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The Country Life Top 100 2025: A triumph of timelessness, substance and longevity over throwaway style
Giles Kime's executive editor and interiors guru — and the man in charge of putting together our annual Country Life Top 100 — on what binds together our pick of the 100 best architects, designers and craftspeople in Britain.
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The timeless elegance of English country house style, with Guy Goodfellow and Steven Rodel
Two of Britain's top interior designers share their wisdom with James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast.
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Dawn Chorus: Meet Farrow & Ball’s new paint colours, shop the must-have hotel merchandise and find out what Tom Parker Bowles likes to order from Greggs
It’s time to redecorate because paint connoisseurs Farrow & Ball have added 12 new colours to their palette.
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Why size doesn't matter if you've got some decorating derring-do
A small space can be just as appealing as a large one — as long as you decorate with confidence, says a new book.
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What this bathroom says about the return of the shiny surface
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The art of glass: Is this the ultimate greenhouse for family entertaining?
This versatile greenhouse, designed for a family in Kent, and our round-up of the best orangeries, garden rooms and glasshouses is the only indoor-outdoor space inspiration you need.
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Reader event: Why Sir John Soane matters
Almost two centuries after his death, the architect’s work continues to inspire both classic and contemporary designers. At a Country Life event in March, four leading design experts will explore his creative legacy.
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Freddie Mercury's London bathroom, perfectly recreated in a family home in Surrey
This Drummonds designed bathroom is a faithful replica of Freddie Mercury's London one, used on the set of his Bohemian Rhapsody film biopic.
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A Suffolk sitting room that's a perfect example of how to bring joy and warmth
Interior designer Sean Symington was asked to add character to the sitting room of this Tudor farmhouse in Suffolk.
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Animals, obelisks and bare plaster: Country Life predicts what will be hot in interior design this year
Cocktail larders and bobbin fenders. Much of what lies ahead comes from the past.
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Soft colours and bold geometry inspire this Notting Hill sitting room
Stella Weatherall employed colour and pattern to bring her London sitting room to life.
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Knock down or rebuild? Kitchen island or cook's table? The 10 questions to ask when you're doing up a house
From making decisions on restoring or replacing to figuring out how to lay out your house, Giles Kime talks through the questions you're likely to face when revamping an old property.
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The key to a great bathroom? Make it feel more like your sitting room — even to the point of having an armchair next to the bath
Flora Soames is on a mission to encourage more and more of us to embrace the concept of the decorated bathroom.
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'Other cultures celebrate the elderly. So why do we consign them to beige farms that smell of cabbage and wee?': Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen on Changing Rooms, retirement living and growing old disgracefully
30 years after finding worldwide fame as TV's most flamboyant interior designer, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has a new mission: to turn retirement villages into places more like boutique hotels than 'oatmeal coffins'.
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A spare room so pretty and charming that you'll wonder why yours isn't as perfect
Interior designer Rita Konig infused this spare bedroom with a lively freshness. She explained the process to Arabella Youens.
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Breaking the fourth wall: How Country Life's interiors editor redesigned and restored his own home
When he bought a tired 17th-century cottage, Giles Kime set out to discover if it’s possible to make an old house as comfortable as a new one.
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Event: Country houses for a new generation
On Wednesday November 6, leading experts will offer insights into the changing nature of the rural retreat at an event hosted by Country Life.
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'It’s a slow-cooked, nourishing soup with 1,000 lovely ingredients swirling within it. Each has its own special contribution. The only thing none of us have ever been able to stand is when the ingredients are all new': Ben Pentreath on English style
One of the most important rules of English decorating is that there are no rules. Confused? Don’t be. It’s simply an aesthetic that requires a certain mindset, believes Ben Pentreath.
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Say no to boring walls: Six choices of paint and paper which will get people talking
Amelia Thorpe picks out some glorious alternatives to just painting everything white.
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The best new indoor planters, pots and plant stands
Ideas for growing and enjoying houseplants, selected by Amelia Thorpe.
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The £27,600 wooden bathtub and other modern day marvels to create an unforgettable bathroom
When is a bath not a bath? When it's a work of art.
