Alexandra Campbell

Everyone has a dream of the perfect country house: beautiful, warm and welcoming with a sense of comfort and style that comes naturally. The word 'country' evokes a timeless simplicity, where classic form is married to a soft, decorative feel, where colour and pattern are used informally, and where light and space are at the heart of every room. The re-introduction of colour and pattern to interior design, and the perennial popularity of natural materials make a stylish, country look easy to attain. Chapters include specific country styles such as Shaker, New England and modern Ethnic, along with practical ways to really bring the outside in - from using natural textiles and textures, to incorporating seaside checks and country-style florals. With more than two hundred stunning colour photographs, Country in the City is an inspiration to those wanting to make every day in the city a dream of country living.

Upcycling sums up today's approach to interiors. It means re-using or re-styling things in an innovative andcontemporary way, transforming an older piece of furniture from junk to fabulous. The same idea can even beapplied to mass-market modern furni ture - through 'hacking', you can give it a brand new use or an entirelydifferent look. Both upcycling and hacking are about re-purposing, taking an inexpensive item and re-workingit into something special and unique. It's not just about making the m ost of your budget, although upcyclingand hacks will save you money. It's about having a home that reflects your style and individuality. Sometimesit's just a question of looking at 'that old thing' in a different way, such as hanging an empty pictur e frame onthe wall, using a piece of outdoor furniture inside, adding different doors to chain-store fittings, or combiningtraditional and modern in quirky, individualistic ways.