Vivienne Ayers
Interiors have always been Vivienne's passion – she's been through (and tried!) it all, from Changing Rooms brights to Scandi whites.
Originally from Northumberland, she studied English at Leeds University, and then moved to London where her first job was as a writer at the Financial Times, followed by a role as a sub editor at Radio Times. She did an interior design course and then landed a job on Homes & Gardens (ironically she's back there now), before working on other interiors mags such as Country Living, House Beautiful and Ideal Home.
Vivienne's always loved reader homes and gets a thrill from spotting an amazing house that she knows would be perfect for a magazine (she has been known to knock on the doors of houses with curb appeal!), so she transferred from being a chief sub editor to a role as a houses editor, where she commissions reader homes and combines her writing and editing skills with styling and art directing photographic shoots.
Vivienne worked as houses editor on Country Homes & Interiors for 15 years, before returning to Homes & Gardens when she also took on the houses editor role there four years ago. Career highlights include travelling around the country and Europe to house shoots and being inspired by some amazing interiors – from modern country barns to elegant townhouses – as well as receiving an award for best commissioned photography.
Latest articles by Vivienne Ayers
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This timeless period home has an eclectic interior awash with color and pattern
Interior designer Heidi Caillier has used cozy colors and playful prints in her 1920s Seattle home to create a retro feel
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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This 200 year old barn in the English countryside has a modern farmhouse interior with bags of character
Clever design, much-loved heirlooms and vintage finds have injected plenty of personality into this eclectic country barn
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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This idyllic 1920s Wiltshire country house mixes old and new beautifully
This gorgeous country home was updated with a striking new extension, reconfigured layout and a carefully considered interior that gives a nod to the past
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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A 17th century barn renovation has a stunning interior that complements its statement architecture
This 17th-century threshing barn in Dorset with interior design by Samantha Todhunter is a bolthole for enjoying the rural life
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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This London townhouse showcases a calming neutral palette and an array of interesting textures
Composed colors and a variety of textures have given this elegant London home a sophisticated and alluring appeal
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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This period home has a gorgeous interior inspired by 1960s beach houses
Interior designer Cortney Bishop has used natural textures and rich accents to give this South Carolina beach home a bohemian twist
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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Classic color scheming resulted in a timeless feel for this elegant family home in London
Clever storage solutions make good use of space while classic touches add character to this period home in south west London
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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Lighting designer Tom Raffield's home is a masterclass in timber construction
Tom and Danielle Raffield have created an extraordinary timber home in the heart of a Cornish forest that's perfect for all the family
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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This beautiful home designed by Kate Forman is full of color and character
A clever reconfiguration improved the flow and light in this country home in Sussex, England, while the decor by Kate Forman is a masterclass in how to use color and pattern
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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This grand, light-filled 1930s home is a lesson in combining pattern
A fun sense of color and clever use of pattern have helped to give extra personality to this renovated period family home in San Francisco
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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This cowshed conversion by interior designer Samantha Todhunter is contemporary and colorful
Interior designer Samantha Todhunter has given a vibrant makeover to this barn conversion where a timber frame is juxtaposed with a steel staircase and openings
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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An inspiring Victorian renovation has resulted in a bright and spacious home
Interior designer Kristen Peña’s San Francisco home was cleverly redesigned around an open plan layout and a soothing neutral colour scheme
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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A beautiful New York apartment designed around the owner's art collection
Exceptional art and curated mid-century pieces work beautifully in this Brooklyn apartment where the interior designer's understanding of laying out rooms was key
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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This British seaside country cottage is a masterclass in classic coastal style
An interior designer combined country cottage and coastal style when she decorated her own holiday home in Devon
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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This beautiful Cotswolds country home was once two rundown cottages
Clever design ideas including an extension, reconfiguration of spaces, raised ceilings and open-plan spaces have resulted in a light and airy family home
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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A beautiful Victorian house design, inspired by the owner's antique collection
A move to a smaller home required expert advice to showcase the owner's antique collection in a new light
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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Design house: an elegant Dorset country house proved the perfect rural escape
An elegant Dorset country house proved the perfect setting when this family moved from town to country
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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Explore this Yorkshire Dales village home filled with William Morris wallpapers
Stunning Arts and Crafts patterns and antique furniture add to the charm of this period home in the English countryside
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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Take a tour of this Cape Cod home owned by Hollywood hitmaker Ryan Murphy
This former painters' studio is anything but an American Horror Story
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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Design house: See how a Chelsea townhouse dovetails Georgian elegance with contemporary style
This Grade II listed house's extensive refurbishment has resulted in a stunning interior where the emphasis is on visual interest
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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Enjoy the soft colours of this house in the Surrey Hills, designed by studio Sims Hilditch
A Grade II listed building with parts dating back to Tudor times has been given an elegant update that's sympathetic to the building’s history and country setting.
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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Design house: A cool Californian new build designed by Kate Lester
This once-bland West Coast home now has a curated, chic interior that’s brimming with personality.
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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Design house: An adaptable, sociable Victorian property, transformed by designer Stephanie Dunning
A considered redesign and extended layout, complemented by a luxe interior, has resulted in a family home that perfectly suits its gregarious owners
By Vivienne Ayers Published
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See how Elizabeth Hay transformed her Singapore homewith colour and pattern
Mixing print, colour and pattern with clever structural tweaks, interior designer Elizabeth Hay brought new life to her home in Singapore
By Vivienne Ayers Published