Essential Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom – January 2017

As we hit the freshness of spring, and start to shake off the last of those dreary winter days, doesn’t it suddenly feel like everything – just like every little thing – is possible again? Even the daily routine of having a good breakfast and getting to work without hitting transport issues gets easier. You feel so much more positive and energised, ready to take on whatever it is that you need to. It’s like you’ve had a new lease of life, yet it happens at this same time every year, you’ve just forgotten how it feels! So it is with this sense of new-found vigour that has informed the making of this issue, which is all about starting anew with those interiors and building projects and planning it forward. From organising the ultimate in bedroom storage in Behind Closed Doors on page 140 to investing in multi-generational bathrooms in Look Ahead on page 114 to the biggest Kitchen Trends for 2017 (page 82), there’s a strong dose of inspiration in here, so be ready to springboard yourself into action as you read. You might not be able to stop yourself. Our homeowners in this issue are as savvy and design conscious as ever. From Mette and Chris Lowe’s overhaul of their listed Wiltshire home in An Original Mix (page 24) – they installed a contemporary look kitchen which works so well in the space – to the Allen family’s sleek cabinetry with copper undertones in The Soul of the Home (page 34), these are real life lived-in family kitchens that look great but are 100 per cent practical too. I also love the quiet sophistication of the Richardson’s kitchen in Worth the Wait on page 46 and the new look that the Joyces managed to infuse into their space in Relaxed Elegance (page 56). Meanwhile designer Hayley Robson of Day True Interiors has pulled off a stunning kitchen with concrete textures that you can see on page 66. Here’s to new beginnings - and exciting and original projects!