Country Life's top 10 interiors stories of 2022
Magnificent kitchens, effortlessly charming living spaces, clever ideas and warnings from those who've been through it all make our list.

Open fires v wood-burning stoves: The grate debate
We can only thank you all for forgiving our sub-editor's Dad-joke-level pun in the title of this article — the list of pros-and-cons put together by Arabella Youens is fantastically helpful... and the information on just how efficient log-burners are compared to open fires is eye-opening.
Six things you need to know before painting a room off-white — and five beautiful tints to consider
Some of the best designers in the business spoke to Amelia Thorpe for this article right at the end of 2021 on the 'sea of confusing choices' that greet anyone trying to keep things neutral.
The Country Life Top 100 architects, interior designers, craftsmen, builders and garden designers in Britain
Our top 100 list has now been going for half a decade, and is the absolute best starting point for anyone considering doing serious work to a country house.
At home with Cath Kidston: Inside the designer’s gorgeous country home
Our interiors guru Giles Kime has known designer Cath Kidston for decades. Back in April she invited him to take a look inside her Grade-II listed Cotswolds home.
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The transformation of an old Cotswolds farmhouse into a beautiful eight-bedroom house
Rosanna Bossom's work at Manor Farmhouse in Conderton, Worcestershire, came under the microscope in February.
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Seven beautiful new looks in kitchens, from classic cabinetry to 80s revival
New, old, retro... the appetite we have for reinventing our kitchens knows no limits, and this round-up of some of the cleverest new ideas in the area clearly struck a chord.
10 things I wish I’d known about doing up old houses before I started, by Country Life’s interiors guru Giles Kime
In November, Country Life’s executive editor and resident interiors expert Giles Kime shared the lessons he’s learnt from the experience of dragging a succession of houses into the 21st-century. It's fascinating — especially his views on following trends, or rather not following them.
The interior trends of 2022
‘'Maximalism is here to stay — minimalists would be advised to emigrate,’ warned Giles right at the start of the year.
Nine of the best potting sheds
Shed life has been one of the big lifestyle trends since the Pandemic, and this round-up included some truly lovely garden buildings.
A country kitchen in Berkshire that proves a small kitchen can be bright, light and beautiful
You don't need hundreds of square feet to make a really lovely country kitchen, as Sophie Eadie and Fi Crole showed with this design in Berkshire.
See Country Life's top 10s of 2022
Toby Keel is Country Life's Digital Director, and has been running the website and social media channels since 2016. A former sports journalist, he writes about property, cars, lifestyle, travel, nature.
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Dawn Chorus: The perfect job for incurable romantics, Britain's rudest roads, woodland workshops and spring in Cornwall
Living on a near-deserted island, and getting paid for the privilege? No wonder tens of thousands of people were keen.
By Toby Keel Published
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Polestar 4: Function, form and a sprinkle of stardust
Polestar's latest offering builds off a steady and reliable platform and finally adds the missing ingredient — a little bit of flair.
By James Fisher Published
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Why size doesn't matter if you've got some decorating derring-do
A small space can be just as appealing as a large one — as long as you decorate with confidence, says a new book.
By Arabella Youens Published
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What this bathroom says about the return of the shiny surface
By Alexandra Goss Published
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The art of glass: Is this the ultimate greenhouse for family entertaining?
This versatile greenhouse, designed for a family in Kent, and our round-up of the best orangeries, garden rooms and glasshouses is the only indoor-outdoor space inspiration you need.
By Amelia Thorpe Published
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The Country Life Top 100 architects, interior designers, craftsmen, builders and garden designers in Britain
It's now six years since the original Country Life Top 100 was published, but the aim hasn't changed: we name the very best architects, interior designers, craftsmen, builders and garden designers in Britain.
By Giles Kime Published
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A fireplace, a painting and a free-standing shower
The restoration of a bathroom at Ven House in Somerset is sympathetic to its historic roots
By Arabella Youens Published
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Country kitchens, period house insulation and open fires: Country Life's best interiors stories of 2023
We take a look back on the most popular interiors articles in Country Life over the past year.
By Toby Keel Published
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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.
By Giles Kime Published
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Country Life's 10 best interiors stories of 2021
From quirky kitchen cupboards to foolproof shades of paint, here are our best interiors stories of 2021.
By Toby Keel Published