Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2023 i Ideal Home

We’ve lived in our house for two and a half years now. At first the question everyone asked was ‘have you got much work to do?’ but recently I’ve noticed a shift and that’s moved into, ‘is everything done now?’ The answer? We’re not even close. And we probably never will be ‘finished’! Team Young are not great completer-finishers, so our snagging list is shamefully long. And while we may tick off the big projects, slowly, steadily, one by one, I’m constantly inspired to change things up, so I can’t see a time I’ll ever stop decorating. Don’t tell my other half (who’s busy using every spare minute to lay turf and decking in our garden), but I’m already quietly planning the next room revamp (our spare room). I challenge…

STYLE HOME HOME NOTES WHO LIVES HERE? Carla Buzasi, a trend forecasting expert, lives with husband Toby Morris, a commercial director, with visits from Toby’s sons, Eliott, 13, Oscar, 12 and Digby, nine. THE PROPERTY A five-bedroom Victorian detached house in Hampshire, with a separate annexe. 1 “Go for the unexpected, like a green fireplace” ‘Through a process of trial and error we’ve ended up with a group of core neutral backdrop colours throughout the house, and then another small palette of pink, yellow and green for accents. In the living room, we’ve added flashes of colour with the painted fireplace and bright accessories. The contemporary elements, such as the artwork and the lightning mirror, make me smile alongside the vintage fringed floor lamp. This room is perfect for lazy…

W hat the experts say... Designers and stylists share their views ‘Lilac brings a soft, ethereal quality to a space, encouraging a feeling of relaxation and calm. It is ideal for bedrooms and connecting spaces. Pair with a pale, warm grey and pops of teal for depth.’ HELEN SHAW, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING (INTERNATIONAL), BENJAMIN MOORE ‘When mixing lilac with other shades, choose one strong contrasting hue and use it sparingly – try a pattern with yellow flecks or a block of mustard. Or layer with shades of its parent colour, purple.’ ANNIE SLOAN, COLOUR AND PAINT EXPERT ‘Lilac works as a tint of white, as well as a saturated shade. We always nuance lilac with earth pigment to avoid it becoming too saccharin. It flatters grey-whites wonderfully, but it also…

1. BUILT-IN BED A built-in bed is ideal for rooms with limited floor space, as you can make the most of the room’s height and add built-in storage below. Hanging curtains will turn it into a cosy den for younger children, or give older kids a sense of privacy. Avoid character-featured bedding and instead go for something with a pop of colour or a bold pattern. Bed made from Metod base units, from £35 each; Maximera drawers, from £32 each, both Ikea 2. STUDY STATION Give them a dedicated spot for doodling, crafting and for older kids, homework, so you can confine the chaos to one place, as well as free up the kitchen table. Choose a plain desk with some storage built in, like a couple of drawers or…

CURB THE CLUTTER WITH A STORAGE COFFEE TABLE Keep a handle on books, magazines and even the kids’ homework by opting for a coffee table with plenty of storage. Whether it’s a couple of drawers to pop the TV remotes in, a cubby for hiding catalogues or a basket below the table top to fill with paperwork, make tidying up a doddle. 2 PAINT YOUR WOODWORK IN A BOLD STAND-OUT SHADE Turn doorways, window frames and skirting boards into a feature of your room by painting them a complimentary colour to your painted or wallpapered walls. Traditionally white was the go-to choice for woodwork, but a more cheery colour will elevate your décor in an instant and allow a stunning wallpaper to really sing. WALLPAPERS TO WOW 3 Create an…

PROJECT DETAILS WHO LIVES HERE? Elaine Fotheringham and her husband Garry. THE PROJECT A five-bedroom detached house, built in 1989, near Tamworth, Staffordshire. TOTAL COST £90,000 THE PROBLEM Our old kitchen was too dark and there wasn’t enough workspace THE SOLUTION ‘I enjoy baking and wanted a more open layout in our kitchen with a sociable island. I drew lots of plans but changed my mind a few times before we spoke to designer Maggie Williams at Central Kitchen, Bathroom & Bedroom Designs, our local Mereway Kitchens supplier. I spotted the Bridgwater Shaker-style kitchen in the Ideal Home Teal Mist colourway in the magazine and loved the colour. Thanks to some great design ideas from Maggie, the whole space works well. She suggested glass-fronted wall cabinets to create the illusion…

One of the most important decisions when renovating a house or designing a new extension is the type of doors you include. For external glazed doors, you can choose French doors, sliding or pivot doors. But if the idea of an unobstructed view of your garden is key, then bifold doors might be the answer. We’ve asked the experts to reveal all the info you want and need. WHAT ARE BIFOLDS? Made up of a set of glazed panels that can slide or concertina, bifold doors effectively open up the entire wall of a house. Unlike sliding or French doors, bifolding designs stack neatly out of the way, providing gloriously open access to the garden, creating an expansive feel. Bifolds can open left or right, inside or outside, and even…

My go-to paint shade was once bog standard Brilliant White, and while there’s something refreshingly transformative about painting a tired old room white, I’ve definitely moved on when it comes to my understanding of using colour to set a mood in my home. We moved house when my twins were toddlers and for some inexplicable reason, I decided an eye-watering combo of brights was going to be perfect for our new home. I can only think that my sleep-deprived brain had been hijacked by the vivid shades of the kids’ toys. Luckily, for speed and ease we painted all the walls white and then I introduced the bright accents using soft furnishings and accessories. I quickly learned that those colours are really not my happy place. Rather than being mood-boosting…

How to haggle like a pro We’re all being stung with high prices right now, but no one wants to pay more than they have to. When it comes to getting the best deals or prices, sometimes you have to haggle – after all, if you don’t ask, you don’t get. But how do you go about it, when is the right time to do it and when should you avoid haggling? Our money columnist Kalpana Fitzpatrick shares her top tips. WHAT TO HAGGLE FOR, AND WHEN NOT TO You can haggle on almost anything, from broadband, TV and mobile packages, to insurance and even your clothes, though most people do not bother because they don’t have the confidence or may even consider it rude. Yet while it may be…

Doubles MAKES 6-8 READY IN 40 MINS, PLUS RESTING ● 150g split pea or chickpea (gram) flour● 100g plain flour, plus a little extra if needed● 3tsp baking powder● 1tsp salt● 1tsp ground cumin● 1tsp curry powder● 2 garlic cloves, finely grated● 1tsp freshly cracked black pepper● 1 Scotch bonnet or hot chilli of your choice, very finely chopped● 100ml lukewarm water● 250ml rapeseed or sunflower oil, for deep-frying, plus extra for greasing 1 To make the dough, combine the flours, baking powder, salt, cumin, curry powder, garlic, black pepper and chilli in a large mixing bowl. 2 Next, bring the mixture together to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. Add a little splash of lukewarm water at a time, mixing until this sticky, soft texture is achieved. If you…

WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU DO WHEN YOU GET HOME? Make myself a cup of tea or coffee, depending on the time. WHERE’S YOUR HAPPY PLACE? Being in our kitchen. In fact, I probably spend more time in the kitchen than any other room in the house. WHAT’S ON YOUR BEDSIDE TABLE? Cookbooks, recipe ideas and water. WHAT SMELL SAYS HOME TO YOU? It has to be cooking! Nothing smells better than a chicken roasting in the oven. That smells like home to me. DO YOU HAVE A BAD HOME HABIT YOU’D LIKE TO QUIT? I’m not very tidy! WHAT CHORE DO YOU LOVE? I absolutely love doing a wash, although once the clothes are dry, folding them and putting them away afterwards is a job I hate more…

MATT SIBERRY STYLE & TRENDS EXPERT As head of home at Pinterest, Matt is perfectly placed to spot the trends based on what we’re all searching for on Pinterest. NICKY PHILLIPS INTERIOR STYLIST & DESIGNER Nicky is a master of colour when it comes to decorating your home, from full room redos to easy tweaks. KALPANA FITZPATRICK MONEY EXPERT An award-winning financial journalist, Kalpana is a regular guest on TV and radio, and editor of moneyweek.com. SARAH RAVEN GARDEN EXPERT Sarah is a gardener, teacher and writer, and her monthly Ideal Home column is packed with advice and inspiration for small gardens. THE HOME OF GREAT IDEAS FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS…

BEFORE & AFTER HOME HOME NOTES WHO LIVES HERE? Francesca Johnson, a marketing consultant and interior designer, (@theconcept_incuration) and her partner Ben Shapland, an analyst for an energy company. THE PROPERTY A two-bedroom first-floor flat in a shared Victorian building in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, bought in 2020. Being confined to their London flat during the spring 2020 lockdown conversely made Francesca Johnson and partner Ben Shapland want to buy a property together. ‘We always thought we’d never leave London but, during lockdown, had enjoyed a quieter pace of life. We looked to St Leonards-on-Sea where we’d spent happy weekends and where several friends live,’ says Francesca. The couple discovered the right property after only a handful of viewings. ‘It was a glorious day and the flat was flooded with…

LOOKS THAT LAST STYLE DIRECTION“If you are unsure where to start, pick a colourful piece of furniture that you love and use this as the foundation for your scheme"HEATHER YOUNG, EDITOR IN CHIEF STYLE DIRECTION“Cushions and artwork, set against a white or grey backdrop, are the ideal entry point into primary colours"GINEVRA BENEDETTI, DEPUTY EDITOR PICK THE RIGHT COMBO Try to limit the use of primary brights in a room. So, when putting red, yellow and blue together, dull down one of them by choosing a tint of it that contains either more black or white. Or pick a colour adjacent to it on the colour wheel, and remember that white, black and grey all work well as a calming neutral. MIX IN GRAPHIC PATTERN To prevent primaries looking pre-school…

Frame a neutral wall An off-white wall is ideal when hanging bright prints, but it can feel a little bland. So bookending it with a muted red ceiling and a vivid green wall makes for a statement space. Give it a twist... Paint a rectangle in a contrasting colour to create a backdrop for hanging prints. Mix matt & gloss Add depth and interest to a flat wall by using contrasting finishes side by side in the same colour. The change in finish means that light bounces off them in varying amounts. Give it a twist... Try a checkerboard pattern or a horizontal stripe in alternate matt and gloss finishes in a kitchen or a bathroom. Wow with statement shades Using pops of red, yellow, and blue around the kitchen…

Ah summer, you’re so close… but if you’ve been neglecting your garden over the winter months, there’s still time to give it a refresh – and without blowing the budget. From seating to colour, planting to hard landscaping, a little work now will see you enjoy your outdoor space all summer long. But if you’re unsure where to start – and certainly where you can save money – we asked a garden designer, a stylist and an outdoor living buyer for their tips on how to achieve garden revamps for less. WORK WITH WHAT YOU HAVE ‘Sometimes, it’s the simplest things that can make a big difference,’ says Charlie. ‘Start by removing weeds and giving the area a good clean, using a jet washer to make your patio look like…

How to clean a barbecue If you tend to forget all about cleaning your grill till the next time you use it, this guide will help you get it gleaming again. Living room wallpaper ideas From papering one area of a wall to covering sections within a panelled framework, there are so many other ways to add wallpaper to your scheme – we have all the inspiration and ideas lined up for you. Best garden furniture Not sure what garden furniture to buy to see you through the summer and beyond? Check out our guide to the best alfresco sets. Garden shade ideas As much as you love your garden, do you find yourself escaping indoors every so often to cool down? Then check out our guide to adding shade…

PROJECT DETAILS WHO LIVES HERE? Tim and Lesley Bradshaw live here with their border terriers Lily and Pocket. THE PROJECT Rejigging the layout of the bathroom in a six-bedroom farmhouse built in the 1860s. TOTAL COST £25,860 THE PROBLEM A narrow room with an awkward layout meant the space felt cramped THE SOLUTION ‘The bathroom is long and narrow with a window on the end wall. In the old layout you had to squeeze past the bath and basin to get to the loo and the shower was right next to the door as you opened it. Plus the fittings had been there for over 20 years. Our daughter, Victoria, is an interior designer and came up with the idea of getting rid of the bath and moving the shower…

Maybe you dream of having your unloved and unkempt garden completely revamped? Or do you long for lush flower-filled borders and perennial planting that ensures your garden looks just as good in the depths of winter as it does in summertime? Then it could be worth enlisting the help of a garden landscaper to help make your dreams a reality. Many people might be put off by the idea of spending money on their outside space, especially with the current costs of living tightening our belts. But you don’t need an enormous budget to achieve great results, because garden design and landscaping can be affordable for all – you just need to know what you’re looking for and how much of the work – if any – you are able…

BEFORE YOU BUY ■ Decide on how much you’re going to spend. Barbecues vary wildly in price from as little as £200 to more than £2,000, so your budget will help you narrow down the options. ■ While gas and wood pellet barbecues have their positives, some claim charcoal barbecues offer the best flavour. To make it more complicated, there are hybrid barbecues that use gas flames to heat charcoal. If you’re cooking meat, it’s the juices hitting the coals that create a smoke which adds flavour to the meat. So if you want authentic taste, then coals can be the best way to cook. ■ If you’re not a seasoned griller, you’d be forgiven for thinking charcoal barbecues are just for direct heat cooking, meaning grilling meat, fish or…

“Windproof, UV and water resistant, the Hosta range comes with a free waterproof cover” Come rain or shine… While this Hosta outdoor furniture from DFS isn’t brand new – it launched last summer – it’s back again this year and definitely worth a mention for its genius design and eco cred. Aside from the fact that the Hosta range boasts a super comfy indoor sofa/armchair style (which makes it look high end), the seats are filled with a fibre wadding made from 70% recycled plastic bottles. What’s more, the range has been specially designed so that any water that touches the surface runs right through it too. NEAT SOLUTION Dutch brand Brabantia knows good design. Its ranges cover laundry and ironing, kitchens and bathrooms and all things bin-related. Their super…

Ideal Home exclusive offer SAVE 20% WHEN YOU SHOP AT DOBBIES Choosing the right outdoor furniture, accessories and planting is key to creating a garden that is a welcoming and relaxing space to be in all summer long. And this season, Dobbies has a wealth of alfresco décor and gardening essentials to suit all styles and budgets. ONE-STOP SHOP Dobbies’ great new ranges offer a wide selection of super-smart dining and lounging furniture, together with a stunning selection of planters and pots- and the plants to put in them. What’s more, there are barbecues, pizza ovens, lighting and firepits, so you can enjoy your outdoor space from dawn to dusk. SEASONAL BUYS Highlights include Nectar furniture sets, which come in an uplifting on-trend turquoise shade, and the Billy…

EDITOR’S LETTER This time of year, it’s likely you’ve already spent some sunny weekends in the garden, all the while trying to ignore the obvious – that your outdoor space needs an overhaul before you invite anyone over. From cleaning your patio or decking to painting your shed, there are so many ways you can perk up your plot in time for the summer months. Relax though – we’re not suggesting a massive revamp – these jobs shouldn’t take you long to do, nor do they need to be a chore. Thumb through this booklet and you’ll find plenty of suggestions on how to get the most out of your garden, from the tasks that will take you a weekend to complete, to easy ways to update your space with…

NEED TO KNOW Boho designs at John Lewis From his new spring collection in collaboration with John Lewis & Partners, Matthew Williamson has designed a range of boho bedding guaranteed to bring the summer vibes into your boudoir, as well as a dose of joyful colour. This fab peacock bedding comes in three sumptuous shades and is reversible too. Other pieces from the collection not to be missed are his range of stunning wall mirrors, with our current obsession being firmly focused on the gold scalloped shell design. IH LOVES... Tropical trays Tropical lush tray, £29, Gabrielle Good What to do this month... READ Interior design journalist Amy Moorea Wong’s debut coffee table book Kaleidoscope (£33, Hardie Grant) is a beautiful collection of curated homes in every shade, guaranteed to…

When you’re faced with painting or decorating a blank wall, it can feel like a daunting task. But adding colour has always been a risk worth taking. Will a splash of orange in my living room feel out of place, or will it bring warm and optimistic feelings? Spoiler alert, it’s the latter. As an online destination for ultimate interior inspiration, we see many people on Pinterest saving ideas that showcase big and bold colours in the home. But when it comes to letting the roller glide down the wall, so many of us opt for a white, cream, or darker shade of beige, all of which have their rightful place when decorating. But as we now spend more time in our homes, whether that’s working, relaxing or hosting, true…

IN KNOTS Design House Stockholm Knot cushion in Cream, £129, Amara SLIM LEGS Ozzy bedside table, £399, Pepper Sq SUBTLE SHADE Sand Mushroom dome lamp, £249, Swoon x Houseof PARED BACK Artificial dried flowers in ceramic vase, £45, Next GEO SHAPES Nina Takesh Lune rug in Slate Blue, £249, Ruggable BOUCLE BEAUTY Cambourne double bed frame in Natural boucle, £699, Feather & Black SMOOTH STYLE Colby rechargeable table lamp, £59, M&S TANGLED UP Knitted boucle cushion, £24.99, H&M Home TEXTURE DETAIL Rattan bedside table, £79.99, BTFY MODERN LOVE Penny Geometric wool rug in Steel Blue, from £180, The Rug Seller DREAMY DISPLAY Honesty in glass vase, £28, Matalan SUPER SQUISHY Marshmallow double bed frame in White boucle, £440, Habitat…

PROJECT DETAILS WHO LIVES HERE Ben Burbidge, of Burbidge Kitchens (burbidgekitchenmakers.co.uk), lives here with interior designer wife Emma. THE PROJECT Installing a new kitchen in a six-bed 18th-century cottage. TOTAL COST £45,000 THE PROBLEM The existing kitchen was installed 15 years ago, and was starting to show its age THE SOLUTION ‘Our dream was to have a kitchen that’s quite traditional in style, but in a modern and colourful way. We worked with a kitchen designer, so there was a clear idea from the start – nothing really changed along the way. The layout stayed the same as before, but we added a run of units at the end for extra storage. Emma and I had many discussions about colour – particularly the pink! Even though I wanted something bold,…

OUR JUDGING PANEL HEATHER YOUNG EDITOR IN CHIEF GINEVRA BENEDETTI DEPUTY EDITOR THEA BABINGTON-STITT ASSISTANT EDITOR, DIGITAL ALI LOVETT HOUSES EDITOR BATHROOM OF THE YEAR WINNER WICKES Green Park bathroom ‘Every inch of this range looks like it’s high end rather than high street. The perfect example of luxe for less.’ HEATHER YOUNG, EDITOR IN CHIEF HIGHLY COMMENDED UTOPIA ROSEBERRY BATHROOM BEST TILES WINNER TILE MOUNTAIN Onyx marble effect polished porcelain ‘These large format tiles guarantee minimal grout lines, while the marble look exudes spa-style luxe.’ THEA BABINGTON-STITT, ASSISTANT EDITOR, DIGITAL HIGHLY COMMENDED UTOPIA BEST STORAGE SOLUTION WINNER KEUCO Stageline bathroom storage ‘This sleek range features clever integrated lighting that will create a bathroom feature as well as add a gentle glow at night-time.’ GINEVRA BENEDETTI, DEPUTY EDITOR BEST SURFACE…

HOME NOTES HOMEOWNERS Rebecca and Ben Taylor live here with their children Hamish, five, and Rose, two. PROPERTY A three-bed Victorian terraced house in east London. ARCHITECT James Dale Architects (jamesdalearchitects.com) BUILDERS Rimi Renovations (rimirenovations.com) TOTAL COST £132,000 THE PROBLEM A tired Victorian house lacked a bright, sociable space and had no connection to the garden THE SOLUTION ‘Our main goal was to rejig the ground floor layout and create a series of bright, social areas that make best use of the property’s footprint, all without extending from the back of the house and eating up precious square footage in the garden. The solution was to push out into the redundant side return, adding seven square metres of space. Although this isn’t a huge amount of room, it was enough…

BEFORE YOU BUY ■ Improving air quality is beneficial for everyone. Unfortunately, indoor air quality is threatened by pollutants from outside, allergens, dust, candles, open fires, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from cleaning products, and ‘off-gassing.’ This is where VOCs are released from paints and plastics over the years. So using an air purifier is like a breath of fresh air and they can be beneficial if anyone in the family has asthma or allergies. ■ Air purifiers quietly and invisibly remove everything from dust to very fine particles from the air. While opening doors and windows for ventilation in the summertime is a great way to improve indoor air quality, if you live on a congested road or it’s cold outside, an air purifier is the solution. ■ They work…

Nearly forty years ago I became absorbed by gardening when I first grew troughs of salads and pots of herbs on my doorstep in west London. I was – and still am – a passionate cook and it’s a great life enhancer for me to enjoy just-picked produce straight from the garden. Taking advice from a book or two and prompts from a couple of veg-growing friends in those early days, I landed on five favourite edible plants, all of which I highly recommend and still grow today: Swiss chard, French tarragon, parsley, runner beans and oak leaf lettuce. What I hadn’t realised at the time is that each of these plants are cut-and-come-again varieties. This is where you regularly harvest the older, outer leaves of herbs and salads (or…

START BY EMPTYING IT Firstly pull everything out of your shed and sort through what you need and what you don’t need. Check all machinery and tools are in working order, and if you have any old or empty paint cans, dispose of them correctly at your local council’s waste site. SORT A SHELVING SYSTEM Sheds don’t often come with any shelving or wall hooks, so begin by measuring up your space, plus what you want to store there and make the most of the vertical space. DON’T FORGET THE SMALL STUFF There will always be plenty of bits and bobs that you never quite know what to do with, so factor them into the equation from the outset. Jam jars with their lids screwed onto the underside of shelves…

1 MAKE A FUN AREA FOR KIDS Up the fun factor for smaller children by staging a dedicated play area. Sacrifice a section of a raised bed and create an area of deck with a giant blackboard and a covered sandpit for sunny-day play. Fix a peg rail to the underside of the sandpit lid for hanging toys. For safety, position this area a safe distance from any outdoor cooking areas and ideally in shade, but in clear sight of seating spots so grown ups can keep a watchful eye them while they play. 2 HOW TO PAINT A SHED The weather can be hard on our garden buildings, so they will need re-painting or re-staining every few years or so. Giving our sheds, summer houses and outdoor dens a…