Your Home May 2025

This issue is bursting with ways to help you switch up your home for the new season! For quick updates, start with Summer ready in a weekend (p28) – these easy projects will brighten your space in a flash. Get ready for outdoor entertaining in Household hints (p11), but first, check out our pick of the best garden maintenance gear (p110). If your plot is overlooked, then discover tips and tricks to make your space feel like a secluded sanctuary (p98) – I love the natural planting solutions. Our real homes and makeovers are also full of inspiration. Matt bought and decorated his noughties build (p84) while waiting to adopt his children – every aspect of the scheme was designed with them in mind. And Catherine renovated her 1870s lodge on…

Mural for mum During the summer university break, I asked my daughter, who is a third-year illustration student (@g_bell_illustration on Instagram), to design a mural for my downstairs loo. I love botanical and jungle wallpapers, so she took this as a design brief and developed it into this final result. I particularly like the cheeky parrot above the light switch! It's added some happiness into what was a small, dull room. I love it, and all who have visited have commented on how cheerful it is! Lucy Bell, Lincolnshire Tricia, creative design lead, says: You must be so proud of your daughter, Lucy! This is a beautiful mural – she's obviously very talented! Star letter Beautifully bespoke I made my own custom-sized footstool from MDF and foam and finished it…

HOT FROM THE HIGH STREET Homesense Get a taste of the Med by filling your basket with zesty finds at Homesense. This charming, eclectic collection of must-have tableware is perfect for evening feasts and casual, sun-soaked breakfasts. Green outdoor bistro chairs, £49.99 each; palm tree plate, £2.99; ribbed tumbler, £2.49; Blue striped table runner, £12.99; 7-piece outdoor dining set (table shown), £699.99; Blue striped cushion, £12.99; floral oven dish, £4.99; Yellow candlestick, £10.99; coupe glasses, £12.99 for 4; Blue serving tray, £12.99; lemon plate, £4.99; woven fruit bowl, £14.99; Yellow striped cushion, £14.99; corked glass bottle, £3.99, all Homesense FOR STOCKISTS SEE p128 Tell your own story Give your space a fairy-tale transformation with the new Once Upon a Time wallpaper collection from Lust Home. These magical designs are full of…

We're exploring… Spring Fling Open Studios From 24th-26th May, artists across Dumfries & Galloway will be opening their doors for you to go behind the scenes, meet the makers and buy their makes. Plan your visits at spring-fling.co.uk. We're reading… Get Hooked, Tom Daley, £18.99, Harper Collins Master the art of crochet with the help of the Olympic athlete and superstar crafter. This easy-to-follow book starts with the basics, before moving on to 15 stylish projects. We're going to… Morris Mania William Morris's prints have adorned everything, from nuclear submarines to biscuit tins. Discover how this legacy sits uneasily with his principles, at London's William Morris Gallery. wmgallery.org.uk.…

Your May to-dos Check your outdoor lighting to make sure it's working properly. Clean light fixtures, replace any broken bulbs, and add some solar lights to make the most of the longer days Put away heavier winter coats in storage bags to make extra space on the coat rack and create a more welcoming hallway Freshen up your duvets by airing them near an open window or outside on an airer. This can help remove moisture and reduce built-up bacteria Spruce up your downstairs loo by giving the toilet and sink a deep clean, adding some fresh towels and nice hand soap, ready for those incoming summer guests Get your outdoor furniture ready for summer by cleaning it thoroughly and checking for any damage. If necessary, apply a fresh coat…

BEST FOR COUPLES Table-top grill Tamber in Cobalt Blue, £99, Feuerhand This grill had a simple setup – just add the starter pack of charcoal, light and wait. Once it has heated up and levelled out, you pop the grill plate on. However, it took a while to get up to temperature. The instructions said 15 minutes, but it took half an hour. Also, this grill is small, which was disappointing for the price. The temperature lasted well – up to an hour and a half – so you could cook in batches. The flavour the smoke added to our burgers was amazing though! The grill plate is non-stick, and it has drainage grooves for residue, but these were tricky to clean. I would use it again, but have to…