Fish are jumping - well, not necessarily where you’re living, nor where I am for that matter, but we can all look forward to summer when the living certainly seems to be a lot easier once the sun comes out… alfresco dining, summer drinks with family and friends or an escape to a holiday home, coastal retreat or an idyllic country cottage. Here’s a few our favorite summertime inspired features – no sunglasses required... Pin It Now!

Shining some light on patio’s, terraces, decking...

and just about every other thing you can make an outside space of and once you have that, you will need to light it, plenty of help here too, from flood to mood lighting and back to candle...

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Aussie Rules

When Jill Martin and David Webster wanted to enlarge their listed two-bed Bath cottage, they drew on Antipodean flair to create an ultra-modern extension that is filled with light. Over the years the couple have made small-scale renovations, but this one was more substantial resulting in a home of two halves: the original compact two-bed cottage to the front, with a contemporary kitchen, study and linear living and dining area harnesses to the back. We wanted to create a space at the back that was light and open, and maximise the views of the garden, fields and valley... view feature Pin It Now!

Good Vibrations

As dream homes go, it’s got the lot: stunning proportions stylish modern-country interior, idyllic countryside location, the list goes on. Even the kid goats frolicking in the back garden are adorable. Built over three storeys, with its single, impressive staircase linking the floors, each level is flooded with natural light from the numerous and often enormous windows. A liberal application of white paint and natural woollen carpets throughout provides a soothing, neutral backdrop... view feature Pin It Now!

Solstrand

If it were not for the Spanish flu, there wouldn’t have been a summerhouse here. In the years 1917-1920, thousands died in Norway as a result of this epidemic. As a special note of thank you for having cared for and saved a nearby landowner’s family, - Dr. Ringvold was allowed to pick whichever piece of land he wanted by the sea on the family’s property. He ended up with Solstrand, meaning sunny beach… This was the early part of the twentieth century in Norway, and having a vacation home surrounded by wild nature was just becoming fashionable. Forty years ago, the property changed hands, but the family who moved in, continued the tradition of mixing furniture and styles in imaginative ways. Covering the walls is a mix of fishing tackle and hardware, bathrobes and old sailor-paintings, and through the window he has an unobstructed view of the sea... view feature Pin It Now!

Dental Renovation

When Fiona and her husband Barry first set eyes on the run-down detached house, near the East Sussex coast, they knew that if they bought it, it would mean taking on a huge renovation project. ‘The ground floor had been a dentist’s surgery, complete with waiting room,’ says Barry, ‘but no-one had been upstairs for more than 20 years. ‘It was virtually derelict. There were no radiators and for electrics it had surface-mounted wiring. We were impressed by the sheer size of the building, but its condition left us cold... view feature Pin It Now!

The Soldier's Croft

Michael, a freelance Art Director who works daily in Copenhagen, bought this little gem of a place as a second home in Sweden some 15 years ago. It was originally built as a soldiers croft in the early 1900's, named after the soldiers that were given a piece of land to build a house on after returning home from battle. During the renovation, Michael peeled everything back to reveal the bare constructional bones of the place. This was certainly not a bad idea, for the full timber is now seen, raw and untouched, both in the kitchen and the first Hall. When it came to the ceiling, beautiful beams were soon revealed and Michael was in no doubt that they should remain visible, giving the room a great sense of atmosphere and size... view feature Pin It Now!

Keeping it Simple

Nicole Albert, a stylist and her partner Michael Nunan, a builder and landscape gardener, own a riverside holiday home in the Languedoc/Roussillon region village of Lagrasse, one of France’s ‘listed’ villages. The house was originally two houses built into the medieval walls of the village, divided by a cobbled lane. At some point the houses were joined and the lane incorporated to form a central courtyard. This split layout offered the couple the perfect opportunity to create both a home and separate holiday let, allowing them to live in France while generating an income. The couple have done much of the renovation work themselves, opening up the space to make it light and bright. Heritage paints sympathetic to the local style have been used as a backdrop for a mix of antique finds, contemporary furniture and architectural details found in salvage yards to create a truly unique home full of quirky history... view feature Pin It Now!

Beach hut....

Final image this month comes from our own Mr Grant. If you're looking for images of The Lakes or Norfolk, take a look at Liam's website... www.liamgrantphotography.com Pin It Now!