In the heart of the garden

A walk around this leafy Summer garden presents you with a choice of many different places to sit, from the furniture on the terrace near the house to the picturesque old bench and chairs in the shade of the cherry trees. Dip under the leafy arch and you're in the kitchen garden, where another table and stools have been placed in the sun. Nothing is fixed here - a table might be carried into the orchard for a summer lunch, or a bench to catch the last rays of the sun one evening. Great fun can be had moving furniture about the garden and creating different scenarios - it's like picnicking with furniture.

Bedroom idea: Light, feminine fabrics.

Light, feminine fabrics on the bed and at the window bring a dreamy quality to this otherwise quite cool contemporary bedroom, and form a bridge between the old beams and mullions and the modern furniture. Just a single piece of crushed fine linen muslin softens the clean metal frame of the four-poster, making it romantic but still resolutely modern. The curtain is a banner of the same muslin that will float anywhere along the rail.

Interior inspiration: A space to dream

The restful feeling in this room is a result of its combination of natural colours and textures: the stone and old beams of the architecture, the warm wooden floor, the cool metal frames of the furniture, the crisp linen on the beds. Just one colour - a pale pink so soft it is almost a neutral - has been added to inject a degree of freshness and warmth. But this is not frilly, feminine pink. The clean lines of the contemporary daybed are dressed and upholstered with a minimum of fuss - lots of plain linen, simple square cushions and a few panels of subtly patterned or embroidered fabric. This is a perfect space for sleeping, reading and relaxing.

Much of the room's interest lies in the suprise of finding modern furniture alongside such old architecture. The pieces have a clean-lined elegance and an unexpected lightness - the daybed on its metal frame seems almost to float above the floor. against the backdrop of the mullioned windows, the modern oval table and white leather chairs set up an interesting contrast in period and style.

It is easier to create a soulful mood in high-ceilinged rooms; here, to draw the eye upwards, the curtain pole has been fitted as close to the ceiling as possible and hung with banners of fabric that stretch right down to the floor. This increases the feeling of height in the room and makes the windows appear larger. White muslin with a fine pink stripe filters the sun and floods the room with soft hazy light - the panel of fabric can be pulled into different positions along the rail as required. the slim uprights of the modern four-poster emphasise the strong vertical element, as does the tall slice of mirror propped against the wall. The minimalist arrangements of white alliums, pink nerines and single orchid and gladioli blooms are the perfect complement to the still and tranquil mood. Beautiful and graceful without being fussy, the bright pink of the blooms highlights the subtler use of pink elsewhere.

The details in a neutral room make all the difference, and they can easily be changed to create a new mood. here, the only accessories are tonal - in deeper or richer shades of pink or subtle stripes and patterns.

Room idea. A peaceful mood

Soft pale green is an ideal colour for a bedroom - cool and calming but by no means cold. Here, the walls are a slightly chalky green, and there are accents of ocean, lime and eau de nil. This room has quite a dark wooden floor, but placing the bed on its own natural-coloured rug helps to lighten up the room, as do the translucent curtains in broad stripes of subtly different patterns. Pure crisp white linen is so welcoming on a bed, and rather formal flower pattern om the throw - blue hydrangeas with handpainted leaves - is a reminder that, for all its fresh modern furnishings, this is an old country house.

Kitchen ideas

Shaker goes modern

Blend pared-down shaker style with modern assets. It's easy to update the shaker look because its simplicity makes it a natural partner for clean, modern lines. Despite being obviously modern in style, this room still owes its roots to the shaker tradition, with framed doors and wood worktops. The hi-tech stainless steel cooker and hood make a dramatic focal point and contemporary metal handles replace the traditional round wooden knobs. The white floor tiles make the room feel clean and bright, while laying them 'brick style', in staggered rows, gives a less formal effect.

If you have room, even a small island is an invaluable addition to the kitchen. make sure the worktop on it is a minimum of 15cm wider than the base unit and you can use it as a breakfast bar as well as a handy preparation surface. Cupboards underneath, extra big pots and the hanging rack above maximize storage - an important factor in Shaker homes.

Kitchen decor ideas: The natural touch

Mix cream with earthy greens, browns and yellows for a calm, relaxing kitchen.

Shaker kitchens work beautifully with natural colours: cream panelled units, wooden worktops and a terracotta floor. The walls, in shades of cream, increase the sense of space, and the tiled splashback brings in beautifully toning shades of moss, lichen, cream and butter. A central island houses a deep sink with a swan-knecked tap and plenty of worksurface. The worktop for the other half of the kitchen is granite-look laminate which provides an interesting contrast. A freestanding butcher's block against the far wall is wonderfully practical, with a hanging rail of utensils, a shelf for spices, rack for knives, plus preparation space, which you can wheel to where you want it. There has been no attempt to hide away the kitchen appliances - some white, some stainless steel - yet nothing looks out of place in this relaxed and welcoming kitchen.

Decor Inspiration: Dappled sunshine & citrus shades

This is a modern house in the country, and you can really feel the sunshine streaming into this space with its bright citrus shades and leafy patterns. The predominant colour is lime green, accompanied by an interesting mix of turquiouse, pale blues, fresh greens and touches of pink. The hard lines of the architecture have been softened by the leaf print at the window - a reference to the trees outside, and the treanslucent checks in lime and turquoise filter the light and accentuate its sunny, dappled quality. But the geometry of square-paned windows is too strong to be ignored - it has been picked up in the contemporary prints on the armchair, cushions and ottoman.

 

"The colours here are harmonious and well-balanced - adding another shade would break the spell. A chalky softshade of pink on cushions, floor cushions and on the ottoman print stimulates the other colours, rather than clashing. And lots of white prevents the scheme from cloying. Even the flowers - some luminous creamy dahlias from the garden - are almost exclusively white." Trica Guild