Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2025 i Ideal Home

I’d like to bottle this feeling I’ve got right now – that glorious sense of satisfaction when you’ve completed a decorating project and you still get that little happy jolt of surprise every time you catch a glimpse of the new-look room. I’ve just given my home office a facelift, with a fresh colour scheme (swapping cool grey for mood-boosting burgundy and soft pink, which I am totally in love with) and some new storage thanks to a clever Ikea hack. Of course it’s me we’re talking about so it’s not completely finished (I’m hunting for the perfect curtain fabric), but it’s still serving as a lovely reminder of how good it feels to refresh a space, and that’s motivating me to get more things done around the house. I’m…

STYLE DIRECTION“Incorporate natural tones and textures with jute rugs and woven pendant lights"HEATHER YOUNG, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF PLAYFUL JUXTAPOSITION Contrast minimalist architecture and contemporary furniture with block print-inspired patterned fabrics. Pick out tones from your hero fabric to use on plain cushions and stools KEEP IT NATURAL Choose a laid-back, comfortable sofa in a slubby-textured plain fabric and add interest with a mix of geometric-, tribal- and animal-print cushions in earthy browns and monochrome patterns. Pick out these same tones to choose a piece of oversized abstract art for the wall, giving the space a unified feel MIX OLD AND NEW PIECES Contrast contemporary architecture and furniture with a mix of vintage rugs and artefacts to create a look that feels like it has evolved over time rather than been shopped for.…

What the experts say... Designers and stylists share their views ‘The myth is that smaller rooms should be painted in lighter tones, but dark, rich greens will actually add depth, creating an illusion of the walls being less defined and hence further away, making small spaces perfect for experimenting with dark tones.’ RUTH MOTTERSHEAD, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, LITTLE GREENE ‘Bright, botanical greens have a playful feel that works well in studies or halls. Bold shades add character to a design scheme while bringing elements of the outside world in.’ DOMINIC MYLAND, CEO, MYLANDS ‘Whether your home is modern and minimal or more traditional, green provides a fantastic base. Mid-century wood, florals, whites, brights and metals all bounce brilliantly off the natural backdrop of green, evoking a feeling of optimistic calm.’ SOPHIE…

HOME NOTES WHO LIVES HERE? Lara Clarke, an interior designer, lives here with her husband, Joe, a regional sales manager, and their three children, Sienna, six, Rory, four, and Freddie, 11 months. THE PROPERTY A detached four-bedroom new-build house in Farnham, Surrey When Lara Clarke became pregnant with her second child, she and her husband Joe began their search for a larger house outside London. Originally, their plan was to find an old Victorian property as a renovation project, but they couldn’t find anywhere that felt right. WHY DID YOU BUY THIS HOUSE? ‘As time went on, we eventually had to move in with my parents. We were getting to the point where we were a bit desperate, thinking that we would never find a home, when we came across…

Hard water can be a pain when it comes into contact with the surfaces in your kitchen, leading to limescale buildup and milky-white deposits in and around your sink and plumbing. Even worse, it’s common in around 60% of UK homes. Over time, limescale can be difficult to remove and you may need to use specialist products to get your sink sparkling clean. We’ve rounded up the best materials for hard-water areas, weighing the pros and cons of each when it comes to dealing with those unsightly mineral buildups. 1 GRANITE COMPOSITE Made by combining crushed granite with resin, this is a durable material that is resistant to chipping, scratching and staining. It’s a popular option for those seeking more colour options and seamless shapes. ‘But, like any sink material,…

A clutter-free kitchen not only looks fantastic and is a more pleasant space to be in, but also makes cooking and cleaning a breeze. Your kitchen worktop represents the largest horizontal surface area in the room besides the floor, so keeping it clear will have a huge impact on the sense of calm in your kitchen. We’ve asked some decluttering experts for their views when faced with an unruly worktop, and how to get it looking shipshape again… Clear down your worktops Start by taking everything off the worktops and putting it all on a nearby table or onto a clean picnic blanket (or similar) on the floor. Clearing the decks in this way will allow you to appreciate how much space you have to play with (and help stop…

“A bonus of these panels is that they also improve your room’s thermal insulation, which will keep your energy bills down, too” Super surface More widely known for its extensive range of stair parts and balustrades, Richard Burbidge has just launched a new range of vertical panelling made from FSC 100% certified timber. Ingeniously, this panelling also offers peace and quiet, because behind each solid wood panel lies a 9mm polyester board made from recycled plastic which absorbs sound – perfect for modern urban homes. The elegant acoustic panels come in a choice of five styles from light oak to walnut, and price-wise, a 3m wall will cost just under £400 to cover. CLEAN AND GREEN If you haven’t yet made the switch to use cleaning products that have been…

Whether it’s a cluster of greenery to elevate your living room, a miniature ecosystem in a terrarium or even a micro-farm on your kitchen windowsill, an indoor garden can be anything you want it to be, on any scale to fit your space. Even if you have a balcony or garden, growing plants inside your home can take over as your main source of peaceful pleasure – with no mowing, digging or getting rained on required. Creating an indoor garden brings a whole raft of physical and mental benefits. Let these green-thumbed experts persuade you… 1 PLANTS WILL BRING YOUR ROOM DECOR TO LIFE Ian Drummond, botanical designer and author of At Home With Plants, explains the aesthetic importance of greenery: ‘Houseplants enrich our interior spaces like nothing else because…

Looking to create your dream home without it costing the earth? In this brand-new bookazine from the makers of Style at Home magazine, we share some of our best tips, tricks, advice and inspiration to help you update your house for less. From DIY hacks and decor ideas to must-have high street finds, your home will feel uniquely you! Over the following pages, explore the most inspirational home renovations from the most recent issues of Style at Home, including the stunning California-style 1980s bungalow on page 6, as well as the beautiful period townhouse made for socialising on page 44. We’ve also revealed our favourite garden revamps to inspire you in time for summer! Elsewhere, discover the best budget-friendly kitchen, bathroom and living room makeovers, featuring on-trend paints, wallpapers, furniture…

With our first baby on the way, we felt it was time to leave our small rented flat in north London and buy a more affordable property near our families,’ says Elise. ‘Our flat in Islington was open plan and we didn’t even have an internal door we could close! Although my husband Michael and I had met in London, our families only lived a mile away from each other in the North East, so it was the perfect time to move back to be near them. We’d both lived in period properties before and loved their character, but I was drawn to a more modern and practical type of property. This led us to buy a new-build house off-plan on a Taylor Wimpey estate in Whitley Bay. We loved…

When Ben and I moved into our home in West Sussex we weren’t really sure what to do with the garden, so we left it for a while and got on with decorating the house,’ says Katie. ‘It’s a rental property but luckily the landlord was fine about us changing the decor, so we carried on until finally we turned our attention to the outside space. The problem was that it had a long stretch of decking and a tiny bit of grass, but other than that it was quite bare. The decking was a light wood and it all just felt a bit boring and not very us. I did think about removing some of the decking to give us more lawn, but if I’m honest, neither of us…

When we moved house in 2017, we realised the rear garden had been glossed over in the particulars,’ says Emily. ‘It had broken fence panels, depressing flagstones and some sad-looking pots. It needed to be given a new lease of life and some personality added to it. Luckily, I began studying garden design in 2018, so the timing was right to use our own garden as a case study for the course. Perfect vision I knew I wanted an outside room that felt spacious and connected to the modern rear of our house, with lots of exotic plants that would transport us somewhere far away and dreamy… a complete contrast to the cottage garden at the front. I started developing my wish list, which included having an area where we…

When we bought our Brighton home in June 2020, it was a renovation project and every room needed updating,’ says Gemma. ‘At the top of our to-do list was transforming the bland kitchen, which had beige units and dark worktops. It didn’t seem to matter how sunny it was outside, the room always felt dark and gloomy. Our idea was to install huge glass back doors and a new, larger window that would allow daylight to filter into the room – as well as fit a brand new kitchen. We hired our friends, who are contractors, to undertake the building works. The first thing they did was rip out the old units, appliances and floor. They also pulled down an internal wall to open up the under-stairs cupboard, and they…

Keeping small bathrooms ordered and tidy can be a challenge. Lack of space often leaves little extra room for storage, meaning that surfaces get cluttered with toiletries, and rails and hooks overloaded with damp towels and bulky bathrobes. Space-saving furniture and multitasking storage pieces are a must when bathroom space is tight or there’s a danger of the space feeling even more crowded and chaotic. Look out for slimline shelves and units that can squeeze into small gaps or slot in beside baths and shower cubicles. Or utilise wasted wall space with clever racks and rails over doors or neat shelving units that are designed to sit under wash basins or above the loo. STORE AND DISPLAY The area running along and above a bath can be put to use…

1 Revamp a dressing table Give a shabby piece of furniture a new lease of life by repainting it a jazzy new colour and adding sparkly drawer pulls and a mirror. Find an old dressing table or wooden desk at a charity shop or online. Start off by lightly sanding to get rid of rough edges and flaky paint, then wipe over with a damp cloth. Depending on which paint you choose, the surface may need priming first to give a longer lasting finish, then simply apply one or two coats of your chosen top coat in a bold, standout colour. Finish with some new handles. 2 DISPLAY PICS ON LEDGES Create an easy-change picture gallery to go above a bed. Using narrow picture ledges means that any artwork you choose can…

STYLE STATEMENT Nature’s nuances Clarissa Hulse has again channelled her appreciation of nature’s intrinsic beauty into her latest collection of vividly coloured wall murals. For this collection she has created three made-to-order patterns, allowing clients to choose the parts of the design that will work best in their space. They’ve also been designed with furniture in mind (so parts of the mural won’t get lost behind the sideboard), making them more versatile than ever. Virginia Creeper (shown here) works particularly well in a furniture-filled room, with its trailing vines and cascading leaves tumbling from the ceiling. IH LOVES... Paper blooms Honeycomb paper tulip decorations, £11.99 for three, Gisela Graham What to do this month... READ Proving that you don’t need a sprawling estate to create traditional English style, Perfect English…

Find me as a wall-mounted mini and a sturdy midi size too…

Paint a backdrop Propping frames on a surface is a simple way to display (and change) artwork, but if it’s getting visually lost, paint a panel of colour on the wall behind to create a gentle backdrop. Give it a twist… Boost the effect with two contrasting colours on the wall behind your display surface. Reach highs and lows In a space with an uninterrupted sightline (hallways and landings are great for this), dare to go big on your display and hang frames both above and below eye level – even below the dado. Give it a twist… Choose art on a single theme, such as botanical prints, line drawings or mono photos. Match mounts to the wall For a softer display, choose pale wood frames and paint the mounts…

1 MAKE YOUR OWN TABLECLOTH A new leafy print fabric is the perfect addition to any spring table, so enjoy the process of choosing a pattern you love and sewing your own. Finish by adding some pretty blooms in bud vases and, of course, some hand-painted eggs for an Easter spread to be proud of. 2 BRING IN SORBET SHADES Introduce some pretty pastels to welcome the change in season, whether it’s new bedding, a rug, or a new sofa and cushions. Don’t just stick to one colour either – combine peach with lilac, sky blue with lemon and mint with pale pink for a sugary summer scheme. PAINT CHEAT SHEET 3 Add depth to a room by transforming your ceiling with textured wallpaper, ornate panelling (not in white!) or…

KITCHEN NOTES WHO LIVES HERE? Richa Gupta, a digital comms manager, and her husband Arjun Mediratta, a director of assurance, live here with their two children, Myra, nine, and Mili, seven, plus puppy Arlo. THE PROJECT A five-bedroom detached new-build home in Dalkeith, Scotland TOTAL COST £136,300 When Richa and Arjun were expecting their first child, they wanted to swap their open-plan flat for ‘a new-build house with lots of doors.’ After six years and now with two daughters, the thought of open-plan living became appealing once more. ‘Being in the kitchen was like a punishment when everyone else was having fun outside or watching TV in the lounge,’ says Arjun. With everyone together at home during lockdown, that sense of disconnection grew and the couple hired an architect to…

With so many different types of bathroom tile to choose from, ways you can use them and installation vagaries to consider, it’s essential to have chosen everything and planned things out before you start work. ‘Tiling a bathroom is an exciting venture, but once on, tiles are hard to change so you need to have your wits about you to ensure you get it right first time,’ says Grazzie Wilson, head of creative at Ca’ Pietra. We asked the experts for their top tips for tiling a bathroom – here’s what they had to say… 1 MAKE SURE YOU ORDER ENOUGH TILES ‘A common and sometimes costly mistake when ordering tiles online is not taking into consideration wastage and breakages, which is why we recommend ordering an extra 10% to…

■ GET PRUNING While it may seem counter-intuitive to cut your plants back, it’s a lot like trimming your hair: it sorts out all of those untidy bits and helps to encourage more flowers, which makes for a glorious show of growth later on. Tackle evergreen shrubs, camellia, buddleja, forsythia and climbing roses to ensure they grow back better and stronger. ■ DIVIDE PERENNIALS ‘You can get more plants for free by lifting and dividing clump-forming perennials, such as hostas and daylilies, and replanting them where you’d like them to grow,’ explains Morris Hankinson, director of Hopes Grove Nurseries. To do this, gently lift your perennials from the ground, shake off excess soil and pull them apart gently at the roots. ‘This should produce small clumps for replanting,’ says Morris.…

Whether you’re a complete beginner or are already a dab hand at growing your own vegetables, fruit, and flowers, sowing seeds successfully is one of the most rewarding gardening jobs around. It’s also a fun and cost-effective way to fill your garden borders and raised beds with all sorts of unusual goodies, so it’s well worth spending a little time on mastering your seed-sowing techniques. The process itself is surprisingly easy, but there are some things you’ll need to consider before you get to work on your new project, starting with perhaps the most obvious one, the seeds themselves. Not all are suited to sowing directly into the ground. ‘Do some research about the type of crops or flowers you’re looking to grow, the conditions they require and when to…

YOU WILL NEED ● A used, clean plastic milk bottle ● Scissors ● Around 2tbsp of matt emulsion paint (tester pots are ideal) ● A selection of small, used glass jars and bottles ● Greaseproof paper ● Spice jars (empty and clean) ● Fresh and/or dried flowers Begin by cutting the milk bottle in half and discarding the top section in the recycling bin. Next, tip the paint into the remaining half of the milk container and slacken the paint with 1-2tsp of water. Stir to mix it, then pour into a glass jar or bottle. Tip the paint back and forth, swirling as you go to coat the inside. Repeat until the inside of the glass container is covered evenly. Stand it upside down on greaseproof paper for 48…

Herby rolled leg of lamb SERVES 6 READY IN 2 HRS 20 MINS ● 2kg butterflied, boneless leg of lamb (ask your butcher to do this for you) ● 400ml white wine ● 400ml lamb or beef stock FOR THE STUFFING ● 100g pine nuts, lightly toasted ● Large bunch of mint, leaves picked ● Zest and juice of 1 lemon ● 75g black pitted olives ● 2 garlic cloves, crushed ● 1tsp ground cinnamon ● 5tbsp olive oil 1 Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. For the stuffing, whizz the pine nuts, mint, lemon zest and juice, olives, garlic, cinnamon and 3tbsp of the olive oil in a food processor to a coarse mixture. 2 Lay out the lamb, skin-side down, on a chopping board, and season with salt…

As first-time buyers we were keen to find a project we could develop over time, ideally in a quiet, rural location,’ says Michaela. ‘We’d been renting locally for two years, keeping a keen eye on properties that were coming onto the market – and this four-bedroom bungalow in East Riding, Yorkshire, was perfect. We loved that the rooms were well proportioned and logically laid out on one level. It had a generous footprint, large back garden and bags of potential to extend and add value. Changing style The property had been built in the 1980s and although it needed updating, it wasn’t in bad condition. The majority of the house had been decorated top to toe in magnolia and was bland and lacking character. In stark contrast was the jazzy…

Ten years ago my husband Simon and I decided to up sticks and move from south-west London,’ says Mary. ‘We wanted to find a base for the business and a new home – and as soon as we visited Frome in Somerset we knew it was where we wanted to be based. It’s an independent market town with lots going on, surrounded by beautiful countryside. On the day we visited, I saw the For Sale sign in the window of a shop at the top of Catherine Hill and I knew I wanted it to be my shop. We knew Frome would make a great place to have a young family and so the next step was finding a house. We were after somewhere with period features, a garden and…

When the weather’s warmer, the garden becomes the hub of family activities, from the kids playing out to meals eaten alfresco. As family life moves outside, the garden can become home to lots of extra ‘stuff’, from cushions, blankets and outdoor toys and games, to picnicware and barbecue kit. Finding a handy spot to store seasonal extras and protect them from the elements is a must. Consider stealing back some shed or garage space with a dedicated storage area for outdoor belongings, or if you’d prefer something nearer to the house there are plenty of smaller standalone options that won’t eat up too much patio space. Just make sure it’s big enough to house all your items. ADD AN ‘OVERFLOW’ CONTAINMENT UNIT If your shed or garage is already bursting…

We’re both originally from Birmingham but decided to move to the village of Ullesthorpe in Leicestershire for a slower pace and better quality of life,’ says Celie. ‘We’ve always enjoyed creating things, but did minimal renovations in our first home, which we bought when we were in our 20s – it was mainly just redecorating. However, we did convert a van into a camper van, which is where we got the bug for renovation. We love the history that comes with this property – it was built in 1878, and is opposite a milestone. It’s known that whoever lives in the property is called the ‘keeper’ of the milestone – hence my Instagram handle @milestone_cottage. Chris actually purchased the house without me seeing it. I was on a trip and…

1 Create a chequered floor Breathe new life into shabby bathroom floorboards with a smart chequerboard paint effect. You’ll need a neutral base as your starting point – either natural timber or painted boards are fine – with the tile effect created in a brighter contrast colour. Use a pencil, tape measure and masking tape to mark out and line up the area to be painted and then fill in your top colour with a small brush and roller, working in alternate rows. Leave to dry and apply another coat if necessary. Once thoroughly dry, seal with clear lacquer to protect. 2 GO BIG WITH A BOLD WALLPAPER While regular wallpaper isn’t recommended in damp, humid spaces, specialist bathroom wallpaper is designed to cope with steamy conditions. Contour wallpaper has a 3D…

This trompe l’oeil travertine stone table is actually made from FSC wood…

While the idea of popping a hat on your cupboard might sound ridiculous, it can transform a wasted space. The gap above kitchen cabinets is generally overlooked, bar the dust that accumulates there. But, when it comes to kitchen décor, the attention is all in the details – so adding some architectural flair to units will take your kitchen up a notch. Although ‘cupboard hats’ has a lovely ring to it, the proper term for this detail is a pediment, which has been around for centuries. So what has inspired this latest resurgence? ‘With so many people gravitating towards timeless styles, cupboard hats are a great way to introduce an element of traditional design,’ explains Sophia Ayrton-Grime, interior designer and founder of Studio Raff. ‘They evoke a sense of craftsmanship…

MEET THE EXPERTS HANNAH CRAGGS, HEAD OF SUBSCRIPTION AND CONTENT, TREND BIBLE ‘Rest as resistance becomes a key phrase and the bedroom plays an important role.’ MOLLY FRESHWATER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER, SECRET LINEN STORE ‘Changing your bed linen is the fastest and most inexpensive way to change the look and feel of your bedroom.’ LENA GIERASINSKA, HEAD OF PRODUCT AND DISPLAYS, BARKER AND STONEHOUSE ‘The bedroom of 2025 will feature plenty of texture and pattern, with serene shades coming to the fore.’ Our bedrooms became so much more than a place to rest during the pandemic: we expected them to flip from sanctuary to home office, from yoga studio to walk-in wardrobe, and much more. But now, things are changing, with bedrooms returning to their primary use – simple…

1. GOOD-LOOKING FURNITURE Whether your working space is in your bedroom or your living room, choose furniture that looks less ‘officey’ and is more visually pleasing. Painted or wood shelving, desks and cabinets will all blend into your home better than something more utilitarian. Chester Charcoal corner desk, £899; large bookcase, £499, both Cotswold Company 2. SIMILAR COLOURS AND MATERIALS A room may be employed for different purposes but using similar colours and materials can make the two areas feel cohesive. Whether it’s using the same wood for your office chair and your bedside table, or painting the wall behind your desk the same colour as your sofa, those details will create a sense of continuity. For a similar chair, try the Oskar Boucle chair in Natural, £169, Dunelm 3.…

HOME NOTES WHO LIVES HERE? Laura Falkenburg lives here with her husband Tom and their three-year-old daughter Mila, plus dogs Coco and Juno. The couple are wedding photographers and have their own business, The Falkenburgs. THE PROPERTY A three-bedroom, new-build house in Gloucestershire, bought by the couple in 2015. 1 “The neutral scheme needed some colour” ‘We added red and green accents to this space to inject some character into the neutral scheme. The red brings some warmth and richness, and the green, a calming and natural touch.’ BUY THE KEY PIECES Chester table in Cream, £750, The Cotswold Company. Chairs upholstered in Southern Stripe, £28m, The Cloth Shop 2 “We embraced a country style” ‘We wanted a kitchen that blended contemporary style with classic country charm so added Zellige…

HOME NOTES WHO LIVES HERE? Blaise Roberts lives here with husband Vaughan, Flame the rottweiler and Bubba the cat. THE PROJECT Reconfigure and update the main bathroom in a detached three-bedroom 1950s property in Bridgend, Wales. TOTAL COST £22,000 Blaise and Vaughan Roberts couldn’t have been happier when they got the keys to their first home, a detached 1950s property in Bridgend. There was just one snag: the bathrooms. ‘The main bathroom was not our style at all, plus there were carpets in the bathrooms that frankly gave me the ick and worst of all there was no bath – I’m such a bath girl!’ laughs Blaise. The smaller en suite off the guest bedroom was equally uninspiring, so as far as Blaise and Vaughan were concerned, it was a…

When your home is in need of some extra space, adding either an extension or a conservatory could be the answer. Building on can provide the extra room you’re craving, along with obvious benefits such as an improved indoor-outdoor connection. Both have plenty of potential so it’s worth comparing the merits of the two, along with any potential disadvantages, so you can make the right choice for your lifestyle and your budget. Our experts reveal the differences, plus which one might add more value to your home. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? ‘A conservatory typically has at least 50% glass in its walls and 75% in the roof,’ explains Karen Bell, sales director at David Salisbury. An extension, by contrast, will have solid walls and roof, although it might include large areas…

Boost your INCOME and Airbnb your home – we’ve got the lowdown on page 138, plus on page 139 find helpful tips for sparkling sunshine-ready WINDOWS and clear gutters; turn to page 141 for expert advice on how to spring-clean your FINANCES; discover on page 142 how to integrate all of your SMART HOME DEVICES in a home-based ecosystem; on page 143 we show you how to ORGANISE your worktops for a calm, efficient and clutter-free kitchen.…

We get it – smart home tech can sometimes be confusing. And the mere idea of investing in a smart home device is an anathema to most. But trust us, if you get your smart home devices running on a single ecosystem, you’ll soon wonder how you ever lived without it all running quietly in the background. Not sure where to start? Read on… What is a smart ecosystem? An ecosystem is a control centre. From smart lighting, heating and security, to pretty much anything that can be attached to a smart plug – link all of these devices together through one ecosystem and you can control everything using a single app. If you’ve bought say, an Alexa speaker, a Philips Hue lamp, and a Nest doorbell, these all require…

BEFORE YOU BUY ■ Pressure washers make it easy to freshen up your outdoor space. But with prices ranging from £50 up to £500, knowing which machine will work best for you can be challenging. They can be used on most surfaces including concrete, wood, decking, cement, new brick, and plastic and metal outdoor furniture. However, don’t use a pressure washer on delicate surfaces such as windows and old bricks. ■ Measured in litres per hour, the flow rate refers to how much water can pass through the machine and gives a good indication of the speed at which your pressure washer will rinse and clean surfaces. A high flow rate is considered to be around 420 litres per hour. The pressure in your machine is measured in bars or…

It’s amazing how much better I feel after a period of great productivity. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and generally eases any anxiety. It’s exactly why I love a good list. Often when I’m feeling completely overwhelmed I find it a struggle to even translate all my thoughts into a list, but if I take time out and get it all down on paper (or go for a walk to clear my head and use the Notes app on my phone), it definitely feels that tiny bit more manageable. I’ve been looking for simple ways to boost my productivity at home, as I know this is a good pick-me-up. As well as lists, I keep a bullet journal to give me structure with a few daily, weekly and…

“Mattress toppers ideally need replacing every three to five years, so be sure to pick one that will meet your needs for this long”MADDIE BALCOMBE, EDITORIAL ASSISTANT BEFORE YOU BUY ■ A mattress topper is a great way of softening up a sleep surface. Plus, if your mattress isn’t the right tension for you, a topper can help, but it’s important to choose the right one for your needs. That comes down to considering two main factors: your usual sleep position and if you’re prone to overheating. ■ If you sleep on your side, you’ll need a cushioned surface that allows the hips and shoulders to sink into the surface while supporting the waist for good spinal alignment. A thick topper that’s between 5 and 10cm deep is a great…

WHERE IS YOUR HAPPY PLACE AT HOME? I love a bath. If I have a bath at night, I leave the water in, then in the morning, when it’s gone cold, I jump in. I love a cold bath. Everyone bangs on about cold water swimming but it’s not that easy to do if you’re a wheelchair user. I love cold water but it’s not that practical and I don’t have a pool so I jump in the bath. DO YOU HAVE A HOMEWARE ADDICTION? I’m an oil painter so I have big paintings or, if I haven’t got the originals, I have prints of them. I love putting them up on the wall. I rent, so even though it’s not my space, putting them up makes it feel like…

Designing my home was a life-changing move for me,’ says Temi. ‘It cemented my decision to pursue a career in interior design full time and led to me appearing on TV’s Interior Design Masters this year. ‘It was love at first sight when we spotted this house and we were thrilled it came in within our budget. At the time, I was living with my husband on a narrow boat while we saved for our mortgage, which is funny as when I first met Benoit I remember being distinctly unimpressed by the fact he lived on a boat and saying I wouldn’t be joining him. Fast forward a few years and I’d not only moved onto the boat, but also found that I really enjoyed living on the water. It…

We viewed a few properties before this house, all within a mile radius of Grimsby town centre, but we ended up falling for the cheapest and most dated house of all,’ says Leila. ‘Having rented on and off for years – and having got travelling out of our systems – Joe and I were ready to buy our first home. We lived on the rural outskirts before, so we wanted to be more central. I’d always loved my aunt’s deceptively spacious London terrace and Joe had grown up in a period home, too, so we were on the same page in our hunt for a characterful house. Luckily the three bedroom house we found already had central heating and a new roof, and we couldn’t wait to make our own…

1 Pick a floral centrepiece Go big with table decorations if you’re celebrating a special occasion outdoors. In-season blooms will add a splash of colour to a plain table and if you pick a selection of foliage and flowers from the garden, it won’t cost a thing. Stand a hurricane lantern with candle at the centre of your arrangement to take it from day to evening. Use mini jars filled with water around your lantern to hold flowers (rather than using florists’ foam) and let them spill over so the base is concealed. 2 MAKE FABRIC POT COVERS Try disguising plastic planters or tatty terracotta pots by making a few inexpensive fabric cover-ups. Use fabric remnants in a mix of ginghams, florals, stripes or plains – or if you have…

Hang a wall-to-wall peg rail Utilise a cabinet-free wall by creating hanging space for kitchen essentials – chopping boards, jugs and mugs, for example – while dispersing decorative bits and bobs like hanging plants and picture frames between them. Give it a twist Paint a strip of colour below the rail to frame the objects. Revamp a cabinet with glass film Use sticky backed plastic to transform a plain kitchen cabinet into an up-to-date storage piece. The film will also help to prevent chips and scratches. Give it a twist Replace the fluted film with a frosted or patterned, stained glass-style alternative. Upcycle an old window frame Create a handy kitchen noticeboard by fixing cork tiles on to the back of an old frame using a glue gun or strong…

When we moved into our house, the bathroom was originally downstairs and although it was a good size, it was quite dated, with brown tiles and brown walls,’ says Kate. ‘We lived with it for around four and a half years while we did other works to the house, but we always knew we’d relocate the bathroom upstairs eventually. Changing rooms We began to plan the new layout, and decided to turn the existing downstairs bathroom into a snug, with doors out to the garden – and it made sense to do all the work at once. Although we knew the old bathroom hadn’t been fitted well, it was only when we ripped out the bath that we found out it had been leaking into the floor and sub floor…

Although this house was in a poor state when we viewed it, we fell in love with its potential,’ says Claire. ‘The purchase process was tricky – it dragged on for over six months – and the stress just started there. Our new home was an ex-rental and had been empty for ages. The boiler was beyond repair and the toilets didn’t flush! Basically, every room needed urgent attention before we could move in. The work begins We had a new boiler installed within days, and the bathroom refitted within a couple of weeks. Next was the kitchen, which we replaced within four months. After all that, it was a couple of years before we had the energy to tackle the other rooms. Making progress In December 2018, we started…

I’ve always been drawn to period properties and when my husband Karl and I saw our 1650s cottage in Enfield it was love at first sight,’ says Sandra. ‘The place was in good condition, but it had been decorated in a very modern way, which didn’t suit the style of the house. Bit by bit we began changing it to a more traditional look, with lots of vintage buys combined with heritage colours and prints. We took our time and finally had it looking just how we wanted it. Then, in 2021, we made the decision to extend the house to include a third bedroom, which would not only give us a larger sleep space, but also a dressing area and en-suite bathroom. Planning starts We had a garage at…

When it comes to bedroom furniture, the combination of bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers and bedside table seems to be the standard set-up for many of us. And while these pieces offer an adequate amount of storage, it often turns out to be just not quite enough. Finding ways to incorporate extra storage into a bedroom can be a challenge, especially if it’s a small or average-sized space. But working in storage around, under and above existing furniture can be a savvy way of squeezing in more without making the room feel cramped or overcrowded – and it needn’t break the bank. BRIDGE A GAP Utilise wasted wall space behind a bed with a bank of overhead units spanning the gap between two wardrobes. Bridge units can be tailored to…