Modern Country

Striking the balance between modern and rustic living can be quite the challenge, the need to blend the old and new and bring the outdoors in representing a myriad of obstacles and potential clashes that take a real eye for detail and plenty of patience to overcome. Fortunately, many brave souls have taken the plunge and dedicated their time and funds to renovating ageing properties, totally revamping their homes and discovering ways to harness the beauty of nature. Turn the page to discover a wealth of inspiration that can help you to reshape your home entirely or just add those final touches to finish it off. From botanical layouts to artful extensions and Scandi interiors, there’s something for every prospective renovator or budding building planner.…

START WITH THE ART This abstract painting inspired a harmonious room scheme of flaming reds and cobalt blues. SERENE SCHEME Muted pink walls are a perfect backdrop for a rich palette – introduce crisp whites for breathing space. CONFIDENT MOVES A hallway is ideal for bold colour and pattern. You can afford to be braver with a more intense shade, such as this mustard, in an area you’re passing through. IN THE BALANCE The calming blue wall allows the richly coloured furniture, lighting and graphic artwork to pop. LAYER IT UP Colour-blocking on walls, softened by an embroidered fabric headboard, is a dynamic look for a bedroom.…

Once a year the Oxford and Cambridge boat race zips past the windows of this large three-bedroom apartment, but for the rest of the time it’s a quiet, dreamy space, surrounded by nature and river views. On the banks of the Thames in Barnes, southwest London, a short walk from Hammersmith Bridge, the home is on the first floor of what was once a furniture warehouse built around the time of the First World War and used as storage by Harrods. It was converted into flats in 2000 and, more recently, redecorated and redesigned in 2017 by Tricia Guild of the lifestyle brand Designers Guild for an old friend of hers to live in. ‘We wanted to make a home that felt very positive,’ says Tricia. ‘Somewhere open and contemporary…

What do you do when you’ve outgrown your home but love its location too much to move? That’s the dilemma the Gilmour family found themselves in for years – constantly on the lookout for exciting properties for sale in their Buckinghamshire market town, all the while making do in a too-small house. But then the plot that was to become their future home came up for sale. ‘We love this area and have a wide circle of friends and family here,’ says Jane. Although the couple had extended their current property, Jane’s husband Stewart was eager for a new challenge. ‘He has endless energy,’ she says. ‘He would take on another project tomorrow if he could.’ The property they bought had belonged to an elderly lady and hadn’t been touched…

When James and Sarah Ainsworth relocated to Dorset with their two daughters, they enlisted the expert help of interior designer Emma Sims-Hilditch to create the family home they had always aspired to. Here, we talk to James and Emma to discover more about the project. How well did you know the area? JA We were not familiar with it and had no idea where we wanted to live, so we rented while we looked for somewhere to buy. Past mistakes had taught us to wait for the right house. Sarah and I are confident of our likes and dislikes, and we fully expected to be renovating whichever house we eventually found. What did you discover while renting? JA The house we rented had outbuildings, 27 acres of land and no…

For Claire and Simon Read, it’s always been a case of opposites attract. ‘When Simon and I met we joked that it was like Jane Austen dating Damien Hirst!’ says Claire. ‘We both have very different tastes, although over the years we have settled somewhere in between.’ They bought their beautiful Cotswolds property as a bolthole to escape from London for holidays and weekends, and it’s a complete contrast to their place in the city. While their London home has a modern Scandinavian-inspired monochrome interior, their idyllic country house embraces characterful period features and a colourful, eclectic scheme. ‘We live in central London and miss not having a garden. We wanted to give the children a sense of country living,’ says Claire. Finding a suitable property took some time. ‘We…