National Treasure

As the 44th series of the Antiques Roadshow returns to our screens, Homes & Antiques goes behind the scenes to find out how the programme has altered in recent years and why it still holds a special place in our affections

STABLE MADE

A sensitive renovation has transformed a dilapidated Georgian coach house into a quirky family home, full of fascinating architectural details and period charm

MARVELLOUS MOORCROFT

As one of the most original British pottery brands celebrates the 150th birthday of its founding father William Moorcroft, we explore the secrets of its longevity

PROFUSION of pattern

Lynn Walford demonstrates how pattern in all its many styles and forms – from wallpaper to intricate embroidery and tapestry – can bring a unique look to a 16th-century home

Finders Keepers

When interior designer Charlotte Collins found a charming cottage to renovate and ‘flip’, she couldn’t have predicted she'd fall in and make it her own

Upstairs DOWNSTAIRS

A unique house in Wrexham provides visitors with a vivid taste of life in a grand country house, in no small part thanks to a tradition of photographing the servants…

The love seat

Defined simply as a settee that seats two, but also known as a tête-à-tête, a causeuse, a confidante, a siamoise and a gossip couch, the form is common in many countries including Britain, France, and America says Katherine Wright, auctioneer and antiques specialist at Lyon & Turnbull

REGENCY Romance

Laura and Dan Taylor’s home is a theatre of beauty, embracing the faded grandeur of old French châteaux with a hint of rock and roll chic

John Bly

A leading authority on antique English furniture and famous for his longstanding appearances on the Antiques Roadshow, John Bly has recently celebrated 130 years of his family’s antiques business and is eternally fascinated by social history…

Fabric of life

The art of making decorative trimmings is being kept alive by a small number of artisans, their ‘passementerie’ adding glamour to historic projects and bespoke interiors alike.

RISING STARS

Innovation, drive and passion for their chosen paths are key characteristics of our leading young auctioneers, fair organisers and dealers – we meet eight of the freshest faces on the antiques scene, all aged 35 and under

French Fairytale

The romantic Dordogne in south-west France proved the perfect backdrop for Jean-Marc Durand’s renovation of an old stone house that is now just as charming as its dreamy locale

Colour BALANCE

Longing to reconnect with the countryside, Amelia Harvey has brought a lacklustre Cotswolds gem to life with love, care and a riot of vibrant colour

Buying Antique Rugs Dream Weavers

With their intricate patterns, painstaking production and compelling history, antique rugs are capable of provoking high passion, and they make a striking focal point in the home

Behind the Scenes AT THE MUSEUM

Sophie Yaniw, curator at Petersfield Museum, which has just reopened after a £4m expansion and refurbishment, speaks to Rachel Nottabout bronze age artefacts and prisoners of war

A View on a Room

Antiques expert JUDITH MILLER takes us on a tour of her favourite room from the houses featured this issue – Helen Bromovsky’s dining room

Beneath the Layers

Gill Jessop and Roger Etheridge have spent 30 years rescuing and restoring the original decorative paintwork on antique pine furniture

In Tune With the Past

The Leverett family has a lifetime of experience rebuilding pianos, a skill that allows them to breathe new life into antique models destined for the scrapheap

Tea Spirit

One man has made a quest of restoring our reverence for tea and tea drinking – and in doing so has accumulated the world’s largest and finest private collection of teaware. ALICE HANCOCK pores over some exquisite and truly jaw-dropping designs

Curated Treasures

Beyond the classic 18th and 19th-century continental furniture in Inge Bemelmans’ home is a surprisingly eclectic mix of curios from across the world – from an Italian Santos doll to a Turkish crib 

North Wiltshire

On the Fringes of the Cotswolds, North Wiltshire Is a Picture-perfect Backdrop for Lovers of History, Heritage and Elegantly Landscaped Gardens

Worlds of Discovery

From her studio in Vauxhall, south London, Sylvia Sumira expertly handles the daunting task of cleaning up mini Earths, caked with the grime of history.

Reflecting on Dartington

The last remaining factory-scale crystal and glassworks in the country, 50-year-old Dartington Crystal remains at the cutting edge of creative glass, while representing a precious heritage of technique and skill