Coming Full Circle: Country Living Magazine Then vs. Now with Vanessa Arbuthnott
In the early 2000s, shabby chic and cottagecore were having their moment. Flick through any interiors magazine from the era and you’ll find page after page of dainty floral fabrics, weather-worn wood, and cherished vintage finds. So, when Vanessa began transforming her once-derelict cow byre into a storybook Cotswold cottage 25 years ago, Country Living Magazine was quick to take notice.
In July 2000, the Country Living team stepped inside The Tallet – Vanessa’s vibrant, slightly chaotic family home that was brimming with painted furniture, children’s artwork pegged to string, and a chorus of chickens and goats roaming outside. Vanessa’s home wasn’t grand or polished, but it was full of soul; and it marked the beginnings of Vanessa’s renowned British fabric and interiors brand.
Fast forward to June 2025, and the team have returned to The Tallet once more; this time for their 40th anniversary collector’s edition, which coincidentally falls alongside Vanessa’s 25 year anniversary milestone. Today, we reflect on our 2000 and 2025 features in the magazine, and tell the story of how our beloved brand has come full circle.
Celebrating the simplicity of country life in The Tallet
Back in 2000, The Tallet’s appeal came from its simplicity. Vanessa’s home was adorned with vibrant, home-printed fabrics that her mother helped turn into curtains, and her children were running around outside and soaking up every ounce of country life.
Vanessa’s first press feature in Country Living came as something of a surprise. “A friend encouraged me to let our house for photo shoots to make some money,” Vanessa recalls. “I never imagined that anyone would be drawn to such an unsophisticated lifestyle, but that was precisely what Country Living loved.”
And the readers agreed! The article immediately generated hundreds of requests for fabric samples. “We had the children stuffing samples into freezer bags,” Vanessa laughs. “It was all so chaotic!”
This initial coverage was transformational for our brand, helping to introduce Vanessa’s beautiful nature-inspired fabrics to homeowners across the country. So, how did our most recent 2025 feature in Country Living come about, and how has The Tallet changed over time?
Comparing our 2000 and 2025 magazine features
The latest Country Living feature came about “slightly by default,” Vanessa admits with a smile, when another photoshoot fell through. But reconnecting with journalist Caroline Atkins and editor Ben Kendrick after 25 years “felt like coming home.”
“There’s a lovely circularity in being featured again,” she says. “It’s flattering that Ben still had an eye for the house. And it’s wonderful to be part of the magazine’s 40th year, just as we mark our own 25th.”
When you compare the 2000 and 2025 features side by side, the evolution of The Tallet is striking. Yet, you can clearly see Vanessa’s passion for quality craftsmanship and simple country living shining through.
Gone are the frilled slipcovers and soft creams that featured prominently in The Tallet 25 years ago. Today, they’ve been replaced by vibrant colours (such as deep teals and jewel tones) and layered patterns that echo the boldness of Vanessa’s latest collections.
Take The Tallet’s kitchen, for example. The once cream kitchen cabinets now wear a lively coral, and the chicken wire fronts have been swapped for Vanessa’s own fabric panels. A central island has also been added, creating the perfect perch to enjoy a fresh cup of morning coffee.
However, you’ll still see children’s artwork pinned up proudly in the living room (now showcasing Vanessa’s grandchildren’s drawings) and vintage heirlooms hiding in the upstairs bedrooms.
Over the last 25 years, our business has also grown room by room, just like the house itself. We now have a dedicated shop in Cirencester and have introduced a flourishing made-to-measure service to bring beautifully bespoke upholstered furniture into homes across the UK. You can read more about the story behind our brand’s success in our dedicated blog post.
Let Vanessa’s story inspire your own
It’s extremely humbling to see that Vanessa’s passion for creativity and country living has inspired hundreds of homeowners across the UK. What started off as a simple hobby has now transformed into a flourishing business, with The Tallet’s creative roots continuing to influence Vanessa’s latest collections. Her fabric designs have evolved over the years, bringing more colours and patterns into the mix – but they still evoke the same sense of joy and craftsmanship that they did in 2000.
So, what’s next for Vanessa? “I’m still not sure what my next project will be,” Vanessa says. “Perhaps more paper cutting, or a lino print. But The Tallet will always be the place I come back to. And everything still looks better painted!”
We sell fabrics exclusively designed by Vanessa Arbuthnott, along side small, bespoke collection of Made to Measure items which includes curtains, blinds, sofas, footstools, chairs, headboards, and quilts, all handmade specially for you by master crafts people.
