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Readers' Homes
A Spell-Binding Legacy: The spirit of children’s writer Lucy Boston lives on in The Manor at Hemingford Grey, home to the bewitching characters from her Green Knowe books. The house has been maintained by Lucy's daughter-in-law, and has been restored to fully capture the spirit of her stories.
Space solution: Adding a small extension to a dark kitchen has transformed the McFarlanes’ Victorian farmhouse home, resulting in a space that merited the title of Best Garden Room in our Readers’ Awards 2009.
Over the last 24 years, Helen and Martin Ephgrave have gradually restored their Edwardian house, and now have a home they can never imagine leaving. The three bedroom house, built c.1905 has been restored in a simple Shaker-style, with many of the original features restored.
Readers' Kitchens
Claire and Mark Porter have redesigned their kitchen to suit the character of their 200-year-old North Yorkshire farmhouse. Exposed beams and a traditional Aga cooker make the kitchen rustic and functional. Their efforts earned this room makeover the title of Best Kitchen in our Readers’ Awards 2009.
Vanessa and Steve Price won Best Period Kitchen in our Readers’ Homes Awards 2008 for the canny way they created a charming country kitchen in their 19th century period cottage on a shoestring.Solid wood worktops, enamelware and blue-and-white Cornishware all add to the room's rustic feel.
Nicola and Robin Kirkland’s custom-built kitchen combines traditional style with unique features to create a space that is as individual as its owners. The bespoke kitchen includes traditional touches such as a fold down oak butchers block, alongside more contemporary accessories, such as a built-in coffee machine.
Readers' Bathrooms
Pressure test: Joanne and Andy Ross’s bathroom makeover required patience, commitment, scaffolding – and a forklift truck; no wonder it won the title of Best Bathroom in our Readers’ Awards 2009. The bathroom includes an Albert basin and stand teamed with Victorian taps and a reclaimed roll top and is decorated in shades of white and blue to create a light and airy feel.
Rebecca and Mark Harris have created an oasis of calm with a mixture of contemporary natural finishes and elegant antiques that won Best Period Bathroom in our Readers’ Homes Awards 2008. A variety of neutral coloured tiles have been used throughout the bathroom, which includes a roll top bath and a mirrored cupboard that adds a contemporary touch.
Jane and Paul Kitching’s Georgian rectory has been brought deftly up to date with a thorough renovation, an appealing colour palette and period furnishings. When it came to acquiring extra furniture, Jane knows second hand is definitely not second best. She says: ‘As relatives and friends have moved we’ve inherited some nice old pieces. I’ve also managed to find a fair few in junk shops and auctions; plus, a vicar’s wife is ideally placed for spotting items at church jumble sales.’
