Love & honour

The Broadfields were determined to update their elegant Victorian villa to suit modern living, but without overwriting its natural character

THE KITCHEN TRENDS TO TRUST

Updating your kitchen can be a wobbly walk between safe (but boring) options and riskier choices that will date quickly. Luckily, there are plenty of slow-moving ‘trends’ that will give you a kitchen you love now… and in 2025

HOW TO MAKE NEUTRALS MORE INTERESTING

They make small rooms look bigger, dark rooms look lighter, and go with everything. But, neutral schemes can look bland and boring if you don’t use these simple tricks…

Starting over

Misia Guicherit and Arnoud van Dorp rebuilt their house from the ground up, giving it authentic period architecture but a very contemporary decorative style

The inside story

The traditional, stone-built facade of Kate and Mike Lawley’s converted Victorian schoolhouse hides a surprise – a cool, contemporary, open-plan interior

EASY STYLE UPDATES

From best buys and clever tricks to mini decor projects… this is our roundup of the simplest, quickest ways to make your home more beautiful now

‘It went from dated to decadent'

Marisa and Chris Shaw turned a bland, boring bathroom into one full of warmth and character, built around Marisa’s dream tub

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING

Reclaim your space with these simple-but-clever storage solutions for busy, clutter-prone rooms

Easy Style Updates

From best buys and clever tricks to mini decor projects… this is our roundup of the simplest, quickest ways to make your home more beautiful now

Ideas For Tricky Spaces

Instead of working around the awkward corners of your home, make them work harder for you…

The Bathroom Trends To Trust

Updating a bathroom means navigating myriad choices and risking being seduced by design details that date quickly. We’ve sorted the wheat from the chaff to keep you on the right road for a bathroom you still love in 2025.

Trading places

The Stafford-Smiths swapped city living for a fresh start in the country and a poky terrace for a big converted barn… bringing urban glamour together with rustic character in the process

The inside story

The Petersens’ mock Tudor house hides a surprise – a smart and contemporary interior that complements its characterful exterior without being a slave to it

Tailor made

Ben and Gaby Hillman updated a standard Thirties semi with a wraparound extension, clever design ideas and smart tech to make every space support their lifestyle and suit their contemporary tastes

Creative thinking

Fashion designers Emma and Nick Rossi have mixed styles and colours to create a unique home

Warm & Welcoming

Cathrine Oxholm Sonne and Martin Lützau used simple design tricks to soften the hard lines of their home’s modern architecture

Simple But Sophisticated

Anouk Gerardu and Rob Ghijsen started with beautiful, basic pieces in their big, open spaces, then layered on texture and detail

‘It's Such A Bright, Happy Space Now'

Sophie and Sofiane Lahmar extended and rearranged their kitchen-diner for a better layout and extra light

‘We Wanted To Create The Unexpected!'

Instead of playing it safe with Shaker-style or gloss-finish units, Sarah and Chris West went for the wow factor and chose this contemporary, colourful birch-ply design

‘We Opened Up The Back Of Our Narrow Terrace'

A beautifully framed side-return extension has stretched Laura Disney and Huw Beynon’s kitchen to the full width of their plot, giving them lots more living space

Starting Again From Scratch

The Bennetts bought an Edwardian house that hadn’t been updated since the 1980s and gave it a new lease of life

Interior Design Advice-How To Update Your Dining Space

Entertaining at home is big news but if your dining room isn’t making style headlines, these design experts can help you get it right

A Little Piece Of History

Kay and Paul Cullen renovated a small Victorian village chapel, blending modern design with characterful vintage pieces

‘We Widened Our Skinny, Dark Space'

A side-return extension with roof windows has transformed the Gareys’ kitchen into a bigger, brighter place for family meals and entertaining

Smart Thinking

Leoma Harper started with a big, bland house and filled it with character, sophisticated style and clever colour choices.

Labour Of Love

Marjolein and Jankees bought an old vicarage nobody else wanted and rolled up their sleeves to turn it into a comfortable family home

Escape To The Country

Claire and Ed Croft bought Claire’s parents’ holiday home in Norfolk and customised it to suit their busy family.

Getting The Mix Right

Cathrine and Anders de Lichtenberg combined contemporary pieces with period features and a dash of African inspiration in their Copenhagen flat.

Old House, Modern Attitude

Taking on the challenge of a listed property, Antoinette and Lars van der Berg opted to highlight its assets without feeling tied to its historic style

Shades Of Teal

This chameleon colour shifts from warm and cocooning to fresh and invigorating, depending on the orientation of your room and the colours you pair it with. We asked colour experts for their dos and don’ts…