Country Homes & Interiors

I’M A BIG FAN OF SMALL DECOR CHANGES that are the result of a gentle morning pottering around the house – switching up the display on a shelf, say, or rearranging the living room furniture. Recently, I added a few houseplants to the open shelves in my kitchen and it’s brought such vitality and freshness. We’ve looked at other ideas to give your kitchen a quick and affordable refresh in Update your Cook Space (page 91). It’s proof that we don’t always need an expensive refit to transform a place (as our guide to sprucing up decking and patio paving also demonstrates; see No Pressure on page 100). I’m feeling the pull to the garden and beyond, so I’ll be taking tips from The Great Outdoors (page 74), which is full…

ALICE ROBERTON wrote Midsummer Dream (page 34). ‘My grandparents had a windmill and a family friend converted a tin church, so I’ve always loved unusual properties,’ she says. ‘Writing about homes and those who dwell in them feeds my endless curiosity about soulful and storied homemaking.’ SHARON PARSONS wrote our Happy Place home feature (page 22). ‘I’ve written stories since I was little,’ she says. ‘But I’ve moved to Devon and find it hard to work when I want to walk by the coast!’ BRENT DARBY photographs many of the homes we feature. ‘I always love to be invited into someone’s home and bringing out its strong points and their personality in the shoot,’ he says.…

After training at West Surrey College of Art, Mary Norden worked in textiles for many years. Renowned for her bold use of colour and pattern, she was commissioned by the likes of Yves St Laurent, Mary Quant and Liberty, before moving into the world of interiors, where she worked as a stylist, art director and writer for various publications – including our sister brand, Homes & Gardens. She now works as a full-time artist in Shropshire and London. Have you always been creative? Yes, I was always encouraged from an early age. Not just to draw and paint, but to make things from almost nothing – recycling and upcycling were the norm in my family. I’m also dyslexic, so creating artwork became my language. Talk us through the creative process. A new…

Habitat’s talented in-house design team have translated the rare and endangered plants housed in Kew Gardens’ glasshouses and gardens onto ceramics and textiles, to create a botanical-inspired homeware collection. Bold patterns and a palette of teal, coral and emerald bring a feelgood factor to the table. ‘We know that spending time in nature is good for the soul so it’s wonderful to see the beauty of plants bringing life into pieces that can be used every day,’ says Quincy Leon, head of licensing at Kew. From £4, habitat.co.uk HOMEGROWN STYLE Heritage furniture brand Ercol has produced two of its best-loved designs in British ash to mark a new partnership with Grown in Britain. The ‘homegrown’ Marino chair, from £1,650, and Pebble nest of tables, from £850, symbolise the brand’s commitment to responsible…

Annie Sloan has added two new colours to her iconic chalk paints. Coolabah Green’s pale blue-green shade partners perfectly with soft pinks and neutrals. Whistler Grey – inspired by the paintings of 19th-century American-born artist, James Abbott McNeill Whistler – is darker in tone. Try using it as an accent colour on furniture alongside brights, or buffer with lighter shades of grey. Both £26.95 for 1ltr, anniesloan.com POWER COUPLE Following on from the success of their recent collaborative collection, tilemakers Fired Earth and Bert & May have introduced two stylish new designs – antique-inspired Turenne and Crosses, a striking geometric pattern. The distinctive designs combine both brands’ passion for rustic imperfections with all the benefits of practical porcelain. Which is your favourite? From £79.75sq m, bertandmay.com…

We do love a grand day out at Hill House, and the ritual of packing up ‘Agnes’, my vintage Morris Traveller, with a pile of blankets, a mound of cushions and a variety of picnic paraphernalia induces a sense of nostalgia and excitement that’s hard to beat. The journey is usually just as much fun as the destination – you see, I have successfully convinced my family that a game of car-based pub cricket and at least one round of I Spy are a non-negotiable ritual and they happily indulge me. I have a list of country fairs and brocantes written on the kitchen calendar, and thankfully the entire family now shares my appreciation of a good vintage rummage. However, some of the best and most joyful days out are the…