Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2020 i Your Home

Now the Christmas decorations have been taken down, our homes can sometimes feel a bit sad and bare, so we’ve made sure there is lots of inspiration in this issue to cheer your home up again. If your New Year’s resolution is to tackle the piles of ‘stuff’ that have mounted up in your home over the last few months, then check out our brilliant clutter-busting feature on page 36 to help you make every room feel calmer, clearer and less chaotic. The bathroom in particular can be problematic for busy families, they’re often cramped and can all too easily get cluttered with all manner of toiletries. So, on page 54, we look at some of the smartest storage solutions and space-saving ideas to make your family bathroom work harder…

Your Letters, Your Home magazine, Immediate Media Co, Eagle House, Colston Avenue, Bristol BS1 4ST or email yourhome@immediate.co.uk Letters may be edited. We apologise but photos cannot be returned. This month’s prizes are courtesy of Blossoming Gifts. This issue’s letter of the month will receive an ‘Antique’ bouquet of flowers worth £44.99. Three runners-up will each receive a bouquet of flowers worth £19.99. To see more products, visit www.blossominggifts.com.…

POWER BLENDER PLUS, £35 , WILKO This bullet-style blender is very effective and blends ingredients into a smooth consistency in a short amount of time. Although slightly bulky, it is simple to use and well designed with suction-cup feet to anchor it to your work surface. The detachable, twist-on blade simplifies the cleaning process and the affordable price point is an added bonus! PERSONAL BLENDER & SMOOTHIE MAKER, £39.99 , LAKELAND The smallest of the four models here, this blender would be great for small kitchens due to its compact size. It slightly struggles to blend larger chunks of frozen fruit but, with a bit of patience, produces a smooth liquid. The simple design is easy to wipe clean and noise is kept to a minimum while it’s…

Keen as Mustard Starting a business is never easy, but starting one with your sister, who lives on the other side of the world, is brave. Happily, Becca and Jess decided on a beautifully simple idea, creating stylish and practical lockers in a range of eight Instagram-friendly colours. They’re available in multiple size options, with prices starting from £129, and extra shelves and matching storage baskets are available. Mustard lockers are a utilitarian storage solution with a big heart. ALL IS CALM Making space for extra guests in the holiday season can be a nightmare, with some sofa beds of the past being heavy or too flimsy. This sleek offering from John Lewis and Partners will have you sleeping soundly. Foam cushions create a deep, soft mattress and the clever…

Gemma Vye adores the pretty 1930s house she lives in with her husband Mark, daughters Sophia, nine, Izabelle, five and cockapoo Peggy in Gloucester – but the hallway was her least favourite space. ‘Sophia was just a baby when we moved in and we had nowhere to store the buggy, bags, coats and shoes. It always felt like we were tripping over ourselves trying to get in and out of the house,’ says Gemma. With a lack of storage space and no natural light, the cramped, dark hallway needed a complete rethink. Gemma, who works as a kitchen designer, had a clever plan to extend the space out into the porch area but, knowing just how much chaos it would create, she was reluctant to start the work. ‘Eventually, we…

Cara and Andy Baker run a building company, so they weren’t phased by the work needed on their three-bedroom detached 1930s house in Wolverhampton. When they bought it in March 2013 the entire property needed gutting, including the lacklustre hallway. ‘It wasn’t very welcoming,’ remembers Cara, 46. ‘The floorboards were water damaged so it looked a bit dingy and the walls were crumbling. It also needed new doors, skirting boards and a stair rail.’ STEP ONE As part of the first phase of their building work, loose plaster was removed in the hallway, the walls were boarded and both the walls and ceiling were skimmed. ‘Unfortunately, the newly plastered ceiling fell down overnight as it hadn’t adhered to the old lime paint and had to be boarded and re-done,’ says…

HALLWAY Hallways are notoriously a dumping ground. But they’re also the first impression anyone gets of your home, so why not make it as sleek and organised as possible? Ensure there’s plenty of hooks for coats, hats and bags, a separate place for shoes to be stored and a handy drawer to safely store keys Hello hooks, £8; coat stand, £30; Nova easy-fit pendants, £45; Fulton storage bench, £149; chunky jute runner, £28; mechanism grey clock, £20; self-adhesive floor tiles, £14, all Dunelm When all the tidying and decluttering is done, treat your hallway to a bright, new door mat to welcome guests in style Happy door mat, £18, Oliver Bonas Hang this rack in the hallway so that letters can be swept off the floor and into the shelf…

At this time of year, when the dark nights mean we spend more time inside our homes, it’s important to create personal spaces where you can enjoy some well-earned ‘you’ time. We’ve pulled together the best snugglers and small love seats to help you create a safe haven to retreat to when all you want to do is nestle down with a good book and a mug of something warm. These chairs are ideal to place in a small corner or alcove, and the rich colours and luxe fabrics will create a real focal point for your room. Although perfect for one, most of these chairs have room for two to snuggle up in. CHAIR HUG This statement piece will add a bold pop of colour to your room. For…

SMART TV Smart TVs seamlessly stream online content through your broadband connection, so you can catch up on your favourite shows and connect to social media. When choosing a new television, look at the smart features available – most offer catchup TV, such as BBC iPlayer and streaming movie services, such as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. Most new TVs today are ‘smart’. Different TV brands use different operating systems, so certain smart applications will only work with certain TV brands. If you subscribe to a movie service already, then make sure your new set supports it. PICTURE RESOLUTION This is measured by the amount of pixels in a screen. The higher the density of pixels, the higher the resolution. HD Ready (High Definition) 720 x 1,280 pixels. Capable of…

Tracey and Huw inherited a cream kitchen when they moved into their home nine years ago. They painted the walls soon after that but the couple recently reached a point where they had to admit the units had seen better days. ‘The layout of the kitchen and cupboard space worked well, and we knew that having a whole new kitchen fitted was beyond our budget. But the state of the units was starting to get me down because I love cooking and baking, and it wasn’t as enjoyable in a room that was falling apart,’ explains Tracey. ‘Also, our kitchen leads into our dining area, which I was about to buy a new table for, so I knew it was time to make some changes in the kitchen without spending…

The entrance to your home is the first thing people see when they come to visit – so it’s important to make a good impression. You can do just that by making this pretty wooden planter to go with your house number. All it takes is a few offcuts of wood and a couple of hours of work. Here’s how… YOU'LL NEED ● one offcut of 9mm exterior plywood, at least 31 x 38cm ● offcuts of 18mm thick x 119mm wide timber ● screws ● dark furniture wax ●› soft clean cloth ● Fab & Fix 80mm door numerals in gold, £3.29 each, Screwfix ● tape measure ● pencil ● saw ● sandpaper ● drill STEP ONE Start by cutting your back board. From a sheet of 9mm thick…

Q We’re planning a flat-roof kitchen extension for our semi-detached home. Please can you advise us on how we can best bring light into the space? Grace, Carlisle A Carl Frederik Brünner Gierding, Business Manager of Vario by Velux, suggests… For anyone considering a room extension, it’s important to understand how directional light can transform and improve a space. People often place a lot of focus on facade light, the type that comes in horizontally through facade windows or bi-fold doors, which is important for creating a good connection between the kitchen extension and the garden. But, when an extension is added the light will be moved outwards towards the garden, which often creates dark areas both in the extension and especially in the original part of the home. To…

WE ARE Laura Dixon, a design lecturer and Mike Holmes, a science lecturer. OUR HOME is a detached four-bedroom house in Belfast built in the 1930s. MY BEST BARGAIN is our two leather Chesterfields. We bought them on eBay for £700. MY TOP TIP don’t be scared of colours. MY ADVICE is to be on site as much as possible. We both work full-time, so good communication was key. TO RELAX I go out for dinner – we are both foodies. I also go for walks and check out fabulous wallpapers online! SHOPS I LOVE H&M Home, it is such good value and so on-trend. I also love Gumtree and junk shops.…

I AM Lily Van Lennep, a 26-year-old textile artist. MY HOME IS A two-bedroom converted 19th-century cart shed in north Lincolnshire, which was formerly an office. MY FAVOURITE ROOM IS The main bedroom because of the mix of pink and green. Sleeping in the four-poster bed makes me feel like a princess. MY FAVOURITE FEATURE IS The view and the open-plan style of the house. The two go hand in hand. MY DESIGN TIP IS Always bring fabric and paint samples home so you can see them in situ. Be open minded about where you buy from and don’t be afraid to mix and match. MY BEST BARGAIN IS The dough bin, which I use as a stand, in my bedroom. It was £180 from Hemswell Antiques and is just…

WE ARE Jade Simpson, 30, a home design consultant at Next, my husband Liam, 32, a cricket development officer, and our children Harry, eight, and Libby, five, plus dog, Teddy. OUR HOME is a three-bedroom 1930s semi in Chester-le-Street, Tyne & Wear. THE BEST BIT ABOUT LIVING HERE is being within walking distance of the town centre and Liam’s work. MY BEST BARGAIN was our bed from Dreams, reduced from £500 to £99. SHOPS I LOVE are Next, which has some lovely, different pieces and is really good quality. Dunelm is good for affordable accessories and Very is great for furniture. MY TOP TIPS are have a changearound every year by selling homewares on Facebook Marketplace before getting any new pieces. MY ADVICE is just go for it and don’t…

Tiger prawn and fish stew PREPARATION TIME 15 MINUTES COOKING TIME 25 MINUTES SERVES 4 ★ 1 tbsp olive oil ★ 1 leek, finely chopped ★ 1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped ★ Ω tsp sweet smoked paprika ★ 1 tbsp tomato purée ★ 2 tsp sherry vinegar (or white or red wine vinegar) ★ 200g tomatoes, roughly chopped (or a 227g can chopped tomatoes) ★ 500ml Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients fresh fish stock ★ 220g pack Big & Juicy whole Madagascan tiger prawns, defrosted ★ 4 x 120g white fish fillets (such as cod or hake) ★ handful flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped ■ Heat the oil in a large sauté pan or shallow casserole. Add the leek and fennel with a pinch of salt, cover and sweat for 5…

Joelle Tosti and her husband Bhupinder Singh had had enough of renting in Rugby but didn’t think they’d be able to afford to buy a home big enough for themselves and their three boys, aged four, eight and ten. But the Help to Buy equity loan scheme came to their rescue, and they’re now the proud owners of a four-bed house at Crest Nicholson’s Hansford Park development in Houlton, a new community on the outskirts of the town. ‘We decided to look into the costs of buying and, when we discovered Help to Buy, we realised that we had already saved enough for a deposit,’ says Bhupinder. ‘We’ve upsized from renting a three-bedroom house to owning a four-bed. Our monthly rent on the smaller home was £1,100, and our mortgage…

HEROIC HEMP Hemp is a bit of a wonder crop because it’s fast-growing, high-yielding and requires much less water to farm than cotton. The harvested hemp is processed to create soft, breathable fibres that are perfect for luxurious bed linen and the fabric becomes even softer after each wash. Allergy prone sleepers can rest easy knowing that it’s also hypoallergenic and antibacterial. Housewife pillowcases, £30 a pair from www.soakandsleep.com. HOT STUFF Turn your Christmas leftovers into nutrient-rich compost that’ll be ready for spring with this super speedy hot compost bin. The Hotbin insulates kitchen and garden waste as it decomposes, transforming waste into compost up to 32 times faster than cold composting and giving you rich, crumbly compost in 30 to 90 days. Prices start at £150 for the 100…

SMART SAVINGS  Save more than £700 per year by putting £60 per month in an easy access savings account. Even with a low interest rate of around 1.4%, this could be enough to treat the family to a new laptop. DELL’s Inspiron 14 5000 costs around £699 at Curry’s PC World and features a 360º hinge which means it doubles up as a laptop and a tablet. Tent mode is ideal for looking at recipes as you cook, while stand mode is perfect for watching moves without the keyboard getting in the way. YH FAB FIND Planning to get fit? Track your activity with Withings’ Move ECG watch, which costs a lot less than an Apple Watch, while offering many of the same features. It will display the time and…

Ludlow 2 front door, £POA, Solidor. Lamp Room Grey emulsion, £46.50 for 2.5l, Farrow & Ball. Brilliant white satinwood, £27 for 2.5l, Dulux. AP01 Blond Oak Parquet, £68.99 per sq m, Karndean. Primo Excellence Elite carpet in Silver Charm, £17.50 sq m, Cormar Carpets. Bench seat and coat rack, bespoke. Honey rattan storage baskets, from £12, The Basket Company. Henley console table, £820; Somerton console basket, £65, both Neptune. For similar radiator try Acova 3-column horizontal radiator, £199.99, Screwfix. Selbourne Nickel pendant light, £150, Laura Ashley. For a similar mirror, try mirror bevelled with deep angled frame, £30; acrylic square lamp shade, £19, both Dunelm. Ralph Nickel lamp base, £65, Laura Ashley. Glass vase, £12; Faux flowers, from £2.50 per stem; Vanilla Tobacco candle, £7.99, Candle lantern, £12.99, all HomeSense.…

£16.99 *  from Tile Mountain Inject some pattern into your flooring with the Derby tile. A quirky option but most importantly, very durable. £42 *  from The Baked Tile Company For timeless flooring, opt for this Aged Chevron pattern in a muted black and white finish. £29.95 *  from Walls and Floors Ltd Made from ceramic with a matt finish, the Classico Fleur tile is ideal if you’re looking for a delicate, vintage-style look.…

Paint: walls in Warm Pewter, £16 per 2.5l, Dulux. Door in Fleecy Dreams; coat hooks in Samurai Fusion, both £21.98 per 2.5l, Valspar. Console in Quartz Flint 4 flat matt and blended with Quartz Flint 2, £29.16 per 2.5l, Dulux. Lotus white/grey wallpaper, £118 per roll, Farrow & Ball. Exotic Palms by Galerie wallpaper in porch, £35.95 per roll, Wallpaper Direct. For a similar carpet, try Truro Saxony in mineral, £22.99 per sq m, Carpetright. Karndean Art Select parquet AP01 blond oak, £55.76 per sq m, Find me a Floor. Internal oak DX shaker solid doors, £54.99 each, Deal4Doors on eBay. Venice very large round wall mirror, £149, Mirrors2Home on eBay. For a similar cowhide rug, try the Koldby, £179, IKEA. Rock On hand, £16.95, Audenza. Try coat hooks with…

Simon Glanville, MD of aplacefor everything.co.uk and member of the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers, shares his top tips on tackling your home without getting overwhelmed… • BE STRICT The best thing to do is step into each room in your home with a charity bag in hand – aim to fill the bag with items you no longer need, but you know will be of use to someone else • BE SYSTEMATIC Don’t fall into the trap of starting one room and moving on to another before finishing. Start, sort, complete and move on. • BE CLEAR Clear surfaces mean a clear mind. Create clutter-free zones in your home on kitchen surfaces, dining room tables, sideboards and so on – it will give each room an instant spring-clean feel. • BE ABSTRACT…

Add glamour to your room with an elegant love seat, featuring delicate piping and elegant slim-line legs. Don’t Love Me Love Seat by Bold Monkey, £629, Cuckooland It may be small, but the Kelsey makes up for in comfort what it loses in size. Its simple Scandinavian style will bring a modern vibe. Kelsey chair, £449, Very Sink into this luxurious offering from Dunelm, perfect if you’re trying to add vintage touches. This will sit perfectly in an alcove or a snug. Halston velvet snuggle chair, £399, Dunelm Welcome in the New Year in style. With its champagne tones and deep cushions, this impressive chair will work best in a larger, classically decorated room. Belvedere snuggle chair, £649.97, Furniture 123 Short on space? An armchair beanbag is a great way…

JUST A LICK OF PAINT Invite colour into your bathroom this January with Waters Baths of Ashbourne’s bespoke painting service. Choose from a range of over 100 earthy, natural colours to be hand-painted onto any of the company’s baths, basins or accessories in a sophisticated matt finish. As a nod to the colour trends of 2020, why not try Tranquil Dawn as shown here? For £495 they’ll paint one bath and up to two basins, or one bath, one basin and one accessory for you. Go to www.watersbaths.co.uk to find out more. Our Topp Tile Introducing the Tile of the Year for 2020 – Syren Midnight Blue from Topps Tiles. Drawing inspiration from oceanic creatures, the deep-blue tile is shaped like a scale, which makes it perfect for creating a…

WHO LIVES HERE? Tracey Kifford, a lifestyle and travel blogger; her husband, Huw; 13-year-old daughter Millie-Mae and 10-year-old son Toby. They live in a four-bedroom detached home in Fairfield, Hertfordshire. WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE OLD KITCHEN? The cream and green colour scheme was awful. The kitchen was dated and needed a revamp to make it more family friendly. WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT THE NEW ROOM? I love the colour and the new island. The kitchen now feels like an open, sociable area that we can enjoy spending time in. WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS? Make use of every ounce of space and be prepared to compromise. A new fitted kitchen wasn’t affordable for us but we achieved the right look by simply freshening up the things we…

YOU WILL NEED ● hot water bottle ● paper ● pencil ● 50cm length of 2mm thick 80% wool blend felt in melange natural, £10, Wool Felt Company ● two sheets (20x30cm) each of 2mm thick 100% wool felt in natural ecru and 2mm thick 80% felt in melange mint, £2 per sheet, Wool Felt Company ● washable ink fabric pen ● scissors ● pinking shears ● dressmaker’s shears ● pins ● needle and thread ● embroidery thread ● sewing machine ● silk ribbon With the long cold nights upon us, there’s nothing nicer than snuggling up in bed with a good book, a cup of tea and a hot water bottle. Keep yours safely tucked inside this cosy cover, made from soft wool felt. 1 Begin by making a…

THE CREATIVE CRAFT SHOW A sanctuary for all crafty individuals, whether you specialise in textiles or papercraft, The Creative Craft Show is a must visit this January. From 30th January to 1st February, head down to EventCity in Manchester and dive into practical workshops such as knitting, jewellery making and beading. Update your craft stash with the latest products and be inspired by experts who are on hand to offer their tips and tricks. Tickets are £10 for a day pass but you can save £2 per ticket when you buy in advance. For tickets, visit www.stitchandhobby.co.uk. WORKSHOP A Glass Act Head to The Forge Gallery in Worthing to learn the art of fused glass with Siobhan Jones. Siobhan uses a combination of transparent, opal and iridescent glass in her…

Solve storage problems with an elegant magazine rack. Bold Monkey No Magazines Here! wall rack, £59, Add a little magic to an accent wall with patterned wallpaper. Charlotte Jade wallpaper in Midnight Madagascar, £120 per roll, Charlton Island Bring colour and style with these Celtic designs. Orla Kiely storage tins, £29.95 for a set of three, Hurn & Hurn Add a touch of copper with a glamorous table lamp with marble base. Conway Arc table lamp, £69, Cult Make a fun night in extra special with a glamorous bar cart. Gold luxe drinks trolley, £228, Audenza A smart sofa bed is the ideal addition for a spare room. Margot Click Clack sofa bed in blue velvet, £499, Made.com…

Small, round tables are versatile and stylish. Lily uses hers as a bedside table. Set of rustic, round wooden tables, £162.95, Melody Maison Lily’s compact workroom is full of great storage ideas. Customise your storage with a trellis wall grid. Trellis wall grid, £37, Red Candy Give your sofa a warm winter facelift with a cosy blanket. Revontuli mohair blanket in rustbordeaux, ›155, Lapuan Kankurit Lily uses a ladderback chair to keep towels handy in her bathroom. Odin storage unit in white and bamboo, £130, Habitat Artificial flora lifts any home all year round. Make a statement with something big and bold. Faux pussy willow, £29.95 for three stems, Audenza…

Bring some tropical magic to your chimney breast. Arthouse tropical palm wallpaper, £13 per roll, Wilko Yellow colour pops work well against dark walls. Albert table light in mustard yellow, £39, Made This rug is based on a traditional design but with a mid-century modern twist. Shina berber rug (140cm x 200cm), £60, Next Pick a versatile chair that would work in a bedroom, living room or hallway. Hyde accent chair in mustard velvet, £129, Cult Furniture Add an edge to a plain kitchen with a fun splashback. Batik patchwork blue tiles, £47.84 per sq m, Topps Tiles…

Easy vegan risotto ★ 25g Flora Original ★ 2 tbsp olive oil ★ 1 large onion, finely chopped ★ 2 cloves garlic, crushed ★ 225g Arborio rice ★ 700 ml hot vegetable stock ★ 300 ml vegan dry white wine (optional but increase stock to 1 litre if not used) ★ 250g frozen petit pois ★ 125g asparagus tips, each cut into three ★ 175g spinach, washed and drained ★ 75g vegan parmesan cheese, grated ★ pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper ■ Heat the Flora and olive oil in a large pan and fry the onion and garlic until soft but not browned. ■ Add the rice and stir well. Pour in the wine and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and cook gently, while stirring, until…

‘Buying off-plan gives you the potential to secure the best price and have first choice on a great plot. Make sure you think about what the area will look like once the development is finished: wider plans for it could indicate that your property is likely to experience capital growth. You’ll be given the opportunity to add a personal touch to your home by selecting fixtures and fittings, making it your own from the very beginning.’ Lynnette St-Quintin, Sales and Marketing Director for Barratt Southern Counties…

LETTER OF THE MONTH DECORATIVE DRAWERS “I wanted a set of drawers for my craft items but didn’t want to spend a fortune. I spotted an old, dark brown set in a local charity shop and decided to revamp them. I removed the old handles, then sanded, primed and painted the wood. I wallpapered the drawers and added new knobs. I am very pleased with the finished look! I used leftover paint from another project and the wallpaper only cost me £2 at a charity shop – the entire upcycle cost less than £50.” Donna Ford, via email Your Home says This is a brilliant upcycling project, Donna. We’re so impressed with the finished result and how you managed to keep costs so low! It looks perfect for a craft…

Great buy Ecover has launched a new washing-up liquid in aid of the climate change cause. It’s made using at least 25% of waste ingredients left over from the beer brewing process. The product is part of Ecover’s initiative to encourage the rethinking of waste products and show that they can be re-used in constructive ways. Don’t worry, it won’t make your dishes smell like a brewery as it’s scented with apple and bergamot.…

An online file-storage service, the cloud allows you to back up your work, photos and other items from your phone or computer, so that if you misplace your device or it stops working, you can still access your wedding photos and accounts. Choose the best cloud provider for your needs. APPLE ICLOUD Apple has its own online storage system called iCloud Every Apple user with an Apple ID (which you need to access iTunes for instance) receives 5GB of free storage. You can use this to back things up on your Mac laptop, computer, iPhone, iPad or iPod. Do the two-step verification process to make your iCloud account more secure. By activating it on all your Apple devices, you can access your photos, videos, documents, contacts and files. You can…

‘Tranquil Dawn™ works beautifully on its own because it’s such a soft versatile shade but it also loves to be snuggled up in layers, so all of the Dulux 2020 trend palettes have been designed to support it to tell a different story in your home. You will see this colour coming through in furniture and accessories too so it’s one that will be easy to coordinate with other elements in your space. A beautiful way to make the most of tranquil colours is to create a soothing horizon effect in a room. A painted horizontal band around a room at the top or bottom immediately connects us with the outside and makes us feel balanced and grounded. Use it anywhere in your home that you want to feel relaxed,…

£32.99 from Von Haus This affordable set of tiered wicker baskets is perfect storage for small spaces. The light cream finish will brighten any room. £35.95 from Melody Maison We love the space-saving design of this wall mountable storage unit complete with hooks and three wickers baskets. £69.99 from Sue Ryder For a shabby chic storage solution, look no further than the five-drawer wicker cabinet with contrasting dark wood baskets.…

Derby pattern porcelain floor tiles, £16.99 per sq m, Tile Mountain. Stoddard Templeton Hopsack Carpet runner in Stratosphere, from £18.49 per sq m, Clifton Carpet Centre. Walls painted in GoodHome durable brilliant white matt emulsion, £20 per 5l; stairs painted in Leyland Trade brilliant white satinwood, £13 per 0.75l, both B&Q. Feature wall painted in Pitch Black, £46.50 per 2.5l, Farrow & Ball. Spindles and bannister painted in Coal Tipple Premium Blend V700 wood and metal paint, £32 per 2.5l Valspar. Front door, £500, Howdens, painted in Coal Tipple outdoor wood and metal paint, £42 per 2.5l, Valspar. Ypperlig bench, £35; Tenhult step stool, £15, both IKEA. Bobble cushion cover, £35, Happy & Co. Milano Aruba anthracite radiator (635x590mm), £154.95, Best Heating. Similar Kayla two-tone pendant in dark and light…

£158 from Audenza For a period style, try this wrought iron Gold Deco Square Mirror. It’s perfect for a hallway statement or above a mantelpiece. £65 from Abode Living Made from natural bamboo and willow, this intricately designed Bamboo Oval Mirror is a great focal point for your hallway. £38 from Sweetpea & Willow The sun-inspired design of the Pointe Soleil Mirror will brighten up any wall. We love the ombré effect of white blending to gold on the spikes.…

‘With many people living in smaller houses than previous generations, finding smart but stylish storage solutions is crucial to making the most of our homes. For smaller living spaces, every inch of additional space counts. ‘Versatility is key when creating a clutter-free home. Pretty and practical multi-purpose pieces that store clothing and accessories are particularly in demand. Customers are looking for storage that makes the most of every inch of available space. Stackable modular storage is perfect for this, with stacking drawers and boxes in various sizes working particularly well in wardrobes and cupboards. ‘Bedrooms are the perfect place to consider space-saving solutions and multi-functional furniture. Think about investing in a storage bed either with drawers or with an ottoman lift. Or, if your budget prevents this, consider separate wheeled…

If you’re dreaming of starting the new decade by switching up your pared-back Scandi hub for a more opulent design, you’re right on trend. For 2020 kitchens are moving into more decadent territory: think rich-toned cabinetry in shades of midnight, forest green, berry and charcoal; luxe marble or terrazzo worktops and glints of warm-toned metallics. This is a scheme where more really is more: either mix and match your palette, or go all out with one tone broken up by contrasting worktops, splashbacks and flooring. GREEN PARTY Hone in on the details THE ART OF DARK Create drama with one colour THE DETAILS INTO THE BLUE Boost your flecks appeal Create character with colour BERRY CRUSH Add hints of shimmering metallics THE DETAILS…

Handleless Europe cupboard doors in graphite, £900 in total, Homestyle Kitchen Doors. Helio 1.5 bowl composite kitchen sink in black, £169, Wickes. Belfry Kitchen pull-out single leaver monobloc tap, £129.99 Wayfair. Vadholma kitchen island, £350; Asunden baskets, £15 each; Arv Bröllop cake stand £10, all IKEA. Walls painted in Retro Yellow matt emulsion, £15 per 2.5l, Wilko. Domino wallpaper in Buttercup, £39.50 per roll, Layla Faye collection at Wallpaper Direct. Tea towel, £6; oven gloves, £15, both Nicky James. Fusion embossed yellow mugs, £2.25 each, Dunelm TOTAL COST: £1,728.99…

NOURISHING HAND CREAM This DIY balm will feed tired winter skin SHOPPING LIST ● glass jug ● water ● saucepan and hob ● scales ● shea butter (available from www. thesoapery.co.uk) ● light olive oil ● lavender essential oil ● rosehip oil ● ribbon 1 Measure out 100g of shea butter (it’s extracted from the sheanut) into a glass jug. Place this into a shallow pan of gently simmering water, to heat it. Melt it gently, stirring occasionally. Once liquefied, add one tablespoon of light olive oil, ten drops of lavender oil and five drops of rosehip oil to the mixture. Stir again to combine them. 2 Place the jug into your fridge for half an hour to speed up the cooling process. Next, remove it from the fridge, then…

Even a tiny draught can lead to a drop in temperature in your home and a rise in energy bills as you crank up the heating in a bid to battle the cold. Luckily, sealing up the areas where draughts are most common is a quick, easy and affordable way to eliminate them. By following our simple guide you can tackle all the gaps around your windows and doors for a more comfortable home all year round. MIND THE GAP ■ Self-adhesive weatherstripping is an affordable way to block draughts around your windows and doors. It also has the added bonus of cushioning the closing mechanism to silence slamming. ■ You install the strip on the inside of a window or door frame. The weatherstrip needs to be tightly compressed…

If you do one thing this month... Teach your kids how much fun healthy eating can be with Little Cooks Co, a monthly subscription-based recipe kit that’s posted through your front door. Each kit includes all the dry, organic ingredients needed for that month’s recipe, which is always free from refined sugar and can be dairy or wheat free on request. The January healthy eating bandwagon is not just for grown ups! It costs £12.99 a month or you can save by choosing a 3-, 6- or 12-month subscription. Head to www.littlecooksco.co.uk for more information. 3 ways with... Seville oranges ● For a classic marmalade, boil 500g whole oranges in 2L water for 2 hours, or until very soft. Pour the liquid into a large pan, then cut the oranges…

Clear advantage Keep winter weather at bay with the Stormproof range from Evolution windows. These alternatives to timber windows have all the beauty of traditional wood without any of the complicated maintenance. They provide strong defence from wind and rain, and they’re highly energy efficient, meaning your home will stay snug no matter what the British climate throws at it. Prices start from £500 excluding installation. Visit www.evolutionwindows.com Bright as a penny Illuminate dingy winter mornings and long, cold evenings with modern outdoor lighting. Place lights around entrances to make it easier to find your keys in the dark or use them to spread a warm glow over exterior walls. The surface of these raw copper lights will gently weather over time, changing from a glossy orange to develop a…

• Meet developers, housing associations and financial advisors at the next First Time Buyer Home Show, www.ftbhomeshow. com, taking place in London on 7th March. • The HomeOwners Alliance, www. hoa.org.uk, has information on buying new-builds. Find out about affordable routes onto the housing ladder at www. ownyourhome.gov.uk, including Help to Buy and shared ownership. • Visit www.sharetobuy.com to find shared ownership homes, and www. propertybooking.co.uk for both shared ownership and Help to Buy properties. • www.whathouse.com lists new homes nationwide at all price points.…

A Alice Gabb www.alicegabb.com Alternative Flooring Company 01264 335111 www.alternativeflooring.com Amara 0800 587 7645 www.amara.com Annie Sloan www.anniesloan.com Aoos-neon www.ebay.com/str/aoos Argos 0345 640 2020 www.argos.co.uk Arthouse 0333 016 4134 www.arthouse.com Asda 0800 952 0101 www.asda.com Atkin & Thyme 01727 227 500 www.atkinandthyme.co.uk Audenza 0116 298 6393 www.audenza.com B Baa Stool 01824 790882 www.baastool.co.uk Barratt Homes www.barratthomes.co.uk Baked Earth 01423 875944 www.bakedearth.co.uk Bathrooms to Love 0800 877 8899 www.bathroomstolove.uk B&Q 0845 609 6688 www.diy.com Bazaar Group 01670 594 133 www.bazaar-group.uk Beautify 0161 833 5442 www.beautify.co.uk Benjamin Moore 01753 575756 www.benjaminmoorepaint.co.uk Berkeley Group www.berkeleygroup.co.uk Best Heating 0333 272 6360 www.bestheating.com Blinds2go 0800 862 0464 www.blinds-2go.co.uk Bobby Rabbit 0114 321 7000 www.bobbyrabbit.co.uk C Cala Homes www.cala.co.uk Caple 0117 938 1900 www.caple.co.uk Carol Bird Interiors 01482 886222 www.carolbirdinteriors.co.uk Carpetright 0330 333 3444 www.carpetright.co.uk Charlton…