Table of contents for February 2026 in Country Living UK

Is a skip on your birthday wishlist? If you’re Country Living editor Vicky Carlisle, then the answer is yes. Every year. So far, her husband has failed to take the hint and no skip has appeared outside Vicky’s bedroom window, but a serious declutter remains number one on her domestic to-do list, as it does for so many of us in February. We may not all crave (or require) skip-scale clearouts, but some light-touch reorganisation is certainly appealing as 2026 gets started. Who better to inspire a domestic refresh than Queen of Clean Nancy Birtwhistle (below right)? “Her recipes for DIY natural cleaning products made from simple, cheap ingredients have changed my life,” says superfan Maggie Alderson, whose interview with Nancy you can read on page 26. “I don’t buy…

TO FIND MORE COUNTRY LIVING-APPROVED ARTISANS, GO TO COUNTRYLIVINGSHOP.CO.UK FOR STOCKISTS see Where to Buy Editor’s choice “This wheel-thrown stoneware will bring extra pleasure to your morning brew. I also love that the spout has a built-in strainer” Homes writer Maddy Ando…

Books, cameras and old tins give the studio the feeling of a walk-in collage At the weekend, collage artist Jackie Parsons can often be found at a car-boot sale near her home in Hastings, East Sussex. She scours the stalls not for specific objects, but for a texture or interesting shape hiding within an old map or sewing pattern. “I’ll focus on a tiny detail,” she says. “I might flick through a book and think there’s nothing there, then find something that’s perfect – a diagram or illustration.” These tiny treasures join a vast archive of found items that Jackie draws on to create collages for brands and magazines. Her multilayered pieces, brimming with colour and detail, have breathed life into the driest financial articles, while her portrait work has…

PAINT BEHIND THE SHELVES Add colour or patterned wallpaper to the back of open shelving or boxed-in cabinets to create depth and cohesion. A considered backdrop frames books and decorative pieces, giving older furniture a gentle refresh and a more curated feel. ORDER BY COLOUR Arrange books by the colour of their spines, moving from soft tonal shifts for neutrals to a full rainbow for brighter covers. This works especially well with Penguin vintage or clothbound editions, helping shelves to appear ordered yet striking. SHOP THE STYLE LAYER WITH INTEREST AND OBJECTS Break up rows with textured ceramics, handmade glassware and favourite prints (try Tinsmiths to emulate founder Phoebe Clive’s characterful home, shown here), creating a collection that feels personal. Mix framed artwork with propped-up postcards for a display that’s…

In just a few weeks from now, one plant on the farm will start doing something weird at night. The wild arum, also known as cuckoo pint or lords-and-ladies, will begin flowering. It’s a lover of damp, shady places and hides under hedgerows and trees. Come early spring, each plant – for one night only – will emit a strong whiff of fresh cowpat. This ammonia-rich, foetid gas is irresistible to several tiny night-flying flies, including the owl-midge. The owl-midge, when it lands, will explore deeper inside the flower, only to be trapped by the wild arum’s bristles. The creature is forced to spend the entire night, like a drunken prisoner, cavorting in the flower’s sugary nectar. High as a kite and covered in pollen, the bug will then be…

Mellow jazz drifts softly towards me as I open the door into Severnside Press. Sunlight washes onto chairs plumped with cushions and moves across bold, modern artworks. A whiff of warm sugar drifts from the kitchen and, across centuries-trodden floorboards, Stanley the Vizsla looks up, surveying me with amber eyes. “Tea and cake?” asks Tony Kossykh-Bearman, the B&B’s owner, taking my suitcase. I may be entering a sophisticated guesthouse in the Forest of Dean, but it feels like stepping into the kind of soothing scenario described in honeyed tones on a sleep app. This chic retreat is in the centre of Newnham on Severn, a town of dolls’ house proportions and aesthetics on a Gloucestershire loop of Britain’slongestriver. TheGeorgian townhouse, which opened as a B&B in 2022, was home to…

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE A CRISP WINTER MORNING to make you crave a breakfast that’s warm, comforting and just a touch indulgent. The recipes that follow are modern twists on the dishes I had when I was growing up in Northern Ireland. We’d have mushrooms every so often – picking our own from a mushroom shed down the road. They’d be sautéed simply with salt, pepper and plenty of butter, then served with wheaten farls, which you could buy from any Irish bakery. And while omelettes were a weekend treat, using leftovers from the fridge, waffles were an exciting new treat we first tried in a guesthouse on holiday. I serve them with yogurt and rhubarb, inspired by the stewed seasonal fruit my Aunt Evelyn made. Sometimes, a small change, such…

Looking at my life now, it’s hard to believe, but in the early days of arriving in Norfolk 15 years ago, there was a definite (albeit delayed) realisation that I felt lonely. I’ve often described myself as a sociable recluse: I’m as happy on my own with a good book as I am being the life and soul of a party, so a few months of solitude hadn’t worried me, despite the unfamiliarity of solo dog walks through empty fields. However, loneliness has a funny habit of creeping up on you. A few months in, just as I felt I’d handled the transition without a hitch, and the adrenaline rush that saw me through the initial chaos had settled, a profound sense of isolation hit me. My oldest friendships had…

“In nature, every sign in February tells us to rest” 1 Dark, cold February isn’t our favourite month, but we hear you’re a fan. How can you convince us to embrace it? I’ve learned to love February for what it is: a much darker, quieter time. There’s still so much beauty: deer in the fields, foxes in the woods, the bare trees opening up the landscape. It’s easy to feel joyful in summer, but it takes more intention in winter. Writing The Evergreen Journal [Lydia’s new seasonal journal] was my way of bringing joy to the darker months. I try to romanticise the season, whether that’s cooking something wholesome, slipping on cosy socks or reading books set in winter. Life feels richer when you can love both the brightness of…

In an old granite and cob barn, on the doorstep of Dartmoor in Devon, Leela Chakravarti makes earthy, tactile pottery. Wild ponies prance across vases, mermaids swim along platters, and cups and mugs are glazed in subtle, elemental tones that mimic the moorland, coastline and fields of the nearby landscape. “I am drawn to ancient and rustic-looking things, folk stories and storytelling,” says Leela, “and I love the fact that with pottery, you make something that is functional but also art.” Her studio adjoins her house. “My pottery wheel is positioned so I can see the garden changing throughout the year,” she says. On winter mornings, she lights the woodburner and warms a pan of water on it to use when she is throwing “so my hands don’t get cold”.…

DEEP CLEAN FURNISHINGS Take down curtains, gently vacuum, then wash on a delicate cycle or freshen with a handheld steamer. Vacuum under sofa cushions and clean upholstery with a spot washer (vax.co.uk) to lift stains and revive colour*. These small steps help furnishings last longer without the expense of specialist cleaners. Curtains in Mays Coverlet; chair in Bird Tapestry (wmorrisandco.com/uk). REIMAGINE YOUR RENOVATIONS Plan projects with a traditional moodboard that allows you to size up colours and textures more accurately than an online Pinterest board. Overlap fabric, paint and wallpaper samples to assess how they work together – try Lick’s peel-and-stick swatches (lick.com/uk). Even small updates – like swapping out handles or repainting woodwork – will refresh the look. Fairdown wallpaper (sanderson.design). Plates (burleigh.co.uk; spode.co.uk). Napkins (kahoprints.com). CLEAR THE CLUTTER…

CREATE A GALLERY Lean artwork in layered formations to build height and texture without fixing anything to the wall. This relaxed approach works wonderfully for a rotating gallery, letting you change pieces while keeping the mantel visually balanced. USE A CENTRAL PIECE AS AN ANCHOR Start with a defining focal point – a mirror, painting or sculptural object – and arrange supporting pieces around it. Whether you lean into symmetry or embrace eclectic asymmetry, this centred structure offers the display a bold, grounding presence. SHOP THE STYLE WORK TO A COLOUR PALETTE Layer decorative accents that echo the room’s shades, pulling from walls, upholstery and artwork. Keeping to a palette ties pottery, candles and frames together, allowing the mantel to sit as a natural embellishment within the wider scheme. Refresh…

Bolts of fabric, rolls of ticking and jars of buttons have always been part of Carolyn Denham’s world. In her Victorian home in Rye, East Sussex, they’re more than decoration, they’re central to the way she lives and works. Two years after buying the tile-hung house with her partner, Roderick Field, she has turned it into an ongoing experiment in craftsmanship and design. Every room reflects Carolyn’s instinct for textiles, with layered beds, banners and blinds, curtains and canopies, all sewn by her or her small team at Merchant & Mills, her business selling fabrics and patterns. Founded in 2009, the company was a pioneer of the return to making and mending, creating timeless patterns and sourcing high-quality fabrics. Throughout the home, textiles have been deftly used in unexpected ways.…

Get organised for the year ahead with our beautiful stationery collection, filled with uplifting seasonal images to inspire you each month CALENDAR £9.99 DIARY £11.99 TO ORDER visit countrylivingshop.co.uk or call 01483 204445 Terms & conditions Delivery within five to seven days to UK mainland only (some exclusions may apply). Please call for a postage quotation to other areas. If you are not completely satisfied with your product, call our customer services team on 01483 204445 and we will advise the best way to return the goods. Orders returned within 14 days in perfect condition will receive a no-quibble refund, minus any postage costs. Postage costs applied at checkout. SCAN THE QR CODE TO GO TO THE COUNTRY LIVING MARKETPLACE…

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Let me tell you where my bean obsession started. My career took me from private cheffing into working in food sustainability. As someone who adores slow-roasted pork belly, delicate smoked fish and black pudding, this can be a challenging place – it seemed that delicious food and a sustainable food system were incompatible. But then I discovered beans. Beans are high in protein, fibre and a host of minerals and vitamins. They are one of the most diverse food groups out there and they’re also nitrate-fixing plants that support soil health and are fundamental in regenerative systems. Most importantly, beans are delicious, versatile and exciting. My passion for pulses grew so potent that I ended up creating Bold Bean Co. If you’re eating plenty of beans, you’ll feel happier and…

BOOKCASE BUYS RICHARD BOOTH’S BOOKSHOP In Hay-on-Wye – Britain’s ‘town of books’ – this bookseller spans three oak-clad floors with new, secondhand and antiquarian titles (boothbooks.co.uk). PENTREATH & HALL A design-lover’s delight, offering curated books on interiors, architecture and British style, alongside hand-painted frames, pen pots and bookends (pentreath-hall.com). TESS NEWALL Hand-painted wallpapers inspired by heritage patterns and rural life. Tess’s whimsical designs echo Arts and Crafts motifs and are perfect for backing bookshelves (tessnewall.com). WORLD OF BOOKS A sustainable source of pre-loved titles spanning fiction, art and interiors. Ideal for filling your bookcase with well-thumbed charm (worldofbooks.com). IGSTUDIO CERAMICS AT COUNTRY LIVING MARKETPLACE Handmade ceramic vessels and sculptural ornaments in earthy tones, designed to give a distinctive feel to your shelving (countrylivingshop.co.uk). MANTELPIECE BUYS DOMENICA MARLAND A diverse collection…

Nancy Birtwhistle’s conversion started on Christmas Day ten years ago. Her family were sitting round the table, when someone mentioned buying a flight to Rome for £8.99. An alarm went off in Nancy’s head. “I remember thinking that if you can go to Rome for that price, something must be wrong. I looked around the table at the grandkids sitting in their highchairs and thought, ‘What will be the world be like when they grow up? None of this is sustainable.’” All of us have probably had similar thoughts at some point but felt so overwhelmed by the depth and complexity of the issues that we’ve ignored them. Nancy, however, saw this as a project to tackle at home. The phrase “think global, act local” could have been coined for…

To reach the Blue Cabin by the Sea, you must first walk through a rock-cut tunnel with your barrow of provisions. It’s hard to imagine a more fitting entrance to this hidden retreat. Emerging into the light, the view opens onto a sweeping coastline where fishing boats come and go across the bay and a small pebble beach is dotted with rockpools. About 45 minutes from Edinburgh, this secluded spot is where sculptor Jill Watson and architect Ben Tindall head to slow down away from the city. “When we first saw it, it felt like it had been there for ever,” recalls Ben of the cabin tucked into the shoreline. Built in the 1880s as a holiday home, its white exterior and shutters were faded and lost against the rugged…

DOUBLE UP Stack multiple peg rails to increase storage and create layered order, especially in hallways or busy family spaces. Stagger rails at different heights: low for wellies, mid for children’s coats, high for seasonal items and long layers. PRACTICAL DISPLAY Peg rails excel in utilitarian spaces, organising the essentials while remaining pleasing to the eye. Here, The Snow Sheppard’s design holds brushes, aprons and tools with ease, turning practical items into a gently ordered and attractive display. SHOP THE STYLE PAINT TO MATCH Transform storage into a statement piece. In this Alderley boot room by Burbidge Kitchen, the panelling, bench and peg rails have all been painted in Dulux’s Mallard Green for a seamless scheme. Coordinating textiles complete the look. Also try… Resist the temptation to overload your peg…

ADD TO BASKET WILTSHIRE-MADE TILES Wallpaper brand Divine Savages, founded by Jamie Watkins and Tom Kennedy, brings its signature designs to a new collaboration with tilemaker Ca’ Pietra. Crafted in a Wiltshire kiln, the range has 12 ceramic wall tiles in two joyful pattern families – Brambles and Lovebirds (£25 each; capietra.com). In The Quiet Home, stylist and designer Michelle Halford (@the designchaser) explores the art of interiors that soothe rather than shout. The curated guide shares thoughtful advice on decluttering and using calming colour palettes (Mitchell Beazley, £27). VISIT A NEW SEURAT EXHIBITION Seurat and the Sea is a landmark show, spotlighting the seascapes of Georges Seurat and giving a rare glimpse into how the Neo-Impressionist icon captured light, movement and atmosphere at the water’s edge. It’s a serene celebration…

ADD TO BASKET HAND SALVE Protect hands that till the soil with this powerful blend of nourishing UK-grown rapeseed oil and beeswax by Filberts. Apply before and after the working day to damp, just-washed hands or use as a salve for rough skin and splits (£9.95/40g tin, countrylivingshop.co.uk). Step into designer Ann-Marie Powell’s garden and you’ll be bowled over by her exuberant approach to planting. This book is packed with vibrant colour combinations, plus tips on everything from seed sowing to taking cuttings (Frances Lincoln, £25). VISIT CORNWALL’S NEW SENSORY GARDEN With scented favourites like lavender and camomile, ramps and seating nooks, the new Sensory Garden at the Gardeners’ House at Morrab Gardens in Penzance, Cornwall, is designed for people living with dementia. Workshops will also take place throughout the year…

ADD TO BASKET GREENER WELLIES The master bootmakers at Le Chameau have teamed up with the National Trust to create the ultimate eco wellies for winter. This chic footwear is made entirely from recycled plastic bottles, with ten per cent from each purchase supporting the Trust’s conservation work (lechameau.com). Long winter nights needn’t limit your chances to connect with nature. In his latest book, John Lewis-Stempel reveals delights to be found after dark – from glowing rockpool creatures to hunting nightjars (Doubleday, £12.99). TAKE YOUR TIME LINOCUT A COASTAL LANDSCAPE Join artist Mark Lord in Cornwall to learn this traditional printing technique and create your own original artwork inspired by the winter coastline. Workshops cost £100 including materials (linolord.com). Or buy one of Mark’s linocuts at countrylivingshop.co.uk. Support TOADS It’s amphibian-migration…

ADD TO BASKET HEART-SHAPED CERAMICS Tyneside ceramicist Amy Rutherford throws her stoneware vessels on the potter’s wheel before shaping and glazing them by hand. Dishwasher and microwave safe, they’re perfect for cradling on cold mornings and would make a lovely Valentine’s Day gift this month (from £23, countrylivingshop.co.uk). Ballerina-turnedchef Natasha MacAller harnesses the benefits of wild and cultivated plants in this globetrotting cookbook. Recipes from 30 celebrated chefs include immunity-boosting broths and salads, mains and desserts (Kyle Books, £30). VISIT A NEW JAPANESE RESTAURANT IN THE YORKSHIRE DALES Tsuchi is Japanese for “soil” and at her new dining space on the Yorkshire-Cumbria border, award-winning chef Nina Matsunaga channels her reverence for healthy soils into a locally sourced tasting menu (£79 for seven courses, theblackbullsedbergh.co.uk). Eat RHUBARB The candy-pink stems of forced…