INTERIOR DESIGN ADVICE: HOW TO CREATE A HOME WITH LONGEVITY

Fast fashion is over and a new age of considered purchase is beginning. We’ve gathered our favourite talking heads of the interiors world to get their opinions on style that never goes out of style, to help you buy once and buy well

From the ground up

Why remodel when you can rebuild? Lauren and John Conroy scrapped a dingy bungalow and used the land for their dream home, complete with living spaces that open to the garden and a basement swimming pool

‘It blends into our living space now'

Interior designer and retailer Abigail Ahern swapped functional stainless-steel surfaces and black cabinets for a look that brought her kitchen and sitting room together as one

CHOOSE THE RIGHT CARPETS & RUGS

Even at the budget end of the market, carpets and rugs are a long-term investment, so soak up our experts’ knowledge and get it right every time…

YOUR SHOES, SORTED

If shoes seem to breed in your hallway, porch or utility, or you can simply never resist a cute pair, calm your footwear chaos with these smart solutions…

‘This bathroom is all about relaxation'

Nicola and James Crawford’s priority was to beat everyday stress with a simple, but sophisticated, space that makes them feel calm and cosseted

‘We relax here together as a family'

Lucy Allen and Tom Pollard built a small extension to turn their functional but cramped kitchen into an organised and characterful living space

Taking it slow

Over more than a decade, Henrietta Sharma Rubow and her husband Christian gradually enlarged and opened up their house, turning small, dark rooms into calm, light-filled spaces

Adventures in colour

Determined to energise the bland interior of her all-white home, Anna Chisholm gave bold hues a go… and hasn’t looked back since

Creating order from chaos

It was tough to see past 14 tonnes of rubbish, but once it had been removed, Thea and Joel Ingram set about turning a scruffy and unloved house into an organised, smooth-running family home

The perfect mix

First-time renovators Rachel and Michael Armstrong managed to blend their styles to sympathetically extend and decorate their Victorian house

A bowlful OF COMFORT

Warm up – and fill up – with these simple, satisfying recipes from our Test Kitchen

Stand Mixers For Showstopping Bakes

If you want to go from occasional to keen baker, a stand mixer is an essential piece of kit to add to your arsenal. The latest models feature built-in scales and heated elements, helping you create bakes deserving of a Hollywood handshake

‘ We updated a period terrace with a modern extension'

A contemporary, two storey addition doubled the footprint of Will and Romy’s cramped Victorian cottage

WHAT'S FOR DINNER - Crème fraiche chicken with steamed greens

Just the thing for a busy weekday, this simple dish could become your new go-to

Neutral ground

Siobhan and Rory McFadden breathed new life and authentic character into a run-down Victorian terrace with a brightening pale palette and warm, natural textures that create a comfortable and lived-in feel

Nature in the city

Søren and Mette Rose renovated a penthouse flat in Copenhagen, choosing authentic, natural materials to create a stress-free retreat in an urban setting

EASY STYLE UPDATES

From best buys to clever tricks… this is our roundup of the simplest, quickest storage solutions to make your home more beautiful now

METAMORPHOSIS ART DEFINES MY STYLE

See wildlife photographer Jake Mosher’s art online at Runway Gallery

Your Bathroom, Sorted

It’s hard to lie back and relax in the bath when you’re staring at bottles littered over every surface and towers of toilet roll. Turn chaos into calm with these clever ideas…

How To Update Your Outdoor Space

As our gardens increasingly become an invaluable extension of our lives at home, we asked three experts to share their design and style secrets…

‘My home was an old workshop'

Richard Ball converted and extended a small, cold Victorian industrial building into a modern, eco-friendly place to live

‘It's a traditional cottage garden with a twist'

With long plots at the front and back of their Georgian cottage, Joolz and Jonathan Abbs Woodd created a series of spaces for sitting, dining and working, all surrounded by lush borders and lawns

‘It's a small but versatile space'

Loukia Hay and Ali de Sarriera’s urban garden behaves as an outdoor room that links seamlessly from their kitchen to give them extra space to relax, cook, eat and play

Let's EAT OUT

Take lunch into the garden and imagine you’re on the French Riviera with these simple dishes

‘I love period style, but wanted a modern look'

If you’re torn between clean, contemporary lines and the character of traditional design, check out how Cat McCauley found the perfect balance in her new bathroom

‘We upcycled our old kitchen for a new look'

It’s surprising what you can do with a bit of paint and some new handles – as Catherine and Matthew Williams discovered when they gave their ‘safe’-looking kitchen a makeover

EASY STYLE UPDATES

From best buys and clever tricks to mini décor projects… this is our roundup of the simplest, quickest ways to make your home more beautiful now

CHOOSE ART WITH FLAIR

Runway Gallery artist Belinda Frikh is known for her focus on the female form

TAKE IT OUTSIDE

Get more from your garden with these ideas for spaces designed for eating, being together and quiet time