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FT editor Roula Khalaf selects her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Abergavenny Small Mill, Monmouthshire
Images of these two converted 17th-century Welsh corn mills, just a stone’s throw from the Brecon Beacons, line the moodboards of interiors fans around the world, yearning for the aesthetic of a country house and a country house. countryside, charming bunk beds, deep country kitchen sinks and a fun palette. she Digital fashion editor Daisy Murray recently visited, as did art world consultant Sam Talbot, and it’s also where gallerist Alex Tieghi-Walker chose to rest when New York became too much and his home country called.
Kyle House, Sutherland
In Sutherland, at the top of the UK, lies the luxurious nature escape, Kyle House. As part of the Wildland initiative, a Scottish conservation organization dedicated to a 200-year vision of wilderness, covering 200,000 acres of the Highlands, the former cattleman’s cottage overlooks Ben Loyal, the twin-peaked mountain that some They call it the “Queen of the Highlands,” and it has been renovated with a stylish Scandinavian feel in Scotland. Finn Beales, a photographer who shoots for Breitling and Omega, says the property influenced the design of his RIBA award-winning home in Hay -on-Wye.
Cul Na Shee, Saddell Bay
Interior architect and tradesman Ben Pentreath has retreated to many Landmark Trust properties in his time, but this small cottage, the opposite of many of his grand designs, is the one that moved him the most. Tucked away in a grassy area of a rocky beach on Scotland’s Saddell Bay, Cul na Shee (“corner of peace” in Gaelic) leaves you completely alone, with only the sea and the Isle of Arran in sight. His stay there inspired him to buy his own small apartment on the west coast of Scotland. “If you define good taste as a wonderful building in a fantastic setting, with just the simple necessities and no nonsense, then I wouldn’t look any further,” he says.
The roundhouse, Suffolk
The former roundhouse of an early 20th-century Suffolk manor house is now a light, airy haven filled with set designer Sandy Suffield’s found furniture from markets in Lisbon, Northern California, and places in between. His fans include Sam Perry, Kill EveEmmy-nominated costume designer, knitwear designer Jo Gordon, jewelry designer Katy Hackney and singer-songwriter Nick Lowe, who has composed the music for Margaret Howell’s fashion shows. Guests arrive to freshly picked wildflowers and plenty to see and do: local swimming holes, cycle routes and country bakeries, as well as the acclaimed Lark and Pea Porridge restaurants (although they can always just sunbathe in the walled garden).
Craftsman’s Cottage, Somerset
Alice Temperley has her own family cider farm in Somerset, but still took the time to visit this hand-built log cabin in Levels. Their verdict: It’s the ideal base for anyone looking to enjoy the “real Somerset”, with interiors furnished by local makers and, outside, a “relaxing open-air bath and fire pit under a huge sky”. (Temperley adds that there is also an excellent short walk through the countryside to the nearby village pub, The Wyndham Arms.)
Carnacalla Country House, Cornwall
Designer Simone Rocha is one of many who have spent a few days at this 19th-century country house in Sennen, the westernmost parish in the UK. Thanks to the leadership of new co-owner, stylist Polly Wilkinson, Carnacalla Cottage has become an extension of London’s creative community. She co-organizes a popular fair in the city, which last year included a workshop with leading Japanese gorpcore brand Snow Peak and late-night DJ sets. But the main attraction is the cottage and the coastline on which it sits: one guest says the West Penwith peninsula is the closest thing the UK has to California’s Big Sur, and it’s also attractively close to beloved pub The Gurnard’s Head.
Fairgreen Farm Guest House, Cotswolds
In 2012, former Barneys New York fashion director Amanda Brooks swapped her position at the heart of Manhattan’s style scene for the Cotswolds. Cutter Brooks, the shop he later opened, has been such a success that he now also quietly runs Fairgreen Farm Guesthouse, a guest house on his private farm. Brooks’ friends in the industry, including Colette co-founder Sarah Andelman, Filson’s Alex Carleton, actor Rupert Everett, Architectural compendium Global editorial director Amy Astley and Parisian chef and restaurateur Rose Chalalai Singh have flown in for the night.
Bryn Eglur, Carmarthenshire
Over the past decade, everyone from designer Martin Brudnizki to writer Alain de Botton has escaped to Bryn Eglur to recharge their batteries. Just a 15-minute drive from the west coast of Wales, this restored ruin combines completely self-contained privacy with tradition you can feel (many of the interior details date back to 1755). Owner Dorian Bowen jokes that while he provides guests with plenty of guides to the local area, their comments in the end are often the same: Most of the time they rarely leave the site, preferring to lounge around with the doors open listening to the birds. and meditating on the secret. gardens and petting their happy dogs.
Quist Treehouse, Herefordshire
A massive, literal, grounded treehouse, The Quist offers Northern California details (rooftop balcony, light-inviting windows, and a wood-burning Swedish hot tub overlooking ancient oaks and firs) in the heart of Herefordshire. Home goods designer Matilda Goad stayed last spring and loved the wood-paneled walls and being surrounded by “strong materials like leather, quilting, denim, stone and wool.” Stylist Sarah Corbett-Winder took her family with her and plans to return on her own soon. “They have a two-night minimum stay,” he says, “which means you can really soak it all in.”