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Janet and Paul Gleeson have filled their south Dorset village house with an eclectic assortment of antiques, modern art and trophies from their travels. The first thing I remember about the house was walking into the drawing room and thinking, “This is fabulous”,’ says Janet Gleeson of the moment she and husband Paul first viewed the house that would become their family’s Dorset home. ‘It was a big step because we had always lived in London. We hardly knew anyone in Dorset and until then we’d worried we were doing the wrong thing. But the children had left home and...

A design team breaks with tradition to build a lakehouse thatshows cottage style in a whole new light. NOT LONG AGO, even newly built cottages favoured a more traditional style, with lashings of gingerbread trim and smaller windows. The results were charming and cosy, butthey also tended to be dark and disconnected from the landscape. So when a couple with grown children who had children oftheir own confessed to Margot Bell and Dasha Ricci of Peaks & Rafters thatthey were ready to replace their family cottage with a design that emphasized light as well as the rugged surroundings,the designers, who specialize...

LYNDA REEVES EXPLORES A RECIPE THAT MIXES IT UP. Kitchen design has a way of bringing out strong opinions in many of us. Everyone has their view on exactly what they don’t like, plus a list of things they’re considering but wonder about. The investment is always big and the results permanent, so deciding what materials to use is especially critical in a kitchen renovation. Inevitably, the kitchens I gravitate to are handsome, with some classic detailing, heavy polished hardware, some feature appliances like a great range, a mix of painted and natural wood cabinets and always counters and backsplashes...

A relaxed approach to contemporary coastal style brings a sense of ease to this Palm Beach estate. Cocktail dresses and formally arranged table settings are one way to throw a party, but sometimes entertaining is about inviting your guests to kick their feet up on the ottoman, throwing open the French doors to welcome in the breeze, and sharing wine and conversation while you chop vegetables at the kitchen island.That laidback—yet still elegant—approach to entertaining is exactly what interior designer Jennifer Knowles envisioned when she outfitted the interiors of this waterfront Florida home built by Malasky Homes. “Palm Beach has...

A relaxed approach to contemporary coastal style brings a sense of ease to this Palm Beach estate. Cocktail dresses and formally arranged table settings are one way to throw a party, but sometimes entertaining is about inviting your guests to kick their feet up on the ottoman, throwing open the French doors to welcome in the breeze, and sharing wine and conversation while you chop vegetables at the kitchen island.That laidback—yet still elegant—approach to entertaining is exactly what interior designer Jennifer Knowles envisioned when she outfitted the interiors of this waterfront Florida home built by Malasky Homes. “Palm Beach has...