Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2019 i Style At Home

Have you got your tree up yet?! I haven’t – I try to hold back until the beginning of December, so the excitement doesn’t peak too early. That hasn’t stopped us getting through two tubs of Quality Street already, though! I’ll have to hide them in the shed at this rate. This issue is full of creative (and not too spendy) ways to ramp up the magic and joy – so try to keep back a couple of weekends for making your own wreath (p112), crafting personalised crackers for the Big Day (p114), cooking your own Christmas pud on Stir-up Sunday (p118) and blitzing your gift list with our original finds (p12) and stocking fillers (p11). Don’t forget to share your festive makes and styling ideas via the hashtag below…

Back in the height of summer, the SAH team were joined by a crack squad of super stylists – picked for their all-round brilliance on Instagram (seriously – just check out their feeds) – to get in the festive spirit for our annual Christmas Tree Challenge. Three cheers for our hero retailers – Dunelm, Tesco, Matalan, Sainsbury’s Home and Homebase – for providing our Style Makers with glittering sackfuls of decorations, and a standing ovation for our Insta stars and their beautiful trees. Check out their looks, and let us know your fave by sharing a pic on Instagram with the tag #SAHxmastreechallenge. WANT TO TAKE PART NEXT YEAR? JOIN OUR INSTA COMMUNITY BY TAGGING YOUR HOME PICS WITH #SAHSTYLISTS, AND IT COULD BE YOU! Let us know your favourite…

This house was in such a sad state when we first viewed it that I don’t think anyone else was even interested!’ says Natasha. ‘Inside, everything was grubby and worn, and the decor was awful – turquoise kitchen walls and cupboards, an old-fashioned gas fire in the living room, and hideous vinyl wallpapers everywhere. The layout was very strange, too, as the living room was only accessible from the dining room, and you had to walk through the second bedroom in order to reach the bathroom. It was going to be a challenge, but the potential was there. The amount of work that needed to be done must have put most people off, but Gary and I were looking for a doer-upper where we could make our mark. Whitewash Once…

Comfortable and easy to live with, gentle neutrals create a calm and sophisticated mood and can be built up in layers to add depth. Pick your neutral’s base – warm neutrals have a red or yellow base, while cool neutrals have green or blue as their base. Think about how much light your room gets and the room’s aspect (whether it’s north- or south-facing) when choosing shades. While neutral schemes are good for a natural and timeless look, they can look flat and dull without the all important introduction of textures. Mix in finishes like grainy or rich woods, exposed brick and some luxe fabrics for depth and interest. Combine neutrals with a hit of monochrome for something a bit bolder – black accents can add a chic edge by…

Christmas is the perfect time to unleash your creativity and shower friends and family with personalised gifts and handmade treats – Hobbycraft makes the possibilities endless! Make it personal Look online or head in store for a huge range of great-value craft supplies, along with creative inspiration for making the festive season extra special. Hobbycraft has everything you need to make unique presents and bespoke home decor. Swap boring baubles in favour of custom-crafted fillable baubles filled with festive scenes, or why not personalise ceramic, wood or papier-mâché shapes – ideal for marking first Christmases and special occasions! For your Christmas table, DIY crackers that co-ordinate with your festive theme filled with gifts your guests will love are just the thing, finished with glitter and embellishments. Hobbycraft has plenty of…

‘White walls and accents of dark grey and black give the rustic interior a modern twist’ EXECUTIVE EDITOR Heather Young ‘Marie is a master at successfully balancing old and new elements. The rustic beams and bare stone walls look great next to the smartly tiled floors and simply painted kitchen unit’ STYLE EDITOR Michela Colling ‘Accents of zingy yellow and pale blue in the boys’ bedrooms add interest without overpowering the calm, modern-rustic vibe that Marie has carried through all of the rooms in the house’ SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR Stephanie Durrant…

A herringbone pattern is an on-trend option for arranging metro tiles and delivers an upmarket look, even when using inexpensive white tiles. Cover a large area, such as your kitchen splashback, to create maximum impact. For something a little different, lay the tiles vertically rather than in the traditional horizontal pattern. This arrangement helps to visually heighten a space, making it great for rooms with low ceilings. Stack ’em up. While you may be used to seeing metro tiles in an offset brickwork pattern, nail the minimalist look by stacking the tiles in neat formation. Choose a contrasting grout to highlight the grid pattern. Play around with grout colour. There are many more options than your standard white or grey. Pick from a whole rainbow of colour choices – there’s…

Charlotte has made her monochrome scheme cosy and inviting by layering plenty of tactile elements, such as tasselled cushions, woven wall hangings and luxe rugs. She juxtaposes this with sleek, modern shapes in both furnishings and accessories, including wire-framed chairs and origami forms. For Christmas, a frosted tree has a pared-back botanical feel, decorated with bejewelled decorations and plenty of sparkle.…

1 Add a hint of pink to your scheme While metallic shades of silver and gold will create the setting for a glamorous Christmas table, adding touches of pink will soften the look slightly and bring in some warmth, too. Choose pretty pink table linens and add a pink decoration to each place setting. 2 Pop presents in a basket Keep your wrapped gifts out of the way of pesky pets and free up floor space by storing them in baskets ahead of the big day. Why not label each basket with a recipient’s name? Then everyone can add their gifts to the pile. 3 CO-ORDINATE YOUR WRAPPING PAPER To ensure total cohesion under the tree, choose giftwrap in matching colours and patterns, finished with luxe velvet and satin ribbons.…

1 First, consider your general light source. This is the light you’d turn on when you want a daylight feel – it could be a central pendant, ceiling-mounted spotlights or wall lights. 2 Next, work in some task lighting around food prep areas. Spotlights and strip lights mounted under units or shelves are ideal as they cast a pool of light with minimal shadows. 3 If you have a kitchen-diner where you may want a more intimate feel for entertaining, mood lighting is especially important. Look for dimmable wall lights or plinth lights for a softer glow. 4 Finally, use accent lights to highlight a particular feature, such as an island. A row of pendants or an oversized statement light works well.…

Above all, it was the original features that really appealed to us when we first viewed this house,’ says Tessa. ‘Convinced it was the right one for us, we made an offer right away and moved in just over three years ago. We loved the wooden panelling, the fireplaces, the old doors, the delicate tiles in the hearth and the little nooks and crannies, and we’ve tried to preserve as much of it as we can. But the real problem was the bathroom – it felt like it was never clean, and the layout was totally impractical. The bath was on the right, with a hastily rigged up shower curtain, an old-fashioned washbasin under the window, a toilet on the left and a large airing cupboard we didn’t need. We…

Walls in Sapphire Salute easycare bath soft sheen, £11.99 for 2.5L, Dulux. Diamante White tiles, £32.28sq m; Tabula Chocolate floor tiles, £59.89sq m, both Topps Tiles. Premier P shower bath, £332; curved bath screen, £150; White Topaz shower, £891; Ambrose basin, £146; mono basin mixer, £229; Brampton towel rail, £983, all Hudson Reed. Mirror, £130, William Wood Mirrors. Cabinet, £49.99, Amazon. Wooden box drawers, £13.99 for three, eBay. Egyptian bath towels in Mustard, from £6 each; wash mitts, £3.50 each; bath mat, £10; Whale soap dish, £6; accessories, from a selection, all Dunelm…

Make your wrapping paper work harder Want to add variety to your present wrapping this Christmas but don’t fancy buying roll upon roll of paper? Then take a look at Cox & Cox’s beautiful range of reversible giftwrap. There are four stylish designs to choose from (well, eight, if you count the patterns on the reverse), including quirky, zoological Menagerie with its delicate pink underside. The patterns aren’t in-your-face-festive so if you don’t use them all up at Christmas, they’re perfect for birthdays, too. Menagerie reversible wrapping paper, £12.50 for a 10m roll, Cox & Cox WHIP UP SPILLS QUICKLY AND EASILY When your house is packed with people of all ages at Christmas, food and drink spillages are pretty much inevitable. When one happens, make it disappear quickly and…

Heart-felt style Look to Fat Quarter Christmas by Jemima Schlee (£12.99, GMC Books) to discover how to add a personal touch to your festive decor while using up fabric remnants. There are 25 fabulously festive projects to try, all made using fabric scraps no bigger than a fat quarter (half a metre of fabric cut in half again vertically). A thrifty way of making decorations, accessories and even giftwrap, these easy hanging hearts can be made in an afternoon and are packed with fragrant winter spices. MERRY MACRAME Join in this festive workshop at London Craft Club to make modern macramé Christmas decorations. You'll learn essential macramé knots to craft one of three mini wreath designs, finished with beautiful preserved foliage, leaves and grasses. By the end, you'll have picked…

PAPER STOCKING YOU WILL NEED Brown paper Zigzag scissors Patterned paper and fabric Glue Sewing machine Washi tape Ribbon Pom-poms 1 Draw a stocking shape onto two pieces of thick brown paper or a large envelope and cut it out using zigzag scissors. 2 Cut out one piece of brightly coloured fabric for the toe and another piece for the heel. 3 Glue the heel and toe pieces in place onto one side of the brown paper stocking before machine stitching around the shape, leaving the top open. 4 Carefully fold over the top of the stocking by around 6cm. Trim with two bands of ribbon or decorative washi tape. 5 Cut out two hearts from patterned paper or fabric, one slightly smaller than the other. Layer one heart on…

Combining traditional colours, Scandi design and kitsch motifs, George Home's All I Want For Christmas range is giving us the festive feels. With decs to suit everyone – from coffee lovers to crafty types – you're sure to fall in love with one or two.…

KATIE SAYS: ‘ The colours and tones of the Cool Yule collection are super warm and just make me want to sit around the fire with my family’ @thesilvermermaidxo Wall in Original Brick, £10 a roll; seven-foot deluxe western pine tree, £70; Arkin wooden frame accent chair in Grey, £229; Cleo footstool in Teal, £99; chunky knit Breckon throw in Orange, £25; Caprice side table, £79; Elements Ochre Roots rug, from £55; Black Simplicity stag head wall art, £9.99; felt squirrel, £4; metal bauble tree, £15; reindeer tea light holder, £3; fabric standing reindeer, £10; berry pine and twig wreath, £14; wrapping paper, from £1 a roll; (on tree) glitter star tree topper, £3; Cool Yule baubles, £7 for set of 34; Cool Yule recycled crackers, £3.50 for 12; Owl…

ABOUT ME I’m Natasha Jackson, 41, and I’m a flight attendant. I live with my husband Gary, 40, a photographer, and Lilly the cat. OUR HOME A two-bed Victorian semi in Crawley, West Sussex. We moved here in May 2012. WHEN WE MOVED IN There were dreadful colours and ugly, old-fashioned wallpaper everywhere. The kitchen and bathroom were really worn and dated and most of the doors were in the wrong places so the house just didn’t flow well. AND NOW We’ve rearranged doors and walls and even moved the stairs, to make the house feel calm and easy to move around in. We’ve brought in gentle colours, creating a timeless, elegant look. STYLE TIP Invest in good-quality feather cushion inserts – they’ll feel much nicer and help make a…

H&M HOME Elegant, inexpensive glassware with a vintage edge, and great-value linen tablecloths and napkins. THE WHITE COMPANY High-quality white and neutral bedlinen, plus beautiful, understated home accessories, Christmas decorations and scented candles. NEPTUNE Home of modern country furniture, timeless upholstered sofas, classic accessories and a range of traditional paint colours. ORIGINAL FEATURES Big selection of traditional, monochrome and coloured floor and wall tiles in different shapes. THE ORIGINAL BED CO One-stop online shop offering a wide range of well-priced, classic iron bed frames. Choose from brass and painted finishes, customise the size and add a mattress.…

During our first Christmas here, the house was still very much a work in progress,’ says Marie. ‘I remember posting a picture on Instagram of a tiny Christmas tree sat among the building site with a caption along the lines of “we may not have central heating or hot water but we do have a Christmas tree!” We’d originally hoped to have much of the ground floor completed in just six months (in time for Christmas), but, in reality, the renovations ended up taking over two years to complete. We bought the cottage back in the summer of 2012. Simon and I are seasoned renovators and we spent more than a year searching for the perfect property in need of some TLC so we could put our creative skills to…

Before you set off, make sure you have measurements of where the furniture will be positioned. Look at the potential – if there is repairable damage that won’t cost a fortune to fix or a sturdy framed armchair that can be reupholstered, it may still cost less than buying new. Flea markets and car-boot fairs can turn up a gem. Find a flea market near you or on your travels using fleamapket.com or antiques-atlas.com. Plan a trip once a year on the first weekend of September to Europe’s biggest flea market, Braderie de Lille. Get there early for the best finds. Search out your local reclamation or salvage yards for everything from tiles and radiators to flooring. Go online and set up alerts for particular items on eBay or Gumtree…

After graduating from university, and having rented a house for 18 months in Maidstone, Kent, my husband Matt and I started to look for somewhere to buy,’ says Charlotte. ‘We found this terraced house on a small estate and although it had clearly been decorated with love, it wasn’t to our taste at all. But the decor didn’t put us off buying the house, as it backs onto fields that you can walk straight through to a quaint Kentish village, plus there’s a nearby train station that has direct services to London, where I work as a bridal store manager. Out with the old There was cheap lino flooring in the kitchen and downstairs hallway, blue flowery wallpaper, cream and brown walls in the living room, dark cabinets in the…

Popular choices are string of pearls, string of hearts, Peperomia ‘Hope’, marble pothos, Scindapsus pictus, staghorn fern, Tillandsia, devil’s ivy and Boston fern. Place on windowsills or high shelves, or use pots inside macramé or string hangers. Hang near corners from sturdy ceiling hooks, or using large hooks or brackets so pots sit away from the wall. Use them to create a natural screen, hanging from varied lengths across a window. To water, take plants out of outer pots or hangers, fill a box or bath with a few inches of water and sit plants in, for around 20-30 minutes to absorb. Repeat once a week.…

Glam METALLICS Add a touch of shimmer to a mono palette the STYLE RULES Cosy up a contemporary scheme with twinkling gold Combine smart pieces in black and silver with warm golds and tactile fabrics for a welcoming space. BRING THE GLAMOUR Make monochrome Christmas-ready by adding plenty of luxe textures – think velvet throws and shimmering sequin cushions. MODERNISE IT Swap a traditional brick fireplace for a contemporary gas fire. You’ll still get the glowing flames but without all of the mess! ADD WARMTH Gold accents help to make a black and white scheme feel less cold. Choose warm lights instead of bright white LEDs for the tree. THINK RIGHT ANGLES Complement sharp-lined furniture with glass lanterns filled with candles and a wirework wreath. Merry…

Moving a few miles down the road two years ago enabled us to get our daughter into a good secondary school. The new home had more space and a bigger garden, but we knew we had a massive project on our hands,’ says Jane. ‘We’d totally renovated our previous home, and I had itchy feet once it was all done, so I was up for a new challenge. We could see lots of potential in the house, but it was muddled downstairs. Three different generations of the same family had lived there, and they had all added their own ideas, but there was no flow. We could see how we could create a really large open-plan space downstairs, with access to the garden. This would give us room to all…

Walls in Brilliant White matt emulsion, £9.99 for 2.5L, Dulux. Amazonas wallpaper mural, £249.95 a panel, Wallpaper Direct. Palio Clic flooring in Arezzo, £39.95sq m, Karndean Designflooring. Fireplace in Special Green tiles, £67.50sq m, Milagros. Splashback in Matrix White tiles, £19.50sq m, Topps Tiles. Infinity Plus Milano Ultra Bianco gloss top units and Elements concrete oak matt base units, £5,700; Luxury Laminate concrete oak worktop, £1,200; Neff hob, £732; sink and tap, £120, all Wren Kitchens. Jensen cluster ceiling light in Chrome, £295, John Lewis & Partners. Aldo brushed bar stools in Black, £69 each, Simply Bar Stools.…

ABOUT ME I’m Tessa Bird, 38, a family photographer @photographybylittlebird, and I live with my partner, Robbie Henderson, 35, a marketing manager, our daughters Mya, four, and Thea, two, and our French bulldog, Hank, in a Thirties mock Tudor semi in Addlestone, Surrey. THE CHALLENGE I wanted to create a bathroom that suited the needs of two small children, with plenty of space for us all to move around in and enjoy. MY WISH LIST A bath with a wider end for a shower, smart brick tiles, a dark wood-effect floor, plenty of storage and a few little finishing touches that reflect our love of nature and animals.…

The standard size of a UK bath is 170x70cm, and should fit comfortably within the average UK bathroom. But it only takes an awkward alcove, badly placed soil pipe or low-slung window to throw things out of kilter. Happily, with a bit of planning, and the right tub, it’s possible to shoehorn a bath into the most unlikely of spaces. Where do I start? By identifying where a bath can actually be plumbed in. This may depend on the direction of floor joists and position of the drain outlet, so get your plumber involved early. Think about ceiling heights, too. If the ceiling slopes, put the end of the bath at its lowest point – your feet won’t suffer from claustrophobia but your head might. What are the benefits of…

MONDAY 9 DECEMBER International Standard to Africa, Asia, Middle East, Far East, Caribbean, Central and South America TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER International Standard to Cyprus, Malta WEDNESDAY 11 DECEMBER International Standard to Eastern Europe (except Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia) THURSDAY 12 DECEMBER International Standard to Greece, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand SATURDAY 14 DECEMBER International Standard to Finland, Sweden, Poland, Czech Republic, Italy, Canada, USA MONDAY 16 DECEMBER International Standard to Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland WEDNESDAY 18 DECEMBER International Standard to Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed For FRIDAY 20 DECEMBER Ist Class, 1st Class Signed For, Royal Mail Tracked 48 SATURDAY 21 DECEMBER Royal Mail Tracked 24 MONDAY 23 DECEMBER Special Delivery Guaranteed…

CELEBRATE THE DIVERSITY OF NATURE BY ADDING ORGANIC EMBELLISHMENTS FEATURING VARYING COLOURS AND TEXTURES Bring a natural look to your front door this festive season by teaming lush fern fronds with slices of dried fruit and seedpods to create a beautiful rustic wreath. It’s a pared-back alternative to the usual glittery designs, bringing a sophisticated feel to your decor. YOU WILL NEED Rattan grapevine wreath Fern fronds Oasis floral wire Dried fruit slices Dried seedpods Secateurs Scissors Hot-glue gun Red ribbon 1 FORAGE FOR FERNS Gather a selection of real or artificial fern fronds. If real, shake off any bugs. 2 ADD FOLIAGE Place a cluster of fern leaves on top of a section of the rattan wreath, then wind a length of florist’s wire around the stems to secure.…

Put on a veganspread! Vegans have been fully catered for by M&S this Christmas with a fab range of dairy- and meat-free products. Start with the light Mushroom Bao Buns, £7 for 12 – stuffed with a mushroom, soy and hoisin filling. For mains, the delicious Root Vegetable Tarte Tatin combines beetroot, caramelised onions and carrots in a scrummy rosemary vegan pastry. Serve with the cheekily named No Pigs In Duvets, £3.50 for 12 and you’ll have everyone (vegans or otherwise) full and happy. Hang some edible decs on your tree Whether you’re looking for a unique gift for friends or family or just want another reason to indulge over the festive period, you can’t go wrong with Chococo’s new edible baubles. Available in four flavours – two of which…

SPOIL-YOURSELF TURKEY CROWN TAKES 2HR 15MIN, PLUS RESTING SERVES 6 75g butter, at room temperature 1tbsp chopped fresh rosemary 1tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus extra to garnish 1 garlic clove, crushed Zest of 1 lemon, plus ½ lemon, cut into 4 2.5kg turkey crown 1 onion, peeled and quartered 250ml white wine 2tbsp olive oil 1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/ Gas 5. Combine the butter, rosemary, thyme, garlic and lemon zest. Season with black pepper. Make a pocket between the skin and the turkey breast. Rub the butter under the skin. Put in a roasting tin. 2 Put the lemon and onion inside the cavity. Pour the wine and a cup of water into the tin. Rub the bird with oil. 3 Roast, uncovered, for 30min. Baste, cover…

Victrola wood coffee table with Bluetooth speaker, £229.99, Amazon. Personalised Four In A Row game, £120, Notonthehighstreet.com. Luna wall hanging, £35, Oliver Bonas. Throw, £14.99, HomeSense. Jasmine, lemongrass and ginger candle, £25, Sara Miller. Wellbeing ritual aromatherapy mini tin, £26, Scentered. Made x Kreafunk radio, £129, Made.com. Ring video doorbell, £99.99, Studio. Kilburn fork and trowel set, £23, V&A Shop. Buy now with Ownable ...For foodie friends Penguin biscuits, £10.95 for two, Biscuiteers. Mad Millie vegan cheese kit, £33, Amara. Eva solo measuring trivet, £24, Forma House. The Big Foodie Quiz game, £10, Next Home. We Three Drinks Christmas spirits trio, £59.95, Notonthehighstreet.com. Iced dessert maker, £120, Cuisinart. Street food sauces, £10 for set of seven, Wilko. Stars salad servers, £29.50, Oliver Bonas. Frying pan, £2.99, HomeSense. Pretty Useful Tools…

AMY SAYS: ‘The deep reds of the Berry Christmas collection are synonymous with Christmas for me’ @harrison_nate_and_me Walls in Library Panel, £90 a roll, Historic Royal Palaces collection at Cole & Son. Six-foot pre-lit tree, £45; Berry Christmas baubles, from £2 each; gift bags, from £1.75 each; Berry Christmas eucalyptus and berry wreath, £18; faux berry wreath, £18; Berry Christmas garland, £20; faux berry garland, £20; stag ornament, £14; Berry Christmas serve bowl, £12; Berry Christmas nibble bowl, £2.75; Berry Christmas spice candle, £5; Berry Christmas snow globe, £18; cushion, £14; Red throw, £32, all Sainsbury's Home. Evie fabric armchair in Natural, £139.99; Bliss deep-pile shaggy rug in Navy, from £60; nest of tables in oak effect, £34.99, all Argos SAH loves…

1 Start with a basic foam wreath. If yours is green, wrap it in white ribbon or newspaper first, pinning the ribbon or paper in place when you’ve completely covered the base. 2 Cut large leaf/petal shapes all the same shape, from heavy white cardstock. Alternatively, use varied shapes and sizes – large and small leaves, plus holly leaves and then some flowers with six petals and smaller ones with four petals. 3 For a small or medium wreath, aim for around 25 to 30 larger leaves and flowers, along with around 15-20 smaller shapes. 4 Use a ruler to score lines along the middle of the leaves and across the flowers. Then fold them gently along the lines to create slightly 3D shapes. 5 Arrange them around the wreath…

ABOUT ME I’m Marie Nichols, 39, an interiors stylist. I live here with my husband Simon, 39, a graphic designer, and our sons Albie, six, and Freddie, three, and dog Dudley. OUR HOME A three-bedroom, Grade II-listed semi-detached cottage in Kent. We moved here in 2012. WHEN WE MOVED IN It was in a dire state with no central heating. Many of the original features had been covered up and the downstairs layout felt dark and poky. AND NOW We’ve reworked the downstairs creating a light open-plan kitchen-diner, as well as restoring original features and adding French doors and windows. STYLE TIP Stay true to the character of the property and do what feels right for the house.…

Cut a piece of linen fabric (60x90cm) and take a second piece of the same fabric and cut into four strips (hemmed top and bottom) for the pockets. Sew a channel at the top of the larger piece of fabric (to hold a length of dowel) and attach the four strips of fabric to the larger piece, in rows, sewing them horizontally along the bottom, leaving the top edges open. Create individual pockets by sewing channels (stitching rows vertically). You need to create six pockets per row, 24 in total. Trim the calendar with a contrasting fabric and decorate with felt numbers (stitch or glue in place). Hang with coloured cord.…

ABOUT ME I’m Charlotte Pauley, 28, a bridal store manager. I live here with my husband Matt, 31, and Max, our house rabbit. MY HOME A three-bed terrace on a small estate in Kent, built in 2008. We moved here in January 2015. WHEN I MOVED IN It was old fashioned, with dull wallpaper and cream and brown paint everywhere. But it had potential, and the structure was good. AND NOW Every space has been refurbished from top to bottom. Our next project is the front garden and then, if we decide to stay, we will redo the hallway. STYLE TIP If you’re starting from scratch, paint everywhere white and buy furniture you can restyle and update as your style develops.…

H&M HOME Discover inspiring collections that cover everything from on-trend printed cushions to sumptuous bedding options, glassware and super stylish festive decorations. IKEA The perfect place to stock up on great-value homeware and its Christmas ranges are always spot on. WEST ELM Charlotte bought her rug from here – look out for those special investment buys that will last for years. URBAN OUTFITTERS For those who want more of an individual home style, Urban Outfitters is your one-stop shop, especially if you prefer a boho look. NEXT HOME One of the high street’s best places for homeware, Next Home’s festive ranges cover numerous trends.…

STYLE AT HOME SAYS… ‘Mixing up different shades of green, from cool eucalyptus to pops of lime, will add depth’ DECORATING EDITOR Nicky Phillips ‘This wallpaper steals the show to set a country mood. Perfect for Christmas, it will also work year-round’ FEATURES EDITOR Holly Walsh ‘More is definitely more, so making sure everything comes in multiples is key to this look’ EXECUTIVE EDITOR Heather Young ‘A joy for colour-lovers, this cocktail of shades will add make-you-smile style to the holidays’ STYLE EDITOR Michela Colling…

ABOUT ME I’m Jane Vincent, 39, a graphic designer and artist, @janevincent.art, and I live with my husband, Dave, 45, a homecare manager, and our children, Anya, 12, and Jessie, eight, plus dog Molly, in a three bedroom Twenties semi in Shepperton, Surrey. MY CHALLENGE To reconfigure the space and add an extension to provide a large open-plan kitchen/ diner with a comfy seating area. MY WISH LIST A dramatic wall of jungle wallpaper, some vibrant handmade tiles, a contemporary neutral kitchen with an island and a separate space for relaxing.…

Make the most of unused garden space or an awkward side-return area, by adding a space-boosting, light-enhancing extension to your home. There’s a lot to consider before you take the plunge, starting with whether you can live in the property while the work is carried out. If dust and chaos isn’t your bag, you’ll need to factor temporary accommodation into your budget, too. Is my home suitable? Obviously you need space outside to extend into, but equally you don’t want to eat into too much of the garden. Also, if there’s no external access to the site, and going through the house is a no, forget the idea. Public or shared drains and utilities running under your garden may also cause complications and, in some cases, can mean planning refusal.…

Smaller accessories are an easy way to add colour – it’s as simple as switching in a bath mat or adding a couple of plant pots or some wall art. Paint and tiles can inject colour or pattern, too, but you don’t have to cover a full wall – try panelling or painting half a wall, or simply paint or tile a splashback. If you don’t want to go big on colour, a light fitting or blind can bring in just a subtle amount. Vivid shades make a stronger impact with a white background, which makes the room feel airier and allows colours to pop. Wallpaper is another option, as long as the bathroom is ventilated and the wallpaper doesn’t come into direct contact with water. Go for one labelled…

CHOCOLATE FRIDGE WREATH CAKE TAKES 1HR, PLUS CHILLING SERVES 32 300g milk chocolate 80g dark chocolate 200g butter 6tbsp golden syrup 225g marshmallows, quartered 300g ginger nuts, crushed 2 x 120g pack McVitie’s Chocolate Nibbles TO DECORATE 15 bay leaves Edible silver lustre spray 180g dark chocolate 2tsp vegetable oil 12 chocolate truffles Edible silver glitter 1 Put the chocolate into a bowl with the butter and golden syrup. Melt over a pan of simmering water. 2 Remove from the heat and stir in the marshmallows, ginger nuts and chocolate nibbles. 3 Put a greased and wrapped tin can in the centre of a 23cm-wide greased and lined springform cake tin and spoon the mixture around it, then chill for 30min. 4 Spray the bay leaves with the edible silver.…

Ready, steady, sort! TIDY YOUR GUEST ROOM Clear the year’s worth of stuff you’ve been squirrelling away in the spare room to create a smart guest room for visitors. SORT THROUGH THE KIDS’ TOYS It’s the annual clear out to make way for the Christmas haul! Donate anything they’ve grown out of to charity. CLEAR YOUR LIVING ROOM Strip back the clutter so you have space for the tree and all the rest. COLOUR CODED Use as a group or split this trio between several rooms for extra storage. Seagrass storage baskets, £25 for three, Oliver Bonas SMART STACK Keep the fireplace tidy with a sleek log store like this one. Round iron log holder, £70, Cox & Cox RACK IT UP Guest room wardrobe full of out-of-season clothes? This…

A  Amara 0800 587 7645 amara.com Amazon amazon.co.uk Annabel James 0345 548 0210 annabeljames.co.uk Anthropologie 0800 0026 8476 anthropologie.com Architect Your Home 0800 051 5304 architect-yourhome.com Argos 0345 640 2020 argos.co.uk Asos asos.com Audenza 0116 298 6393 audenza.com B  B&Q 0333 014 3098 diy.com Balsam Hill 01234 227155 balsamhill.co.uk Bathroom City 0121 753 0700 bathroomcity.co.uk Benchmarx Kitchens benchmarxkitchens.co.uk Big Little Toys 07802 331431 biglittletoys.com Biscuiteers 0870 458 8358 biscuiteers.com Bobby Rabbit 01143 217000 bobbyrabbit.co.uk Britton Bathrooms 01322 473222 brittonbathrooms.com C  Carluccio’s 020 7580 3050 carluccios.com Carpetright 0330 333 3444 carpetright.co.uk Cath Kidston cathkidston.com Charnwood 01983 537777 charnwood.com Chococo 01929 421777 chococo.co.uk Clarke & Clarke 01706 242010 clarke-clarke.com Cox & Cox 0330 333 2123 coxandcox.co.uk Crown 0330 024 0281 crownpaints.co.uk Cuckooland 01305 231231 cuckooland.com Cuisinart 0870 240 6902 cuisinart.co.uk Cult Furniture…