25 Beautiful Homes October 2020

The pandemic has universally changed perspectives, and our attitudes to home, travel, work and socialising have been reset. Many urbanites, for the first time, are considering escaping the city. Personally, I have found I have a new longing for wide, open spaces. It’s not helped by the fact that I am particularly inspired by the country houses in the issue. This month we are showcasing both tailored rural retreats and rustic boltholes with a laid-back vibe. Another major shift relates to homeworking; many of us are now asking our houses to function as offices, whether that’s in the form of a dedicated study, from the guest bedroom or sitting at the kitchen table. Here you’ll find plenty of ideas to inspire. I love Laura and Barney Monahan’s secret desk, hidden…

When Kate Lawley and her husband Mike first walked through the doors of their old schoolhouse, they instantly fell in love with the building’s charm and history. ‘Inspired by warehouse and loft-style spaces, we’d been looking for a renovation project to tackle that would give us big open-plan living,’ says Kate. ‘And despite the schoolhouse’s run-down condition, we knew it had the potential to become something very special.’ The schoolhouse had been converted into two residential dwellings in the early 1900s, and this part of the building had once been the school hall, so it had very high ceilings and lots of original structural details still intact. However, many of the roof timbers were rotten from historic water leaks, the living space and bedrooms were impractical for modern living, and the…

After years of living in London, Katie Oliver, a busy GP, set her sights on finding a country bolthole for weekends and holidays with her husband Andrew and five children, Molly, seven, James, five, Charlie, three, Sofia, two and Gigi, eight months. Her love of Somerset brought her to Wells, in the Mendip Hills, where she was lucky to find an 18th-century barn for sale with stunning views and a rich history. ‘Over the decades, the building has swapped hands between farmers, gardeners and potters and was even used as a dairy farm,’ explains Katie. ‘We could see the potential to create our dream family home here where we’ve holidayed many times.’ They bought the property four years ago, which they named Kilnwood, and under the guidance of Katie’s sister, an…

Tucked away behind a cobbled medieval street in the heart of fashionable Rye, lies St John, a recently renovated property that’s home to Marta Nowicka, an award-winning interior architect, her son Lucas and partner Voytek, a photographer. ‘It is a wonderful escape: a short stroll to the harbour, local antique haunts and only three miles to the beach,’ says Marta. The stunning two-storey building is the result of a major transformation by Marta, who has converted the former ambulance station into a four-bedroom home, set within a private walled courtyard. The original 1930s structure, flattened in the war for material usage, was donated in the 1950s, as a philanthropic gift to St John Ambulance. They, in turn, rebuilt it before adding a further extension in the 1970s to create a town…

Having outgrown their chocolate-box semi-detached cottage, interior designer Helen Jackson was adamant the next family home would not be a building project. ‘With two children and busy lives, my husband Paul and I were determined to find a house we could move straight into, with the minimum of fuss,’ recalls Helen. ‘I love things to be neat and tidy, and the prospect of messy building work filled me with dread.’ However, best-laid plans often go awry, and in 2016, after hunting for a property in Buckinghamshire, and drawing a complete blank, Helen realised the only answer was confronting her fears. ‘We were very attached to our historic cottage and knew it would be hard to find anything that compared,’ says Helen. After many viewings, only one property held any appeal. ‘This…

Home to Andrea Curtis, Alistair Ross and their two children Carys, 20, and Grace, 13, this property reflects the creative talents of its occupants. Andrea is passionate about colour and has turned her artistic skills and natural instinct for creating appealing palettes into a career as a colour consultant. These gifts clearly run in the family genes as daughter Carys is also a talented artist, currently studying at art college. DECOR ATING TIP ‘Spend time choosing colours that you love for a beautiful visual flow’ When the family first moved into the property 15 years ago, it was a far cry from the interior of their dreams. Woodchip wallpaper covered the entire house and they spent a stressful few months living on site while each room was stripped and replastered. ‘It was…