Innehållsförteckning för January 2020 från Ideal Home

In the very first edition, January 1920, the editor wrote in his foreword: ‘The policy of The Ideal Home is to cater for the wide circle of the middle class, and our pages and efforts will at all times be concentrated to help this cause. Every matter of interest, from the designing of the house and garden to its final finishing touches, will be carefully explained and illustrated by experts in each branch.’ Today’s editorial team is proud to still uphold that purpose and hopes that you love this great old British brand as much as we do.…

With a non-festive design on the back, I’m not just for Christmas! Move over Christmas jumpers and Christmas PJs, it’s all about Christmas bedlinen this year! Perfect for an early gift on Christmas Eve, or to treat yourself to in the run-up for extra festive vibes. And there’s no need for garish Santas (unless that’s what you want!), because there’s a host of rather more chic designs out there – like this monochrome, graphic trees print from Dunelm……

Soothing scheme ‘Heather hues work all year round, but I’d recommend using a co-ordinating patterned fabric or wallpaper instead of a solid wall colour, so you can update the look by season or mood,’ says Rebecca Craig of the Sanderson Studio at Style Library ‘These shades are a modern update for a neutral room scheme. The beautiful heather tones and soft, dusky shades of purple are a world away from the 1970s take on the colour purple,’ says Karen Thomas. ‘It’s easy to keep them up to date,’ agrees Rebecca Craig. ‘Paired with the right highlight colours, such as powder blue, slate and metallics, heather shades are ideal for contemporary style.’ ‘I’ve seen them used in extremely modern ways,’ says Annie Sloan. ‘They work on slick, geometric furniture and on…

Yes “I love the distinctive sound that traditional wooden windows make, whereas uPVC windows are utterly soulless” Sonya Angus, 49, lives with her husband, Grant, daughter, Rachael, 14, and son, Edward, 13, in a new-build five-bedroom house in Aberdeen. Sonya owns The Unique Boutique (sonyaangus.com). ‘My main issue with uPVC windows is that they look awful if they don’t suit the period of a property. They can ruin the look of an otherwise beautiful house. Of course, things like energy efficiency, soundproofing and price are important – but you have to take aesthetics and history into consideration, too. Before we moved to Aberdeen a few years ago, we lived in a flat on a stunning 19th-century terrace in Edinburgh. In the middle of a typically freezing Scottish winter, our original…

‘We’d already renovated one house, and weren’t really looking to move,’ says Anouk Gerardu. ‘But when we heard on the grapevine that this house a couple of streets away was for sale, we couldn’t resist taking a look. The house was built in 1946 and is set in a leafy neighbourhood. Although it was in need of major renovation, we could see so many possibilities. ‘Our plan was to extend the attic space to create two large rooms, and add an extension to the back and side of the building, to open up the ground floor and create a large, open-plan space. We did a lot of the work ourselves, with the help of friends and family – demolition, preparing the foundations for the concrete base – basically all the…

EMILIE FOURNET, OWNER OF EMILIE FOURNET INTERIORS ( EMILIEFOURNETINTERIORS.COM ) Emilie has been an interior designer for six years, pursuing her life-long dream. She works mostly in and around London on anything from one-room makeovers to complete house refurbishments. She is a member of the Interior Design Collective (interiordesigncollective.co.uk). SOPHIE MARTELL ( OAKMANAGEMENT.CO. UK ) IS A FREELANCE INTERIOR STYLIST She’s worked in the interiors industry for more than 20 years styling books, magazines and catalogue shoots. Recently, Sophie has also been directing shoots for Ideal Home . PHILIPPA PRINSLOO, PARTNER AND HEAD OF DESIGN AT JOHN LEWIS & PARTNERS ( JOHNLEWIS.COM ) Philippa heads up the Design Studio at John Lewis & Partners and creatively directs on all aspects of furniture and homeware.…

1 GET CREATIVE WITH BALLOONS For a quick and easy party vibe, fill a mix of pearlescent latex and metallic orb balloons with helium and tie a long length of curling ribbon to each one, letting them float up to the ceiling. 2 MAKE YOUR FIREPLACE MODERN Painting your fireplace and chimney breast the same shade (as well as any skirting boards) will give your room a modern spin, creating the perfect backdrop for accessories. 3 FORAGE FOR FESTIVE FOLIAGE Lay fresh or faux foliage along your dining table or hang from the ceiling, ready for the festive season. Add a few baubles and a string of fairy lights. 4 LAY A SPARKLING PLACE SETTING For a dramatic, party-perfect dinner table, use sparkling fabric as a…

Practical, durable and stylish, quartz is a strong contender for a low-stress worksurface. In recent years, it has been produced with a honed or leather look and matt finish. Q What is quartz? A man-made surface formed from mineral quartz with resins and pigments, it’s also known as composite or engineered stone. The ratio of ingredients is around 90 per cent quartz to 10 per cent binding and colouring agents. Q Why should I choose it? Quartz is more durable, heat-resistant and easier to maintain than natural stone. It’s less porous, so it’s more resistant to stains, and the surface only needs to be resealed occasionally. It’s also very dense, so bacteria doesn’t grow easily, making it a hygienic choice, too. Q What colour choices does it come in? It’s…

THE PROPERTY A five-bedroom detached house in East Sussex. WHAT IT COST Bath……………….………£546.30 Sink unit………………………£795 Loo…………………………£644.75 Brassware…………………£2234 Shower enclosure…....£1,609 Tiles…………………….........£839 Radiator………….…£120.32 Blind……………………£74.83 TOTAL..............£6,863.20 “This room was so small, it was stressful to use, but now there’s space to move, we love coming in here”…

Laura Disney lives here with her husband Huw Beynon. Laura is a marketing director and Huw is a brand director. THE PROPERTY A four-bedroom Victorian terrace in south London. THE VALUE Bought in 2017 for £818,000; the property is now worth more than £1m. WHAT IT COST Architect.............£20,000 Construction.....£375,000 Glazing................£42,000 Kitchen................£32,000 Flooring...................£17,000 Bathrooms............£14,000 Misc......................£30,650 TOTAL................£530,650 “With all the glazing in the kitchen-diner, it almost feels like we’re sitting in the garden”…

5 GAME-CHANGING BUYS The products you need to store and order all your hallway clutter – for speedier mornings and a warmer welcome 1 The storage bench and peg rail combo With multiple low, slim shoe racks and peg rails fixed end to end, you can create a wall of storage. These racks double up as benches, so you’ve got a spot to put on and take off shoes. Pinnig benches, £50 each; Pinnig racks, £15 each, both Ikea 2 Bespoke-able system This modular system only needs a width of 62cm, so is ideal for bijou entryways. Easy to put up, it comes with plenty of hooks, shelves and clear boxes, all of which can be hung at a height and position that suits you, and moved as you like.…

Back to nature Use sprigs of fresh fir or eucalyptus to decorate each place setting and lay a simple fabric runner. WHERE TO BUY Pols Potten Aunty velvet chairs in Green, £340 each; Jars Tourron dinnerware in Green Samoa, from £23 for a bowl; Paloma matt gold 24-piece cutlery set, £250, all Amara Silver service Jazz up simple tableware by adding shimmering silver place mats, tea lights and embroidered napkins. WHERE TO BUY Beaded mats, £38 for two; cord napkins, £25 for four; orb tea light holders, £10 each; mercury etched tea light holders, from £6 each, all The White Company BERRY BRIGHTS Go for a twist on trad red and green by choosing a runner in a contemporary pattern. Berry runner, £12; tableware, from £3.75 for a side plate;…

A  &Living andliving.co.uk Abigail Ahern 020 7354 8181 abigailahern.com Abstract House abstracthouse.com Adventures in Furniture 0845 164 9062 aif.london AGMA Construction 020 8579 2832 agmaconstruction.com Aldi 0800 042 0800 aldi.co.uk Alphablots 07970 514445 alphablots.com Amara 0800 587 7645 amara.com Amazon amazon. co.uk Amazon Fresh amazon.co.uk Andrew Martin 020 7225 5100 andrewmartin.co.uk Annie Sloan 01865 803168 anniesloan.com Anthropologie 0800 0026 8476 anthropologie.com AO.com 0344 324 9222 Arada Stoves 01297 632050 aradastoves.com Arbol House 01244 329643 arbolhouse.com Argos 0345 640 2020 argos.co.uk Arlo & Jacob 0333 122 1537 arloandjacob.com Artifact Lighting 02381 943014 artifact-lighting.com Artisanti 0345 259 1410 artisanti.com Asda 0800 952 0101 asda.com Atkin and Thyme 020 3768 7775 atkinandthyme.co.uk Audenza 01162 986393 audenza.com B  B&Q 0333 014 3098 diy.com Bagnodesign 01924 233977 bagnodesign.co.uk Balsam Hill 01234 227155 balsamhill.co.uk Banbayu 0844 884 3360 banbayu.com Bathroom Supplies Online 0800 6122 606 bathroomsuppliesonline.com Bathrooms At Source 020 8870 0066 bathroomsatsource.co.uk Beko 0333 207 9710 beko.co.uk Benjamin Moore 01753 575756 benjaminmoorepaint.co.uk Bert &…

In 1921, we were… LUSTING AFTER THE LATEST APPLIANCES These days, we’re spoilt with washing machines so smart they virtually talk to us; in January 1921, all the housemaid wanted was a lever-operated wooden wash bucket, because ‘nothing is more dreaded than washing day, with its wear and tear and incessant backache…’ In 1940, we were… DEALING WITH BOMB DAMAGE This feature gave readers all the information they needed in the event that their property or rented home was bombed during wartime. In 1941, we were… SPRINTING TO THE AIR-RAID SHELTER IN STYLE Ideal Home recommended this clever bed quilt in its shopping pages, designed to turn into a cosy hooded cloak to take the fashionista from bed to air-raid shelter without skipping a beat. In 1934, we were… SCOFFING…

The first thing people notice when they visit, a stylish front door offers the chance to show off your home from the get-go. And you can kiss goodbye to any draughtiness or dodgy paintwork with a high-quality design, too. Q Should I buy off the peg? Although it restricts you to standard external door sizes, the range of available styles and size options is improving all the time. Many companies now offer a made-to-order service that lets you customise your design pick-and-mix style. Don’t be lured in by amazing prices without doing the maths though – many don’t include delivery, fitting, hinges or hardware. Q Is a custom design better? A bespoke door is the more expensive option but offers the opportunity to choose the exact door design and position…

Sense of space and closeness to nature was what first drew Cathrine Oxholm Sonne and Martin Lützau to this property located to the north of Copenhagen in Denmark. ‘We had been living in a house nearby,’ says Cathrine. ‘But it was in a built-up area where all the houses are positioned close to each other. We really wanted to have more space around us, so finding this house with so much land surrounding it – close to a lake and a nature reserve – was absolutely perfect.’ The property had been designed in the 1930s by a well-known architect in the minimalist style typical of the time, with clean lines, sharp angles, white rendered brickwork and an absence of ornamentation. While it had been extended in the early 1980s by…

Painted pine cones A great way to add festive colour – use shades of green for a natural look, or go bold with clear vases full of brights or pastels. Supersize bauble garland Big honeycomb paper decs are a simple way to give your hallway some ‘wow’. Match the colours to your decor for subtle style. Row of wreaths Replace your usual mirror or wall art with a simple display of co-ordinated wreaths. Simply pin them up, or hook up a fallen branch to hang them from. Window silhouettes For a display that looks as good outside as it does as inside, create a windowscape with snowflake wall stickers. Hoop card holder Declutter your mantelpiece by turning cards into a festive wall display. We found this metal craft hoop at…

MY GO-TO STORES H&M HOME For fabulous finishing touches and accessories. LA REDOUTE Has a great range of rugs, as well as textured cushions and throws. BROSTE COPENHAGEN I love its crockery and glassware – it’s all so beautiful. STYLIST’S NOTE “Forest green is fab as a festive accent colour, but when you’re ready for a change, try blush pink, warm cinnamon or versatile teal instead”HOLLY WALSH , FEATURES EDITOR…

TRY A LINE-UP OF PENDANT LIGHTS IDEAL LUXE LAMP Nordlux Strap pendant light in Black and leather, £149, Lampsy GREAT DEAL HOT METAL Cornell pendant light in Black and brass, £39, Cult Furniture WHERE TO BUY 1 Hay Revolver bar stool in Red, £179, Nest 2 Grohe Flair chrome-effect monobloc mixer tap, £117, B&Q 3 Zebra artificial plant, £45, Marks & Spencer 4 Kenwood Mesmerine toaster, £129, Currys 5 Ledgestone Indian Green split face tiles, £35.95sq m, Walls and Floors 6 Belling Cookcentre 100DFT dual-fuel range cooker, £988, John Lewis & Partners…

‘Floating’ off the floor, wall-hung loos look modern and sleek and are easy to clean – both the pan itself and the floor beneath. As you can see far more of your bathroom flooring, they also make the room feel larger. Q How are they installed? A plumber is recommended. The pan must be securely bolted onto a steel frame, which comes with a concealed cistern inside the frame. The frame and cistern is then covered up, so all that’s visible is the pan itself and the flush buttons. The frame can be concealed within an existing or new stud partition wall or it can also be hidden inside bathroom furniture. Q Do they take up more space? No, and if the frame is fitted inside the existing wall, the…

1 IT HAS A RUST-LIKE APPEARANCE Corten is an alloy of steel that forms a coating of rust. This layer protects the steel beneath from rusting further. 2 IT’S EXTREMELY DURABLE Steel is generally harder than other cladding materials, and is more of a plate than a sheet, such as copper or zinc. It can be used in far more structural shapes that express its engineering qualities and thickness. 3 YOU CAN GET IT PREFINISHED Under normal exposure conditions, corten can take six months to fully oxidise, and it may look patchy in progress. If you wish to avoid this, get the product finished prior to installation. 4 CORTEN REQUIRES NO SPECIAL CARE In appropriate climates, suitably detailed corten should have a very long lifespan. Plus,…

Voice controlled Beko DEN59420D 60cm connected dishwasher with AutoDose (H85x W59.8xD60cm), £349, Currys This A++ energy rated, 14 place setting Beko model can be controlled via an app on your smartphone or via Alexa. Built-in sensors and the AutoDosing function assess the level of cleaning. THE BEST BIT The machine can automatically reorder more detergent (via Amazon). Easy access AEG ComfortLift FFE63806PW standard dishwasher in White (H85xW59.6xD61cm), £880, AO.com This AEG model allows you to slide and lift the lower basket to almost level with the upper basket for easy loading. With an A+++ energy rating, it holds up to 13 place settings and has a removable cutlery tray. THE BEST BIT A discreet LED shines a green or red light onto the floor to let you know when you…

Bitter chocolate tart TAKES 55min, plus chilling and cooling SERVES 8-10 INGREDIENTS • Flour, for dusting • 300g all-butter shortcrust pastry • 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten • 100ml whole milk • 225ml double cream • 2tbsp caster sugar • 200g 70% dark chocolate • 100g milk chocolate • Large pinch of salt • 2 eggs • Cocoa powder, crushed pistachios and walnuts and ice cream to serve 1 Roll out the pastry to a 3mm thick disc on a lightly floured surface. Use it to line a 23cm tart tin. Prick the base and chill for 20min. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/Fan 160ºC/Gas 4. 2 Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15min, until crisp and pale golden. Remove the paper and beans, brush the pastry with egg and return to the oven for…

RETRO REVIVAL Gold-dipped cut glass gives traditional style a modern update. Nomu decanter and tumblers set, £45, Oliver Bonas CLEAR WINNERS These sophisticated flutes, saucers and dishes feature braided and tiered details. Pedestal dishes, £40 each; flutes, £75 for two; saucer, £75 for two, LSA International DECO GLAM For an elegant soirée, match all your glasses, from tumblers to flutes. Tumblers, £30 for four; champagne glasses, £35 for four; wine glasses, £35 for four, all Deco range, JD Williams VINTAGE STYLE Champagne saucer, £29.99 for two, Historic Royal Palaces PINK PLONK Pink martini glasses, £38.95 for four, Audenza GLAM GLASSES Champagne flutes, £12.99 for two, TK Maxx SIP & SPARKLE Ophelia tumbler, £5, Marks & Spencer…

CREATE A LITTLE DRAMA The new Teatro collection of fabrics from Iliv may have been inspired by the grandeur of the Italian Renaissance, but the timeless designs, such as lustred jacquards and cut velvets, have been reimagined for everyday living. We love upholstering cushions and throws in the Pewter colourway. We’re in love! Alternative giftwrap from Cox & Cox Although festive printed papers with snowflakes, Santa and holly sprigs come but once a year, we still think this non-traditional Christmas paper is a breath of fresh air. It’ll give those special presents a luxe finish, and the thick, reversible Menagerie paper is definitely one to carefully unstick to use again! It’s almost too gorgeous to give away. Menagerie wrapping paper, £12.50 for 10m, Cox & Cox ON SMALL STEP SEND…

Use me as a table centrepiece!…

Heal your home ‘These rich, luxurious tones can take a room from dull and dreary to luxe and lavish. They channel the healing properties of amethyst, believed to soothe stress and anxiety,’ says colour expert Annie Sloan Scale & mood ‘Warm and comforting, heather purples combine the receding values of blue, to make a space feel larger, and the warming properties of red, which can make it feel cosy,’ says Annie Sloan Go tone-on-tone ‘Heather purples range across a broad palette of cool and warm shades you can mix together for a layered, tonal scheme. They look great with blush pink accents, too,’ says Karen Thomas, Head of Design at Marks & Spencer “If you don’t want to paint your walls in heather purple, introduce the colour through accent pieces…

MY GO-TO STORES… HOUSE DOCTOR This Danish brand delivers unique, high-end style at affordable prices. OLIVER GUSTAV Find sculptures, objets and vases as well as linen cushions. VINTERIOR For Scandinavian design classics you can mix with modern pieces. STYLIST’S NOTE “Texture and colour is important in simple, pared-back rooms, so work in natural fabrics, grainy wood and bold accents”MICHELA COLLING, STYLE EDITOR…

Painted pine cones Sinnerlig glass jar, £9, Ikea. Broadwell glass vase, £13, Garden Trading. Grey-Green vase, £35, Fox Flowers. Glass balloon vase, £29.95, Nordic House. Two-tone feather bird decoration, £4.99, Gisela Graham. Velvet and grosgrain ribbons, from a selection, VV Rouleaux. Pine cones in Three Farm Green, Hopper, Sage Green and Cupboard Green absolute matt emulsion, from £4.60 for a sample pot; wall in Portland Stone absolute matt emulsion, £45 for 2.5L, all Little Greene Supersize bauble garland Fraser fir garland, £89, Balsam Hill. White and Grey tissue paper honeycombs, from £2.75 each, Pipii. Solitude framed print by Doug Chinnery, £120, King & McGaw. Brocklesby stool, £275, The White Company. Galvanised steel planters, £50 for three, Garden Trading. Faux eucalyptus, from £8 a stem, Fox Flowers. Vintage brass lantern, £28,…

Once a room kept largely for dinner parties, today’s dining room needs to work much harder to earn its keep in our space-challenged homes. Here, three pros share their expert advice... WHAT MAKES A DINING ROOM EXTRA SPECIAL? ‘Personality,’ says interior designer Emilie Fournet. ‘Somewhere that feels very much like a destination – like a beautiful restaurant.’ Stylist Sophie Martell agrees: ‘A separate dining room is a brilliant excuse to experiment, but you still need to get the basics right – how the space works, how it’s lit, etcetera.’ TALKING OF COLOURS, WHAT SHOULD I GO FOR? ‘You can afford to choose something dark and moody if you’re lucky to have that separate space,’ says Sophie. ‘For open-plan, I’d stick to more neutral colours that co-ordinate well with your kitchen.’…

IDEAL GREAT DEAL…

Sophie Lahmar lives here with her husband, Sofiane and their children, Nayla, 15, Alex, 12, and Miya, six. THE PROPERTY A six-bed Victorian terrace in southwest London. WHAT IT COST Kitchen units.....£20,000 Appliances..........£5,000 Sinks and taps........£800 Worktops.............£4,000 Flooring...............£2,500 Lighting...................£900 TOTAL...............£33,200 “Our kids had been saying, ‘We don’t want to move house’, but once they saw the finished kitchen, they couldn’t move in fast enough! ”…

Sarah West lives here with her husband Chris and their daughters Isobel, four, and Heidi, one. THE PROPERTY A four-bed detached 18th-century house in North Yorkshire, bought in July 2014. WHAT IT COST Kitchen units......£13,000 Appliances..........£3,500 Tap............................£180 Sink..........................£360 Worktop...............£3,800 Tiles.....................£2,000 Lighting...................1,000 TOTAL...............£23,840 “Our guests anticipate a traditional kitchen in keeping with an old house, and are so surprised when they to walk into a modern one”…

HOW JENNIE AND GREG DID IT ‘We already had an architect helping us with renovations, so he helped us redesign the upstairs space, too. Luckily, the bathroom and en suite shower room backed onto each other, so we knocked through to create one larger room and moved a door to give us more wall space. The new shower went against this wall, and the most obvious place for the bath was under the window. This left a small gap for a basin at the end of the bath. A full-height wall was built inside the shower area to conceal the plumbing and this is continued at a lower level to hide the cistern. I love a contemporary and clean monochrome look, but we added some pictures of Italy, plants and…

Laura Disney and Huw Beynon bought their Victorian terraced house in south London with a view to giving it a complete overhaul. The property hadn’t been touched for more than 20 years. ‘It was pretty dark and dingy,’ says Huw, ‘and the décor was dated, too.’ However, the state of the interior represented an opportunity: ‘We wanted to seize the chance to create a home that was completely ours,’ says Laura. The couple lived in the house for a full year before they began the work, surviving the ‘Beast from the East’ with cosy dressing gowns and plug-in heaters as the house had no central heating. ‘Sadly, the original Victorian fireplaces had been taken out and replaced with a two-bar electric heater and a gas heater,’ says Huw. They took…

Part of the Runway Gallery family, artist Corran Brownlee spent two decades working in the film industry before a trip back to his native Calgary in Canada inspired a change in career. Now, he focuses solely on his own art and works primarily with charcoal to create haunting snapshots of untold narratives. WORKING IN THE FILM INDUSTRY, I STRUGGLED TO FIND MY OWN VOICE I could never hear it while working on other people’s dreams. I loved the collaboration and was lucky enough to work with some amazing people on fantastic projects, but I prefer to work alone these days. Just me, my charcoal pencils and a stack of paper; it’s the most fulfilling work I’ve ever done. AFTER WORKING DIGITALLY FOR DECADES, I WANTED TO GET BACK TO BASICS…

Two-hour turkey Tick the turkey off your worry list with this genius hassle-free option from M&S. Serving 12-14 people, this turkey crown comes with a pork, sage and onion stuffing, along with deboned, bacon-wrapped thighs. There’s no prep required – just pop the whole lot in the oven for two hours. The Perfect Turkey, £65, Marks & Spencer Christmas favourites Yorkshire pudding? Check. Stuffing ball? Check. Pig in blanket? Check. This genius dish combines all the greats from a Christmas dinner in one place – perfect for party food or a bit on the side. Loaded Yorkshire puddings, £2.99 for six, Aldi Clever cake This baked sour cream cheesecake from Heston Blumenthal’s range features a fig and port caramel centre, while the wooden ‘board’ is actually a buttery lemon shortbread…

Shaken, not stirred This deliciously fruity liqueur with gold leaf flecks doubles as a cute snow globe! Clementine gin liqueur, £15 for 70cl, Marks & Spencer Plum pudding in a glass Serve this sweet and fruity liqueur over ice, or mix with sparkling wine. Edinburgh Gin Plum and Vanilla liqueur, £14.19 for 50cl, Amazon Fresh Drink & donate A lemon, mango and black pepper gin that supports the Born Free Foundation. Clouded Leopard gin, £35.95 for 50cl, Master of Malt Citrus swap This sweet blood orange-infused choice is an excellent alternative to bitter gin. Beefeater Blood Orange gin, £18.99 for 70cl, Asda Apple tipple Made in collaboration with Joules to celebrate the brand’s 30th anniversary. Serve with tonic and a slice of apple. Joules Apple & Pear gin, £40 for…

THE ORIGINAL This living room surprised us – we love the unexpected combination of streamlined mid-century furniture with wall-to-wall decorative pattern and traditional artwork. There’s certainly a thing or two we can learn about brave colour choices – that carpet! THE UPDATE We’ve given this a modern, maximalist slant, taking the luxe-factor up a notch with velvet textures for soft furnishings. A botanical sketchbook print updates the trad chinoiserie wallpaper from the original photo and brass details add a little polish and glamour to make this look sleek and sophisticated.…