Room to grow
25 Beautiful Homes|January 2021
Jessica and Charlie Henderson have transformed an unloved rectory in Kent into the idyllic home they wanted for their expanding family
AMY MAYNARD
Room to grow

Kent, the ‘Garden of England’, is truly magical in wintertime. Hedgerows sparkle with an icy glaze and the low sun skims the frosty fields. It’s easy to understand why the Hendersons fell under its spell. Jewellery and knitwear designer (Instagram @mrshendersons_shop), Jessica Henderson grew up in rural France then lived in London for years, but always yearned for a return to the bucolic lifestyle.

‘In January 2016, my husband Charlie was online when he saw a former rectory in Kent for sale,’ says Jessica. ‘We drove down from London as soon as we could and saw its potential immediately, says Jessica. ‘I had been longing for a more outdoor lifestyle for the children and to be able to just open the back door and let them roam without having to walk to a park.’

This story is from the January 2021 edition of 25 Beautiful Homes.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the January 2021 edition of 25 Beautiful Homes.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM 25 BEAUTIFUL HOMESView All
A Labour of Love
25 Beautiful Homes

A Labour of Love

Morgan Scott-Murch and her husband Jon worked hard to turn bedsits into a beautiful home

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2024
LIGHT relief
25 Beautiful Homes

LIGHT relief

Leila and Ali Mestiri called in the experts to modernise their dated period property and make it bright and beautiful

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2024
Grand ambition
25 Beautiful Homes

Grand ambition

Making changes to a listed historic house comes with many challenges, but that didn't stop Penny and Richard Ballard achieving their dreams

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2024
COUNTRY calling
25 Beautiful Homes

COUNTRY calling

Anita and Tom Storrar have cleverly enhanced their pretty stone cottage in the North York Moors National Park, which is the focal point of their idyllic family life

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2024
CUSTOM FIT
25 Beautiful Homes

CUSTOM FIT

A contemporary Huf Haus proved to be the ideal home for David and Greta Iredale to showcase their love of mid-century design

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2024
Urban OASIS
25 Beautiful Homes

Urban OASIS

Interior designer Ruchi A. Mohan was well placed to turn a dated and compact New York City apartment into a calm, cool and collected abode

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2024
Best laid plans
25 Beautiful Homes

Best laid plans

A renovation and significant extension have future-proofed Rossella and Tim van der Weyden's Victorian terrace for years to come

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2024
AT ONE with nature
25 Beautiful Homes

AT ONE with nature

The couple who built this home on the outskirts of Antwerp were influenced by their experience of living in Japan, so the inside is as peaceful as the outside

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2024
Dream come true
25 Beautiful Homes

Dream come true

Moving from a semi to a detached period house in need of some care was a happy adventure for Am and Aman Hayer

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2024
CLEAR VISION
25 Beautiful Homes

CLEAR VISION

Katie and Andrew Probert couldn't resist the chance to buy a Victorian doer-upper on a street they'd always wanted to live on

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2024