Innehållsförteckning för May 2024 från Your Home

EDITOR'S LETTER Happy May! It's the season of growth, renewal, and endless possibilities, and here at Your Home, we're thrilled to share with you our latest discoveries, trends, and tips to help you make your home the best it can be. Let's start with this month's Spotlight on feature (p24), where pastels get a sophisticated makeover. Then, turn to page 30 for 4 ways to add wow with £100 – it's amazing what you can achieve on a tight budget, and we even tell you ways to use up your leftovers for truly thrifty decorating! Our bathroom makeover is full of savvy ideas as well. Reader Natalie knocked down a wall to create a family-friendly space on a budget. See how she did it on page 34. Look inside more…

HOT LIST…

9/10 Best FUNCTIONALITY Edge 2-slice toaster in Stainless Steel, £35, Breville This smart two-slice toaster is a ideal for smaller kitchens and packs a lot of functions into its compact design. It boasts variable-width slots to accommodate different-sized items, and is tall enough to toast evenly. Along with nine toast settings and cancel, defrost and reheat buttons, it also has a handy Lift and Look feature, so you can check your toast is browning nicely without pressing cancel. For items like crumpets, the handle lifts higher for easy removal. But, while its stainlesssteel finish gives it a sleek look, it smudges very easily, so it may be a hassle to keep streak-free. 7/10 BEST FOR BUSY KITCHENS Textured ribbed plastic 4-slice toaster in Beige, £35, Dunelm The on-trend ribbed design…

Your may to-dos ✓ Clean the coils at the back of your fridge using a brush and a vacuum, to keep it working at the right temperature. Check your clothes line is working properly and give it a good wipe down. Wash pillows on a gentle machine wash, and dry fully to avoid mould and mildew. Wash and rinse the outdoor bins and recycling boxes, leave to dry, then deodorise with bicarbonate of soda. Wipe your screens and remote control using a cloth sprayed with window cleaner. Eco ideas To save energy and money, try unplugging a few of your electrical cleaning appliances every so often and use good old-fashioned cleaning methods instead. Hard floors can be swept with a dustpan and brush, rather than turning on the vacuum cleaner.…

CONSUMER NEWS Frequently asked questions… How much money can I gift my children without paying tax? Every UK citizen has an annual tax-free gift allowance of £3,000 – this is a total personal allowance, not per child – and it lasts for seven years. But if the giver dies within seven years of making the gift, there may be inheritance tax to pay. Is there any tax relief on charitable donations? Yes, if you make donations – either to a charity shop or to an online fundraiser, you can agree to Gift Aid, so the charity claims back the tax you paid on your donation. Can I claim tax relief on my car or travel? If you use a car or van for work, you may be able to claim…

A hanging egg chair creates a relaxed atmosphere – perfect for enjoying the sun in style Hanging chair Gjern, £249.99, JYSK Add a pop of pattern and colour underfoot to transform a plain patio or deck Anya Aztec Orange outdoor rug, 180x270cm, £34.99, Homescapes A wind chime will create a soothing song in the gentle breeze Garden charm, £14.99, TK Maxx This striped parasol brings beach vibes and a sun-safe space to relax, with UPF 50+ protection Parasol, £31.30, Søstrene Grene A portable lamp creates a warm ambience even after the sun has set Cosy lamp, £6, Flying Tiger Add colour to your patio or terrace set up with a bright planter full of low-maintenance succulents like kalanchoe – they need minimal watering and will flower again and again Ribbed…

Editor's choice…

KITCHEN IDEAS With summer on the horizon, it's time to give your kitchen an uplift with a warm, energising colour palette. Yellow is the perfect shade for this hub of the home and whether you go all-out with mustard-coloured cabinets or you introduce pops of gold, sunflower and banana tones with window dressings, small appliances, paint, tiles, flooring or accessories, there's something for everyone. You can update an existing scheme, make some big changes or go for a major overhaul, so take inspiration from our sunny ideas to get you started. This freestanding cabinet with oak worktop can be painted in your choice of colour and is perfect for adding your own sink Base cabinet No 1, POA, Huckleberry Home You may not immediately think of adding a colourful tap,…

SHOPPING LIST ● Spray mount adhesive (optional) ● soft rubber brayers ● glass plate (glass from old picture frames work well) ● speedball water soluble block printing ink ● smooth art paper ● variety of leaves ● picture frame How to… 1 Carefully place the leaves face down in your desired position on the glass plate, so they lay flat while you work. A very light coat of spray mount adhesive on the surface of the leaves will help them to adhere to the glass and stop them moving. Use a clean brayer to press the leaves flat, but take care not to scrunch them up and distort them. 2 Gently roll the ink onto the glass plate using a brayer. Make sure you use the right amount – too…

SHOPPING LIST ● A glass jar terrarium (or large glass storage jar) ● small stones or pebbles ● potting soil ● activated charcoal ● a selection of small tools, such as a pencil/chopstick, little trowels, long spoons ● decorative elements, such as moss or little objects (optional) ● plants such as: air plant Tillandsia stricta; nerve plant Fittonia; Meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda; polka dot plant Hypoestes phyllostachya; sweet woodruff Galium odoratum; earth star bromeliad Cryptanthus; inch plant Tradescantia zebrina; hen and chicks Echeverias BEFORE YOU START Although you can buy a special glass terrarium for this project, you can also improvise with a large glass storage jar, as long as it gives you enough room to access a plant once it's in there. Decide whether you want a lid on…

SHOPPING LIST ● 50cm florist metal wire hoop ● wire cutters ● 30mm unfinished large hole wooden beads ● white or cream pampas grass stems ● white floral tape ● string or ribbon for hanging How to… 1 Using a pair of wire cutters, snip through the wire hoop to allow you to thread on the wooden beads. 2 Thread wooden beads onto the hoop until it is half full. Use white floral tape to carefully bind the wire right next to the last bead on each side to hold them in position and prevent them from slipping around the hoop. 3 With the cut ends of the hoop at the centre bottom, use white floral tape to bind all the way around the remaining exposed wire of the hoop to cover…

According to home-buying service Spring, British homes are shrinking in A size and the average floor area of a living room in a new house is nearly 20% less than one built in the 1950s. Although home technology – which didn't exist back then – is getting smaller, we have more to fit in these days, including work-from-home areas now that almost half of us are based at home at least some of the time. The solution is to declutter and make rooms work far harder to stretch the space without extending. 1 Work those windows Opt for unfussy window treatments that expose the glass fully when opened, letting in as much space-enhancing light as possible. So fit shutters – checking there's enough room for them to sit on each side…

Follow these top tips from Allergy UK for a sneeze-free summer… Hay fever symptoms usually appear when the pollen count exceeds 50. Rain washes pollen from the air so pollen counts should be lower on wet days. If it is not possible to remain indoors during high pollen days, then the following will help to reduce your exposure: • Wear a mask, wraparound sunglasses and a hat with a peak or large brim to keep allergens out of your eyes and face. • Shower or bath, wash your hair and change your clothes when you arrive home. This will help to prevent continued exposure to the pollens indoors. • Keep windows closed. This is most important in the early mornings when pollen is being released and in the evening, when…

DON'T MEZZE ABOUT Dreaming of the Mediterranean? Get a taste of it at home with Cypressa's range of olives. It has something for all tastes and occasions, from robust Kalamata to buttery Nocellara and fruity Manzanilla, as well as a choice of mixes, marinades and hand-stuffed options. Ripened in the sun-drenched groves of Andalucia and Sicily, Cypressa's hand-harvested olives can be enjoyed on a mezze platter at home or as a summer picnic snack straight from an on-the-go pouch. The range is available at major supermarkets across the UK and on Amazon, with prices starting at £2.30.…

Let summertime be-gin! How to make ■ PREPARATION TIME 5 minutes ■ SERVES 1 YOU WILL NEED ✔ 50ml London dry gin ✔ 25 ml elderflower liqueur ✔ 75ml cloudy apple juice ✔ 15ml lime juice To garnish ✔ Mixologist's Garden lime slices, whole raspberries and strawberry slices DIRECTIONS ■ Put the gin, elderflower liqueur, apple juice and lime juice into a cocktail jug with a large handful of ice and stir for 30 seconds. ■ Half-fill a copa or hi-ball glass with ice, layering in the lime slices, whole raspberries and strawberry slices as you do so. ■ Strain the cocktail into the glass. ■ Thread 2 raspberries, 2 strawberry slices and a slice of lime onto a cocktail pick and add to the glass. ■ Serve immediately. Recipe…

A Abel & Cole 03452 62 62 62 abelandcole.co.uk Addison Ross 0191 743 1067 addisonross.com AEG 03445 611 611 aeg.co.uk Airflow 01494 525252 airflow.com Allergy UK 01322 619898 allergyuk.org Amazon amazon.co.uk Annie Sloan 01865 770 061 anniesloan.com Anthropologie anthropologie.com AO 0161 470 1200 ao.com Appliances Direct 0871 984 4416 appliancesdirect.co.uk Aqualisa 01959 560010 aqualisa.co.uk The Artists’ Quarter theartistsquarter.co.uk Asda 0800 952 0101 asda.com B B&M 0330 838 9000 bmstores.co.uk B&Q 0333 014 3098 diy.com The Baked Tile Co 01792 439239 bakedtiles.co.uk Bean Bag Bazaar 0800 988 1286 beanbagbazaar.co.uk Bedeck 0333 200 7331 bedeckhome.com Benjamin Moore 01753 575756 benjaminmoorepaint.co.uk Benuta 0161 8508538 benuta.co.uk BHS 0333 005 0070 bhs.com Berry Useful berryuseful.co.uk Black by Design 01889 502716 black-by-design.co.uk Blue Isle 01425 653031 blueisle.co.uk Blueair blueair.com Bohemia Design 0131 555 2485 bohemiadesign.co.uk Breville 0800…

HOT FROM THE HIGH STREET Habitat Celebrate 60 years of this game-changing homeware shop with the Habitat 60 collection. It includes new pieces from high-end designers and cuttingedge styles from new and emerging talents. Plus, re-workings of some of Habitat's most iconic designs, including the legendary ‘chicken brick’ which has been reimagined with help from the Sainsbury's food team. FOR STOCKING SEE p112 Store with Sara Entrepreneur and Dragon's Den star, Sara Davies, has just launched new range of desktop storage with QVC – ideal for keeping skincare, jewellery or craft bits in check. The luxe design of these pieces means they'll look the part on a dressing table or in the bathroom. They're so pretty, they almost make tidying up look fun! CHALK IT UP Frenchic Paint is one of…

Kitchen refresh We have a static van in Sutton-On-Sea. In one issue of Your Home it talked about redoing kitchen cupboards. Ours were peeling, so I bought Rust-Oleum kitchen cupboard paint in Bramwell – a lovely soft green. I took the doors off and painted them. The results are amazing! Hope you agree! Now I'm telling others on the park about painting theirs. Margaret Chamberlain, Lincolnshire Michelle, homes commissioning editor, says: We totally agree, Margaret! Your kitchen is so fresh with its new look. You'll be the Queen of kitchen revamps on the park! Mirror mirror I really wanted an antique looking mirror but they were very expensive. So instead, I found a £4 mirror at a charity shop and bought some wood details. I glued them to the frame…

This pretty engraved breadboard doubles as a stylish serving block, which makes it quick and easy to set the scene for an elevated snack Cottage garden serving block, £29.99, T&G Woodware Protect your fingertips from hot toast with these handy tongs. They include a tiny magnet which will stick to metal toasters, or the fridge, so they'll always be close by Magnetic toast tongs, £2.99, Lakeland Ah, butter. Straight from the fridge it's too cold to spread but it can go bad if left out all day. A glass butter dish helps to keep things cool so your butter is always the perfect temperature Cornbury glass butter dish, £16, Garden Trading…

1 As soon as food is spilled on a carpet, get out the vacuum cleaner and clear up the spillage. Then, mix two cups of warm water with one tablespoon of washing-up liquid and use this to blot the stain with a clean cloth. Never scrub at it – this can make it spread further into the carpet fibres. Using hot water is a no-no, too, for the same reason. Rinse with clean water and blot again until the stain is removed. 2 For liquid spills, soak up as much excess liquid as possible using an absorbent cloth or paper towels, and keep applying clean ones until most of the liquid has been absorbed. For spills other than red wine, coffee, tea and cola, liberally sprinkle salt onto the stained…

SENSE OF WONDER Create a sense of colourful harmony in your home with the new paint collection from eco-paint pros, Earthborn. The five new colours of their breathable, ultra-matt Claypaint are a charming range of rich blues, soft neutrals and jewel-toned pinks. Treat your walls to Bunny Hop – a delicate taupe; Balloon Ride – an inky blue; Gosh Golly – a grown-up powerful pink; Splashing – a Chameleon-like blue green; and Flora's Tale – a whimsical dusky pink, pictured here. Earthborn's Claypaint range is priced at £57.90 for 2.5L.…

PROJECT 1: WALLPAPER A RECESS Make a small home office feel bigger with this clever wallpaper hack If your home-working space is a box room, make it feel spacious by using a bold pattern with a deep background shade to make the walls recede. Used on the main walls, this kind of wallcovering could be overpowering, but by using it behind shelving or in an alcove, it can create the illusion of depth and make the room feel larger. Depending on the size of the area you want to cover, you should only need one roll to complete the project. Self-adhesive wallcoverings are the best choice, as they are less fiddly than paste-the-wall designs. Before cutting the wallpaper, make sure you measure the area accurately to avoid making mistakes and…

Smart technology has become a core part of our everyday lives, so it was only a matter of time before it filtered into our bathrooms. But it's not all about gizmos and gadgets, for tech to really be a useful part of our hygiene routines it needs to help us. Products with eco-saving features or ones that can future-proof our wash spaces are what you want to look out for – such as automated lights, digital showers, and smart heating systems. These can be an investment, so, to help you decide where to spend your money, think about what is important to you. Are you looking for ways your family could save water? Would better control of your lighting appeal to you? Then you'll know what smart features to splash…

Doors deserve as much attention as walls and ceilings – they are an important aspect of any room and offer another decorating opportunity! By using this upcycling hack from interior master Annie Sloan, you can create a beautiful and unique design on often-neglected internal doors. With a couple of pots of paints, a few brushes and some decoupage paper, you can make a room highlight out of a hidden aspect. SHOPPING LIST ✔ RHS Decoupage Paper Mint, Annie Sloan ✔ 750ml pots of satin paint in Old White, Cotswold Green, Knightsbridge Green, Pemberley Blue, all Annie Sloan ✔ painter's tape ✔ large flat brush ✔ image medium ✔ large flat detail brush ✔ cling film ✔ scalpel ✔ small flat brush 1 Tear out the leaves you want to use…

OPEN SESAME For the first time ever, one of the country's most prestigious gardens is opening up its doors as part of the National Garden Scheme. Mr Austin Senior's private gardens – where the story of the horticultural institution David Austin Roses first began in 1961 – is welcoming guests on 15th and 16th June. Tickets cost £10 per person, and we advise booking early to make sure you don't miss out. Set on the Shropshire border, the garden boasts 700 rose varieties, which ticket-holders can walk among while enjoying music, outdoor games and teatime treats. Head to ngs.org.uk to book.…

FOOD & DRINK Onion bhaji burgers YOU WILL NEED ✔ 200g plain flour ✔ 2 heaped tbsp curry powder ✔ salt and black pepper ✔ 250ml cold tap water ✔ 3 onions, thinly sliced ✔ 1 red chilli, finely chopped, plus extra to serve ✔ 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped ✔ 10g fresh coriander, finely chopped, plus extra to serve ✔ 750ml vegetable oil, for deep frying ✔ 200ml plain yoghurt ✔ 10g fresh mint, finely chopped ✔ juice of ½ lemon ✔ 4 brioche buns DIRECTIONS ■ Put the flour, curry powder, some salt and pepper and the tap water into a large mixing bowl and mix until you have a smooth batter. ■ Add the onion, chilli, garlic and coriander. Mix thoroughly, ensuring that everything is seasoned. Don't…

TOP TIP Choose oversized outdoor cushions to make sure you're sitting comfortably…

We're reading… A Year in a Small Garden by Frances Tophill Join the Gardener's World star as she documents her journey as a first-time homeowner bringing life to her new garden, with a focus on budget ideas and sustainability. (£26, BBC Books) We're following… @mattleighgardens We can't get enough of ITV's Love Your Garden and garden designer Matt Leigh's incredible posts. He turns unloved courtyards into Med-style retreats and adds cottage vibes to bland new-build spaces. Nominate a loved one for garden makeover on his other channel @thefeelgoodgardencrew. We're listening to… Room for improvement We've teamed up with Homebase for a special episode of our podcast, with DIY tips for ceiling stains plus outdoor living must haves. To listen, search ‘Room for improvement’ wherever you get your podcasts.…

HOW TO… delegate the chores! Splitting the household chores can be a tricky task, which is why some people end up doing the bulk of the work. Make sure your family pulls their weight with our handy hints! • Play to people's strengths or ask them which chores they enjoy most! If your child or grandchild loves animals, task them with feeding the pets each day. If your partner is tall, they can dust high shelves, or water high plants. Little kids, meanwhile, will enjoy small but satisfying tidying jobs, or sorting laundry into different colours. • Cleaning can be relaxing and good for our mental health, so encourage it as a form of ‘me time’. Leave older kids and teenagers alone to get on with their jobs and try…

A foldable wash-tub is perfect for storing under the sink when not in use Pepprig wash-tub in Yellow, £3; and Pink, £3.50, IKEA Blast through dirty dishes with pink, plant-powered, refillable washing-up liquid, delivered to your door! Starter pack with 1 bottle-for-life and 1 refill carton, £2 (plus £2 delivery), Smol Keep your sink area clutter-free – there's room here for all your essentials, including a small bottle of washing-up liquid Slimline sink tidy in Dusty Pink, £7.50, Minky Softly does it with these non-scratch sponges in a pretty daisy design, ideal for keeping dishes and surfaces sparkling clean Daisy sponges, £1 for 2, The Range Springtime is all about freshness, so switch to rubber gloves with an absorbent foam lining that helps keep your hands dry and cool Fresh…

CONSUMER NEWS SPRING SAVINGS Enjoy days out and new experiences for less If you need some inspiration for your garden, how about unlimited complimentary access to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew or Wakehurst in West Sussex with a Boundless membership? If you're working or retired from the public sector or civil service, you and your family and friends can get some great deals all over the UK and membership costs just £40 a year. Take advantage of unlimited access to WWT Wetland Centres across the country, as well as discounts for dining out with membership to Tastecard and Coffee Club, a 12-month membership with Kids Pass for freebies and savings at Bluereef Aquarium, Edinburgh Zoo, Flamingo Land and more, plus savings on well-known brands. To join, head to boundless.co.uk.…

SPOTLIGHT ON STYLE FILE Add a touch of something special to your interior scheme by picking out detailing in a different colour. You could paint your skirting boards or window frames in a new shade or, as here, pop up a picture rail specifically for the purpose Our relationship with pastels can often feel as though it's stuck in childhood, with names like ‘baby blue’ and ‘bubblegum pink’ creating a whiff of immaturity. However, soft colours are some of the easiest to decorate with, creating calm and gently optimistic spaces. The key to creating a polished look with pastels is to pick shades with a touch of grey. These will feel slightly muted when compared to true, sweet-shop pastels. Opt for sky blue or sage green as your main colours, using…

BEFORE STEP INSIDE… WHO LIVES HERE? I'm Natalie Johnson, 37, an interior designer @bowerid, and I share my home with my husband Chris, 41, a vocal coach, our two children Nelle, four, and Kit, two, and our cat Drew. We live in a four-bedroom, 1930s semi-detached house in Worthing and we bought our home in October 2020. WHAT WAS UPDATED? The space was previously a separate toilet and bathroom, so we knocked down the wall between them and replaced the suite to create a family-friendly bathing space. WHY THE CHANGE? The existing layout wasn't practical for our family, and the decor was beyond its best. HOW LONG DID IT TAKE? It took three weeks to do the bathroom, but due to other works we didn't move into the house until…

CALM & COLLECTED Declutter your kitchen for good with the new range of stylish designs from Lifestyle Kitchens. They've just released three new collections, Salsa – a slim-framed Shaker style in a woodgrain effect; Solo – a modern, smooth Shaker; and Alto – a flat fronted style with a neat, recessed handle. With a wide range of cabinet options and clever pull-out storage, these kitchens are designed to hide ugly integrated appliances and keep your unruly baking equipment in check. And the ultimate idea to keep the peace? All doors and drawers are soft-close as standard. The Salsa kitchen, shown here in Cashmere, begins at £5,000.…

When Sarah and Scott Finlay were expecting their first child, they knew they'd soon outgrow their two-bedroom house in Monkwearmouth, Sunderland. ‘I wanted an older terrace closer to the beach, but we weren't after a big project,’ says Sarah. ‘I'd grown-up in a 1930s semi but remember visiting friends who lived in old terraces when I was a teenager and thinking I would absolutely love to live in that type of house.’ Unfortunately, their first attempt to buy a property fell through as it was deemed unmortgageable due to a bitumen roof. Having already sold their house, they had to move in with Scott's mum for a month – with Sarah's due date drawing ever closer. Desperate to find another place, Sarah put a shout-out on Facebook and got a…

Having grown up in the village of Cowling in North Yorkshire, Claire Appleton had always admired ‘the house on the hill’ but never imagined she would live there one day. Claire and husband Matthew were midway through updating their previous new-build house when they first spotted that the property, which was built for the daughter of the Mill House owners who lived further up the hill, was for sale. ‘It had been on the market for two years and was out of our price range, but I kept looking at it,’ says Claire. ‘With three grownup children at home, we fancied an older property with more space and a big driveway.’ NOT RUN OF THE MILL Finally, Claire arranged a viewing and was smitten with the spacious rooms and quirky…

SPRING SENSATION Cormar Carpets has announced the relaunch of its classic Sensation range: soft deep pile designs with easy-clean properties, giving you both comfort underfoot and peace of mind. This latest update has a refreshed springtime colour palette, with popular shades like Ventura Opal, shown here, featuring alongside new options such as warm neutrals Latte and Gazelle, and grey Eau De Nil. The range is available in two qualities – Original and new heavyweight Ultimate Sensation – and comes in 4 and 5 metre widths. Prices start from £28 per sq m at Cormar Carpets’ stockists. Our expert says… ‘Start decluttering where you think will make the biggest difference in your life. Even tackling a drawer or pile of post is a great stepping stone. When deciding what to keep,…

Q What kind of vacuum cleaner is best for a family with lots of allergies? Colin Swift, head of product line at AEG, says… ‘The act of vacuuming stirs up dust, pollen and particles which can impact people with allergies. Choosing the right vacuum cleaner is essential for maintaining a healthy living space, especially if you have a busy family life. Keep an eye out for the following features: • HEPA filtration: When buying new filters or looking at new vacuum cleaners, ensure you opt for a high efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA). These filters capture very fine particles like dust and pollen in your home and prevent them from being released back into the room when vacuuming. • Focus on the filter: Ensure that you stay on top of…

CUT OUT & KEEP! Apricot jam ■ PREPARATION TIME 30 minutes, plus resting ■ COOKING TIME 20 minutes, plus cooling ■ MAKES about 10 x 370ml jars You will need ✔ 2kg firm apricots ✔ 3 large lemons ✔ 1.5kg sugar Directions ■ Wash the apricots. Cut in half, removing the stones and drop into a large saucepan. ■ Juice the lemons. Place the pips and pulp on a square of muslin and tie with a long piece of kitchen string. Add the lemon juice and sugar to the pan. Drop in the muslin bag and secure to the handle. Leave for a couple of hours to help draw the liquid out of the fruit, then remove. ■ About 20 minutes before making the jam, wash 10 jars and lids…