Innehållsförteckning för May 2024 från Ideal Home

EDITOR’S LETTER As you probably know, I’m a late bloomer when it comes to gardening – my interest and enjoyment kicked off last year. I’ve not done badly over my first winter - I may not have fully embraced all-weather gardening but I have ticked a lot of seasonal tasks off the list (my rose pruning dedication demands a gold star), and I’m full of new plans thanks to my growing confidence. There are also two new arrivals to Casa Young to factor into the garden design. We’ve welcomed Ziggy and Nova - two rescue bunnies - into the family, and I’m completely besotted. Forget a regular hutch, we’ve been busy carving out an area for a full-on rabbit palace for our little (actually not so little - they’re huge!)…

LOOKS THAT LAST STYLE DIRECTION“Include a few areas of calm, like a plain painted wall or neutral sofa, to give bold patterns space to shine"GINEVRA BENEDETTI, DEPUTY EDITOR STYLE DIRECTION“Keep window treatments pared back when using bold patterned paper on the walls"HEATHER YOUNG, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ANCHOR YOUR SCHEME Start with a hero pattern and choose one shade from it to be the anchor colour. This shade can then be repeated within fabrics, soft furnishings and accessories, linking the room scheme together. Keep the colour palette tight; adding just three to five other shades will ensure the space doesn’t feel chaotic. SWITCH THE PATTERN SCALE The size and density of the patterns you mix is key. Combining two or three floral prints of a similar scale will look muddled as they will…

What the experts say... Designers and stylists share their views ‘Brimming with warmth and complexity, peach takes on different characteristics depending on the light, so bear this in mind when selecting your perfect shade. If you’re wary of peach creating an excessive ‘sugar-sweet’ effect, look for ochre-toned shades with an earthy quality.’ JAMES SIRETT, HEAD OF PRODUCT, FIRED EARTH ‘Associated with the qualities of warmth and softness, peach is a light and delicate shade within the orange spectrum, often with pink or yellow undertones. It brings an inviting feel to a space. Pair peach with coral, navy blue, teal and dark grey.’ FRANCESCA WEZEL, FOUNDER AND PAINT COLOUR EXPERT, FRANCESCA’S PAINTS ‘Ranging from pastel to fresh, and even stretching to strong and energetic, peach is always warm and positive in…

1 DISPLAY SPRING FLOWERS Is there anything better than a collection of flowers sitting pretty on a cabinet or windowsill? Plant flowers in small pots and add stems to vases, then place them next to each other for a pretty floristry arrangement. Think about using different vessels for interest too – everything from tall jugs to narrow-neck vases works well. 2 PAINT A STRIPE EFFECT Treat your walls to a fun patterned update by painting a horizontal set of stripes in different colours. Whether you run them along the top of the walls beneath the ceiling, or above the skirting at the bottom, follow the room’s angles, taking in any alcoves and even running them across doors and window frames. PAINT CHEAT SHEET 3 Line drawers with wallpaper or wrapping…

OUR JUDGING PANEL HEATHER YOUNG EDITOR-IN-CHIEFGINEVRA BENEDETTI DEPUTY EDITORHOLLY COCKBURN CONTENT EDITORMOLLY CLEARY ECOMMERCE EDITOR KITCHEN OF THE YEAR WINNER OLIVE & BARR Handmade Shaker ‘With its chic looks and brilliant use of colour, this gorgeous kitchen is the ideal family space.’ HEATHER YOUNG, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF HIGHLY COMMENDED WICKES NATURA KITCHEN; JOHN LEWIS OF HUNGERFORD SHAKER KITCHEN BEST CLASSIC KITCHEN RANGE WINNER HOWDENS Bridgemere Linen ‘Linen shades are having a moment, offering a warmer, more inviting option than classic white.’ HEATHER YOUNG, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF HIGHLY COMMENDED WICKES CHESTER BEST MODERN KITCHEN RANGE WINNER WREN KITCHENS Milano Japandi ‘I love this modern take on Japandi style and the of-the-minute luxe-look ribbed finish.’ HOLLY COCKBURN, CONTENT EDITOR HIGHLY COMMENDED SYMPHONY COSTINA BEST USE OF COLOUR WINNER MAGNET Hand-painted kitchen in Burlington Red, Chalk Blush…

There’s a lot to consider in terms of planning and design in order to create a patio, and that’s before you even get started on decorating it. So whether you’re about to embark on your first-ever patio project or you’re giving your current paving a refresh, it pays to know about the must-haves (and common design pitfalls) to ensure patio perfection. CHOOSE THE RIGHT MATERIAL There are so many different types of paving material to choose from, and when you’re looking for inspiration, it’s easy to be swayed by a certain style or look that you feel will help create your dream space. Just make sure that what you choose is suitable for the UK’s climate and weather. ‘Some materials might not hold up well in areas with high humidity,…

BEFORE YOU BUY ■ Front sleepers will need a soft, thin pillow that doesn’t lift their head too far from the bed. Side sleepers are best served by a thicker pillow – or two thinner pillows – that lift their head enough to keep their spine and neck in alignment. Back sleepers require a mid-height pillow that sits somewhere between a thinner front-sleeper’s pillow and a higher side sleeper’s pillow. ■ As for how they’re filled, there are many options to choose from, each with its own pros and cons. The cheapest pillows tend to be hollowfibre – basically polyester wadding, which makes a dense but lightweight pillow. It’s affordable, anti-allergenic and can be washed at high temperatures. However, over time it’s most likely to flatten and become lumpy. Microfibre,…

“All of Earthborn’s paints carry the EU Ecolabel for indoor paints and varnishes making them an ideal choice for the eco-conscious” On-trend colour New to eco paint brand Earthborn this month is a capsule collection of paints for interior walls and woodwork. The five new shades – including a rich blue, a pale calico, a deep aquamarine and two pretty new pinks – tick off the latest colour trends that we’ve lusted after lately. New colour cards are available to order from the website now, with the new shades available to buy online and from stockists from 22 April. Time to get the paint brushes ready! INDOOR, OUTDOOR AND UNDERFOOT If you’re looking to brighten up your flooring with something that’s water resistant and can be used indoors and out,…

WE KEEP SEEING Peachy-keen colours Shades of peach and terracotta have stolen the limelight, warming us up to the idea of using them as neutrals. Neighbours on the colour wheel and sharing the same base colour, these tones create a harmonious pairing. Surprisingly easy to use, peach and terracotta can be teamed with colours such as blue or green, or when used together alongside pink, will really sing. Romo’s latest collection of fabrics, Toulin, with stripes, geometrics and botanicals, encapsulates the look, ready for effortless styling. IH LOVES... Floral plates San Raphael Wild Flower centrepiece plates in Off White and Light Pink, £67 each, both Arket What to do this month... READ With affordable and temporary décor projects to suit a range of skillsets, Your Not Forever Home by Katherine…

As soon as we encountered the latest micro trend, which with its cosy nostalgic aesthetic has all the makings of a goodie, we fell seriously in love. Faintly ridiculous name? Check. Style essentials evolving from a previous trend? Check. A fresh twist on a timeless look? Check. May we present Eclectic Grandpa... TREND ORIGINS This micro trend can be traced back to when the obsession with all things Grandpa-core took hold first in fashion and then the world of interiors. It’s a look that’s basically the embodiment of things that are cosy and timeless. The decorating equivalent of a warm hug, Grandpa-core eventually evolved into Coastal Grandma. Here, we saw relaxed and pared-down luxurious nautical Hamptons style. But as always, styles and tastes change naturally over time, with the creation…

Make planted place card holders Use tealight holders or thrifted teacups to make pretty place markers. Fill each one with moist sphagnum moss, then poke in flower stems. Either pick some blooms from the garden or use a few stems from a bouquet. Give it a twist… Swap fresh stems for dried to create an everlasting display. Turn basic bakeware into planters Use lengths of chunky twine strung with wooden beads to make a contemporary holder for an old loaf tin or bundt ring. Drill small holes in the tins first for drainage. Give it a twist… Swap the beads to suit your style – simple ceramic, swirled glass or colourful acrylic. DIY a bespoke house number Screw a mini crate to a piece of scrap wood to make a…

1. FUNCTIONAL FLOORING Working at a desk means you’ll be moving your chair in and out as you sit and stand, so it’s important your flooring isn’t easily marked. And, if your chair is on castors, it needs to be able to roll out smoothly, too. Consider hardy laminate and add a low-pile, hard-weave rug to up the cosy factor. For a similar rug, try Siptah flat woven rug, £300, La Redoute 2. PRACTICAL LIGHTING Factor in some extra task lights to make close work easier on your eyes. From an angled floor lamp that you can pull in as needed, to a desk light that can help brighten your office even on the gloomiest of days, choose a modern classic style that suits your scheme. Drax desk light, £158,…

BEST HOMES 2024 For the fourth year running, Ideal Home is on the hunt for the UK’s best homes and gardens – and we want to hear from you! We know that our readers have the most gorgeous homes, so if you think yours might inspire others, enter our Reader Homes Awards 2024 for the chance to appear in the magazine and win a cash prize of £1,000! THE CATEGORIES ■ BEST HOME ■ BEST GARDEN ■ BEST MAKEOVER WE WANT TO SEE ■ Period houses to chic new builds ■ Country-style homes to cosy cottages ■ Character-packed conversions ■ Breathtaking before and afters ■ Gorgeous, traditional gardens to contemporary outdoor spaces THE PRIZES! ■ Our winners will be announced in the November 2024 issue ■ The winners of each…

PROJECT DETAILS WHO LIVES HERE? Amanda Malone lives here with her husband John and their children Lilly, 18, and Charlie, 15. THE PROJECT A bathroom refit in a five-bedroom 1920s semi-detached house in Gateshead, Tyne & Wear. THE PROBLEM A leaky roof had damaged the ceiling and the old panelling had split THE SOLUTION ‘When we moved here in 2012, we revamped the bathroom but later on our loft conversion caused a leaky roof, making the paintwork go yellow and splitting the tongue-and-groove panels. It was time for a change. My inspiration began with chequered floor tiles I saw at a spa and I’d always wanted a traditional high-level cistern loo. The existing layout worked well and our local showroom Inspira Bathrooms created a 3D mock-up. They fitted everything in…

Before work even begins on building an extension, there are lots of decisions and details that you will need to pin down. Starting a project off on the right foot will help pave the way for a successful build. You do, after all, want to transform your home within a budget you can afford, so it’s important to get it right. That all sounds reasonable, but if you’ve never taken on an extension before, where do you start? PLAN WHAT YOU WANT AND NEED Dreaming about building an extension is where it all starts. Plan a wish list to help you think about what it is you really want, and also need. Once you’ve highlighted the key functions you hope to get from your extension, you can start to create…

Kitchen island ideas They come in all shapes and sizes so they can be designed to suit your home and personality. But before you buy, you’ll need to first think about what you’ll use your island for. Will it be a spot for extra prep? Do you plan to turn it into the informal dining hub of your kitchen? And what about built-in storage? We explore all the options to help you choose the ideal island for your space. Best lawnmower Give your lawn some TLC and make mowing a cinch with one of these Ideal Home approved tried-and-tested machines. How to sell your house Selling your house isn’t without its stressful moments so it pays to be prepared. We explain each step in the process so you know what…

Saving money with an electric car If you’re thinking of changing your car, it may make sense to go for an electric or hybrid vehicle (which uses a combination of petrol and an electric motor). After all, they work out cheaper to run than a petrol or diesel car – as long as you do most of the charging at home – and it’s better for the environment. Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular, with sales up by 17.8% in 2023*. There are now almost a million electric cars on the road, plus over 500,000 hybrids. But, before you make the move, think about how you will go about charging your EV. SAFETY FIRST If you’re planning on charging your EV at home with a standard three-pin socket, then…

YOU WILL NEED ● Pins ● Tape measure ● Cork pinboard ● Washi tape ● White acrylic paint ● Paintbrush Use pins to mark a line widthways across the board’s centre. Stick a piece of tape from the bottom left corner up to the centre line. Add a second piece of tape from the top corner and overlap where the points meet. Trim ends of tape to a neat point. Repeat, leaving equal-sized gaps. Gently paint over the board and frame, brushing over the lengths of the tape. Remove tape and allow to dry.…

Out of sight, out of mind, right? That’s one of the main reasons understairs cupboards across the country are full to the brim with stuff. From winter coats to cleaning products and vacuum cleaners, they’re often a dumping ground for the practical items you need, but don’t want on display. Yet before too long, your clean and tidy storage space can easily turn into a cluttered mess that fills you with anxiety every time you open the door. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Follow these five simple steps to sort the clutter and get everything in proper working order again. BEGIN WITH A CLEAR OUT Decluttering an understairs cupboard shouldn’t cause you to wake up sweating in the middle of the night. While it is a large…

The TV presenter, author and podcaster, 54, lives in west London with her husband Nick Feeney, 51, and daughter Amy, 17 WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU DO WHEN YOU GET HOME? Take my shoes off and put them away. I have an old medicine drawer cabinet in my hall that exactly fits a pair of shoes in each drawer. I’ve had it for years and it’s great for keeping the hallway clutter-free. WHAT’S ON YOUR BEDSIDE TABLE? A lamp, tissues and a big quartz crystal that I bought from Quest in Epsom, Surrey. Apparently it’s good for healing and balancing, and I like the thought of it giving me a helping hand while I’m asleep. FAVOURITE HOMEWARE SHOP? Ikea is my favourite all-rounder. It’s wallet-friendly and always solves a…

To wood or not to wood… that is the question. With so much choice available, it can be hard to know what to choose, from both a design perspective and a practicality viewpoint. Wood and wood-style flooring are a great option for adding warmth and natural beauty to your home, as well as providing the perfect neutral backdrop to your scheme. But where to start? We asked three flooring experts to share their insider tips… CHOICES, CHOICES ‘People want enhanced choice when it comes to flooring,’ says Natalie, ‘and for wood and wood-effect, that’s the ability to choose plank size or surface finish. This allows us to get more creative and experiment with a wider range of materials and finishes.’ Carly adds: ‘Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) portrays the appearance and…

WHERE TO BUY…

HOME NOTES WHO LIVES HERE? Furniture restorer Alice Lancastle lives here with her husband, Rob, who works in finance, and their three children, Rufus, seven, Woody, five, and Heathley, three. THE PROPERTY A five-bedroom 280-year-old farmhouse nestled in the Somerset countryside. 1 “Make sure a space works for you before decorating it” ‘I live by the rule that “form follows function”, so I want all of the rooms to deliver on their purpose before making them look good. When we bought the house, each area needed a complete overhaul and the spaces lacked cohesion. We moved doorways and radiators to improve the flow, and in the living-dining area – the old milking barn – we replaced the beams, which Rob used to bang his head on, with a timber frame.’…

PROJECT DETAILS WHO LIVES HERE? Karen and Phillip Moseley live here with their children Evie, nine, and Sonny, six. THE PROJECT Turning two rooms into an open-plan space leading onto a utility area in their Nottingham home. TOTAL COST £32,000 (including all building work, kitchen and appliances) THE PROBLEM The existing kitchen-diner was dated and cut off from the main living space THE SOLUTION ‘We designed the space ourselves, removing a wall and pitching the roof to make the room feel larger. To help with planning, we created a scale drawing and played around with cut outs of units until we found the perfect layout. Phillip was able to fit the kitchen and flooring, which helped with the budget. When it came to the materials, we kept mainly to budget…

There’s so much more than just aesthetics to think about when choosing types of glazing for your home. With energy costs on the rise, thermal performance will be a key factor in your window decision, too. When it comes to replacing your windows, there’s a lot to get your head around, so it’s worth becoming familiar with the industry terminology around all the different glass specifications. ‘The older the glazing, the worse the thermal performance,’ says Dave Mechem, director of inspection and assessment at RISA (risaltd.co.uk), part of the Glass & Glazing Federation. ‘Up to 24% of heat energy can escape from old, draughty glazing.’ Inert gas fillings, solar-control coatings and acoustic glass are all possibilities to boost your windows’ performance. Plus, if you have ambitious goals for your property’s…

BEFORE YOU BUY ■ If you’re looking for durability, you’ll want to invest in hardwearing and weather-resistant teak wood, but you will pay more for the longevity teak offers. However, if affordability is an important factor, then acacia and eucalyptus are viable alternatives. They don’t offer quite the same durability as teak, but they’re still hard wearing with the right protection, which can mean a regular top-up with wood preservative, or storing the furniture under cover to keep it away from the worst of the elements. ■ Teak is a hardwood, an extremely slow growing timber, which is one of the reasons why it’s so expensive. Its slow growth means that it boasts an extremely dense grain which stops any lingering moisture from penetrating, plus the timber retains a high…

My 14 year-old twins call me the crazy plant lady, and although my houseplant collection has reduced a little since its peak a few years ago (when they went around the house to do a tally, they counted over 40!), I’ve still got plants in every single room, and find it impossible to imagine my home without them. They range from potted trees (an olive tree in my kitchen that lives indoors over the winter, and moves outside for fresh air in the summer) to tiny little plant babies propagated from other houseplants around my home. From a looks point of view, plants introduce obvious greenery to a space to bring it to life, and they’re also great for adding structure and height where needed. I also love the decorative…

Courgettes agrodolce SERVES 2 AS A MAIN, 4 AS A SIDE READY IN 25 MINS ● 5tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve ● 500g courgettes, cut into 1.5cm-thick rounds ● 1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced ● 4tbsp red wine vinegar ● 1tbsp golden caster sugar ● 1tsp dried chilli flakes, plus extra to serve ● 1 garlic clove, peeled and thinly sliced ● Bunch of mint, leaves picked ● 250g ricotta 1 Heat a frying pan over a medium high heat and add the extra virgin olive oil. Season the courgette rounds with sea salt and fry them for 3-4 mins on each side or until blistering and golden brown, then remove with a slotted spoon on to a plate and set aside. 2 Add…