Innehållsförteckning för October 2023 från Style At Home

When autumn arrives I get hit by the urge to give the house a thorough deep-clean. I guess it’s my nesting instinct kicking in ready for hibernation season – once the cleaning is ticked off my list, I’ll be straight onto cosying up the living room – see page 56 for gorgeous ways to do this. It’s probably also time to face up to the DIY jobs I’ve been putting off for months – on the much-neglected to-do list is: adding wall panelling to the downstairs loo, building a long bench seat to stash the family’s shoes, and repainting the hallway. In reality, I’m more likely to get distracted and have a lovely time making an autumn wreath to pop on my front door instead (step-by-step on page 102). PS…

Displaying bold and beautiful artwork is a great way of bringing colour and personality to a home, but when it comes to arranging artwork it can be tricky knowing how high to hang pictures or what placement and spacing you should use. Make a statement A single oversized picture will add instant visual impact. When positioning above a piece of furniture, such as a sofa, sideboard or fireplace, choose a picture that is no wider than the piece it hangs above so that it doesn’t overwhelm it. Aim for roughly two-thirds the furniture’s length for a balanced look. And hang artwork low enough so you can enjoy it while sitting down – a gap of around 15-20cm between the bottom of the picture frame and piece underneath is ideal. Treat…

Having open-plan living has many advantages, making our homes feel bigger, brighter and more sociable. But although open-plan design is still hugely popular, some kind of room division can be more practical and create privacy in open spaces that have multiple uses. Go broken-plan A broken-plan layout sits midway between an open-plan space and more traditional separate rooms. It allows large open spaces to be broken down into different zones for different uses, without closing the space off completely. A broken-plan layout can be achieved by the use of clever room dividers, whether a temporary screen, fixed partition wall, internal glazing or placement of furniture. Pick the right position Whether you want to create a more private area for relaxing or studying, the positioning of any room divider is key.…

SPLURGE Blow the budget with these top picks TEAM PAPER CORD SEATING AND LIGHT WOOD FURNITURE WITH PASTEL SHADES FOR A BRIGHT AND BREEZY SCHEME STEAL Grab a style bargain with these budget buys…

Embrace bold shades When it comes to small bathrooms, white is often the go-to choice. But while white can make small spaces feel lighter and brighter, all-white bathrooms can feel a bit stark and clinical. Working colour into the scheme can help give smaller bathrooms a colour boost, energising the space and making it feel bigger and brighter, so why not be brave and take the plunge. Perk it up with paint Don’t underestimate this quick and easy way to introduce colour into a bathroom. It can completely change the mood, whether you’re after sunny and uplifting or calm and serene. Perk up plain white tiles by painting walls a bold shade or, for a super-speedy option, paint the bath an eye-catching colour. ‘KEEP YOUR WINDOW TREATMENTS UNFUSSY IN SMALL…

Autumn is in the air and with thoughts of staying home and keeping cosy, now’s a great time to make a start on seasonal jobs indoors and out. Tidying up the garden, clearing gutters and drains and putting outdoor furniture and toys away is a must before the weather turns. When it comes to indoors, making sure that heating systems, fires and radiators are working is a top priority, with draughty windows and doors sealed and insulated to keep the house warm and toasty. Create an autumnal floral display Pick a large vase, tall enough to hold longer stems. Add foliage first using russet-toned leaves, stems and branches. Then insert larger flowers and seedheads, finishing off with smaller filler flowers, berry sprigs and grasses to add texture, varying the heights…

STRIPED WALLPAPER Give a plate rack or simple set of shelves standout style with a colourful wallpaper backdrop. Go as bright and as bold as you dare – using a contrasting colour or pattern as a background will really make your display items pop.…

TIME AT HOME As energy prices rise through the roof, learning how to save energy at home has never been more important. Acts as simple as leaving your TV on standby, or overfilling the kettle, could be costing you hundreds of pounds a year. Incorporating a few energy-saving tips into your routine won’t just keep your house warm in winter, it could also help you make real savings. A few small changes could make a big difference in helping cut out any unnecessary wastage, allowing you to save those all-important pennies. 1 Turn your thermostat down by one degree Flicking your thermostat dial down from 25 to 24 degrees could save households across the UK £800 million. It’s a myth that it’s cheaper to have the heating on low all…

B&M HARVEST TONES Cosy up your living room with autumnal colours Next LUXE RETRO Use earthy tones and glam accent details for a sleek look Matalan GLOBAL MONOCHROME Combine black and white with graphic pattern to create impact La Redoute PRETTY JAPANDI Mix floral prints with natural tones and materials…

AUTUMNAL PLACE SETTINGS Try this pretty place setting idea, lovely for autumnal entertaining. Simply grab a couple of apples and use a fruit corer to carve out the centre. Line with a piece of aluminium foil, fill with a little water and then arrange flowers and berries inside.…

Slot in under the stairs Tucking a desk and chair under a staircase makes good use of this space. The tones of pale wood and white complement the staircase aesthetic, with black accessories adding an industrial feel. Give it a twist Attach hanging plants to the underside of the stair treads to create a pretty display. Integrate a surface Utilise even the smallest spot by integrating a slimline length of worktop snugly into a bank of wall-to-ceiling units. Extending the surface visually through the cabinets gives the set-up a designer edge. Give it a twist Hang wooden floating shelves, the same length as the desk, butting up flush to the cupboards. Add a plywood desktop Maximise space by building a narrow study area from one wall to another, providing room…

We’re both originally from Birmingham but decided to move to the village of Ullesthorpe in Leicestershire for a slower pace and better quality of life,’ says Celie. ‘We’ve always enjoyed creating things, but did minimal renovations in our first home, which we bought when we were in our 20s – it was mainly just redecorating. However, we did convert a van into a camper van, which is where we got the bug for renovation. We love the history that comes with this property – it was built in 1878, and is opposite a milestone. It’s known that whoever lives in the property is called the ‘keeper’ of the milestone – hence my Instagram handle @milestone_cottage. Chris actually purchased the house without me seeing it. I was on a trip and…

Having extra space to set aside as a utility area can be super useful, freeing up valuable room in the kitchen and ensuring that bulky appliances and laundry essentials can be tucked away out of sight. While utility rooms do tend to be fairly small and compact, use the space cleverly and you can still pack plenty in. Once the washing machine and tumble dryer are sorted, storage is a must so you can utilise what space there is fully. Fitting a run of kitchen units will provide hidden storage if space allows – arrange your cupboards with the most frequently used items stored lower down for easy access and those used less frequently stored higher up. If the footprint is ultra-tight in your utility room, then open shelving is…

I fell in love with this house the minute I saw it,’ says Sarah-Jane. ‘I’ve always liked period homes and this place has such high ceilings, I’m obsessed with them! Two of the three bedrooms are a really good size too, and I liked all the period features, such as the picture and dado rails, plus the fireplace in the dining room. This house and the one next door were actually built by a local builder for himself and his daughter in the 1900s. Apparently, the windows were blasted out by a bomb that was dropped on our road during World War Two, so it has a slightly different frontage than some of the neighbouring houses. Big plans We moved here in October 2015 and I had lots of ideas…

This is our sixth home in 25 years,’ says Caroline. ‘Keith and I are serial, hands-on renovators, and we’ve lived in several places along the North Cornwall coast. Our last house was a new build, a few miles inland, but I found I really missed having a view of the water. The other drawback was that the house didn’t need anything doing to it, so we were soon hankering for somewhere with real potential for improvement. Starting point After a bit of a search we found a bungalow perched above the Gannel estuary. The location was perfect, and as soon as I saw the incredible views from the front door I knew I could live there. Inside, it was very dated and quite basic. There was a small kitchen, separate…

I fell in love with this flat for its 2.7m high ceilings, exposed brick walls and original steel-framed windows,’ says Pauline. ‘The building had been a shoe factory before the conversion. I’m French and moved to London in 2016 after spending 10 years working in Hong Kong as an architect on hotel and residential projects, and the seven years before that in Paris studying architecture. I’d been saving for a while and wanted to get to know London before I bought. I rented flats in Brixton, Dalston and Shoreditch and remembered how much I missed the character and history of older properties. Natural light was important to me as the place I was renting had virtually no windows, which was affecting my wellbeing. I actually viewed this flat a few…

Turn your dining area into a talking point with a standout feature wall. Run a length of wallpaper from the floor, taking it up and continuing onto the ceiling. Create a canopy effect by taking the wallpaper halfway across, or run it down the opposite wall.…

1 Display picture books Organise easy-access book storage for young readers. Narrow picture ledges are a neat, space-saving idea and a good option for little ones as books can be slotted on and displayed with covers face outwards so they’re recognisable by the pictures as well as the titles. Arrange ledges two or three high and midway on the wall so that they can be easily grabbed and placed back again afterwards. Paint ledges to match the wall colour or choose bright primary colours for a bold look. 2 BRIGHTEN UP A PAIR OF STOOLS Upcycle wooden stools with an easy paint treatment that will instantly jolly them up. Grab some tester pots in a variety of bright colours and paint the seats and legs in contrasting shades. Use decorator’s…

Kitchen islands are often large and centrally positioned, so will have a big impact on the overall aesthetics of a kitchen. From choice of colour, worktop style to handles and fittings, details can make all the difference. Pick a standout colour While the design of an island should complement the style of kitchen, it doesn’t have to be strictly matching. Colour is a great way to make an island stand out, either by choosing a contrasting paint colour to other cabinets or opting for a darker timber or high gloss finish. Mix up materials While matching worktops throughout gives a sleek look, choosing an island worktop in a contrasting colour, or luxe material like marble or granite, can look super-stylish. Or consider setting a wooden block into the end of…

If you’ve got some spare planting space in your veg patch or greenhouse, why not plant up some autumn salad or veggies that will give you a tasty crop to enjoy during the winter. There are plenty of varieties that don’t mind the cold that will also add a splash of colour to your garden in the colder months. Swiss chard is a really useful spinach-like winter crop – plant it with evergreen salad burnet, red-veined sorrel and pansies to create a pretty and practical winter planter. Sow seeds late in summer or in early autumn and the chard will be ready to harvest in winter. YOU WILL NEED * Seed tray * Potting compost * Beta vulgaris (Swiss chard) seeds * Sanguisorba minor (salad burnet) * Rumex sanguineus (sorrel)…

JAMMIE DODGER BLONDIES MAKES 16 TAKES 50 MINS PLUS CHILLING * 200g unsalted butter * 250g soft light brown sugar * 80g caster sugar * 2 medium free-range eggs, beaten * 1tsp vanilla paste * 230g plain flour * ½tsp sea salt flakes, roughly crushed * ½tsp baking powder * 225g Jammie Dodgers – one large pack and three packs of Jammie Dodger Minis * 75g seedless raspberry jam * YOU WILL NEED * A 20cm square tin, lined with baking paper 1 Heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Heat the butter in a saucepan until melted. Stir in the 2 sugars until dissolved and allow to cool slightly. 2 Mix in the eggs, vanilla paste, flour and baking powder with a generous pinch of sea salt. Chop the biscuits,…

CHICKEN PILAF-STYLE RICE TAKES 30 MINS, PLUS RESTING TIME SERVES 4-6 * 250g basmati rice 2tbsp oil * 1 onion, thinly sliced * 2tbsp curry paste (we used Patak’s madras paste) * 6 chicken thighs, cut into chunks * 100ml water or stock * 400ml tin light coconut milk * 25g dried cranberries * Coriander, to garnish 1 Rinse the rice then leave to soak while you prepare the rest of the dish. 2 In a large casserole with a lid, heat the oil over a low heat. Add the onion, season and cook for 25 mins until caramelised, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the pan. 3 Remove half of the onion and set aside. Add the curry paste and cook for 1 min. Add the chicken…