25 Beautiful Homes

‘Christmas is not the time to be minimalist,’ says Claudia Ludwig, who loves to break her usual restrained style rules at this time of year and indulge in some full-on festive finery in her chic home (page 67). And we certainly agree – we’ve been mar

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Sarah Spiteri Homes Editor Fiona Mace Group Creative Director Emma Williams Group Chief Sub Editor Jennifer Spaeth Content and Product Development Director Michael Holmes Brand Development Director Laura Crombie Homes Content

With its spacious, entirely open-plan ground floor, the Dutch home of Lotte and Kees Vink comes into its own at Christmas. ‘We purposefully bought an enormous dining table so that we could entertain family and friends,’ notes Kees, adding, ‘We knew f

THE PROPERTY 1920s semi-detached house LOCATION The Netherlands ROOMS Kitchen-diner/ sitting area, office, cloakroom, conservatory, three bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2016 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We were living in a tiny two-bed house i

THE PROPERTY A Grade II-listed 16th-century priory with 19th-century addition LOCATION Kent ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner/living area, playroom, study, six bedrooms (one en suite), two bathrooms PURCHASED 2012 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before we mov

THE PROPERTY A detached Georgian-style home dating from the 1920s LOCATION Boston, USA ROOMS Sitting room, family room, dining room, kitchen, utility room, cloakroom, five bedrooms (one en suite), three bathrooms PURCHASED 2003 PREVIOUS PROPERTY

THE PROPERTY Extended Grade II-listed 16th-century cottage LOCATION Oxfordshire ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen/ breakfast room, dining room/ conservatory, study, playroom, cloakroom, six bedrooms (one en suite), dressing room, two bathrooms, mezzanine

Situated in the hamlet of Puy-Saint-Pierre, with breathtaking views of the Briançon valley and surrounding Serre Chevalier mountains, Chalet Maj feels as if it has been here for ever. ‘It is built from larch, which is an incredibly hard-wearing local

THE PROPERTY New-build chalet LOCATION Serre Chevalier, southeast France ROOMS Kitchen-dining/sitting area, library, five bedrooms (all en suite), dorm-style bedroom, spa with indoor pool, sauna, Japanese bath and shower room LAND PURCHASED 2013

THE PROPERTY A converted cow byre and Dutch barn, dating from 1890 LOCATION Gloucestershire ROOMS Kitchen-diner with sitting area, drawing room/office, boot room, cloakroom, six bedrooms, three bathrooms PURCHASED 1993 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We rente

Though this family home usually embraces less-is-more interiors, Christmas is the time of year when interior designer Claudia Ludwig is happy to make an exception. ‘It’s not the season to go minimalist and I love using bold colours,’ she says. ‘I sta

THE PROPERTY Victorian semi-detached house LOCATION Surrey ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner/living area, snug, utility room, cloakroom, seven bedrooms, dressing room, two bathrooms, kitchenette PURCHASED 2012 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a Vic

THE PROPERTY An Arts and Crafts house dating from the 1930s LOCATION Surrey ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen/ dining room with snug, cloakroom, study area, four bedrooms (two en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2018 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a converte

THE PROPERTY A detached Regency house LOCATION West Sussex ROOMS Sitting room, dining room, kitchen-diner, study, utility room, cloakroom, orangery, five bedrooms (four en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a Georgian

THE PROPERTY A Victorian schoolhouse joined to a Grade II-listed cottage LOCATION Near Norwich, Norfolk ROOMS Sitting room, dining room, kitchen-diner, snug, study, cloakroom, boot room, utility room, cellar, five bedrooms, two bathrooms PURCHASED

THE PROPERTY Apartment built in the 1950s and remodelled in 2014 on the fifth floor of a Estado Novo building LOCATION Lisbon, Portugal ROOMS Sitting/dining area, kitchen, home office, library/ music room/guest room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms RE

THE PROPERTY Converted cattle barn dating back to the 1800s LOCATION Somerset ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, boot room, utility, cloakroom, six bedrooms (five en suite), bathroom, guest cottage PURCHASED 2017 OTHER PROPERTY ‘Before buying thi

THE PROPERTY 1870s Victorian semi LOCATION West Sussex ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, office, utility room, cloakroom, playroom, four bedrooms (one en suite), two bathrooms PURCHASED 2009 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in an 1870s terraced house