CATEGORIES

Lisa Coppin

The Cotswold Company’s chief creative officer shares the pieces that mean so much to her

TRAVEL

Six of the best pineta, plus a festive trip to Covent Garden. Review of The Orange, Belgravia by Katie Pike, travel stories

OLD SHEFFIELD PLATE

Stumbled upon by chance, this ingenious material was a more affordable option than solid silver, and well-preserved examples are particularly desirable today

Merrily on high

Summoning servants since the 1700s, bell boards create instant English country-house style (even if you don't have any servants). Emma Longstaff dons her pinny

Let it snow

Nostalgic, magical and highly collectable, snow globes are curious objects of wonder that never fail to instil joy

Velvet Crush

Once the preserve of the wealthy, velvet finally touched all levels of society, thanks to advances in its production process

Celebrating in the Stable

Antiques dealer Julia von Hülsen specialises in Gustavian pieces - all of which look perfectly placed in her German home

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

Victorian toy theatres charming and exquisitely designed miniature worlds have inspired theatre royalty for decades. Today, the tradition is being kept alive by a small but talented network of makers

NICHOLAS LEES

The ceramic artist talks to Dominique Corlett about new ways of working with clay and blurring the edges of solid objects

Candy CHRISTMAS

Pastel hues, vintage decorations and bowls of sweet treats: the festive run-up is gloriously joyful at Bettina Færgeman's historic Copenhagen apartment, where there's an emphasis on entertaining...

48 hours in FUNCHAL

Jenny Oldaker discovers Madeira's capital to be an elegant, artistic place with wide open spaces, verdant beauty spots and a picture-perfect sea-facing location...

LUKE HONEY'S Enthusiasms

On an autumn day in 1783, a sheep, a duck, and a rooster became the first living creatures to fly in a hot air balloon.

Collecting NUTCRACKERS

Not just for Christmas, these nostalgic keepsakes come in an abundance of novelty shapes and styles, offering character and affordability for budding collectors

WHY I COLLECT Medals

Oliver Miller, managing director of Bishop & Miller Auctioneers and Valuers, is fascinated by medals - for him it's all about the preservation of stories for future generations...

Fashionably CURATED

Roni Lang's home in Deal, situated above her clothing store, is every bit as creative and stylish as you'd expect from a fashion designer

Work life balance

Lucy and Guy Rutter - a ceramicist and artist respectively - have found the ideal place to live and work: a Victorian property in Faversham attached to a once-neglected studio...

Farm FUSION

A farmhouse near Cape Town has been given a rustic-meets-industrial makeover, using found materials and objects, as well as treasures brought back from afar

SAVVY Sophistication

Affordable and intriguing charity shop and eBay finds are teamed with statement pieces in this impressive Victorian home in West Yorkshire

DARREN APPIAGYEI

The wood artist talks to Dominique Corlett about seed pods, creative reinvention and the life-enhancing feeling of turning a lathe

Collecting Dioramas MINIATURE WORLDS

From elaborate taxidermy museum displays to humble folk art creations, a diorama can transport us to another time and place

Pride of place LEEDS CREAMWARE

In its heyday the pre-eminent rival to Wedgwood's Queens ware, Leeds creamware is still much revered by collectors for its understated elegance

Bohemian Rhapsody

An exuberant approach to decor, with rooms enveloped in colour and pattern, has brought this historic home merrily into the 21st century...

THE ANTIQUES THAT SHAPED ME Rory Hutton

The accessories designer on his love of silver spoons and Sévres porcelain

European HERITAGE B&Bs

Is there anything more inspiring than staying somewhere that's both beautifully stylish and imbued with history? Rhiannon Batten explores five gems across Europe, from Sweden to Spain...

STAR SALES

A Hitchens painting, a museum-quality teapot and a Parisian chocolate box are all top of the lots

Textile designs by artists

Influential 20th-century fine artists and sculptors, from Picasso to Barbara Hepworth, gained additional status as textile designers until decline set in during the 1970s

Period DRAMA

A painstaking renovation has brought this 1725 former Huguenot silk weaver's house in London's Spitalfields back to life

An artist's RESIDENCE

Rustic details and a restrained palette lend a sense of simplicity to this lovingly restored Friesian bakery

Carefully Curated LIVING

This lovingly restored Gustavian manor has become both home and showroom for its owners, Maria & Jan Åke, who deal in European antiques

Asante & Ewe Kente

This West African stripwoven cloth dates back centuries and is still manufactured today, representing a vibrant symbol of the area's history and traditions, says Celia Rufey