Matt Gibberd, founder of high-end architectural estate agency The Modern House, shares his top tipsFor the past 16 years, I have spent my days nosing round other people’s homes like a design-obsessed basset hound. I have been granted access through hun…
Neoclassical villas restored to echo their stunning setting
Two villas set either side of a lake in the forests of Piedmont have been sensitively restored to make the most of the breathtaking surroundingsIn Italy, we call them boccalone,” explains Gemma Richards. “I’m going to have to look up the English…” The …
‘The cobalt blue felt like a risk’: a daring revamp of a dated house
How one family transformed an end-of-terrace in a London cul-de-sac into a sustainable home with a California vibeVic and Tyson Benton are each sitting in the spot that feels most like home: Vic on a built-in corner sofa, Tyson at the dining table unde…
Houseplant of the week: Ficus lyrata | Gynelle Leon
In our new column, the founder of the plant shop Prick looks at this highly popular tree, loved for its big, glossy, fiddle-shaped leavesWhy will I love it?Ficus lyrata is the most popular indoor tree right now, loved for its unusual glossy leaves: wit…
How one family turned a derelict garage into a home
Thanks to an online search error, an architect transformed a tumbledown building into a three-bedroom houseMelanie Schubert and partner Paolo Vimercati didn’t set out to buy a derelict double garage when they were looking for a new home. In one online…
Raising the roof: lofty ambitions in Lisbon
London-based designer Rui Ribeiro returns to his roots to create a pied-à-terre in the Portuguese capitalWhen the London-based interior designer Rui Ribeiro set about looking for a pied-à-terre in Lisbon, it took him five years to find the ideal place….
Flower power: a florist’s cottage blooms in the dark
A pared-down palette makes a florist’s home in Cheshire an oasis of tranquillityIn florist Keith Dawson’s garden, the predominant colour is green. Hedges of hornbeam line the long alleyways, creating intimate paths that open into a wide lawn with a haw…
Ikea goes glam rock with Zandra Rhodes collaboration
British fashion designer teams up with Swedish furniture chain after being inspired by lockdownCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageIt may be difficult to unpack, but shoppers could soon find the no-frills minimalism of Ikea has …
Ikea Symfonisk picture frame review: Sonos wifi speaker hidden by art
Latest collaboration puts great sound behind fabric art panel that can be hung or leant against a wallThe latest device from Ikea’s novel partnership with the wifi-speaker maker Sonos is a bit different: a speaker hidden in a picture frame.The Symfonis…
Property fantasies are quickly ruined by reality | Eva Wiseman
Allowing yourself to daydream about the perfect home is one thing, but the romance is spoiled as soon as you open the door on to real worldMy friend is trying to buy a flat in Bristol, and each time he sends me a link with a little question mark, I get…