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Surrey Homes Magazine is the monthly lifestyle magazines for Surrey. Discover beautiful homes and interiors, read about their owners, find recipes for every occasion and delve into our pages on horticulture. Feel inspired by our fashion features and get the latest on health and beauty.

Great Expectations

We find out how schools help young people reach their full potential – enriching their academic minds alongside their compassionate hearts and artistic souls  At The King’s School Canterbury... Helping every pupil discover their strengths and fulfil their potential is...

Getting Out More

We find out how local schools are creatingnew ways to get kids breathing fresh air and experiencing nature Investing in outdoor spaces at... Hazelwood In an age of children spending increasing amounts of time indoors, the value of outdoor learning...

Collected at the Oast

Room by room, year by year, artist Sarah Featherstone and her family have poured their creativity into the renovation of a large oast, transforming it not only into a family home, but a wonderful venue in which to display Sarah’s...

Finally Home

With a refined eye for art and furniture, journalist Patrick McAleenan has spent the last few years curating the interior of his St Leonards home with carefully chosen pieces, prompting his latest venture, South Coast Stories, a PR platform for...

Live long, and well

Sarah Maxwell explores the simple exercise habits that can help you live longer, stay stronger and feel better for years to come When my grandmother, Ethel, turned 90, some of my relatives suggested that the little birthday party I was organising...

Small changes big results

Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach Charlotte Lau explores the benefits of creating an autumn reset September often brings a natural shift in rhythm; lighter mornings give way to cooler days, summer holidays come to an end, and everyday routines begin to settle...

Sow Natural

Let your plants do some of the hard work for you, with Jo Arnell’s recommendations for fuss-free, easy self-seeders I spent a fair amount of time sowing and growing earlier this year sprinkling seeds into trays of compost, nurturing little plants,...

Made to Last

Returning to the UK after a work stint in Dubai, Tracey and her family happened upon a house the likes of which they had never imagined living in before. Five years on, they still relish its clean lines, large windows...

Pretty much perfick

Garden designer Agnieszka Gebka found a horticulturist’s haven when she and her family relocated from Wimbledon to Sevenoaks and a former gardener’s cottage on the edge of a large country estate, a space that has allowed her to pursue her...

Peach & pistachio cake

1. Preheat oven to 160°C (fan), gas 4. Grease and line 2 x 8-inch (20cm) sandwich tins. 2. Cream butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Beat in 3 of the eggs carefully, beating in between each egg to...

Beetroot & feta salad

Prepare the dressing in a jug or jar – I tend to put the ingredients in a jar, screw the lid on and shake. Place all the salad ingredients in a bowl, add the dressing and combine. Serve with bread...

Grilled mackerel with roasted vegetables

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (gas 6). Place the washed and prepared vegetables in a baking tray, drizzle on the olive oil and scatter oregano. Mix to coat the vegetables in oil and herbs and roast in the oven...

Panzanella

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (gas 6). Roughly chop the tomatoes into fairly large chunks, approx 2x3cm. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with sea salt. Leave to one side for as long as it takes to prepare the...

Confidence booster

Sarah Maxwell focuses in on developing upper body strength As the layers come off, our arms get a little more attention. But upper-body strength is about more than appearance: it is great for posture, joint health and injury prevention.  Let’s...

Summertime and the growing is easy

Jo Arnell explains it’s never too late to get growing vegetables this August as long as your choice are suitably savvy So here we are then, in August, when the vegetable garden is all languid abundance and harvest home (see...

In the Face of Change

Former head teacher Mike Piercy investigates the transformative effects that tackling challenges and facing failure can have during a child’s education We see many interesting examples of leadership in the media and in everyday life. Isn’t interesting such a versatile...

Love where you live

Careful to inject plenty of each homeowner’s personality into every project, interior designer Jenny Branson’s gentle and measured approach has won her many clients who adore her use of colour, pattern and mood-lifting design  There is something instantly connecting when...

Design Partnership

A family home has been reconfigured for modern living with the help of an expert team of designer, builders and architects who have managed to bring a little South African al fresco living to the heart of Reigate  There’s a...

Fit & Strong

Sarah Maxwell explains how maintaining strength impacts positively on long-term health Strength training is one of the best things you can do for your long-term health, no matter your age or fitness level. It builds muscle and strength, but its...

Fill Your Pots!

Ensure your summer containers are built to last with Jo Arnell’s expert advice If you need some colour, some interest and visual appeal – or just a quick fix for the garden this summer – container plants are hard to...

Farm Fables

Jane Howard bids a fond farewell as she moves onto pastures new to pursue another venture The end of an era! Having enjoyed every moment, for the past ten years, of filling this back page with fables and foibles from...

Dementia Awareness Experience

:: SPONSORED CONTENT :: Halden Heights Nursing Home Hosts a Dementia Awareness Experience in High Halden Halden Heights Nursing Home in High Halden, near Ashford, recently welcomed the Virtual Dementia Tour, facilitated by The Dementia Experience, to help carers and family members gain a...

A House With Purpose

Charity founder Katie Dockery’s incredible home, designed by Richard Hawkes on the site of a former Qatari prime minister’s stud farm, has allowed her to create a safe and welcoming countryside retreat where she and her team tap into the...

Colour Care

Award-winning architect Patty Leo embarked on a joyfully creative project to remodel a mid-terrace Victorian property for a mother and daughter, transforming it from cramped and awkward to spacious and expressive  We all love colour but at home most of...

Caramelised onion, bean & broccoli gratin with Alsop & Walker Smoked Mayfield Cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Warm the oil and melt the butter in a medium-sized sauce pan. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper, and add the sugar. Cook for a few minutes allowing to gently brown...

Chicken, mushroom & leek soup with orzo

1. Heat some olive oil in a large-ish saucepan. Add the onion, season with a little salt and cook slowly for a few minutes. When softened, add the leek, carrot and garlic. Cook very slowly for about 10 minutes, stirring...

Warm squash & mushroom salad with Alsop & Walker Ewe Eat Me Cheese and caramelised nuts 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C 2. Lay out the squash on an olive oil lined baking tray, mix to ensure all the squash is oiled and then season. Cook for 30-40 mins. Allow to cool a little, but keep...

Fruity nutty biscotti 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. 2. Mix all the ingredients apart from the egg and milk together. 3. Whisk the milk with the egg and put into the dry ingredients....

At a stretch

Sarah Maxwell gets to grips with resistance bands Using resistance bands for workouts has become increasingly popular among fitness enthusiasts, and it’s easy to see why. One of the standout features of resistance bands is that they are lightweight and...

Bug–U–Like

Jo Arnell explores the fascinating and hugely beneficial world of our garden insects   I love a bug, and am beginning to learn that they all have a role and a place, despite the fact that the main job for...

Farm Fables

Jane chats through the constant ups and downs of being a livestock farmer  I’ve just sent some yearling cattle to a Store Sale in Hailsham market which means they will be bought to grow all summer and then be fattened...

Meet the Head

Christine Cunniffe, School Principal at LVS Ascot discusses her passion for inclusive education Tell us about LVS Ascot and why parents choose it for their youngsters. At LVS Ascot, we have a strong belief that every child can succeed. Our...

School’s Out For Summer

There’s no shortage of fun to be had during the holidays as we find out The Play’s the Thing Now in its 20th year, the award-winning Guildford Shakespeare Company are proud to offer a wide range of drama classes for...

Far Far Away

Exciting adventures outside the classroom Tanzania with Lingfield College  Trips are an integral part of the learning journey at Lingfield College and there is no doubt for some students they are the highlight of their time here. One of our...

Twin Pillars

Hannah  Couch, Head of Key Stage 3 and Polly Evernden, Deputy Head (Academic) at Walthamstow Hall are two important women at their school – one leading the academics, the other the pastoral care. Together they explain how Walthamstow Hall prepares...

Ostrich vs Machine

As technology evolves, Mike Piercy ponders how we should adapt with it to protect and support our young people No. Ostriches don’t bury their heads in the sand.  It is an urban myth (or urban ‘legend’ in the USA).  The...

Time to Explore

We hear about the opportunities open to youngsters at Millfield and Millfield Prep School Prep School and the start of Senior School should be a time where students can, alongside academics, try anything. They should have free rein to discover...

The Next Step

How do we help young people who are approaching a change of school? Educational journeys require young people to move through a series of stages, each time facing the challenges of moving on and taking the next step – meeting...

Single-Sex vs Co-Ed

We hear both sides of this educational conundrum as two schools explain their points of view...  Woldingham School Numerous studies have shown that girls achieve higher grades in all-girls schools than in co-ed schools. Not only do girls excel academically...

Make a Day of it!

School visits are a vital part of choosing the right place for your child, so we’re finding out how to make the most of them A Little Taste-Test Kings School Canterbury tell us what Taster Days are all about Designed...

The News

Schools let us know about their latest goings on and exciting updates Tail-Wagging Event During a recent visit to Blackheath Prep (part of the Eltham College family of schools), Eltham College Year 10 students lent a hand at a special...

Luxury Bathroom Design for Modern Homes

:: SPONSORED CONTENT :: Inside Nôsa’s Signature Collections for Contemporary Living In today’s most considered homes, the bathroom has moved far beyond function. It is a space shaped by ritual, restoration and daily life, where early mornings unfold, evenings slow down, and guests experience...

Slow Grown

With a focus on quality and sustainable sourcing, designer Lucy Dwyer’s carefully considered family home is built to last  We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” – Winston Churchill. It’s a line often used to describe grand civic architecture,...

Family Connections

Step inside Leigh Butler Dawson’s creative outlet, an apartment renovation that epitomises his dark, dramatic aesthetic rooted in a love of texture, colour and tone  There is something rather magical about arriving at Leigh Butler Dawson’s apartment, just north of...

Drink it up!

With the weather (hopefully) hotting up, our May exercise & health pages are focusing in on hydration. First up, Sarah Maxwell takes a look at how hydration affects our bodies and exercise With (fingers crossed) a barmy British summer just...

Small changes big results

Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach Charlotte Lau homes in on the benefits of hydrating before you caffeinate By May, life feels fuller. Social plans return, gardens demand attention, diaries begin to brim. It’s a beautiful time of year… but also a busy...