The gentle crackling of a fire is one of winter’s joys and it can be even more heartening when the fireplace area is decorated with panache

THE FIREPLACE HAS SURVIVED CENTURIES OF CHANGE TO EMERGE IN ALL ITS GLORY AS THE FOCAL POINT OF THE LONDON RECEPTION ROOM, DISCOVERS ANNE CUTHBERTSON

Your walls are the greatest canvas with which to express the personality of your home, so don’t let them be dull

Whether you choose a timeless wood burner, an effortless gas model or a minimalist electric or biofuel design, banish the winter chill with a cosy stove that brings both warmth and atmosphere

The kitchen is where guests instinctively gather at parties, so design an inviting layout where style and sociability meet, whatever the occasion

Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler’s associate director Chloe Willis talks entertaining essentials