11 houses from the pages of House & Garden that you can rent for a holiday
If you've ever seen a house in a magazine and wished you could live there, this feature is for you. Each and every one of these houses has utterly beautiful interiors, often dreamed up by the world's best interior designers and usually functioning as much-loved family homes. But they're also available to rent, making them perfect holiday destinations for interiors lovers. Which one would you pick?
Christopher Horwood1/11Tasked with reinventing this cottage on the Bradford Estate by its owners, Viscount and Viscountess Newport, Emma Ainscough has created something magical – and the best bit? You can rent it out for holidays. Located on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border, the cottage makes a lovely base for exploring the Shropshire hills and valleys, and taking day trips in the charming town of Shrewsbury.
Paul Massey2/11With perfect modern country interiors by Laura Stephens, Well Cottage in Ramsden is a heavenly Cotswold escape. Ramsden is near Woodstock, the home of Blenheim Palace, on the eastern edge of the Cotswold AONB. It's a particularly good location, not just for ease of access but also for the stellar village pub, The Royal Oak, a mere four minute walk down the road; there are plenty of others well-placed in neighbouring villages for mid-hike refreshments.
Boz Gagovski3/11Paddy O'Donnell of Farrow & Ball and the owner of the Beckford Arms in Wiltshire have transformed this distinctive building at the entrance to the Fonthill Estate into a characterful house to rent for holidays. The location is great for visits to Salisbury and Stonehenge, and also within striking distance of Bruton and Frome in Somerset, where you'll find yourself awash in excellent restaurants and art galleries.
Paul Massey4/11Ashby Manor House in Northamptonshire is a distinguished estate with a fascinating yet chequered 900-year history. Previously transformed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in a grand Edwardian style, it is now enjoying a new lease of life as a much loved home for the latest generation of a family to fall for its charms. If you're envious of them, the house is available for private hire, and makes a perfect venue for weddings or special occasions, with enough room to accommodate up to 20 people.
James Fennell5/11Since 2008, Charlie and Tweenie Wrey have lived in Sri Lanka. Their house is perched on the crest of a hill near the fort city of Galle, with views across dense vegetation and acres of tea plantation to the Indian Ocean beyond. The six bedroom villa sleeps 14 and makes the most of outdoor space, with a verandah, sun terrace, roof terrace and swimming pool.
Christopher Horwood6/11Serial renovators of historic houses on a grand scale, the dynamic design duo Peter Sheppard and Keith Day took on their greatest challenge yet with exquisite 18th-century Wolterton Hall in north Norfolk, which had lain uninhabited for almost 30 years. The house was built between 1727 and 1742 for Horatio Walpole by the architect Thomas Ripley who was, at the time, also working on nearby Houghton Hall for Horatio’s prime-minister brother, Sir Robert. You can rent the grand Regency East Wing of the house, or various cottages and houses on the estate, or take over all the available accommodation for a wedding.
Jonathan Bond7/11Interior designer Elizabeth Hay's cottage in Devon is characterised by the layered, colourful schemes that she is known for. ‘I wanted everything to be sympathetic to its history, with a cosy cottage atmosphere. But also a bit quirky, with fun modern twists, not endless layers of chintz – though there is some of that, too.’ In the hills of East Devon, the cottage is within reach of the coast at Lyme Regis, but the local landscape has a wild beauty all its own.
Michael Sinclair8/11This idyllic cottage in Oxfordshire was looking rather tired until a trio of creatives - designer Sarah Delaney, architects Barnaby Gunning and garden designer Butter Wakefield - gave it a characterful update, both inside and out. Located a short way to the south of Oxford, the cottage is within an easy distance of London, and sleeps eight in four double bedrooms.
9/11You may well have heard of St Giles House in Dorset and the remarkable restoration project that its owners Nick, the 12th Earl of Shaftesbury, and his wife, Dinah, have undertaken there. The main house is now a highly sought-after wedding venue, but it is also a home for the couple and their three children and they felt strongly that it needed to remain as such. With that in mind, couple also decided to transform the early seventeenth-century Riding House, part of the home farm buildings, to create deeply stylish and very comfortable accommodation for wedding guests and anyone wanting to gather a house party for the weekend. The theatrical decoration makes it perfect for interiors lovers.
Simon Brown10/11Alexandra Tolstoy's picture-perfect cottage in Oxfordshire is a perennial favourite. Decorated in a traditional, understated style, the house is surrounded by rolling fields and has an utterly charming cottage garden. With three bedrooms, it's a delightful base for exploring the Cotswolds.
Tom Griffiths11/11Having found this tiny cottage in Oxfordshire five years ago, interior designer Victoria Barker of Studio Faeger has reversed the effects of a characterless renovation to create an irresistibly pretty interior. The cottage is situated in the small village of Kingham, perfectly situated for all the loveliest places to eat and explore in the Cotswolds, including Soho Farmhouse, Daylesford, and The Wild Rabbit.
