Lovingly decorated houses, plus gardens in full bloom
• Best buys for life al fresco
• Beautiful gardens to visit
• Designers’ outside spaces
Fabrics & wallpapers celebrating exquisite garden design
When former fashion designer Pascale Smets discovered a 19th-century rectory with a racy past, she realised it was the challenge she had been looking for
This historic home in Surrey has undergone a major overhaul and now boasts a warm, welcoming atmosphere thanks to antique finds, bold colours and handcrafted elements
FEATURE CHARLOTTE DUNFORD PHOTOGRAPHY ASTRID TEMPLIER
An unwavering attention to detail and well-curated mix of materials and hues combine to create a family home that is a true city haven
THIS PAGE Walls in Edward Bulmer Natural Paints’ Lilac Pink lend warmth to the sitting room. The original fireplace had been removed, so Thornhill Galleries were commissioned to make a new surround in a classic Victorian design. The large painting is by Mary West. OPPOSITE BELOW The late-Victorian features of the facade have been sympathetically restored, including the woodwork porch and double front doors for which templates were taken from neighbouring houses.
THIS PAGE A view across the garden at Westbrook House, the snow pears erupting from topiary boxes leading the eye to a solitary scarlet oak. OPPOSITE ABOVE A tapestry of gillenia, ‘Stanwell Perpetual’ roses and beautiful purple Geranium ‘Sirak’; OPPOSITE BELOW A short-grass path is flanked by longer-grass and meadow-grass margins, leading towards the period house and its snow pear trees.
The magical gardens at Westbrook House on the Somerset Levels truly shine, the owners’ impeccable style and taste resulting in a fascinating textural palette interwoven with roses and topiary
FEATURE JEAN VERNON CLIVE NICHOLS PHOTOGRAPHS
A selection of 10 classic plants from Sissinghurst, as chosen by head gardener Troy Scott Smith, who works to preserve the garden’s heritage