Open fires v wood-burning stoves: The grate debate
We can only thank you all for forgiving our sub-editor's Dad-joke-level pun in the title of this article — the list of pros-and-cons put together by Arabella Youens is fantastically helpful... and the information on just how efficient log-burners are compared to open fires is eye-opening.
Six things you need to know before painting a room off-white — and five beautiful tints to consider
Some of the best designers in the business spoke to Amelia Thorpe for this article right at the end of 2021 on the 'sea of confusing choices' that greet anyone trying to keep things neutral.
The Country Life Top 100 architects, interior designers, craftsmen, builders and garden designers in Britain
Our top 100 list has now been going for half a decade, and is the absolute best starting point for anyone considering doing serious work to a country house.
At home with Cath Kidston: Inside the designer’s gorgeous country home
Our interiors guru Giles Kime has known designer Cath Kidston for decades. Back in April she invited him to take a look inside her Grade-II listed Cotswolds home.
"
The transformation of an old Cotswolds farmhouse into a beautiful eight-bedroom house
Rosanna Bossom's work at Manor Farmhouse in Conderton, Worcestershire, came under the microscope in February.
"
Seven beautiful new looks in kitchens, from classic cabinetry to 80s revival
New, old, retro... the appetite we have for reinventing our kitchens knows no limits, and this round-up of some of the cleverest new ideas in the area clearly struck a chord.
10 things I wish I’d known about doing up old houses before I started, by Country Life’s interiors guru Giles Kime
In November, Country Life’s executive editor and resident interiors expert Giles Kime shared the lessons he’s learnt from the experience of dragging a succession of houses into the 21st-century. It's fascinating — especially his views on following trends, or rather not following them.
The interior trends of 2022
‘'Maximalism is here to stay — minimalists would be advised to emigrate,’ warned Giles right at the start of the year.
Nine of the best potting sheds
Shed life has been one of the big lifestyle trends since the Pandemic, and this round-up included some truly lovely garden buildings.
A country kitchen in Berkshire that proves a small kitchen can be bright, light and beautiful
You don't need hundreds of square feet to make a really lovely country kitchen, as Sophie Eadie and Fi Crole showed with this design in Berkshire.
See Country Life's top 10s of 2022
-
'The watch is Head Boy of men’s accessorising': Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey and Tom Chamberlin's Summer Season style secretsWhen it comes to dressing for the Season, accessories will transform an outfit. Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey and Tom Chamberlin, both stylish summer-party veterans, offer some sage advice.
-
Lewis Hamilton, Claude Monet and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Country Life Quiz of the Day, April 29, 2025Tuesday's Quiz of the Day looks back at Lewis Hamilton's first win and ponders on the meaning of greige.
-
‘It had the air of an ex-rental, and that’s putting it politely’: How an antique dealer transformed a run-down Georgian house in Chatham DockyardsAn antique dealer with an eye for colour has rescued an 18th-century house from years of neglect with the help of the team at Mylands.
-
The big reveal: A first look at Country Life's RHS Chelsea Flower Show standInterior designer Isabella Worsley reveals her plans for Country Life’s ‘outdoor drawing room’ at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
-
Sanderson's new collection is inspired by The King's pride and joy — his Gloucestershire gardenDesigners from Sanderson have immersed themselves in The King's garden at Highgrove to create a new collection of fabric and wallpaper which celebrates his long-standing dedication to Nature and biodiversity.
-
Designer's Room: A solid oak French kitchen that's been cleverly engineered to lastKitchen and joinery specialist Artichoke had several clever tricks to deal with the fact that natural wood expands and contracts.
-
John Sutcliffe — The man, the myth and the paint-naming legend behind Dead Salmon and Elephant's Breath -
The power of the youthful gaze: A new generation tackles modern day design conundrumsHow is a new generation of interior designers responding to changing lifestyles, proliferating choice, the challenges of sustainability and the tireless demands of social media?
-
'Rooms can be theatrical and comfortable at the same time': Top tips for decorating with conversation in mindCarefully placed furniture encourages conversations, says Emma Burns, of Sibyl Colefax & Fowler
-
A tub carved from a single block of San Marino marble — and nine more beautiful things for the ultimate bathroomThere's a bathroom out there for everyone — whatever your preferred style.
