Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2021 i HomeStyle

Get the kettle on then cosy up and enjoy your gorgeous new issue! It’s packed with stylish ideas to help you refresh your home, without spending a fortune. From affordable kitchen updates you can achieve in a weekend (page 78) to clever hacks to help you turn your bathroom into a relaxing home spa (page 86), you’ll find plenty of inspiration for every room. At this time of year, the cold weather and shorter days can make us feel a bit low, so we asked the experts how our homes can help, especially as we’re all spending more time at home right now than we might usually – turn to page 72 to discover how to use lighting and colour to lift your mood. And if, like us, you’re working…

I wish I had gone for a company that project managed the whole job rather than using independent tradesmen and friends who were all coming at different times, as although I saved a bit of money it took so much longer than I was expecting. Just how important research is. For example, I’m not sure I needed a new kitchen and could have worked with a carpenter to improve what I already had. Don’t be scared to ask for help. I had just had a hysterectomy and I was recovering at home, so people assumed I was project managing the build. But I didn’t feel great and I took my eye off the ball, so a few things went wrong or got missed along the way.…

A BIT ABOUT ME I’m Hollie Swann, 30, a head of operations in higher education. I live with my husband Roly, 32, a doctor, and our golden retriever, Ralph. I Instagram our home @renovating_ number_16. WHERE I LIVE We live in a three-bedroom Victorian terraced house in Aigburth, Liverpool. We bought it in November 2017. WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE The kitchen was a mishmash of free-standing furniture with a tricky layout and I was eager to get rid of the dodgy wallpaper and old carpets. HOW I MADE IT MY OWN We brought back the house’s period charm by reinstalling features like coving, picture rails and ceiling roses, sanding all the floorboards and restoring the original fireplaces. We then filled the rooms with lots of second-hand furniture. MY FAVOURITE…

‘The best bit about our new home is watching the little birds in our garden while sitting on the sofas in the living room in the mornings’ If you’ve fallen in love with an expensive piece, look on cheaper platforms to find an affordable version. Shop around on online sites such as Facebook Marketplace and eBay and don’t be afraid to put in a cheeky offer, lower than the asking price. If you’re buying furniture, remember to note the measurements and map out the piece in the space before you buy it, just to be sure that it’ll fit! Don’t be put off if something is tired-looking. If the item is a bit tatty, you can usually give it a new lease of life with a lick of chalk paint,…

Be patient. I’ve made a few mistakes along the way, so I’ve learned to take my time with projects. Also, choosing a good-quality paint is worth it in the long run. As a single woman living on my own, I had to take the decision to either pay people to do jobs or roll up my sleeves and try myself, and I discovered that most DIY projects are easier than you think. Interiors is a lot like fashion and fashion changes, so in a few years I might have a completely different style, but that’s okay as I’m constantly changing things anyway. See yourhomestyle.uk for more great real homes…

Low levels of natural light over the winter months can have a negative effect on your mood, but thankfully there are ways your home can help. From enhancing the natural light in your home to light therapy lamps and mood-boosting colour schemes, try these tips and tricks to help brighten your days. TIME TO REFLECT Maximising the amount of light that naturally enters your home is simple to do, with no need to resort to building work! Too often we accidently block out the light we have by using heavy curtains or dark matt paint. How you arrange your room can also impact the way sunlight flows in the space. South-facing rooms will already feel quite bright, but north-facing or shaded rooms need a bit of help. With a little…

‘Having bought good quality towels, laundering them properly is essential to hold onto that plush feel. Check the care guide on the towels but washing between 40 and 60 degrees is usually best, followed by a gentle tumble dry cycle. Finish by air-drying to give them an ultra fresh feeling.’ Lucy Ackroyd, Head of Design at Christy WRAP IT UP Nothing will make you feel more glamorous than wafting around the bathroom in a stylish wrap. Choose a design that matches your décor and style it on the back of the door between pampering sessions. WRING THE CHANGES Switching up your towels each season is a quick way to revamp the look of your bathroom on a budget. Display them on a ladder-style rack to make a feature of their…

CREATE ZONES Separate the dining area from the kitchen by painting the walls in different colours, like Gemma. The two-tone wall colour not only adds interest, but it’s a good indicator of where the kitchen ends and the dining area begins. ‘It was really easy to create the look, with the help of masking tape and a spirit level,’ Gemma explains. Different flooring is another useful way of zoning different spaces, or you could use large rugs as a quick and easy alternative. OLD MEETS NEW To create a homely, eclectic vibe, Gemma combines traditional pieces with retro-style macramé and modern framed prints. She finds vintage items in charity and second-hand shops and rummaging through antique markets in France, and buys new items from high-street stores – her favourites are…

‘A mix of soft, warm metallics instantly lifts a dark and moody colour palette’ Style advice Break the rules Mixing metallics used to be a big no-no but now, not only is the style more common, it’s bang on trend. Combine accessories with finishes in brushed brass, rose gold and copper tones to add contrast and interest. Subtle and stylish Swap standard fittings and fixtures for metallic designs as a low-key way to work the trend into your space. From taps and shower heads to light switches, there are plenty of bathroom basics to upgrade. DIY Tweak things you already have to work with the look. If you’ve got exposed plumbing, gold spray paint could go a long way; you could paint a picture frame or add shiny new handles…

Matalan SLUMBER PARTY Look out for the new spring/ summer 2021 collection; full of playful, pastel accessories, it’s sure to bring a calming presence to your home HOW TO style the look 1 Let the sunshine in! Pair cheerful pastel shades such as yellow, pink and blue with light and blonde wood, for an uplifting spring makeover. 2 Going square-eyed? Geometric designs are set to stay on trend this season. Contrast circular shapes – such as clocks, mirrors, pompoms and lampshades – against squares and oblongs like duvets, cushions, frames and bedside tables. There’s a simple satisfaction to be had from circles and squares! Next PRETTY MADE UP Bedroom? More like boudoir! Add a dash of glamour to your morning routine with these chic new accessories and furnishings…

A BIT ABOUT ME I’m Emily Cheyne, 40, @1930home and I’m the Assistant Director at Essex Fire Service. I live with my partner, Mike Guess, 37, and my children, Oliver, eight, and Joseph, six, and Mike’s children, William, 11; Henry and Arthur, both seven, and our cat, Queen B. WHERE I LIVE My home is a four-bedroom 1930s semi in South Woodham Ferrers, Essex. I moved here in August 2017. WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE There was Artex everywhere, even on the staircase walls. The house hadn’t had much work done to it, so it was really dated, plus the bathroom was downstairs, which I really didn’t like. There was a lot to do. HOW I MADE IT MY OWN I moved the bathroom upstairs and added a two-storey extension…

You will need • Template • Paper • Scissors • Zebra faux fur fabric • Thick cotton-blend fabric • Pins • Sewing machine • Cotton thread • Black felt • Black wool • Tapestry needle 1 Go to yourhomestyle.uk for the zebra rug template. Enlarge and print the template on sheets of paper, and cut out. Next, fold the length of zebra faux fur fabric in half lengthways. Line the pattern up with the middle fold, and pin in place. Cut out, and then remove the pins and pattern. Repeat on the backing fabric, but cut it out 1cm smaller the whole way round. 2 Open out the fabric pieces and pin the backing fabric piece to the wrong side of the faux fur piece. Neatly fold and pin…

If you’re going for plain white wall tiles, why not go to town on the flooring and make that your standout feature? Picking just one showstopping element is key if you don’t want to overwhelm the space. For the huge number of designs available, you can’t beat ceramic and porcelain tiles. Porcelain tends to be more expensive and durable, while ceramic is cheaper but less water-resistant than porcelain. Limestone, travertine, encaustic cement and slate look great but they can be pricey, cold underfoot and often need sealing. Ceramic and porcelain tiles that mimic these natural materials are often a better, cheaper bet. The most practical and pocket-friendly option is vinyl as it’s easy to clean, waterproof and slip-resistant. It can also be combined with underfloor heating to make it extra…

When it comes to buying expensive items in the home, like sofas or chests of drawers, research online to find designer copies for a fraction of the price of the real deal. Before you buy, always check the reviews and dimensions. Your renovation will go much quicker if you don’t live on-site during the building project. If you can, live somewhere separate but close enough that you can check in on what’s going on. Don’t be dictated by the era of your home – you can have whatever you like design-wise. See yourhomestyle.uk for more great real homes…

A BIT ABOUT ME I’m Alex Richards and I’m a maths teacher. I live with my six-year-old son, William, and our dog, Barney. I Instagram my home at @tiny_ victorian_home. WHERE I LIVE Our home is a two-bedroom Victorian terrace in Chester, Cheshire. We moved here in August 2017. WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE The décor was neutral and uninspiring, but the house was in good condition, which meant I could take my time working out what I wanted and how to add my own stamp on it. HOW I MADE IT MY OWN I decided to embrace black, upcycling furniture and painting the walls in dark colours, with a goal of creating a cosy home. MY FAVOURITE PART I love wandering between the bedroom and the bathroom; it’s like…

You will need • Lampshade • Feather trim • Glue gun • PVA glue • Paintbrushes • Glitter 1 Measure and cut a length of feather trim to fit the circumference of the bottom of the lampshade. 2 Carefully apply some glue to the inner rim of the bottom of the shade with a glue gun, and neatly stick the feather trim in place. Set aside and allow to dry. 3 Brush a small amount of PVA glue on the tips of the feathers. With a second brush, apply some glitter on the ends of the feathers. Shake off the excess and leave to dry. Top tip For even more of a statement, try this out on a floor lamp.…

At this time of year, we often look to our homes and wonder how we can give them a new lease of life. With the kitchen being one of the hardest working rooms in the house, it soon becomes the focus of our attention for a makeover. But with budgets tight after some festive spending we’re all looking for clever, purse-friendly solutions to create that Insta-worthy space. From a fresh coat of paint on the walls in the latest on-trend hue, to changing the look of the units with new doors, there are lots of ways to make a big impact with minimum spend. If tiles are looking tired or dated, but still in good condition, then try out patterned tile stickers, paint or adhesive solutions that can simply be…

Greenhouse goals My home style is very much about bringing the outdoors in. I like mixing rich blue hues with pops of botanical green shades, and what better way to create that than adding lots of indoor plants? I have multiple plant corners dotted around my home, but this space in particular is dedicated to most of my plant collection. With the huge bi-folding doors and skylight windows it’s practically a greenhouse, so perfect for creating and styling a boho indoor jungle. @slurpsocial Changing rooms My home’s interior is not at all what I had envisioned when I first moved into our home. I had imagined grey walls with silver furniture, a popular trend when we moved, but after living with a brand-new grey sofa for a month, I realised…

With so many of us working from home now, and likely to be doing so for some time, it’s important to make sure your office space is fit for purpose. If you’re lucky enough to have a separate room, so much the better. But if it’s part of another room, you’ll want to think about how this is going to work for you and your family. B&Q’s clever modular room dividers can help you to create your own office space in an open plan room. Use a motivational mural wallpaper on the wall behind your desk to get you going in the morning. ‘Everyday is a Fresh Start’ mural, from £30 per sq m, Wallsauce Use paint to zone the space if the desk is part of a bigger room.…

• Cupboards painted in Ronseal One Coat Black Satin cupboard paint, £12 for 750ml, B&Q • Walls painted in Dulux Palm Night wall paint, £32.34 for 2.5l, Brewers • Chest of drawers painted in Farrow & Ball Sulking Room Pink paint, £5 for 100ml, B&Q • Grey Moroccan retro mosaic tile stickers, £6.99 for 24, eBay • METOD white wall cabinet, from £17; BURHULT / SANDSHULT wall shelf, from £8; MOSSLANDA white picture ledge, £5; KATTRUP woven rug, £60, all IKEA • Aftas round jute rug, from £60, La Redoute • For similar vase, try the small glass vase in Dark Brown, £6.99, H&M Home • Flat Scandi Lena pendant lampshade, £68, Enamel Shades • For similar chair, try the Deswick dining chair, £23.90, PrivateFloor • For a similar table,…

MODERN MAKEOVER Emma wanted to keep the original rolltop bath that came with the house, but she knew it needed a bit of TLC. She painted the outside and claw feet in Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch Candy Pink to give the cast-iron tub a modern twist and upgraded the taps and shower head for brushed brass designs for a glam finish. Instead of a bath caddy, Emma went for a sleek floating shelf, which is the perfect size for storing all her essential bathtime bits and pieces. COLOUR CONTRAST By painting the door, window frames and skirting boards in the same colour as the wood panelling, Emma has created a seamless finish around the room, and highlighted architectural features, like the cast-iron fireplace. To complete the dramatic look, she used black…

HANDY HELPER With more time spent at home, we can’t help but create a little more mess! If you’re looking for a quick and easy way of zapping that dust, this dinky, portable vacuum cleaner from ROIDMI is a handy solution. The Nano P1 portable vacuum cleaner is lightweight and comfortable to use one-handed, while its compact design makes it perfect for flats or homes with limited space. It also comes with a lanyard so you can hang it up once you’re done, or keep it on your desk for when your keyboard needs a quick clean. Measuring a nifty 27 x 6cm, the Nano P1 costs £59 from roidmi.dk Chim chiminey Keep the heat in and the cold out with Chimney Sheep, a super-efficient draught excluder for open chimneys,…

BUTTER TOFU CURRY PREP TIME 10 MINS COOK TIME 20 MINS SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS • 2 tbsp vegan butter • 1 onion, roughly chopped • 2 tsp garam masala • 2 tsp ground coriander • 2 tsp ground cumin • 2 tsp ground turmeric • 1 garlic clove, grated • thumb-sized piece fresh ginger • 1 tbsp tomato purée • 400ml passata • 200ml coconut cream • salt • black pepper FOR THE TOFU PUFFS • vegetable oil • 2 x 225g blocks firm tofu • 4 tbsp cornflour • large pinch of salt TO SERVE • 2 x 250g pouches basmati rice • 2 limes, cut into wedges • 1 fresh green chilli, chopped • bunch of fresh coriander leaves METHOD 1 Heat 1 tbsp of vegan butter…

Dairy-free delights Boost your breakfast with the new range of plant-based Greek-style yogurt alternatives from The Collective. Deliciously thick and creamy, the yogurts are made from a blend of oats, coconut and rice and paired with a tasty compote. Available in Natural, Raspberry, Passion Fruit and Fudge, the hardest decision will be which one to try first! From £1.25 for a 135g tub from Sainsbury’s. SHAKEN UP Reach for a healthier beverage with a Holy Moly vegan nutshake. A blend of almond mylk and fresh fruit, these drinks have a third less sugar than most smoothies and up to 90 per cent less saturated fat than some dairy milkshakes, so they’re kinder to your body too. Choose from Banana Almond, Chocolate Almond or Strawberry Almond. £2 for a 200ml bottle…

A Abode Living abodeliving.co.uk After Noah afternoah.com Aldi aldi.co.uk All Handles & Pulls allhandlesandpulls.co.uk Amazon amazon.co.uk Annabel James annabeljames.co.uk Annie Sloan anniesloan.com Antipodream antipodream.co.uk AO ao.com Argos argos.co.uk Audenza audenza.com B Baker Ross bakerross.co.uk B&Q diy.com Beaumonde beaumonde.co.uk Benjamin Moore benjaminmoore.com Bisley bisley.com Blinds 2go blinds-2go.co.uk Bloom & Wild bloomandwild.com Bombay Duck bombayduck.com C Carpetright carpetright.co.uk Cath Kidston cathkidston.com Chocolate Creative chocolatecreative.co.uk Coffee And Cloth coffeeandcloth.co.uk Cox & Cox coxandcox.co.uk Crown Paints crownpaints.co.uk Cuckooland cuckooland.com Cult Furniture cultfurniture.com Cyberjammies cyberjammies.co.uk D DaAl’s daals.co.uk Daisy Park daisypark.co.uk där lighting darlighting.co.uk Desenio desenio.co.uk Dobbies dobbies.com Dock & Bay uk.dockandbay.com Dowsing & Reynolds dowsingandreynolds.com Dulux dulux.co.uk Dunelm dunelm.com E  eBay ebay.co.uk elho elho.com Ella James ellajames.co.uk Emma Bridgewater emmabridgewater.co.uk Enamel Shades enamelshades.co.uk Etsy etsy.com F Facebook Marketplace facebook.com/ marketplace Faith in Nature faithinnature.co.uk…

Old-school wallpaper needs paste, a pasting table and time waiting for the paper to soak, but new methods have completely changed, making papering a far easier job. Paste-the-wall products are quick and easy as you simply paste onto the wall and then slide the paper in place. Peel-and-stick wallpaper is easy to use as there’s no paste. Peel off the backing and simply stick the paper onto the wall. It doesn’t slide for positioning, but it can be peeled off and repositioned to get it right. Mural wallpaper is a single image that completely covers the wall, usually with an option to design your own. This is the ultimate in wall coverings and comes ready to paste or with sticky backing. Whatever style you choose, the wall needs to be…

It’s definitely worth spending time seeing how you live in the space before rushing into major renovations. If we’d done the kitchen straight away, we probably would’ve replicated the galley kitchen layout that was already there and regretted it. All the furniture in the house – apart from sofas and beds – is from Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree or local secondhand furniture shops, upgraded with new handles from eBay. We’ve saved so much money that way. When creating a gallery wall, I always Blu-Tack the inset mounts up first to see how the shapes will look together before putting holes in the wall. YouTube is great for teaching yourself how to do things, like tiling. We ordered 20 per cent more tiles in case we messed it up. Even if you…

A BIT ABOUT ME I’m Sandra Venables @behind_the_ pink_door_with_mrsv and I’m a franchise expert. I live here with my husband, Dave, and our two dogs, Dolly and Barney. WHERE I LIVE We live in a 1930s three-bedroom detached bungalow on the Wirral. We’ve lived here for 18 months. WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE Pretty much everything! The interior was very dated, so I wanted to bring it up to date, and the bungalow needed to be completely modernised from top to bottom. HOW I MADE IT MY OWN We created an open-plan kitchen and living space, converted the attic, put in a mezzanine level and installed bi-fold doors overlooking the garden. I then decorated with lots of vintage finds and plenty of pink paint. MY FAVOURITE PART The kitchen-living area…

First of all, choose your pattern. There’s no limit to what you can do with the design. Go for a traditional look using squares or rectangles halfway up the wall, or choose an abstract design using diagonals; there’s plenty of panelling inspiration to find online. Get your measuring wrong and the final result will look amateurish, get it right and it’s a game changer. Measure the width and height of the space and draw out your design on paper, not forgetting to include the width of the actual pieces of wood. Draw it all out exactly on the wall with pencil before you begin. MDF is cheap and easy to use and looks like wood when painted. If you don’t have the tools to cut it yourself, builders’ merchants –…

WIN TWO NIWA DESIGN TERRARIUMS AND A TOOL KIT FROM FOUR STORE In a world where calm is wished for, and your own green space may be limited, a NIWA Design Terrarium, available exclusively through Four Store London, is the perfect soothing addition to your home. That’s why we’ve teamed up with them to offer you the chance to win a NIWA Design ‘Curiosity Small’ terrarium, a ‘Roots’ terrarium and a terrarium tool kit, with a combined worth of over £450! From terrarium beginners to connoisseurs, Four Store has a style, shape and design to suit all homes, allowing you to reconnect to nature and bring the outside in, all year round. Each terrarium is created with a unique plant composition from NIWA Design’s Parisian workshop, forming an ecosystem that…

Get personal Posca paint pens are perfect for adding detail to your upcycling projects as they’re permanent on all sorts of porous materials including wood, textiles, metals and some plastics, with no need for fixatives. Get personal with lettering, go dotty or create an abstract pattern with on-trend free-hand shapes. Uniball Posca Pastel marker pens, £23, Hobbycraft DREAM INTO ACTION New year, new plans? You need a new notebook! Getting your ideas down on paper will not only help you to plan, it’ll also help to keep you motivated and on track with your projects. These cheesecloth-textured Two Tone notebooks start at £10 from presentandcorrect.com Blade runner ‘Cutting in’, getting a neat edge round those fiddly areas like skirtings and sockets, is essential to a professional finish – enter the…

• The Bath Co. Camberley two-tap hole full pedestal basin, £99.99 (now £105), Victoria Plum • For a similar bath tap, try the Deva Tudor bath shower mixer in Gold, £200.29, Victorian Plumbing • Artemis wallpaper in Off-White, from £125, House of Hackney • Wall panelling painted in Railings estate eggshell, £64 for 2.5l, Farrow & Ball • Bathtub painted in Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch Candy Pink, £9 for 250ml, Homebase • Floor stained in Mann’s classic pine stain in Black, £39.99 for 5l, Wood Finishes Direct • Orwell swivel mirror, £215; Dickens cupboard, £600 at a warehouse clearance sale (RRP £1,295), both Graham & Green • Staggered glass sconce wall light, £79, West Elm • Slimline brass metal shelf in Brass, £35, Cox & Cox • For a similar bath…

LITTLE EXTRAS Add some special touches that you would usually see in a luxury hotel room, such as a long mirror, a vase of flowers and a separate sitting area, and you’ll win extra brownie points with your guests. ‘I also like to add jars of sweets as a fun touch,’ says Charlotte. The brass clothes rail from MADE. com is a stylish addition, but it’s also a practical solution when there isn’t space for a wardrobe. BE BOLD As your spare room may not be used every day, you can be a little braver with the décor and experiment with a mix of colours and patterns you feel less confident with using in other rooms in your home. Avoid the look being OTT by picking accessories that have common…

MONDAY VEGETARIAN LASAGNE PREP AND COOK TIME 35 MINS SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS • 1 tbsp olive oil • 200g pack chilled Cooks’ Ingredients Soffritto • 500g carton passata • 6 fresh lasagne sheets, halved lengthways • 350g pack chilled Quorn Mince • 125g pack mozzarella, drained • Handful of fresh basil leaves, torn • Freshly ground black pepper METHOD 1 Preheat the grill to high. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the soffritto for 7 minutes, stirring regularly. 2 Tip in the passata, then fill the carton with water and add to the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes, then stir in the lasagne sheets and mince. Simmer for another 5 minutes. 3 Scatter the torn mozzarella over the top and…