How to buy a sofa that won't just last a few years, but a few generations
Well-made sofas aren’t only supremely comfortable. They also have the capacity to last for several generations, says Giles Kime.
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How to revamp an unloved garden room, from furniture and textiles to lighting and plants
If you're thinking of getting a garden room built, or re-doing one which lies unloved and under-used, interior designer Birdie Fortescue has all sorts of ideas. She spoke to Giles Kime.
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The humble kitchen cabinet, as reinvented by an award-winning architect
When choosing his kitchen, George Gardener felt uninspired by the choice of cabinetry — and took a rather unusual step to doing something about it.
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When is it right to show a bit of leg? (In your sofa covering, of course)
A new generation of upholstery is elegant, comfortable and doesn’t reveal too much leg, says Giles Kime.
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Lino to make a comback? Six interior design predictions, hopes and dreams for 2021
Interior design predictions for the year ahead, from Country Life’s guru Giles Kime.
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The best new interior design books which will set the tone for 2021
Giles Kime picks out some of the finest interiors books of 2020 for those seeking inspiration in 2021.
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Ten wonderfully uncompromising conservatories, orangeries and garden rooms
Whether you're dreaming of a place to enjoy what light there is as the rain pours down, or thinking about creating a space from which to make the most of the summer, we've chosen 10 beautiful, light-filled rooms to provide guidance and inspiration.
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Colourful kitchens: Why even a dash of a bold, vibrant hue goes a long way in a kitchen
A generation or two ago, kitchens were routinely re-done in bright colours — and there's something in colourful kitchen design even today, suggests Giles Kime.
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How we'll buy furniture in the post-Covid world
As new designs are launched this month, there will inevitably be changes in the way furniture is chosen, bought and sold. Giles Kime takes a look at how the future may pan out — and how we’ll benefit.
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14 things everyone should know before moving to a village in the country
For the uninitiated, the unwritten rules and subtle nuances of rural life can be baffling. Giles Kime offers city dwellers advice on everything from the parish magazine to the village pub.
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The uncomfortable problem of how to find the perfect bed
There’s an art to striking a balance between the most comfortable bed you can afford and the creature comforts necessary for a good night’s sleep, says Giles Kime.
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The Northumberland Coast AONB: Just bring a pair of good boots and a fondness for untamed natural beauty
Giles Kime continues our series on Britain's Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty with a look at the Northumberland Coast.
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A perfect cottage on a farm near Barnard Castle that's a beautiful and comfortable getaway from the hustle and bustle of life
Rita Konig has given a new lease of life to the sitting room of a farmhouse in the Yorkshire Dales. Giles Kime explains more.
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The kitchen at Lundies House, blending practicality, beauty and history
Giles Kime takes a look at a kitchen design by Plain English in a 17th-century manse that is sympathetic to its historic roots.
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How the marbled wallpaper micro revival could go mainstream
Marbled paper has been popular, on and off, since the 9th century. Now it’s enjoying a micro revival — and one which Giles Kime is delighted to see.
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The bold wallpaper that's not for the faint-hearted, full of glorious colours and larger-than-life motifs
Giles Kime is delighted by a new trend for wallpaper which evokes the patterns, colours and even the aromas of Andalusia.
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A calming bedroom with light and height — and a bathtub with a view
When Emma Sims Hilditch converted a 17th-century barn, she created a bedroom with both light and height. Giles Kime takes a look.
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Perfectly imperfect: Why the unfussy charm of block-printed textiles is winning us over
Technical precision may be a reassuring quality in a car (particularly when it’s driven at breakneck speed), but it’s not desirable in everything says Giles Kime.
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The Forest of Bowland: One of the last wild swathes of England, still resisting taming in the 21st century
Giles Kime takes a look at the Forest of Bowland, a 'dramatic mix of fells, windswept moors and sheltered valleys'.
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Why the future of the kitchen-diner is more diner than kitchen
Giles Kime takes a look at the new breed of kitchens that could easily be mistaken for dining rooms.
