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.
Giles Kime is Country Life's Executive and Interiors Editor, an expert in interior design with decades of experience since starting his career at The World of Interiors magazine. Giles joined Country Life in 2016, introducing new weekly interiors features, bridging the gap between our coverage of architecture and gardening. He previously launched a design section in The Telegraph and spent over a decade at Homes & Gardens magazine (launched by Country Life's founder Edward Hudson in 1919). A regular host of events at London Craft Week, Focus, Decorex and the V&A, he has interviewed leading design figures, including Kit Kemp, Tricia Guild, Mary Fox Linton, Chester Jones, Barbara Barry and Lord Snowdon. He has written a number of books on interior design, property and wine, the most recent of which is on the legendary interior designer Nina Campbell who last year celebrated her fiftieth year in business. This Autumn sees the publication of his book on the work of the interior designer, Emma Sims-Hilditch. He has also written widely on wine and at 26, was the youngest ever editor of Decanter Magazine. Having spent ten years restoring an Arts & Crafts house on the banks of the Itchen, he and his wife, Kate, are breathing life into a 16th-century cottage near Alresford that has remained untouched for almost half a century.
Well-made sofas aren’t only supremely comfortable. They also have the capacity to last for several generations, says Giles Kime.
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.
When choosing his kitchen, George Gardener felt uninspired by the choice of cabinetry — and took a rather unusual step to doing something about it.
A new generation of upholstery is elegant, comfortable and doesn’t reveal too much leg, says Giles Kime.
Interior design predictions for the year ahead, from Country Life’s guru Giles Kime.
Giles Kime picks out some of the finest interiors books of 2020 for those seeking inspiration in 2021.
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.
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.
Giles Kime continues our series on Britain's Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty with a look at the Northumberland Coast.
Rita Konig has given a new lease of life to the sitting room of a farmhouse in the Yorkshire Dales. Giles Kime explains more.
Giles Kime takes a look at a kitchen design by Plain English in a 17th-century manse that is sympathetic to its historic roots.
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.
Giles Kime is delighted by a new trend for wallpaper which evokes the patterns, colours and even the aromas of Andalusia.
When Emma Sims Hilditch converted a 17th-century barn, she created a bedroom with both light and height. Giles Kime takes a look.
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.
Giles Kime takes a look at the Forest of Bowland, a 'dramatic mix of fells, windswept moors and sheltered valleys'.
Giles Kime takes a look at the new breed of kitchens that could easily be mistaken for dining rooms.
People across the country are using their time to decorate, and with the big companies still running delivery services you're likely to be able to get pretty much any colour you like.
Listening to the world’s greatest interior designers talk about their work is one of the best ways to get to grips with an elusive art — and as Giles Kime explains, London Design Week offers a great chance to do just that.
Furniture designers still have much to learn from the automotive industry.