Elizabeth Metcalfe
Features Editor
Elizabeth Metcalfe is House & Garden’s Features Editor. She joined the magazine in 2015, with a BA in English Literature from King’s College London and a Masters from the Courtauld Institute of Art. Her interest in interiors was sparked through a Saturday job working in Pentreath & Hall when she was a student. She likes writing about lived-in, layered interiors, as well as discovering little-known craftspeople. Her writing has appeared in Toast Magazine and Cereal, and she hosted talks for the likes of Christie’s and Collect Art Fair. Her first book, New English Interiors (Frances Lincoln) comes out in October 2024 and profiles the colourful, pattern-rich homes of 22 creatives. She lives in Sussex and spends her spare time rummaging for treasure at antiques fairs and walking her dog.
Houses
A 19th-century cottage in Derbyshire that helped a designer rediscover his identity
For designer Henry Jonsson-Robinson, a former mill-worker's cottage became a way of navigating grief – and proves that homes are as much about emotion as they are aesthetics
Houses
Potter George Bronwin’s deeply personal Somerset cottage reflects his love of craft and collected things
After leaving a career in hospitality to make ceramics, George Bronwin transformed a pair of former workers’ cottages in the Quantock Hills, filled with his own work, family heirlooms, antiques and clever finds
Decoration
The art of making a bed: interior designers offer their opinions on how to do it right
The process of making a bed tends to bring out strong views in interior designers – we asked some of the best for their advice on everything from fitted sheets to decorative cushions
Decoration
Is open-plan living a thing of the past?
Our lives are not what they were a few years ago, so perhaps it’s time to rethink our homes too
Houses
Inside Rita Konig's smart London house, created by combining two flats into one
Eager to have more room for herself and her daughter, Rita Konig bought the flat above her London home and combined them to create one cohesive space that has all the trademarks of her design, including inventive details, bold use of pattern and a blending of the beautiful and the practical
Houses
A fairytale cottage with jewel-box interiors by Emma Ainscough
Tasked with reinventing this cottage on the Bradford Estate by its owners, Viscount and Viscountess Newport, Emma Ainscough has created something magical - and the best bit? You can rent it out for holidays
Houses
A polo player’s contemporary Spanish farmhouse inspired by the traditions of the Andalusian cortijo
Honouring the low-slung profile of the southern Spanish farmhouse, a series of interlocking volumes, with vaulted ceilings, lofty archways and hand-painted tiles, reimagine the traditional courtyard house. The result is a family home that feels both intimate and effortlessly suited to entertaining
Decoration
How to plan and design a home swimming pool
If you fancy taking the plunge, here are some of the best outdoor pool ideas to help you find your style. Plus, expert tips on how to design your own
Houses
A sophisticated Primrose Hill flat filled with carefully sourced pieces
A well-proportioned London flat was the ideal setting for interior designer Emma Grant’s trove of eclectic finds, with each piece shaping her vision for the space. We revisit this archive story from 2021.
Houses
A 17th-century farmhouse in Sussex brimming with antique furniture and vintage textiles that lend it a wonderfully lived-in feel
'We didn’t want anything to feel glaringly new and we wanted to soften what was there,’ explains Lucy Cunningham of this centuries-old farmhouse that was given a new lease of life with some clever tweaks
Houses
A former merchant’s house in Patmos is revived with colour, character and quiet restraint
Working in the Chora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, design duo Campbell-Rey combined colour with local crafts and artefacts honouring the island’s heritage for a Greek family
Travel
The newly opened Vaults-at-Stow is an instant Cotswold classic
Our reviewer banks on a good time at these charming holidays apartments in Stow-on-the-Wold
Decoration
My cluttered kitchen is stressing me out – where do I even start?
Elizabeth Metcalfe takes advice from The Professional Organiser on creating a calm, easy-to-use kitchen. Plus 11 things to buy now to tame the chaos in style
Houses
A blank canvas of a house in west London gently softened and revived by James Mackie
When the designer was tasked with transforming this 1840s property, which had been stripped of all its period features, he relished the opportunity for creativity. Working with his clients, he has created family home filled with distinctive pieces and an understated sense of 1930s glamour
Houses
A writer and editor’s joyful London house that feels like a living scrapbook
Having moved from a small flat to this Victorian terraced house, Belmond’s global editor-in-chief Jonathan Openshaw has filled its rooms with collected and curated treasures – and created his very own oasis up on the roof
Decoration
I met the fairy godmother of digital deep-cleaning – and the results were extraordinary
Overwhelmed by her unmanageable inbox, forgotten passwords and seemingly endless notifications, this writer decided she needed a digital declutter and found it just as transformative as a physical one
Decoration
How to use ‘difficult’ paint colours in your interiors
While the boldest of paint colours are often dismissed as being a little too brash and bold, they might be just what your rooms need – as these examples from the archive prove
Houses
How Sophie Ashby helped to rethink a one-of-a-kind family home on Guernsey
Working closely with a local architectural design firm, interior decorator Sophie Ashby introduced curves and sinuous sculptural forms to bring a sense of comfort and warmth to this evolving family home in the Channel Islands
Houses
The fairy-tale cottage where French illustrator Marin Montagut dreams up his magical creations
When the designer and illustrator is not busy running his Parisian shop, he retreats to this 19th-century house in Normandy, where every room is filled with colour, curiosities and the same old-world charm that characterises his work
Houses
An elegant Victorian terrace house in north London with instantly calming interiors
Designer Evelina Mamedovaite has created an artful yet liveable home capable of accommodating both a penchant for restrained interiors and a busy family life