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Home tour | A restored century-old house in Westchester County, New York

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I often talk about homes with a sense of place – homes that are firmly rooted in the surrounding landscape and the local architectural tradition, while also reflecting the tastes and lifestyle of their occupants. And the house I’m showing you today is a perfect example. Located in an early 20 th -century neighbourhood of Croton-on-Hudson in Westchester County, New York, it’s been renovated and extended by architect Ravi Raj , whose approach was grounded in respect for its setting and the area’s vernacular. The original structure, built from local stone, has been expanded using matching flagstone sourced nearby, preserving the historic character of the house. This is offset by white lap cladding on the upper levels, adding a lighter, crisper expression while maintaining harmony between the newer and older sections of the building. An existing 1980s extension has also been reimagined with a further storey, its steeply pitched roof and dormer windows giving a nod to traditional reside...
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Danish design in Bath: a Carl Hansen takeover at Holloways of Ludlow

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[Advertisement – this is part of a collaboration with Holloways of Ludlow, but all words and opinions are my own] I love timeless Scandinavian design, and I love my home region of the UK’s West Country. So, when I learned that British retailer Holloways of Ludlow has paired up with Carl Hansen & Søn to host a curated installation of the Danish heritage brand’s collection at its flagship showroom in Bath, I knew it would be a fantastic match.  I’ll always have a soft spot for Holloways of Ludlow’s Bath home , which occupies an 18 th -century former bank building in the heart of the city – it’s where I held the launch event for my first book ,  The Soft Minimalist Home , and it’s my go-to for sourcing authentic furniture, lighting and home accessories. The first floor, where the installation is taking place, is particularly beautiful, with its soaring ceiling, tall windows, marble fireplace and ornate cornicing. It’s the perfect backdrop for Carl Hansen’s mix of classic...
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1 Hotel Copenhagen: a nature-inspired city sanctuary

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Today I’m taking you on a virtual visit to Copenhagen to look around the first Nordic branch of international chain 1 Hotel, which has recently opened its doors in the heart of the Danish capital. The interiors are the work of Norm Architects and they’re a fantastic example of biophilic design (design that reconnects us with nature) – a personal passion of mine and indeed the focus of my latest book .  It turns out I’ve actually stayed in the building myself under its previous incarnation, the rather glamorous Hotel Skt. Petri , but such is the scale of the transformation since the 1 brand acquired it that it took me a while to realise. Located in Copenhagen’s Latin Quarter, near the iconic Round Tower, it occupies a former department store designed in 1928 by renowned architect Vilhelm Lauritzen. From the outside, it’s all Modernist concrete and gleaming glass, but step inside and you’re now greeted by a calm city sanctuary where natural references are woven into every elemen...
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