Innehållsförteckning för December 2021 från Your Home

After the subdued celebrations of last December, I must admit that I am more than a little excited about the festive season this year! If you’re equally eager, then you’ll love this issue, which we’ve packed with ways to help you make this one the best Christmas ever. Start ticking presents off your list on page 21, with 50 gifts under £50 – there’s something for even the fussiest of loved ones, and prices start at just £1. Looking for fresh ways to deck the halls this winter? Turn to page 35, where we style classic Yuletide colours in different ways. Or, for more enduring décor inspiration, flip to page 28 for an evergreen scheme that will feel fresh long after the fairy lights are back in the loft. This…

Take a seat I bought two rattan armchairs from Facebook Marketplace for £20 – but they were bigger than I realised so it did mean two trips to pick them up. However, after several tins of spray primer and pale grey spray paint I’m thrilled with them for our decking! They will also act as spare chairs for gatherings at Christmas. Meg Hankinson, Nottinghamshire Tom, Section Editor, says: These are so lovely, Meg – you’ve given them a new lease of life. What a transformation! Top tiles I’ve always wanted a fire with beautiful Moroccan tiles, but I couldn’t afford the price tag, so I decided to buy tile stickers for a cheap but classy look. Everyone who’s seen my fire thinks they are porcelain! I hope you like them…

Joseph Joseph tri folding kitchen scale, £34.99, Lakeland Measuring just 15 centimetres long when folded, these scales are the ones for you if you’re short on space. Don’t be tempted to press down too hard on the touch screen controls – a light pressure is enough to use its add-and-weigh function, as well as changing between dry foods and liquids, and metric and imperial. We wouldn’t risk balancing a stand mixer bowl on it, but it’s a brilliant choice for everyday cooking. Kabalo digital LCD weighing scales, £6.75, OnBuy This bold set of scales are a smart budget buy. The bright colour, curved edges and funky logo would fit in perfectly with a retro-style kitchen, or one with red as an accent hue. It’s really simple to use, the tare…

MINI TREND: Brass Add some metallic brilliance to your festive styling with brass accessories and fittings. The burnished nature of brass will add a time-worn, characterful feel to your space, while its golden undertones will enhance the flicker of candlelight, particularly in an intricate lantern, such as these house-shaped tealight holders from Cox & Cox. STAG DO Tuck yourself up on Christmas Eve (or from 1st December!) beneath this wintry stag-print bedding from Next, which can be reversed to stripes come spring. A nod to the festive season without being overwhelming, the classic pairing of white and blue will freshen your bedroom or the guest room for a soothing night’s sleep. Sumptuous suede Welcome texture to your walls without reaching for the wallpaper paste with the latest range of suede…

SHOPPING LIST Walls painted in Agreeable Green, £31 per 2.5L; Sunset Rose tester pot, £3; Blood Orange tester pot, £3, all Valspar at B&Q. Sedna Delphin carpet, £35.49 per sq m, ScS. Parquet double bed, £449.99; Parquet two-drawer bedside table, £179.99; Parquet drawer chest, £389.99, all Oak Furnitureland. Pax wardrobe system with Grimo doors, from £255; Green Vigdis cushion cover, £6.50; Maleras picture ledge, £12, all IKEA. Shaw rattan lampshade, £55; Tufted leaf duvet cover, £40; Mid-century vase in Orange, £12, all Habitat. Cream Berber shaggy rug, £140; Green tufted tassel cushion, £7; Green leaf print curtains, from £27 each, all George Home. Tufted geometric cushion in Olive, £10, Homebase. La Jolie Muse hanging planter with leather strap, £14.99, Amazon. Green leaf glass vase, £8, Dunelm.…

SHOPPING LIST Cornucopia wallpaper in Blush, Charcoal and Mustard, £39 per roll, Lust Home. Ercol Shalstone bed frame in oak, £1,299, John Lewis. For similar bedside tables try the Trujillo one-drawer bedside table, £89.99, Wayfair. Gardenia duvet cover, £25, La Redoute. Kerplunk radiator cover, £70, Screen with Envy. Bohemian bedspread by AugustPlace, £59; Go Your Own Way print by HollieGraphik, from £8.99, both Etsy. Colours Astrid geometric rug in Black & White, £35; embossed ceramic cylinder bedside light, £30, both B&Q. Cream chunky knit throw, £30, George Home. Plywood and formica LOVE letters, from £20, Plywood Studio. For similar ochre cushion try the Maya diamond tufted cushion, £8.99, The Range. Mongolian faux fur cushion in Pink, £7, George Home. For similar industrial-style desk, try the WAYNE Fir and metal 3-drawer…

SHOPPING LIST MDF, from £8.97 for 0.81m x 0.41m; panelling painted in Railings by Farrow & Ball, £26.80 per litre, both B&Q. Button-back velour bed, £644.99, Arista Living. For a similar bedside table, try the Derik side table, £48.99, Wayfair. Orla Kiely Linear Stem roller blind in Grey by Orla Kiely, from £38, John Lewis & Partners. For a similar cushion try Scandi boho cushion, £18, Sass & Belle. Pax/Auli wardrobes, from £420; Fjallbo black shelving unit, £45, both IKEA. Cassie chair in Pink velvet, £50, Cult Furniture. For similar shower enclosure try the Mode black framed enclosure pack with walk-in shower tray, £539, Victoria Plum. Islington wall tile in Matt White, 330 x 100mm, £10 per sq m, Homebase. Dunsen Grey floor tiles, £22.99 per sq m, Tile Mountain.…

Stockings are a Christmas must-have, hanging prettily on your mantelpiece ready to be filled with gifts and treats. The classic look of this one means you’ll be able to enjoy it year after year. We’ve made ours in hessian fabric for rustic charm, and kept it simple with an appliqué initial, but you could also jazz it up with pom poms, ric rac, tassels, bells or other festive appliqué shapes. Either way, you’ll be glad that it’s so easy and quick to make, as all the family will want one! SHOPPING LIST ✔ 1 metre of hessian fabric, for the outer ✔ 1.5 metres of green cotton fabric, for the lining and appliqué ✔ 50cm of Bondaweb ✔ Newspaper or card, for the stocking pattern ✔ Letter template ✔ Matching…

1 Line the path to your door or embellish flower beds with these enchanting stars Star stake lights, £14.99 for five, Lights4fun 2 Position these two copper deer sculptures together to create a winter wonderland scene Christmas deer with lights, large, £19.95, and small, £15.95, Sparkle Lighting 3 Let this simple tree bring a touch of festive magic to a fence or the side of your house Indoor outdoor magical string light tree, £85, Cox & Cox…

The festive season is nearly here so make sure your gatherings and gettogethers are as stress-free as possible by getting the kitchen ready. Islands and breakfast bars allow guests to sit and chat as you get on with the cooking, while extendable tables, benches and stackable or foldable seats are handy for last-minute plans. Invest in a few appliances that will make life easier, such as a dishwasher, double oven, hand blender and one-pot pressure cooker, and consider the gadgets that can assist with food prep. Remember to leave space in the fridge and freezer for drinks to chill. Finally, dress the table with an elegant dinner set, your finest Champagne glasses and all the festive extras that will turn any kitchen into a warm and welcoming space. Take a…

‘The whole place felt really dark and cold but I was determined to turn it into a bright and homely space.’ Christmas and New Year is a magical time for Vienna Moore, who enjoys nothing more than decorating her home for her two young girls. Beautifully decked out in soft blush and metallic decorations in keeping with her décor, every room has pretty seasonal touches – right down to the festive doormat and Christmas bedding. ‘I like to keep the tree and decorations up for the New Year as well so it makes it extra special,’ she explains. ‘It’s perfect for family photos!’ Vienna has decorated her two-bed maisonette in Nottingham in a soft, elegant scheme throughout; it’s a far cry from how it looked in 2011, when she first…

WE ARE Nikki Margrie, a stay-at-home mum, my husband, Simon, and our children, Toby and Max, along with our black Labrador, Rupert, and giant African land snail, Bertie. OUR HOME IS A four-bedroom Victorian terrace in Worthing, East Sussex. MY FAVOURITE ROOM Is the loft. It’s a calm, cosy space. I love sitting up there with a book when I get time to myself! FOR INSPIRATION I look at magazines, Instagram and Pinterest, but the murals were my own creations. NEXT TO DO Is to create an outside Hawaiian tikki bar, but that will have to wait for warmer days. MY ADVICE Is to be patient. I rushed a lot in the beginning, and I now have to go over rooms that I did in the early stages.…

3 WAYS WITH… Bramley apples Sharp, tangy and tasty, this autumnal fruit is often used in traditional puds, and also complements rich meats To make a festive slaw, put 200g finely shredded Brussels sprouts in a bowl and add the juice and zest of ½ orange. Drizzle over some rapeseed oil. Using your hands, scrunch the sprouts in the dressing for a few minutes to tenderise. Grate in 1 apple, then toss with finely chopped parsley. Serve with game or rich meats. For a twist on apple strudel, preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Chop 6 apples into small chunks. Melt 25g butter in a pan, then scatter in 50g golden caster sugar. Add the apples and cook until soft. Unravel 1 sheet of puff pastry. Spoon the apple…

Party BITES The big FEAST Raise a GLASS Something SWEET Look out for GUIDE festive arriving products in-store & online from November!…

Keen to move to a bigger house but in the same area of Essex, Helen Brown, a policy advisor, and her wife, Claire, decided to assign the sale of their current home to a local estate agent, Hammond and Smith. ‘We had several quotes and a wide range of valuations,’ says Helen, ‘but felt Hammond and Smith gave the best advice.’ One tip the couple welcomed was not to go for a video. ‘They suggested that it can deter potential buyers from coming to view a place if they feel they’ve seen enough already,’ explains Helen. Another good piece of advice was to drop the original price of offers over £630,000 to £600,000 – this change of tactic opened up a whole new search category online and, within weeks, an…

A A Touch of Nom atouchofnom.co.uk Abahna 01328 442004 abahna.co.uk Abode 01226 283434 abode designs.co.uk Abstract House abstracthouse.com Aldi aldi.co.uk Amazon amazon.co.uk Annabel James 0345 548 0210 annabeljames.co.uk Annie Sloan 01865 770061 anniesloan.com Any Kitchens Ltd 01438 230010 anykitchenltd.co.uk AO 0161 470 1200 ao.com Arista Living 0333 012 9092 aristaliving.com Armac Martin 0121 359 2111 armacmartin.co.uk Artisans 020 8533 2211 artisans.life Artsy Doormats 01253 531 400 artsydoormats.com Atelier Rosemood rosemood.co.uk Audenza 0116 298 6393 audenza.com B B&M 0330 838 9000 bmstores.co.uk B&Q 0333 014 3357 diy.com Baylis & Harding 01527 505000 baylisandharding.com Beards & Daisies 020 3828 9600 beardsanddaisies.co.uk Big Bathroom Shop 0345 122 7569 bigbathroomshop.co.uk Biscuiteers biscuiteers.com Blinds 2go 0800 862 0464 blinds-2go.co.uk Bloom & Wild bloomandwild.com Borrowed Light Florals borrowedlightflorals.com Brabantia brabantia.com Breville breville.co.uk British Honey Company britishhoney.co.uk…

HOT FROM THE HIGH STREET Matalan Cottagecore is back with a wintry twist in Matalan’s Christmas range. Floral prints and pale shades have been swapped for holly and leaves with an earthier colour palette. Mixing textiles is key to this look, with faux fur bringing richness to wooden accessories and woven fabric. Naturally Nordic Want to achieve clean Scandi chic without the hefty price tag? Primark’s new rattan furniture collection is hitting all the right Scandi buttons with its clean design and natural look. With prices kept under £100, these budget-friendly buys will refresh any space. We fully approve of the brand’s first full collection. 5 OF THE BEST… Eco-friendly cards and wrapping ideas Make your own cards and gifts with these reusable and plastic-free picks Sage advice Annie Sloan…

When we moved into our 1960s home, we pulled up an old carpet to find this teak floor. There was a long strip missing where patio doors had been added but my husband noticed that the skirting boards were made of the same teak planks, so he removed, stripped and sanded them. He then cut them into smaller pieces and laid them at 90 degrees to the original floor. Afterwards, he sanded the whole floor and finished the wood with several coats of hard wax oil. He’s done a wonderful job; it’s now such a unique feature of the house. Liz Goulds, Chesterfield Mel, Editor, says: It looks so beautiful, Liz! Your husband has done an excellent job restoring this flooring, rather than simply hiding it away.…

SAVE ON eco Christmas buys With so much to think about at this time of year, it’s easy to get carried away and forget the environmental impact that our purchases are making. So, before you hit the shops, get creative instead with these ideas and save money while being more eco-conscious. Swap to homemade wrapping paper Make your own gift wrap by stamping a design using water-based paint on recyclable kraft paper. Avoid traditional sticky tape that uses a plastic-based adhesive – use twine or brown paper tape instead – or even try wrapping gifts in a scarf or piece of fabric that can be reused. Go for a potted tree The most eco-friendly tree option is to buy a living potted tree that can be planted in your garden…

WHO LIVES HERE? I’m Liz, 36, a senior cardiac physiologist, on Instagram @houseofjackandboo, and my husband, Daniel, 39, a managing director. We live in Fairford, Gloucestershire, with our two children: Jackson, seven, and Spencer, two. Our home is a four-bedroom, detached 1960s house. WHAT WAS UPDATED? The main bedroom, from top to bottom. We had to get new carpets, furniture and accessories, and the walls and woodwork all needed re-painting. WHY THE CHANGE? It was beyond tired and needed more than just a simple style update as it hadn’t been redecorated for what looked like decades, and was really unpleasant to sleep in. HOW LONG DID IT TAKE? I did the upstairs all at the same time as I’d booked a carpet to arrive with a three-month delivery date, but…

POM POM BRIGHTS SHOPPING LIST ✔ Pom pom maker 4 pack ✔ Wool yarn in a selection of three colours ✔ Wire wreath frame 30.5cm ✔ Oasis Green hobby wire 25cm (optional), all Hobbycraft ✔ Real or artificial pine branches ✔ Small sharp scissors 1 Use the three smallest pom pom makers and your yarn to make pom poms in a selection of sizes and colours. To do this, open the pom pom maker and place the front and back together. Wrap wool around until each side is full and then clip closed. Use sharp scissors to cut around the edge and then insert a length of wool between the front and back of the device and tie tightly leaving long ends. Remove the device and then trim the ball…

Q I’d like to install a dormer window upstairs in my converted bungalow to create more space – how much will this cost and what else should I consider? Jacob Campbell, Milton Keynes A Grant Sneddon, Director of Regional Product Management and Business  Insight at VELUX, says… Adding a dormer to your home is an easy way to transform your space. The VELUX Mini Dormer design creates a more usable indoor space while increasing the amount of natural daylight that flows into your room. The additional space also gives you more possibilities when placing furniture and decorating the room. Installing a VELUX Mini Dormer is simple, with the process usually taking less than a day – a similar time to a regular roof window solution – but with the added…

No one wants a shower that’s a damp squib, so whether you’re kitting out a family, en suite or guest bathroom, it’s important to base your decision on more than just appearance. Consider who’ll use it, where it will be positioned and your home’s plumbing system for the most compatible option. A pump may be needed to boost the flow rate in a gravity-fed system with hot and cold water tanks, but isn’t suitable if you have a combination boiler or if the water runs straight from the mains, so check the minimum pressure the shower requires before you buy. Head start ‘Shower heads range from 10 to 45cm in diameter. The general rule of thumb is lower pressures require a smaller shower head – go too large for your…

WE ARE Vienna Moore, a full-time mum, and I live here with my two daughters, Milan, 10, and Miami, five. OUR HOME IS a two-bedroom, ground-floor flat in Woodthrope, Nottingham. I think the house was built in the 1970s, and we moved here in 2011. I LOVE SHOPPING AT HomeSense, The Range and Wilko, and IKEA is great for inspiration, especially when it comes to storage in small spaces. MY BEST IDEA Was to build the faux chimney breast in the living room. THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE Was the lack of storage in our home – it’s not easy with the three of us. I’M INSPIRED BY Interiors magazines and Pinterest. They are always the first places I look. I also like Instagram as you can have a nose at other…

Mushroom and caramelised onion marmalade canapés PREPARATION TIME 25 minutes COOKING TIME 15 minutes SERVES 12 YOU WILL NEED ✔ 5 tbsp butter ✔ 250g chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced ✔ 1 tbsp crème fraîche ✔ 3-4 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped, plus extra for garnish ✔ 12 slices of thinly sliced white sandwich bread ✔ 4 tbsp Tracklements Caramelised Onion Marmalade ✔ 100g grated Gruyère or Cheddar cheese DIRECTIONS ■ Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas Mark 7. ■ In a frying pan, heat 1 tbsp butter. Once melted, add the mushrooms and stir until the mushrooms are golden brown. Turn off the heat and stir in the crème fraîche. ■ Add the thyme, stir to fully combine and chill in the fridge. ■ Cut 8cm circles out of…

We’re reading… Living the Château Dream, £20 Delve into stories of renovations and transformations in the Strawbridge’s second memoir about life in the idyllic Château-de-la-Motte Husson. We’re following… @upstyleyourhome An abundance of colour and an eclectic mix of old and new is Karen’s signature style. She loves upcycling vintage furniture and has transformed everything from cocktail cabinets to bed frames. Her Instagram is one to watch for design hacks, upcycling inspiration and styling tips. We’re going to… National Trust Christmas lights, December Heritage buildings across the country are being transformed after dark with special winter light displays – just make sure to wrap up warm! Ticket prices vary, check nationaltrust.org.uk.…

HOW TO... organise your fridge freezer No one wants to risk storing their turkey in the garage before Christmas, so follow our back-to-basics guide to make space for the big day • Run an inventory check of everything in the freezer. Different types of food have varying periods of shelf-life and how long they can stay in the freezer. As a general rule, throw out anything that’s been frozen for over a year. • Label food containers or freezer bags with what’s inside and the date it was frozen. Permanent markers are great for this, but you can also write a label and tuck it inside the container or freezer bag, as it won’t stick in cold temperatures. • If there’s a build-up of ice you’ll need to defrost the…

Frequently asked questions ... Do I have to accept a credit note? If the item isn’t faulty, then you have no legal rights to exchange or refund. If the store policy is a credit note then that’s all you’re entitled to. Check any restrictions as to how and when you can spend it. If a product is faulty then you are legally entitled to a full refund. Are there any benefits to paying with a credit card? Yes, there are! If you pay for anything over £100 on a credit card the card issuer is jointly liable with the retailer if something goes wrong, thanks to Section 75 laws. You could find this is a good way to get a refund if your retailer is not playing ball or goes…

Give the traditional palette of red green, gold and cream a new lease of life this year with our four Christmas looks. Pare the tones back with sage greens and plenty of woodland texture in our Scandi scheme; hark back to Christmases gone by with our Classic take; re-purpose decorations, forage for foliage and hand down treasured possessions in our Sustainable theme; or go all out this party season with the gold and sparkles of our Glamorous moodboard. Scandi Maximise the feeling of light in your home during the darker months with the tonal whites and greys of Scandi décor. Introduce muted greens, pops of red and plenty of wooden texture to a neutral scheme to give it all the festive feels. Winter foliage is a mainstay of this trend,…

Get inspired by Liz’s creative and colourful bedroom scheme with these purse-friendly tips 1. Create your own shelving and desk space out of scaffold boards or wood offcuts for made-to-measure on a budget. 2. Find ideas online for colour-block designs. I painted an archway with a circle in the middle, but you could try triangles, squares or a mix of curves and angles. 3. Plan a gallery wall on the floor, or draw out a diagram, before hanging the frames, and include hanging greenery in your layout if you’re a plant fan like me.…

WHO LIVES HERE? I’m Louise Ritchie, 49, a naturopathic nutritionist at Louise Ritchie Nutrition. I live with my husband Graeme, 53, a chartered surveyor, our two boys, Elliot, 16, and Alexander, 11, and our cockapoo, Daisy. We’ve lived in a four-bedroom, Victorian semi in Bristol since September 2015. WHAT WAS UPDATED? The main bedroom had never really been given much thought or attention and felt bland and un-loved. I wanted to make it into a space that was welcoming for night and day. WHY THE CHANGE? I needed to find a space where I could work and this was the obvious choice as the desk was already in here, but I had to think about how to avoid it looking too much like a functional office space as it’s still…

Use the following calculation to work out how many clips or hooks you’ll need to hang your lights: ● For lights with lightweight bulbs, such as string fairy lights, divide the length of the cable (from the first bulb to the last bulb) by 50cm. For example, for a 12 metre (m) cable you’d need 24 clips (1,200 divided by 50). ● For lights with heavier weight bulbs, such as icicle lights or lights with shades, divide the length of the cable by 30cm. For example, for a 12m cable you’d need 40 clips (1,200 divided by 30).…

See your home here! Have you just finished decorating your home? If so, we’d love to see your photos and, who knows, it may even be featured in a future issue. You can share them on Instagram using #YHlovemyhome and #YourHomemagazine PLUS IDEAS TO STEAL…

WE ARE Jade Woodend, a fashion buyer. I live here with my husband, Daniel, a loft conversion specialist, and our two boys, Harry, four, and Charlie, one. OUR HOME IS A four-bedroom, 1950s terrace in Hertfordshire. MY TOP TIP Have extra savings put by – building work and refurbishment always costs so much more than you think. MY FAVOURITE ROOM IS Without doubt, the kitchen-diner. It’s such a sociable space and it feels like a luxury to have somewhere to entertain friends and family. FOR INSPIRATION I tend to scour Instagram and Pinterest – once we’d completed the extension, it prompted me to start my own interiors page @home_on_the_commons…

Rudolph cupcakes PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes COOKING TIME 20 minutes MAKES 16 YOU WILL NEED ✔ 125g unsalted butter, room temperature ✔ 75g caster sugar ✔ 2 large eggs ✔ 125g self-raising flour ✔ 1 tsp baking powder ✔ 100g Opies cocktail cherries, chopped To decorate: ✔ 100g milk chocolate ✔ 200g unsalted butter, softened ✔ 400g icing sugar ✔ 5 tbsp cocoa powder ✔ 16 Opies cocktail cherries ✔ 1 bag of Cadbury Curly Wurlys, cut into sections ✔ 32 edible candy eyes DIRECTIONS ■ Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas Mark 5 and divide 16 paper cases between 2 muffin tins. ■ Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy, add the eggs a little at a time and continue to beat in between each addition.…

The housing market is busier than it’s been for a long time, so now could be the perfect time to take advantage and start to plan that move. With lots of buyers out there you want to make sure your property stands out while also achieving the best possible price. Our guide to making your home perfectly presentable can easily be done on a budget and in no time at all. 1 CLEAN AND DECLUTTER The first thing to do when preparing to sell your home is to have a thorough declutter in every room, including the garage and shed. You want your home to look clean and spacious in the agent’s photos, so task all family members with the job of sorting out their rooms and allocate piles to…