Home again, naturally...
Today, the desire to lead a simpler life is growing and rural homes are becoming increasingly popular. Whether you are in the process of renovating a country home or simply looking for fresh ways to bring a small part of nature into your city residence, by delighting in the beauty that surrounds you then you too can create a haven where it is possible to switch off and luxuriate in life’s simpler pleasures.
Double glass doors allow a lovely breeze to flow straight through this converted barn
The key to achieving this is connecting the home with its natural environment and creating a sense of continuity between the outside and inside. Decorative details can be as simple as a basket of freshly laid eggs on the sideboard, a dried honeycomb found on the ground in winter or a piece of driftwood washed up from a nearby river.
Left: Sleep among the trees in this glass-walled, loft-style room. Middle: This former office conference table has been allowed to grow old gracefully to fit its new life in a farmhouse kitchen. A local carpenter made the benches. Right: A daybed on wheels can be moved around the garden to catch the light
In my new book I explore 10 pastoral homes that all have distinct themes associated with nature, including ‘Homestead’ houses made up of rich autumnal browns, ‘Waterside’ homes based on blues and greys and warmed with natural wood and rattan, and darker ‘Forest’-inspired abodes that are brightened by pops of red or orange.
Right: Natural materials add warmth. Left: In warmer months the indoor bathroom is exchanged for soaks in this tub under the sky
While many of the residences enjoy modern comforts, such as espresso machines and televisions, they are designed to reconnect with nature and embrace its simple pleasures. Furnishings are artfully simple, purposeful and pared-back and transport residents back to a world where nature is the only distraction.
Left: A simple structure keeps firewood dry. Right: A mix of vintage and chain-store finds works beautifully here
Modern Pastoral: Bring The Tranquility Of Nature Into Your Home, by Niki Brantmark, with photography by James Gardiner, is published by Cico Books, priced £19.99.
Double glass doors allow a lovely breeze to flow straight through this converted barnThe key to achieving this is connecting the home with its natural environment and creating a sense of continuity between the outside and inside. Decorative details can be as simple as a basket of freshly laid eggs on the sideboard, a dried honeycomb found on the ground in winter or a piece of driftwood washed up from a nearby river.
Left: Sleep among the trees in this glass-walled, loft-style room. Middle: This former office conference table has been allowed to grow old gracefully to fit its new life in a farmhouse kitchen. A local carpenter made the benches. Right: A daybed on wheels can be moved around the garden to catch the lightIn my new book I explore 10 pastoral homes that all have distinct themes associated with nature, including ‘Homestead’ houses made up of rich autumnal browns, ‘Waterside’ homes based on blues and greys and warmed with natural wood and rattan, and darker ‘Forest’-inspired abodes that are brightened by pops of red or orange.
Right: Natural materials add warmth. Left: In warmer months the indoor bathroom is exchanged for soaks in this tub under the skyWhile many of the residences enjoy modern comforts, such as espresso machines and televisions, they are designed to reconnect with nature and embrace its simple pleasures. Furnishings are artfully simple, purposeful and pared-back and transport residents back to a world where nature is the only distraction.
Left: A simple structure keeps firewood dry. Right: A mix of vintage and chain-store finds works beautifully hereModern Pastoral: Bring The Tranquility Of Nature Into Your Home, by Niki Brantmark, with photography by James Gardiner, is published by Cico Books, priced £19.99.