Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2018 i Style At Home

The shops are full of new spring/summer products, so it’s getting harder to resist an accessory refresh! It’s a dilemma, as I’m saving up for my summer holibobs, but I think the pastels-and-gold pieces we’ve found on p15 would look gorgeous in my bedroom… I’ll be saving a bit by upcycling a hand-me-down Ikea chest of drawers, though – see the idea on p55. It’s so easy to do, I think even I can manage it! Instead of a geo print, I’m going to use some leftover marble-effect wallpaper from Graham & Brown and marble knobs from Clas Ohlson. You’ll find all kinds of creative makes and fixes in the real homes and room makeovers in this issue. We’d love to see yours, too, so why not share them with…

MARKS & SPENCER Country botanist Get back to nature with botanical prints and an array of fresh spring greens HOMESENSE Serene sea Take inspiration from the coast with organic forms and tranquil shades ARGOS Boutique retreat Create a sophisticated space with soft pinks and luxe copper WILKO Modern Marrakech Add Moroccan-inspired flair using tile patterns in bold hues Style Maker EMMA SAYS ‘The Moroccan look is a great starting point if you love to travel – you can add eclectic pieces from each trip.’…

PICK A PATTERN Anita has used the Orla Kiely patterns she loves to tie her retro scheme together. Repeated all over the house on wallpaper, soft furnishings and accessories, they create a strong flow and the colours are picked up as accents throughout the different rooms. LAYER STRONG SHADES Anita’s confidence with colour gives her home a very cohesive look. She’s picked out accent hues of yellow and avocado that hark back to the Seventies, creating a retro vibe, but teamed those pops of colour with larger areas (such as walls and floors) painted in warm greys, to give the Seventies shades a modern feel. MAKE WALL DISPLAYS Create a series of mini vignettes on picture ledges. Anita has used these to show off not only framed artwork, but also…

MIX AND MATCH FLORALS When it comes to a full-on floral scheme like Sue’s, don’t be afraid to mix up patterns. Base your scheme around one item that you love, such as a cushion, pair of curtains or bedspread and start from there, bringing in different florals but keeping to a similar palette. Balance large blowsy blooms with smaller-scale ditsy prints, checks and plains in toning shades. UPCYCLE Repurpose or upcycle old furniture and give it a new lease of life. Find second-hand items in local charity shops and car-boot sales or try giveaway websites such as Freecycle or Freegle. Start small with an old chair, shelf or bedside table before working up to larger pieces. GET CRAFTY If you’re nifty with a sewing machine, why not make your own…

We moved into this house 13 years ago, and my husband, James, and I have been slowly working our way through the rooms ever since,’ says Louise. ‘The spare bedroom had sadly been ignored; it had become the place to sort and do the ironing. Catching sight of piles of washing all over the room one morning last spring, I decided something had to be done. The boring beige walls, grubby carpet and saggy bed had to go! The room isn’t huge and is an unusual shape, which is why it was chosen as the spare. One of the biggest problems was the lack of storage and the terrible bed – it wasn’t a room I was eager to show guests into. And as I’m a big fan of colour,…

‘IT PAYS TO SEEK OUT A SKILLED INSTALLER -EVEN THE MOST EXPENSIVE COMPOSITE WORKTOPS WILL LOOK CHEAP IF BADLY FITTED’ Jonathan Stanley, Caesarstone UK Composite worktops offer durability and strength. They’re often favoured over natural stone for their perfect finish and colour consistency – the swatch shade you select is exactly what you’ll get. They also feel reassuringly solid in a way that laminates can’t come close to. Q What is a composite worktop? A worktop made of more than one material is often known as a composite. The two main types are quartz composite (engineered stone or quartz), and acrylic composite (solid surface). The former is predominantly made from quartz, resin and pigments, the latter from stone and mineral dust, acrylic, resin and pigments. Q In what way are…

GOT A WOODEN DRAWER THAT KEEPS STICKING? RUB THE RUNNERS WITH A WHITE CANDLE TO GET THEM GLIDING AGAIN Show your metal… Guaranteed to be in every upcycler’s arsenal, chalk paint has revolutionised a vast array of DIY projects, thanks to the fact that it can be applied to many surfaces without the need for time-consuming prep. Sarah Jayne Chalk Paint has introduced two new metallic shades – a silver hue called Mercury and a rich golden shade named Stardust – that will give an old piece of furniture a fabulous new statement look. Or use them more sparingly to highlight or create a decorative feature. Apply with a brush and once dry, buff with a soft cloth. Be your own plasterer Sick of bumpy, uneven walls? Knauf ’s Proroll…

Debs Cane ABOUT ME I’m 36 and I live with my husband Kevin, 34, and daughter Evangeline, one, in a three-bedroom terraced house in Portsmouth. WHAT’S YOUR LATEST HOME PURCHASE? We recently bought a scrubbed wood farmhouse dining table and six former church chairs with the original prayer book holders on the backs. Robyn Swain ABOUT ME I’m 26 and I live in a Seventies mid-terrace house in Preston with my husband Sam, 29, and our daughters Mischa, five, and Izzy, three. WHAT’S YOUR BEST STYLE TIP? Don’t buy into trends too much, or you’ll end up spending a fortune trying to keep up, and your home will look like everybody else’s. Emma Lass ABOUT ME I’m 35 and I live with my husband Ashley, 35, and daughters Elsie, five,…

COME ON IN! ABOUT ME I’m Ebru Rackley, 27, and I work in a university as a student services manager. I live with my husband Andrew Rackley, 37, a production manager. OUR HOME We bought our four-bed Seventies house near Maidstone, Kent, three years ago. WHEN WE BOUGHT IT The house was in great structural condition but needed lots of work to bring it in line with our vision and taste. AND NOW It’s modern and glamorous – a great place to have friends and family around. STYLE TIP Pick the main hues for a room then use those colours to accessorise, with different shades and textures to tie it all together. We moved to Kent three years ago and just fell in love with its countryside feel,’ says Ebru.…

the STYLE RULES Go for a classic washroom with a Victorian vibe A trad suite teamed with grey panelling and an aged-effect floor creates an authentic vintage look. PAINT PANELLING Make a feature of panelling by painting it a calming shade of grey. Use several coats of bathroom paint to protect the surface from moisture and mold. KEEP IT LIGHT Ensure the look stays bright by painting the rest of the room off-white or cream. FAKE FLOORBOARDS For a shabby-chic effect that needs minimal upkeep, choose vinyl flooring with the appearance of aged whitewashed floorboards. STAY CLASSIC Complete the romantic feel with a classic bathroom suite, including an elegant pedestal basin complete with pillar taps and a traditional roll-top slipper bath. Classic VINTAGE Add French grey to…

Add wow to a plain chair with a wallpaper panel. Make a template for the seat and seat back using newspaper. Place the template on the wallpaper, draw round and cut out. Glue with Mod Podge and seal with varnish.…

My husband, Andy, and I chose this house because of its character and location, as well as its potential to become a lovely family home,’ says Maddie. ’It was ideal for raising our daughters, Lilia and Rosabelle, but we knew that it would take a lot of hard work to turn it into our dream home. We added a loft conversion and an extension, which created an open-plan kitchen and living space. The family bathroom was at the bottom of the list. It was shabby and outdated, but when we discovered that water was seeping through cracked floor tiles and staining the ceiling below, we realised that it was a job that really needed doing. The starting point As well as updating the fittings, I had three main issues that…

Ready, steady, sort! BIN OLD NEWSPAPERS Go through that pile of newspapers and magazines and separate them into keep-or-recycle piles. SORT THE LOFT Now’s the perfect time to head up to your attic and tidy away all the stuff you’ve dumped in haste beside the entrance hatch. AUDIT THE KIDS’ TOYS Assess the kids’ collection of toys and donate anything they haven’t played with for ages to charity. If they’re old enough, make sure they get involved! PRETTY PASTELS Stash all your spare batteries safely in this colourful caddy. Wooden drawers, £10, Wilko POT LUCK Get your home office sorted once and for all with help from this O-Tidy office organiser in Sky Grey, £26, Vitra range, Nest.co.uk SPECKLED STACK File bills, bank statements and important documents in these neat…

TURF LAID IN THE SPRINGTIME OFTEN NEEDS EXTRA WATERING DURING DRY SPELLS OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS YOU WILL NEED Fork Rake Straight board Turf pieces (enough to cover the area) General purpose fertiliser Half-moon cutting tool Compost or topsoil 1 DO THE PREP First, prepare the soil by clearing weeds and any old grass, and by removing large stones. Fork over the earth and then rake so that it’s level. Tread down the area in various directions, then rake over the soil, also in different directions. Rake in some general purpose fertiliser (read the instructions on the container to work out the quantities required). Water well. 2 GET STARTED Begin at one side or corner of your garden, and stand or kneel on a long board to avoid making foot…

3 of the best… ARTISAN-INSPIRED BUYS…

With spring just around the corner, it’s a given that pastel shades will once again make their annual reappearance on the interiors scene. But this year, they’ve been given a ravishing revamp with the added dimension of a metallic pairing. Copper and gold touches added to pale blues, pinks and greens take accessories from girly to glam in an instant.…

Give your home a striking new look that’s bursting with punchy character by choosing bold colours and look-at-me patterns. Bright accents such as mustard yellow and avocado green really pop when mixed with glossy white and smart greys and blacks, adding a modern twist to Seventies-inspired prints and accessories. Be daring and supersize your use of colour and pattern – go for bold feature walls in accent shades or deep greys, and wallpaper that champions classic, retro patterns.…

Give your living space the wow factor with a glamorous show home-inspired interior. Ebru has gone for a shimmering palette of metallics, mirrored surfaces and plush textures throughout her house. There are cool neutrals and touches of oyster pink and ivory in the sitting room, silver and platinum in the main bedroom, then warmer old gold and bronze in the guest room. In the all-white kitchen, a row of funky bar stools adds a bright pop of fuchsia against sleek grey quartz worktops. STYLE SECRETS Be inspired by Ebru's glamorous look and pick up some styling tips PILE ON THE PLUSH Add interest to a neutral scheme with different textures and finishes, from upholstered furniture in soft velvet or faux suede, to deep pile carpets and rugs and sumptuous soft…

1 Colour pops Bringing a few colourful touches to your kitchen-diner can make a real difference to the space, and using a zesty shade like yellow will add a lot more life. Paint only one or two chairs if the whole set seems a bit much, or even just the table legs for a subtle pop. 2 Keep it tidy Create pantry-style storage that would make Mary Berry proud by filling glass Kilner jars with pasta, pulses and dried baking essentials, then arrange them in height order along open shelves. Use paper luggage tags to label each one. 3 CASH SAVING If you’re hankering after a sleek, marble worktop, but can’t afford the hefty price tag of the real deal, cheat the look with a stone-effect laminate in a faux…

Our previous home in Bristol had a reception room knocked through to the kitchen to create an L-shaped open-plan space, so my husband Russell and I knew it would work for us,’ says Elisha. Budget was the biggest factor and we had to price up the plans carefully to check we could afford to build and furnish the space in one go. We wanted to create that same feeling of light and space, as well as fit in a dining table. Getting started Our first step was to get quotes. We were horrified to find that the architect’s design and build quote was double our budget. We discovered it would be cheaper to manage the build ourselves and employ our own builder, an engineer to advise the builder and an…

‘THE LATEST GADGETS SUCH AS LIGHTS, DEMISTERS, MUSIC AND SOCKETS ARE TAKING MODERN SMART MIRRORS WAY BEYOND HUMBLE BATHROOM ACCESSORIES’ Dan Cook, CP Hart No bathroom is complete without a mirror, but today’s smart designs offer so much more than a decent reflection. Featuring built-in luxuries designed to make our lives a little easier and more interesting, smart mirrors are genuinely useful kit, and not just for gadget geeks. What are the options? Q Popular tech includes built-in LED lighting, digital clocks, shaver/toothbrush sockets, Bluetooth speakers and heated pads that keep the glass clear. What if I really want to show off? Q Invest in a mirror that turns into a large TV for watching movies in the tub. In some designs the TV part covers only a small area…

TAKES 25MIN MAKES 6 150g self-raising flour 1tsp baking powder 2-4tbsp Stevia sweetener 160ml can coconut cream 2 eggs 4tbsp milk 150-200g punnet blueberries 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4. Line a 6-hole muffin tin with squares of greaseproof paper or paper cases. 2 Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in the sweetener. Tip the coconut cream into a jug and beat in the eggs and milk until smooth. Pour the mixture into the flour, add the blueberries and stir in until just mixed. Divide the mixture between the paper cases. 3 Bake for 15-20min, or until risen and just firm to the touch in the centre. Remove from the oven, lift out the muffins and place them on a wire rack to cool.…

Original floorboards always look beautiful, but they can develop squeaks when their nails get loose. This means that the floorboard isn’t firmly attached any more, so the pieces of timber can move and rub together. This is an easy job to fix, and doesn’t need any specialist tools. YOU WILL NEED Pincers or claw hammer Drill Screws Electronic pipe and cable detector 1 FIND THE LOOSE PIECE First, work out which board is loose (and causing the squeak) by walking on it to see if there’s an area that moves. If the floorboard is in good condition, take out the nails (use pincers or a claw hammer) and screw the board back down using the existing nail holes. Screws will pull it down tighter and are easier to remove if…

SPINACH & RICOTTA SPANAKOPITA TAKES 1HR 20MIN SERVES 8 250g filo pastry 3tbsp olive oil 2 onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 500g frozen spinach 250g ricotta 1 egg, beaten 1/4tsp nutmeg, grated 200g feta cheese, diced 30g pine nuts 1 Preheat oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/ Gas 6. Lay a sheet of the filo pastry in a lined 20cm flan tin. Brush with oil and repeat with four more sheets to cover the base and sides, trimming off any excess. Bake for 10min until pale golden. 2 Heat 1tbsp olive oil in a pan and fry the onion for 3min, then add the garlic and fry for 1min. 3 Meanwhile, microwave the spinach for 5min. Drain and squeeze out excess liquid. Add the onion and garlic to the spinach, mix…

FRY UP FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY WITH THE INGENIOUS MULTI-SECTION DIVIDED FRYING PAN,£39.99 FROM LAKELAND Brighten up your breakfast Bring some welcome spring colour to your kitchen worktop with De’Longhi’s new Argento Flora range of breakfast appliances. We love the soft, fresh shades of Agave Blue (right), Peony Rose, Peppermint Green and Jasmine Beige, as well as the retro design of the kettle and toaster set. Also in the range you’ll find a co-ordinating drip coffee machine to ensure you get your daily dose of caffeine in retro style. And if you’re thinking about Mother’s Day, they’d make the perfect gift! CHEAT’S EATS! Many of us struggle to keep coming up with meals that are full of flavour but light on calories. Thankfully, M&S has launched a tasty new dish…

A  Abode Home Products 01226 283434 abodedesigns.co.uk Amara 0800 587 7645 amara.com Amazon amazon.co.uk Andshine 01736 366568 andshine.co.uk Annabel James 0345 548 0210 annabeljames.co.uk Annie Sloan 01865 803168 anniesloan.com Appliances Direct 0871 984 4416 appliancesdirect.co.uk Argos 0345 640 2020 argos.co.uk Arthouse 01706 230077 arthouse.com Arthur Swallow Fairs 01298 27493 asfairs.com Artisans of Devizes 01380 735888 artisansofdevizes.com Audenza 0116 298 6393 audenza.com Avenue Floors 0845 226 8273 avenuefloors.co.uk B  B&M bmstores.co.uk B&Q 0333 014 3098 diy.com Bathroom Eleven 020 8398 8863 bathroomeleven.co.uk Bathstore 0330 053 5661 bathstore.com Baumatic 01189 311110 baumatic.co.uk Baytree Interiors 0808 168 9242 baytree-interiors.co.uk Bella Bathrooms 0191 303 7771 bellabathrooms.co.uk Benjamin Moore 01753 575756 benjaminmoorepaint.co.uk Black by Design 01889 502716 black-by-design.co.uk Blinds 2 Go 0800 862 0464 blinds-2go.co.uk Bombay Duck 020 8749 3000 bombayduck.com Boots 0345 609 0055…

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