Innehållsförteckning för August 2022 från Ideal Home

There really is nothing more satisfying than finishing a project you’ve worked hard on, and then having the opportunity to show it off! Which is why I’m absolutely thrilled to unveil the new-look Ideal Home website (idealhome.co.uk – bookmark it right now!), which the brilliant IH team has been busy transforming behind the scenes and is now live. “Our bright new website is a one-stop shop to help you to create a home you love” As the home of great ideas for more than 100 years (Ideal Home launched back in 1920), we’re all about making home design accessible to everyone, and sharing our passion for all things home. Both here in print and on our website, we share the very best real homes, project case studies and advice to…

Far be it from me to question the wisdom of Ideal Home magazine, but when my lovely editor told me that the focus in this month’s issue would be outdoor spaces, my immediate thought was: “Who wants an outdoor space?” I’ve never understood the widespread obsession with one’s own back yard, probably because I grew up in a New York apartment block where you couldn’t even open the windows without inhaling a lungful of exhaust fumes. My first flat in London had a little roof terrace, but it was a pain to get to (ie, there were stairs) and, really, why sit in the baking sun when you can just lie on your bed in your nice, cool apartment? I went up to that terrace so rarely that by the…

LOOKS THAT LAST STYLE DIRECTION“A mellow mix of blue, taupe and white blends beautifully. Adding rich olive or plum shades would work well for winter, too"NICKY PHILLIPS, STYLE EDITOR STYLE DIRECTION“Style a chill-out space, starting with a bold colour-blocked stripe on the wall. Cooling linen prints make a stylish combination"NICKY PHILLIPS, STYLE EDITOR PICK A PALETTE The calm shades of timeless blues means you can have fun with any quantity of different tones. Blues are so easy as they work with any neutral. Denim blues look crisp with white, but gentler when you add in natural colours. From soft chambray shades to deep indigos, even the deepest blues won’t overwhelm, creating a calm but characterful scheme. MIX TEXTURES Be inspired by sand, pebbles and tumbled timber. Look for furniture in…

MEET THE EXPERTS DUNCAN AIRD, FOUNDER OF OUTDOOR KITCHEN EXPERT ‘Just like indoors, an outdoor kitchen becomes the heart of your outdoor entertaining area.’ REBECCA LIVERMORE, BRAND DEVELOPMENT AT GRILLO ‘The days of the lone barbecuer are over… an outdoor kitchen draws people together around food and flames.’ VICTORIA WADE, FOUNDER AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AT VICTORIA WADE ‘Cooking outside has become a bit of an obsession for me, combining cooking (and eating), spending time outdoors, entertaining friends… and fire!’ An outdoor kitchen is best seen as an extension to your home, a place to relax, cook, entertain and enjoy precious time with friends and family,’ says Duncan. ‘It’s far more than a place to cook food,’ agrees Rebecca. ‘Burning sausages on a barbecue that’s tucked away – those days are…

1 MAKE A STATEMENT WITH AN UPHOLSTERED HEADBOARD Give your bedroom a boutique-hotel vibe with an oversized headboard in a flamboyant fabric. Either re-cover an existing headboard or make your own. A curvaceous piece of MDF, covered in cut-to-size foam then in your choice of fabric, will add a focal point as well as pattern and colour to a lacklustre scheme. 2 HOW TO BUILD BENCH SEATING Create clever banquette seating with handy built-in storage by turning a simple shelving unit on its side and adding cushions for comfort. ■ Build your shelving unit according to the manufacturer’s guide – here we’ve used a Kallax shelving unit, £37 from Ikea. Move the unit into place and secure to the wall with brackets. ■ Next, fix an upholstered headboard to the…

GARDEN PROJECT PROJECT DETAILS WHO LIVES HERE? Emma Rengasamy lives here with her husband, Rick. THE GARDEN A south-facing garden of around one acre, at rectangular a five-bedroom detached house in Halstead, Essex. THE PROJECT To add structure and colour with a lawn, grasses, decking, gravel paths and a cabin. TOTAL COST £60,000 Emma Rengasamy grew up with a keen gardener for a mother, who passed her passion down to her. But it has taken more than passion to get Emma and Rick’s garden to the tranquil beauty it is today. ‘When we first viewed the house, the garden was all lawn and very overgrown, but it was so peaceful,’ recalls Emma. The desire for a larger garden was one of the reasons Emma…

Buying guide BEFORE YOU BUY ■ Wireless security cameras are useful for checking on the young or elderly. The smartest Wi-Fi cameras can now recognise faces and alert you when a specific person gets home from school, for instance. Just being able to log on and make sure that an elderly relative is home safe, or that their carer has been in, can offer genuine peace of mind. ■ The majority of Wi-Fi cameras are designed for indoor use, but brands have started to develop all-weather models with long-lasting batteries that can be mounted outside. As with traditional security systems, just having a camera can be deterrent enough to the opportunistic burglar. ■ Once up and running, smart security cameras will remotely alert you to unusual activity depending on where…

Check, protect and improve your credit score More than half of us have never checked our credit score* or report, even though it plays a vital role in determining what financial products we have access to and how much we’ll pay for them. Whether you’re looking for a mortgage, credit card, a new mobile phone contract, or insurance, knowing your score and making it as strong as possible can help you get the best deal. Our money expert Kalpana Fitzpatrick explains how to look after your score and improve it. WHY DOES YOUR SCORE MATTER? Here’s the thing. When you apply for credit or financial products, such as a mortgage, the lender wants to check that it can trust you and that you’re a responsible borrower. To determine this, one…

“La Redoute has committed to using only 100% responsible wood by 2025” Style conscience Say hello to the La Redoute Responsible Home Collection. Available across furniture, bedding and accessories, the range features pieces made from either recycled or traceable wood sourced from FSC-managed forests, while the materials and textiles used are either renewable flax and hemp or made from Oeko-Tex fabric, which is guaranteed to be sustainably produced. What’s more, La Redoute has committed to using only 100% responsible wood by 2025, and 100% cotton by the end of this year. WASTE NOT, WANT NOT Having made high-end salt and pepper mills for over 200 years, it’s safe to say that Peugeot knows a thing or two about quality. That’s why it’s wonderful to hear that the brand is embracing…

HADLEY FREEMAN JOURNALIST & AUTHOR A Guardian columnist and features writer, Hadley has also penned four books. She’s just moved house – a new project! NICKY PHILLIPS STYLE EDITOR Nicky brings over 25 years’ experience to the table, and has been part of the Ideal Home family for 21 years. CHARLIE LUXTON ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER Charlie juggles his roles as director of Charlie Luxton Design, TV presenter and public speaker. KALPANA FITZPATRICK MONEY EXPERT An award-winning financial journalist, Kalpana is a regular guest on TV and radio, and editor of themoneyedit.com. FEARNE COTTON BROADCASTER & AUTHOR TV and radio presenter Fearne’s Happy Place podcast is now in its ninth series, with over 40 million downloads.…

WHERE TO BUY 1 Round Pink wavy mirror, £95, Rose & Grey 2 Anyday Hem bedside table, £99, John Lewis & Partners 3 Cecily woven scalloped wool and cotton rug, £65, Oliver Bonas 4 The Plant Cut-Out poster, from £9.95 (unframed), Desenio 5 Bauhaus Tiles Shapes canvas cushion, £39, Fy! 6 Alfrida garden dining chair. £175, Made…

STYLE HOUSE HOME NOTES WHO LIVES HERE? Lee Thornley, creative director and founder of Bert & May, and his partner Phil, who owns a pottery business, live here with Lee’s daughters, Lyla, 12, and Iris, nine, and their two dogs, Poppy the Labrador and Molly the dachshund. THE PROPERTY An extended three-bedroom house in Poppleton, Yorkshire. 1 “Wood-clad walls create a dramatic effect” ‘The ground-floor open-plan kitchen/dining/living space faces the garden, so is incredibly bright, with plenty of natural light that bounces off the white-painted ceiling. This space also features sleek Fifties-style cocktail chairs and wood detailing on the walls, which adds warmth, depth and texture. A woodburner brings this area together and makes it feel intimate and inviting.’ BUY THE KEY PIECES Stovax Studio Air 2 freestanding woodburner, £2,500,…

'What the experts say... Colour consultants share their views ‘Decorating the exterior not only weatherproofs and protects your home, it’s also the perfect opportunity to add personality to your outdoor space. For a modern feel, use pops of bold or deep colour, such as Little Greene’s Royal Navy, for a stand-out design.’ RUTH MOTTERSHEAD, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, LITTLE GREENE ‘Consider the surrounding properties and keep yours in theme with the rest of the street to avoid a jarring look. And remember colours always look lighter and brighter on an exterior because there is more natural light outside than in. We would advise to choose a shade darker, and test a small area first.’ JEMMA SAUNDERS, COLOUR CONSULTANT, SADOLIN & SANDTEX ‘To inject your garden with a burst of serotonin-stimulating colour, consider…

FABRIC STYLE For this look, the curtains are the focus, and the point from which the entire scheme evolves. The hand-illustrated botanical fabric print features a generous mix of leaves and grasses, and the rich green of the pattern has been chosen as the basis for the palette. Our curtains have a neutral background which keeps the scheme light, but this look would work just as well with the same design against a dark-navy or grey background. CORE COLOURS Working with the greens found on the curtain print, choose two or three shades to use in block colour on walls, upholstery and lighting. You can introduce patterns elsewhere in the room, such as on an accent chair or cushions, but make sure this extra pattern isn’t sitting in front or…

1. COFFEE TABLE You’ll need a spot to lay out nibbles and refreshments for visiting friends and family, and a low coffee table will be perfect for this. It will also make a great place for arranging lanterns, candles or a bowl of twinkling fairy lights come sunset. As you would in your living room, set it in the centre of your seating, so it can easily be reached by all. IH LOVES… ■ Ikea for a selection of smart styles ■ Dobbies has some fab choices ■ Maisons Du Monde for stylish designs 2. FIRE PIT Once the sun sets and the evening air gets crisp, a fire pit or woodburner will ensure you and your guests stay toasty long into the evening. Low, bowl-shaped pits look good and…

WHERE TO BUY 1 Corte colour-changing rechargeable table light, £36, Iconic Lights 2 Blooma Elvira indoor and outdoor light, £19, B&Q 3 Ferm Living Meridian portable lamp, £159, Amara 4 PC portable table lamp, £89, Nest 5 Nordlux Ara To Go portable outdoor light, £99.95, John Lewis & Partners 6 Fanosa indoor/outdoor lantern, £20, La Redoute 7 Bud portable indoor/outdoor lamp, £70, Lighting Lover…

“Should I consider building a green roof ?” I love a green roof, which is lucky… I live underneath one! They’re an architectural feature that perfectly answers many of the challenges of our time, be they aesthetic, ecological or environmental. A growing roof softens the boundary between building and nature with plants, flowers and buzzing insects. As well as supporting wildlife, there have been other, less obvious benefits, too. The soil on a green roof slows and stores rainwater, reducing the pressure on drainage systems from heavy downpours and helping to prevent flooding. They also reduce heat gain within and around buildings: as the moisture stored in the roof soil evaporates, it cools the immediate environment. Heatwaves and flash flooding are both increasing with our changing climate and a green…

Buying guide BEFORE YOU BUY ■ Circulating and boosting the air in a space goes a long way to eliminating sweat, lowering body temperature, and creating the feel of a nice breeze travelling through the house. Oscillating fans replicate this well, and some even have a feature that varies the intensity of the fan, so it almost feels like sitting out in the shade on a cool summer’s day. ■ Some high-end fans promise to deliver cooler air similar to an air conditioner but, failing this, there are many excellent options when it comes to fans that fit on your desk, slimline fans that can be tucked away in the corner and bladeless fans that offer added safety for children and pets. ■ Desk fans are compact, often with an…

IDEAL HOME TIP Marinate halloumi for a veggie version, or for vegans use a selection of veggies and 2tbsp of nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan IDEAL HOME TIP To extract seeds, whack the back of the halved pomegranate over a bowl with a wooden spoon ■ Find these recipes and more in Seared: The Ultimate Guide to Barbecuing Meat by Genevieve Taylor (£20, Quadrille). Photography by Jason Ingram Spiced beef & halloumi burgers with saffron yogurt MAKES 8 BURGERS READY IN 40 MINS FOR THE BURGERS● 500g beef mince● 225g halloumi, grated● 2tbsp date syrup● 1 garlic clove, crushed● Handful of fresh herbs, chopped ● 75g pine nuts● 2tsp cumin seeds● 1/2tsp cinnamon FOR THE PICKLED ONIONS ● 1 red onion, sliced ● 2tbsp sherry vinegar ● 2tsp caster sugar…

Singer and television personality, Nicole Scherzinger, lives in Los Angeles with her boyfriend, Thom WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE TIME OF THE DAY AT HOME? Sunset. I have the best view of all of Los Angeles, especially when the sun sets. I am high up in the hills and have a view from downtown all the way out to the ocean. I get to see the city lights at night. WHERE’S YOUR HAPPY PLACE AT HOME? I have several happy places, but I especially love my den. I put on my fireplace, light my candles, snuggle up on my sofa, and open up my doors for a nice breeze. It’s the perfect place to have tea (or wine!) and enjoy conversations. It just has a great calming energy. WHAT’S ON YOUR BEDSIDE…

COLLAB ALERT Sofas & Stuff x RHS Making its debut at the Chelsea Flower Show earlier this year was a stunning collaboration between bespoke sofa experts, Sofas & Stuff and the Royal Horticultural Society. The enchanting new furnishing fabric collection, inspired by the botanical drawing archives of the RHS Lindley Collections, can be used across Sofas & Stuff’s range, including sofas, chairs, beds and cushions. Fabric designs include exquisite sketches by Gertrude Jekyll and William Hooker’s distinctive fruit paintings. As the UK’s leading garden charity, the RHS seeks to inspire a passion for gardening – something it’s achieved beautifully with this new collection. What to do this month... LISTEN The Guardian’s restaurant critic Grace Dent chats to celebs about friendship, family and which comfort foods have seen them through the…

HOME NOTES WHO LIVES HERE? Fashion and interior designer Collette Dinnigan, her husband Bradley, and their children Estella, 17 and Hunter, nine. THE PROPERTY Casa Olivetta, a three-bedroom rural house in Puglia, Italy, dating back 500 years, with a one-bedroom guest apartment. When Collette Dinnigan decided to take a year’s sabbatical in Italy with her family, she didn’t expect to end up putting down roots. After winding down her successful fashion business, the Australian designer and her husband Bradley embarked upon a tour of the ‘toe and heel’ of southern Italy with their children, Estella and Hunter. Arriving in Puglia felt like a stroke of fate. ‘We loved the area’s wildness and found the old masserias enchanting,’ says Collette. While staying around Ostuni, famous for its whitewashed city perched high…

For where to buy items shown, turn to page 80 OUTDOOR PAINT CHEAT SHEET OUTDOOR FABRIC CHEAT SHEET FABRIC SWATCHES 1 Coco in Forest 7953/04, £100m, Romo Fabrics 2 Glacier Ice 182971, £74m, Andrew Martin 3 Spiaggia Stripe F7448-02, £84m, Osborne & Little NIGHT AT THE MOVIES White linen tablecloth, £89, attached to Festoon light poles, £29.95 each, all Graham & Green. Slate signs, £4.50, Hobbycraft. Natural grass pouffes, £245 set of three; square braided seagrass seat pads in Grey, £39 each; natural linen seat pad with striped border, £40; speckled tumbler in White (far left), £14.95; coloured rim glasses in Green, £5.95 each, all Graham & Green. Indoor-outdoor square striped floor cushions in Blue; and Natural, £55 each, Cox & Cox. Large Block Design round tray, £35;…

Aside from their colour or pattern, the way you place your cushions – layer, scatter, keep symmetrical, basically, whatever you do – can be so personal. I’ve always been a ‘puncher’ (pulling a cushion taut and then punching it in the centre) so having been a stylist for 25 years, I certainly didn’t think I would see the day when I would have extolled the virtues of a karate-chop cushion! But I’m seeing them everywhere again and thanks to the interior designers and boutique hotels that have elevated the look, I’m 100% converted. I spoke to interior designer Sean Symington about this styling trick, one that he often uses in his projects. ‘In order to achieve the plump and luxurious look I’m after,’ explains Sean, ‘I choose cushion pads that…

IDEAL HOME OFFER Now that warmer days are here, take a look at Garden Trading’s latest collection to transform your outside space. The extensive range of furniture and accessories combines function with style to help you create an area on your patio or terrace that echoes your interior look. For relaxed alfresco dining, why not mix up your tableware and dip into Garden Trading’s fabulous ranges, combining the plates, glasses and serveware that you love for a striking table setting. And keep the conversation flowing after dark by creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Lay down weatherproof rugs, add loungers scattered with cushions and blankets, and finish off with festoon solar lighting. TERMS & CONDITIONS The promotional code is not valid against sale items, discounted items or gift vouchers and…

PROJECT DETAILS WHO LIVES THERE: Sarah Aspinall lives here with her husband Tobin and children Leo, 15, Sam, 13, and L’Wren, six. THE PROJECT Knocking through two rooms in their Shropshire home for an open-plan kitchen/diner. TOTAL COST AROUND £30,000 THE PROBLEMIt was a small, dark and dated kitchen, separated from the dining room THE SOLUTION ‘The original kitchen and adjacent dining room were not configured for modern family life so we knocked down the dividing wall and installed French doors to fill the space with light, creating a large, open-plan kitchen-diner. The Kitchen Depot produced 3D images of our ideas so we could visualise our kitchen. It was important that we chose a timeless design that we wouldn’t want to change again in…

EXTENSION PROJECT HOME NOTES HOMEOWNERS Amber and Matt Strawkinnon live here with their daughter PROPERTY Four-bedroom Victorian terrace in south London ARCHITECT Noto Architects (notoarchitects.co.uk) BUILDERS Home Republic (home-republic.co.uk) TOTAL COST £106,000 THE PROBLEMThe rear of the house had a dark, linear kitchen with low ceilings and the cramped space wasn’t suitable for entertaining THE SOLUTION ‘Amber and Matt came to us with a clear brief for their extension,’ explains Alice Theodorou, architect and director at Noto Architects. ‘They wanted the dark space at the back of the house to feel as light and open as possible. To tackle the issue of the low ceilings, we dropped the floor level by underpinning the existing foundations, and created an uninterrupted vista, or “picture window”, which frames the garden. A flush threshold…

Having a conservatory reaps many benefits, from an extra space for dining, with doors open on to the garden in summer, or a quiet spot for relaxing and reading that’s connected to your outside space. However, these structures are notorious for becoming uncomfortable in the depths of winter or height of summer, and a new roof is one way to combat this. GLASS ROOFS ‘These are still the most popular option for replacing your conservatory roof,’ says Stuart Walker of Tradelink. ‘Advances in glass technology mean that modern glass roofs can be very thermally efficient, keeping the space cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.’ Additional self-cleaning coatings help keep the roof looking good for longer and also make maintenance easier. But a glass roof does present certain…

Over the years I’ve thrown some cracking house parties. I would cram my first flat with as many humans as possible, music blaring, vodka flowing and very little food. Then in my first little cottage I threw a Fifties night where my male friends turned up with slicked-back hair and the ladies sashayed in wearing voluminous skirts ready to dance the night away. In my early thirties, I would have huge Christmas parties that started while I was live on Radio 1 and would finish when the neighbours started complaining in the wee hours. More recently I have changed how I approach parties as my values, energy levels and desires have shifted with age. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that I am not a night owl. I…

START WITH A CLEAR OUT Before you buy gimmicky gadgets that promise to sort your clutter once and for all (be wary of these!), begin by getting everything out of your kitchen cupboards and have a proper sort out. I think most of us would be horrified if we knew what we had lurking at the back of our cupboards, so check that everything is still in date, and see if you are storing things you can live without. If you have unopened foods that are still in date but you know won’t be eaten in your house, donate them to a local food bank. THINK LIKE A SHOPKEEPER I always say the best way to arrange kitchen cupboards is like in a shop; place food with the longest use-by…