Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2019 i Style At Home

Ma Richmond and I are busy prepping for the arrival of the Littlest Richmonds for their annual summer holiday at ours. Last year was a riot of den-building, tea parties with Willo the Wisp (our petite, grey rescue cat) and Kung Fu Panda on repeat while wearing panda onesies (thank you, Amazon!). I’m not sure how we’re going to outdo that, but I have some ideas involving flamingo inflatables. I’ll be taking some time out for some projects, too. The shed needs a makeover – any ideas? Send inspo via our Instagram hashtag below! Plus, I’m going to wallpaper the side of my staircase in Borastapeter’s Flora. Oh, and if you spotted the Ownable logo on the cover of this issue, turn to page 42 to discover what it’s all…

We’ve always been big on embellishment here at Style at Home and our love affair for the pompom still reigns supreme. So discovering that tassels are the new ‘it’ adornment for just about anything in the interiors world had us heading to the shops. Find these delightful decorations on wall hangings, cushions, throws and baskets, and if you’re feeling crafty, create your own with wool, thread or even paper.…

ABOUT ME I’m Holly Keeling, a stylist and interior designer. I live here with my husband Philip, a cardiologist, and our children, Ben, 21, Louis, 18 and Charlotte, 13. MY HOME A three-bedroom, semi-detached, converted 19th-century stone barn in north Cornwall. We bought it in 2008. WHEN WE MOVED IN Although it was in a great location and of sound construction, it was dark, dated and unloved, with rotten timber window frames throughout. AND NOW Replacing the windows and adding a balcony has transformed the exterior and allowed us to make the most of the sea view. While inside we’ve fitted a new kitchen, bathroom and wood flooring and updated the decor. STYLE TIP Don’t compromise on quality or you may end up needing to replace things in the near…

FEATHER & BLACK Traditional iron bedsteads, classic wood and upholstered designs, with co-ordinating bedroom furniture and simple, unfussy pieces. FARROW & BALL An extensive paint range based on historic colour palettes and made to original formulations that work particularly well in older properties. VANESSA ARBUTHNOTT Fabrics and wallpapers inspired by the seaside, wild flowers, meadows and woodlands, simply styled and in soft, muted colours. COASTAL HOME Unique, seaside-inspired buys and nautical pieces, from wooden birds to tide clocks, wall signs and prints. GARDEN TRADING Indoor and outdoor utility-style lighting in galvanised steel or enamelled finishes, from bulkhead lighting to fishing-boat-style pendants.…

ABOUT ME I’m Natasha Sidhu, 29, a content creator and social media influencer, and I live with my boyfriend, Ryan O’Grady, 31. MY HOME I live in a two-bedroom Seventies terrace in west London. We moved here in May 2016. WHEN I BOUGHT IT There’s only one way to describe its appearance – beige. It still makes me shudder, just thinking about it. AND NOW It’s bright, cheery and overflowing with foliage. There’s an emphasis on character and texture, and every item has earned its place by way of a great story. STYLE TIP Don’t forget about the smaller details, such as glasses, crockery or storage boxes. It’s often the little items that go a long way in terms of transforming your space.…

Natasha has brought personality home by banishing the beige in favour of fresh white and cool blue-grey tones, as well as an abundance of house plants on the shelves, floor and hung from the walls. With plants as a focus, clutter is kept hidden out of sight in baskets and retro storage furniture. Adding extra character, gallery walls showcase vintage prints, objects and mirrors.…

1 Once you’ve found the right spot, measure out the shape using decorator’s tape, making sure there is an even space either side of the frame in relation to the furniture or wall edges. 2 Create a border by using tape to mark out a second smaller shape inside your first. 3 Then, paint in between the two strips of tape in your chosen colour. A metallic emulsion will create a striking effect, or try a gloss for a contrasting sheen to matt walls. 4 The inner area of the border can be left the same colour as the wall, or you could paint it a stand-out shade (like Laura has) to complement your art.…

My old kitchen looked like it belonged in a youth hostel or a student house,’ says Leigh. ‘It was just a bland backdrop of beige and all my lovely chrome and silver accessories looked incredibly drab against it. I love to travel and was faced with the choice of an amazing trip to the Far East or a kitchen makeover. So I decided that if I could keep the budget to under £1,000, I could do both! I was inspired by my fearless mother – there was rarely a week that went by without me returning home from school to find her elbows-deep in a DIY project. Keeping costs down The cabinets were perfectly sound, but the beech-effect doors were just boring, so I decided I’d try my hand at…

Duropal Chapel Oak laminate worktops, £145 each, Laminate Kitchen Worktops. Walls in Dix Blue modern emulsion, £46.50 for 2.5L, Farrow & Ball; and Crown Breatheasy in White, £15 for 5L. Cabinets in Feelings furniture paint, £16.80 for 1L, Holman Specialist Paints. Metro XL Flat Grey gloss tiles, £20.66sq m, Tons of Tiles. Ekby Valter brackets, £2 each, Ikea. MDF 12mm shelves, £10.72 a sheet; Rust-Oleum black chalkboard paint, £12 for 750ml, both B&Q. Try the Ancient Mariner Vintage trestle table, £416, CFS. Tolix-style chairs, £59 each, Cult Furniture. Umbra floating book shelf, £9.44, Amazon. Warm white LED fairy lights, Lights4Fun, £12.99…

We needed a house with more space,’ says Becky. ‘Although this place was dated, it was just about liveable and in our budget – not easy to find in London. My husband Jim and I updated the fuse board first of all, and managed with the old water tank heating system. We were planning to start with a new kitchen, but when the shower started to leak on our first weekend here, we decided to put that project on hold and focus on the bathroom. Our bathroom was a good size, but the boxy shower cubicle and hot water tank cupboard encroached into the space. Making the room function better was our priority, and gave us the perfect excuse to update the heating system and install a new combi boiler…

Winchester dual-valve rain shower, £299; Clarity steel bath with handle clips, £169; Winchester bath shower mixer tap, £99.99; Camberley satin grey wooden bath panel pack, £179; Camberley satin grey vanity with basin, £279; Winchester basin mixer tap, £44.99; Camberley satin grey wall-hung mirrored cabinet, £119; Camberley low-level toilet with grey soft-close seat, £319; Dulwich black traditional towel radiator, £279; all The Bath Company range at Victoria Plum. Excellence easy-clean glass walk-in shower enclosure with right-hand tray, £175, Royal Bathrooms. Scintilla black patterned floor tiles, £25.95sq m; Jourdain green crackle metro wall tiles, £39.95sq m, both Walls and Floors. Underfloor heating, £126, The Underfloor Heating Store. Splash Samaki fish aqua roller blind, £91, Blinds2Go. Rustic wooden shelves with black brackets, £88, Etsy. Green and gold candle pot, £10, Sainsbury’s Home. Black…

Add a few fresh blooms to this trio of blue glass bottle vases for a decorative touch, £10.50, Gisela Graham Bring a touch of vintage chic to your scheme with the Aston heated towel rail in Black and chrome, £249.95, Victorian Plumbing Eliminate the worry of keeping real plants alive in your bathroom and cheat the look with this faux plant, £8, George Home Display greenery along with your bathroom essentials on this triangle frame shelf, £59.50, The Farthing Go for statement flooring with these Scintilla pattern vintage floor tiles, £29.95sq m, Walls and Floors Give your soap a pretty place to rest with this Aqua Azari soap dish, £7, MW by Matthew Williamson range, Debenhams Choose period hardware in a contemporary finish like this Westminster bath shower mixer, £139,…

Sandstone patio, £3,500, JS Property Maintenance. Shed, £289.99; pergola, £279, both Screwfix. Table and chair set, £500, Marks & Spencer. Franklin bar stools, £25 each, Ikea. Vintage bamboo coffee table, £30, eBay. For similar planter, try root planter, £149, Hayes Garden World; painted in Purple Pansy Cuprinol Garden Shades, £11.50 for 1L, Homebase. Orla Kiely watering can, £39.99, Ocado. Mastholmen side table, £30, Ikea; painted in Sweet Sundae Cuprinol Garden Shades, £11.50 for 1L, Homebase. Stoneware mug, £30, Melisa Dora Ceramics. Cushions, from a selection at Maisons du Monde, Habitat and Ikea. For similar lanterns, try Maisons du Monde, Next and Nkuku. Tropical plants, from a selection at The Palm Centre. Tropical flowers, from a selection at Wyevale Garden Centre. Vintage mirror, £15, charity shop. Mojito glasses, £24 for six;…

Roll out a Wimbledon-worthy lawn From north-facing gardens to kids who play football 24-7, some lawns can’t recover without a lot of love and attention. If you’d rather a hassle-free option that looks good year round, consider installing artificial grass. Carpetright has six different types available, priced from as little as £14.99sq m. Derwent artificial grass, £22.99sq m, Carpetright BOOST YOUR FIVE-A-DAY… According to the NHS, we should all be aiming to have 10 portions of fruit and veg a day, not just five. Juicing is a great way to up your intake, with a freshly-made juice or smoothie counting towards portions. Beko’s new Slow Juicer crushes fruit and veg at a slower speed than regular machines, which means your juice retains up to 80% more vitamins and 15% more…

Let’s go outside In recent years, wooden pallets have become a DIY staple, as they’re a cheap (and often free!) source of wood, perfect for all kinds of upcycling projects. In Pallet Wood Projects For Outdoor Spaces (£12.99, Cico Books), Hester van Overbeek presents 35 modern makes using these construction site leftovers. From garden furniture to planters and decorative accessories, most of the projects only require a basic toolkit to bring them to life. So source some pallets and get making! TRY YOUR HAND AT… BLOCK PRINTING WHY NOT TRY CARVING YOUR OWN BLOCKS FROM LINO? PICK UP A COMPLETE LINO CUTTING AND PRINTING STARTER KIT, £29, HOBBYCRAFT Block printing is one of the oldest methods of printmaking on cloth and is a simple and fun way of creating your…

Switch to fish Looking to cut down your meat intake and eat more fish? These crisp, garlicky kievs may be for you. Rather than the usual chicken, Sainsbury's has filled these scrummy kievs with Alaskan Pollock (a low-fat, mild, more sustainable alternative to cod), as well as the traditional garlic butter. They're coated in breadcrumbs and are ready to eat after just 20 minutes in the oven, perfect for a grown-up alternative to a fish finger supper. Forget burgers! Check out the new buns in town MAKE YOUR OWN HEALTHY KOMBUCHA AT HOME WITH THE KILNER KOMBUCHA TEA BREWING KIT, £29.99, LAKELAND Planning a gathering and want something easy and delicious to serve? You can’t go wrong with these new bao buns from M&S. They provide the perfect vessel to…

Make the most of warm days and layer up cushions to create the perfect spot for outdoor lounging. George Home's Lemon Soul range is reminiscent of British seaside holidays with cushions depicting beach scenes, as well as daisy prints. 3 of the best… SUMMER DRINKS BUYS…

1. Add print to the bathroom Refresh towels with a mix of geo prints in earthy tones and warm greys. Ceramic accessories with carved designs add subtle pattern and detail. 2. Go for black accents Metal planters and a black side table and lampshade punctuate the calm-inducing tones of terracotta, grey and inky blue to bring a little drama to this relaxed look. 3. Pile on the texture Yes, yes, yes to tassels, raw-edged fringing, pom-poms and tufted or looped textures. Hand-finished details on rugs, cushions and throws add even more cosiness to a bedroom. 4. Choose patterned soft furnishings To keep the relaxing vibe in the room, pick bedlinen in two-tone colourways. Subtle patterns add interest without overpowering any larger scale prints. Relaxed global GET THE LOOK…

1 Remove any handles and give the cabinet a good clean. 2 Once it’s dry, sand any flaking paint or varnish using fine grade paper, and wipe away any dust. 3 Apply a coat of chalk paint with a small foam roller to give a smoother finish, or use a large brush to add more texture. You will need to use a brush for the detailed areas you can’t reach with a roller. 4 If the paint is too thick, use water to smooth it out. Once dry, apply a second coat. 5 Rub any areas that would normally wear over time, such as corners, edges, patterned relief, hinges, handles and knobs, with coarse sandpaper. 6 Brush off any dust. Add a layer of wax for protection using a lint-free…

Holly has embraced the location of her home and filled it with furniture and accessories that emphasise its coastal setting. Bare wooden floors, white-washed and sealed for protection, against bright off-white walls, create the perfect backdrop for the array of inky, ocean blues, which flow through the house. Plus, rustic lighting, tactile furnishings and seaside accessories all help to tie the look together in this family home.…

1 Choose a light but sturdy branch, allow it to dry out and strip using a wallpaper scraper, then sand off any remaining bark. 2 Line up heavy-duty hooks on the ceiling towards each end of the branch, marking the position, ideally above a joist. Fix the hooks and, using garden twine or rope, line up with the ceiling hooks and loop around each end of the branch, or tie them on securely. 3 Display planters, vases, faux or real leaves, feathers and hanging decorations by looping string over the top of the branch and tying a knot to secure.…

After being so excited to get the keys on moving day and begin our new life in our new home, I cried with disappointment when we finally walked through the front door,’ says Laura. ‘Seeing the house stripped of the previous owner’s furnishings, with its damp bathroom, skirting hanging off the walls and silverfish in the kitchen floor, my bubble burst and I started to realise the full extent of the work needed – it was so much more than I’d ever anticipated it would be. Before moving here we'd spent a full year renovating a flat on the other side of town from the foundations up, reinstating period features along the way. However, when we actually starting living there, it didn't pan out as we'd imagined, as there was…

1 Start with two standard wooden shelves and a set of brackets. Cut one of the shelves to around two thirds of its size, or smaller if preferred. 2 Use a tape measure and a pencil to carefully mark out four holes on the smaller shelf, equidistant from the edges. Then drill the four holes. 3 Place the smaller shelf on top of the larger shelf and use a pencil to mark where the holes are. Measure halfway between the pencil marks on the left side and drill a hole at the midpoint. Repeat on the right side. 4 Fix the brackets and large shelf to the wall. Use two evenly sized pieces of string or rope to hang the smaller shelf. 5 Thread the rope from the top hole…

the STYLE RULES Set sail for a rural seaside escape Be inspired by nature and coastal walks for a relaxed look in earthy neutrals. KEEP IT LIGHT AND BRIGHT Pick delicate floral wallpaper with a subtle inky blue silhouette. Team with ticking stripe fabrics and pops of rusty orange. CHANNEL A BEACH VIBE Reference the seaside with a display of beach-themed accessories, along with seaweed and shell fabric and art prints. CREATE CONTRAST Choose distressed-style furniture in pale shades of wood for a nod to the driftwood look. Then pile high with patterned cushions. THINK PRACTICAL FLOORING An easy-clean floor, such as wooden laminate in a light grain, is perfect for beachside living. the STYLE RULES Settle down in an urban lakeside retreat Bring a boathouse…

ABOUT ME I’m Leigh Miller and I live in a two-bedroom terrace, converted in the Nineties, in south London. I share the house with Rufus, my miniature schnauzer. THE CHALLENGE The kitchen units were sound and the layout workable, but the room felt totally bland and uninspiring. I had a budget of just £1,000, so I watched YouTube tutorials and set about tackling the makeover myself. MY WISH LIST Painting the units a different colour was the main project, but adding new worktops, a laminate floor and new tiles were the finishing touches that completed the transformation.…

Refitting a kitchen can be costly and stressful, but if you’re happy with the layout and your cabinets are sound, why not consider painting what you’ve got? If you do the work yourself, there may even be money spare to splash out on new handles or worktops. Where should I start? You’re less prone to runs and drips if you paint your doors on a flat surface. Lack space or can’t remove them? Just cover the hinges with masking tape, taking care to conceal all the metalwork and paint in situ. Always remove the handles, and put dust sheets or newspaper on the floor. Do I need to prep them? Yes – no shortcuts! Cleaning is essential to remove kitchen grime. Use a specialist degreaser like Zep Commercial All Purpose…

ABOUT ME I’m Becky Stevenson, 35, and I live with my husband Jim, 34, and children Molly, three, and Bertie, one, in a three-bedroom Thirties semi in south London. We moved here in September 2017. MY CHALLENGE Dark panelling and tiled walls made the bathroom feel dark and oppressive and much smaller than it was. The room was badly laid out and I wanted to move the shower, but I wasn’t sure if I could make it work without the room feeling enclosed. MY WISH LIST We wanted to create a stylish bathroom that was practical for the children, and would be a relaxing place for me to have a bath. A walk-in shower was top of our must-have list.…

OFFSET-QUADRANT Ditch a sharp corner for a soft curve. Simpsons offset quadrant stone resin shower tray, L80xW100cm, £229, Drench SQUARE Keep it compact with a sleek square-shaped option. Linea square stone resin shower tray, 90cm sq, £284, Crosswater QUADRANT A great choice if bathroom space is tight. Mira Flight Safe quadrant stone resin anti-slip shower tray in Anthracite Grey, Dia90cm, £249, Victoria Plum RECTANGULAR Make a statement with this black slab-style tray. Piro rectangular stone resin shower tray, L80xW120cm, £170, B&Q PENTANGLE Slots neatly into a corner. Pentangle acrylic shower tray, Dia90cm, £133, Britton Bathrooms D-SHAPED Cut corners with curves all-around. Pearlstone acrylic capped shower tray, L94.5xW104.5cm, £79.99, Wayfair WALK-IN The raised drying section helps water drain away. Premier ABS capped acrylic walk-in shower tray, L90xW140cm, £220, Victorian Plumbing ‘IT’S…

When it came to designing the garden, I wanted to combine influences from mine and my partner’s childhoods – I grew up in the South of France and Fernando is from Trinidad,’ says Aurélien. ‘There's so much to love about Trinidad, it’s Carnival all-year round and vibrant colour everywhere! I thought we could mix lots of colour with decorative elements from my Mediterranean background, introducing things like mosaic tiles, home-grown herbs and alfresco living! Starting from scratch When we first moved in, the garden was an overgrown patch of lawn, invaded with brambles and weeds. We spent days digging it out until we could see how much room we had to play with. It’s a north-facing garden so I spent a lot of time working out where the sun hits…

Lounge on a colourful array of cushions. Bright stitch cushion, £35, Very Pop nibbles and drinks on a rattan side table. Otto woven table, £40, Matalan Add a little kitsch to cocktail hour. Cactus cocktail glass, £8 for two, Next Home Dot lanterns around for an atmospheric glow. Tropicana garden lantern, £10.95, Homebase Create a party vibe all summer long with Fiesta fabric bunting, £8.50, Talking Tables Dress the table with these Pattern Pop bowls, £10 each, West Elm Set up a bar area for evening drinks. Franklin bar stool, £25, Ikea Perch among pots for a tropical touch. Flamingo ornament, £7, George Home Transform a plain shed. Purple Pansy matt paint, £11 for 1L, Cuprinol Garden Shades, B&Q…

Add shimmer with paint Give wooden furniture a modern makeover with Protek’s new range of Royal Metallics Shimmer and Shine paint. Available in gold, silver, copper and bronze, each lustrous shade is ideal for both indoor and outdoor projects as they’re water repellent and provide protection, resulting in all year round glam! Team with Protek’s other colourful shades to refresh anything from garden sheds and workstations to old plant pots. Expand your toolkit Take the effort out of home improvements with B&Q’s new range of Erbauer cordless power tools. Each one shares an interchangeable battery, which not only saves time charging multiple tools, but makes it better value so you can expand your toolkit for less! The range is completely cordless for ultimate DIY freedom, including a lawnmower, hedge trimmer…

COLOUR POP Buy this bold unit for £45, add the display shelf for an extra £10. Billy/Bottna bookcase with display shelf in Yellow Red, £55, Ikea GATHER ALL Dash around a room armed with these baskets to collect all the clutter. Clemmie handwoven seagrass baskets, £65 for two, Habitat TALL ORDER Add instant storage and personality to a child’s room. Geoff the Giraffe bookcase, £124, Red Candy NAUTICAL AND NICE Combine essential storage and seaside chic with this handy beach hut hook, £7, M&Co TOTALLY TROPICAL Use as a safe place to store your kids’ favourite artwork and old birthday cards. A4 lemur storage box, £16, Sara Miller TANGERINE DREAM Corral your toothbrushes and trinkets in this jolly pair. Orange bathroom set, £10, ASOS Supply ON THE FENCE Use for…

FRESH TREAT There's a choice of tasty flavours to choose between. Gianni’s Greek frozen yogurt with Honey, £1.79 for 500ml, Aldi TUTTI-FRUTTI Made from freshly pressed fruit and fruit juices, these ice lollies are refreshingly natural. Blue Skies mango medley ice lollies, £2 for three, Tesco LIGHT LUXURY From just 320 calories a tub! Jude’s low-calorie ice cream in Peanut Butter, Vegan Chocolate, Vanilla Bean and Salted Caramel flavours, each £4.50 for 460ml, Sainsbury’s…

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HANG TIME We know our savvy readers are ahead of the curve when it comes to hanging chairs, so this will come as no surprise! According to John Lewis & Partners, sales of swinging seats and hanging pods are up 300% year-on-year, making them the must-have indoor/ outdoor seats of the summer. This absolute bargain, £18.99 from Vonhaus, will add laid-back coastal style to the garden. Bell tents to go wild for Yes, we are firmly still in the leopard print camp – and who knew it could look even better adorning a tent? These new roomy bell tents from Boutique Camping are perfect for festival-goers or family campers who want to stand out from the crowd (and find their tent in a sea of them!). Choose from a tropical…

When we first saw the place, it was dark and drab, with an unappealing interior and rotting window frames, but we weren’t put off,’ says Holly. ‘We knew we could change the look and feel of it. And the location – in a quaint Cornish village less than half a mile from the beach – was ideal. We’d enjoyed many family holidays in Cornwall over the years, so finding a spacious, reverse-level property with sea views in such a convenient location seemed like it was meant to be. Living the high life Most of the homes we’d seen before were tiny cottages, but the barn had been arranged with a large open-plan living room and kitchen upstairs, which we liked the idea of. Having the bedrooms downstairs makes sense, because…

1 Disguise an uneven wall with tongue-and-groove panelling. Panelling up to dado rail height is a popular choice. 2 Fix horizontal battens to the wall to nail your panels onto. You’ll need three battens for dado-height panelling: one at floor level, one level with the top of the panelling, and one mid-way. 3 Secure one panel at a time, using a spirit level to ensure it’s straight. For a neat look, hammer nails in at an angle through the tongue into the batten behind, before adding your next panel so nails are hidden in the grooves. 4 Once all your panelling is fitted, neaten the top edge with a length of trim and the bottom edge with a length of new skirting.…

Something I learnt very early on in our property search is that I’m a go-with-your-heart kind of girl,’ says Natasha. ‘After making the decision to buy, eight years into mine and my boyfriend Ryan’s relationship, I got a little swept up in the romance of it all, imagining how our lives would look in each house we viewed, and made the mistake of becoming too attached to every one. And sure enough, it never panned out quite how I saw it happening in my head. Until we found what we both felt sure was “the one” and came to an agreement with the seller. Sadly, after we’d spent three months waiting, the seller dropped out, leaving us exhausted, fed up and – even more annoyingly – in the peak of…

ALOE VERA Place in indirect light, planted in either cactus mix or sandy soil. Water once a week or every two during the winter and in summer, soak the soil but let it dry out between waterings. MOTHER IN LAW’S TONGUE Thrives in dark, dry environments. Water sparingly and don’t place in bright sun or in dry-air conditions. THE CAST IRON PLANT Can survive high or low light levels and survives on very little water. WEEPING FIG This indoor tree likes full sun or bright light. Ensure soil dries completely between thorough watering once a week. DUMB CANE This can grow up to 6ft. It thrives at room temperature – keep soil evenly moist and keep in low to medium lighting conditions. JADE PLANT The plump leaves of this succulent…

ABOUT ME I’m Laura Cowell, 40, and I work part-time at a local housing association. I live here with my partner, Chris Davis, and our six-year-old son, Oskar. MY HOME A two-bed Victorian terrace in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. We moved here 10 years ago. WHEN WE MOVED IN It was habitable, but needed a lot of attention. It was damp, shabby and the layout wasn’t ideal for us. AND NOW It’s been renovated with care and attention to detail. It has a nicer flow, and is in much better shape than the day we moved in. STYLE TIP Keep your eyes peeled wherever you are. A rummage around a junk yard, or even the rubbish tip shop can unearth unexpected gems to transform into something fab for your home.…

LA REDOUTE With a focus on French style, La Redoute makes chic Parisian pieces accessible to customers worldwide by way of its online store. Keep an eye out for its regular sale events. MERCI Offering all manner of homeware, from crockery and kitchenware to savvy storage solutions, Merci is your one-stop shop for stylish buys to deck out your entire house. MAISONS DU MONDE Another French favourite, Maisons du Monde offers both affordable furniture and accessories. Don’t miss the vast cushion collection. TROUVA Stocking gorgeous items from independent stores up and down the country, Trouva provides access to lesser-known brands and tricky-to-reach shops, thanks to its online marketplace. EBAY Arguably the nation’s go-to for second-hand homeware, eBay is an ideal outlet for those looking for low-cost pieces.…

1 Squeeze in a dining set Short on space outside? Don’t forgo an alfresco meal for two, instead go for a dining set that suits the most bijou of spaces. This slimline table and chairs have an elegant, country feel and provide a spot for both relaxing and dining. 2 MAKE A LANTERN Create a cosy glow by filling empty glass bottles with twinkling bottle stopper lights. Or pop candles in the tops of a trio of bottles for a candelabra-type display. 3 Clean the decks Spruce up garden decking by giving it a thorough clean. A pressure washer will do the job with very little effort and the transformation will be so satisfying you’ll want to spend the rest of the summer sat outside enjoying it! 4 Be savvy…

When it comes to layout, fix two or more shelves in evenly spaced rows and for symmetry place either side of a window, sink or cooking area. Alternatively go for a continuous line by placing your shelves in a horizontal arrangement around the kitchen. Group items in a variety of shapes and sizes, leaving space around the grouping to avoid an overly cluttered finish and to draw the eye in to each display. Cluster in a triangular shape by staggering the heights of objects. A stack of crockery, glasses or plants will add different heights and textures – try placing pieces on small piles of books. If you have a particular collection, use open shelving as a display area, group similar items together, such as jugs, vases or jars.…

Keep recipe cards neatly filed. Trunk storage set, £17 for two, Morrisons Hang an industrial timepiece. Newgate The Spy wall clock in copper, £70, Hurn & Hurn Add a flash of bright colour. Tolix-style metal chair in Yellow, £59, Cult Furniture Lend a touch of whimsy. Abigail Ahern koala table lamp, £95, Debenhams Store bits and bobs in hand-painted tins. Floral stainless steel canisters, £52 for three, Amara Group artisan ceramics on a kitchen shelf. Ceramic jug, £12, Sainsbury’s Home Invest in retro kitchenalia. Vintage 5kg kitchen scales, £40, John Lewis & Partners Bring the family together for meals. Dorset extendable trestle table, £486, Modish Living Pick your fave city. Totally Thames poster, from £6.95 unframed, Alex Foster at Juniqe…

As well as encaustic, ceramic or cement flooring, try vinyl sheets or tiles, a hard-wearing option that’s softer and warmer underfoot. A ready-made set of patchwork tiles can help create a relaxed but varied pattern guaranteed to work together in colour and style. Play around with layouts of modern, geo or circular shapes to create a unique pattern. A bold design works well in plain hues, whether in white or an accent colour from the tile. If you’re choosing a large-scale pattern on the floor, go for a smaller-scale pattern on the wall, and vice versa. Monochromatic shades of grey or black and white will go with vibrant wall colours and match almost any scheme. You don’t have to cover the whole floor with pattern – tile the middle section…

STANDARD OPTIONS Regular, square-shaped trays take up little space, work well in corners, and suit a wide range of door styles, including pivot or bifold doors. For a more spacious shower, go for a larger, rectangular tray, which can fit in a corner or against one wall with two side panels. SPACE SAVERS If space is tight, go for either a corner-fitting quadrant tray that has a curved front, which will take up less space than a square design, or a pentangle tray, which is similar but with a flat front. Offset-quadrant or pentangle designs fit into a corner, but are longer on one side to give a little more showering space inside. D-shaped trays are curved and compact and stand flat against one wall. WALK-INS In bigger bathrooms, a…

Use varied flooring to differentiate between dining, lounging and play areas. Decking is ideal for relaxing spots; hard surfaces such as stone or tiles are good for dining spaces and grass and bark work best for play areas. Zone areas with colour, whether it’s with bedding plants and bulbs or paint and stain on fences and walls. Try a simple white backdrop for sun traps and darker tones or warm wood finishes to create a cosy dining area. For an atmospheric dining area, a pergola is ideal to support climbing plants that create shade, plus lighting for an evening glow.…

CHERRY LOLLIES TAKES 5MIN, PLUS FREEZING SERVES 7-9 250g cherries, de-stoned 200g carton Greek-style yogurt 1tbsp honey Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 1 Place all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth. Pour the mixture into ice-lolly moulds and freeze for about 2hr, until the mixture thickens. Press a stick into each and return to the freezer until solid. 2 When ready to eat, dip the moulds swiftly into hot water to release the lollies.…

‘GET THE KIDS INVOLVED WITH GARDENING – SUNFLOWER SEEDS ARE A GREAT PLACE TO START’ Back when we were children, many of us spent hours building dens, turning any spare nook of the house and garden into a hideout. Despite now living in an age of PlayStations and iPads, no digital world can beat the magic created through imaginative play. Encourage little ones to spend time outdoors by creating this garden teepee. It’s made using foraged materials, making it a fun (and free!) project for the summer. YOU WILL NEED Four to six large tree branches Secateurs Gardening gloves Natural twine Scissors Lengths of ivy 1 GATHER MATERIALS Head to the woods or local park and forage four to six good-sized fallen branches. Use secateurs to remove side branches, and…

TOMATO & CHORIZO PASTA SALAD TAKES 20MIN SERVES 4-6 300g pennette pasta (or other small pasta shapes) ½tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1tbsp light olive oil 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 190g pack cooking chorizo, sliced 300g mixed tomatoes, sliced Juice of ½ lemon Large handful of rocket Large handful of basil leaves, torn Small handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 1 Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling water according to the pack instructions. Drain, toss in the extra virgin olive oil and set aside. 2 Heat the light olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and sauté the onion for 3min or until translucent. Add the chorizo and cook for 3min – turn up the heat slightly to brown. Toss with the pasta,…

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