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Every home should be a haven from the gloom and cold of the winter months and nothing feels more inviting than a country house with a crackling fire.
Whether you’re a country dweller stuck in the city, hoping to one day return to the still backwater where you grew up, or a city slicker in need of some warmth, light and soothing hues, you can create a dull urban stronghold. turn into a cozy country house. Here’s how to get the look…
Inviting: a sitting room with a cosy, country feel
Create warmth
Let the sunshine in with a British handcrafted Everhot Electric Stove in mustard yellow, which will lift the spirit and temperature of your living space without the hassle of installing a wood burning stove or having to check if you live in a ‘Smoke Control Area’.
The 1.5kW enameled steel and cast iron heater plugs easily into a standard 13 amp socket, and you can also bake freshly made buns in the 20L oven, bringing the scent of a rustic idyll to the center of the room. metropolis arises (£1,399, everhot.co.uk).
A Fireplace Company spokesperson says, “Electric stoves and fireplaces are the most energy efficient because they convert more than 99 percent of their energy into producing heat, without producing harmful by-products such as smoke. No flue is required meaning no heat is wasted and installation is incredibly easy.’
For a classic country wood burner with cast iron details, he recommends the 1.5kW Gazco Chesterfield 5 electric stove (£1,385, thefireplacecompany.co.uk).
Keep the heat in with a Woof Draft Excluder covered in dog illustrations of Wirehaired Dachshunds, Jack Russells and Fox Red Labradors (£45.50, sophieallport.com)
Fireplace essential
Even without a wood-burning stove, a stocked wood basket can give a taste of country life. The Life of Riley round leather log basket is stylish yet robust, with strong handles – perfect for keeping your hearth tidy (£369, lifeofrileyonline.co.uk).
A dog is another essential part of the fire. Pamper your furry friend with a Lounging Hound Bolster Bed of wool and velvet in mulberry. It has a waterproof back and a removable quilted cushion (from £145, thelounging hound.com).
Sit softly
Life of Riley wood basket, £369
If you have guests from the countryside, a sofa that doubles as a bed is a breakthrough for urban homes where space is at a premium.
The Furl Duette Sofa Bed feels like a traditional sofa but is designed to be used as a main bed and comes with a luxurious 14cm mattress. Duette sofa beds are available in five sizes from single to super king size and are hand made to order in Furl’s workshop in Nottingham. They are available in a choice of luxury velvet, premium leather and woven or patterned fabrics (from £1,470 furl.co.uk).
For a traditional English look in muted tones, the Susie Watson Designs Button Back Chesterfield Sofa (from £2,045, susiewatsondesigns.co.uk) is timeless.
Throws and pillows can brighten up the most torn couches and are a country staple, especially in homes with faded opulence, hiding moth holes and all sorts of other sins. Opt for British wool samples like the Illusion Throw in Green and Gray (£65, cotswoldco.com) or Dusky Rose Sage Harlequin Shetland Wool Throw (£94, susiewatsondesigns.co.uk)
And combine natural tones in flora and fauna-inspired cushions. Go for the Hollyhocks Embroidered Linen Cushion—Bloomsbury & Silk (£82), Green Gold Megha Stonewashed Linen Cushion £65, both susiewatsondesigns.co.uk) and Bees Linen Blend Embroidered Cushion (£64, sophieallport.com)
Handmade lighting
Lamps and their shades are beacons that anchor a country-inspired interior. Handmade in Wiltshire, the Fermoie Gathered lampshade in pink wicker is 100 per cent linen sheer fabric, balloon lined in cream cotton to match the frame (£240 for 14in, fermoie.com). Pair with a hand-blown glass Stoker lamp base with a brass fitting and caramel silk flex (£395, fermoie.com).
Consider an Oralee Table Lamp in Ink Blue or Sea Green (£225) with a 45cm Hirkani Lampshade, Moss (£125) on a Mambu Sofa Side Table (£495, all oka.com). To complete the look, add a Melissa La Fave hand-painted pheasant glass tray, available in green or burgundy finished with an 18kt gold rim (£60, melissalafavelondon.com).
Bring nature indoors
Dogs and pheasants ticked off, bring in more of nature with botanical prints. Check out the beautiful Tulipe de Gesner — Tulipa Gesneriana by Pierre Joseph Celestin Redoute, a fine art print from the archives of the Royal Horticultural Society (from £20). And a print from the V&A archive, a 1926 bright hedge delight by CFA Vosey. (from £25, kingandmcgaw.com)
Real plants as an ornament are not only beautiful, but also purify the urban miasma. Visit hortology.co.uk and consider buying a Thatch Palm (Kentia Palm) – elegant, air purifying, resilient and low maintenance (from £43.99). Pair with a Nanna Wikr Plant Basket, with the look and feel of traditional woven wicker crafts, but made from recycled plastic (£31.99).
One plant is never enough so add a Ficus Elastica Robusta or rubber plant (from £9.95) or a Chlorophytum Ocean or spider plant with retro cottage vibes and powerful air purifying properties (from £10.99) to help you easily breathe in your cozy, restful country retreat … in the heart of a conurbation.