Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2019 i Your Home

This is truly the most wonderful time of the year and whether you’re looking for decorating inspiration or festive recipes, look no further. On page 36 you’ll find beautiful ways to style your home using seasonal foliage. Our reader homes this issue are decked out in their Christmas glory and you’ll find ideas to steal from their creative owners (p.73). We also meet readers who transformed their bedrooms from drab to fab (p.24). Friends staying over at this time of the year can put an extra demand on the bathroom, so if your shower isn’t up to scratch take a look at our pick of the latest designs (p.54). Likewise, if you dream of making your kitchen more open-plan, find inspiration and expert advice on page 48. Food plays an…

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 issue’s letter of the month will receive The Self-Care Cookbook by Gemma Orgston, worth £14.99, and Quick Crafts: For Parents Who Think They Hate Craft by Emma Scott-Child, worth £12.99. Three runner-ups will each receive a copy of Quick Crafts as well. Find out more about these products at www.penguin.co.uk.…

HOB PRIDE, £2.99 for 300ml , ROBERT DYAS This product was great at tackling burnt-on food and grease on my induction hob. When used with a bit of elbow grease, the handy cloth that’s included helped me tackle the stubborn patches really well, and left a fabulous shine. The liquid had quite a strong smell, but it wasn’t too unpleasant and didn’t linger. This definitely made cleaning my induction hob a breeze. HOB HEAVEN DAILY SPRAY, £3.99 for 500ml , LAKELAND With a lovely, fresh, lemon fragrance, Hob Heaven cut through the grease and grime on the hob without leaving any residue and without needing to be rinsed afterwards. Spray it on, leave for a few minutes so it can get to work on burnt-on bits, then wipe…

Branching out Whether you just want a little something above your dining table or don’t have space for a full-size tree, try hanging a branch from the ceiling and adorning it with spare baubles. It’s a budget-friendly update that makes a big statement, and you get that lovely warm glow from having made it yourself! CLEAR WINNERS Don’t get us wrong, we love a fresh wreath. But there’s an undeniable convenience that comes with a fake one and the high street is teeming with fabulous gold rings to suit every style. We can’t choose our favourite! MINI TREND: CELESTIAL CELEBRATION We are absolutely loving the combination of night-sky navy and glimmering gold as décor for parties this month. You don’t have to worry about getting the exact same tone…

When Jo and Gareth Jones moved into their Edwardian house they knew they had their work cut out. Jo, 43, a senior digital content producer at the V&A Museum and Gareth, 44, a global infrastructure manager at Condé Nast International, live in South Woodford, East London, with their sons Evan, 10, and Olly, eight. ‘There was an enormous amount to do. We decided to start at the back of the house and move forward, room by room,’ Jo explains. While work was going on in the kitchen, Jo got busy sorting out the bedroom. ‘The noise and dust downstairs were unbelievable so having our room upstairs to escape to was important.’ STEP ONE The room lacked character and Jo had fixed ideas on how to make it feel like their…

Sienna super kingsize bed, £950 (in the sale), Feather & Black. Wardrobe knobs, £5.99 for two (in the sale), Zara Home. Amelie two-drawer bedside table, £179; sheepskin rug, £35, both Dunelm. Brass wall lights, £145 each; black and white cushion with bobbles, £55, both Cox & Cox. Sputnik six light central light, £91.99, Wayfair. Intelligent matt emulsion in Wood Ash, £50 per 2.5l; Intelligent eggshell in Wood Ash and Intelligent eggshell in Scree, both £64 per 2.5l, all Little Greene. Good At Naps throw, £100, Urban Outfitters. Grey curtain tiebacks, £20 for two, John Lewis.…

CANDLELIT COUNTDOWN The countdown to Christmas is almost as exciting as the big day itself. Get family and friends in the festive mood by creating a welcoming display in your hallway. Team candles, rustic branches and natural foliage with other seasonal essentials to create an eye-catching display. To make our candle display, fill vintage terracotta pots almost to the top with Oasis floral foam. You can cut the foam into shape with a kitchen knife. Push one white candle into the centre of each pot and then top with moss to hide the foam. Choose a rustic container or tray and place the pots inside. Dress the tray with twigs and mini pine cones. The foam should keep its shape so spent candles can be easily replaced once their wicks…

‘The popularity of open-plan living has propelled the momentum of the quiet movement. A kitchen will have at least four to five gadgets including a dishwasher, washing machine and kettle, so noise output is fundamental to the quality of home life. Championed by forward-thinking retailers, kitchen appliance brands are investing in low-noise, high-performance technology to which Quiet Mark is awarding the distinctive purple ‘Q’ mark. Look out for the logo to ensure you’re buying the quietest products on the market.’ Poppy Szkiler, Founder, Quiet Mark Visit www.quietmark.com for to find the best products to suit your needs.…

WHO LIVES HERE? Lucy Orton, a positive psychology coach, and her husband Ross, who works in education, live in this detached four-bedroom house with their three children, Elias, eight, Verity, six, and Inigo, two. WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE OLD ROOM? ‘The pink 1960s suite and oak-coloured toilet seat clashed. The floor was part tiled and part cork and the wall tiles, which only went half way up, were a patterned beige to match the curtains!’ WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT THE NEW ROOM? ‘I love the panelling – the colour and style are exactly what we were aiming for.’ WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS? ‘Don’t get stressed. We felt privileged to be creating our ideal home and kept that in mind.’…

Best for… LOW WATER PRESSURE Dated ‘gravity-fed’ hot-water systems are characterised by poor flow and water pressure. One answer is to install a power shower that works like a mixer shower, blending hot and cold water and boosting flow up to 16 litres per minute thanks to an integrated pump. These are an efficient and cost-effective solution and are available in manual and thermostatic versions. Best for… FAMILIES Electric showers are perfect for all ages and offer many practical and money-saving benefits. Rated ‘A’ efficient, they only heat up the water you need and can be used any time of day without having to run the boiler for hours beforehand. The settings can also be controlled to reduce electricity and water use, making them energy efficient and cost effective. Best…

This sculptural wine rack makes use of simple corner joints and sturdy timber to create a storage solution that can be mounted on the wall or left free-standing, to suit your home. YOU'LL NEED ● one 27mm x 94mm x 2400mm timber batten, £8.61, B&Q ● pencil ● tape measure ● Titan mitre saw, £59.99, Screwfix ● sandpaper ● drill ● 16-piece Forstner drill bit set, £39.99, Screwfix ● screws ● 900mm x 25mm oak furniture board, £24.50, B&Q ● dark Chalk Paint furniture wax, £9.95 per 500ml, Annie Sloan ● soft cloth ● two powder-coated brown steel L brackets, £2.05 each, B&Q STEP ONE Cut the three main parts of the wine rack down from one length of 94mm x 27mm timber. Measure and cut two 27.5cm pieces and…

Linoleum was first invented over 150 years ago and is made from natural materials – usually solidified linseed oil, made more durable with powdered wood. Sheets of lino are coloured all the way through so scratches and small cuts aren’t obvious, but this limits the intricacy of designs. Lino can last for over 20 years and will gently age until it becomes brittle and needs to be replaced. Although it’s naturally water resistant, it may need to be sealed to prolong its life. It’s also comparatively heavy and stiff, so can be tricky to install yourself. Vinyl, on the other hand, is petroleum based, so not as eco-friendly as lino. Invented in the 1930s, the surface of this low-maintenance floor covering can be printed with virtually any pattern, which is…

Anna Straw’s passion for all things unique and quirky is evident in every room of her cottage. Within a year of moving in, Anna had transformed it from a traditional house full of pastel colours and cream carpets into a vibrant, fun-filled family home, bursting with innovative design ideas and unusual artefacts. From pink flamingos and fabulous feathered wall hangings to abstract paintings and crazy cushions, Anna’s home is a treasure trove of curios and keepsakes that are extraordinary and unexpected. So it comes as no surprise to learn that Christmas in the Straw household is never a timid affair. In the run-up to the holiday season, Anna spends weeks decorating trees, hearths, walls and shelves with a mix of family antiques and modern finds, as well as piling the…

It was an impulse buy which paid dividends when Lucy put in an offer on what became her two-bedroom cottage before husband Dan had even seen it. ‘There were three other people looking at it at the same time and I needed to act fast,’ says Lucy. ‘He had seen the photos and trusted my judgement, but it was still a gamble. I was very relieved when he gave it the thumbs up.’ Although the house, which cost £130,000, was very dark and had a poky old fashioned kitchen, it suited their needs perfectly. It had all its original features, a private garden and two bedrooms. ‘It was a perfect first house,’ says Lucy. ‘We had been renting a place in Pontefract in west Yorkshire and wanted somewhere closer to…

3 ways with... Prosecco • For a festive fizz to serve at parties, pour 1 tbsp clementine juice and 1 tbsp pomegranate juice into a flute then top with prosecco. • For a sweet and simple addition to your prosecco, pour 50ml pink gin into a gin glass and add 50ml lemonade. Top with prosecco and serve with a twist of lemon. • Decorate cakes with this indulgent prosecco flavoured buttercream. Beat 300g unsalted soft butter with 600g icing sugar until smooth. Add 100ml prosecco and beat again until it’s fully incorporated. This makes enough to fill and decorate a 20cm cake. If you do one thing this month... A beautifully decorated tin of biscuits will be a welcome gift when visiting friends and family. Whether you take a…

Your chance to win a spa break from Red Letter Days Red Letter Days is giving away the perfect Christmas gift for those looking to relax and unwind – a one-night spa break including accommodation, dinner and breakfast for two people sharing a room at Tylney Hall in Hook, Hampshire, normally worth £360. Enjoy the splendour of the Grade-II listed mansion in a traditional double or twin room. This overnight stay includes use of the health club with indoor and outdoor swimming pools plus one spa treatment each. Stroll in the elegant grounds, escape to the health club for a dip or simply unwind in the hotel. In the evening, take a seat in the Oak Room Restaurant and dine on a three-course table d’hote dinner and top off the…

WHAT A CRACKER Christmas is nothing without a cracker. But with most constructed from non-recyclable paper and containing plastic toys, it’s important to make sure your dinnertime entertainment doesn’t harm the environment. These eco-friendly crackers from Dunelm are a great alternative. Priced at £3.50 per pack of 12, each cracker is made from high-quality kraft paper, meaning they can be easily recycled. Plus, inside each one is a plastic-free present! Find out more at www.dunelm.com FOUR-LEGGED FESTIVE TREATS Don’t let your cat or dog feel left out in the buildup to Christmas! Get them an advent calendar from Lily’s Kitchen. Perfect for mogs and mutts with sensitive stomachs, each calendar holds 24 delicious treats made from the finest natural meats, vegetables, botanicals and herbs, to help your pet enjoy a…

1 Made with vegetable-based inks, this paper is a great green buy! North Pole wrapping paper, £9.95 for five sheets, Nancy & Betty Studio 2 With a cute Christmas panda print, this kraft wrapping paper definitely makes our list of top buys. Christmas panda print wrapping paper, £3.75 per 3m roll, Paperchase 3 Make your presents stand out under the tree with this lithographed matt recycled paper. Celestial gift wrap, £20 for eight sheets, The Shop Floor Project…

SMART SAVINGS  You could save £150 a year by ditching your TV licence and using catch-up and streaming services instead. You’ll still need a TV licence to watch BBC iPlayer, but other channels’ catch-up services are free. A subscription to Netflix costs £7.99 per month (£95.88 per year) so still works out cheaper. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you get Amazon Prime TV for free. It’s £7.99 per month if you’re not. YH FAB FIND Lightfoot, dubbed the ‘fitbit for cars’, plugs into your vehicle’s computer and gives you audio and visual feedback on how efficiently you’re driving – helping you save money and the planet. There’s an accompanying app that is free to download, plus an optional £3.99 per month subscription, which provides extras including discounts and vehicle…

From statement lighting to luxurious velvet furniture, Hollywood glamour is the trend guaranteed to add a hint of opulence to your home this winter. Whether you’re looking to fully redecorate or simply add a few lavish decorations, be inspired by the golden age of Hollywood for a sophisticated home refresh. Gold is the running thread of this look, whether that be gold accented glassware to jazz up a lacklustre dining room or a glitzy throw for your bedroom. In the darker months, metallics and mirrored surfaces will help to enhance natural light while adding depth to your décor. Pale pinks and muted blues, on the walls or furniture, will complement those lustrous textures and ground your feature pieces in a glamorous yet calm aura. To boost the cosiness in a…

Birch Loop pile carpet in Platinum, £29.99 per sq m, Carpetright. Arcadia mattress, £599, from the Indulgence collection at Rest Assured. Silentnight pure cotton duvet, £48.99; Silentnight pillows, £19.99 for two, both Amazon. Horse Chestnut pink/green floral wallpaper, £85 per roll; cushions in Horse Chestnut botanical velvet, £89 per m, both Woodchip & Magnolia. Skold sheepskin rug, 90cm, £50; Ingrun throw, £8; Listerby console table, £90; Gladom tray table, £15; Ranarp work lamp, £29; Fejka artificial string of beads plant, £5; Fejka artificial oregano plant, £6; Vindfläkt gold bowl, £4; Vindfläkt vases, from £5; Gradvis pink vase, £8; Pärlband tealight holder, £5; Blomdoft scented candle, £3.50; Njutning scented candle, £6; Sanela cushion cover, £6; Bergpalm quilt cover and pillow cases, £22, all IKEA. Gold jewellery box, £6; velvet plant pot…

Functional and interactive, open-plan suits modern lifestyles and encourages families to spend time together. When planning your space, consider the following: Drill down the details Open-plan spaces are airy, spacious and versatile, but they need to be designed carefully so that the right balance of privacy and cosiness is achieved. At the design stage, allocate as many storage solutions as possible. Things like internal pull-outs in cupboards are handy for making the best use of space, not just in the kitchen but throughout the home. It’s all about the flow Furniture can be used in clever ways to help zone the different areas while enabling the space to flow. The Masterclass Living Collection, for example, allows kitchen cabinets to be coordinated with pieces in the living room, creating one style…

Orchard Eden close-coupled WC with soft-close seat, £109, Victoria Plum. Pura Fyori countertop basin, £96, Drench.co.uk. Cubico Noah white freestanding acrylic bath 1485mm, £868.50; Twyford floor-standing bath/shower mixer, £287.25; Cubico Monarch vanilla matt tiles, 600mm x 600mm, £32 per sq m, (£146.88); Cubico Monarch vanilla matt wall tiles, 300mm x 600mm, £38 per sq m, (£186), all Easy Bathrooms. Prado 500 basin mono, £62.14, Eastbrook. Velo Aquablade shower valve with integrated diverter and rigid riser kit, £575, Vado. Valliant flipper walk-in shower screen, £384; Wingrave straight white 1200 x 600mm ladder radiator, £69.60, both Eastbrook. Lakes acrylic-capped stone resin shower tray, £256.80, Aqva. MDF Shaker panels, £409, Fine Panel. Towels, £15 per bundle, Matalan. Vases, from £24 each, Portmeirion. Storage baskets, £3 each, TK Maxx. Romsey towel ring, £12.04; Pendle…

YOU WILL NEED ● brown paper ● pencil ● scissors ● 1m floral cotton ● 1m pink satin ● 1m blue glitter fabric ● 2m medium-weight fusible interfacing iron ● one A4 sheet each of pink-and-blue glitter felt and two A4 sheets of grey glitter felt, £1.20 each, Franklins ● sewing machine and thread ● 1m white felt ● fusible embroidered appliqué trim, from a selection at Franklins ● three 45cm zips ● 45cm circular cushion pads, £7.50 per set of four, Amazon These novelty cushions are the ideal way to brighten up your sofa over the festive season. With three designs to choose from, you can stitch a matching trio or mix them up. STEP ONE Begin by making a 45cm-diameter circular template from brown paper. Use the template…

Q We’re upgrading our sink and need some design advice. What do you suggest that's stylish, practical and durable for a large family? Paula Wheal, Aberdeenshire A John Robinson, Marketing Manager, Blanco UK, has the following advice: There’s a plethora of bowl shapes and sizes today, all in stainless steel, a durable and reliable material that’s easy to clean and corrosion resistant. However, with so many designs – double, deep, round, rectangular, with a draining board, curved, straight ledges and more – which should you choose? Firstly, consider what you use your sink and surrounding space for. Do you need a draining board? Do you use huge pots and trays that need space to be washed? Do you use your sink for meal preparation? Once you’ve narrowed down the practical…

WE ARE Carl and Emma Morenikeji. I am a primary teacher and my husband, Carl, owns and runs Scaramanga, an online vintage and retro furniture store. We have two children Joshua, 11, and Ella, nine, and two cats, Simba and Mowgli. OUR HOME Is a five-bedroom Georgian manse that was built in 1792, set in seven acres of land, plus an acre of land that we bought in 2013. MY FAVOURITE SHOP AT CHRISTMAS Has to be Scaramanga. I love it when Carl has been on a buying trip before Christmas. I go through all the containers and pick out all the things I want for our family and friends. MY PERFECT CHRISTMAS Is being with the people I love, having fun, eating delicious food and not being in a…

OUR HOME Is a four-bedroom terraced cottage, which was built 20 years ago as part of a conversion of a 200-year-old farm building in a village near Scunthorpe. We bought it in March 2018. WE ARE Anna Straw, an interior designer and stylist, and my husband Mark, a company director. We have a daughter, Sadie, 18, and a springer-doodle dog called Ralph. MY FAVOURITE ITEM Is the green three-seater Scott sofa from Made.com which cost £950 and transforms the dining-kitchen into a really comfortable family space. MY TOP TIP Is budget, plan and create a mood board to keep you on track. MY FAVOURITE ROOM Is the sitting room because it’s cosy, warm and wraps around you on an evening. I GET INSPIRATION FROM Family treasures, things from my childhood…

OUR HOME Is a two-bedroom Victorian cottage in Barlby near Selby, North Yorkshire, which we bought in August 2015. WE ARE Lucy Scarah – I own a rustic interiors shop called Helston Street in York – and my husband Dan, a CAD engineer. We have two ‘Chipoo’ dogs Buddy and Rupert. MY FAVOURITE ROOM Is the kitchen. I love the old range, plus the space and light. MY BEST BARGAIN Is a cupboard I bought for £20. I added shelves and painted it and now use it as a larder. NEXT TO DO Is the garden. We have a small, square space which is very private and contains mature trees. We are planning to make more of the outdoor space when we get time. IF I COULD CHANGE ANYTHING I’m…

Turkey crown with chorizo stuffing PREPARATION TIME 30 MINUTES COOKING TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES SERVES 8 ✔ Approx 2kg boned turkey crown ✔ 1 tsp smoked paprika (sometimes called pimentón) ✔ 25g butter, softened For the stuffing 2 tbsp mild olive oil ✔ 1 large onion, finely chopped ✔ 2 celery sticks, finely chopped ✔ 6 rashers streaky bacon, chopped ✔ 100g chorizo (unsliced), peeled and cut into small chunks ✔ 85g breadcrumbs ✔ 20g pack flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped ■ To make the stuffing, heat the oil in a large non-stick pan, then add the onion and celery. Cover and cook gently for 15 minutes or until soft, then tip into a bowl. Add the bacon to the pan, turn up the heat and fry for 2 minutes.…

Ras malai cake PREPARATION TIME 15 MINUTES + DECORATION BAKING TIME 20-25 MINUTES SERVES 6-8 For the cake mix ✔ 250g unsalted butter ✔ 250g caster sugar ✔ 5 medium eggs, beaten ✔ 250g self-raising flour ✔ 1 tsp baking powder ✔ 10 strands saffron, dropped into ✔ 4 tbsp warm milk For the milk drizzle ✔ 100g milk powder ✔ 150ml boiling water ✔ cardamom seeds, removed from the pods and ground For the buttercream ✔ 2 cardamom pods, crushed ✔ 3 tbsp whole milk ✔ 300g unsalted butter, softened ✔ 600g icing sugar, sifted To decorate ✔ edible rose petals, mixed with 100g roughly chopped pistachios ■ Preheat the oven to 170°C/Fan 150°C/ Gas Mark 3. Grease and line two 20cm sandwich tins. ■ To make the cake…

‘The most important practical considerations are insulation, daylight and ventilation. Your garage walls will probably be a single-skin brick or block construction and not a cavity wall. To make the room habitable, erect an internal skin and then insulate. You’ll also need to confirm the floor construction, as you’ll probably need to insulate the top of the slab, which may play havoc with your internal floor levels. The roof will also need insulating.’ Jeremy Wiggins, Technical Director at gpad london…

With Christmas around the corner, it’s the perfect time to gather friends and family and enjoy a festive feast. It’s easy to feel stressed when hosting get-togethers, but luckily Leisure is on hand, with its Cuisinemaster Pro Range Cooker (PR100F530K). It boasts three separate ovens including one with a large 75-litre capacity; this is big enough to fit a family-sized Christmas turkey with ease, while the tall fan oven is perfect for batch-baking scrumptious mince pies. Whether you’re hosting in a traditional country pile or an urban apartment, Leisure has a variety of cookers ranging from 60cm to 110cm, and with a choice of seven colours, there’s one to suit all kitchen types. Offering unbeatable performance and versatility, a Leisure range cooker promises to bring new levels of culinary joy…

If you’ve ever not bothered returning something you’ve bought because you’re not sure of your rights, or you think it’s not worth complaining when an item is faulty, think again. Once you know your rights, you’ll never accept sub-standard goods again. WHAT ARE MY CONSUMER RIGHTS? Consumer rights are laws that protect you when you buy goods and services: ● Anything you purchase must be of the quality described, fit for purpose and last a reasonable length of time, even if you buy it in a sale or with a voucher. ● For example, you’d expect a pricey plasma TV to last more than a year but you wouldn’t expect a cheap table lamp to still be working after 10 years. ● The law changed in October 2015 when The…

‘An easy way to introduce some luxury to your home is through fabrics, textures and colour. Velvet is a great statement fabric ideal for sofas, accent chairs and cushions. Pick a colour scheme using two to three shades and carry over into your accessories to help pull the look together. Metallics in brushed brass emulate class without appearing tacky. Marble is a must! From coffee tables to lighting to accessories, this is a sure way to add a touch of glamour.’ Becka Cutler, Interior Stylist & Buyer at Cult Furniture…

Sliding doors and internal fittings, from £950, Spaceslide. Middleton Pink and Blackened Estate Emulsion, £46.50 per 2.5l, Farrow & Ball. Fulton four-drawer chest, £179 each; Fulton side table, £79; Boho rose rug, £79; faux fur sheepskin rug, £19; faux fur grey and pink cushions, £12 each; flamingo sculpture, £26; window-effect mirror, £55; Tanner black table lamp, £22; Brooke textured blush cushion, £12 each; Isla velvet pink cocktail chair, £139, all Dunelm. Two-piece trunk set, £102.99, Wayfair. Hexagon floating box shelves, £24 for three, B&Q. Map prints and hanging frame, £73 each, Mapiful. Chunky knit throws in cream, £30, Primark. Northlight rack wall arms, £6.99 each; lamp lead, £9.99 each; bubble bulbs, from £5.99 each, all Clas Ohlson UK. Prints and frames, from a selection, Desenio. Geo Star Lines two-pack duvet…

Lucy Orton and her husband Ross bought their 1960s house on a housing estate in a Cotswold town as a project in August 2016. ‘Nothing seemed to have been done to it since the ’60s and the whole house was tired, outdated and dismal,’ says Lucy. ‘Even the front door and single-glazed windows were either broken or loose.’ However, the Ortons waited 14 months before doing any building work because Lucy was expecting Inigo when they bought the house. In the meantime, designer and project manager Simon Heckford of Oasys Property Solutions obtained planning permission, and the building work took six months from October 2017 to June 2018. The biggest transformation was the ground floor extension, wrapping around the front, side and back of the house, almost doubling it in…

Cross stitch baubles Liven up your tree with some eyecatching needlework designs SHOPPING LIST ● paper and coloured pens ● wooden cross stitch shapes, £4.20 per set of four, Hobbycraft ● embroidery needle and thread ● felt ● scissors ● PVA glue ● glitter ribbon, £1 per 2m, Hobbycraft 1 Begin by planning out your design. We chose to work a different pattern on each of our decorations, and mapped out the designs beforehand with paper and coloured pens. 2 Once you’re happy with the designs, use an embroidery needle and thread to work each design onto a separate wooden decoration blank. To get a neat finish, make sure that the stitches all lie in the same direction. Tie the thread off on the back of the work once each…

YOU'LL NEED ESSENTIAL ● Vinyl ● utility knife ● hook blade ● straight blade ● metal ruler ● scissors ● knee pads ● measuring tape ● gloves USEFUL ● Adhesive ● double-faced flooring tape ● protective mask ● notched trowel One of the quickest ways you can make a change to your flooring is to lay vinyl, and it has dramatic results. There are hundreds of designs, with options for every kind of home. Its high water-resistance and easy-to-clean surface make it a great option for bathrooms and kitchens. Follow our guide for a smooth and snug installation. GETTING STARTED Work out how much vinyl you’ll need by measuring the width and length of your room at their longest points. Remember to measure under door frames and to the back…

CHRISTMAS CREATIONS Set in the stunning Balham Bowls Club, the SoLo Craft Fair will be returning for its Christmas market once again on the 7th December. Adorned with fairy lights and brimming with mulled wine and festive music, this event is truly special. Over 30 crafters will be selling unique handmade gifts that will be sure to put a smile on any face. Visit www.solocraftfair.comfor more details. 12 Makes of Christmas Discover exciting new techniques and get inspired with Hobbycraft's 12 Makes of Christmas workshop series. With projects for all ages and skill levels, the in-store experts will be hosting weekly workshops around the UK on topics including Advent calendars, baubles, stockings and more. For a full schedule of classes near you, visit www.hobbycraft.co.uk. Pressing matters If you want your…

A striped stair carpet will add instant appeal to a hallway. Highgate loop carpet, £37.99 per sq m, Carpetright The exotic filigree silver metal pendant light casts mesmerising patterns. Souk filigree silver metal pendant light £89, Artisanti Have fun chatting to friends the old-fashioned way on this vintage-style telephone. Rotary dial retro telephone £69, GPO Retro This blue vintage cupboard would provide interesting storage space in a free-standing kitchen. Narrow blue vintage cupboard, £625, Scaramanga Add a little luxury to your bathroom with these elegant floor tiles. Ledbury Charcoal Black patterned tiles, £6.99 per tile, Walls & Floors…

Get the industrial look with wood and metal kitchen bar stools. Industrial Spider Leg bar stool by Woood, £110, Cuckooland Animal-print upholstery will instantly modernise your décor. Nikitta leopard print footstool, £119, Cult Furniture This unusual decorative mirror is sure to attract attention. Large flamingo mirror by Magpie, £30, Hurn & Hurn Anna used a sequin belly basket as a Christmas tree container. Belly basket, from £25, Anna’s Attic Create a splash, like Anna, with a baby pink armchair in the kitchen. Effie armchair in pink velvet, £399, Cult Furniture…

Lucy’s rustic-style Christmas look includes wall hooks similar to these. Railway hooks, £19, Vincent and Barn Lucy bought a life-like faux tree to re-use every year. Balmoral tree, from £149, Dobbies Stoneware jars are a beautiful and practical storage solution. Yellow Bird jar, £18, The Contemporary Home First impressions count, so why not go to town with a door wreath? Citrus and spice wreath, £85, Real Flower Company Decorate the house with simple stars. Southwold white felt stars, £10 for four, Garden Trading…

Roasted Romano peppers & Puy lentils PREPARATION TIME 10 MINUTES COOKING TIME 25 MINUTES SERVES 2-3 ✔ 200g pack Waitrose mixed Romano peppers ✔ 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ✔ 1 leek, sliced ✔ 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced ✔ 3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked ✔ 1 tbsp capers, rinsed ✔ 4 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced ✔ 250g pack ready cooked Puy lentils ✔ 1 tbsp lemon juice ✔ Handful flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped ✔ 30g pistachios, chopped ■ Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC Fan/Gas Mark 6. Halve the peppers through the stalks, deseed and brush all over with 1 tbsp olive oil; season. Lay on a baking tray and roast for 20 minutes. ■ Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat…

FEELING FLUSH If you love the look of timber windows but are worried about the costly maintenance, consider a timber alternative, such as those in Evolution Windows’ range. The latest addition is this flush-fitting casement window. The timeless, elegant design is characterised by sleek lines, which create a sophisticated look that’s ideal for both traditional and more contemporary homes. The very latest materials and techniques are used to emulate the look and feel of real timber, while eliminating the problems traditionally associated with wooden windows. Prices start from around £500 and all windows are made-to-measure. Visit www.evolutionwindows.com FICTIONAL VALUES Have you ever wondered how much your favourite fictional houses would cost if they were on the market? A fun project by Thomas Sanderson – the real-life designers of bespoke blinds,…

Albert Cottage, on the edge of the New Forest, has been home to Charlotte and Ben Merritt for 25 years. It’s where they brought up their two daughters, Primrose and Flora, who were the main reason the couple embarked on their impressive garage conversion. ‘When they became teenagers, we felt they’d appreciate some space of their own to hang out with their friends, rather than be with us in the main living room,’ Charlotte explains. ‘Like most people, we only really used our garage as a dumping ground for the family’s junk, so it was wasted space that was crying out to be used.’ A previous owner had set up the garage as a workshop, so luckily some alterations had already been made. ‘He’d installed a pair of Velux rooflights…

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