Small house,big ideas

Architect Sophie and civil engineer Sarah certainly brought their work home with them when they took on the tricky extension of their own Victorian end-of-terrace. Making use of every centimetre of space possible, they designed side and rear extensions which...

Something to say: TASIS The American School in London

Chantal Gordon, Head of Modern Foreign Languages at TASIS The American School in London, gives us a glimpse into their approach to language education As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of education, language acquisition stands as a cornerstone in preparing...

All is Calm

Architect-trained interior designer Hannah Benton’s relocation from London to Deal has opened up lots of new opportunities for her and her young family, including the chance to combine expertise with her interior designer mum, Belinda, to rebrand Evernden Interiors as...

A house, transformed

Following her appearance on Season 4 of Interior Design Masters, Charlotte Fisher’s interior design confidence has rocketed. Here, she guides us round her own home, a complete renovation project that she’s tackled over the past five years with her husband,...

A house well travelled

Alec and Heidy’s very unusual oast house is a delightful cultural melting pot of styles from all over the world Human resources leader Alec and his Mexican wife Heidy didn’t set out to become interior designers. However, having now renovated...

Pattern & Purpose

Interior designer Justine Hodgson-Barker was tasked with creating a rural retreat for a couple who divide their time between town and country, taking into account their love of fabrics, texture and colour Down a leafy lane, in the picturesque middle...

Natural Blend

Recipe developer and cookery teacher Charlotte Butterworth’s house is centred around her spacious Neptune kitchen, where she has created a new heart for this impressively proportioned family home Sometimes, when buying a house, it’s all about a feeling. You’ve only...

Fair stands the wind

A history lover’s dream, Abbots Cliff House in Capel Le Ferne, near Folkestone, is full of stories waiting to be discovered by guests who book a stay at this very special clifftop house Iconic landmarks don’t come up for sale...

Paving the way

Jo Arnell discusses what you need to consider when embarking on a quest to create the ultimate hard landscaping in your garden Lawns are lovely to walk and sit on in the summer, but not so tempting when the weather...

Through the looking glass

A magical lodge nestles amid ancient woodland, creating a perfect haven – with minimal impact on the precious environment In the many years I’ve been writing about lovely houses for this magazine, there has been one constant: the outside is...

Interior with real identity

Justine Hodgson-Barker’s personality-led approach to interior design has ensured the success of her interiors business. Here she shows us inside her own home which epitomises her love of combining different eras and styles to great effect On the day I...

An Artists’ Retreat

Creative couple Alexa and Robin Easterby have escaped the city to turn their lockdown relocation into a thriving artists’ community that continues to flourish The serious desire to change their lives and focus on new creative endeavours was one of...

Two Pocketfuls of Rye

Sisters Cherry and Heather formed the perfect partnership to revamp a pair of historic cottages in Rye’s picturesque Citadel Rye Citadel, sitting up on the hill above Romney Marsh, is a medieval high point in a sheep-speckled landscape that was...

New Tricks

We explore the Canham family’s kitchen, a barn conversion transformation that mixes traditional touches with modern a twist to make a truly timeless space The Canham’s kitchen was once a cow shed and haybarn, but it’s now a bright, modern...

The house on the hill

With the help of a practice of skilled architects, the Elms have succeeded in creating a stunning multi-functional family space that works in perfect harmony with both their professional and home lives Garry and Camilla Elms had first glimpsed the...

Finding the light

Alex Jørgensen guides us around his Edwardian townhouse, a renovation project that he’s managed to complete in just one year It was a Monday in November and despite some unseasonably good weather recently, the rain had settled in today. Nevertheless...

STRONGER TOGETHER – Eastbourne College

Eastbourne College tell us about a wide variety of projects which enrich their school life and beyond Eastbourne College is one of thirteen schools/colleges in the Coastal Schools Partnership (East Sussex). We love working together as it provides a high...

Welcome to the Fun House

Justin and Imogen open the doors to their fabulously cool renovation project, tucked away behind the shops in Rye High Street It takes a brave man, or woman, to leave the buzz of East London for a quiet coastal town...

Living Over The Shop

A creative couple found the perfect spot for their home – and their boutique – in the very centre of Hastings In a first for all the many (lovely) houses I have written about for this magazine, my visit to...

Art of the Home

There’s more to interior designer Charlotte Luxford’s suburban semi than meets the eye, with its charming, art-filled interiors – not to mention the view On the face of it, Charlotte Luxford’s 1930s home in central Sevenoaks is much like any...

Natural Identity

A unique family home – which also doubles up as an impressive holiday rental through Bloom Stays – caters for the needs of multiple generations in the idyllic Kent countryside  Over the past two years it has been the lack...

Past, Present, Perfect

The renovation of an early nineteenth century house was a labour of love for Caroline, Stephen and their family, who strove to keep the integrity of the building, whilst sensitively updating the interior for modern living  If you’ve found an...

Dine with a View

From the airy blue of a far reaching seascape to endless heaps of rolling hills, one of our favourite things about living in the South East is the amazing scenery. And what better way to enjoy the many sights our...

Time To Shine

Liz Cruttenden has updated a much loved listed family home with her own skilled eye for interior design I’m not sure why this is, but country dwellers seem to use the back, or side entrances, to their homes rather than...

The G Plan Clan

A 20th century house in Rye has been made over with fabulous mid-century flair – groovy, baby In recent times, the ancient town of Rye has become something of a centre for home style, with lots of fabulous shops and...

The Game of Life

PSHE has to evolve to reflect contemporary issues. We find out how schools are adapting Mayfield Mayfield School tell us about how their Lifeskills programme helps students ‘meet the needs of the age’ At Mayfield our aim is to develop...

The New Contemporary

We explore Mill House, a project that demonstrates a new wave of contemporary family kitchens Inglis Hall, known for their honest and authentic approach to crafting kitchens, was the perfect choice to create a truly modern kitchen in which contemporary...

Plum’s the word

Ligneous Kitchens show us around one of their favourite projects From its clean, sleek lines to the spacious island and luxurious use of materials, this kitchen belongs on your moodboard if you're inspired by modern minimalism. What was this kitchen's...

Maker’s Motif

Relocating from Surrey to Kent, Alec and Sarah stumbled upon a beautiful barn conversion – not a style that they had been on the hunt for – and fell in love with its space and character Frittenden, that pretty village...

New Shores

Social worker Ashia Redhead explains how her house renovation has been the outlet for her creative energy, embellishing her passion for interiors and antiques into a warm family home with character It was the start of the hottest weekend of...

Kitchen Drama

Interior designer Ben Stokes’ family cottage, painted in deep, rich shades and accessorised with natural woods and sumptuous textiles, is a wonderful example of the bold transformation of a small space   There’s no introduction to this three storey cottage....

And the winner is…

Award winners only here! Let’s find out what makes them so popular with the judges Karen McClure What is your approach to sustainability and the environment? Our approach is focused on internal team education, our specification of materials, mindfulness of...

The Big Questions

When taking on a landscaper, it’s important to know what you want ahead of time, so we asked Tim Sykes of Gardenproud for a list of key questions we should ask ourselves and have answers for What are the must...

New Victorian

Driven by a love of colour and vintage, Sarah Hazebroek has stamped her signature style on a Victorian cottage, whilst her passion for interiors paid off during lockdown with the creation of her home accessories range, Huddle Collection  Situated right...

Family Comforts

We take a look inside the home of the creative founders of Maker & Son Despite the picturesque central front entrance and wonderfully rustic path, flanked on either side by some cloud pruned box trees, we are entering through the...

8 Ideas to Bring the Indoors Out

It’s a new age of garden rooms – filled with indoorsy luxuries but also seamlessly integrated into the outdoor world Lockdown left us all itching to get outside more, wishing our homes had a little more space, and desperately looking...

Windows on the World

Karen Hahnel’s grand apartment on the St Leonards seafront has views as impressive as its interior It’s always fascinating to visit someone’s home and see all the lovely things they have and find out where they got them from (that’s...

Coastal Drama

Interior masters, Fred & Ginger, have taken on the renovation of an incredibly positioned seaside property, transforming it from tired care home to design spectacular Not all period properties pass gently from owner to owner, sympathetically updated and treated with...

Expanding Horizons

Interior designer Cassie Williams’ family home is a masterclass in clutter-free accessorising – mixing new and upcycled seamlessly and stylishly You can tell a lot about a home – and its owner, from the front garden and as we approach...

History in Colour

The complete refurbishment of British Army General Sir John Moore’s Hastings home provided an irresistible project for George and Charlotte Rendall A long the East Sussex and Kent coast some of the country’s greatest military landmarks make their mark, from...

A touch of Beverly Hills

An interior designer adds contemporary glamour to a Georgian family home It was the pool that did it. Out there on the pristine white non-slip flagstones, with the groovy all-weather sofa and armchairs, the dining area and the pool house,...

A World Beyond

Surrounded by countryside and forest, a beautiful country house with truly enviable gardens has been opened up for photoshoots by its owners Eight years ago when Michelle and Ian were looking to relocate from Otham, near Maidstone, they had decided...

Knock on Wood

The combination of bespoke woodwork and choice mid-century pieces creates chic sophistication in this St Leonards maisonette When it comes to the dream team of people to transform a run-down maisonette into an apartment with the kind of quiet sophistication...

Home at Dormestone

Kim Partridge's vision for a Grade II listed farmhouse has seen its tranfsormation from a dark and gothic interior to an informal and relaxed space with a strong family vibe The dream of finding an idyllic rural retreat steeped in history and...

Haven Sent

Belinda Benton’s home is as elegantly calm and welcoming as the interiors she designs for others By the time you have wound your way along the almost impossibly beautiful country lane that leads to Belinda Benton’s house, you are already...

Artful Restoration

Utilising the skills of a hand-picked team of talented local trades, Tim and Eve have realised their dream of a home to grow old in with the carefully considered renovation of a pair of cottages with huge potential Down a...

Case Study: The Time Warp

Clague Architects recall one of their favourite Kentish restoration projects, a house trapped between two eras, brought into the 21st Century Our first impression of the Parsonage was that of a 17th century home that had once been extended with...

Case Study: Vintage Outlook

Urban & Grey talk us through a fabulous project installing vintage style windows into a Surrey home Claire McFadyen, owner of Louisa Grace Interiors, approached us with an exciting brief, a clear vision, and some design requirements, for the glazing...

Case Study: Bringing Back the Barn

Architects Theis + Khan tell us the tale of a recent masterpiece of a barn conversion Burwash Barn was a real project right from the offset, it had enormous potential but was obviously going to require lots of work to...

Story Teller

Find quirky styling and artworks aplenty at one of the most interesting and magical places to stay in the South East, The Bell in Ticehurst   “The Bell’s ancient bricks could talk, they’d have a tale or two to tell.”  In...

Island Escape

With a focus on sustainability and conservation, Georgina Fulton and her husband, Gareth, ensure that Elmley Nature Reserve and its working family farm preserves the natural habitat on the Isle Of Sheppey, sharing their portion of beautiful marsh landscape with...

9-5 In Style

If you’ve made the decision to continue to work from home, why not invest in a beautiful outdoor space that will allow you to take control of your working life, maintain work/life balance and provide a gorgeous focal point in...

Welcome to real Tunbridge Wells

When Cathe and John Wheatman moved into their generously proportioned Victorian town house four-and-a-half years ago they were only the third family to live in it, since it was built in 1870.  That must be a pretty rare record –...

The Haven

After buying buildings they had admired for years, a couple well-versed in renovating properties have created a uniquely peaceful and welcoming home they now open as a B&B sanctuary It’s hard to pinpoint what determines the atmosphere of a house....

Interior Vocation

With an eye for design that she has honed working on the complete renovation of her own period cottage, and following a career in events management, interiors lover Rebecca Middleton has hit the ground running with the start of her...

Cover Girl

Former Fashion Director turned upholsterer, Sadie Dorchester takes Antonia Methuen on a tour of the interior of her spacious Victorian terrace, the gorgeous result of a seven-year renovation project Like many people who move to Hastings, Sadie Dorchester and her...

House of Beulah

Using her own professional skills, Zoe Joannou has transformed a classic Tunbridge Wells villa into a glamorous space for modern living I started off interviewing interior designer Zoe Joannou about her own house – but I was soon asking questions...

Dressed to Impress

The transformation of a Grade II listed building, which once served as a public house before becoming an oriental restaurant, has been 20 years in the making for creative couple Jane and Rob – enlisting the help of many talented...

Retire in Style

Stunning Surroundings at Wildernesse House A collection of 31 one- and two-bedroom apartments in the historic Grade II listed Wildernesse House, and eight new mews houses set in the sprawling Wildernesse Estate, Sevenoaks, are now available from luxury retirement home...

A House to Truly Love

After documenting the transformation of her Victorian villa on social media, Olya Lammas decided to trade in her career in fashion to follow her passion for interiors  “I wasn’t planning on buying a home like this!” says interior designer Olya...

Grow Your Own Sun

Jo Arnell injects some mood-lifting yellows into the winter garden  When most of the colour has withered back into the earth and the natural world is dark and dormant it can seem a bit bleak outside. We can admire the...

Return to Splendour

Alex Jørgensen has worked a design miracle on this Tunbridge Wells property, transforming it from fluorescent strip-lit office space to contemporary home In the heart of one of Britain’s most classic towns a great change is afoot. In a Tunbridge...

A Classical Approach

With their lifelong love of design and architecture, Toby and Megan Osborne have restored a down-at-heel guest house to its stately elegance After enjoying an early morning coffee in the picturesque country town of Cranbrook, I can wholeheartedly understand why...

A Pebble’s Throw

Experienced house renovators Robey and Kelly Hilliard’s latest project – a three-storey wreck of a home cut into the Sandgate hillside – has been a labour of love for the couple, who wanted to preserve as much of the original...

Off the Scale

With soaring ceilings, contemporary décor and the most beautiful views across the Kentish countryside, Bayham Hall’s restoration has allowed the building’s original features to shine through whilst providing an enviably spacious family home for owners Jaime and Justin Cooke.  [showhide...

Open House

Interior architect Susie Pfeiffer has breathed contemporary life into an old farm building, whilst celebrating its original features, in her incredible barn conversion. After many happy years in a barn they had converted into a family home, interior architect Susie...

Pattern Repeat

Just along the coast from Margate, with views out over Westgate-on-Sea’s sandy seafront, Hamilton Lodge was chosen by its current owners as the perfect foil to the bustle of London, making it the ideal weekend retreat. Everything you’ve ever read...

Light and Space

When a seaside house long-coveted by art director Clare Clarkson came onto the market, she jumped at the chance to rework its interior to create an open-plan home, perfect for her large extended family. [showhide more_text="READ MORE" less_text="READ LESS" hidden="yes"]...

A cocktail of grandeur

Will and Nick live in a one-bedroom flat, decorated in glorious palatial style (and have great parties…) Above an antiques shop in the picture postcard village of Alfriston sits a very special home indeed. The moment the door opens to...

House and garden

With a skilled eye for uniting inside with out, interior designer Lisa Evans has made a High Weald cottage into a sophisticated home. [showhide more_text="READ MORE" less_text="READ LESS" hidden="yes"] Using nature as an inspiration for interior design is appealing; many...

Material World

Mix a touch of medieval with a helping of Georgian – and throw in some thoroughly modern touches. The result? A unique family home perfect for 21st century living. Tucked away in a pretty Kentish village, The Den has been...

Elegant imperfection

A textile conservator and an antique dealer combined to create a home where patina is prized. There is cold – as in chilly – and then there is cool. The Tunbridge Wells home of textile conservator Charlotte Casadéjus is definitely...

Make Your Home Come Alive at Bagham Barn Antiques

There's nothing more thrilling than planning a new look for your home. Whether you're lucky enough to be moving into a brand new home and can create the dream rooms of your choice, you're thinking about redecorating your existing home...

Stairway to heaven

A gloomy 1930s chapel has been brilliantly converted into a light-drenched modern townhouse. Back in 2011, when Ian and Lisa decided to make the move from Tunbridge Wells to Hastings, they had an offer accepted on an old pub which...

Anatomy of a kitchen

Jones Britain The vision In a large space, in the middle of a converted barn, the homeowners were looking for a contemporary but traditionally inspired kitchen, with up-to-date functionality.  A working kitchen with a mass of storage, which is a...

Sparkle and shine!

Sequins, shimmer and glitter – the party season is here and it’s time to shine A big thank you to Hire Love for their eclectic and fabulous props. For further information about prop hire and event styling search for Hire...

The new kitchen mood

Whether you prefer a country feel, or a more contemporary vibe, there is a fresh new mood in kitchen design, packed with great practical ideas. Trends in kitchens move much more slowly than in other areas of the house. Not...

Cool yule

Giving Christmas a contemporary rethink, with Scandi styling in a brilliantly renovated 1950s beach house. As you head out across Romney Marsh towards the sea, Rye’s medieval citadel is the most prominent view on the skyline. Along the coast is...

Home on the farm

It’s often said, by the owners of very grand houses, that they are not so much the owners of a property but more its custodians. For those of us of a romantic nature, the same could be said for any...

Picture perfect

One of the wonderful things about East Sussex is that as soon as you think you know the place, you will quickly realise that you don’t know it at all. Nestled at the bottom of that lane, the one you drive...

Chris Rivers Drummer-turned-Artist

Strange, beautiful, captivating, energetic and enchanting; all words which have been used to describe the paintings of upcoming UK artist Chris Rivers. Former professional rock-drummer-turned-artist, Chris began painting four years ago whilst touring the world as drummer with UK rock...

God’s acre

Every house has a story – but it’s very rare to find one that feels like a story in itself. With this dwelling, in the south east corner of Kent, even before you turn into the gravel drive that slopes...

Park Life

A stunning Georgian townhouse, next to a royal palace, combines modern flair with sublime elegance. It is hard to beat the elegance of a large Georgian house. We love them because they tap into something deep within us; a naturally...

The rebirth of cool

Houses by the seaside always have a special atmosphere. It might be the marine light and big skies, or perhaps it’s the sense of finality to the view, knowing that nothing will ever replace the seascape that ebbs and flows...

Coastal haven

This old coastguard’s cottage is gloriously free of all those corny seaside decor clichés thanks to interior architect Marta Nowicka’s sophisticated vision. If it’s not wall-to-wall tongue-and-groove it will be the pots of beach stones and assorted weather-beaten flotsam and jetsam...

Best of the Baths Inspiration

What better way to relax than a long, hot soak in the bath? If you're looking to freshen up your bathroom take some inspiration from some of our favourite baths.   Copper Bath This wonderful William Holland bath is just...

Kaleidoscope of Colour

Central Saint Martins graduate Amy Exton’s terraced Margate home is a riot of clashing pattern, vivid paint and leopard print in many guises – a love of which she lavishly pours into her work as a set designer.    ...

Slide into September

Do you have a beauty regime? I absolutely do and it starts on the inside with nutrition and hydration.  I consider that paying attention to what I consume is a part of taking care of my physical appearance. When your insides...

Instagram Interior

Having decided to swap London life for a home in the countryside, Lucinda Mitra took to Instagram to document the refurbishment of her new family home. After rapidly amassing over 30,000 follows, Lucinda’s account, nest_twenty_eight, is now an online destination...

Well Read

A few weeks ago, one of the teachers at my son’s school, who also happens to be the mother of a particularly winning little 9-year-old, asked me to put together a list of books I’d recommend to boys our sons’...

Stylish Seaside Home

Karen Hahnel’s apartment is a stunning example of how to successfully employ proportion and scale. She has cleverly combined design classics with online finds to create an enviably stylish seaside home.[showhide more_text="READ MORE" less_text="READ LESS" hidden="yes"] From the moment you...

Spacious Family Home

When a former St John Ambulance station in Rye came up for sale, it took interior architect Marta Nowicka only three hours to decide to take on its renovation. After removing endless partitioning and flattening a 1970s extension, she has...

Twin Peaks

In some families, things seem to go in twos. When Susie McLean told her older sister that the flat directly underneath her weekender on the West St Leonards sea front had come up for sale, Caroline Egan jumped at the...

A Treat in Store

Picture the perfect getaway. Where do you fancy? Paris? Rome? Or perhaps somewhere exotic and further away? Well, yesterday I might have been imagining a faraway place too, but today I want to stay in Rolvenden Layne. I only live...

The Home of ‘Posh’ Storage

Fuelled by a shared passion for block printing, Trudi Savin and her friend Sophie Morton created Yateley Papers. Trudi’s own home in Surrey is a showcase for their ever evolving range of beautiful storage solutions and accessories.[showhide more_text="READ MORE" less_text="READ...

Bright Contemporary Home

Seeing the potential in a project that had been overlooked by other potential buyers, and working to a strict budget, Ali Kittermaster has remodelled a 1950s bungalow in the heart of a Kent village into a bright and surprisingly roomy...

Monochrome Kitchens and Bathrooms

Interiors stylist and journalist Hilary Robertson explores elegant kitchens and bathrooms decorated in a monochrome palette... [showhide more_text="READ MORE" less_text="READ LESS" hidden="yes"]I have an embarrassingly voracious eye; I want it all. I love colour. I love texture. I love combining...

Kitchen Flooring Ideas

Looking for kitchen flooring ideas? We've got you covered. Whatever flooring you opt for will set the tone of your kitchen. There's plenty to consider including durability, how easy it'll be to clean and, of course, look and feel. The...

Clever Kitchen Storage

No one likes a cluttered house or having to hunt high and low to find what they need. Thankfully, there are now a host of clever storage options available, for every room in the house. Here we show you some...

Houseplants That Love Bathrooms

After years out there in the interior design wilderness, houseplants are trendy once more, and looking especially cool in bathrooms. Whether you want a jungle, or a more restrained or contemporary look, there will be a plant to help create...

Vintage Style Ideas

Emily Chalmers and Ali Hanan explore kitchens and bathrooms with a contemporary spin on vintage style in an extract from their book, Modern Vintage Style... The modern vintage cook-eat space is the beating heart of the home. It juxtaposes the...

Arts and Crafts Roots

Geoff and Annie Waring had a history of taking on major projects and with their combined artistic talent they have created an incredibly stylish, light and contemporary family home but one that still pays a respectful nod to the original...

The Quirky Townhouse

Anthropology, Arabic, art history… the lady of this house is erudite, well-read and widely travelled and it shows at every turn. Being a landlord can be a stressful business, especially when the building you are renting out is a stunning,...

Gorgeous Goodnestone Park

Built in 1704 by the current owner's ancestor, Sir Brook Bridges, Goodnestone is a truly lovely Palladian country house enjoying that uniquely Georgian combination of welcome, warmth and elegance. Jane Austen was a regular visitor and wrote of the ‘great...

Californian Styling Comes to East Sussex

Hollywood inspired glamour has arrived in Hastings, courtesy of Alexa and Sebastien and their Chaletfornia home. Following a huge renovation project, the couple have succeeded in creating an interior as stunning as the East Sussex views which inspired them to...

Ultra Modern Scandi Styling

After several sunny years downunder Jenna and Andrew didn’t want to leave the light and airy mood they loved in Australian houses behind when they moved back to the UK – so they re-created it in Hersham.[showhide more_text="READ MORE" less_text="READ...

Creative Home in Hastings

With inspiring views looking out to sea and glorious opened-up spaces within, Ginny and MJ have made a commanding terrace house in Hastings as harmonious as the choirs they run.[showhide more_text="READ MORE" less_text="READ LESS" hidden="yes"] There’s something rather charming, and...

Contemporary Coach House Conversion

Mix together an interior decorator and a bespoke kitchen designer and you have the perfect recipe for creating a 21st century home from a Victorian coach house.[showhide more_text="READ MORE" less_text="READ LESS" hidden="yes"] However hard we try to think outside the...

Country Cottage with Alpine Inspired Interior

There can be few weatherboarded cottages in the Weald of Kent that offer visitors such a welcome and refreshing surprise. Forget low ceilings and dark corners, or chintzy, rustic styling, and prepare yourselves for a trip to the Alps.[showhide more_text="READ...

Smugglers’ Haunt Becomes Rural Retreat

In the 18th century, Ingram House was a coaching inn and a favourite haunt of the infamous Hawkhurst Gang. Fortunately for its owners, Anthony and Simon, shoot-outs are a thing of the past. It is now a tranquil rural retreat,...

Goudhurst Country Refurbished Retreat

Despite moving to London and starting a family, the Weald will always be home to Ben Parker. So, when he and his French wife, Perrine spotted a large Georgian farmhouse in need of refurbishment, a deal was struck and the...

Georgian Style Grand Design

Grand, imposing and seemingly a Georgian rectory, this family home in the heart of the High Weald is not what it seems. For, behind the rambling roses and historic facade lies a thoroughly modern house – built only 10 years...

The Stylish Family Home

After spotting the potential of this Victorian house near Camden Road in Tunbridge Wells, Justine Hodgson-Barker, an interior designer, and her husband James set about transforming it into a stylish yet functional family home.[showhide more_text="READ MORE" less_text="READ LESS" hidden="yes"] They...

Modern Styling in a 1920s Home

It is often said that ‘mother knows best’. In the case of this 1920s home in Dorking, Surrey, it would be hard to dispute this – especially when you discover that the mother in question is an award-winning artist and...

Beautiful Farmhouse and Wedding Venue

Rob, Caroline and family brought the Woolpack Hotel in Tenterden to life and since then, it has also won plaudits for its décor, which is no real surprise – Rob originally trained as an interior designer. So, with such obvious...

Splendour in the Grass

It won’t have escaped your notice that the quality of the light changes at this time of the year – it’s now softer, more golden and the sun hangs lower in the sky, shining through the plants rather than at...

Minimalist Chapel Renovation

When Nick and Sonja walked into Goudhurst’s old disused Methodist Chapel they knew they could make something truly special from the 2,000 square feet of space bounded by solid Victorian brick and soaring Gothic windows. A year and a half...

Mynthurst Mansion – Victorian Splendour

After deciding to sell a home in Camberwell and let another in Canterbury, Dan and Chris made the decision to settle in a graceful apartment in an elegant Victorian house. A little over three years later, and after an extensive...

New Build Home with Scandi and 60s Design

When Jenny and Doug Branson decided to make a move to Dorking they initially set their sights on Victorian properties. But for interior designer Jenny, a chance viewing of a new build property proved to be an irresistibly blank canvas.[showhide...

Novelist’s Charming Victorian Home

For twenty-six years Debbie Rix and her husband Tony have been evolving their generously proportioned Victorian home to suit the various stages of family life. Peaceful and calm, the beautiful gardens which surround the house now provide Debbie with the...

Monochrome Home – Remarkable Rebuild

After years of rural living, seasoned property renovators Catherine and Rupert decided to move their growing family to a spacious Victorian townhouse in the heart of Sevenoaks. After extensive modernisation, in a very short timeframe, they have succeeded in creating...

Informal Design

Classic herbaceous perennials, like Delphiniums and Geraniums have been gracing our gardens for centuries and have come to symbolise our ideas of high summer and of simpler times (those happy days when most of us lived in cottages and toiled...

Luxury Coach House B&B

When Nina and Nick found Chilverbridge House, a stunning 17th century, Grade II-listed manor house with a semi-converted granary and coach house in Arlington, they knew it was exactly what they had been looking for. Over the last eight years...

Barn Conversion with Moorish Charm

Blending soaring ceilings with middle-eastern furniture finds, the success of Lorraine Kerr’s barn conversion lies in her ability to inject a little quirkiness into a traditional, beamed interior to create a stunning family home.[showhide more_text="READ MORE" less_text="READ LESS" hidden="yes"] Interiors...

Pods of Plenty

Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), known as the ‘Father of Taxonomy’ devised the binomial system of biological nomenclature that all plants are known by. There continue to be changes to his original findings and naming of plant families, genera and species but...

Vibrant 60s Design Home

  Using her keen eye for vintage and unusual design, Sam, with the help of her husband Richard, has transformed her family’s award-winning sixties-built home into a haven for unique and fascinating finds.[showhide more_text="READ MORE" less_text="READ LESS" hidden="yes"]   A...

Courtyard Cottage Open-Plan Living

When Christine and her partner Kevin decided to downsize they chose to design and tailor the perfect space to meet their new requirements. Through careful planning and a knack for maximising on space, they have transformed a small courtyard cottage...

Contemporary Gadget-Filled Home

When Katie and Richard yearned for a change from their 1960s family farmhouse, they embarked on an epic project to realise their dream home from scratch. Twenty-one months, and 35 tonnes of Turkish marble, later the couple have created a...

The Christmas House – Tudor Restoration

After five years of painstaking restoration, chef, writer and photographer Alastair Hendy has succeeded in returning his Grade II listed 16th century merchant’s house in Hastings Old Town to its pared-back Tudor glory.[showhide more_text="READ MORE" less_text="READ LESS" hidden="yes"] Come with...

Pelham Hall – Opulent Burwash B&B

Inspired by the Charleston principle – to seek out only the most beautiful or interesting pieces to furnish their interior – Matthew Fox and his partner Chris have transformed a dilapidated antiques shop on Burwash High Street into an enviably...

Creative Couple Relocate to the Countryside

When creative London couple Roni and John decided to relocate to the country, they initially set their sights on a Kentish Georgian property. But once they’d happened upon a pretty 17th century cottage they knew they had found what they...

Lidham Hill Farmhouse Near Rye

Sally and Rob yearned for a change of scenery, making the decision to move from bustling city to tranquil countryside. After a two year search, they finally found their dream home near Rye and embarked on a considerable renovation which...

Treasure Trove in Tenterden

Having downsized from a large Georgian property where they ran an award-winning bed and breakfast, Pippa and Mike Carter decided to move to a small cottage just down the road in order to buy a place in France. Having devoted...

Interior Designer’s Tunbridge Wells Home

Phoebe Oldrey and her husband Miles knew that they wanted to move out of London, but were adamant that, unlike many Londoners, they didn’t want to ‘escape to the country’. They wanted to live in a nice rural town, somewhere...

Action Plan

Eddie Erith from GardenEye Why gardening? I was brought up on a farm in Essex and grew to love the great outdoors, the fresh air and the amazing versatility of the landscape. We were in Elm country and those years...

Medieval Hall House

If one is looking for a historic Wealden building that has provided some of the most attractive and practical homes in our corner of the world it wouldn’t be the oast but a considerably more ancient contender – the medieval...

Heritage Conversion Success Story

Taking a building that has lain derelict or neglected for decades, perhaps centuries, and breathing new life into old stone and brick can be a hugely rewarding experience. At first, there is the realisation and then conviction that the potential...

Victorian Townhouse Doubles As Antique Showroom

An American catching sight of a friend’s particularly fine painting, sculpture or piece of furniture would have no hesitation in paying the appropriate compliment and casually adding ‘Waddyagiveforit?’ We Brits are considerably more reticent when it comes to discussing money....

Renovated Period Cottage

Renovating a period cottage is always a challenge. The lives we lead are very different both from those of the 17th century villagers and farm workers for whom these homes were originally built and from the families who have updated...

Promenade Paradise

There are things in this world that go effortlessly together. Things that seem made for each other. Bagels and cream cheese, Bogey & Bacall, Champagne and caviar, Farrow & Ball – and it’s the same when we walk into one...

State-of-the-Art Country House Apartment

It’s an impressive approach to David and Louise’s apartment, through large gates and into immaculate country house style grounds. It’s situated on the third floor of a large, elegant block so we take the lift. There are stairs, of course,...

Remodelled Victorian Home

As a six-year-old child, I had just one ambition. Not to be a train driver or super-hero, not to slay dragons and rescue damsels in distress, not to ride into the western sunset with the Lone Ranger. My ambition was...

Wow-Factor Wealden New Build

Philippa and Stephen’s new house in East Sussex re-ignites – should it need any re-ignition – the important debate surrounding the question of how and what should we in the Weald be building for the future. Houses are not ephemera....

Kitsch & Chic Family Home

Hannah Gee’s house is set back from the road, much further back than all the others, hanging back, in case anyone notices that it doesn’t look like the rest, that it isn’t a period house. Hannah was curious to know...

17th Century Farmhouse

Stella Hayes initially fell in love with the property's glorious garden. She has gone on to create a beautiful home filled with her impressive art collection. [showhide more_text="READ MORE" less_text="READ LESS" hidden="yes"] “I walked in through the gate, saw the...

Q&A

G.I. Landscapes’s Adam Idle’s tips for perfect pergolas... What are the benefits of having a pergola? They have a multitude of uses, to add interest and height; provide privacy; to draw the eye to a certain point; create a semi...

Kaffe Fassett’s Colourful Home

Without doubt, a visit to the Hastings home of internationally renowned contemporary craft artist Kaffe Fassett and his partner and studio manager Brandon Mably, would bring joy to even the most downhearted of people. Filled with an explosion of colours...

Outside In

Less,” famously said architect Mies van der Rohe, “is more.” Arithmetical nonsense, perhaps, or an architectural truth that becomes self-evident when you see, for the first time, either his sublime 1929 Barcelona Pavilion or The Farnsworth House, a retreat he...

Rooms Outside

In my Ladybird book Talkabout Gardens (circa 1972) there are pictures of a back garden. It has a bit of paving across the back of the house, a lawn with a swing and a whirligig in it, a few flowers...

Georgian Home

When talking about the enduring popularity of Georgian architecture one can bang on endlessly about its classical heritage, its proportion and balance and the strict mathematical rules that govern every detail but the truth is that when we see a...

Artist Karen Birchwood’s Beautiful Home

There is nothing quite like waking up in the morning and mumbling down to breakfast to be greeted by Radio Four at 90 decibels. The dog, in one corner, is chewing thoughtfully through a 240-volt cable while in another your...

Cultural Retreat

At first glance The Cloudesley is an ordinary, if imposing, bed and breakfast establishment, with nothing much to hint that something more exotic lies within. We walk up the path past a whispering curtain of bamboo, over the inauspicious threshold...

Jessica Zoob’s Joyful Home

There are many times when visiting the houses that we feature in these pages that one is delighted by what one finds. One departs impressed, even inspired. A visit to the home of artist Jessica Zoob, however, is – and...

Town & Country Home

Living the rural dream, yet within walking distance of a vibrant town community are surely mutually exclusive ideas. Paul and his wife Jane certainly thought so, until a 17th century moated property nestling off a busy Wealden High Street, reached...

White Christmas

Steph Virgo’s house is getting dressed early for Christmas and even from the outside, bathed in winter sunshine rather than snow, it looks appropriately festive. The handsome 18th century lodge house with its stucco walls rather resembles a giant Christmas...

Opulent Oast Conversion

Oast conversions are not uncommon in Kent, but few have been as skilfully updated for modern family life as well as Claire Horrell’s. The box edged front garden and sparkling white weatherboard façade hint at a sophisticated approach to country...

A Passion for Arts and Crafts

Part of the great attraction of a town like Rye is that with its ancient walls, cobbled streets and buildings, it seems almost suspended in time, but while many such towns can fall into the trap of becoming rather twee...

Ash Cottage

When its current owners, Alice and James, first saw Ash Cottage it wasn’t love at first sight, rather a growing understanding of its potential and what it could one day be to the couple and their growing children. “I used...

Heritage at Home

For some people demolishing any period cottage is heresy, a loss of irreplaceable national heritage, and, certainly, serious questions must always be asked before swinging the wrecker’s ball. But one must remember that many rural cottages – particularly those built...

Artist’s Impression

In Victorian times, Britain was a manufacturing colossus, the workshop of the world. A new architecture was born, the architecture of the machine. Strength and space were the new priorities but the Victorians were, of course, never above a little...

Deck the Halls

For some people Christmas comes around all too soon, but for others, it can neither be too soon or too often. Jacquie, or ‘Kitty’ as she is now more commonly known, definitely belongs to the latter category, which is probably...

Softly, Softly

Joanna Osborne and Orlando Gough’s Brighton home is a classic late Regency gem. Icing sugar white with a wrought-iron and zinc fan-like canopy over its upper ground floor bow window and balcony, its decorative flourishes epitomise the early 19th century...

Vintage Calm

Few find what they want in life right under their noses and some of us have to travel a lifetime and many miles to find what we are looking for. But Madeline hasn’t even had to step foot outside the...

Continental Chic

If Sevenoaks seems a typical English commuter town, not all its residents are quite so predictable. Candy is really Catharina, but her Dutch parents always called her Candy and it has stuck. Living in the Kent town with her Dutch...

Making History

Lullingstone Castle and its owners the Hart Dyke family have been the subject of several television documentaries and a great deal of press attention in the past decade. Tom Hart Dyke, the son and heir of the present incumbents Guy...

A Grand Design For Living

Most people who build their own country houses take one of two approaches: either opting for high design and commissioning an architect to create a ‘statement’ house which usually means that it is contemporary in style and quite unlike those...

Natural Gallery

Generally, the mention of an old mill house conjures up idyllic pastoral images of ancient millstones grinding corn trundled to the doors in brimming cartloads from surrounding golden fields – a sort of Constable-Hovis hybrid seasoned with a little Vaughan...

An Elegant Touch

Grand period buildings can not only be a joy to their owners but also, on far too many occasions, a tyranny, dictating not only physical spaces but décor and ultimately even the lifestyle of the families they should be serving...

Living The Thai Life

A quintessential 19th century English country estate majestically surveys the gently rolling scenery that surrounds it. The vast red brick house has recently been restored and converted into large apartments, with new buildings constructed in similar style to the west of...

Staycation House

Tim and Sue Ball’s house seems to hug the hill that it is not so much built upon, but into. While only one storey rises above the highest point of ground, Tim, an architect, cut away the earth on one...

Contemporary Twist

Behind the red brick façade of an early 20th century building, is a contemporary piece of architecture that is home to Anna Deacon and John Taylor, artists and designers with a prolific creative output and an extensive collection of art,...

A Miller’s Tale

Approached from its leafy drive, Hedera House looks like a perfect Regency villa: a confection of pale plasterwork and neo-classical mouldings. With its white louvred shutters the house almost looks as if it belongs in a warmer location and this...

A Love of the Land

Moving out of the Georgian farmhouse that has been your family home since 1968 might seem a daunting prospect for most people, but Steven and Emily Hall saw it as just another stage in their lives together. The couple had...

Portrait of a Lady

Do people find houses or do they find us? By any yardstick, the story of how artist Victoria Threlfall came about hers is fortuitous. Married and living in Brixton with four young children, the urge to give her girls the...

Former Editor Of Elle Magazine’s Colourful Home

Despite its quaint seaside charms, Hastings Old Town on a grey blustery day, is, well, just that, grey. But as I step over the threshold of Maggie Alderson’s handsome Georgian house, it’s rather like when Dorothy in The Wizard of...

Business As Usual

Arriving at John and Sandy Schofield’s house in the heart of the Weald, the welcome is a picturesque one. A flock of pure white doves take off from their dovecote and flutter above our heads before settling on the red...