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21 of the greatest craftspeople working in Britain today, as chosen by the nation's best designers and architects
We've persuaded some of the most celebrated names from our Country Life Top 100 to name the craftspeople they have in their own personal little black books.
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The transformative renovation of a Grade II-listed property with an 'unusual footprint'
Having inherited this fine London townhouse, the new owner asked Sims Hilditch to help refresh the interiors, resulting in a youthful, yet elegant kitchen.
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Alan Titchmarsh: My garden is as pretty as I've ever known it, thanks to an idea I've rediscovered after 50 years
Thinking about an article he wrote almost half a century ago prompted Alan Titchmarsh to get sowing — and he's now reaping summer loveliness.
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‘What a shame when a dinosaur disappears into the mansion of an oligarch rather than being displayed for all to enjoy’: The ethics of the dinosaur auction
Fancy a stegosaurus in your living room? You can buy one at auction. But the latest luxury good is a paleontologist's worst nightmare.
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The Hollywood garden designers who turned their hand to a magical corner of Somerset
Caisson House's fifteen abandoned locks were part of the draw for Amanda and Phil Honey, who have created this astonishing garden in the grounds of the former headquarters of the Somersetshire Coal Canal Company just outside Bath. Caroline Donald discovers more; photography by Jason Ingram.
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'Comfortable, cosseting and far from the madding crowd': The recently refurbished Cornish cottage that proves Victorian decor is making a comeback
Plum Cottage in Padstow, Cornwall, has been brought to life by Jess Alken and her husband, Ash — and is the latest addition to their holiday cottages on the north Cornish coast.
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18 inspiring ideas to help you make the most of meals in the garden this summer
From tie-dye tablecloths to tasseled awnings, there's something for every garden space.
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'These aren't just rooms. They are spaces configured with enormous cunning, artfully combining beauty with functionality': Giles Kime on the wonders of WOW!house 2025
WOW!house 2025 is here. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to explore more than 20 indoor and outdoor spaces, dreamt up by the biggest names in design, says Giles Kime.
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Star of the show: Rose of Jericho's paint created just for Country Life at RHS Chelsea
Sponsored by Rose of Jericho
One of the highlights of Country Life's ‘outdoor drawing room’ at the 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show was a new paint colour created by Rose of Jericho,
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This obscure and unloved picture that turned out to be Turner's first oil painting — and it's about to sell for 500 times what it last cost
JMW Turner's 'The Rising Squall, Hot Wells, from St Vincent’s Rock, Bristol' was lost and forgotten for years — but now it's been rediscovered, and is going under the hammer in July.
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A dozen slices of al fresco inspiration from the best designers in Britain
Amelia Thorpe shares her pick of the most beautiful outdoor furniture and accessories to help you make the most of summer.
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The world’s most iconic handbag could be on your arm
40 years after its conception, the original Hermès ‘Birkin’ bag, owned by the OG It Girl Jane Birkin, is going up for auction with Sotheby’s on July 10.
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Munder-Skiles and the art of exterior decoration
Sponsored by Munder-Skiles
The success of this project — which was awarded four stars by judges at the Chelsea Flower Show — demonstrates Isabella Worsley’s versatility as a designer.
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The beauty’s in the detail: How English stone specialist Artorius Faber helped to bring Country Life's Chelsea stand to life
Presented by Artorius Faber
When the interior designer Isabella Worsley conceived Country Life's ‘Outdoor Drawing Room’ at last week’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, she worked with English stone specialist Artorius Faber to create bespoke architectural features including windows, a chimneypiece, a water trough and floor sourced from its own quarry in Dorset.
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Time for the 'Chelsea Chop': The garden job to do as the Chelsea Flower Show ends which will give you more, better, healthier flowers for the rest of the summer
The day the RHS Chelsea Flower Show ends isn't just a day in the gardener's calendar to start looking forward to next year — it's the ideal time for pruning and trimming, as John Hoyland explains.
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A feast of ideas: What to expect at WOW!house 2025
More than 20 rooms and outdoor spaces by leading interior designers will offer depth and breadth of inspiration, with an emphasis on bespoke craftsmanship, at WOW!house, the summer’s major interiors event, finds Amelia Thorpe.
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Hampnett House: A Gloucestershire garden where an empty, squelchy lawn has been replaced by 'gorgeous flowery generosity'
What to do if you inherit a garden that isn’t your style? Tiffany Daneff visits the garden at Hampnett House, Gloucestershire — home of Mr Sanjeev Shah and Ms Mansi Amin — and finds a space that has undergone a major transformation, from high-concept minimalism to flower-filled paradise. Photographs by Britt Willoughby Dyer.
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'Nowadays, you can barely throw a heavy brick without it hitting a garden designer’: The renaissance of the country garden
Tiffany Daneff looks at how the English country house garden has been rescued from its thorny slumbers over the last 50 years.
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A woolly mammoth skeleton is among the curiosities for sale to save fire-ravaged Parnham Park
The auction of the owner James Perkins' collection, hosted by Dreweatts, tomorrow (May 13), will be used to fund renovation works at Parnham Park in Dorset.
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10 outstanding British gardens from the Country Life Archive
With Chelsea Flower Show is on the horizon, we've mined the 128-year-old Country Life Archives for 10 inspiring gardens from across our Isles.
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Sell your valuables with ease with The Antique Buying Collective
Sponsored by The Antique Buying Collective
The Antique Buying Collective treats gold and silver as heirlooms, not scrap. From Victorian brooches to Georgian silverware, each piece is appraised for its history, craftsmanship .and charm, then thoughtfully rehomed through a trusted network. It’s a respectful approach, giving fine antiques the second life they so richly deserve
