Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2018 i Style At Home

What are your plans and dreams for your home in 2018? At this time of year, my Pinterest boards become a frenzied (but lovely) ‘to-do’ list of projects, big and small. From my fantasy loft conversion (involving an en suite with gold taps…) right down to colourful painted pots for succulents and repurposed pallets (I’m thinking outdoor coffee table…), there are so many ideas to plan and research – even if a lot of them will remain dreams and not become a reality! If you’re thinking of redoing your kitchen this year, don’t miss our special Style Book, which is absolutely stuffed with inspiration. Plus, of course, we’ve got mini updates and best buys if you’re just in the market for a quick and easy refresh. Happy planning! SEND US…

IKEA Industrial glam Add painted metal and polished copper to a moody scheme for a sophisticated loft look ARGOS Tribal tradition Try a Native American flavour with geometric patterns and earthy tones VERY Modern country Mix natural textures and rural motifs to create a cosy yet contemporary look SAINSBURY’S Tranquil meadow Combine soft pastels with delicate floral prints for a nostalgic vibe Style Maker GILL SAYS ‘Add to the calm meadow look by going foraging for wild bouquets; snowdrops are plentiful at this time of year.’…

When we stumbled upon this house back in 2010, we had been on the hunt for a home for our growing family – it had just come back on the market after a sale fell through,’ says Laura. ‘It felt like we’d been looking for an eternity, so we snapped it up straight away. Family houses are hard to find in this area, plus I was also pregnant with our second child, so I was in a hurry to get settled before the new baby arrived. Back to the Eighties The house had great potential, with three large bedrooms, plenty of space downstairs and the most beautiful garden. It was perfect for our family, although the decor left a lot to be desired. It felt almost stuck in the Eighties…

To achieve a softer take on cool Scandinavian minimalism, try this relaxed, rustic alternative that’s easy to put together and even easier to live with. It’s a look that works throughout the house, so as you walk from room to room, you’ll find the same soft colour palette, warm wood tones and rustic painted finishes working as one. Carole has created a personal feel with a mix of furniture, accessories and decorative touches that range from vintage finds to high street buys and upcycled pieces. STYLE SECRETS Follow Carole's laid back, Scandinavian look KEEP TO A SIMPLE PALETTE Echo the calm, relaxed look of Scandi interiors by keeping to simple background colours in cool white and soft grey. Bring in darker tones of charcoal and black on furniture, accessories and…

1 Wonder walls Create a welcoming scheme in your living room and make a bold, sunny statement with cheery buttercup yellow on the walls. Use a contrasting wallpaper as a border around the top of the wall for an injection of pattern, and keep furniture pared back. 2 Crafty project Revamp an old table lamp by re-covering a boring shade with a colourful new fabric. You can pick up sample-sized pieces at haberdasheries for bargain prices. Use a strong fabric glue and create your own original design. 3 FIREPLACE FIX Updating the tired tiles of a fireplace hearth is a great way to smarten up your living room. Either paint over existing tiles with a specialist tile paint, or replace them with plain and simple metro tiles for a neat,…

‘A BEAUTIFUL SET OF TAPS CAN BECOME A FOCAL POINT, SO CHOOSE ONES THAT ARE STYLISH AND FUNCTIONAL’ Darren Watts, Wren Kitchens These days, kitchen taps are taking centre stage rather than being purely functional, and it can be hard to know where to splash the cash. Discover the right one for you here, then turn to page 106 to see how to change your kitchen tap. Q What’s on trend right now? Stainless steel and chrome have been the dominant finishes for years, but recently there’s been a move towards kitchen taps being a statement feature in their own right. The latest looks for taps range from industrial-style copper with exposed pipework or smart deco-style brushed brass, to more contemporary options in luxe rose gold or minimalist matt black.…

TAKES 40MIN, PLUS CHILLING MAKES AROUND 24 FOR THE BISCUITS 125g unsalted butter, softened 60g icing sugar, sifted 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 200g plain flour, sifted FOR THE FILLING 8-10tbsp jam Icing sugar, for dusting 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4. Beat together the butter, icing sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add the flour and mix to form a dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 20min, or until firm enough to roll. 2 Roll out the dough on a floured surface, or between 2 sheets of baking parchment, to 5mm thick, and cut out rounds with a 5cm fluted cutter. Cut hearts from the centre of half the rounds. 3 Place the biscuits on a baking tin lined with baking parchment and bake…

WHEN TESTING YOUR NEW TAP, TURN EACH SIDE ON SLOWLY TO AVOID AN INITIAL RUSH OF WATER –IT MAY GURGLE A BIT AT FIRST If your kitchen needs a mini makeover, why not upgrade your tap? It’s a job you can tackle yourself, and with a wide variety of taps available from as little as £40, it’s a low-cost upgrade, too. You’ll need access under your sink, and to know how to turn your water supply off and on again. YOU WILL NEED Masking tape Bucket Towel Screwdriver Adjustable wrench Box spanner Limescale remover and cloth New mixer tap Water pump pliers PTFE (plumber’s tape) 1 REMOVE THE OLD TAP Make a note of which supply pipe is hot and which side is cold, labelling with masking tape. Turn off…

WATCH OUT FOR OVERCROWDED, DISEASED OR DAMAGED STEMS ON YOUR CLIMBERS, AND IF YOU SPOT ANY, GIVE THEM A QUICK PRUNE YOU WILL NEED Compost Pots of climbing plants Thick wooden battens Wooden trellis Garden twine Bedding plants 1 DO YOUR HOMEWORK Climbing plants are a great way to cover a fence or wall to give you more privacy and screen off areas that don’t look great. Roses, clematis, honeysuckle and jasmine are all good choices, but will need a framework to support them. 2 BUILD THE SUPPORT Most climbers need something to cling to. A wooden trellis is a great option – fit thick battens to the wall or fence surface, and then screw the trellis to this (you want it a couple of inches from the surface). The…

DITCH THE PASTRIES AND START YOUR DAY OFF WITH A SUPER NUTRITIOUS BREKKIE USING OXO’S FAFF-FREE MICROWAVE EGG COOKER, £9 Pick a healthy option... With Christmas not long gone, you may now be thinking about some healthier dinner options. Thankfully, Co-op has a new range of super-nutritious meals. Weighing in at a mere 289 calories, the Super Green Nourish Bowl is a verdant feast of flavours tossed in a delicious kale pesto dressing. For something a little heartier, try the low-fat Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni, £2.49 for 400g, which, at just 310 calories, will help you feel both smug AND satisfied. All dishes serve one. CHEAT’S EATS Having spent the festive season slaving in the kitchen, this month you can be all about keeping things simple for dinner. Quick and…

Annerieke Peek ABOUT ME I’m 27 and I live with my cat Aramis in a wooden house on stilts, which I built myself, in County Clare, Ireland. WHAT LESSONS HAVE YOUR LEARNED? When you have an idea for your home, do it! You can always change it again if it doesn’t work out, but be bold and don’t wait too long. Gill Prior ABOUT ME I’m 41 and I live in a two-bedroom semi-detached house in Cheshire. WHAT’S YOUR BEST MONEY SAVING TIP? Car-boot sales are the perfect place to find upcycling projects. Go shopping with your best creative head on, and look past the current state of any pieces to find their potential. Katie Hibberts ABOUT ME I’m 37 and I live in a four-bed house in Nottinghamshire with…

The clever trend forecasters at Dulux have named Heart Wood as their colour of the year for 2018, and who are we to argue? Inspired by the warm tones of wood with a hint of heather, this pink-grey neutral has an effortless elegance. Add a touch with napkins and tableware, or embrace it completely with wallpaper or an armchair and enjoy its comforting tranquility.…

Stephen and I were really excited at the prospect of buying our first home together, but we didn’t want a massive project,’ says Laura. ‘We are both originally from Liverpool but Stephen was offered a job in Derby after finishing his degree, and after 18 months of renting in the city, we decided it was time to buy our own home. After looking around at what was available in our price range, we bought an 11-year-old new build with potential. The house was originally a show home for the new estate and had some great extra features, such as a wide landing and bigger rooms. We also liked the kitchen at the back of the house with space for a breakfast table, and the formal dining area with doors leading…

Use bold colours, lively patterns and statement furniture to create your own take on retro style. Like Laura, you can build a mid-century scheme by mixing favourite handed-down pieces with thrifty buys from auction sites and charity shops. Don’t be too picky with the detail – it’s about creating the mood of the era rather than slavishly recreating it, so feel free to team high-street buys with vintage finds. STYLE SECRETS Create Laura's relaxed, retro look in your home SOURCE OLD FURNITURE For original mid-century furniture, search online sites such as eBay, Preloved or Vinterior for pieces by the likes of Ercol, G Plan and Stag, or try charity furniture shops, where you can often find cheap house clearance items. BE BRAVE WITH COLOUR Saturated shades of teal blue, olive…

SOME FIXED SHOWER HEAD DESIGNS ADD AIR TO THE WATER FLOW TO ACHIEVE A MORE POWERFUL SHOWER WITHOUT WASTING WATER Delivering a clean, minimalist look, fixed shower heads are designed to be used with concealed controls, which means the majority of pipework is neatly hidden within the wall. Ceiling-mounted versions are better suited to smaller spaces, as the water flows straight down (so it’s less likely to flood over the edges of the shower tray). However, a wall-mounted design will be preferable if your ceilings are low. Don’t forget to include the price of the mounting arm when planning your budget – it’s an essential piece of kit but is usually sold separately. STARRING ROLE This striking starburst design will pack a punch without breaking the bank. Faye fixed shower…

PRESSURE To get the most from your new tap it’ll need to suit your home’s water pressure. If it’s low, then a tap designed to operate at a low pressure will ensure a steady flow rate, while if it’s high, you can choose one with more innovative features, such as a spray head. ONE TAP HOLE Choose a monobloc tap, which has a single spout and one or two handles – a single lever or twin lever tap. TWO TAP HOLES You can choose one or two spouts; pillar taps, which are great if you’re after a budget buy; or deck/bridge mixer taps, which use two tap holes but only have one spout.…

3 of the best… FLORAL BUYS…

Keeping to a calm, relaxed colour palette of soft white, chalky grey and taupe throughout her house has given Laura a neutral backdrop that she can dress up or down, adding small pops of colour here and there, or going for bold with a dramatic feature wall, as she’s done with the midnight blue dressing room. It’s an easy way to decorate – just be sure to go for base neutrals from the same colour group, either warm, yellow-based shades (antique white, vanilla, shell) or cool, grey-hued colours (taupe, stone, chalk). STYLE SECRETS Create Laura's cool, coastal look in your home REVAMP WITH CHALK PAINT If you have mismatched furniture or hand-me-downs you don’t want to spend a lot of prep time on, chalk paint offers a great solution as…

COME ON IN! ABOUT ME I’m Carole Bishop, 51, an underwriter for a bank. I live with my husband Rob, 53. We have three adult children, Max, 27, Molly, 25, and Lily, 23, who all live away from home. MY HOME A four-bedroom 1870s cottage in Billesdon, Leicestershire. We bought it in March 2012. WHEN WE MOVED IN It was old-fashioned, tired and covered in lots of woodchip wallpaper and layers of painted gloss. AND NOW We’ve completely updated it with a mix of Scandi and modern country decor along with the odd pop of colour. STYLE TIP If you’re nervous about using a dark or vibrant paint on the walls, be brave – it’s only paint, so you can always change it. My husband Rob and I didn’t have…

the STYLE RULES Create an industrial look full of practical flair Design a space with a factory feel, featuring plenty of integrated modern luxuries. PICK BRICK For a dramatic focal point, go for an exposed-brick wall. Alternatively, you can cheat the look with a brick-effect printed wallpaper. To make this style work, stick to minimal fixings, like radiators and sockets on the wall. CHOOSE STONE Large-format porcelain tiles in a stone design are cheaper than the real deal and are easier to maintain, too. MIX METALS Team reclaimed wood furniture with metallic finishes like copper. Industrial LUXE Combine mixed metals with rustic textures for an urban look the STYLE RULES Team blowsy blooms with ditsy prints and bright white Celebrate spring all year round with…

My husband Ross and I bought this house in August 2015, knowing it would be a project,’ says Rebecca. ‘Luckily, we were living with our parents, so we could crack on with the work and not have to live with all the mess. ‘I really loved the area as it was close to our jobs and family and friends. We started renovating in January 2016, and at the same time we were planning our wedding in New York for April 2017. We decided to use that date as a completion goal so we would be able to move in straight after our honeymoon. Starting point The kitchen was originally a very small galley design, which was the big incentive to extend the back of the house and create a larger…

CAPACITY Got plenty of people to feed? Pick a microwave that has a capacity of at least 30 litres – enough to take a family-sized chicken. AUTO PROGRAMMES These are for popular dishes such as pasta, fish and vegetables. The cleverest can even weigh your food and work out the cooking times to the second. BUILT-IN WATER TANK Fill it up and you can use your microwave to steam veg, chicken, eggs and fish, preserving their texture and taste. GRILL Look for quartz grills that heat up and cook much faster than standard infrared ones – very useful for browning and crisping. CONVECTION Great for roasting – mixing it with microwaves reduces cooking times by at least half when compared with a standard oven, meaning you could roast a chicken…

DISCOVER CROATIA Croatia is the hottest destination in the Med right now and not just because it’s one of the sunniest (you can expect 12 hours of sunshine in May). Its long unspoilt coastline, which hugs the Adriatic, has over a thousand beautiful islands to explore and many visitors compare it to Greece 25 years ago. Dubrovnik, an atmospheric medieval walled city, is the jewel in its glittering crown and one of the main film locations for Game of Thrones (fans will recognise it as King’s Landing). It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site and has plenty of Baroque churches, trickling fountains and elegant stone palazzi to explore in the pedestrian-only old town. It’s easy to spend a day just people-watching at the pretty cafés and bars or by taking…

CLASSIC CADDY Pop coffee, tea, sugar, or anything that takes your fancy into these super jars. Enamel storage, from £19.95 each, Mini Moderns TRINKET TROVE This Rooted floral storage pot, £6, from George Home is a pretty place to store dull, everyday stuff like batteries and safety pins BRIGHT SIDE Introduce some storage that’s guaranteed to make you smile. Rainbow shelf, £35, Urban Outfitters OFF THE HOOK Hang up great-value wall hooks that add a pop of colour to your wall, too. Vassad rack in Red, £5, Ikea HOLD ALL Keep all your tools, crafting kit or knitting in one place thanks to this toolbox in Mustard, £22, Vitra range, Nest.co.uk TREASURE CHEST Squirrel away bits and bobs in these stylish yellow trunks, £90 for two, BundleBerry by Amanda Holden…

WHEN SAWING, SPRAY BOTH SIDES OF A HANDSAW WITH SOME WD40 TO PREVENT IT FROM STICKINGAS YOU WORK QUICK-FIT CHOICE Flooring company Karndean has launched Korlok, a new version of its fabulous vinyl product with acoustic foam backing, so you don’t need to bother with underlay. It’s easy to fit, as pieces are cut with the score-and-snap method, and it can be laid over most sub-floors including laminate, ceramic tiles, parquet and floorboards. There’s no need for adhesive either as the planks seal together to create a waterproof floor. Available in 12 smart wood tones, from contemporary Texas White Ash and country-style English Character Oak to Scandi-style Washed Swiss Pine, there’s sure to be something for every home. Lay a path Slatewood is a brilliant alternative to traditional paving and…

PUMPKIN & ORANGE SOUP TAKES 35MIN SERVES 4 3tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 500g pumpkin, deseeded, peeled and chopped 400g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped Zest and juice of 2 oranges 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1tsp ground coriander 850ml hot vegetable stock 50g pumpkin seeds A few sprigs of fresh coriander, to garnish 1 Heat 2tbsp of the olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion for 5min until softened, not browned. Add the pumpkin, sweet potatoes, orange zest and juice, garlic, coriander and stock, then season well. Bring to the boil, then put a lid on the saucepan and simmer for 25min. 2 Remove the saucepan from the heat and liquidise the soup using a hand-held stick blender until smooth. 3 Heat the remaining olive…

A  All Posters 020 8435 6555, allposters.co.uk Amara 0800 587 7645, amara.com Amazon amazon.co.uk Andrew Martin 020 7225 5100, andrewmartin.co.uk Annie Sloan 01865 803168, anniesloan.com Antiques Atlas 0161 613 5714, antiques-atlas.com Argos 0345 640 2020, argos.co.uk Art.co.uk 020 8435 6556 Artisans of Devizes 01380 735888, artisansofdevizes.com Atkin and Thyme 020 3768 7775, atkinandthyme.co.uk B  B&Q diy.com Bathstore 0330 053 5661, bathstore.com Bert & May 020 3744 0776, bertandmay.com Black by Design 01889 502716, black-by-design.co.uk Blanco 0844 912 0100, blanco.co.uk Bobby Rabbit 01143 217000, bobbyrabbit.co.uk British Ceramic Tile 01626 834774, britishceramictile.com C  California Shutters 0800 195 0196, californiashutters.co.uk Caple 0117 938 1900, caple.co.uk Carpetright 0330 333 3444, carpetright.co.uk Castlegate Lights 01642 714444, castlegatelights.co.uk Cath Kidston 0333 320 2663, cathkidston.com Cole & Son 020 7376 4628, cole-and-son.com Cologne & Cotton 0845 262…

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