Thoughts on living well in old houses — from planning quandaries to the perfect green.


The Marchmont Blog

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Living With Listed: What You Can, and Can't, Change in a Period Home


April 17, 2018

Expert Opinion

Discover everything we know about renovating homes with historic features. 

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The One Question I Ask Every Period Homeowner

March 17, 2026

Design Projects

After years working with heritage homes, I have learned that the brief a client hands me is rarely the brief we end up working to. There is a single question that cuts through the mood boards and gets to what a house actually needs. Ask yourself this before you commission anyone, and the whole project changes shape.

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Ten Original Features Worth Restoring


February 17, 2018

Design Trends

Not every period detail deserves saving, and knowing the difference is where good judgement earns its keep. From cornicing and cast-iron radiators to the sash windows everyone wants to rip out, here are the features we fight to keep.

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What to Know Before Renovating a Listed Building

January 17, 2026

Expert Opinion

The mistakes people make are rarely about taste. They are about process, permissions and the small early decisions that shape everything that follows. This is the honest brief we give every client before work begins

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The Return of the Dark Room 

December 17, 2025

Design Trends

For years the advice was to lighten and brighten every heritage room in sight. That thinking is on its way out. Homeowners with Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian houses are rediscovering what those spaces were built for, and moody, saturated walls are leading the way. Here is why the dark room is back, and how to do it without losing a scrap of light or elegance.


Specialists in interior design for period & heritage properties