25 Beautiful Homes 09-2015

One of the most interesting aspects of the houses that we include in 25 Beautiful Homes is looking at the floorplans we receive with some of them. It always intrigues me how families work with architects and interior designers to reconfigure the basic layouts of British homes to suit their individual needs. I think most of us can think in terms of knocking a wall down here and there, and possibly even moving a doorway. However, I find it harder to imagine what might be gained from turning around or even repositioning a staircase. So studying these floorplans shows what can be achieved, at a price of course. With typical Victorian terraced houses there are some standard improvements, such as adding a side-return extension to expand the kitchen, knocking the…

1 LILAC LIGHT Matthew Williamson glass table lamp, £80, Debenhams 2 BLOOMING BEAUTIES Vintage-style orchid framed prints, £325 for six 14 x 17in pictures, The Farthing 3 BERRY TASTY Polka tiered porcelain cake stand with beech stem, £85, Annabel James 4 SHADES OF VIOLET Bespoke shutters in Lavender, from £320sq m, Shutterly Fabulous 5 PURPLE PEW Chloe chair in Grape, £295, Within 6 LOUNGE IN LAVENDER Filippa Polly cushion cover in fawn, £28, Broste 7 BLACKBERRY FLAVOUR Halvåtta milk jug, £24, Clippings 8 EYE-CATCHING HUE Julian Chichester Regency long wave cabinet, £4,543, The Longest Stay 9 FLORAL SHADES Faux hydrangea flower, £4.95 per stem, Berry Red…

1 UPON REFLECTION Biba Toulouse dressing table and mirror, £698, House of Fraser 2 ILLUMINATING IDEA Constance table lamp, £476, 4Living 3 CRYSTAL CLEAR Eichholtz Kasbah oval medium chandelier, £770, Sweetpea & Willow 4 LET IT SHINE Chikla crackled silver hurricane lamp, from £39, Lizard Orchid 5 GLOW IN STYLE La Collezione Merkur three-arm candelabra, £345, Ziggiziggi 6 YOUR ROUND Round drinks trolley, £325, MiaFleur 7 SILVER SERVICE Acorn stows in hammered stainless steel, from £25, In-Spaces 8 SILKY SHIMMER Riviera duck egg cushion, £35, Fable 9 BOTTLE IT UP Glamour decanter with ring stopper, £58, Artisanti 10 SLEEK SEAT Signature lounge chair, £5,660, the Barbara Barry Collection at Baker Furniture…

LOCATION COMPANIES We have just finished renovating our beautiful detached home, with stunning views across open countryside. I would love to try to hire it out for photoshoots or films, but where do I start? ALEXANDRA MAYER, MANCHESTER The idea of your home earning money is appealing, particularly when photoshoots can earn around £500 a day, while a film can reap £2,500 a day. JJ Locations (020 7749 0500, jjlocations.com), one of the UK’s biggest location agencies, tell me that the majority of shoots and films take place within the M25 – a house outside this area would need to have something unique to offer. Houses with good natural light and large rooms are particularly popular, and ground-floor access and parking are also important. You will need to be flexible, as the…

One of the most interesting aspects of the houses that we include in 25 Beautiful Homes is looking at the floorplans we receive with some of them. It always intrigues me how families work with architects and interior designers to reconfigure the basic layouts of British homes to suit their individual needs. I think most of us can think in terms of knocking a wall down here and there, and possibly even moving a doorway. However, I find it harder to imagine what might be gained from turning around or even repositioning a staircase. So studying these floorplans shows what can be achieved, at a price of course. With typical Victorian terraced houses there are some standard improvements, such as adding a side-return extension to expand the kitchen, knocking the…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached 1930s house LOCATION West Sussex ROOMS Sitting room/ kitchen-diner, family room, study, cloakroom, four bedrooms (two en suite), bathroom, summerhouse PURCHASED 2008 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving here, we lived near Calais in France, in a modern house close to the beach,’ says Sue. DECORATING TIP ‘Choose soft summery fabrics for a Scandinavian feel’INSPIRATIONS ‘I love subtle shades against a pale backdrop for a splash of colour’ An instant decision to put in an offer on a 1930s house in a pretty Sussex village paid off for Sue Wilkinson and her husband Tim. ‘The moment I stepped inside, I knew it would be ideal for our growing family as it had a lot of potential,’ says Sue. ‘It was on a good plot and had a huge amount of land, which meant we…