25 Beautiful Homes August 2016

Buying books is one of my few guilty pleasures. The only aspect that can and has stopped me in the past is the thought of where can I find more space on our bookshelves. Reading novels digitally obviously helps with that particular problem, but I have to admit it’s not the same as having the paper version, even if it is the perfect solution for my train journey in to work. I only tend to buy books that I have to read for my book club or by authors I know and I save my browsing experiences for bookshops, where I find it very hard to leave empty handed. The new book will then float around while I’m reading it, but eventually I’ll need to find a space for it,…

1 TRUE REFLECTION White shuttered wall mirror, £33.99, Wayfair 2 PURE AND SIMPLE Natural Canvas pasta bowls, £55 for a set of four, Denby 3 CASE STUDY Set of two jute storage boxes, £19.95, Sabichi 4 FAUX GOOD Peony ranunculus foxglove and foliage in large white jug, £58, QVC 5 CHOP CHOP! Coastal pebble chopping board, £12, Sainsbury’ 6 SILVER SERVICE Grey painted lap tray, £39, Out & Out Original 7 HAVE AND TO HOLD Split-wood basket, £25, Next 8 SCENTS OF STYLE Lime basil and mandarin diffuser, £58, Jo Malone London 9 RESTFUL SHADE Chelsea four-poster bed in satin white, £770 for a king-size, Original Bedstead Company…

1 PERFECTLY PACKED Marine picnic basket, £190, Amara 2 GET HOOKED Nautical fish, £10.99, Nautical Living 3 COASTAL COOL Lexington poplin striped blue duvet cover and pillowcases set, £139, Lexington 4 CAFÉ OLÉ Short coffee cup in red stripe, £8.95, Decorator’s Notebook 5 ON A ROLL Henley outdoor mattress, £150, The White Company 6 RISE AND SHINE Breton bowls, £10 each, Yonder Living 7 LATERAL THINKING Nautical blue-and-white stripe storage set, £25.99, Harbour Living 8 REST EASY Drake chair, £260, Wayfair 9 DINE IN STYLE Salcombe 24-piece cutlery set, £65, Neptune 10 UNDER COVER Wide stripe throw, £35, Marks & Spencer…

Buying books is one of my few guilty pleasures. The only aspect that can and has stopped me in the past is the thought of where can I find more space on our bookshelves. Reading novels digitally obviously helps with that particular problem, but I have to admit it’s not the same as having the paper version, even if it is the perfect solution for my train journey in to work. I only tend to buy books that I have to read for my book club or by authors I know and I save my browsing experiences for bookshops, where I find it very hard to leave empty handed. The new book will then float around while I’m reading it, but eventually I’ll need to find a space for it,…

RESTORING TEAK FURNITURE The previous owners of our new house left behind some teak garden furniture that we would like to restore. It’s covered in dirt and mildew – do you have any advice on how to revive it? MARY KINGSLEY, STAFFORDSHIRE I spoke to James Tyrie, director of the world’s oldest manufacturer of teak furniture, Barlow Tyrie (01376 557600, teak.com). He told me that teak is a hard wood with a high oil content that makes it resistant to rotting. So a scrub using a stiff brush and soapy water might do the trick but if not, Barlow Tyrie stocks a Teak Cleaner, £17 per litre, that will remove contaminants and restore it to its original colour. Teak weathers to a silvery grey, but you can treat it with a Teak…

NEW-BUILD HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached new-build LOCATION Lincolnshire ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner, garden room, study, five bedrooms (two en suite), bathroom BUILT IN 2009 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We moved here from a much older townhouse nearby,’ says Lyn. Following several house moves, Lyn and Dave Venables felt quite settled living in their Lincolnshire townhouse. Then a speculative phone call from an estate agent prompted a change of heart. A prospective buyer was keen on their home so they opted to accept the hand of fate as well as a great offer. The hunt for a new home swiftly began in 2009, but with three children, Charlie, now 21, George, 18, and Evie, 14, the couple were struggling to find the right property in a suitable location. It was this dilemma that prompted the notion of a self-build.…