Skip to main content

Fiona McKenzie Johnston

Fiona McKenzie Johnston says she always wanted to be a writer. Cutting her teeth working for Anna Harvey, editorial director of Condé Nast International, Fiona built up her profile at publications such as AD, Tatler and Vogue. In her free time, Fiona can be found visiting galleries or immersing herself in a story – whether at the theatre or cinema, or within the pages of a book.

What does ‘traditional’ mean when it comes to interior design?

What makes something traditional? We spoke to interior designers to unpick the meaning and continued relevance of the term

Inside the studio of polymath artist and environmental activist Kurt Jackson

Fiona Mckenzie Johnston and photographer Joshua Monaghan visit the artist and activist whose diverse work reflects his interest in natural history and the environment

10 more of the most beautiful rooms in Britain and what we can learn from their clever design

Take inspiration from these 10 rooms, some historic, some contemporary, but all incredibly beautiful

What style tribe are you? From ‘English Eccentrics’ to ‘Espousers of Quiet Beauty’

Fiona McKenzie Johnston deep dives into the different design camps of the interiors world

Why you should start planning for Christmas now and what to do first 

Don’t be that person desperately looking through drawers on 22 December for things to re-gift; here’s how to start getting things in order before the most wonderful time of the year

Ten of the most beautiful rooms in Britain - and decorating ideas we can glean from them

Ten rooms from the pantheon of all-time greats – some old, some new, some in-between, ranging in type from palace to farmhouse to flat

Dear Fiona: how do I get out of a ‘saving things for best’ mindset?

House & Garden's friendly resident decorating columnist and agony aunt Fiona McKenzie Johnston advises on how to make the most of our loveliest pieces to bring a little joy to every day

Afraid of colour? Here's how to get over it

If colour at home scares you, you might just have chromophobia. For those looking to move past it, Fiona McKenzie Johnston speaks to the experts to find out how

How to design a children's workspace they'll actually use

The new school year is on the horizon, and Fiona McKenzie Johnston is contemplating the best ways to encourage the kids to get their heads down

Dear Fiona: is the dining room truly dead?

House & Garden's friendly resident decorating columnist and agony aunt Fiona McKenzie Johnston considers whether the dining room has had its day in favour of kitchen dining, and if so, how do you create a sense of occasion when the washing up is in your eyeline?

Should you be applying colour psychology when you decorate?

Fiona McKenzie Johnston explores the links between certain colours and emotions, and how previous studies could be updated to reflect our modern needs

Rethinking the idea of a room of one’s own

Is a solo work-space as vital for creativity as we’ve been led to believe?

In the studio with the painter David Remfry

Fiona McKenzie Johnston and photographer Joshua Monaghan visit the painter in Kensington, where he has lived and worked, on and off, for four decades

Dear Fiona: how do you move on from a house you loved but had to leave?

House & Garden's friendly resident decorating columnist and agony aunt Fiona McKenzie Johnston considers how to get over a house you've been attached to, and how to create a new home when you're still in mourning for the old one

Simple, fun interiors craft projects to try with your kids this summer

With the summer holidays in full swing and nary a classroom nor textbook in sight 'til September, it can be difficult to know how exactly to keep your children occupied day after day. Fiona McKenzie Johnston has devised four clever interiors projects to stave off boredom – and get your children excited about design

Why Sussex is the most creatively inspiring of English counties - and things to do when you visit

Fiona McKenzie Johnston dives deep into the county that has been home to the Bloomsbury Group, Surrealists, a guild of Catholic craftsmen – and continues to inspire so many creatives today

How to decorate a perfect guest bedroom

Fiona McKenzie Johnston delves into the details of a spare bedroom that make hosting easy, and make people want to stay

Dear Fiona: is it ever OK to strip out a house’s original features?

House & Garden's friendly resident decorating columnist and agony aunt Fiona McKenzie Johnston offers advice and wisdom on a common moral quandary in interiors