The House & Garden Agony Aunt
Dear Fiona: what's so wrong with hanging my washing outside?
Our resident agony aunt and decorating columnist Fiona McKenzie Johnston considers whether it's socially acceptable to air our clean laundry in public, and other acceptable - and sustainable - ways to dry out clothes.
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Dear Fiona: are feature walls really so awful?
Our resident agony aunt and decorating columnist Fiona McKenzie Johnston ponders which way to fall on the topic of the feature wall. Interior faux pas or handy design solution?
Dear Fiona: are forever homes a good idea? And if so, what do they need?
Our resident agony aunt and decorating expert Fiona McKenzie Johnston dives into the idea of one home lasting a lifetime, and whether that's something we should really be striving for
Dear Fiona: what's wrong with keeping books in the loo?
House & Garden's friendly resident decorating columnist Fiona McKenzie Johnston is taking on a new and important role as our in-house agony aunt. With a wealth of knowledge gathered in the course of consulting interior designers on any and every decorating conundrum (and a corresponding wealth of experience from her own Sussex house renovation), we can't think of anyone better to answer your queries
Dear Fiona: I can't figure out where to start with paint colours at home - help!
Our resident agony aunt Fiona McKenzie Johnston advises three readers (among many) who have no idea where to start with paint
Dear Fiona: how can I help my soon-to-be husband develop an interest in interiors?
Our resident agony aunt and decorating columnist Fiona McKenzie Johnston helps a reader get her partner more involved in their interior decisions (and poses the question: why is decorating perceived as such a female pursuit?)
Dear Fiona: what is the point of multiple cushions?
Our resident agony aunt Fiona McKenzie Johnston considers how many cushions is too many, and if the limit even exists
Dear Fiona: I'm moving out of the city–how do I know it won't be a mistake?
Our resident agony aunt Fiona McKenzie Johnston advises a reader who is (reluctantly) on the verge of a countryside move
Dear Fiona: is doing an extension immoral?
Our agony aunt Fiona McKenzie Johnston considers how to get neighbours back on-side in a building project
Dear Fiona: how do you make anywhere feel like home?
Our resident agony aunt and decorating columnist Fiona McKenzie Johnston considers what makes a house a home, and if you move all the time, what stuff will help create a sense of security for your children?
Dear Fiona: what's wrong with overhead lighting?
With designers regularly rejecting spotlights and chandeliers as overly bright and aesthetically off-putting, our agony aunt Fiona McKenzie Johnston considers the ins and outs of overhead lighting
Dear Fiona: I’ve inherited a taxidermy collection, and I’m vegan. What do I do?
Our resident agony aunt and decorating columnist Fiona McKenzie Johnston tackles an ethical – and decorating – dilemma
Dear Fiona: how do you declutter stuff you actually want to keep?
Our resident agony aunt and decorating columnist Fiona McKenzie Johnston tackles the painful subject of decluttering
Dear Fiona: what do you give someone who has everything?
Our resident columnist Fiona McKenzie Johnston helps a reader decide what to buy for Christmas… or whether to buy them anything at all
Dear Fiona: how do I fit more guests into my house than I have room for?
Our resident columnist Fiona McKenzie Johnston helps a reader stop panicking about hosting a magical family Christmas in a not-quite-big-enough house
Dear Fiona: is it bad that I buy everything for my house on the high street?
In the latest in our Agony Aunt series, Fiona McKenzie Johnston responds to a reader suddenly plagued by guilt about her high street shopping habit, advising a judicious mix of second-hand and hand-crafted pieces. Got a question for Fiona? Email agonyaunt.houseandgarden@condenast.co.uk
Dear Fiona: my new house is making me utterly miserable, and so is the renovation I’ve embarked on
House & Garden's friendly resident decorating columnist and agony aunt Fiona McKenzie Johnston advises on how to keep your morale up when you're mid-renovation and hating it, or finding that your new ‘dream house’ is in fact your hell. Got a question for Fiona? Email agonyaunt.houseandgarden@condenast.co.uk
Dear Fiona: I'm moving back in with my mum but I can't stand her decoration
House & Garden's friendly resident decorating columnist and agony aunt Fiona McKenzie Johnston advises on how to tackle the thorny problem of moving back in with your parents… when you can't stand their interiors. Got a question for Fiona? Email agonyaunt.houseandgarden@condenast.co.uk
Dear Fiona: Help! We’re scared of our interior designer
House & Garden's friendly resident decorating columnist and agony aunt Fiona McKenzie Johnston advises on what to do when your relationship with an interior designer takes an unexpected turn for the worse. Got a question for Fiona? Email agonyaunt.houseandgarden@condenast.co.uk
Dear Fiona: can Halloween ever be done in a non-naff way?
Our resident agony aunt Fiona McKenzie Johnston considers how to decorate for and celebrate Halloween in a meaningful way