Country Living UK Modern Rustic 21

In pursuit of a great story and superb imagery, the photographers and stylists around the world who make this book so special go to great lengths to get the optimum light and the perfect composition. Hence, I’m shown here in a rowing boat in search of a lovely exterior shot for The Lake House, which features on page 56! In truth, this wasn’t such hard work. The location was spectacular – a photogenic house set on a ribbon-like peninsula in a landscape dotted with endless lakes, which felt more like Finland than the Cotswolds. The sun shone and otters bobbed up around us to fish – it was a memorable day and my first time rowing a boat since the Scouts! This issue celebrates tradition and great craftsmanship, whether in new…

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LOUISE PEARCE EXECUTIVE EDITOR VICKY CARLISLE EDITOR BEN KENDRICK STYLE EDITOR ALAINA BINKS CREATIVE DIRECTOR LINDSEY JORDAN ART DIRECTOR CAROLYN REA ART EDITOR ROGER BROWNING JUNIOR DESIGNER LEO TERRY CHIEF SUB-EDITOR MICHELE JAMESON PICTURE DIRECTOR PATRICIA TAYLOR PICTURE RESEARCHER CHARLIE HEDGES MANAGING EDITOR INGRID EAMES CHIEF BRAND OFFICER LIFESTYLE AND HOMES SHARON DOUGLAS INTERIM CEO, HEARST UK/PRESIDENT, HEARST EUROPE SIMON HORNE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, HEARST EUROPE GIACOMO MOLETTO COVER PHOTOGRAPH MARNIE HAWSON…

AHEAD OF THE CURVE Undulating hills and the natural curves of the local landscape are reflected in the shapely lines of Paul and Rachael’s cabin. External wooden boarding repeats inside for a cohesive finish that links back to its surroundings BESPOKE BOARDING The cedar building and most of the wooden features and furnishings were made by Paul and blend bespoke cabinetry with vintage mid-century pieces. The kitchen was created with a system of modular boxes MAXIMISING SPACE The cabin’s footprint is relatively small, so the design optimises space with a floating bed and bathroom. In the kitchen, a foldaway table allows flexibility with pull-out box stools that slot neatly underneath CLEAR CONTRAST Throughout the building, the clean lines of slot windows, panelled walls and a timber staircase contrast with the curves. In the bedroom, another series of…

BACKDROPS PAINTED IN BANYAN BLUE, GLAZED POTTERY BLUE AND TABULA RASA: ALL £49/2.5L TRUE MATT EMULSION (ATELIERELLIS.CO.UK)…

BOLD THINKING Hunkered down against the hill’s natural ridgeline so that it is almost invisible in the wider landscape, the cabin has been insulated and sited to catch cooling summer breezes in this climate of extremes. Timber and glass are offset by low-slung leather sofas and a suspended stove FINE LINES “We had always wanted a pool hanging off a cliff,” says owner William Mellor. Both he and his wife Sam are keen hikers, and they couldn’t resist the tug of inspiration when they spotted the perfect place for it while out on a walk. The plot, which soars above an off-grid farm in the Klein Karoo, soon became the desired location for their dream retreat SHARP SILHOUETTES Two wood and steel-framed pods perch on the ridge, linked by an open-air stone pathway. They chose…

ARTISAN PROFILE Hana Brough’s earliest memories are of sitting under the cutting table, playing with the material in her mother’s dressmaking studio. Growing up near the coast in East Sussex, she became more interested in paint than fabric and was determined not to follow her mother down the textiles path. But the path seems to have come full circle of its own accord: once she discovered weaving, during her foundation year at Central St Martin’s, Hana abandoned her plans to be an oil painter. A degree in textile design at Falmouth University was followed by several years working with interior designers and styling fabric stores, and then the gift of a full-size loom – from a relative who no longer needed it – gave her the chance to start experimenting with…