Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2016 i Ideal Home

While travel plans are on hold, I’m cracking on with the long list of jobs that I have to do around the house, finding a home for long-lost treasures and shopping for sheds. HOLIDAYING AT HOME Having just sunk every penny into a new home, all exotic holiday plans are off! I’ll be spending my summer break painting, decorating and generally DIYing my little heart out. If the weather holds, though, I’ll sneak off to my sunlounger in between coats of paint with a novel and next door’s cat (we’ve bonded). CURATING TREASURES I might not be going away, but I’m surrounded by holidays past: I’ve been unpacking stuff that’s been in storage and unearthed treasures bought on trips for ‘The House’ I didn’t yet own. It’s a random collection,…

“A little enamel can add a lot of vintage chic and character to any style of kitchen” TASTE OF SUMMER Perfect for beach-picnic drinks – fill it with tea from a Thermos if it gets breezy Enamel mug, £6.50, Sass & Belle SEASIDE STYLE Use this grey shade in an all-white kitchen to add subtle coastal charm Lampshade and cord, £85, Bear & Bear PRACTICAL PLATE A hard-wearing option for alfresco dining or hang on the wall as artwork Plate, £16, Kate Samuel range, Amara PERFECT PAIR Fresh white servers for summer salads White enamel salad servers, £33.94, Cachette range, Furnish.co.uk COOL KITCHENALIA Just imagine the pleasure of seeing this beauty on the hob every day Whitby kettle, £39.95, Mini Moderns IT’S A KEEPER These unbreakable cups are just…

Have you ever wished that a holiday by the sea could last forever? Be inspired by the crisp whites and deep blues of sun-drenched villages in the Med and create a relaxed scheme that will revive your senses all year round. START WITH WHITE Fresh white walls make for an effortless breezy backdrop and plain, white-painted floorboards will add a wonderfully chilled-out, barefoot-basics vibe. MIX IN BLUE PRINTS The cool simplicity of a blue-and-white scheme gives you the freedom to have fun with pattern. Layer up accessories, fabrics and tableware featuring blue-on-white block prints for a confident look. KEEP FURNITURE NATURAL Dark oak, teak, olive or limed-wood designs will work brilliantly with blue and white. Add another layer of rustic texture with hammered-metal accent pieces in the form of lights,…

Coastal style is more than just a decorating look, it’s an attitude: Easygoing and versatile, it’ll work in any scheme to give your space a calm and relaxed feel that reminds you of lazy summer holidays. There are so many ways to spin it – whether you choose a sun-bleached palette of pale blues and blush pinks with weathered wood and slubby linens to give a seaside slant to a country look, or throw a luxe navy-blue throw and smart striped cushions into a white-painted room to give it a little yacht-club chic – there’s more to it than just model boats and nautical motifs. Read on to find an idea that suits your style… USE WEATHER-WORN TEXTURES A white backdrop is the hallmark of a coastal look, but keep…

Floral motifs Add splashes of fabulous flowers to your scheme 1 Blue beauty With added sparkle to catch the light Sancerre in Blue Linen, £14.99 per roll, Crown range, The Range 2 Hothouse flowers Create a feature wall with maximum impact Tropical Floral in pink, £18 per roll, Next 3 Rosy glow Try these soft-focus roses for a tranquil bedroom Rose Floral in pink/blue 448825, £18.98 per roll, Albany range, Wallpaperdirect 4 In full bloom Also available on cushions, bed linen and kitchen textiles for a co-ordinated look Hydrangea, £25 per roll, Cath Kidston 5 Bird life Team this exotic parrot and floral combo with lots of indoor plants Bird of Paradise in gold, £40 per roll, Paradise collection, Holden Decor ‘Make a painterly floral the focal point of your…

BOUGHT FOR £45,000 SPENT £60,000 NOW WORTH £200,000 THE PROPERTY A two-bedroom, 17th-century cottage in Whitby, North Yorkshire, bought in 1991 and done up in 2014. WHAT IT COST Building work.........................£47,500Kitchen........................................£3,500Bathroom...................................£2,500Flooring......................................£2,500Furniture.....................................£4,000 TOTAL......................£60,000 WHO LIVES HERE Deb and Wayne Fletcher live here. Deb is a property manager and Wayne is a builder. THE LOOK Coastal chic, with pale heritage colours and antique furniture. LESSONS LEARNED “Go with your first instinct – it’s usually spot on. I had decided to use Farrow & Ball’s Pale Powder on all the walls, but changed my mind and went for white in the bedrooms. It was a mistake though, as Pale Powder is much softer and warmer. I’m repainting now.”…

BOUGHT FOR £360,000 SPENT £30,000 NOW WORTH APPROX £400,000 THE PROPERTY A three-bedroom, Sixties bungalow in Dartmouth, Devon. The couple bought it in February 2015. WHAT IT COST Building and joinery.................£7,000 Bathroom...................................£5,000 Flooring......................................£4,000 Furniture and decorating.....£14,000 TOTAL.....................£30,000 WHO LIVES HERE Sue and Tom Price live here with their children, Hattie, eight, and Freddy, five. Sue works in international real estate and Tom is a software account manager. THE LOOK Hamptons-style beach house, with white walls, oak flooring and a mix of contemporary and classic furniture combined with quirky accessories. LESSONS LEARNED “Know where to spend and where to save. Undertaking building work will always be pricey, but you can cut back later by upcycling, as we did with our kitchen units.”…

BOUGHT FOR £305,000 SPENT £32,000 NOW WORTH £375,000 THE PROPERTY A two-bedroom, Victorian terraced cottage near Broadstairs in Kent, bought in August 2007. WHAT IT COST Building work...........................£8,000 Kitchen.....................................£12,000 Furniture..................................£10,000 Lighting.......................................£1,000 Garden........................................£1,000 TOTAL.....................£32,000 WHO LIVES HERE Lorraine and Craig Leckenby live here with their twin daughters, Holly and Charli, who are at university. Lorraine is a pattern cutter and lecturer in fashion, and Craig is managing director of his own company. THE LOOK Pale and simple, with a fun, retro vibe. White-painted walls are teamed with comfortable leather furniture, one-off pieces and treasure picked up from local beaches. LESSONS LEARNED “Have chimneys inspected and swept by a professional before lighting a fire for the first time. We discovered – too late – a hole in the chimney, which meant the…

Need help choosing? Check out these top five names CONTEMPORARY GARDEN ROOMS 01952 825630; contemporary gardenrooms.co.uk This Shropshire-based carpentry company builds bespoke timber structures that come fully insulated and can be fitted with bifold doors. Prices start from £8,394 for the curve-shaped MyPod. EXTRA ROOMS 01159 899555; extrarooms.co.uk You can order a bespoke timber garden office, from £9,600. For a more affordable option, customers can save 25% by having the panels delivered unassembled. THE GARDEN OFFICE 01296 325777; thegardenoffice.co.uk It offers offices in various sizes, clad in red cedarwood with sliding doors. All electrics are fitted as standard, and the price includes delivery and installation if you live within 100 miles of the showroom in Buckinghamshire. Prices start at £9,995 for a 2.5m sq…

The couple replaced the old windows with argon-filled, self-cleaning UPVC glazing supplied by Europlas (0800 781 9668; europlas.co.uk ). ‘It was one of our best buys,’ says Adrian. Double glazing hermetically seals a layer of air between two sheets of glass, reducing heat loss and improving sound insulation. Replacing the air with an insulating gas, such as argon, further increases thermal performance. Coating the inward-facing glass with a reflective layer improves heat retention even more Triple glazing is becoming increasingly popular for making homes more energy efficient. Though the energy savings when compared to double glazing are relatively small, it can make houses feel more comfortable, with fewer cold spots. The additional weight of the window will also reduce sound vibrations. The BFRC Scheme (bfrc.org) is the…

Having previously lived in a Victorian property, Paula Church liked the relatively modern feel of her Sixties semi in Hove, East Sussex, when she first viewed it. ‘I loved the idea of working on a totally different project,’ she says. ‘The kitchen and dining room were poky and dated. However, they ran across the back of the house and were south-facing, so I knew they had real potential.’ While interior designer and artist Paula (paulachurch.co.uk) planned her kitchen, she had the loft converted. ‘By the time I began the kitchen, I knew the builders were brilliant and I had everything ordered and ready to go,’ she says. Paula had torn out inspiring pages from magazines for the look. ‘I wanted the room to have a casual feel with a neutral…

The kitchen was Tara Murphy and Dimitri Daras’s top priority when they began to plan their ecofriendly new-build home in the Cotswolds. ‘We both love to cook, and the children join in,’ says Tara. ‘I also teach Vietnamese cookery from home, so our new kitchen had to be able to accommodate more than one cook.’ When it came to finding a designer, the couple went with a company that came highly recommended for its eco credentials. ‘It was really important that the kitchen followed the same eco ethos as the house, which was made using sustainable materials and built to last,’ says Tara. ‘When it came to the layout, I wanted good flow, lots of countertop space and an island on castors, too. Countertops become cluttered with appliances, but islands…

THE PROPERTY A three-bedroom, Thirties semi in Hampton, Middlesex. WHO LIVES HERE Claire Lloyd Davies and her partner Richard Stockley live here with their children, Connie, six, and Rosie, five. WHAT THEY DID The couple knocked the separate loo into the existing bathroom to create a larger room, then replaced the fittings and flooring. THE LOOK Neutral with pops of Mediterranean blue and Moroccan-style tiles. LESSONS LEARNED “Our first choice of cast-iron bath was too heavy and would have needed a reinforced floor, so we opted for a lighter one.”…

THE PROPERTY A four-bedroom Sixties house in Hampton, Middlesex. WHO LIVES HERE Emma Stoddart lives here with her children, Oscar, 16, and Ruby, 13. WHAT SHE DID She knocked through to a separate adjacent loo and stripped out the existing sanitaryware. She then gave the room a new layout, complete with a walk-in shower. THE LOOK Boutique-hotel chic, with clean lines and natural materials. LESSONS LEARNED “I’m glad I went for a mirrored wall instead of a big statement mirror, as I think that it makes the room seem bigger.”…

RUSTIC FLAVOUR A smart way to chop Oak long paddle chopping board, £14, By Sainsbury’s GOLDEN TOUCH Pulp your purée in style Gold-finish strainer set, £49, Bloomingville range, Berry Red CUTTING EDGE Slices tomatoes without squashing them Serrated tomato knife, £5.99, Kuhn Rikon range, Lakeland ESSENTIAL STORAGE   Store oven-dried toms in this airtight jar Clip-top 2ltr jar, £4, Kilner range, Wilko TIME SAVER Removes cores quickly Tomato corer, £10, Chef ’n’ Hullster range, Waitrose Kitchen…

• Before you start cleaning, remove all the bottles of shampoo and shower gel, soaps, sponges and razors from the shower area. The items that aren’t used as often might even need a quick wipe and a rinse themselves, particularly if you live in a hard-water area. • Clean your showerhead by immersing it in a basin or bowl of vinegar, making sure the nozzles are covered in the liquid. If your showerhead isn’t removable, secure a plastic bag filled with vinegar to it using a rubber band. Leave it steeping in the vinegar for several hours, ideally overnight. Remove the bag and give the showerhead a scrub with an old toothbrush and cleaning solution to remove any limescale. Reattach the showerhead and turn the shower on for several minutes…

Clam linguine SERVES 4 TAKES 30MIN • 150g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped • 25g blanched almonds, chopped, or pine nuts • 25g Parmesan cheese, grated • 1 garlic clove, chopped • 100ml extra-virgin olive oil • Handful of basil leaves • 350g fresh linguine • 100ml dry white wine • 1kg clams, scrubbed clean 1 Blend the sun-dried tomatoes, nuts, Parmesan and garlic in a food processor until they combine to make a thick paste. With the machine still running, pour in the oil until the mixture is smooth but still fairly thick. Add the basil and blend briefly to mix. Season with salt and black pepper. 2 Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, then cook the pasta for 2-3min. In a separate pan,…

‘Having nearly lost a finger trying to make courgetti with a mandolin slicer, I’m thrilled that the UK’s first electric spiralizer is about to hit the shops. It has two cutting cones: Pappardelle creates thick, salad-friendly ribbons, and Spaghetti makes the thin veggie noodles that are such a great substitute for pasta. Buy one – if only for the thrill of spiralizing a cucumber into strands as long as your arm!’ FIND OUT MORE AT GIRLABOUTTECH.COM  “HELLO! I’m Amy Cutmore, Technology Editor… but you can call me Girl About Tech. As it’s swimsuit season (and I’m definitely not beach-body ready), this month’s blog stories focus on healthy-eating gadgets, from Smeg’s new slow juicer to Kenwood’s spiralizer. See them online!” ON GIRLABOUTTECH.COM  RIGHT NOW FIVE BEST… BEDSIDE ALARM CLOCK…

SINGING SHOWER Atom ERD mixer shower with Moxie Bluetooth rainhead, £400, Mira Showers GIRL ABOUT TECH SAYS ‘Look closely and you’ll see the removable Bluetooth speaker that pops into this shower’s luxurious rainhead. You can add a Moxie head to an existing shower, too’ WATCH AS YOU WASH Watervue 24in waterproof bathroom TV, £599, Bathroom TV GIRL ABOUT TECH SAYS ‘Soap up watching a soap opera with this waterproof TV. Add a dongle like the Amazon Fire TV Stick and you’ll also get on-demand shows (and wrinkly toes!)’ GO WITH THE FLOW Axor Starck Organic electronic basin mixer tap, £650, Hansgrohe GIRL ABOUT TECH SAYS ‘An infrared sensor makes sure this tap only runs when your hands are underneath the spout. The sculptural design is pricey, but it is a…

SPOTIFY PREMIUM £9.99 per month for iOS, Android, Windows It’s not just the 30 million tracks that make this the most popular service. You can listen offline, create, search and share playlists, and it has ‘Discover Weekly’, which suggests new songs based on your tastes. APPLE MUSIC £9.99 per month for iOS, Android, Windows A hugely impressive app that combines all your music, a vast streaming service and unique worldwide radio station. Good value for groups, too – a family of six can subscribe using one account for £14.99 a month. SOUNDCLOUD Free for iOS, Android, Windows You can pay £9.99 per month for SoundCloud Go, but the free service remains impressive despite the ads, with a vast searchable library online and a huge collection of DJ mixes, too. Party…

DRINKS STATION GBF539PVQWB fridge-freezer, £479, LG GIRL ABOUT TECH SAYS ‘Delivers chilled water on tap. If anything goes wrong, a free smartphone app can diagnose the fault, saving you call-out charges’ COOL RUNNINGS Retro ORK193 fridge-freezer, £999, Gorenje GIRL ABOUT TECH SAYS ‘Expect more than face value here. It has odour- and bacteria-busting tech and low running costs – key for an appliance that’s on 24/7’ BIG DRAW KFN29233D BB blackboard fridge-freezer, £1,449, Miele GIRL ABOUT TECH SAYS ‘Who needs paper and magnets when you can doodle on your fridge? Inside, special drawers preserve veg and keep condiments in check’ INTEGRATED OPTION KIS87AF30G built-in fridge-freezer, around £670, Bosch GIRL ABOUT TECH SAYS ‘Built-in models often lack features, but this has plenty, like a drawer that doubles the life of fruit…

Best for ALL-ROUND ABILITY H8 on-ear wireless headphones, £380, Bang & Olufsen GIRL ABOUT TECH SAYS ‘Exquisitely made, with very effective noise cancelling, a beautifully balanced sound and 16-hour playback between charges. I was close to tears when I had to return my review sample’ Best for TOUGH WORKOUTS SHQ8300 Action-Fit Bluetooth sports headphones, £69.99, Philips GIRL ABOUT TECH SAYS ‘Jump up, jump up and get down to your heart’s content – these wireless ’phones are sweatproof, and if you buy two pairs, your gym buddy can listen in to the same music streamed from your device’ Best for STYLISH SOUND   h.ear on MDR-100AAP on-ear headphones, £120, Sony GIRL ABOUT TECH SAYS ‘Big-name headphones can be pricey, but these cool, comfy cans prove you don’t have to splash too…

Fancy having your own apple tree in the garden? Then claim your free Dwarf Apple ‘Golden Delicious’ plant, which is worth £14.99 – you just pay £5.65 for postage. Bearing large sweet dessert apples, this specially bred dwarf variety reaches just 1m tall, making it a perfect choice for a patio, courtyard or small garden. It is supplied as a 9cm potted plant, measuring 30-40cm in height. The pot (shown right) is available for purchase when ordering online. AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE OTHER GREAT OFFERS... RASPBERRY ‘RUBY BEAUTY’ These dwarf raspberry canes can produce up to 1.5kg of fruit per plant, yet reach just 1m high, making them ideal for patios or small gardens. Height: 1m. Spread: 50cm. The pot pictured can be purchased at thompson-morgan.com. BUY ONE FOR…

   Go glam and light up your outside space by hanging a vintage-style candle chandelier so the party can go on late into the night Whizz watermelon chunks in a blender, then top up with lemonade or prosecco Tableware, from a selection, Talking Tables Jungle fever Hand around refreshing cocktails in style Patterned tray, £12.99, H&M Feelin’ hot, hot, hot! Plenty of room to cook up a feast Star flower split chiminea with grill, £79.99, La Hacienda range, Very Take flight Pop with bright prints Cushion, £25, Butterfly Home by Matthew Williamson range, Debenhams Who’s a pretty boy, then? Perch on plants, tableware or place settings Clip-on tropical birds, £12 for six, Graham and Green Kitsch but cool A fun way to add candlelight Pineapple tealight holder, £6, By Sainsbury’s…

   Clashing patterns is key to this look, but only use on accessories to avoid colour chaos Diamond design Fabric remnants make up this abstract geometric motif Baku kilim chindi rug, Myakka Rustic seat Made from mango wood and cotton Colourful braided stool, Zara Home Final touch Dot around the room Artificial cacti, Dobbies Garden Centres Top marks With Aztec-style embossing Blue vase, Ben de Lisi range, Debenhams Authentic print Add a rich hit of colour with a Peruvian pattern Weave cushion, Marks & Spencer YOUR RECEIPT Rug, Myakka....................................£44.95 Artificial cacti, Dobbies Garden Centres......£6.99 Mirror, By Sainsbury’s..............................£25 Cushion, Marks & Spencer..........................£12 Vase, Debenhams..................................£22 Stool, Zara Home.............................£49.99 TOTAL £160.93 LOVE THE LOOK? FIND OUT MORE… THE STORY Inspired by the tropical climes of South America and the upcoming Rio Olympics, this…

‘If you have sparklers or party poppers on the table, you create a dynamic that’s simply about fun’ Clare Harris started up party-decorations company Talking Tables from her own kitchen table 17 years ago. More than 50 staff now work at the company’s London studio, designing and creating a large selection of tableware, games, giftwrap and decorations. The brand’s products are stocked all over the high street, including in John Lewis, Selfridges, Waitrose and Paperchase, and the company also creates exclusive ranges for Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco. BUSINESS MINDED Growing up, Clare was a prolific creative – she made candles, pressed flowers, wove macramé and made her own clothes. ‘I spent my teenage years sitting at a sewing machine, but it wasn’t something that I pursued at school,’ she says.…

P33 DINING ROOM DECORATION AND   FURNITURE Walls painted in All White Estate Emulsion, £39.50 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball. Patara Ikat wallpaper in Navy T64142 (in panels), £54 per roll, Caravan collection, Thibaut. For similar flooring, try the Soft Oak Light IM1854, £19.99 per sq m, Laminate Impressive collection, Quick-Step. Horizon striped medium rug, £825, Oka. Marteau Pewter large metal ceiling light, £160, Habitat. Six-seater dining table (H78cm x W90cm x L160cm), £895; bench, £495; dining chairs, £275 each; all Sumatra range, Lombok. Suffolk 6ft sideboard in navy (H87cm x W184cm x D50cm), £1,625, Neptune. ON TABLE Runner made in Nazca in Indian Blue, £16 per m, John Lewis. Moroccan Blue dinner plates, £4 each; side plates, £3.50 each; all By Sainsbury’s. Linen napkins in Denim Blue, £10 each, Heal’s.…

THE COMPANY Founded by interior designer Jane Churchill in 1982, the eponymous company was acquired by the Colefax Group (which also owns high-end fabric houses Colefax and Fowler, Manuel Canovas and Larsen) seven years later. The company’s London design studio creates twice-yearly collections of contemporary and classical designs with a focus on typically English style. THE NEW COLLECTION Featuring both prints and embroideries, the latest collection from Jane Churchill is a masterclass in colour, pattern and scale. Motifs include florals, damasks, leaves and butterflies sitting alongside checks, stripes and plains, all in a bold selection of co-ordinating colours including ochre, indigo, lime and teal. WHY WE LOVE IT If you’re looking to combine different prints in your scheme, then mix and match this collection with abandon – it’s pretty tricky…

BEDROOM Mirror image Fake an antique look with an off-white crackle-glaze frame Ornate oval mirror in cream (H150cm x W104cm), Out There Interiors Gilded & gorgeous A gold statement bath has to be the ultimate in indulgence Lyddington gold-effect bath, Heritage Bathrooms Totally tropical Just the right side of kitsch Gold pineapple, Pols Potten range, Amara Golden glow Create a chilled-out atmosphere with bedside lighting Inlight Heritage classic table lamp, George Home Stream line Add character with a quirky motif Swimming Salmon cushion, Voyage Maison Bold choice Start with a grand extra-height bed as the focal point of your scheme Holly king-size bed in Desert (H143cm x W162cm x L210cm), Button & Sprung SEE MORE ONLINE FIND MORE READER HOMES AT housetohome.co.uk/house-tours FOR WHERE TO BUY ITEMS SHOWN,…

IDEAL Beacon of light Stick to a natural, organic shape for the shade Malmo pendant, Habitat Sixties styling Go for a retro feel with this cool chair Smithfield armchair, Habitat Box it up Team whitewashed wood with black metal for a modern look Box frame coffee table (H43cm x W113cm x D63cm), West Elm Oar-some Go all-out nautical with a wall-mounted oar Royal barge oar, Authentic Models range, Houseology Sunny delight Liven up your sofa with a bright yellow throw Ochre Vice Versa linen throw, The Conran Shop Put your feet up Bring in tactile, homespun-looking pieces that soften the scheme Knitted pouffe, Marks & Spencer GREAT DEAL Subtle shading Diffuse light around the room with a rattan creation Bay shade, John Lewis Design classic Or be smart with an…

IDEAL Metal works A sleek lamp that will look the part in either a period or a modern scheme Well pendant with visor, Original BTC Go for gold Elevate your scheme with a hint of opulence Lucia mirror, Laura Ashley In the detail Add opulence with a Gustavian-style carved lamp base Lemlar wooden lamp base, India Jane Make waves Throw in understated pattern with a woven throw in natural tones Llarwydden blue throw, Poncelet and Tregwynt range, Tate Shop Subtle geometric Keep it chic with a muted, modern design Viana cushion, Urbanara Cloud nine A classic buttonback sofa in blue linen will never go out of style Bagsie sofa in cloud blue vintage linen, Loaf GREAT DEAL All at sea The charcoal finish gives this practical pendant a touch of…

DINING ROOM Fly the flags A quick and easy way to add red, white and blue Union Jack bunting, Dotcomgiftshop Out to sea Add a cosy coastal feel with textures in ocean-inspired hues Stonewash cushion, Ian Mankin Fresh touch Pop a bunch of garden blooms into a classic vase Marguerite vase, Dartington range, John Lewis Added texture Putting down a neutral jute rug is a simple way to zone a living space Textured jute rug, Marks & Spencer Stylish storage A sleek finish and handleless doors update this Sixties-inspired design Esme sideboard, Made.com Carry on A rustic trug doubles up as handy indoor storage Wooden trug, Gadbsy Ocean colour scene For an instant coastal feel Beach Shapes framed art print, King & McGaw SEE MORE ONLINE   FIND MORE READER…

We love… ‘...the newly revealed coastal views that we now enjoy from the house. It’s such a lovely setting’ Most people assume that Jane and Adrian Gillard’s house is a new build, but in fact it’s a total reinvention of a Fifties bungalow that the couple bought in 2011. Now a contemporary home that makes the most of its amazing position high up above the sea in Torquay, Devon, it’s far from the tired property the couple first viewed. Back then it had ugly dormer windows and a dated interior, with a kitchen, a separate dining room and a living room opening into a dated sunroom. There were two bedrooms on the ground floor and two more upstairs, which had high windowsills that compromised the views.…

Many alterations can be made under Permitted Development, meaning you don’t need to get planning permission. For more information on planning and building regulations, visit planningportal.gov.uk and always check with your local authority before making any major changes. Keep your neighbours informed at all stages, and you might need to obtain party-wall agreements, too. Check the advice given at planningportal.gov.uk. For extensions and major remodelling, it’s usually advisable to employ an architect to draw up accurate plans: the Royal Institute of British Architects (architecture.com) holds a directory of approved architects. Get at least three quotes for all major purchases, including when you’re hiring tradesmen and, whenever possible, negotiate fixed prices for each job rather than paying a daily rate. It’s not usually advisable to undertake major roofing work on a…

THE PROPERTY A four-bedroom, semi-detached, Sixties house in Hove, East Sussex. WHO LIVES HERE Paula Church lives here with her twins, Billy and Ruby, 17. WHAT SHE DID Paula combined the existing dining room and kitchen to create a large kitchen-diner. She then replaced the windows and door, had the wooden floor stripped and varnished, and installed a brand new kitchen. THE LOOK Modern rustic, with a neutral palette and a mix of French-style furniture. LESSONS LEARNED You can make a budget-friendly kitchen look more high end by teaming a relatively pricey worktop with inexpensive units. THE LAYOUT Full-height units house the fridge-freezer to the right of the door. To the left, units run in an L shape with the range cooker fitted into a recess on the far wall.…

THE PROPERTY A four-bedroom, Victorian, semi-detached house, near Lymington, Hampshire. WHO LIVES HERE Kate and Dave Wakley live here with their sons, Alex, 15 and Max, nine, plus Grace, the German wire-haired pointer. WHAT THEY DID The couple knocked out the back wall of their kitchen and extended and redecorated the existing space. They installed new units and added dining and seating areas, plus an adjoining snug and studio. THE LOOK Classic and coastal, with a palette of greys, blues and greens and simple painted furniture. LESSONS LEARNED “On reflection, we didn’t put enough power points in the right places. We should have thought that through in more detail.” THE LAYOUT To the left of the chimney breast is a dresser. There’s an island in the centre of the room,…

THE PROPERTY A sustainable, three-bedroom new build, near Stroud in Gloucestershire. WHO LIVES HERE Tara Murphy and Dimitri Daras live here with their three children, Will, eight, Sacha, six, and Ren, three. WHAT THEY DID The couple built an ecofriendly house from scratch, prioritising the open-plan kitchen with room for the family to cook and enjoy their meals. THE LOOK Contemporary and streamlined, with a warm Scandi twist. LESSONS LEARNED “Good planning is vital – our kitchen is designed to suit us and we took our time to make it just right. Food connects us as a family, so it’s the most important room in the house.”…

“To make the best use of space, our builder knocked through the separate loo into the existing bathroom, then completely stripped the room back. I sourced all the sanitaryware from Heritage Bathrooms, found cost-effective Moroccan-style tiles for the floor, then matched up the colours in the tiles for the rest of the décor, using cream for the walls and blue for the bath and shutters. The work on the whole of the upstairs of the house was completed in five weeks, during which time we went on holiday and stayed with friends. Installing the bathroom cost £3,000.”…

“I designed the layout and chose the elements for the room based on the overall look of the rest of the house. I then sourced most of the sanitaryware from a local bathroom supplier. To give the house a uniform look, I opted for the same tiles I’d used in the kitchen. The finishing touch was the made-to-measure curtains. My builder carried out the whole refurbishment, doing everything from the plumbing to the tiling. It took around four weeks in all and the work cost £4,000.”…

YELLOW STUFFER Resembling a pepper in shape, this yellow tomato has a very sweet flavour and is the perfect size for stuffing £2.99 for 0.5g seeds, Suttons RED CURRANT With an intense but balanced tart-sweet flavour, this berry-like tom is great sprinkled on salads £5.99 for three plug plants, Dobies of Devon GREENSLEEVES Striped and elongated, this tomato has a rich flavour, so it’s a good choice for making passata £2.15 for 20 seeds, Plants of Distinction SUNGOLD This golden variety is irresistibly sweet thanks to its high sugar content, so it’s ideal to snack on £2.99 for eight seeds, Thompson & Morgan BLACK RUSSIAN A complex flavour and intriguing dark-brown colour guarantee that this tomato will be a talking point at the dinner table £1.39 for 50 seeds, DT…

To-do list for AUGUST EAT Heck! Food’s latest veggie treats, including Nuts About Cheese Sausages, Gourmet Goat’s Cheese Burgers and Super Greens Balls. Perfect for barbecuing, they cost £2.25 per pack from selected Waitrose stores and heckfood.co.uk. DRINK Belvoir Fruit Farms’ Cucumber & Mint Pressé. Enjoy it with gin, in a jug of Pimm’s or on its own over ice for a refreshing summer fizz, £2.99 for 75cl, Asda and Belvoir Fruit Farms. TREAT a wine lover to a day out at a UK vineyard, such as the 30-year-old Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey. To find a vineyard near you, go to englishwineproducers.co.uk. Try a new taste... CACHAÇA Celebrate the Rio Olympics this month with a winning cocktail. Pronounced kah-sha-sah, cachaça is distilled from sugar-cane juice and…

TO DO THIS MONTH... • SOW SALAD LEAVES , such as rocket, mizuna, corn salad, lettuce and kale. Sow seeds for a five-to-six-week harvest, or buy seedlings and plant up for harvesting in a few weeks. Cut-and-come-again mixes are ideal. • MOVE CONTAINERS to a shady spot if you’re going on holiday, so they don’t dry out in the sun. You can stand pots on gravel trays filled with water or install a trickle watering system on a timer. • KEEP YOUR POND in tip-top condition by clearing out any weeds and debris. Thin out aquatic plants, leaving no more than half the surface covered, to make sure the water isn’t oxygen starved. Adding a water feature will help to keep the water aerated, as well as providing a focal…

Bathrooms used to be simple spaces – some tiles here, a loo there – but then they got geeky. Futurists predict that by 2040, they’ll be filled with robots giving manicures and mirrors that perform health checks*, but there’s plenty to be excited about right now, from taps that shut off when the bath is full to shower head speakers. Ready to splash out? SOAK WITH YOUR FAVOURITE SHOW Steam- and waterproof TVs let you wash and watch at the same time. Most sets have a Full HD screen, Freeview channels and a splashproof remote, while some are smart or include a port for a Google Chromecast or Amazon Fire TV stick, so you can access BBC iPlayer, Netflix and more. Position the TV so you can lie back and…

5MINSHOWER Free for iOS No more daydreaming in the shower – this app starts a timer and the screen ‘fills’ with water as you wash. Go over five minutes and you’ll be told off about the water you’ve wasted. BRUSHEEZ Free for iOS Download this app to help kids brush better. They pick a monster pal, set the timer and have fun as they clean. If your child is missing teeth, they can even remove them from their monster to match. So cute! MOPPEDUP £2.99 for iOS (free for cleaners) This is for anyone who hates cleaning their bathroom. Use it to find a cleaner in your area, create a schedule, set them specific tasks, and see if they need more supplies. BATHOMATIC Free for iOS and Android Hard day?…

FIVE-STAR EUROPEAN RIVER CRUISES 8 DAYS FROM £999PP 15 DAYS FROM £1,499PP THE PRICE INCLUDES Return rail* and Eurostar, or flights, taxes and transfers Stay in five-star cabins with hotel-standard beds and private bathrooms Exceptional cuisine with full board throughout the cruise Extensive and fully inclusive touring programmes Selected departures up to November 2016 and April to November 2017 CLASSICAL SPAIN: SEVILLE, CORDOBA & GRANADA 7 DAYS FROM £539PP THE PRICE INCLUDES Return flights, taxes and transfers Six nights in centrally located, three-and four-star hotels with breakfast, staying in Seville, Granada and Mijas Tours of Seville , the Alhambra in Granada, Cordoba and Ronda Fully escorted by an experienced tour manager Selected departures up to November 2016 and March to November 2017 POMPEII, CAPRI & THE BAY OF NAPLES 8…

Transform your patio, conservatory or garden into the perfect place for relaxing with this fantastic set of Havana rattan furniture. Just the thing for chilling out in warmer weather in comfort and style, it will make a great contemporary addition to any size of garden. The set consists of two sofas that sit together to create either a chair or lounger position to relax in, with deep cushions to ensure plenty of comfort. Teamed with a matching glass-topped table, it’s the perfect seating arrangement for spending lazy days in the sun or for entertaining friends and family when they visit. AVAILABLE IN THREE COLOURS: Black rattan with taupe cushions (D9475) Brown rattan with taupe cushions (D9476) Grey rattan with black cushions (D9477) Plus, get a cover to protect your furniture…

PATIO BUDDLEJA ‘BUZZ’ BUY one for £14.99 BUY two and get one free for £29.98 Supplied as three separate plants in one container, these are compact, easy to grow and have a long flowering period, making them perfect for patio pots and smaller gardens. With indigo, ivory and candy-pink flowers, these plants are loved by bees and butterflies. Height and spread: 120cm. This will be supplied as a 9cm potted plant. SCENTED COTTAGE GARDEN PINKS BUY 20 (five of each) for £14.96 (RRP £39.96), saving £25* Fill your garden with a lovely fragrance and vibrant colour with this collection of scented pinks, which is great for edging pathways and borders and brightening up containers. The collection includes: ‘Cranmere Pool’, ‘Doris’, ‘Gran’s Favourite’ and ‘Letitia Wyatt’. Height: 40cm. Spread: 30cm. These…

A   Affordable Granite 01293 863992; affordablegranite.co.uk  AllPosters 020 8435 6555; allposters.co.uk Amara 0800 587 7645; amara.com Amazon.co.uk amazon.co.uk Aquatek 01509 323038; aquatek.tv Argos 0345 640 3030; argos.co.uk Art.co.uk 020 8435 6556; art.co.uk Artisanti 0345 259 1410; artisanti.com Asda 0800 952 0101; asda.com Atkin and Thyme 0844 409 9834; atkinandthyme.co.uk Att Pynta 020 8692 2412; attpynta.com B B&Q 0333 014 3098; diy.com Bang & Olufsen 0118 927 7890; beoplay.com Bathroom TV 01777 322003; bathroomtv.co.uk Bathstore 0800 023 2323; bathstore.com Bear and Bear 020 3735 9002; bearandbear.com Belvoir Fruit Farms 01476 870286; belvoirfruitfarms.co.uk Bemz 0800 048 8404; bemz.com Benchmarx 0117 931 1736; benchmarxkitchens.co.uk Benuta 020 3608 0595; benuta.co.uk Berry Red 0845 450 3937; berryred.co.uk Best Tile UK Store 00 353 51 354905; best-tile.co.uk Better Bathrooms 0333 777 4777; betterbathrooms.com BHS 0344 411 6000; bhs.co.uk Biggreensmile.com 020 8123 0289; biggreensmile.com Bissell 0344 888 3355; bisselldirect.co.uk Blickle Castors & Wheels 01908 560904; blickle.co.uk Bluebellgray 0808 164 0130;…

Wood smoke gives food a rich, aromatic warmth, enhancing its flavour. People have been cooking this way for thousands of years, so it’s not surprising that we still find the taste comforting. Instead of grabbing some smoked salmon at the supermarket, why not try making your own at home? Smoking food is quick, easy and inexpensive, once you know how – and that ‘home-smoked’ taste just can’t be beaten. Q WHAT IS FOOD SMOKING? It’s a process of flavouring food over smouldering woodchips. There are two processes to choose from: hot smoking cooks food at temperatures between 80°C and 120°C, while cold smoking dries it out at about 25°C and imparts a delicious smoky flavour but doesn’t actually cook the food. Q WHAT KIT DO I NEED? For hot smoking,…

Leading light Ideal for bringing a nautical touch to a plain scheme Sea lampshade, £12, Prince’s Trust range, George Home Go with the faux Protect corals by choosing a resin lookalike Tubbataha faux coral, £59, Oka Into the blue Pep up a picnic with this melamine tableware Nautical melamine bowl, £15 for four, Marks & Spencer Ocean view These would look striking in a set or as standalone prints in adjoining rooms Prints, £426 for six, Royaldesign.co.uk Tactile buy Beautiful with or without blooms Raised design vase, £39.99, Zara Home Make a splash Choose a statement-making serving bowl in contrasting tones Maritime octopus bowl, £27, ThomasPaul range, Amara Soft shell Add subtle colour and pattern to a cream sofa Crab cushion, £32.95, Coastal Home Catch of the day A…

 THE STORY SO FAR Designers are increasingly turning to crafts such as weaving and crochet, not only keeping these techniques alive and supporting artisanal businesses, but creating an appreciation for the maker’s mark. WEAVES AND KNOTS Seventies favourite macramé is bringing boho back, with intricate wall art and hanging planters available from the likes of Urban Outfitters, Graham and Green and Danish brand House Doctor. The use of woven rattan, jute, hemp and bamboo has trickled in from Eastern and Southeast Asian artisans and can be seen in Native & Co’s woven-rush baskets with copper lids, and the Viktigt collection from Ikea. Made in collaboration with Swedish designer Ingegerd Råman, as well as craftspeople from Vietnam and Indonesia, the Viktigt range includes woven furniture, lighting and storage, all made from…

GET TO KNOW HER SIGNATURE STYLE Clare is passionate about colour and surrounds herself with it. ‘I adore colour and pattern, especially with different textures, like a sofa with a mix of velvet and tweed upholstery,’ she says. ‘I love the combinations that Designers Guild comes up with.’ Clare is particularly influenced by art and visits the Tate Modern on London’s South Bank often. ‘I call it “brain food” – Howard Hodgkin is my favourite artist,’ she says. ‘I’m also a big theatre buff and we have a theatre club and a book club at our office.’ Frequently travelling each week between her homes in London and Gloucestershire, Clare escapes to the Cornish coast for some downtime as often as possible. ‘I just love Cornwall,’ she says. ‘I love the…

Turn up the heat for summer with this fearless duo of dazzling brights. Balance large areas of intense hot pink with accents of zesty orange, then add furniture and accessories in pure white to bring a wash of calm to the bold scheme. Layer cushions two or three deep to re-create the smart-casual feel of Miami boutique hotels, and mix in graphic prints for added impact The PALETTE PATTERN #1 Mix in splashes of orange Luxor 105/1004 wallpaper, £80 per roll, Geometric II collection, Cole & Son THE PAINT Use a hot pink as a base Bizzy Lizzy Walls & Ceilings, £21.98 for 2.5ltr, Valspar range, B&Q PATTERN #2 Add retro pattern Electrify Tulip 712, £49 per m, Jonathan Adler for Kravet range, GP&J Baker OUR STYLIST SAYS “Add…

‘Painterly floral prints can be loud and proud or modest and unassuming, so there’s a design to suit every taste’GINEVRA BENEDETTI, ASSOCIATE EDITOR Fall for painterly florals WHY WE LOVE THEM Imagine the feeling you get when you’re given a bunch of flowers out of the blue. Instantly uplifted? Then think of this trend as the decorating equivalent of being handed a gorgeous bouquet of blooms every day. What’s more, its elegant brushstroke effects will give your space an artistic edge, while still retaining a relaxed, romantic feel. WHERE TO USE THEM From bedrooms to dining rooms, florals will work in pretty much any space, so figuring out where to use them all comes down to the scale of the print. It needs to match the size (and use) of…

   ‘Coming in from the beach means sandy shoes, so it made sense to have hard-wearing floors’ With busy working lives in London, Lorraine and Craig Leckenby were feeling the pressure, and decided to look for a weekend bolthole on the coast to provide some much-needed relaxation. After a lot of searching online, they finally came across a small seaside retreat that was part of a row of coastguard cottages, just north of Broadstairs in Kent. ‘I have family nearby, but we didn’t know the area that well,’ explains Lorraine. ‘It’s a tranquil place with its own distinctive personality.’ ‘We were inspired by traditional deckchair stripes and copied the look for the cushions, rugs and blinds’ The other huge pull for the couple was that the beach is directly opposite…

‘We lifted the house up to get a much better view’ Ann Tully and David Evans’s riverside home in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, is in such an idyllic spot that, even after it was flooded in 2014, they were determined to keep it. After the floodwaters had subsided, the couple took action and had the entire two-bedroom, single-storey building raised nearly 32in using a hydraulic pump system. A new kitchen and two new bathrooms were installed, and a large terrace was added to maximise the wonderful river views. Floor-to-ceiling, sliding glass doors from IQ Glass (01494 722880; iqglassuk.com) were fitted to connect the open-plan kitchen-diner to the terrace. In the winter months, the minimal 21mm frames maximise natural light, while in warm weather, the doors can slide back to create a seamless…

THE PROPERTY A four-bedroom, detached house in Torquay, Devon. WHO LIVES HERE Jane and Adrian Gillard live here. WHAT THEY DID The couple extended a Fifties bungalow upwards and outwards, reroofing, replacing windows and adding large expanses of glazing to make the bungalow completely unrecognisable. The property has been extended from 198sq m to 234sq m, and the grounds were landscaped to create a new decked terrace. WHAT IT COST The couple paid £500,000 for the bungalow in 2011 and spent around £300,000 on the transformation project. The property is now worth more than £1 million.…

Trials & triumphs… What was the high point for you? ‘The party we threw for the project team and our family the week we moved in.’ Were there any low points? ‘When it rained an incredible amount just as the builders took off the roof.’ Who was the project saviour? ‘The whole project team and my brother, Andre, for his inventive ideas.’ Hunting for a Cornish holiday home, which they could also rent out for part of the year, Tamar Tammes and Michael Ross had a clear idea of the type of house they wanted. ‘I was brought up in the area and wanted somewhere we could congregate and feel at home,’ explains Tamar. The couple and their two daughters are based in Scotland, so enlisted Cornish holiday-lettings agent Perfect…

“The builders, who had just converted our loft, set up a makeshift kitchen in the living room and sealed off the back of the house, which kept mess and inconvenience to a minimum. They knocked out the back wall first, then replaced the original kitchen window with a much larger one, while the old back door was upgraded to a Victorian panelled version. The builders also stripped, repaired and varnished the floorboards before installing a new kitchen. The project took eight weeks and the kitchen installation cost about £5,000.”…

“ My dad and I drew the initial design for the extension, then a local architect dealt with the planning department. We chose a recommended builder and the structural work cost about £30,000. Once the extension was up, the back kitchen wall was demolished. We discovered rotten floor joists, which was a setback, but Dave worked solidly all weekend replacing them, so we stayed right on schedule. We shopped around online for the best deals on appliances. Dave plumbed in the sink and dishwasher, and together we fitted the units and decorated. The whole project took four months.”…

Though it wasn’t entirely fit for habitation, Claire Lloyd Davies and Richard Stockley moved into their Thirties home in Hampton, Middlesex, as soon as they got the keys. They set to work on the bathroom straightaway. ‘To choose the best layout, I went round to a couple of neighbours’ houses,’ says Claire. ‘It was a great way to meet them and they were happy to show us how they’d used an identical space. I pretty much copied what one had done, placing the bath along the window wall as a focal point.’ The couple chose Moroccan-style floor tiles, then picked out the same azure blue for the bath and shutters. Claire had set her heart on a roll-top bath, so she chose a traditional-style basin and loo to work alongside…

There’s nothing quite like the fresh taste and heady scent of tomatoes in season. One of summer’s food highlights, British tomatoes are at their peak this month, but once we’ve used a few in salads and sandwiches, the rest often linger sadly neglected at the back of the fridge, going mushy as their skins start to shrivel. Instead of being bin-bound, a glut of tomatoes can be preserved for enjoying at a later date. With just a few bits of basic kit and minimal effort, you’ll be able savour their taste long after they’ve gone out of season. 3 EASY WAYS TO PRESERVE TOMATOES… 1 FREEZE FOR CONVENIENCE Cut a shallow cross in the base of each tomato, then put them in a glass or metal bowl. Boil a kettle…

DRAIN DUO A pipe unblocker and hair catcher combo Fast Attack complete drain care kit, £12.50, QVC NATURAL DESCALER Banish limescale with this affordable cleaner Distilled malt vinegar, 39p, Asda HANDY GADGET A must-have to wipe down the shower door Lillnaggen squeegee, 80p, Ikea SURFACE WIPES This non-toxic brand won’t irritate your skin Tub n Tile wipes, £2.50 for 28, Method range, Biggreensmile.com STEAM CLEANER Comes with 11 attachments, including a grout brush Steam Shot 2635, £39.99, Bissell RESIDUE BARRIER Wipe over a clean shower screen to stop scum settling Baby skin oil, £1.50 for 300ml, Boots HAIR REMOVER Fish out all that gunk trapped down the plughole The Drain Weasel brushes, £7.25 for two, Lakeland TILE BRUSH Use the tough bristles on grout and the soft ones on tiles…

Sharing tub Smooth ice cream loaded with meringue, digestive biscuit and zingy key lime sauce Key Lime Pie ice cream (378g), Spirit of Summer range, Marks & Spencer Low price, luxury taste Made with double cream, honey and ginger, it’s delicious topped with nuts Beechdean honey & ginger ice cream (1ltr), Ocado and Waitrose Guilt-free pleasure With only 38 calories per scoop, this contains coconut oil and Peruvian lucuma fruit for a sweet maple flavour Salted caramel ice cream (500ml), Oppo range, Waitrose, Ocado and The Co-Operative…

1. PIR sensor switch, £98, Danlers ‘I chose motion-sensor lighting in my own home, so that I don’t blind myself with the main lights if I take a trip to the bathroom at 3am. There’s now no fumbling around for the light switch in the dark either.’ 2. ShowerSelect mixer for two outlets, £632, Hansgrohe ‘Where once I had to fiddle with the levers to turn on my shower, now I simply push a button. And it also fills the bath at my preset temperature. It just makes taking a shower or bath effortless.’ 3. Edge 26in TV, £1,150, TechVision ‘This is a great waterproof TV, which comes in a clear glass or mirror finish, and has Bluetooth connectivity built in, so I can also use it to stream music…

Connect the BSNF8993/PB to your Wi-Fi and it will do more than keep your food fresh – like send an alert to your phone if the door’s been left open, or warn you that your milk is going off. You could even put it into Holiday Mode at the airport via an app 6TH SENSE LIVE APP Control every aspect of your fridge-freezer with this app. Activate the fast-freezing, cooling and energy-saving holiday modes, create a list of what’s inside and get alerts as food spoils PARTY MODE Want to chill drinks quickly? Tell the app whether you’re cooling cans of pop or a bottle of Chardonnay, and it will work out the best chilling time and tell you when to retrieve them, so there’ll be no more fizzy explosions…

1 FIND YOUR FAVOURITE STYLE Over-ear headphones envelop your entire ear, offering top sound quality through their larger speakers – and doubling as earmuffs when it’s cold! On-ear headphones sit lightly on your ears and combine decent sound with fashion-forward design. In-ear ’phones ‘plug’ the entrance of your ear canal, sealing in the sound. Their snug fit makes them ideal for exercising, and they won’t mess up your ’do, but the audio quality can’t compete with a decent set of ‘cans’. 2 WIRED OR WIRELESS? The 3.5mm jack has been the default way to connect headphones to your music player for generations, but improved Bluetooth connectivity now means you can hook them up wirelessly (at the price of having to charge your headset regularly). Meanwhile, JBL and Philips have produced…

A striking Japanese maple with graceful, arching shoots and finely cut, feathery, greeny-red foliage, Acer palmatum transforms into a blaze of fiery orange in autumn. It is slow growing, making it an ideal focal point for a sheltered position in a large patio container. Alternatively, it would create a dramatic silhouette in borders thanks to the broad canopy that it forms. Height and spread: 400cm. The acer is supplied as a 7cm potted plant (the pot and saucer shown on the right do not come with the plant, but they are available to buy online). The order lines are open from 9am-8pm (Monday to Friday) & 9am-6pm (Saturday to Sunday). The offer is available to readers on the UK mainland only. All orders will be acknowledged by letter or email,…