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While the kitchen triangle is still a great basic layout, the five zone kitchen layout caters for more modern needs, open-plan areas and connecting spaces. The modern kitchen is not just about cooking now; it’s also often an entertaining, dining and even work zone. So the five zone layout takes into account the shifting needs of the contemporary family and living situations. New features include designing a kitchen island with charging stations, or drawers containing power sockets....

See: Decorating with plants – Hilton Carter shares his top house plant styling tips Between June 5th- 13th, the Philadelphia Flower Show (opens in new tab) will take over Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park in the south of the historic city- meaning the festival will take place outside, for the very first time. Looking beyond the health and safety benefits, however, there remains an abundance of advantages to moving the event outdoors....

‘We were keen for a project – somewhere with land and the potential to generate an income so we could become more self-sufficient,’ says Zoe. Fortunately, the couple loved the very first property that they came across – a Grade II-listed six-bedroom farmhouse, complete with holiday cottages and outbuildings, just a few miles away. In July 2015, they moved in with their three children. The age of the farmhouse – it dates back to the 12th century – gives it its distinctive charm, with wonky walls and sloping floors....

Scroll down to be inspired by the couple’s stunning Dutch farmhouse, then visit the world’s best homes to discover more beautiful houses. Anyone who knew Margot as a child would not be at all surprised to discover that she now has her own floristry design business and gift shop, and that she sells vintage accessories, and lives in a house in the country with a garden brimming with flowers. Her love for interior design began when she was still at school....

It’s exactly this juxtaposition that appealed to owner Lynn Chen. Though she had renovated a number of London new-build apartments, the prospect of nudging a period house towards relaxed, modern living was new to her. Nonetheless, its previous incarnation, which incorporated a vast LED-lit glass staircase, seemed to Lynn to jar with the bones of the building. ‘I wanted to restore the English feel of the house and to respect its context,’ she says....

The elegant English-Country style manor and estate, which stretches across 3 acres of this exclusive neighborhood, was built in the early ’30s before Bing purchased the home in 1963. The singer, actor, and comedian is thought to be the first American multimedia star, making him one of the most celebrated faces of the 20th century. The price of this worldwide fame reportedly prompted Bing to purchase this private home for his wife and three children in a bid to escape the pressures of Los Angeles....

A wine cellar, five apartments, two cottages, multimedia lounge, a spa and arresting views are just a few of the features in Michael Douglas’s Mallorca impressive estate. The property, which is known as S’Estaca, sits on 250 acres and offers expansive views of the sea. It’s situated on the Western Coast of Mallorca on the coast of Sierra de Tramuntana, a World Heritage Site. In total, there are 10 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms over the 10,764 square feet of living space....

‘A lot of attention had been put into getting every feature of the house right and this really sold it to our clients,’ recounts Taline Findlater of Olivine Design, who together with her co-founder Victoria Gray was enlisted to bring that same level of detail to the interiors. ‘We like to create layered spaces that combine color, pattern and texture, and these rooms, which were previously all white, seemed to be crying out for this approach,’ she observes....

Asked to name their most indispensable piece of living room furniture, most people would opt for the sofa. Cosseting and useful, upholstered seating has been a feature of the western home since the 18th century, morphing gradually from the prim settles of Georgian days to the more familiar sofas and armchairs of the 20th-century. But today, as technology and lifestyles change, the living room sofa has acquired a more pivotal role....

She couldn’t put her finger on why, but it did get me thinking. Our homes are true reflections and an expression of our sense of self, and they should be styled, curated and designed to please only us. However, there are always going to be features that may not be liked by others. I’m pretty sure that’s true of my house, and I know there are some homes I love visiting, and others I feel less comfortable in....

While many of us tune in year-round to hear Babs’ home hacks and recipes, the author of holiday recipe book Celebrate with Babs is a real authority on festive traditions – so we were delighted to discover her top last-minute Christmas decorating ideas. With the 25th fast approaching, the star of @brunchwithbabs (opens in new tab) shared a small but effective Christmas decor hack with H&G: a homemade potpourri candle that, she says, you can make using ingredients you already have in your home....

Whether your basement ideas include living spaces, bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, or any other option, the lighting must work for the activities that take place, and allow the mood to be changed as required. And basements deserve lighting as aesthetically pleasing as that in any other room. To make the most of a basement take inspiration from these lighting ideas and design expertise. Basement lighting ideas Ambient, task and feature lighting are key to any basement lighting design, when the space might include anything from a basement bar for entertaining, to a basement bathroom for overnight guests....

The list of bathroom ideas and walk-in shower ideas goes on – what you choose might be inspired by the stylish bathroom shower room ideas we’ve listed below. Bathroom shower ideas Where bathroom shower ideas might once have been a straightforward project anchored in practicality, we now approach the task with a lot more care and consideration, with the aim to create a space that centers around the bathtub. 1....

A couch is often the largest and most expensive piece of furniture you’ll buy for the living room, so it’s important to consider longevity. Opting for a couch in a warm, neutral color like beige or cream is guaranteed to stand the test of time as it can be paired with a multitude of colors and materials plus will seamlessly integrate with a wide range of interior looks. A light shade with a warm undertone, beige is perfect for a bright, laid-back scheme and, plus a beige couch can easily be updated with different cushions and throws from season to season....

Blue can represent the deep blue sea and bring back memories from a much loved holiday, or the color of the sky that you can see from your bathroom window. It’s evocative and relaxing, and plays well with many other colors, too. Below, we’ve listed our favorite bathroom ideas in this most relaxing of colors – there are warm and cool tones to suit every taste, room size and orientation....

Ceiling trims, also known as crown moldings, have been used for years as coverings and dividers between the section of space where a wall and ceiling meet, establishing a smooth and neat transition. Originally designed to add both a practical and decorative design feature to a room, over the years there have been many changing styles of ceiling trim, from the ornate to the sleek and simple. When planning your ceiling ideas, enhancing the trim, whether that’s through paint or material and decoration, can created a unified, well-thought out design that makes the most of every inch of space available....

Augmenting your garden’s blooms and plants from its own bounty is one of the most economical ways to increase your plant stock as part of your flower bed ideas. By late summer into fall, many seed heads will be ready to gather, and growing plants from seeds collected from your own garden is one of the most rewarding aspects of gardening, as well as a sustainable garden idea. Along with flowers, you can try collecting seeds and berries from trees, shrubs, vegetables and herbs at different times of the year....

Fall table decor ideas are her specialty: ‘To me, a beautiful table has a lot of layers, texture, and interest. A bold tablecloth is always a really easy way to start to build a layered look. The ecru ground of the tablecloth is really warm, and the vintage Portuguese pottery also has that warm ecru base, so in this table I am steering clear of stark white. ‘The natural texture of the linen napkins complements the rustic texture of straw pompom napkin rings....

So, while browsing entryway ideas, what do you need to consider? Priorities include creating a great impression while minimizing clutter – the two go hand-in-hand. ‘A home’s entryway sets the tone for the rest of the house and how a family starts and ends their day. It’s also the first and last impression guests have of your home. While sometimes overlooked, the entryway is actually one of the most important rooms when thinking through design,’ says Kathleen Walsh, Principal of Kathleen Walsh Interiors (opens in new tab)....

Newer houseplant caretakers may not realize just how easy it is to propagate and grow new plants from an existing collection to share with friends and family (or keep your plant babies all to yourself!). The good news is that you likely already own some of the best indoor plants to propagate making this a simple no-cost way to increase the size of your collection. In fact, the easiest houseplants to grow from cuttings often end to be some of the most popular plants found in people’s homes....