Interiors

'Other cultures celebrate the elderly. So why do we consign them to beige farms that smell of cabbage and wee?': Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen on Changing Rooms, retirement living and growing old disgracefully

30 years after finding worldwide fame as TV's most flamboyant interior designer, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has a new mission: to turn retirement villages into places more like boutique hotels than 'oatmeal coffins'.

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen: Changing rooms, mixing leather and velvet, and the joy of growing old disgracefully

Interior designer and TV icon Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen joins the Country Life Podcast.

A spare room so pretty and charming that you'll wonder why yours isn't as perfect

Interior designer Rita Konig infused this spare bedroom with a lively freshness. She explained the process to Arabella Youens.

Breaking the fourth wall: How Country Life's interiors editor redesigned and restored his own home

When he bought a tired 17th-century cottage, Giles Kime set out to discover if it’s possible to make an old house as comfortable as a new one.

Event: Country houses for a new generation

On Wednesday November 6, leading experts will offer insights into the changing nature of the rural retreat at an event hosted by Country Life.

The £7,500 peacock that brings grace, elegance and beauty... but without the noise and the defecation

Peacocks are beautiful birds — but that doesn't mean they're easy to live with. Unless they're not really peacocks at all...

Tea and sympathy: What the world of interiors owes to Geoffrey Bennison

Forty years after Geoffrey Bennison’s death, the collection that bears his name epitomises his contribution to classic English taste. Giles Kime pays tribute.

The dog that costs £120,000, the definition of English style, great balls of fire and the Quiz of the Day

Plus, a €12 million estate, and a rare outbreak of good news in Britain's waterways — it's The Dawn Chorus, our regular daily round-up of things you don't need to know, but will enjoy finding out about nonetheless.

'It’s a slow-cooked, nourishing soup with 1,000 lovely ingredients swirling within it. Each has its own special contribution. The only thing none of us have ever been able to stand is when the ingredients are all new': Ben Pentreath on English style

One of the most important rules of English decorating is that there are no rules. Confused? Don’t be. It’s simply an aesthetic that requires a certain mindset, believes Ben Pentreath.

'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

True craftsmanship means making things that last generations — but these skills are in danger of being lost forever

Giles Kime is worried about the state of craftsmanship in Britain.

The Art of Lighting: Four of Britain's top designers share their best tips for choosing lighting

At a recent panel discussion hosted at Vaughan’s London showroom during Focus/24, interior designers Emma Pocock and Sarah Peake, lighting designer Jo Mann of Lighthouse Designs and Richard Smith of Vaughan shared their top 10 tips on choosing lighting.

The best new indoor planters, pots and plant stands

Ideas for growing and enjoying houseplants, selected by Amelia Thorpe.

The £27,600 wooden bathtub and other modern day marvels to create an unforgettable bathroom

When is a bath not a bath? When it's a work of art.

Get two free tickets for the London Homebuilding & Renovating Show

The London Homebuilding & Renovating Show takes place at ExCeL in London from 27-29 September, and Country Life readers can attend for free.

An oasis of peace in the maelstrom of Covent Garden

This Eadie and Crole designed drawing room is cool, calm and timeless.

The timeless appeal of Vaughan and the secrets of good lighting to be unpacked by four of Britain's top designers

For more than four decades, Vaughan has combined inspiration from past and present to create beautifully crafted lighting, furniture and textiles that will stand the test of time.

Pale and interesting: The textile technology that's bringing back cream interiors

Giles Kime on why cream upholstery is no longer the impractical option it once appeared.

A unique insight into Blenheim Palace, with the interior designer whose family have lived there for 12 generations

Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, Henriette vvon Stockhausen and Emma Pocock are among the interior designers speaking at events hosted by Country Life at Focus/24.