March is a time of indoors and out…

Sunshine might tempt us to get gardening or take a bracing walk, but cutting winds and sudden showers can soon drive us back inside, where there is much-needed spring cleaning to be done. No matter – there’s pleasure to be had in both. On our cover this month, we say ‘Bring new life to your kitchen’. This space around which daily life revolves is the most important room in the home: for ideas on how to create your ideal style and atmosphere, turn to page 46. We follow this with ‘Stay in a boathouse’ (page 20) and suggest where to find these quirky buildings, but anywhere you book for a country stay will bring joy as you escape the everyday and watch spring start to unfold. Then comes ‘Bake treats for afternoon tea’ – get your favourite recipe out (see page 154) and soon the comforting aroma of cake will bring a sense of wellbeing to all who encounter it. That leads nicely on to ‘Find peace of mind’. Mindfulness has become the watchword of today and our piece on page 165 provides a beginner’s guide to meditation. Let’s make March a calm month.