It is obvious from the moment one steps over the flagstone threshold of Sue and Alexander Jones's barn conversion on the borders of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire that they like to look after their friends. The drinks tray is positioned to dispense cocktails upon arrival; the dining table can be extended to seat 12; and plenty of squishy, comfortable seating is arranged in groups to encourage conviviality. For this is the Cotswolds, a rural area of soft limestone houses and gentle hills within easy reach of London that is home to many of the country's wellborn and well-heeled chattering classes who regularly gather in each other's houses for drinks, dinners, and long Sunday lunches.
A sense of welcome was essential to the couple when they were looking for somewhere to buy in the area 15 years ago. "I really mind about that: People have got to feel good when they arrive," says Sue. "It is an important part of entertaining." As soon as they saw the barn, which is essentially one large living space and is approached by a long, stone-tiled colonnade, they knew it was for them. "We hardly had to go inside; it had our name all over it."
Denne historien er fra September - October 2023-utgaven av Veranda.
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Denne historien er fra September - October 2023-utgaven av Veranda.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Social Study
In the Chicago suburbs, a convivial family home is reimagined with intoxicating color, wild florals, and a sweeping two-story library-secret doors included.
Building DRAMA
IN A STORIED UPPER EAST SIDE APARTMENT, CHAIRISH COFOUNDER ANNA BROCKWAY TURNS UP THE HEAT WITH HIGH-VOLTAGE COLOR AND AN ULTRACHIC VINTAGE HAUL.
STORYTELLERS in Residence
Interior designer Stephanie Sabbe pens a new chapter for a Nashville author's guesthouse, creating a writer's cabin with muses stretching over centuries.
ELECTRIC REGENCY
Glamour, symmetry, and a bookish emerald study: In Richmond, Suzanne Kasler and Carter Skinner usher in a new era of bravado for so-called neutrals.
A Bold REWRITE
Designer Guy Oliver changes the narrative of a late 19th-century London townhouse to showcase exquisite art and literature and exude an ageless sense of comfort.
Handwriting HISTORY
WITH THE OPENING OF A NEW IMMERSIVE MUSEUM IN GERMANY, MONTBLANC CELEBRATES THE ART OF PENMANSHIP ACROSS TIME AND CULTURE.
ONCE UPON AN ODYSSEY
While sailing the Antarctic, a writer makes a thrilling discovery: an EXTRAORDINARY SHIP'S LIBRARY assembled with an explorer's heart.
The Drintmakers WORKSHOP
Venetian studio BOTTEGA DEL TINTORETTO conjures the creative spirit of its namesake Italian Renaissance painter, one hand-bound book at a time.
GOOD on PAPER
Using traditional Philippine techniques and recycled magazines and newsprint, Lori Weitzner champions the powers of page and plant with wallcoverings crafted entirely by hand.
Etched in TIME
Patek Philippe's new rose gold Retrograde Perpetual Calendar draws upon the sweeping scrolls, foliage, and volutes of a classic antique pocket watch.
