Articles by Sarah Alcroft

A small, enclosed, shady backyard may feel like an unpromising space for relaxation and socializing, but this design by landscape designer Stathis Lazarides proves otherwise. Given free rein by the homeowner, Lazarides turned an unappealing concrete s…

“Getting more light in was a priority,” says Sarah Woodford of Woodford Architecture and Interiors, who transformed this classic stone cottage in Cornwall, England, with her partner, architect Gavin Woodford. “It was very outdated, dark and damp.” The…

Chocolate brown upholstery, curvy furniture, maximalist design schemes. These were some of the trends that could be seen at Decorex 2025, held at London’s Olympia from Oct. 12 to 15, 2025. More than 280 brands displayed their newest products at the in…

Flooding can be both expensive and traumatic, so it’s good to know that anyone who has even a modest outdoor plot can play a role in reducing that risk by including water-resilient features. Essentially, the more landscapes there are that effectively …

Building a large home in the countryside that fits in with its surroundings is always a challenge, and this project for a couple approaching retirement was no different. They asked Simon Harris and VESP Architects to create a comfortable, light home o…

The needs of this family were broad. Having come together a little later in life, the couple had two teens and a toddler between them and were seeking a home where they could all settle and enjoy life as one household. Pooling resources from their pre…

The designs showcased at the 2023 RHS Chelsea Flower Show (May 23 to 27) in London can inspire landscapes of all sizes, as designers embraced weeds, grew decorative edibles, recycled waste and created immersive sanctuaries. Keep reading to see these t…

Having a meal at a leafy rooftop restaurant in East London one day, the owners of this 1980s house fell for the relaxed mood of the casual seating areas and decked walkways amid grasses and climbers, and decided they’d love that look in their garden. …

The yard that landscape designer Nigel Philips inherited when he and his wife bought their East Sussex, England, home was a good size and pleasant enough, but it was a bit dull and an 8-foot drop from the house. The challenge was to connect the outdoo…

The couple who owns this yard wanted different things. For one homeowner, it was all about outdoor cooking and exercising; for the other, the priority was a leafy space with plenty of gardening opportunities. The area to play with, however, was just 3…