Interiors

Where I work: Emma Sims-Hilditch, interior designer

A beautifully English living room that borrows some clever ideas from New York

Rita Konig has brought a north-facing living room to life with a lively mix of pattern and colour. Arabella Youens takes a closer look.

A traditional cottage with a room whose transformation was the 'key to unlocking the house'

Tom Cox has transformed the layout of this Oxfordshire house to create one light-filled living and dining space.

A bedroom in the eaves brightened up by classic wallpaper and the 'paint that goes with everything'

Papering the walls and eaves of this guest room with a lively botanical wallpaper has lent it a summery feel. Arabella Youens takes a closer look.

A graceful, museum-like hallway that shows how to refurbish without ripping up and starting again

Arabella Youens takes a look at a room revitalised by Meg Cunningham.

Where I work: Kate Gordon, art filmmaker and entrepreneur

Kate Gordon, founder of London Art Studios, is — like so many of us — working from home. She spoke to Rosie Paterson about how she'd handling working in lockdown, and the need for accessible art.

Where I work: Nick Cookson, travel entrepreneur

Nick Cookson, founder of The Villa Collective, is — like so many of us — working from home. He spoke to Rosie Paterson about relocating from London to Corfu in lockdown.

An elegant living space showing perfectly how to get the mismatched furniture look right

Interior designer Guy Goodfellow has created an elegant apartment above his Chelsea premises. Arabella Youens takes a look.

The secret life of fireplaces, and the fascinating tales they tell about the houses which host them

Fireplaces have all manner of wonderful stories to tell, as Amelia Thorpe discovers.

The next step in kitchens? A kitchen-within-a-kitchen where everything can be swept out of sight

An integral pantry and utility are vital ingredients in this family kitchen by Humphrey Munson. Arabella Youens takes a closer look.

The lost art of English joinery: 'Without it, even the grandest room will be nothing more than a box'

In the revival of interest in English country houses, beautifully designed joinery is often overlooked. Bruce Hodgson, founder of Artichoke, explains how door casements, shutters, panelling, skirtings, architraves, cornicing and dados can transform a space.

A room with a shockingly radical solution to finding its focal point: bricking up a window and building a new fireplace

Emma Burns transformed the sitting room of this London townhouse into an elegant bedroom — but not without making a major sacrifice.

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.

How to create the perfect party kitchen in a historic home

For owners of historically important houses, creating a kitchen in tune with 21st-century living can be a headache. Wood Hall is an example of just how well they can turn out - Freya Hardman found out how.

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.

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.

Beautiful, bold blue and white accessories for your home

Amelia Thorpe picks out her favourite blue and white accessories that are sure to lift the spirits.

Where I work: Annie Tempest, Tottering-by-Gently cartoonist

Annie Tempest, the brainchild behind the Tottering-by-Gently cartoon — one of Country Life's most beloved features — has always worked from home. She spoke to Rosie Paterson about her tips for new home workers and the best career advice she’s ever been given.

A Tuscan kitchen reborn: 'When we first took it on a tree was growing through the kitchen and the basement was full of snakes'

Where I work: George Saumarez-Smith, architect

George Saumarez Smith, director of ADAM Architecture, is — like so many of us — working from home. He spoke to Rosie Paterson about how he’s handling working in lockdown, and reflects on a couple of his favourite projects.