ENGLISH HOME SPACE & LIGHT
Clever design secrets to brighten interiors
Luxurious additions
FROM CINEMA ROOMS TO POOL HOUSES
EXPERT GUIDES • Bespoke wine storage • Dreamy window dressings • Inside designers’ kitchens Experts
A large space like the sitting room requires furniture to scale and the family were lucky that the previous owners left them some pieces such as the coffee table and chandelier. The Linen Collection sofa is from Tine K Home, dressed with cushions from Lrnce, and the walls are painted in Farrow & Ball’s
The artwork is by
Pigeon.
Maartje van den Noort.
INTUITIVELY HOME
After years of moving around the world for work, Andrea and Paul Hilgers found the perfect place to settle in the Kent countryside
STYLING
LAYER UP
A blend of classic English style with global design influences spanning several continents lends this London home a unique sense of character
FEATURE CHARLOTTE DUNFORD PHOTOGRAPHY ASTRID TEMPLIER EXTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHY CLEO LEATHER
ABOVE In the pantry, a sink skirt in Tangier Red Stripe linen, a Poppy Papaya linen pantry lampshade and a worktop made using Italian Splatterware tiles, all by Alice Palmer & Co, add layers of pattern.
RIGHT A Laya round carved wood table from Nkuku is paired with chairs sourced from Morocco to create a cosy breakfast corner. ‘I got the huge poster from my dad and it was from one of his old restaurants, so it’s quite sentimental,’ says Alice.
Let the SUNSHINE IN
Pretty window treatments for embracing and filtering summer light, creating privacy and shade when needed, too
FEATURE KATY MCLEAN
ROOM WITH A VIEW
A window seat offers the perfect spot for taking in scenic vistas or garden views. Keep the window dressing simple – a neat pinchpleated curtain that tucks back and does not intrude on seating space or block any of the view is an optimal choice.
ETHEREAL ELEGANCE
Wafty voiles and delicate sheers are a winning choice for summer windows that might require a little screening or gentle enhancement. Setting a light and airy feel, they will billow softly in a breeze and filter sunshine while while preserving the brightness of the season.
Thessaly linen sheer curtain panel, £40; Marling linen mix cushion, Sage, £40, both The Cotswold Company
Curtains, Honeysuckle, Sky/Burnt Orange, £126 a metre, and wallpaper and other fabrics, Ben Pentreath x Morris & Co.
LIGHT LINEN
Linen or linen blends are a beautiful choice for lighter Roman blinds, offering more substance than a classic sheer while retaining a soft, natural drape. Left unlined, they create an almost-translucent effect, allowing dappled sunlight to filter through. Linwood’s new linen-cotton blend comes in a wide range of colours and is a perfect partner to its new striped linen for upholstery – we love the uplifting, sunshine-yellow of this sofa.
Blinds, Pluto, Mint Cream, £69.90 a metre; sofa, Lola Stripe, Marguerites, from £82.90 a metre, Linwood
Creating SPACE
Experts advise on when to reconfigure and when to extend a home to make the very most of its potential
FEATURE AMELIA THORPE
Whether it is a larger kitchen, a guest bedroom, a study, an extra bathroom or a garden room that is desired, does the extra space needed call for an extension or a reconfiguration of space that already exists? Extensions provide significant extra volume and long-term value but are often costly and disruptive. Reconfiguring improves flow and preserves character but may lack the space a new build offers. Here the experts assess the virtues of both extending and rethinking room functions or layouts to achieve the additional space and functionality needed.
By removing internal walls, Kitchens by Holloways have transformed an existing extension into a spacious open-plan kitchen-dining-living space.
Annie’s knack for collecting is evident in displays of vintage gardening paraphernalia and old pots