"When life feels complicated and unpredictable, there’s nothing more restorative than a home that provides a soothing antidote to all that busy-ness. There’s something about simple country style that delivers a sense of easy contentment and calm. It’s there in the gentle colour palette; in the tones and textures of natural materials including wood and wicker, cotton and linen, flint and stone; and in the connection between the comfort of a characterful and cosy home, and the gorgeous cottage gardens and rural landscape outside. In this edition of Simple Country, from the creators of Country Homes & Interiors magazine, we’ve brought you stunning rustic homes that are effortlessly simple yet filled with personality. We’ve curated three decor stories to take you through the seasons, from a floral spring and summer brights, to cossetting interiors ideas for the colder months. And for those slow living moments, we’ve delicious recipes and gorgeous crafts to keep hands busy and minds still… Enjoy!"
Simple Country
Editor’s letter
SPRING PROMISE • Blossom, blooms and new beginnings… Celebrate the arrival of spring with styling ideas and easy makes inspired by floral fabrics and wallpapers
CAPTURE THE MOMENT • Celebrate the golden rays of late summer with a scheme that conjures orchard hues, lazy living and the woozy heat of an afternoon in the garden. Pretty printed fabrics and wood and wicker pieces set the scene
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FEEL GOOD HOME • A space to rest, a spot to dream, an atmosphere to soothe the senses… Warm wood textures and earthy tones create a homely haven
FIRST CLASS • The sensitive restoration of a former village post office has delivered a new life in the country for Bee Osborn
INVITATION TO RELAX • This lockdown project ‘pandemic buy’ became the perfect antidote to city life for Rachel Southern
FOREVER HOME • Despite tragic personal loss during its restoration, Ashley Graham has created a beautiful home for her daughter and found peace in its rural setting
Everlasting love • Join the petal preservation society with stunning dried flower arrangements for your forever home
Beautiful berries • Fresh-tasting and indulgent, these fruity desserts are the essence of summer
BACK TO LIFE • This cottage renovation is part one of an ambitious restoration of an entire estate by Dean Poulton and Borja de Maqua
RUSTIC REVIVAL • A dated cottage in rural Sussex has been extended and remodelled into a beautiful country home that combines the best of old and New England
CALL OF THE WILD • A tiny cottage by a loch became Catherine Spain’s perfect project, and her inspired renovation blends beautifully with its backdrop of mountains and wide skies
Legends of the fall • Bring the crisp crinkle and glorious golden shades of autumn foliage and flowers inside with these easy display ideas
ROOM TO GROW • For garden designer Ailsa Richards, it’s the outdoor space surrounding this pretty cottage that’s key to its décor inside
A WELL-KEPT SECRET • A Victorian cottage, once a carpenter’s barn, bewitched Laura and Patrick Butler-Madden and took them on an unexpected journey
Gather for an autumn feast • As the nights draw in and the days become cooler, bring warmth to the table with comfort food made with the season’s most satisfying ingredients
Make yours an ‘it always smells so good’ home • Ensure your home smells sweet from the moment you step through the door with these expert tips