Living spaces

Injecting colour, pattern and character into a once-plain sitting room

Books, art and textiles transformed a once-characterless space into a warm, inviting sitting room.

'We talk about life's big questions with people who probably thought they were just coming in to discuss the redecoration of their house': Nicole Salvesen and Mary Graham on the Country Life Podcast

Nicole Salvesen and Mary Graham of Salvesen Graham join James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast.

Say no to boring walls: Six choices of paint and paper which will get people talking

'Not cheap... but cheaper than a divorce lawyer'

Driven to distraction by paint charts? A colour consultant could be the answer for anyone befuddled by choosing the right hue, says Giles Kime.

Room with a cru — how an 'enduring legacy of lockdown' is the latest must have in interior design

Long gone are the dusty cellars of the past. Now is the time to make the place you store your wine as pleasurable as drinking it.

The secret to transforming an awkwardly shaped room

Cave Interiors turned the awkwardly shaped sitting room of an Edwardian house into a warm and welcoming space.

A gloomy kitchen entirely re-created as a cosy living space

When Nicole Salvesen and Mary Graham were asked to redecorate a country house in Berkshire, the first task was to turn a dark space into a colourful sitting room.

A living room that's a lesson in how to restore lost character in a historic space

Nicola Harding used rich colours and textures to enhance the historic character of a Jacobean house in Berkshire.

The slipper chair: How one of America's great designers produced a classic of armless fun

The slipper chair might have its roots in the 18th century, but it owes its compact, convivial appeal to Billy Baldwin, a giant of 20th-century American interior design.

The death of the sitting room, and other design trends you'll see in 2023

Country Life's interiors expert Giles Kime has spent three decades living and breathing the world of design. Here's what he foresees coming next.

The true secret of great interior design, according to three of Britain's greatest designers

For those seeking to update their homes in the New Year, Giles Kime collates some truly on-the-nose insight from three of the best interior designers in Britain.

The exquisite hand-painted lamps inspired by the flowers and plants of the British countryside

Natasha Hulse has turned her love of nature into beautiful fabrics. Amelia Thorpe takes a look at her latest idea.

10 things I wish I'd known about doing up old houses before I started, by Country Life's interiors guru Giles Kime

Country Life’s executive editor and resident interiors expert Giles Kime shares the lessons he’s learnt from the experience of dragging a succession of houses into the 21st-century.

The Palladian folly that was the scene of Veere Grenney's splendid isolation

What did the legendary interior designer Veere Grenney learn from spending lockdown in a Palladian folly? Giles Kime finds out. Photographs by Simon Brown. living

The transformative power of good interior design, on show to the world in Chelsea

Giles Kime reports from the WOW!house, currently on show at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour.

John Sims-Hilditch: ‘A piece of furniture can’t be beautiful unless it’s well built’

John Sims-Hilditch, designer and co-founder of Neptune, on beauty and longevity.

Alfred Newall: 'Good furniture, made to last a lifetime, only gets better with age'

Alfred Newall, a furniture designer and maker based in Sussex, on the future of furniture.

The art of wallpaper

A new wallpaper company is unleashing the potential of digital technology to realise ranges of designs created by artists and designers, reveals Arabella Youens.

Everything you need to transform your library into the most decadent room of the house: from a £6,000 bookcase to a secret games table

Furniture and accessories for a stylish library, selected by Amelia Thorpe.

Eight magnificent fireplaces to fire your living room ideas

Amelia Thorpe rounds up the latest stoves and fireplaces.