Made, in white and oak, perfectly fits the bill

ART ATTACK

FLAWLESS FLOORS

VERSATILE BUY

Make a statement with an original artwork. God Save The Queen Twiggy painting, from £1,391, Oh What’s This

Herringbone designs from the 1930s are enjoying a comeback. Gatehouse engineered oak flooring, £87.60/sq metre, Indigenous

If you love colour, choose bold cookware that can be taken to the table. Scoop! roasting dish, £19.95, Not Just Jugs

IN A SPIN

NICELY CHILLED

RED ALERT

Add some designer style on a budget with a reproduction of a classic. Tulip chair in plastic, £90 from Swivel UK

Keep your wine at the ideal temperature with a built-in conditioner – pure luxury.

Wine conditioner, £2,549, Miele

If yellow doesn’t appeal, try another hue that’s just as vibrant. Splashback in Spanish Red, £109 for a 90 x 60cm panel, Alu Splash

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY

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COMPILED BY ALISON DAVIDSON

Suzanne’s citrus splashback combines with wood to warm up her monochrome kitchen

KITCHEN TRENDS The latest design advice to help you create a stylish, streamlined room

3 OF THE BEST

AL L R O U N D WINN ER When you’re renovating your kitchen, choosing the same material for your worksurface, flooring and wall-cladding will give you a seamless finish.

Ceralsio is part of a new range of porcelain surfaces by CRL Stone.

As well as looking stunning, it’s hardwearing and resistant to wear

KITCHEN STOOLS

and tear, scratches and heat. ‘It can also be used in bathrooms and even outdoors without the colour fading as it’s impervious to ultra-violet rays,’ says Simon Boocock from CRL Stone. Ceralsio is available in 27 colours and three thicknesses.

The Ceralsio worktop in Ocean Stone (below) starts at £350/sq metre.

The sophisticated Flynn bar stool in Graphite Grey, £149 from Made, is inspired by classic Chesterfield sofas

With its sturdy oak frame and footrest, the House Clio bar chair, £139 from John Lewis, has a cool retro look

CUTTING EDGE Finished in black walnut wood veneer, the Q Knife Block from Robert Welch, £225, has internal sleeves with integrated magnets that keep the knives firmly in place, reducing the chances of damage and ensuring each blade’s cutting edge is pristine.

COMPILED BY ALISON DAVIDSON

UNIQUE LOOK Better known for its wood plank and stone tile-effect floors, Moduleo has launched Moods, a new vinyl in a choice of different patterns that feature a combination of their Transform and Impress ranges. Using this, you can design your own floor for a completely bespoke look. The Moods range is priced at £49.99 sq/metre.

Perfect in an industrial-style kitchen or rustic cottage, this metal stool costs just £39.99 for a pair from Studio

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 143

RED ALERT With its painted finish in trafficlight red, this oval bath is a real showstopper. Placed against a teal, half-panelled wall with striking art work, it stands out even more.

Cast-iron Bute bath with steel surround handpainted in red, £6,792, Drummonds

BATHING BEAUTIES A bathroom is a place to relax and recharge. Take inspiration from these gorgeous new looks

S P OT L I G H T O N B AT H R O O M S

PERFECT MIX Inspired by the encaustic, or cement, tiles popular in the Victorian era, these ceramic versions work beautifully in a contemporary setting.

Suitable for both walls and oors.

Victorian Centro Viena tile, ÂŁ23.99/sq metre, Tile Mountain.

For a similar bath try Ex.t >

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 145

S P OT L I G H T O N B AT H R O O M S

PURE AND SIMPLE A sleek, contemporary shaped bath takes centre stage against a wall of vintage-style tin tiles.

Opus freestanding bath, ÂŁ1,890; Lucca freestanding bath shower mixer, ÂŁ540; both Laura Ashley Bathroom Collection

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STAR BRIGHT With a distinctive star design, these encaustic tiles are handmade in Spain using natural pigments. A whole wall makes a statement while the soft colour is easy to live with.

Pradena tiles, ÂŁ5 each, Bert & May. The Albion Bath Company has similar style baths >

SEPARATE SPACE If you have plenty of room, this design is perfect. The bath and shower are behind a glass panel with a background of deep blue tiles, while the large vanity unit is separate and tiled in white.

The Clearwater Lonio bath from Soakology is similar. Bijou Gloss in Norfolk Blue and Fossil (white) tiles, ÂŁ32.50/sq metre, Craven Dunnill

S P OT L I G H T O N B AT H R O O M S

WARM WOOD Planked wood is the look of the moment, and wood-effect porcelain tiles give the same lovely warm feel but are more practical for a bathroom.

Suitable for both walls and oor.

Norway in natural, ÂŁ39.45/sq metre, Craven Dunnill >

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 149

S P OT L I G H T O N B AT H R O O M S

Crittall windows are back, and look amazing even in a shower enclosure.

The distinctly 1930s feel is offset with an elaborate floral wallpaper and a simple, contemporary freestanding bath. Drench Victoria shower doors, from £1,653 CP Hart

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COMPILED BY ALISON DAVIDSON

ART DECO STYLE

TIMELESS CLASSIC For a traditional look with all the benefits of modern materials, this sedimentary stone composite model is high gloss but warm to the touch, so there’ll be minimal temperature loss before you have had chance to jump in!

Battello bath, £2,249, Clearwater Baths FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

BATHROOM TRENDS Style advice to turn your room into a sanctuary

DI AM O N D L IFE One of nature’s most precious jewels inspired this striking bath. It’s the work of designer Kelly Hoppen and Apaiser, the luxury bath manufacturer, and is part of a new range of multifaceted products reflecting the cut of diamonds.

‘I wanted to create a collection that was a balance between hard edges and sensual curves,’ says Kelly. Each piece is made from Apaisermarble, derived from real marble but unique to Apaiser. This Kelly Hoppen Bijoux Collection bath costs £4,097, while the integrated basin is £808, which makes them real investment pieces but worth it for something so special.

Get the seal of approval When you’re buying new bathroom products, make sure they have the CE mark. This reassuring motif is an important legal requirement and means that they’ve been certified to be of a ‘sufficiently high standard’. For more information, visit bathroom-association.org

Manufactured from solid brass, the high-quality satin black finish has been applied using the latest technology for a longlasting finish.

Nero deck-mounted three-hole basin mixer tap in satin black, £540, Aston Matthews

B L A C K B A S I N TA P S

Inspired by gate valves of mid-century apartment blocks in New York, this range looks unique and would fit a stark pared-back scheme, ideal for city living.

Brooklyn three-hole basin mixer, £1,367, The Watermark Collection

The classic block shape of this tap has been sliced across the handle with an oblique cut for a striking new design, which also makes it much easier to use.

Gessi Rettangolo ‘K’ tap, from £399, C P Hart

OUT OF AFRICA Bring the colours of Morocco to your bathroom with these stylish tiles in shades of blue and grey. They’re hardwearing with a handmade look and would be perfect as a splashback in a bathroom or kitchen. Archivo Bakula tiles, £96/sq metre, Topps Tiles.

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

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3 OF THE BEST

Q& A ADVICE

ASK THE E XPERTS From interiors and gardening to DIY and eco design, our team answer your questions

PL ANT PRINTS

Q

I love all the botanical prints around at the moment, but how can I use them in a room without feeling completely overwhelmed by greenery?

INTERIOR DESIGN SALLIE CHATER Founder and director of her own interior design company, Interiorsat58, Sallie is the latest expert to join our panel. She believes in creating luxurious, elegant and original interiors at affordable prices

O We also answer questions on architecture, craft, gardening and mortgages. Email your questions to us at house.beautiful@ hearst.co.uk or post to House Beautiful, LSQ London, 30 Panton Street, London SW1Y 4AJ

O Sign up for House Beautiful’s weekly e-newsletter at housebeautiful. co.uk/emails

154 housebeautiful.co.uk

Balance out the bold impact of botanical prints by keeping to a limited colour palette

Houseplants not only look great, many can purify the air in your home too

A

Leaf and botanical prints have become one of the biggest trends of the past few years and they show no sign of losing popularity. This is because they add such vibrancy and personality to a room, and even just a few pieces can enliven neutral schemes.

There are so many variations of the style – in fact, there’s a print to suit almost every room.

Introduce the look by adding accessories such as cushions, artwork and ceramic objects that will complement your scheme. This way, the theme won’t take over.

Try not to mix leaf prints. For instance, avoid using palms alongside less tropical leaves such as ferns or others from more temperate zones. And to be certain your chosen leaf prints don’t overwhelm, try to keep to one base colour, such as emerald or moss green. This way they will work together to create a unified scheme.

Keep other colours in the room to a minimum too, to avoid the tones fighting with each other, and spread the pieces out so that your leaf print items aren’t all in one area. This will create balance and you’ll find the pieces will work together to enhance your existing scheme.

Using tropical prints, which are often oversized and dramatic, can present a great opportunity to include other fun and quirky pieces such as pineapples, cactuses and succulents.

If you’re looking for a more understated style, cushions in a simple leaf design, like GP&J Baker’s Shadow Fern, would work well alongside a multiple grid of framed prints.

Oka has some great classic prints that would look fantastic – or, as a stylish but affordable solution, you could frame a piece of botanical wallpaper.

HE ALTHY AIR

Q

I’ve read that indoor air quality can be between two and five times more polluted than the air outside. Why is this? And how can I keep the environment in my home cleaner?

ECO DESIGN OLIVER HEATH The UK’s leading expert in sustainable architecture and interior design, and a familiar face on TV

A

Health and well-being are gaining importance for everyone, and new guides, such as the WELL Building Standard, are becoming more widely known for promoting healthy indoor environments.

Many factors can contribute to poor air quality within a building, from pollutants on shoes and proximity to main roads to materials and products within the construction itself. Paints, carpets and furniture can contain airborne chemicals, some with adverse health effects, so choose furniture and products with low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to help avoid bringing some pollutants into your home.

Natural cleaning products, such as those from Bio D, Method and Ecover, are believed to be better for you, your home and its

air quality. And even plants can help. The NASA Clean Air Study showed that some plants help to filter out harmful toxins. English ivy, mother-in-law’s tongue, peace lilies and chrysanthemums are particularly effective.

Keeping your home well-ventilated is key. Open windows whenever possible or invest in continuous running extraction fans, or a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter system, which can absorb up to 99.9 per cent of contaminants.

Prices range from £80 to £600.

Finally, damp and mould can also have an impact. You can improve ventilation and use dehumidifiers to prevent damp, but with so many possible reasons for mould, it’s best to consult an expert if it’s getting out of hand. Some moulds can be toxic and may cause health problems if left or removed incorrectly.

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 155

Q& A ADVICE

WHERE CAN I FIND A...

PALE PINK SOFA?

Q

I love the look of wood flooring, but it’s so noisy underfoot, especially in upstairs rooms. Is there a way to make it quieter?

A

DIY AND PROPERTY JO BEHARI A champion for women in DIY and business, as well as an expert on using space and improving properties, Jo will help you find the answers to all your home and DIY challenges

156 housebeautiful.co.uk

Wood floors are lovely, but you’re right to consider the amount of noise they generate. Sound not only travels through a floor, but also bounces around and reverberates off other hard surfaces in a room.

All flooring will need to have underlay, so if you’re fitting wood flooring from scratch, this is a great opportunity to invest in a soundproof option. The most common type to fit under a wood floor is made from foam, but if you pick a noise-reducing style instead, it will minimise the effect of sound travelling through the floor.

This underlay is more expensive, but well worth the investment, unless space constrains the height of the floor. The underlay ranges from 2-5mm in depth, increasing in effectiveness with thickness.

If you already have hard floors and are struggling with noise, there are a few things you can do to dampen the impact. Soft

Special underlay can reduce the noise from wood floors

furnishings like rugs and wall textiles will absorb some of the noise and stop reverberations, and thick rugs with rubber slipmats underneath will work best to reduce the volume of foot traffic.

Sound-blocking curtains also provide an inexpensive solution to noise reduction – Moondream has a great range to choose from.

If the problem is coming from a floor above, you can double-skin the ceiling. This involves laying two sheets of plasterboard on the ceiling, although you’ll also have to redecorate and possibly adjust the lighting and other ceiling fixtures.

Wall panels made of soundproof foam can also be fitted (don’t worry, your home won’t look like a recording studio), or you could look into soundproof doors. These aren’t cheap, but they’re very effective in stopping noise from travelling between two rooms, although they won’t necessarily help with noise between floors. HB

The sofa you mention was from Content by Terence Conran. It has a relaxed and simple shape in a subtle pink fabric, perfect for pairing with soft greens and florals. For a similar style frame and colour, try the Isaac sofa in Petal (below) by Sofa. com, from £1,840. The large, single-cushion base and loose-cover design give it a contemporary feel, while the soft, powdery pink shade will bring a relaxed look to a room.

ALICIA FORD Junior features writer

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

COMPILED BY ALICIA FORD. PHOTOGRAPHS RACHEL WHITING; TAVERNE/SABRINA ROTHE; CAROLYN BARBER; GAP INTERIORS/JULIEN FERNANDEZ/INTERIOR DESIGNER DELLY MARTON (DELLYMARTON.COM)

TURNING DOWN THE NOISE

I fell in love with a pink sofa featured in your recent INSPIRING ROOMS supplement, so was disappointed to discover it’s no longer available online. Can you suggest one that’s similar?

HOUSE BE AUTIFUL PROMOTION

SAFE UNDERFOOT N Carpet is a smart choice for a healthy home and a stylish interior

othing beats the look and feel of carpet – it’s a fabulous finishing touch to any decorating scheme. And it’s a healthy choice too. There’s a belief that having carpet can increase incidents of asthma and allergies because the pile can harbour dust mites, but according to the Carpet Foundation’s review of the latest research by leading scientists, there’s no evidence for this.* In fact, the research has shown that carpet doesn’t provide dust mites with the humidity or temperature they need to thrive.

Instead, because of its threedimensional structure, it acts like a sponge and traps mites and allergens, which are then easily removed with normal vacuuming.

As a result, unlike with hard floors, they don’t become airborne and therefore can’t be inhaled, so in fact air quality is improved and sensitisation is reduced.

Versatile, functional and stylish – it’s no wonder carpet is the UK’s favourite floor covering.

MAIN: Sensation in Cape Diamond, from £34/sq metre, Cormar INSET: Boucle Naturals in Sloane Steel, from £25/sq metre, Cormar RIGHT: Sisool Twine in Light Stone, £120/sq metre, Crucial Trading

*REVIEW OF EUROPEAN RESEARCH PAPERS

STYLISH CHOICE There’s a style of carpet for every home. Wonderfully versatile, it suits both contemporary and traditional looks. Whether you want something understated to suit a Scandi theme in elegant neutrals, are wanting to make a statement with vibrant colours and patterns, or love a rustic look and natural finishes, there’s the perfect option to suit every style and budget.

Soft and tactile, it’s less slippery to walk on than hard floors, and with insulating

properties, it keeps rooms cosy and warm.

For peace of mind, buy from a Carpet Foundation member, with a Code of Practice approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.

See carpetfoundation.com

The Carpet Foundation is supported by these leading suppliers to the UK carpet industry: Associated Weavers; Brockway; Brintons; British Wool; Cavalier; Cormar; Cloud 9; Crucial Trading; Telenzo; Hugh Mackay; Kersaint Cobb; Kingsmead; Penthouse; Regency Carefree; Thomas Witter; Ulster; Victoria; Whitestone Weavers.

PLANNING ADVICE

Greg’s innovative design for the transformed house still brings in lots of day light, even to the lowest level

DIGGING DEEP Basements are expensive to dig out and can prove dark, but Greg Toon finds a light, bright solution

Greg Toon Architect and founder of architectural practice Potential etc…

Basements cost about double the equivalent of above-ground building works, so getting them right is important. Life coach Elaine Gerrard, 64, from Camden, London, is keen to add two extra bedrooms – one possibly with an ensuite shower – plus a bathroom, laundry room and storage room beneath her 1850s coach house. Initially, Elaine wants to use one of the rooms as a consulting room cum office. In the longer term, it will give her extra space for when her grandchildren come to stay.

THE SET-UP Elaine’s property has a paved front area used for off-street parking and, at the rear, there’s a small garden. Given the urban location, the front driveway and rear garden areas are precious.

Conventional wisdom would be to put in small lightwells so she wouldn’t lose too much external space, but the downside is that the basement rooms would be dark, with no views, and lacking in character.

THE SOLUTION My design allows for a generous amount of daylight to flow into the downstairs rooms, yet won’t

compromise the driveway or garden. The key to this option is to re-imagine the garden.

There’s no need for it to be on one level – Elaine can have pretty much the same amount of outside space as she does now, but staggered over three levels, with part of the garden on a landing next to the steps down to the basement.

By taking this more drastic approach with the garden, floor-to-ceiling windows leading to a separate terrace can be installed in the basement’s main bedroom/office. As the room is south-facing, it will be flooded with daylight and House Beautiful APRIL 2018 159

PLANNING ADVICE

BEFORE

BASIC COSTS General building works to form basement rooms.......£154,000 Alterations to rear garden.......................£55,000 TOTAL ....................£209,000 160 housebeautiful.co.uk

won’t feel too subterranean.

The second bedroom, also at the back, will have a small, structurally glazed window and both rooms will have much better views than you’d get in a normal lightwell.

On top of the significant benefits to the interior spaces, the garden also becomes more dynamic and interesting. The staggered lower levels create a degree of privacy that doesn’t exist in the current garden because it’s overlooked by tall neighbouring buildings.

An external dining area is retained at the ground-floor level, the halfway tier could be planted to give a verdant outlook, and the bottom section extends the living area of the bedroom/office.

Instead of a conventional external lightwell with French doors to the basement rooms on the front side of the house – a common trick to gain more light for basement rooms –

I’ve used an angled wall and a glazed slot rooflight. This arrangement means that it will bring in lots more daylight and make the bathroom, laundry room and storeroom feel much larger and airier.

Using a glazed partition for one wall of the basement’s corridor, which divides the spaces at the front from the rear bedrooms, brings borrowed daylight deeper into the basement area. For privacy, opaque glazing will be used for the bathroom, both for the partition and the slot rooflight, while high-level internal windows in the bedroom walls bring in more daylight.

The end result is lovely, bright bedrooms with private terraces, quirky, well-lit utility spaces, and an internal corridor that has plenty of daylight. The increase in the value of the house could easily outweigh the costs. HB

THE VERDICT

‘I’d never have imagined the back of the house the way you’ve designed it, but I love it. With the front, I’m not sure there’d be room to park both cars with the angled wall, but I love the design so much that I might be willing to give this up. Your design has inspired me to get on with this project.’

WORDS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND PLANS GREG TOON/THE SUNDAY TIMES PHOTOGRAPH OF GREG TOON MARK BOURDILLON

Two new outdoor seating areas are created, and the halfway level on the staircase can easily be brightened up with a bed of plants

HEALTHY HOME Natural and ecofriendly ideas and advice

A WA R M GLOW The flickering and enveloping scent of a luxurious candle is so enticing, but not all its ingredients are good for you or the environment. Those made from paraffin wax with a synthetic fragrance may contain harmful carcinogens that can be as bad for your health as secondhand smoke. Despite being non-toxic when burning, candles made with palm oil are worth avoiding as growing the plants for this causes serious deforestation.

Safer options include Beeswax (Try Matilda Goad, £35 for six).

It’s non-toxic when burned and releases negative ions that bind with toxins already in the air to clean it. Soy-based candles offer the greenest alternative.

(Try Pure Thoughts, £16).

TEA BREAK It looks as though you should skip that cup of tea after a meal as it inhibits iron absorption from plant-based foods such as grains, beans, veg, fruits, nuts and seeds by up to 62 per cent, while coffee reduces absorption by around 35 per cent.

WORDS CHRIS HASLAM PHOTOGRAPHS CHRIS WARNES/CAMERA PRESS; GETTY

3 OF THE BEST

RECLAIMED BEAUTY Concrete surfaces look great but aren’t very ecofriendly. With their latest concrete-style worktops though, Caesarstone may have the answer. In 45 per cent reclaimed quartz and with a rugged, textured appearance, the latest finish is smooth to the touch, stain-resistant and heatproof.

Rugged Concrete, £500/m, Caesarstone

A twist on the classic Kelim from Esprit, this patterned rug was made in India and bears the Goodweave seal to show it’s been made without child labour, under fair working conditions. Esprit Triango, from £89, Modern Rugs

RECYCLED RUGS

The Braided Rug Company specialises in handmade braided rugs that are hardwearing and full of texture – just perfect for doormats and hallways.

Wool and jute designs are available. Carnival Blue jute rug, from £32

You’d never guess this bohemian rug was made from 3,000 recycled plastic bottles! Weaver Green has a huge selection that feel more like jute or wool than plastic, and they’re waterproof too. Nomad Tarifa rug, from £160

FOR STORE DETAILS SEE WHERE TO BUY PAGE

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 161

INSPIRING HOMES & STUNNING ROOM MAKEOVERS

COMING NEXT MONTH

NEW SEASON LOOKS TO TRANSFORM YOUR HOME PHOTOGRAPH LOGAN IRVINE-MACDOUGALL

FREE!

162 housebeautiful.co.uk

HB PR JECT WINDOWS MAGAZINE 32 PAGES OF EXPERT PLANNING AND STYLING ADVICE May issue on sale 5 April

DELICIOUS RECIPES

TIME FOR TEA Celebrate the Easter weekend with showstopping cakes and traditional scrumptious treats

See recipe overleaf

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 163

DELICIOUS RECIPES

Dipped lemon madeleines MAKES 24 FOR THE MADELEINES

130g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 3 eggs 160g caster sugar, plus extra for rolling (optional) Grated zest of 1 lemon 140g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 1tsp baking powder 1tbsp vegetable oil FOR THE ICING

50g soft berries, such as raspberries or blackberries Juice of 1 lemon 100g icing sugar Small handful of freeze-dried berries, crushed YOU’LL ALSO NEED

12-hole madeleine tin 1 Melt the butter gently in a small

pan, then leave to cool. Put the eggs, sugar and lemon zest in the bowl

of a freestanding mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk for about 5min on high speed, until the eggs are light and fluffy – or a good 10min if beating by hand.

2 Into a bowl, sift the flour and baking powder, then sift again into the bowl of your mixer. Pour in the melted butter and vegetable oil and gently fold together until smooth.

3 Cover the bowl with clingfilm and rest in the fridge for at least 1hr.

Meanwhile, grease the madeleine tin with butter and dust with flour.

4 Preheat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan/gas 6–7. Spoon a little batter into each mould, filling roughly halfway, and bake in the middle of the oven for about 8min, until golden and risen.

5 Remove from the oven and either roll in caster sugar while still warm, or leave to cool on a wire rack. Regrease and flour the madeleine tin and repeat the baking process until

all of the batter has been used.

6 For the icing, blitz the soft berries in a food processor, then sieve out any pips, retaining the juice. Add a few drops of lemon juice. Place the icing sugar in a bowl and mix in the berry juice a little at a time until you have a thick, dippable icing.

7 Dip a corner of each madeleine into the fruity icing, then sprinkle with some crushed freeze-dried berries. Eat straightaway or leave to set, if preferred.

COOK’S NOTE

The batter needs to rest in the fridge for at least an hour before baking, so allow yourself enough time for this. Madeleines are wonderful warm from the oven rolled in caster sugar, but can also be eaten cool, dipped in sauces, lemon curd or even melted chocolate.

Victoria sponge with strawberries & cream See previous page SERVES 6 FOR THE COMPOTE

250g strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered 1tbsp caster sugar 1 point of a star anise (optional) A few drops of lemon juice FOR THE SPONGE

200g softened butter 200g caster sugar 4 eggs 200g self-raising flour 1tsp baking powder 2tbsp milk TO FILL AND DECORATE

200ml double cream 50g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting 1tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract) 4 small strawberries Crushed freeze-dried strawberries (optional) Crystallised flowers (optional) YOU’LL ALSO NEED

2 x 16cm-diameter cake tins 164 housebeautiful.co.uk

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C fan/gas 6. Grease the two cake tins and line with baking paper.

Put the quartered strawberries in a bowl with the 1tbsp caster sugar, stirring to coat, then set the fruit to one side to macerate.

2 Put the softened butter and 200g caster sugar in the bowl of a freestanding mixer and cream together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Crack the eggs into a separate jug and beat. With the mixer running, add a little of the egg mixture at a time, letting it combine before adding more. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition.

3 Sieve together the self-raising flour and baking powder into a separate bowl, then sieve again directly over the mixing bowl. Add the milk and beat together until everything combines.

4 Divide the batter equally between the 2 prepared tins, levelling out the surface of each with the back of a spoon. Bake for 40min or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Turn out of the tins, remove the

baking paper and leave the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack.

5 Meanwhile, make the strawberry compote. Tip the macerated strawberries and any juices into a small pan. Add 1tbsp water and the star anise (if using), and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 10min or until the berries start to collapse and the juices turn syrupy. Add a few drops of lemon juice to sharpen, then transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.

6 Whip the double cream, icing sugar and vanilla into soft peaks, transferring to a piping bag if you have one. Cut the 4 small strawberries into pieces and set both aside. Slice the very top of each cake off to create an even surface, then spoon the strawberry compote and the syrupy juices over the surface of one half.

7 Top the strawberry compote with most of the softly whipped cream and place the other cake on top.

Dust the cake with icing sugar. Cover with more cream, piping it on if you wish, then decorate with the fresh strawberry pieces, a sprinkling of freeze-dried strawberries and crystallised flowers, if using.

COOK’S NOTE

The batter can be made up to 8 hours in advance, which will give the yeast a chance to develop and impart a stronger flavour to the finished crumpet.

Traditional crumpets MAKES 6

150ml milk 150ml water 200g strong white bread flour 1tsp salt 1tsp bicarbonate of soda 1tsp caster sugar ½tsp easy-bake dried yeast 1 Combine the milk and water in a pan to gently warm through, 166 housebeautiful.co.uk

then set aside. In a large bowl, sieve the flour, then add the salt, bicarbonate of soda and sugar and make a well in the centre.

2 Add the yeast to the well, then slowly pour in the warmed liquid, whisking as you do so. Draw in the flour a little at a time until it has all been combined, and the batter is smooth and lump free.

3 Cover the bowl with clingfilm

and leave to prove for at least 1 hour or until the batter has increased in volume and bubbles appear on the surface.

4 Place a mini non-stick frying pan (roughly 12cm in diameter) over a very low heat. Spoon some of the batter into the pan and gently dry fry for a few minutes, until holes appear and the top of the crumpet sets. Then

remove from the pan, add more batter, and fry another crumpet.

Continue until all of the batter has been used.

5 Once the crumpets have been cooked on the hob, they can be toasted under a grill (avoid putting them in a toaster, as the bottoms may burn). Spread with your favourite topping and enjoy hot.

DELICIOUS RECIPES

Celebration carrot cake SERVES 6

250ml vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing 225g carrots, topped, peeled and grated 4 eggs 250g caster sugar 225g plain flour 1½tsp bicarbonate of soda 1½tsp baking powder 1tsp ground allspice 1tsp ground cinnamon TO FILL AND DECORATE

Cream cheese frosting (see cook’s note)

180g toasted walnuts (optional) YOU’LL ALSO NEED

2 x 16cm-diameter cake tins 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the bottom of the tins with baking paper.

2 Give the grated carrots a firm squeeze to remove any excess moisture. Place in a large bowl along with the eggs, sugar and oil and whisk together, either by hand or in a mixer. In a

separate bowl, sieve together all of the dry ingredients, then sieve again directly on top of the wet ingredients. Sieving twice will help to incorporate the raising agents equally throughout the flour, giving an even rise.

3 Whisk to combine, stopping the moment that everything comes together, then split the batter equally between the prepared tins.

4 Bake for 35min, or until an inserted skewer comes out

clean. Turn out onto a wire rack, remove the baking paper and leave to cool completely.

5 Slice off the very tops of each cake to create a flat, even surface. Generously spread one with cream cheese frosting, then put the other cake on top. Finish with more frosting and decorate the sides with toasted walnuts, using a few halves to decorate the top edge. A posy of fresh flowers can be used as added decoration, if you like.

COOK’S NOTE

For the frosting, put 200g full-fat cream cheese and 40g softened unsalted butter into the bowl of a freestanding mixer and beat until well combined. Sieve in 250g icing sugar, add 1tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract) and beat until smooth.

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 167

DELICIOUS RECIPES

Blackcurrant scones MAKES 10-12

500g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting 1tsp baking powder 110g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed 110g caster sugar 120g frozen blackcurrants 220ml milk TO FINISH

1 egg yolk 1tbsp demerara sugar (optional) 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Into a bowl, sieve the flour and baking powder. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2 Add the sugar, stirring through, then the frozen blackcurrants (using frozen berries makes it easier to add them to the dough without bursting) followed by most of the milk.

3 Mix the ingredients together, adding the rest of the milk if needed.

Stop the moment the dough starts to hold together.

4 Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, bringing the mixture together with your hands, then roll out to around 3cm thick. Cut out as many scones as you can using a 6cm round cutter and bring the remaining dough together to re-cut.

5 Place each scone onto the lined baking sheet and rest for 15min.

Add a few drops of freshly boiled water to the egg yolk and whisk.

Brush the top of each scone with the egg wash and sprinkle over some demerara sugar, if using.

6 Bake for about 15min, or until golden and cooked through. Cool completely on wire racks before slicing in half and spreading with your choice of fillings. HB

Recipes taken from Soulful Baker by Julie Jones, with photographs by Lisa Linder (£20, Jacqui Small) 168 housebeautiful.co.uk

COOK’S NOTE

Lightness of touch is key here – overworking the flour once the milk has been added will result in a heavy, tough scone.

Come and experience a VIP day at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Enjoy afternoon tea in Jardin Blanc – Raymond Blanc’s private hospitality area – and try the delicious flavours of Taylors of Harrogate’s tea and coffee range YOUR VIP TICKET INCLUDES:

Set in a peaceful corner of the renowned London show, Jardin Blanc is a partnership between the RHS and Raymond Blanc OBE, chef patron of the two-Michelin-star Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire

Join us there!

Entry to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show on Saturday 26 May 2018 (8am-5.30pm) Access to our private Jardin Blanc hospitality area (11am-4pm) Welcome drinks on arrival Afternoon tea plus Taylors of Harrogate tea and coffee available throughout the day A short address from Raymond Blanc An exclusive goodie bag Tickets are strictly limited and cost £210 each including VAT and booking fee TO BOOK, visit hearstlive.co.uk/jardin-blanc-2018

A D V E R T I S E M E N T F E AT U R E

STYLISH LIVING Create your dream living space LITTLE SHOP OF LTD Beautifully made jewellery books that hold earrings, necklaces and rings. Soft padded pages keep precious jewels tangle and tarnishfree. Designed to sit elegantly on top of a dressing table or easily pop into a suitcase for travelling. Large palette of colours available.

For details of stockists and colours, visit our website. www.littleshopof.co.uk 020 3371 1522

COSY WREN Cosy Wren is a Cheshire based creator of soft furnishings, providing comfort and style to your home.

Our handmade doorstops make wonderful gifts but we think you deserve one of your own! www.cosywren.co.uk

BUTTON DOLLS Magical handcrafted fairy dolls sewn with love in beautiful rural West Sussex. Made from tea-dyed calico, dressed with beautiful fabric and embellished with trinkets and trims vintage and new, our dolls make special gifts for daughters, mothers and friends.

Call 01903 893266. www.buttondolls.com

FRETWELLS Fretwells is a small family business comprising of husband and wife team Ross and Tracy Fretwell. The company strives to create affordable, individual pieces from oak and reclaimed wood.

With a unique twist on the classic coffee table, their designs are creative and strikingly original. Every piece is handmade from locally sourced oak, giving each table a completely original finish. www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Fretwells

HOUSE OF SLOANE LIGHTFLIGHTLIGHTING Lightflightlighting is a small workshop in Paisley, Scotland. It produces an eclectic collection of unique fabric covered, handmade lamp shades and fairy-lights.

Colourful, contemporary and nature inspired.

A variety of styles to suit individual tastes. www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Lightflightlighting www.lightflightlighting.com

House of Sloane is a luxury British interiors brand with a modern take on classic glamour.

We specialise in bespoke statement pieces of furniture hand built here in England.

The Oyster chair is the latest in our collection, oozing 1950’s glamour! She is perfectly proportioned with her curvy frame and deep seated pearl cushion.

Available in a range of designer velvets.

From ÂŁ1250. BEAUTIFUL20 for 20% off online. www.houseofsloane.co.uk 0151 3050196

A D V E R T I S E M E N T F E AT U R E

HOME COMFORTS Design your home this month

CLASSIC AND ELEGANT CUTLERY DESIGNED FOR MODERN LIVING This delightful range is Old English mirror finish stainless steel with dishwasher safe cream handled knives.

Exclusive price – Set for six people at £300, this includes six seven-piece place settings (as shown) and two table spoons.

A set for four people costs £220.

Prices include VAT and UK delivery. www.glazebrook.com Tel: 020 7731 7135.

BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOUR WOOD FLOORS! The Bona Spray Mop and Cartridge System – the easy, safe and effective way to keep your wood floors clean. Recommended by wood floor professionals, this award winning mop is always ready to go without a bucket! Just squeeze the trigger to release a mist of Bona Wood Floor Cleaner and simply wipe away the dirt. Awarded “Best Wood Floor Cleaner” in independent tests, it gives a professional quality, streak free clean.

Kit includes: Spray Mop, refillable Bona Wood Floor Cleaner Cartridge and washable Microfiber Cleaning Pad. Find your local stockist or shop online at bona.com

NOTICE BOARD STORE Notice Board Store® British Hand Made Memo Boards. Elegant solutions for your notes, messages and pictures. Simple beautiful modern classic designs in a selection of prints and colours for ambient interior styling.

Treat yourself or someone you love.

View the range at www.NoticeBoardStore.com instagram @noticeboardstore

GARAGEFLEX Having designed and installed bespoke storage solutions nationwide for over 10 years, Garageflex have helped hundreds of customers create their ideal fitted garage. Offering a flexible range of wall storage solutions including cabinets, shelves and bike racks as well as a choice of resin or tiles for your floor, Garageflex can help you create your perfect space. Our design consultants will visit your home to discuss your exact requirements so you can be sure the solution will fit your needs.

Visit www.garageflex.co.uk to find out more and download your free brochure or call us on 01491 579975.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T F E AT U R E

TREAT YOURSELF Look good, feel great

1

Before

After

IF ONLY IT HAD SLEEVES DISCOVER BEAUTIFUL SKIN WITH REGENTIVTM (Retinol) Minimise lines and wrinkles, crepey eyes and neck, sun and skin damage with The Specialist Serum’s advanced retinol, vitamin E and aloe vera. Look younger longer with the anti-ageing serum professionals are raving about.

From £29.95 with FREE UK p&p. To receive exclusive 10% reader discount, apply code HB4 at checkout. www.regentiv.co.uk or Tel: 01923 212555 for advice or to order.

See website for full range and special offers.

Most women have hang ups about the upper arms. Bingo wings ring any bells?

With so many sleeveless garments on the high street this little gem will open up any wardrobe and give the wearer immediate confidence. Underdress Sleeves are attached to a cropped bodice which sits comfortably under a sleeveless dress or top. Available in over 40 colours, seven different fabrics, three sleeve lengths and numerous designs.

As we are MADE IN THE UK, we even offer a bespoke service.

See more at www.camiconfidential.com or call 0161 427 1881 for a free brochure.

2

3

SARESS® – ULTIMATE BEACH DRESS – £10.99 Say goodbye to the awkward sarong!

No knots or ties just a loop at two corners so you slip it around your back, thread opposite arms through for an elegant flattering beach dress in seconds – it’s sensational! Slimming, cool and comfortable. 19 designs, five sizes, two lengths. As seen on TV. Tel: 01902 750657. www.saress.com

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR STRESS INCONTINENCE WITH A PELVICTONERTM

IT'S NOT JUST A PLATE… …but an easy weight loss programme managed just by the eye.

Lose weight eating anything you love!

And if you prefer a digital programme, join the Diet Plate® online, to lose weight on the go with the latest technology. thedietplate.com/the_diet_plate_online • The Diet Plate online – join now.

• Diet Plates for all the family.

• Made from fine earthenware in the UK. • Proven 6x's more weight loss.

• 3x's more control over T2D. • Plates £19.99, Bowl £14.99 exc. p&p.

• Online £1.92 a week 3, 6, 9 or 12 months.

Buy from www.thedietplate.com or call us free on 0800 644 0166.

Embarrassing leaks are a symptom of a weak pelvic floor – the good news is they can be stopped with simple exercises.

This is where the PelvicToner can help. It is clinically proven to help strengthen your pelvic floor, NHS approved and available on prescription. It can also be purchased without prescription for only £29.99 delivered.

Designed to be used at home without supervision, it comes discreetly packaged with everything you need to start exercising straight away.

So what’s stopping you?

To find out more, or to purchase a PelvicToner™, visit pelvictoner.co.uk or call 0117 974 3534 today.

KRILL OIL – THE NEW SUPER OMEGA 3 Research now shows that krill oil is superior to fish oil due to its unique phospholipid superstructure omega 3, antioxidants and brain nutrient choline.

Krill oil is now seen as the gold standard in omega 3 supplements. Silvertown Health krill oil is eco-harvested to protect nature deep in the purest Antarctic seas to provide unparalleled omega 3 quality.

RRP £24.95 – House Beautiful Offer only £16.97 + p&p (60 capsules up to two months supply) plus House Beautiful readers also get two free home spa face masks with their first order.

Online order/more info www.silvertownhealth.co.uk or Tel 24 Hour Order Line – 0345 0956903.

Home Directory GARDENS

Create a space you’ll love to spend time in...

CS200 ÂŁ594.99

Every item from our extensive range of sustainable teak garden furniture is expertly designed for style and comfort. The Brompton Teak Extending Dining Set with folding chairs will ensure that everyone has the space to enjoy alfresco gatherings in the sunshine. :H RÎ? HU D ZLGH UDQJH RI JUDGH $ WHDN EHQFKHV IURP FODVVLF WR FRQWHPSRUDU\ VXFK DV WKH $VFRW ZKLFK IHDWXUHV a distinctive oval backrest.

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Teak Steamer Chair LT602 ÂŁ189.99 FREE CUSHION WORTH ÂŁ79.99

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HOME INTEREST

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For a FREE brochure or no obligation design consultation Call us today on

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HISTORY IN THE MAKING

T UES REQ UR YO URE CH BRO

Handmade in Nottinghamshire

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FOR DETAILS OF CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PLEASE TELEPHONE 020 3728 6260 OR VISIT WWW.HEARSTMAGAZINESDIRECT.CO.UK

173

T R A D I T I O N A L B R I T I S H U P H O L S T E RY Makers of Fine Leather Furniture for Generations

ASPEN 3 SEATER SOFA WAS £1769 - NOW ONLY £1249

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To view our entire range or to order your free colour brochure call 01443 771222

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Removable, washable and now even more affordable at just £299

Madrid 2 seater sofa was £399 ‐ now only £299

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174

FOR DETAILS OF CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PLEASE TELEPHONE 020 3728 6260 OR VISIT WWW.HEARSTMAGAZINESDIRECT.CO.UK

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For a FREE colour brochure call 01495 244226 or visit www.sofasofa.co.uk

What’s missing from an Albion bath?

Excessive Weight.

Our unique material is strong and durable, yet weighs around 1/3 of the cast iron equivalent.

Request your brochure on: 01255 831605 or go to: www.albionbathco.com

FOR DETAILS OF CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PLEASE TELEPHONE 020 3728 6260 OR VISIT WWW.HEARSTMAGAZINESDIRECT.CO.UK

175

WHERE TO BUY 1882 Ltd 020 3002 8023; 1882ltd.com bigail Edwards abigailedwards.com AEG 0344 561 1611; aeg.co.uk Albion 01255 831605; albionbathco.com Ali Miller alimiller.co.uk Alternative Flooring 01264 335111; alternativeflooring.com Alu Splash alusplash.com/uk/ Amara 0800 587 7645; amara.com Andrew Martin 020 7225 5100; andrewmartin.co.uk Annie Sloan 01865 803168; anniesloan.com Another Brand 020 7738 2424; anotherbrand.co.uk Another Country 020 7486 3251; anothercountry.com Apaiser apaiser.com Appliance House 0330 002 0229; appliancehouse.co.uk Apropos 0800 328 0033; aproposconservatories.co.uk Argos 0345 640 3030; argos.co.uk Arket 020 3868 9990; arket.com Arlo & Jacob 0333 122 1537; arloandjacob.com Aston Matthews 020 7226 7220; astonmatthews.co.uk Atkin & Thyme 020 3768 7775; atkinandthyme.co.uk Ayers & Graces 01582 536760; ayersandgraces.com aileys 01989 561931; baileyshome.com Bard & Brazier 0121 270 2222; bardbrazier.com Barker & Stonehouse 0333 355 9397; barkerandstonehouse.co.uk Beaumont & Fletcher 020 7352 5594; beaumontandfletcher.com Benchmarx 01372 385915; benchmarxkitchens.co.uk Bert & May 020 3673 4264; bertandmay.com

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Bethan Gray bethangray.com Bialetti bialetti.com Bio D biodegradable.biz Biography 01325 505590; biographykitchens.co.uk Birbek Floors 0113 320 0463; birbek.com Braided Rug Company 01654 767248; braided-rug.co.uk British Home Store (The) 0333 733 1000; bhs.com Bronte by Moon 01943 873181 brontebymoon.co.uk Broste Copenhagen 00 45 3639 0300; brostecopenhagen.com Burgon & Ball 0114 233 8262; burgonandball.com Byron Glass Company 01623 456677 aesarstone 0800 158 8088; caesarstone.co.uk Caple 0117 938 1900; caple.co.uk Carpetright 0330 333 3444; carpetright.co.uk Cassandra Ellis cassandraellis.co.uk Cath Kidston 0333 320 2663; cathkidston.com Claire Owen Cakes claireowencakes.com Clippings 020 3808 9449; clippings.com Colefax & Fowler 020 8877 6400; colefax.com Colourhill Kitchens 01623 869358; colourhill.co.uk Conran Shop (The) 0844 848 4000; conranshop.co.uk Contemporary Home (The) 0845 130 8229; tch.net Content by Terence Conran 020 8150 8380; contentbyterenceconran.com Cosmo Tiles 0141 420 1122; cosmotiles.co.uk Coving Cornice Interiors 020 8245 4467; coving-cornice.co.uk Cox & Cox 0330 333 2123; coxandcox.co.uk CP Hart 0345 873 1121; cphart.co.uk Craven Dunnill 01746 761611; cravendunnill.co.uk CRL Stone 01706 863600; ceralsio.co.uk Crocus 01344 578111; crocus.co.uk

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Grace Souky gracesouky.com Graham & Brown 0808 168 3795; grahambrown.com Grohe 0871 200 3414; grohe.co.uk abitat 0344 499 1111; habitat.co.uk Hampson Woods 020 8985 1055; hampsonwoods.com Hannah Nunn 01422 646118; hannahnunn.co.uk Hansgrohe 01372 472001; hansgrohe.co.uk Harlequin 020 3457 5862; stylelibrary.com Heal’s 0333 212 1915; heals.com Helen Hallam helenhallam.com Hertfordshire Kitchen Co Ltd (The) 07415 158888; herts.kitchen Hillarys 0800 916 6524; hillarys.co.uk Holloways of Ludlow 020 7602 5757; hollowaysofludlow.com Home Address 0772 040 1955; homeaddress.co House of Fraser 0345 602 1073; houseoffraser.co.uk Howdens howdens.com Hyde Inside 01885 410321; hydeinside.co.uk kea 020 3645 0000; ikea.co.uk Imogen Heath imogenheath.com Indigenous 01993 824200; indigenous.co.uk Insinkerator 01923 297880; insinkerator.co.uk amjar Flowers 020 7358 5414; jamjarflowers.co.uk Jennifer Manners 020 3648 6865; jennifermanners.co.uk John Lewis johnlewis.com Jøtul 01527 506010; scan.dk/uk ährs 023 9245 3045; kahrs.com Keep It Vintage 0781 387 8242; keepitvintage.com a Redoute laredoute.co.uk Lakeland lakeland.co.uk Lara Bohinc larabohinc.com Lara Gorlach laragorlach.com Laura Ashley Bathroom Collection 01225 303929; laura ashleybathroomcollection.com Lee Bealing Stonemasons Ltd stonemasons.org.uk Lighting Company (The) 01643 707505; lightingcompany.co.uk

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Linenme 020 8133 3853; linenme.com Little Greene 020 7935 8844; littlegreene.com Loaf 0845 468 0697; loaf.com LSA International 01932 789721; lsa-international.com Lundhs 00 47 3312 1164; lundhsrealstone.com Luxaflex luxaflex.co.uk abel & Rose 01993 878861; mabelandrose.com Made 0344 257 1888; made.com Maisons du Monde 0808 234 2172; maisonsdumonde.com Marks & Spencer 0333 014 8000; marksandspencer.com Matilda Goad matildagoad.com MBrace Interiors 0752 117 7909; mbraceinteriors.co.uk Melanie Williams melaniewilliams.co.uk Melin Tregwynt 01348 891225; melintregwynt.co.uk Method methodproducts.co.uk Miele 0330 160 6600; miele.co.uk Minerva minervaworksurfaces.co.uk Mink Interiors 01892 547049; minkinteriors.com Mipic mipic.co Modern Rugs 01388 663738; modern-rugs.co.uk Moduleo moduleo.co.uk Moondream moondreamwebstore.co.uk Morris & Co 020 3457 5862; stylelibrary.com Mud Australia mudaustralia.com Murmur murmur.co.uk Museum Selection 0844 477 6550; museumselection.co.uk Mylands 020 8670 9161; mylands.co.uk eal’s Yard Remedies 0845 262 3145; nealsyardremedies.com Neptune 01793 427300; neptune.com Neville Johnson 0161 873 8333; nevillejohnson.co.uk Niwaki niwaki.com Not Just Jugs 020 7254 9996; notjustjugs.com Not on the High Street 020 3318 5115; notonthehighstreet.com

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25 Steven Brown Art 01292 501740; stevenbrownart.co.uk Studio studio.co.uk Style Library 020 3457 5862; stylelibrary.com Swivel UK 020 7100 7454; swiveluk.com Swoon Editions 020 3319 6332; swooneditions.com &G Woodware 01275 841841; tg-woodware.com Tate & Darby tateanddarby.com Tesco Direct tesco.com/direct Tile Mountain 01782 223822; tilemountain.co.uk Toast 0333 400 5200; toa.st Tom Dixon 020 3696 4950; tomdixon.net Topps Tiles toppstiles.co.uk Twentytwentyone 020 7837 1900; twentytwentyone.com K Wood Floors 01252 308395; ukwoodfloors.co.uk Unique & Unity 0845 605 9699; uniqueandunity.co.uk Urban Cottage Industries urbancottageindustries.com anessa Arbuthnott vanessaarbuthnott.co.uk

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House Beautiful APRIL 2018 177

WHAT MY HOME MEANS TO ME SAFFRON HARE

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Saffron’s home overlooks Harrogate’s Valley Gardens. The family love to play games. Saffron travels to India every year. James Hare’s Mikado fabric

Born into a family of silk makers, it’s no surprise that Saffron Hare, 44, uses rich colours and textures in the Harrogate home she shares with her two children, Oliver, nine, and India, seven

My five-storey Edwardian terraced house in the middle of Harrogate has been home for over a decade, and I’ve recently revamped it, bringing in a new, fun style. I fell in love with the location – just opposite Harrogate’s lovely Valley Gardens – as well as its big windows.

Yellow units in my Clive Christian handmade kitchen were starting to look very old-fashioned, so I painted them a more contemporary shade of stone grey. I also added an island in the middle of the kitchen and a breakfast bar for the children.

I wallpapered the hallway using one of our James Hare designs in a textured weave with neutral stripes. It creates a lovely warm welcome when you step into the house.

Although it looked impressive, my old hardback sofa was uncomfortable. I bought a really soft one instead from sofa.com, covering it with our Carnaby Velvet fabric.

MY INSPIRATION I was so lucky to be born into the James Hare family business and raised surrounded 178 housebeautiful.co.uk

by colours and fabrics. I’m in charge of buying and direction. I always keep the walls in my house neutral so that twice a year, when I fall in love with our latest range, I can redo my cushions and accessories.

Travelling to India is part of my job and I love it, but it doesn’t influence my interiors. It’s all too easy to become wrapped up by the environment you’re in and buy bright colours that don’t quite translate to a British home.

Having studied history, I love incorporating pieces from the past into a modern home.

In pride of place in our bathroom is the original sketch of our company logo – it’s the horse and carriage that used to take my great-greatgrandfather, who founded the company, to work. It was the Ferrari of his day!

Growing up in a large house in the Yorkshire countryside, we always had lots of beautiful paintings on the walls. I really love oil paintings – they’re a fabulous way of bringing colour into the house.

One of my favourite possessions is an imposing grandfather clock, given to me by my aunt. I find myself looking back to

my childhood and striving to recreate a welcoming home for my own children.

FAMILY LIFE Nothing makes me happier than cooking good, hearty meals, with the children or my friends around so I can chat as I cook. I prefer round tables, so it’s easy for everyone to join in the conversation. I bought one on the high street and had an extension made so it can seat 12.

It was important to me that the children had their own space, so in the basement there’s a games room with sofas and beanbags, and skateboards hanging on the walls.

My retreat is my bedroom, where I can shut the door and relax. Sometimes, I go upstairs at 8.30 in the evening to watch television or read. I believe bedrooms should have calm surroundings, which is why I’ve chosen blues and greys to decorate mine.

We all love playing board games on a Saturday, so we’ll often sit down for Monopoly.

With friends popping in and out all the time, I love my loud, lively house. HB To see the fabrics, visit james-hare.com

WORDS AMANDA CABLE PHOTOGRAPHS ALAMY; GETTY; ANNELI MARINOVICH

WHERE I LIVE

HB PR JECT

GARDENS TRENDS O ADVICE O PLANNING O PLANTING

BEFORE & AFTER Fabulous transformations

WHAT PLANT WHERE Easy planting guide

DESIGN IDEAS Latest garden looks

Create your perfect plot

PLANNING

YOUR PLOT

Whether you’re starting from scratch or have inherited an established garden, here’s how to make the most of your outside space modern garden is rarely used only for growing flowers and food — it also doubles as an extension to the home, an outdoor room for relaxation, play, entertaining and exercising. Few people are lucky enough to move to a home with a perfect garden, but improving what’s there or creating something entirely new is possible with good planning, thoughtful design and learning about plants, mainly through trial and error.

A

FIRST STEPS When it comes to revamping a garden, the first step is to identify how it will be used, so that the new layout suits your lifestyle and needs.

For most, a patio or decking area geared towards entertaining is essential but, increasingly, people also want to chill out in a tranquil sanctuary, soothed by the scent of flowers and sound of water. On top of this, if you know you won’t have much time, you might want a plot that’s low maintenance, or if you have children

or grandchildren, you could plan a hard-wearing play area. At this stage, consider whether you want to encourage wildlife into your outdoor space, so you can set aside somewhere for nature, and also if you’d like to grow flowers and vegetables, whether that’s in beds, planters or raised containers, or a mixture. Don’t forget about storage too, such as sheds and chests, for tools and furniture.

GATHER INSPIRATION Before starting to sketch out a design, it’s worth flicking through magazines and plant and outdoor furniture brochures and books for inspirational images of gardens, plants, colour themes and furnishings. Also take into account the natural restrictions of your garden – is it on a slope, does it have difficult soil or is it too shady or sunny? – your budget and, realistically, how much time you’ll be able to spend on its upkeep.

If budget is tight, focus on improving the difficult areas of your existing space, so changes create that maximum impact for minimum effort and expense.

IMPROVE, DON’T MOVE Consider what can be saved but made to look better, especially with more permanent structures such as paths, patios, decking, lawn, beds and borders, hedges, screening, walls and fences. Tired paving, for example, can be transformed by jet-washing and re-pointing joints, while a fresh layer of gravel can restore an unkempt path.

Decide early on about lighting — installing an electrical supply as an afterthought can be difficult and costly.

Outdoor lighting changes the mood and adds a touch of magic. In addition, looking from indoors on to a floodlit patio makes the interior seem more spacious.

Also study the plot, noting where sun or shade falls at different times of day and, ideally, in all four seasons. Places for seating and eating should be protected from wind, nosy and noisy neighbours and full sun or deep shade, so look beyond the garden’s boundaries to see how protected or overlooked the site is.

Most importantly, analyse the soil type (find test kits online) to ensure new plants are compatible — unsuitable impulse buys are a waste of money. Gardening guru Beth Chatto, always advises ‘right plant, right place’ and, with good labelling and a wealth of information available on the internet, it’s never been easier to search out plants for specific conditions.

It helps to view the space as a series of multifaceted, linked activity zones, separated by walls formed from stone or brick, trelliswork, fencing panels, bamboo screens or hedging. Each ‘room’ is designed just as you would an interior, considering proportion, colour, texture, furnishings, ornaments, lighting and stylistic themes. Garden ‘rooms’ also have floors, with a wide range of coverings to choose from, as well as >

LEFT A gravel paths encircles a box-edged bed of purple and white planting, which includes a pretty froth of alliums, foxgloves and sweet rocket 2 housebeautiful.co.uk

HB PROJECT GARDENS

WELL DESIGNED This town garden is divided into three sections, but blurred boundaries create a sense of flow.

O Circles often make an O When starting a new expanse of ground feel design, study the space smaller, but when set from a good vantage within a rectangular plot, point such as an upstairs they maximise the depth window. Then measure of the planting at the the plot’s dimensions and sketch out a scale corners, which makes the space seem larger. plan. Garden design software is a fun way O Here, the lawn is of trying out different enclosed in a circle layouts that can be of small paving slabs, mocked up in situ, using separated by wedgeshaped areas of pebbles pegs and string for straight lines, or hosepipe — an inexpensive way of creating clean edges. for curved edges.

O A kitchen garden O Ideas for such at one end is partly practicalities as veiled by tall planting disguising compost in a central border. heaps, hiding bins or siting a rotary dryer need O Neighbours’ views of to be incorporated into the garden have been the plan. Also consider blocked by a mix of what views you’d like trees and shrubs and from the house. ivy trained up fences.

HB PROJECT GARDENS

COUNTRY GARDEN A country garden offers more scope for a variety of planting options. add drama, especially O Close to buildings, if planted with a fiery plant tulips and crown imperial fritillaries in hot, blend of red and gold ‘Abu Hassan’ tulips vibrant colours to hold and sedge. the eye. Cool blue hues further away help create O Position seating and the illusion of space. relaxing areas to make the most of the light.

O Big terracotta pots

ceilings in the form of tree canopies, pergolas, canvas awnings and overhead beams — the only variable is the plants.

The average garden is small, so consider space-efficient ways of defining different spaces. For example, paths, lawns and planting can double as natural divisions.

Living screens can quickly develop from fast-growing plants such as non-invasive bamboos, miscanthus grasses or evergreen photinia and pittosporums. At this stage, ideas for such practicalities as disguising compost heaps, hiding refuse bins or siting a rotary dryer need to be incorporated into the plan, and pathways planned accordingly. And, don’t forget to take into account what views you’d like from the windows.

As a general rule, the area closest to the house should be architectural, with hard landscaping creating a smooth transition between the house and outdoor space.

4 housebeautiful.co.uk

Further away, the design becomes less formal. Use walls, terraces, patios, paths, trees and overhead structures to provide a permanent framework to hold the constantly changing shrubs and seasonal flowers.

Once the basic shape is in place, consider colour schemes. Choosing a single paint colour to use on all woodwork is unifying. Try Farrow & Ball or Cuprinol Garden Shades for a range of exterior paints that complement the natural environment. When it comes to hard landscaping, there are two golden rules. The first is that new paving or brickwork should blend with the existing architecture of the house. Second, avoid choosing more than three different landscaping materials within a small space. Before making a final choice, bring home paving samples to study wet and dry, and to check that they blend with existing materials. HB

ABOVE A box parterre, its central bed planted with Elaeagnus x ebbingei lollipops above Ivory Giant wallflowers, cotton lavender and white tulips

THE LATEST

TRENDS

Update your outside space to suit your style

CONTEMPORARY LOOK A water cascade is set into a dry-stone wall flanked by bamboos, palms and acers.

O Up-to-date design is all O Low maintenance is about spaciousness and paramount, with lawns clean lines and a focus increasingly replaced by on hard landscaping, artificial grass — seen creating a seamless link from a distance, the best between inside and out. examples are hard to tell apart from the real thing.

O The emphasis is on And it needs little more straight edges and than an occasional hose cubes, with circular shapes in wall openings, down or vacuum to keep pools or paving features. it looking immaculate all year round.

O Tactile materials abound, such as stone, O Low hedges of clipped decking, glass, steel box, yew or lavender and concrete moulded will accentuate different into curvy armchairs areas of a garden and and sleek planters. changes in level.

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 5

HB PROJECT GARDENS

TRANQUIL HAVEN Turn a small space into a calm corner with a circular patio edged in sensory plants. or coneflowers to create O Mimic key flower a visual rhythm. colours – purple, blue and white – in the O Compile groupings furnishings. of three or five plants that gel, forming a O Create a sleek, scheme to punctuate the contemporary look borders at key intervals. by designing a raised, circular stone patio O Grow undemanding contained within louvred ornamental grasses, fence panels and add a adding form and body. curved bench.

O ‘Green up’ boundary walls and fences with O In a small garden, fragrant evergreens repeat accent plants such as white foxgloves such as star jasmine.

6 housebeautiful.co.uk

TRENDS

SECRET HIDEAWAYS Outdoor rooms are ideal for reading and relaxing and even better when shielded from view. intended for relaxing O A garden building or structure is often one or entertaining. of the most dominant O From the outset, plan features in a garden, fast-growing planting so its style, size and to draw the building position need to be into the overall scheme, carefully chosen. softening and enhancing.

O Check the views, not O Take account of what’s only of the building behind the structure – an as seen from the house, ugly backdrop will mar but also the outlook the effect. Try and find a from the room, good spot and add plants particularly if it’s that complement it.

HB PROJECT GARDENS

GROW TO EAT A cook’s garden can be simple to create – this potager could be built in a weekend, using planks for raised beds, separated by gravel paths laid over a weedproof membrane. into heavy soil will make O Supports, such as it easier to work. rusty iron obelisks, cane wigwams and hazel O Raspberries tolerate sticks are ideal for beans, partial shade and are courgettes or sweet peas an easy, space-efficient to climb up. and rewarding crop.

O The key to high O Mint is very invasive, yields lies in soil fertility so always grow it in a and health, so it’s worth large pot, with sufficient regularly adding compost soil that it does not dry and well-rotted manure. out in summer.

O Problem soils need O Try ‘double harvest’ special treatment – root vegetables such incorporating organic as turnips, beets and matter into light soil kohlrabi, which produce will help it hold moisture edible leaves to be picked and nutrients, while a few at a time, before the digging sharp sand mature root is harvested.

TRENDS

FOR ALL THE FAMILY More people are creating areas where children can enjoy the garden too. these areas fenced-in, O Place a brightly O Teach children and secure lids on painted children’s about the origins of water butts. playhouse beside common foods by the main lawn so the growing edible plants, O Avoid toxic plants, family can enjoy the such as raspberries, and give children a garden together. courgettes, tomatoes, plot to grow sunflowers and nasturtiums.

O If you have a sandpit, carrots and potatoes. make sure it has a O Ponds are ideal for O Children learn so sturdy, cat-proof lid dipping or observing much about wildlife in that’s securely in frogs and dragonflies, a garden, so find places place at all times but always under close for birdfeeders, baths when it’s not in use. supervision. Keep and nesting boxes.

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 9

HB PROJECT GARDENS

CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND This modern town family garden, based on a circular theme, has a play area carefully screened behind evergreens in the far left corner. pebbles. Complete with a O Encourage spending time together as a family green roof of succulents. by creating several O Borders close to play different seating and areas are best filled with eating areas to use at resilient planting that different times of the day. recovers quickly from stray footballs or frisbees.

O Once children are old enough not to need O Plant small trees with constant supervision, airy canopies – maples screen off unattractive or dogwoods – to shade trampolines with tall areas of lawn where planting such as bamboo young children can or photinia. safely play on hot summer days.

O As a summer holiday project to share with your O Create secret walkways children, build an insect behind tall borders or house from any leftover hidden spaces for small bricks and tiles, straw, tents or dens for older lengths of cane or children to play in.

10 housebeautiful.co.uk

TRENDS

COURTYARD GARDEN Pots of hydrangeas, palms and box soften this pared-back outdoor space. earn their place, not only O Present-day planting in terms of growth rate tends to be bold but and easy care, but also simple, focusing on with striking foliage, handsome architectural flowers and forms trees and bushes that have impact all year round throughout the year.

– try box and palms.

O Use lighting to create different effects. LowO Build up a year-round evergreen backdrop, then voltage lights set into add limited colour – white walls and paving indicate pathways; and uplighters hydrangeas or blue agapanthus for example. and downlighters add a romantic feel to O Select plants in a seating areas. confined space that will

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 11

HB PROJECT GARDENS

TRADITIONAL COTTAGE Key to this look are herbaceous borders planted with cottage garden favourites, such as delphiniums, campanula, feverfew, foxgloves, hardy geraniums and prairie mallow. for moss to creep in.

O Much of a cottage garden’s charm lies in its Edge in ground-hugging glorious muddle of flower thyme and lavender and foliage, so add to the bushes for fragrance. spontaneity with selfO Minimise weeding seeding plants such as with dense planting, verbenas, campanula focusing on groundand alchemilla. covering perennials, O For that elusively rustic such as hardy geraniums, fleabane and oregano. look, build paths from reclaimed bricks laid O Create vertical interest lengthways with with roses or clematis sufficiently wide cracks trained up obelisks.

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JUNGLE FEEL Here, a city garden is planted with huge-leaved Chinese rice paper plants, Tetrapanax papyrifer, bananas and Dicksonia antarctica – tree ferns.

O Always check an exotic and warmer winters have encouraged migrants plant’s label for the minimum temperatures such as cordylines, phormiums, bamboos, it can tolerate. ginger lilies, cannas and O Plant tender exotics Australia’s red bottlebrush. in a sheltered, southfacing position in early O For a jungle-like effect, summer, so the plant has plant a backdrop of six months to establish leafy, exotic evergreens before winter. such as bananas, palms, yuccas, Astelia O Do not plant frostchathamica and tree tender species without first planning adequate ferns: then add the protection – over-winter flowers of tender salvias, agapanthus, arctotis, in a conservatory.

O Many exotic plants are hibiscus and angel’s trumpets. HB hardier than they look,

HB PROJECT GARDENS

OUTDOOR

LIVING

Create an area where you can relax or entertain friends and family

PLAYING WITH FIRE This outdoor room has been furnished with a pizza oven and seating.

O As an alternative to a barbecue, the oven creates a focal point and adds to the sense of room.

O A pergola helps to define a dining area.

Covered in climbers, it will provide privacy, shade and an intimate feel.

O Opt for a calming planting scheme of green foliage and white flowers.

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1 GET GRILLING Once you’ve finished barbecuing, you can push the cooking plates aside and use the bowl as a fire pit. Grill ’17, £999, morsoe.com 2 LIGHT IT UP An open basket design is perfect for everyone to gather around in the garden. Barrington fire pit, from £110, gardentrading.co.uk 3 BOWLED OVER Make a statement with the Miso firebowl in Nougat, £3,300, paloform.com 4 ITALIAN FLAVOUR No room for a built-in pizza oven? Try this compact design on wheels. Jumbuck Naples pizza oven, £264.99, homebase.co.uk

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FURNITURE

ON THE TERRACE

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From lounging to dining, create the perfect spot.

O Wooden decking has a natural, welcoming feel, making it ideal for a relaxation area (1). Options range from narrow-grooved boards to smooth, wide planks. They can be stained or left untreated to silver with age.

O Choose lightweight, UV-resistant polyrattan furniture with cushions in water-resistant fabrics.

O Create privacy by using raised flowerbeds and surround yourself with the colour and scent of sun-loving achilleas, heleniums, salvias, lavenders, sea hollies and scabious.

O If you’re short on space or have a balcony, then a bistro set is a good choice, with chairs that can be folded away (2).

O Bring a patio to life and conceal plain walls with pots of plants and small trees.

O Use rugs to ‘anchor’ the area and place the furniture near to the house so it’s easier to take food out and dirty plates in (3).

First work out how many people will use it and ensure there’s enough space to seat guests.

A bench is a good option for children.

O Soften the edges of a decking area with airy ornamental grasses, such as golden oats and purple moor grasses.

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4 BOLD CHOICE Add a splash of vibrant colour to your patio with the retro-styled Salsa chair, £140 for two, johnlewis.com 5 SUN SEEKER Recline in comfort on the Hamilton sun lounger, £199.99, very.co.uk. It can be adjusted into five positions 6 RED ALERT Give your outdoor dining table a colour refresh with some new chairs, which can be stacked for easy storage over the winter. Skin chair, £103.50, calligaris.com 7 ROCK STEADY Enjoy a sundowner as you relax on the Bloomingville rocking chair, £285, outthereinteriors.com

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 15

MAKING YOUR

GARDEN GROW Few plots are perfect – here’s our guide to dealing with tricky conditions

DRY & SHADY O Evergreen shrubs and trees cast shade, so raise their canopy to let in moisture and light.

O Before adding a new plant, soak its rootball first. Place into a deep hole half-filled with moisture-retentive compost. Water weekly until established.

O To increase moisture retention, create a dense ground cover of foliage, and mulch heavily with bark chippings in spring.

O Introduce lighter

tones that lift the shade by choosing plant varieties with variegated leaves.

O In spring and during hot spells, thoroughly soak the ground once every 10 days – this will encourage deep root penetration.

O Plants that tolerate dry shade include epimediums, black mondo, hellebores, ivy, pheasant’s tail grasses and stinking irises.

In this shady space, a bed planted with hostas, Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’, Solomon’s seal and hellebores encircles a large terracotta pot.

HB PROJECT GARDENS

WATERLOGGED O Improve drainage

by digging in horticultural grit, sand or fine gravel – about one bucket per square metre.

O Improve the consistency by mulching heavily in spring with compost.

O If the area keeps getting waterlogged, build raised beds

(a minimum height of 30cm) for plants that cannot cope with wet roots, filling with good loam laid over a 5cm layer of gravel.

O Plants that tolerate heavy, boggy clay include arum lilies, aruncus, primulas, darmera, marsh-marigolds and irises.

This split-level garden, which has a sunken terrace, raised pond and steps leading to raised wooden beds, is planted largely with herbs and borders of late-flowering summer perennials.

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1 Iris sibirica (Siberian iris) A moisture-loving, rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial with a pretty purple bloom 2 Hosta ‘Paul’s Glory’ (plantain lily) A leafy perennial with heart-shaped, wrinkled leaves and yellow inners, that likes damp shade 3 Primula bulleyana (Bulley’s primrose) An early-summer-flowering perennial that thrives in damp soil and partial shade, with blooms in sunset hues House Beautiful APRIL 2018 17

HB PROJECT GARDENS

HOT & DRY O A hot, dry site

is ideal for creating a gravel garden.

Small plants may be swamped by gravel, so plant on a low mound in a circle of pebbles to raise above ground level.

O To conserve moisture and for easier maintenance, cover well-dug soil with a weedproof,

semi-permeable membrane. Secure it with stakes, then cut two crosswise slits to plant through. Once planted, cover the membrane in a 3cm depth of gravel.

O Seaside plants love hot, dry spots, and include sea holly, sea kale and sea lavender.

This seating area within a gravel garden, is screened by banana and yellow-groove bamboo, with a stepping stone path made from slate tiles laid on end.

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SLOPING O Plan the drainage to avoid flooding, ensuring walls have weep holes.

O Retaining walls prevent soil erosion, and can be built from brick, stone, timber sleepers,

gabions, log palisades or concrete blocks.

O A safe tread for steps outdoors is 30-45cm deep, tilting downwards to prevent rainwater from collecting.

Here, a steep hillside plot is tamed with a raised bank planted with ornamental grasses and perennials – hardy geraniums, salvias and campanulas.

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1 Geranium ‘Rozanne’ This hardy variety spreads well, making it ideal for a slope, and flowers for months from early summer 2 Salvia verticillata ‘Purple Rain’ (whorled clary) A bushy perennial with pinkish-purple flowers that last well into autumn 3 Campanula persicifolia (peach-leaved bellflower) This tall herbaceous perennial looks great at the back of a sloping, informal plot House Beautiful APRIL 2018 19

HB PROJECT GARDENS

LONG & NARROW O Laying planks from side to side in a narrow space creates a feeling of greater width.

O Create an element of surprise at each twist and turn on the path with a water feature, small sofa or statue.

O Clothe boundary fences with climbers, slender trees and shrubs.

O Warm shades advance towards the eye, and cool ones recede, so use this to make your garden look shorter (see plants below).

This garden measures just 3.7 x 25 metres but looks wider thanks to the curved path and planting designed to conceal boundary fences.

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1 Rhododendron ‘Canzonetta’ This evergreen azalea has deep-rose-pink flowers and small leaves that often turn bronze in winter 2 Rhododendron yakushimanum (‘Mist Maiden’) Masses of pink flowers appear on this evergreen azalea from late spring 3 Hosta ‘August Moon’ (plantain lily) A perennial with green, textured, heart-shaped leaves that appear in late spring 20 housebeautiful.co.uk

OVERLOOKED O Island beds planted with tall specimens can be set into a lawn to block views from neighbouring houses.

O Create privacy by planting small evergreen trees along the boundary.

O Increase the height of fencing with wooden trellis or horizontal wires

for training crab apples or a variety of climbers.

O Install sailshades, awnings or pergolas covered in fast-growing Virginia creeper or vines above seating areas.

This will create a secluded space that can’t be seen from upper windows.

Here, like in many suburban and city gardens, the space is overlooked, but trees and plants provide natural screens. HB

HB PROJECT GARDEN MAKEOVER

‘WE’VE MADE THE MOST OF OUR SMALL SPACE’ With clever planning and planting you can create an oasis of calm in the smallest patch, as this garden shows

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hen Judith Strong moved to her Victorian house in south-west London, the 18 by 7 metre walled garden was a rectangle enclosed in narrow borders. ‘I became increasingly frustrated because there wasn’t enough space for all the wonderful plants I wanted to grow,’ says Judith.

A gardening friend suggested an octagonal lawn edged with triangular flowerbeds, as it would be more interesting and provide plenty of space for planting.

‘Another advantage of the eight-sided lawn is that it reinforces the garden’s formal framework, especially in winter when the potted box balls in each corner really stand

out,’ says Judith, who has colour-themed each flowerbed. ‘At first glance, it may not look very organised because my planting style is informal,’ explains Judith, ‘but a colour theme helps focus the mind – I chose hues that I like living with and they flow from one bed to the other.’

Judith loves entertaining outdoors, so she created a stylish patio with handmade terracotta tiles near the house. A decision was made to keep an old apple tree that overshadowed the patio. ‘The tree adds great character, so it was incorporated into the scheme,’ she says. Even though it’s a shady spot, Judith has successfully established epimediums, corydalis,

Solomon’s seal and bugle beneath the tree.

Another place for relaxing is the raised terrace at the end of the garden. It has a Lutyens-style bench and is the perfect sport for catching the evening sun.

One design decision Judith is particularly happy with is the placement of urns on each side of the lawn. ‘They create the impression that the lawn is wider than it actually is,’ she says. A paved path connects each space. ‘In summer, the plants flanking the path shoot up and partly screen the lawn,’ says Judith. ‘That way you just catch inviting glimpses from the sitting room, rather than seeing the whole garden in a glance.’

BEFORE The 18m x 7m space felt exposed and needed bigger flowerbeds as well as a new terrace and patio.

AIM HIGH Including tall topiary in the flowerbeds adds another level of interest to the garden, as does the potted holly on the terrace 22 housebeautiful.co.uk

AFTER Creating an octagonalshaped lawn meant that Judith could have bigger owerbeds, packed with mixed planting including mature shrubs such as standard holly, euphorbia, choisya, coronilla and teucrium. The lush and tranquil space has a new path, which adds interest.

HB PROJECT GARDEN MAKEOVER

‘THE VIEWS ARE FABULOUS ALL YEAR ROUND’ This medium-sized plot was revamped to rival the surrounding scenery

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hotographer Nicky Wagstaff was delighted with the lovely views over the Thames when she moved to a riverside property in Shepperton, Middlesex. However, the uninspiring garden needed renovating and she new it would be a challenge. ‘I wanted to strike a balance between preserving the views, while also creating a beautiful but lowmaintenance space,’ she says.

To add to the dilemma, the house stands 1.3 metres above ground level, dominating the garden, which can be viewed from a picture window stretching the full width of the property. ‘You see the entire garden in one glance, so the view needs to be lovely, every day of the year,’ says Nicky.

She wanted a contemporary space that matched the house but was sympathetic to the natural setting. After several abortive attempts at a layout, Nicky consulted a garden designer. ‘He advised that, in order to preserve the views, taller planting should be on the boundaries, increasing privacy from neighbouring gardens,’ she recalls.

The designer also rejected curves in favour of a clean, stylish look, with straight lines and a rectangular lawn. This acted as a counterbalance to the mixed borders containing evergreens for year-round structure, perennials and bulbs for seasonal splashes of colour, and ornamental grasses to blend with the natural environment.

‘As a result, the design seamlessly links the house with the riverbank,’ says Nicky.

Several English oak cubes form a stepped, sculptural backbone running through the planting to a summerhouse.

Work started in autumn 2005 and tonnes of old concrete paths, stone slabs and ailing shrubs were cleared, while barrowloads of topsoil were imported to replace the worn, gravelly soil. A carpenter built a riverside deck and installed a new louvred fence along one boundary, creating a uniform backdrop to the longest bed. The main

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BEFORE The 25m x 11.5m riverside garden needed a revamp, including a burst of colour, a new lawn and a better connection with the river.

lawn was levelled and prepared for reseeding to take place once the beds were planted. In the interim, the lawn was covered with old sheets of plywood and hundreds of small, pot-ready plants placed on top. Then, come one Easter weekend, Nicky positioned the plants in their respective beds, according to the designer’s plan. ‘The planting took a full week and, with all the bending and digging, I could barely stand by the end of it,’ she says.

But the result was worth it. Today, by late May, the ‘oak cube bed’ erupts in a froth of purple alliums, aquilegia, erysimum and foxgloves swaying above evergreen box balls and hebes. Beside the deck, purple veronicastrum attracts droves of bees, while the longest bed peaks later in the summer with verbena, salvias, sedum and grasses, their seedheads lasting long into winter.

‘This garden is a great joy,’ says Nicky, ‘and the views from the window are glorious.’

ARTISTIC TOUCH Oak cubes act as a sculpture in one of the borders, and echo the wood used in the summerhouse and the new riverside deck (just seen)

AFTER A more modern look was achieved with a rectangular lawn surrounded by beds of euphorbia, sedum, grasses, box and aquilegia. The far bed by the river, which includes iris and cotton lavender, is topped by a mass of white libertia.

HB PROJECT GARDEN MAKEOVER

‘THERE’S SO MUCH TO BE DISCOVERED’

Dividing a large garden into different ‘rooms’ can turn an ordinary outdoor space into an extraordinary one

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hen art teacher Paul Minter and his partner Michael Weldon, a costume supervisor, moved to their Victorian property in east London, they were keen to create a garden from scratch. For the first couple of years, they surveyed the plot in all seasons and weathers before arriving at an overall plan. ‘The garden is very long,’ explains Paul, ‘so it made sense to create a symmetrical design.’

They both admire the formal yet quirky early-20th-century gardens such as Hidcote and Sissinghurst and wanted to copy them in their own plot, but obviously on a much smaller scale.

Within the symmetrical framework, the planting could afford to be more informal, which gave them lots of scope as some areas of their plot were difficult. ‘Different parts of the garden have varying soil depths and amounts of sun, so growing conditions fluctuate within a small

BEFORE The long 50m x 9m garden consisted of a single large lawn edged by narrow flowerbeds full of plants that were past their best.

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area,’ explains Paul. ‘Also, we didn’t want to be able to see the whole garden from the house.’

As a result, the 50 metre x 9 metre space is divided into three distinct, similarly-sized sections by a yew hedge and then a brick wall. The yew hedge started life as tiny plug plants, bought from B&Q for 99p each. Within a decade, the yews were 2.5 metres tall and had filled out to form a dense screen that separates the garden’s first two ‘rooms’, creating a dark green backdrop to the jewel-like flower colours filling the beds in spring.

The beds are edged in brick mowing strips that also provide a pathway in wet winters. There are a number of Whichford pots planted with box topiary, bulbs or annuals. This is all very different to the third ‘room’, which is a miniature woodland.

‘Now the garden is mature, it has the symmetry we wanted, but the informal planting has softened the scheme and made it feel magical,’ says Paul. HB

AFTER The large town garden is transformed with a central path edged with daffodils, box, forget-menots, comfrey and pots of tulips. Across the lawn is a yew hedge that largely conceals a central courtyard and a miniature woodland at the far end.

HB PROJECT GARDENS

FINAL

FLOURISH Style your garden by lighting it up and adding some colour and interest with plants

LIGHTING Lighting will enhance your space and create the perfect atmosphere, so it’s worth investing in good quality designs.

Festoon light bundle, £130, lights4fun.co.uk

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1 ELEGANT TOUCH Create an intimate atmosphere with the gentle glow of candlelight. Hurricane candle sconce, £99, jim-lawrence.co.uk 2 HANG IT This modern design is ideal for positioning low over a dining table. Oslo pendant light, £162, hollowaysofludlow.com 3 RETRO CHARM Hand-forged in steel, this wall light will add a decorative element to your outside space. Coach lantern, £240.50, jim-lawrence.co.uk 4 CAGED BEAUTY Add some industrial style with this steel design in a smart charcoal finish. Harbour cage light, £50, coxandcox.co.uk

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FINISHING TOUCHES

PLANTERS Planters and pots are a great way to bring the garden onto the patio or deck and can be grouped together for impact.

1 Planters, from £85 each, gardentrading.co.uk 2 Allure Soft pots, from £59, elho.com 3 Metal plant stand, £125, moderncountrystyle interiors.co.uk

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4 TOP TRIO Create a focal point on your patio with terracotta pots at varying heights. Standing pot holders, £95 for three, outthereinteriors.com 5 COLOUR POP Bring interest to your table with this eyecatching pot. Benito planter, £25, habitat.co.uk 6 THINK BIG Ideal for larger plants and small trees, this smart pot is made from synthetic materials so it won’t fade or crack in cold weather. Allure Ribbon, from £69, elho.com 7 DOUBLE IMPACT Showcase your favourite plants in these contemporary designs. Concrete planters on stands, £179 for two, outandoutoriginal.com

House Beautiful APRIL 2018 29

FINISHING TOUCHES

FABRICS Outdoor fabrics have moved towards bolder, patterned designs that are perfect for warm summer days. Use scatter cushions to update existing furniture. George Home Cocoon chair, £169, direct.asda.com

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1 PICK OF THE BUNCH For something different, opt for a beautiful flower image on a waterproof cushion. Camellia/Gaura lindheimeri cushion, £49.50, botanicalcushions.com 2 IN THE SHADE Bring an exotic feel to the patio with a parasol in vibrant fuchsia and tangerine shades. Etta parasol, £412, eastlondonparasols.com 3 THINK PINK Make a statement with bold extra seating. Links pouffe, £170, dashandalberteurope. com 4 FLOOR SHOW Give your outside space a cosy feel. Herringbone French Blue rug, from £52, dashandalberteurope.com

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HB PROJECT GARDENS

EXPERT

ADVICE

TV gardener Katie Rushworth shares her tips and ideas to help you improve your garden

ALL WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY NICOLA STOCKEN

1 Containers Group differentsized pots together with colourful flowers such as muscari and narcissus, or use evergreens with varied forms and foliage such as box ball, phormium or plum-leaved heuchera, which will look good all year.

K ATIE RUSHWORTH Garden designer, author and one of the team on ITV’s Love Your Garden

2 Lighting This is often overlooked, yet it can really add a wow factor. Uplighting a tree in the evening creates a fantastic focal point, and lit pathways and lights in flowerbeds always remind me of balmy nights on holiday. Plus, you’re bound to want to spend longer in your garden during those summer evenings if it’s filled with the warm glow from outdoor lamps.

3 Outdoor buildings A shed can take up a large area of

garden, so painting it a bright hue makes a feature of it.

Linking the colour to your furnishings or planting is another way to unify the area.

4 Furnishings Using soft furnishings in the garden that mirror the interior of your home will connect the two spaces.

5 Architectural plants Any plants with huge, interesting leaves make a good talking point. Rodgersia, tetrapanax, and gunnera all look wonderful, if you have the space for them.

I also like trimming all the leaves from the bottoms of bamboos that have coloured stems – having a metre or so of golden or black stem topped with green lush foliage looks especially dramatic.

6 Colour Don’t be afraid to use it! It not only looks exciting, but repeating a specific shade creates cohesion in your garden. A pot full of red tulips by the door, a vibrant blue shed with sunflowers against it or a container full of bright exotics will always lift your spirits.

7 Sensory garden Having soft, tactile plants by paths and seating areas feels good, and packing scent into a garden is a must. Fragrance is a huge memory stimulator, and has a dramatic effect on our mood.

I love having heavily scented plants around doors and seating areas. Being surrounded by perfume – or simply catching a whiff of something nice when I arrive home from work – gives me great pleasure. HB House Beautiful APRIL 2018 31

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GARDENS

Free with April 2018 issue housebeautiful.co.uk