Welcome to our High Summer issue

As the sun soars high and the days stretch long with possibility, it feels like the perfect moment to let go of expectations, throw out the rule book and decorate our homes from the heart.

In this issue, we celebrate exactly that: the bold, personal and creative ways people reclaim and reinvent their spaces. Inside, you’ll find homeowners who follow their instinct. Our cover feature, Peet Schreuder’s soulful farmhouse reflects a lifetime of creativity and memories. Hers – and all of the homes featured – are unapologetically personal. There’s a sense of freedom in these spaces, a refusal to be bound by convention.

Similarly rule-breaking was Laura Ashley  and her romantic vision, born in post-war Britain and, with our hankering for peaceful, safe and cosy interiors, having something of a renaissance right now. What made the Laura Ashley brand special wasn’t just the aesthetic, but the spirit behind it: accessible, nostalgic and innovative. It’s also present in the work of Banjo Beale, our columnist and ever-inventive designer whose latest project takes him to the remote Isle of Ulva. There, Banjo has taken on the renovation of an abandoned mansion—faded grandeur and all—and is transforming it into a unique hotel.

This summer, we invite you to do the same. Reclaim old things. Reimagine your space. Don’t ask what the ‘right’ colour is or whether that cushion is ‘on trend’. Rather, see what makes you smile or tugs at a memory. What feels like you. Whether you’re piecing together vintage finds, creating an outdoor dining space or hanging wallpaper, the most beautiful spaces are those that tell your story. As the phrase goes: ‘Do you.’