FROM THE EDITOR

Painting furniture is one of my favourite hobbies. I’ve spraypainted, chalk-painted and glossed everything from kids’ beds to side chairs to dining tables. But recently, I took on a furniture refinishing project I’ve never done before: I stripped the finish off of an old side table, right down to the natural wood. When I was done, I cleaned it up and added a coat of lime wax – no paint to be found.

Having now tackled both types of furniture refinishing, I can definitively say painting is easier than stripping. But my table was done in an effort to achieve one of today’s biggest furniture trends: bleached wood tones. From Nordic-inspired soft pines to limed oak, light-coloured woods are the materials of choice for furnishings. While you can get the look with a little elbow grease, if you value your time – and sanity – more than I do, you can have your pale woods simply shipped to your door.

See page 36 for some of our favourite bleached-wood furniture and accents to help you get the style at home.

Following the theme of keeping things light, we’ve got a guide to installing rooflights (page 143) – great for making the most of natural light all year round. It’s a mood booster and a great way to save on energy costs. Speaking of which, if you’re looking for ways to save money at home while also creating a more sustainable space, head to our feature on eco-friendly renovations (page 111). From choosing materials to being energy efficient and incorporating smart tech, we’ve gathered together the best ideas for making your reno planet-friendly.

Last, though not least, this month’s case studies are some of my favourites so far this year: from a renovated Victorian townhouse owned by an interior architect, where the use of colour is warm yet unexpected, to the lovely Liverpool home with an enviable kitchen conservatory that blends indoors and out.

I hope you enjoy discovering them as much as I did – and that you find yourself reading this somewhere in the summer sun!