Country Living UK

Whether you live in the town or countryside, in Country Living you’ll find a wealth of ideas for your home and garden, learn about traditional crafts, keep informed of rural issues, enjoy irresistible dishes using seasonal produce and, above all, escape the stress and strain of modern-day life.

Country Living

A note from the editor

10 REFRESHING READS • Our pick of this season’s best books for country-lovers

May

Ardnamurchan

emporium • Our hand-picked selection of favourite pieces from individual makers, the high street and small businesses

SHOWS

THIS MONTH Growing chillies and peppers • There’s never been a better time to go self-sufficient. In our ongoing series, Sally Coulthard shares tried-and-tested tips from her Yorkshire smallholding

Three VARIETIES TO TRY

GET THE KIT

HOW TO MAKE Stuffed peppers

6 questions …with a chilli expert • Amrit Madhoo is the founder of South Devon Chilli Farm and farm shop, where he grows 150 varieties

THE SURPRISING SIDE of SWEET CAROLINE • She is arguably one of the friendliest and funniest actors of her generation, but Caroline Quentin is also an introverted loner who prefers the greenhouse to the green room. Laura Silverman meets a woman of many parts

FROM STAGE TO PAGE

RURAL CHIC FOR YOUR HOME COUNTRY LIVING AT DFS

MAKE MERRY IN MAY • Crafts, bakes and buys for a tea party inspired by the frothy and fragrant blooms of lilac and wild garlic

10 QUESTIONS WITH… JOHNNY FLYNN • The A-list actor and musician on singing outdoors, spotting birds and walking with a celebrated nature-lover

BOLD NEW COLOUR COMBOS • Dare to inject some drama and excitement into your home with these unexpected but sophisticated colour pairings

YELLOW AND BLUE • What could be more joyful than invigorating sunshine yellow balanced with soothing blues? The colours of sunny beach days and spring flowers will add an uplifting Mediterranean ambience to any space. Pick deeper yellows, like ochre, for a living room or bedroom with brighter splashes for daytime spaces, such as kitchens and utility rooms. Creamy buttermilk shades are also well suited to children’s bedrooms or hallways.

CORAL AND GREY • Grey needn’t be drab: the gentle warmth of coral is the perfect partner for its blue undertones, creating a scheme that is cool and cosy in equal measure. Evocative of winter sunsets, this is a refined, elegant pairing for period properties. Add depth with dark wood furniture, rich textile accents, natural woven materials or metallic details, alongside classic patterning of gingham, stripes and paisley.

THE NEW RED WHITE AND BLUE • Suspend all thoughts of the Union Jack and patriotic bunting. For sumptuous yet lively interiors, look to fresh sky blue and rich, claret red peppered with palette-cleansing hints of white or cream. It’s a bold combination – not for the faint hearted – but uplifting and invigorating when done well. For a gentler way to incorporate vivid reds, consider striped or patterned textiles rather than solid blocks of colour.

THE BEST OF BRITISH DESIGN COUNTRY LIVING AT HOMEBASE

SPRING AT Broadspear • In the final part of our series, TV chef Clodagh McKenna serves up an alfresco spring feast, fresh from her abundant garden

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE • On the organic farm where Rabbie Burns wrote some of his most famous lines, Bryce Cunningham has created a sustainable dairy producing welfare-friendly milk that will soon reach doorsteps all over Scotland

SURROUND SOUND • As the BBC marks 100 years of its first outdoor recording – a duet with a nightingale – we release our own spring playlist of tracks from the natural world

NATURALLY BEAUTIFUL RUGS FROM COUNTRY LIVING AT...