The English Home May 2026 sample

ENGLISH HOME

Including luxurious dressing rooms & designers’ own bedrooms

• Discover historic Dorset • Buying the perfect mattress • Delicious seasonal recipes

Stunning homes around the country from Cornwall to Lancashire

Paradise FOUND

The transformation of this Georgian house, once belonging to a famed artist, into a luxurious and layered coastal retreat inspired the launch of an exciting design partnership

Several years before purchasing this house in Cornwall, Rose Hanson had been doing up her London home, when her builder recommended bringing in designer Charlie Tilbury. ‘She and I were both pregnant and a bit mad, but we had such a great time working together,’ recalls Rose. So much so, they planned to form a design partnership, but sadly, the pandemic put a halt to this. Then, when Rose and her husband, comedian Josh Widdicombe, bought this property in 2022, they knew Charlie would be the best person to help with its transformation. ‘While we were renovating it, she and I thought, why not use this as a springboard?’ Rose says. And so, their interior design studio, Penrose Tilbury, was born.

A love of Cornwall and a desire for a place to holiday with their children, family and friends led Rose and Josh to the Georgian house on the Lizard Peninsula. ‘I remember Josh and I going around with a notepad saying, “In this room we’ll just paint this,” keeping it very low key,’ recalls Rose. Yet, ambitions soon began to grow, as Charlie explains: ‘You start rewiring and replumbing, and suddenly all the walls are down, the coving is gone, and you’re starting from scratch. It gave us more scope to really start thinking about the layout in terms of communal living.’

The house’s traditional layout, a difficult arrangement of small rooms, was first to come under scrutiny. ‘We felt that if the idea is to have lots of people staying, you can’t have everyone dispersed,’

OPPOSITE ‘We designed the kitchen with deVOL and they’re amazing at knowing how to work with space and where to put things,’ says Rose. The wood flooring is by Coppice & Crown. ABOVE Sun loungers from Neptune and an umbrella from Zara Home create an idyllic spot to unwind in the garden.

Decorators’ DELIGHT

Nestled in a peaceful pocket of the Somerset countryside, this 17th-century former village pub has been given a whimsical makeover by an industrious couple who love a challenge

In the sitting room, a rustic reclaimed elm coffee table and a 100-year-old stool from Baileys Home Store, Herefordshire, sit happily next to a replica Danish mid-century Louis Poulsen AJ floor light. Two of Geraldine’s own pottery creations - the Raku fired vase, displaying homegrown roses, and a footed bowl with a driftwood handle found on Branscombe beach, Devon, adorn the coffee table.

CAUGHT IN THE

MIDDLE

Striking the perfect balance between the refined curation of a minimalist approach and the character of eclectic maximalism, being a ‘midimalist’ creates both clarity and charm

FEATURE KATY MCLEAN

Are you a midimalist? This emerging term encapsulates an approach to decorating that sits neatly between the simplicity and considered attitude of minimalist interiors and the mix-and-match exuberance of those that are unabashedly maximalist.

Judiciously balancing statement patterns and colours within the constraints of a limited palette or style, the midimalist also displays carefully chosen pieces that allow their warmth, character and personality to shine through without overwhelming a space.

Here we explore how to achieve this balancing act with advice from interior designers who have mastered the art of midimalism.

What is a midimalist?

‘Midimalism is, quite simply, about restraint with soul,’ explains Laura Hammet, creative director of her eponymous studio. ‘It sits comfortably between the extremes of minimalism and maximalism, borrowing the discipline of one and the warmth of the other.’

This is a sentiment echoed by Hattie Hansard, interior designer at Joanna Wood: ‘Midimalism is about curation really – it’s not about stripping a space back to nothing, but about editing carefully so that

LEFT A refined blue-and-white palette is a classic choice, enlivened by a statement armchair in block colour in this room designed by Sims Hilditch.

NATURE In tune with

Embrace seasonal living and enjoy the harvests and sights of May

FEATURE KATY MCLEAN

NATURAL SPECTACLE

Combining dramatic colour, abundant blossoms and a heavenly scent, the appearance of wisteria heralds the start of the summer flowering season. The pendulous racemes, heavy with clusters of flowers, create a beautiful sight as they cascade romantically across walls or pergolas. Wisteria comes in shades of white, pink and deep purple, though the classic lilac-blue remains a favourite for most. While it can take a few years to establish and begin flowering, once it does, it grows quickly and is long-lasting, returning each year to put on a show. Synonymous with a country house aesthetic, wisteria is equally at home in urban settings –think Regency townhouse facades swathed in fragrant blooms, lending a classic touch of Bridgerton-style romance to city homes.

CUT IRISES

These sun-loving blooms come to life as the weather improves and the bulbs have received at least six to eight hours of sunlight a day. There are all sorts of varieties, from miniature and dwarf to elegant long-stemmed and bearded blooms, in shades of white, cream, peach, yellow and orange, and, of course, a full spectrum of purples, blues and lilacs. Though they are lovely to enjoy as a display in pots or a border, they make a welcome addition to cut flower arrangements, offering height and structure. Cut irises near the base at an angle just before the flower opens – best done early in the morning – then place them immediately in water. To sustain them for longer, recut the stems on the diagonal every other day and ensure the water level remains deep and cool. n