Welcome

What makes a house a home? This is a question I get asked a lot, and one that isn’t easy to answer, because there are many factors that contribute to making a house homely. I do know that it’s not the type or size of property, but what’s inside that really counts. Personal belongings can breathe life into a space while reflecting the individuality of the owner, but there are also sensory aspects at play. The reason we decide not to feature some properties in 25 Beautiful Homes is often because, beautiful as they may well be, they just don’t feel right. The homes that touch our hearts are those where you can imagine that someone is about to enter the kitchen from the garden to make a cold drink on a summer’s day, or to walk into the sitting room, sit down and relax. Sometimes, when looking at images of interiors, we even discuss how we think the home will smell – fresh and clean, or warm and welcoming with the scent of baking bread wafting in the air. The owners of the houses we’ve selected for this issue have put plenty of heart, soul and character into their homes. We hope you find them as inspiring as we do.