Country Homes & Interiors

A TRIP TO THE COAST IS THE EPITOME OF ESCAPISM. It’s there in the big sky and wide horizon, the long stretch of strand, and the joyful clamour of funfairs and carousels. No wonder, then, that so many of us long to wake up to sea views and clifftop gr

Having met while teaching a workshop a few years ago, Sarah Campbell and Pukka Print founder Juliet Cornell bonded over their admiration for the woven textiles of Bauhaus artist Anni Albers. They spoke about the possibilities of creating block-printe

You don’t have to be beside the seaside to bring coastal charm to your front door. Plenty of nautical plants are well-suited to growing in containers; group spiky succulents, fragrant rosemary and wild grasses with pastel-blue lanterns for a stylish

I’m not one of those people who is in desperate need of a holiday abroad. The truth is, I’d rather be pottering about my own home and garden than be anywhere else in the world. It’s not that I won’t go away but utter the term ‘staycation’ and it is l

Wood panelling is a perfect choice for a bedroom, especially in older properties where you don’t want to channel electrics or pipework into the walls. Add 25mm foam insulation board between supporting battens for heat and sound insulation, and extend

For 10 years before they bought their house on the north coast of Kent, Skye O’Neill and Jamie Corner regularly escaped to Whitstable for weekends and holidays. From their home in southeast London, with their two young daughters, Eilidh and Esme, and

Though it may be a cliché, location, location and, yes, location, was the mantra that drove Russell Jarvis’s property search and purchase of a pair of run-down adjoining buildings overlooking the sea just outside the village of Lynton, North Devon. ‘

Architect Roderick James and his wife, interior designer Amanda Markham, were enjoying life on the picturesque River Dart in Devon when a series of work projects took Roderick to Scotland. ‘I was engaged on a house development with the Ardtornish Est

Sandringham is the much-loved rural retreat of the Royal Family, but the estate and its surroundings also have properties to own and rent for anyone wanting to enjoy this idyllic slice of the Norfolk countryside. So after missing out on a chance to b

FOR RURAL DWELLERS & DREAMERS LIMITED EDITION WORTH £44.85 • Annie Sloan Charleston paint set in Tilton plus a countryside bird stencil and flat paintbrush • Never miss an issue – for yourself or a friend • Free UK home delivery Visit www.magazinesdi

‘Pressing seaweed is a way to appreciate and preserve its beauty long after you have left the beach. Create stunning natural artworks, or use smaller pressings to make cards,’ say modern-day seaweed hunters, Melanie Molesworth and Julia Bird. Discove

Instantly soothing and peaceful, the perfect coastal design requires a finely nuanced approach. When you first think of seaside-inspired style, your mind will go to blue and white stripes, driftwood décor and shelves filled with shells and miniature

‘A fitted larder cabinet will create an astonishing amount of storage in a small space,’ says Simon Temprell, design manager at Neptune. Planned as part of a cabinet run, a fitted unit can add a pleasing sense of continuity, created to suit your room

Whether crafted from rich red clays, glistening slate or woven thatch, the roof is the unsung hero of our home. Not only does it play a vital role in defining the aesthetics of a property but it also ensures invaluable protection against the elements

A gallery wall of artwork is a beautiful way to embrace your creativity and bring personality, scale and interest to a living space. ‘Try not to overthink the process of hanging pictures as a gallery wall. A natural harmony will often reveal itself w

Candlelight is an evocative mood-setter for day-to-night alfresco dining, but there’s a risk the flame will blow out in a breeze. Fix the issue by lighting your table with traditional lanterns hung from a branch above. Plus, it will leave more space

A lovely idea for party favours. Remove potted pansies from their containers and pop the soil and roots in a small plastic bag. Wrap with a square of hessian or linen, tie in place with ribbon, then group on a cake stand. Guests can take one home at

It’s not surprising that coastal motifs feature in so many of the designs that Katie Ebben Smith creates in her design studio, Tablet & Haar. Inspiration abounds for the artist who works in the tiny fishing village of Crail perched on the East Neuk o

More of us than ever are watching what we spend and trying to reduce our bills. But what if you could make money from your property, instead of simply cutting back? Covering the costs of a holiday by hiring out your home via a rental agency isn’t new

SERVES 6 Ask your fishmonger to butterfly-cut your fish for you and they will remove the bones, leaving the tail attached. It will keep the fish intact as it cooks and looks striking when served. 100g capers Rapeseed oil150g shallots200g red/orange c

We think of geraniums as container plants, but they make pretty cut flowers, too. For this coastal-inspired display, simply arrange bamboo canes and fronds of horsetail in glass vases. Pour in some water, ensuring the bamboo canes are filled, and add

Having spent six years renovating their cottage, Judith and Michael Rust were finally able to turn their attention to the back garden – a rectangular plot that sloped upwards behind the house. As part of the work, the couple had added a rear kitchen

Here in the UK we have around 19,500 miles of coastline, including islands, and everything seems different close to the sea. The sea kale and sea beet on shingle shores, and thrift and sea campion on cliff pathways, are part of our native flora. Othe

August is generally the time of year when we decide to go away on holiday – which means many gardens will be left at a time when it’s crucial to keep on top of tending them. If you can, persuade your friends, families, or a neighbour to keep an eye o

When I first started my own garden in the Nineties, gardening for wildlife, to my small mind, was the realm of the eccentric, the untidy and the ‘niche’ organic movement. Since then, my mind has opened, and things have changed for the better. Now, th

I’m lucky to live by the coast in Cornwall, in the Port Isaac area. For my perfect day, my wife Rachel would be with me, as well as our two children. Jacob is 20 and is studying Musical Theatre, and Jessica, 18, is working with me – she’s a very tale

Two beaches stretch out either side of the large bay windows at Atlanta, in Cornwall’s Trevone Bay. One is rocky, full of fascinating finds including a seawater pool accessible only once the tide is out. The other is of amber sand that arches around