
Karen Darlow
An experienced writer on interiors and gardens, Karen Darlow is houses editor for homesandgardens.com, and homes editor for the brand’s sister titles, Period Living and Country Homes & Interiors. She loves visiting historic houses for Period Living and writing about rural properties for Country Homes & Interiors and says by the time she’s finished an interview with a homeowner she’s always got a handful of new ideas to try in her own house, as well as plenty of good stories for the magazine. She began her career as a sub editor at Hi-Fi News and Record Review magazine, starting to write album reviews just as they switched from vinyl to CD releases. Her move to women’s magazines came soon after, in the shape of Living magazine, a forerunner of the supermarkets’ own magazines, which covered cookery, fashion, beauty, homes and gardening. The standout moment was meeting the Body Shop’s founder, the late Anita Roddick, who Karen says was every bit as dynamic – and fun – as you’d expect.
From Living Karen moved to Ideal Home magazine, where as deputy chief sub, then chief sub, she started to really take an interest in properties, architecture, interior design and gardening.
After a career break to raise a family of three boys, she freelanced as a writer and book editor – on topics as diverse as gardening, cookery, art, education, health and beauty – before returning to work full time as homes editor for Period Living magazine.
Karen is a real Francophile and adores France, (French wine and cheese!) and French country style interiors. She likes featuring rustic Scandi homes, and is now fast becoming an expert on US home style reference points. She enjoys talking to interior designers and homeowners from all over the world and hearing about the choices they make and the challenges they face in putting together some of the beautiful interiors we feature in the world’s best homes here at homesandgardens.com
Latest articles by Karen Darlow
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This home balances classic spaces for entertaining with relaxed family zones
Reimagined with a clever mix of East and West Coast styles, this Kansas City home is cozy and smart all at the same time
By Karen Darlow • Published
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This Scandi-style house exploits big ideas in a small footprint – take the tour
This 100-year-old family home may be small but it's perfectly formed, with every inch of space working extra hard
By Karen Darlow • Published
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6 bold design tips we learnt from this Gucci-inspired kitchen
Do statement kitchens ever go out of fashion? Not here, where the colorful look is just as much haute couture as haute cuisine
By Karen Darlow • Published
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More than a cabin, this mountain retreat has refined style and year-round luxury
This stylish mountain hideaway is a home for all seasons, but it's already got us dreaming of cozy winter evenings by the fire
By Karen Darlow • Published
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Modern farmhouse style in a new-build – with relaxed spaces for entertaining
Creating a relaxed, welcoming space for family and friends was central to the design of this rural Bergen County home
By Karen Darlow • Published
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A simple color palette creates serene, calm spaces in this high-rise city home
Clean-lined contemporary elegance and soft neutrals create a restful look for this apartment in Chicago's Magnificent Mile
By Karen Darlow • Published
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Mix don't match is the key to this historic home's blend of old and new styles
More is more in this Victorian home, where antique and modern prints, textiles, and furnishings all get along just fine
By Karen Darlow • Published
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Creating elegant coastal interiors in an open-plan space – this pied à terre gets it right
Calm, elegant and contemporary coastal interiors lend a sense of space to this smart apartment with stunning city views
By Karen Darlow • Published
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Designer Alfredo Paredes at home – calm white walls and a mix of vintage finds
The former Ralph Lauren creative renovated his island home inside and out, and filled it with curated vintage treasures
By Karen Darlow • Published