25 Beautiful Homes May 2020

Choosing the cover image is usually a tricky job. There is always something enticing and standout about every home we feature, and narrowing it down to one picture is nigh on impossible. But this month’s cover shot leapt out at me immediately – it may be in Manchester but with its lush green foliage and sunshine-yellow sofa it could be a tropical paradise, and is exactly where I want to be right now. Have a look at the rest of Karen Jones Russell’s Victorian property on page 38 – her home is proof that you can make anywhere feel like summer if you try . Elsewhere in the issue, I’ve been really inspired by the pops of yellow that are shining through. From the aptly named Summer Thornton and her armchair…

DECORATING TIP ‘I always advise buying art that you want to look at and live with – don’t buy just because you’ve been told that an artist is doing well’ LAST WORD ‘It’s important to find a designer who really understands your vision and the style you want for your home’ The front of Candace and Will Marshall-Smith’s home offers spectacular views of Cape Town with the ocean beyond; at the back, the garden appears to segue with the base of Table Mountain. ‘We love the fact that the house is connected with both nature and the city,’ Candace says. The couple found this 1970s house in the suburb of Oranjezicht in 2013 . ‘It needed work, but we decided to live in it for three years before we undertook the redesign,’…

Despite various refurbishments and extensions over a 16-year period, Louise Harvey, her husband Ed and their two daughters, Olivia, 17, and Ella, 15, were finding that space was an issue in their Victorian terraced house. ‘We loved the property and the location, but it was beginning to feel too small for the four of us,’ says Louise. ‘Unfortunately, we couldn’t afford a bigger house in the area but we didn’t want to relocate, either.’ Nevertheless, Louise kept her eye on house sales and when a much cheaper, dilapidated semi came on the market in the same road, the couple snapped it up. ‘Working full-time, I knew I wouldn’t be able to project-manage the renovation myself, but a friend recommended Jo Cowen Architects who had innovative ideas for the house,’ explains Louise.…

Leanne Baud describes herself as a ‘serial renovator’ having renovated and moved five times in the past 10 years. This 1930s house is a departure from her usual taste for older properties, and although at first she felt unsure about the lack of period features in her new home, Leanne soon realised there were upsides. ‘In my previous cottage, and barn conversion before that, the rooms lacked light so I decorated using neutrals,’ she says. ‘Here, I’ve really enjoyed experimenting with dark, dramatic colours that are warm and comforting. Of all the houses I’ve lived in, this is the only one that really feels like home.’ Leanne, who works for the ambulance service, lives here with her husband, Ash, their daughter, Esmé, 1, and Leanne’s sons from a previous marriage, Oliver, 14,…

When Joli Wright and her husband Alex were planning to move back to the UK, they began their property search in the countryside. ‘I grew up on a farm in the Swiss mountains, just like Heidi,’ says Joli. ‘In the winter, we went to school by ski or sledge, and in summer we swam in the lakes. It was so idyllic, and Alex and I wanted a rural upbringing for our children, Oliver, Louis and Ophelia.’ Their house-hunting was focused near Cambridge, as Alex was taking over the family business in the city. ‘I looked online and spotted a potential home almost immediately,’ says Joli. ‘It was a manor house, right in the centre of a village. When I found the house, it smiled at me.’ On viewing the property, the couple’s…

When it comes to buying houses, first impressions count. This was certainly the case for Nicola and Tony Hills, who fell for a centuries-old farmhouse with its gnarled pitch pine front door, framed with roses and honeysuckle. ‘This was a terrific starting point for our viewing,’ says Nicola. ‘Then, stepping into the sitting room to be greeted by a huge inglenook fireplace, wooden beams and original flagstones, we were captivated.’ As Nicola and her architect husband, Tony, walked around the house, then strolled outside to admire the gardens and magnificent rural views, the couple knew Pells Yeat Farm would be a keeper. The talented couple, who run award-winning practice, Damson Consultancy, could see the house’s potential to be sympathetically extended as required. ‘During the viewing, we instantly hit it off with the lovely owners,’…