Alison Lewis planned to mark her 50th birthday by buying a diamond ring, but instead she bought this gem of a house – and has never looked back

A quick sketch on a paper napkin led to a new look for an old forester’s cottage in Snowdonia, as Lucinda Griffith spotted renovation potential that others had missed, and all on a tight budget

Clare Pearne’s love of vintage treasures began when she was a little girl, but now she and partner Steve have found the perfect setting for them: a cottage with its very own secret garden

Lettie and Stephen Corbett returned to a favourite holiday spot to renovate a seaside cottage on the Isle of Mull, creating a colourful, blissful family retreat

A twist of fate led André and Lisanne Hedger to realise their dream of owning a chocolate-box thatched cottage in the heart of the countryside – the perfect place to create happy memories with their young family

Danielle Bux found the ultimate country escape from her hectic US lifestyle in this 17th-century cottage, which she renovated remotely during the pandemic