Innehållsförteckning för May 2023 från Style At Home

At the end of every month, I make a little list of highlights in my journal – little things I want to remember such as a great day out, DIY win or delicious meal. Last month, organising my junk drawer made the list (my life is so rock n roll) and I realised that decluttering brings me so much joy! I’ve got an inner glow knowing that the junk drawer isn’t full to bursting. Storing make up better is next in my sights, so I’m all over the tidying tips on page 96. I think our recent kitchen renovation, with all the chaos that brought, is driving this need to exert control on my environment. I want to clear the decks before I move onto our next project – AKA…

Empowering, exuberant, electrifying – all words that Pantone has used to describe Viva Magenta, its Colour of the Year 2023. And it is definitely all of those things, plus more. The pink-tinted red is rooted in nature and has been picked to create a brighter, more optimistic feel in our homes and wardrobes. For the maximalists out there, team it with other pinks and reds, and pops of contrasting brights. Or try it as an accent – it works perfectly with soft blue, lilac-tinted grey and sandy pink, or with greeny-grey and khaki.…

Colourful paint effects are a fun way to brighten up plain white walls and small areas like this window frame are a great place to start if you’re experimenting with paint for the first time. Go for a contrast Painting a scalloped or wavy-edge border around a window frame or recess is a great way of adding interest to a plain area and turning it into a decorative feature. You’ll only need a small amount of paint in a bright, contrasting shade, so mini tester pots or paint left over from your other DIY projects are ideal. Create your own design Painting a design freehand (like Poppy did here) might be an option if you’ve a very steady hand and are a confident painter, creating a flowing look. You could…

When designing the heart of your home there are countless decisions to be made. One of the bigger choices is kitchen flooring – in addition to good looks, the flooring needs to be durable and easy to maintain and clean. Consider materials Flooring comes in all manner of materials, but for a high-traffic and, let’s be frank, messy space like the kitchen, it’s one of the most important surfaces to get right. Choose from natural stone, porcelain, real wood, cork, laminate, vinyl and many more. Choose the right look A good rule of thumb is to decide whether you want your flooring to co-ordinate or contrast with your cabinetry. To co-ordinate, go for materials in the same finish (matt or gloss) and match the colours as closely as possible. Choose…

We tend to think of lighting as the final touch to a room, coming after the paint and paper have been chosen and the furniture put in place. But when putting together a dining room scheme, it’s important to think about how you’re going to light the room from the start. Add layers of lighting Good dining room lighting is about more than just a pendant lamp hanging above the dining table. A well-planned scheme should include ambient, task and accent lighting for the best effect. Ambient lighting can be created using a combination of overhead lighting, wall lights and floor lamps. Ideally, you want to create a warm glow that fills the room. Include a statement piece Having a standout light above the table is a must-have, making it…

Hang a clothes rail There’s no need to splash out on a fitted cupboard for a little one, simply slot in a hanging rail and turn your alcove into an instant mini wardrobe. Neatly tuck lidded boxes under the hanging space to store shoes, blankets and toys. Give it a twist Use a colourful curtain as a clever hide-all solution to pull across the alcove. Make a reading nook Lay a narrow bookcase on its side to create an alcove bench for extra seating and storage, and top with fabric-covered foam – perfect for a quiet break-out zone. Give it a twist Swap fitted wicker baskets for more relaxed belly baskets, adding a luggage label to identify family members’ belongings. Build statement shelving Make book storage more beautiful, but still…

When the owners of this beach hut contacted me to ask if I could help transform it for them, I knew it was going to be a fun project,’ says Laurie. ‘The young family had found out they finally had a beach hut on Folkestone seafront after a four-year wait, and were keen to turn it into a fun place for them and their friends to hang out in the summer. There had been a big renovation project and all the huts from Folkestone to Sandgate had been renovated, with the outsides of them painted in bright colours. Design process I had a virtual consultation with the owners and they showed me pictures of the hut. The outside had been painted in yellow and peach, so that didn’t need changing,…

TRY THIS... Organise kitchen shelves so that all your essentials are within easy reach. Decant dried goods into clear glass jars so that the contents are visible, then corral smaller items such as condiments and sauces together in a wooden caddy or crate, so you can lift everything out at once when needed.…

Every successful garden transformation starts with planning, so assess your outside space and work out the key areas that are crying out for some TLC. Is your fence bland and boring and in need of a fresh new look, or is your central focal point a featureless blank wall? Perhaps you’ve inherited a tired patio or deck that needs an overhaul or a mass of overgrown shrubs that need taming? From simple tips on how to make the most of your garden’s features to wise buys and style-savvy additions, follow our dos and don’ts to create the outdoor space you’ve always wanted – without breaking the bank. 1 DO SPRUCE UP THE GARDEN ‘Spring cleaning your outdoor space is a crucial first step when it comes to preparing for the…

BEST NON-STICK SAUCEPAN SET NINJA FOODI ZEROSTICK THREE-PIECE PAN SET TYPE Hard-anodised aluminium with non-stick WHAT’S INCLUDED Three saucepans SIZES 16cm, 18cm, 20cm PRICE £149.99 We’re big fans of Ninja. Not only does the brand come out with some of the best air fryers, food processors and other kitchen innovations on the market, but they’ve also dipped into cookware with their ZeroStick range. The verdict? A smashing success. One standout feature is that it’s ok to use metal utensils when cooking with this range. The handles are angled upwards, which makes for an ergonomic experience and also lightens the load when it comes to pouring. All of the pans and lids can go in the dishwasher, and even in the oven, up to 260C. REASON TO BUY Lightweight, durable and…

TIME AT HOME Amidst the cost of living crisis, we’ve all been minimising home appliance usage to save energy at home. But there’s one area of our homes we’re constantly in – the bathroom – and with that in mind it’s important to know the costs involved in running the shower if you’re trying to reduce your energy bills. We’ve broken it down and calculated just how much it costs to run a shower following the October energy price cap increase, as well as how you can save on running costs – so you know what to expect on your next utility bill invoice. How much does it cost to run an electric shower? While the amount of energy a shower will use varies on the individual appliance, an electric…

HANGING GARDEN Bring a drab wall to life with a display of lush greenery. A colourful, 3D alternative to a picture wall, simply securely attach two or three metal utensil rails to the wall, one above the other. Then hook on a few mini planters and fill with plants of your choice.…

SHAPELY CANDLE HOLDERS With lazy summer days and evenings in the garden to look forward to, extend your time outdoors with Dobbies’ new range of summer buys. These shapely ceramic candle holders come in a mix of muted neutrals and are worth snapping up.…

1 Tile a striped splashback Give kitchen walls more oomph by opting for a playful striped splashback in cheery ice-cream colours. Replacing a drab splashback is an easy way of perking up an all-white kitchen or plain-coloured cabinets without spending a fortune – an eye-catching striped design can be created using inexpensive plain tiles in contrast shades. Use simple brick-shaped tiles to create the effect, stacking them one above the other instead of the more traditional staggered format. Decide on the thickness of your stripes before fixing in place; just add or take away a row of tiles to make the stripes thicker or thinner. 2 SET UP A TIDYING HUB Target clutter hotspots, such as the hallway or children’s playroom, by setting up a mini sorting station. Perfect for…

The Great British Weather can be hard on outdoor buildings, whether shed, summerhouse or beach hut, so re-treating their timber every couple of seasons is a sensible option. And if it’s colour that you’re craving, paint is the perfect choice. Exterior paints come in a wide range of colours and give a weather-resistant protective finish that should last for a good couple of seasons. Clear the decks Before you start, clear any plants or shrubs from around the building and tie back tree branches or grasses so that they don’t get damaged. Use dust sheets or plastic sheeting to protect paving or decking from paint splatters, cover up nearby plants and move planters out of the way. Prep the timber Check the timber for signs of damage, such as rot…

Whether you put your make-up on in the bedroom or bathroom, good organisation is essential to keep those must-have beauty items tidy and easy to find. But with so many smaller-sized items and individual pots, tubes, palettes and powders, keeping everything neat and orderly can be a challenge. Factoring in plenty of storage space is a must, especially if you’re a make-up magpie. Make-up can easily get messy too, with loose items rolling around in drawers, so storage that keeps make-up contained will make finding your favourite lipstick that much easier. TOTE IT AROUND If you like to do your make-up on the go, choose caddy-style storage for your day-to-day must-haves. Neat and compact, with lift-out compartments so you can organise the contents, plus a mirror that acts as a…

TV presenter Stacey Solomon is the queen of ‘tap to tidy’, with the organisation and DIY hacks she shares with her five million Instagram followers. Her latest book follows Stacey’s renovations at her home, Pickle Cottage. ‘I’ve learned so much,’ says Stacey. ‘I hope the book gives people the confidence and inspiration to pick up a drill or paintbrush. Panelling the downstairs loo was SO easy and looks like I’ve spent more time and money on it than I really did!’ YOU WILL NEED * Panelling * Grab adhesive * Spirit level * Saw * Tape measure 1 MEASURE UP Work out how much panelling you need by measuring the width of each wall and adding those measurements together to give you the perimeter of the room. Divide this by…

Habitat RESTFUL WELLBEING Create a sense of calm with soft shades and comforting textures Next EXOTIC MAXIMALISM Express your flamboyant side with bold floral prints and rich tones M&S MODERN GEO Combine geometric designs with organic, curved styles Matalan COSY COTTAGE Team pretty pastel touches with warm neutrals…

During lockdown I managed to save for my first home,’ says Poppy. ‘After renting for years I was ready to buy, so I moved back in with my parents which gave me the opportunity to save. I took on extra shifts at work and finally managed to get a deposit together. The main thing on my wish list was a garden; I didn’t care what size but I think we’d all realised how important outside space was during the pandemic. My friend had moved into a new build on this estate and I liked the open-plan feel of the houses and the fact that the properties came with parking, so I reserved this place off-plan with no idea how big the garden would be or what the layout would actually…

We used to holiday in the Lake District all the time, but it started getting harder and harder for me and my husband Garry to go back home,’ says Sharon. ‘Then I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and we took it as an opportunity to completely reshape our lives and relocate. We were living in Derbyshire in the village of Hayfield at the time, where we’d moved to back in 2015. I’d started an interiors store and gallery, and we were living in a rented apartment above. Although Gerry and I had an amazing five years there, we were working constantly and wanted to slow down a bit. Property hunt After searching for three months, a former brewery manager’s house came up for rent in the village of Caldbeck and…

Moving out of London and getting a lot more space for our money, plus a sizeable garden, was the aim when we first started looking for a new house six years ago,’ says Jules. ‘We’d identified Tunbridge Wells in Kent as a possibility and went looking around the residential roads at the weekends to nail down the right house. We didn’t want to be right out in the countryside, so a sizeable town with good transport links was important to us, as Oliver needs to travel with his job. Potential property A four-storey Victorian semi on the edge of town ticked all our boxes and was a lot bigger than the three-bedroom terrace with a tiny garden we were leaving behind, so we moved to snap it up. The kids…

SPLURGE Blow the budget with these top picks USE TEXTURED ACCESSORIES TO SOFTEN THE LOOK FOR A MORE LIVED IN VIBE STEAL Grab a style bargain with these budget buys…

Make a wish list Get a clear idea of what you want – your existing kitchen is a good place to start. Decide what you do and don’t like about it and make a list of what needs improving – do you have plenty of storage and prep space, is the number of appliances sufficient? Browse magazines, kitchen brochures, Pinterest and Instagram for inspo and start an online moodboard. Set a budget While planning a dream kitchen is lovely, it’s easy to get carried away, so set a budget for the project before you start. Aside from the cost of the kitchen, appliances, worktops, flooring and finishing touches, you’ll also need to factor in costs for any building works, plumbing, wiring, tiling and decorating. Ensure you have a contingency of…

Spring is here! And with an extra Bank Holiday to enjoy this year, make the time count by tackling some of those things on the ‘to do’ list that you just never seem to get around to. Whether it’s making a start outdoors by sprucing up the patio or brushing up tired paintwork, just a few minutes here and there can make all the difference. Spruce up outdoors Warmer days offer a good opportunity to get started on outdoor jobs. Give exterior woodwork, such as doors and window frames, the once-over as damp weather during the winter months can wreak havoc. Wash down woodwork with sugar soap first, then scrape away any loose and flaking paint before re-painting with an exterior gloss or eggshell paint. ‘SCUFFS OR PEN MARKS ON…

WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE TAKES 1 HR PLUS COOLING TIME SERVES 8-12 * 150g white chocolate cooking chips * 150g unsalted butter, softened * 150g caster sugar * 3 large eggs, beaten * 200g self-raising flour * 1tsp baking powder * FOR THE FILLING AND TOPPING * 300ml double cream * 30g icing sugar, sifted * Pulp of 2 large passion fruit * White chocolate curls * Edible flowers * YOU WILL NEED * 2 x 20cm sandwich tins, greased and lined 1 Heat the oven to 180C/ Gas 4. Melt half the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, then set aside to cool a little. 2 Using an electric hand whisk, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Then beat…

PULLED CHICKEN TORTILLAS TAKES 1 HR 10 MINS SERVES 4 * 2x200g tubs tomato salsa * 2tsp chipotle paste * 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts * 4 garlic cloves, crushed * 8 corn tortillas * 1 lime, cut into wedges * 200ml soured cream * 8 spring onions, chopped * 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered * 16 chilli pepper pearls * Coriander leaves 1 Heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Combine the tomato salsa and chipotle paste. Put the chicken into a casserole dish that has a tight-fitting lid. 2 Season the chicken generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper, sprinkle over the garlic and combine with the salsa mixture. Stir in 150ml water, cover, and cook in the oven for 50 mins. 3 Heat the tortillas in the microwave,…