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HUNDREDS OF GREAT-VALUE IDEAS FOR EVERY ROOM

SEPTEMBER 2024

yourself

TREAT

New season

Y HES
O
L V

ADD WOW NOW
Instant decor wins

THE
GREAT
BRITISH
BAKE
OFF

updates
+ affordable decor
for every room

Create a
GBBO-inspired
kitchen for
less!

TREND ALERT!
Get the latest looks

+
PAGES OF
EAT THE SEASON
Fresh, thrifty dinners

forever homes
• Cosy Victorian terrace
• Budget 4-bed reno
• Colourful 1930s semi

TS
QPRO ST YLE SECRE
for a cohesive scheme
S
QTOP OF THE SHOP
Hot high street finds
QEXTEND SUMMER
with outdoor inspo

Slash
your bills
TOP TIPS THAT
REALLY WORK
TO SAVE YOU
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EDITOR’S LETTER

Editor’s portrait Philip Sowels

Trend
spotting
46

he September issue
is always one of my
favourites, as we report
on the autumn/winter
looks that are about to drop in the
shops. So grab a cuppa, find a comfy
spot, and get ready to indulge with a
whole new season of interiors joy!
Start with Spotlight On (p22),
where we show you the surprising
transitional hue that’s perfect for the
end of summer, then discover quick and
easy ways to bring the biggest trends into your
home on page 26. And, on page 32, we show
you a decor trick adored
by interior designers that
guarantees a harmonious
scheme, plus four ways to use
it in your home.
If cover star Laura’s kitchen has
caught your eye, then you’ll love
the rest of her house tour (p56)
– her three-bed Victorian terrace
is a masterclass in blending
old and new. And you
must also check out Sharna’s
stunning 1930s semi (p78). By
cutting costs on her renovation
work, she was able to splash out
on the finishing touches, and the
result is spectacular!
THIS MONTH I’VE
Finally, don’t miss Kitchen
Ideas (p46), to find out how to
Yes, that is a cracker on my
recreate The Great British Bake
place setting! The festivities
Off look for less – it’s full of
begin early so we can put
pretty prints, designer dupes
together the Your Home
Christmas Made Easy special
and serious baking kit. Enjoy!

T

Get the
Bake Off
look for less

78

26

55
Style to
steal from
our real
homes

112
32

Tips and
tricks for
every room!

BEEN…

Getting into the spirit

MEL SHERWOOD
EDITOR

(pre-order your copy on
p123). This event by luxury
tree brand Balsam Hill really
got me in the spirit!

CONTENTS

IN THIS ISSUE...
Take
inspiration
from our
real homes

September at home
06

This month we love The new
collection from John Lewis, golden
tableware and beautiful bedding. Plus,
what’s inspiring us this September
11 Household hints Get ready for Zero
Waste Week with our eco-friendly finds,
plus we review travel mugs
17 Focus on Find out how to get the best
deals on TV and streaming services, and
we answer your FAQs

Homes & makeovers
38

‘This space is both beautiful and
practical’ Laura created a stunning
outdoor living room, kitchen and bar on
an unloved patch of garden
56
‘I’ve blended period charm and
modern style’ This former rental
property is now Laura’s dream home,
featuring all the original details
68 ‘Our eclectic home tells the story
of who we are’ After 20 years of
renovating and decorating, Emily loves
her home even more than ever
78 ‘I got the designer look without
the price tag’ Sharna saved money on
her luxe-for-less renovation by projectmanaging the building work herself

Style & decorating

22 Spotlight on This theme won’t leave
you feeling blue – it’s time to be bold
with the hue
26
Hello, autumn Get on trend for the
new season with interiors inspiration
from the high street
32
Style it from the ground up!
Follow this straightforward decorating
hack by starting with a rug

Check out the
trends coming to
your home soon

42 Steal Laura’s style Get the perfect
garden chairs, plus follow our guide on
how to paint your decking
66 Steal Laura’s style Create your own
colourful look, plus build your own
rattan side table
76 Steal Emily’s style Blend modern and
eastern designs, plus how to make your
own upholstered bench
88
Steal Sharna’s style Bring the
drama with colour and pattern, plus
upcycle a basket into a lampshade

Your features
46

On your marks, get set, bake! As
Bake Off returns to our screens soon, we
find out how to recreate the look for less
50 Unwind in the perfect tub Choose
the right bath for your space, plus find
out the benefits of a relaxing soak
92
How to improve your EPC Boost
your home’s performance, plus save
money on your household bills
96 Create a clutter-free hallway Get
ready for ’big coat season’ with our
stylish yet effective entrance solutions
98 How to create the perfect home
office Make your work from home
space work harder
100 Revamp repair recycle Save cracked
crockery from the bin with the Japanese
art of kintsugi

Why not try
these fantastic
fennel recipes?

Get your interior
ready for the
change of season

Try this decorating
hack: choose a
rug first

Cover star Laura
created a home that
blends old and new

104 In your garden this month As
we transition into autumn, we have
everything you can do in your garden
106 Six of the best bulbs for spring
colour Get set for late winter and early
spring by planting beautiful bulbs

Food & drink

112 Pick of the crop As autumn begins,
orchard fruits and nuts are abundant.
Make the most them!
117
Eat the season It’s time to feature
fennel in your recipes! Try these four
delicious dishes
119 Something to sip Try this simple citrus
Champagne cocktail, and don’t forget
the gin!

Be colour confident
with these bold
blue hues

Don’ t miss out!

And relax... Our
pick of the perfect
bath tubs

08 Your letters We share your home
improvement projects – if you’re
featured, you’ll win an amazing prize
36 Subscribe to Your Home Get three
issues of your favourite interiors
magazine for only £5!
120 Shopping guide Find out where
you can buy everything featured in
this issue
122 First look Get ready for the harvest
festival by introducing vegetable decor
to your home
Look out for our brilliant cover stories!

Homeowner Emily
loves her outdoor
kitchen and bar

SUBSCRIBE
Sign up to our latest
subscription offer and receive
3 issues for just £5!
You’ll get every copy of Your
Home delivered direct to
your door at no extra cost,
so you’ll never miss an issue.
Turn to page 36 for info…

THIS MONTH WE LOVE
HOT FROM THE HIGH STREET

John Lewis & Partners
Striped frill Olive

Breathe new life into
cushion, £40
traditional schemes
with the Classic
collection. It’s packed
with bold tones,
heritage prints and
statement stripes.
Charlotta Elgh, partner
& director of design,
home, says, ‘Our colour
of the season is “Rebel
Red”. Hints and touches
of this hue in any
room can instantly
Hand painted striped
elevate a space.’
stoneware vase, £30

Baily rechargeable
table lamp, £65

ANYDAY Frenchie glass shade,
£25; Green large leaf serve bowl,
£50; fringe rectangular cotton linen
tablecloth, £45; copper cutlery,
£55; oak leaf napkin, £12; swirl
tableware, £80 for 12 pieces; hand
braided placemats, £12.50 for 2;
red spindle chair, £279; autumnal
leaf tumbler, £6.50, short wine
glass, £10, carafe, £14; acorn
plate, £8, all John Lewis & Partners

Bobbin 1
drawer bedside

THIS MONTH

FOR
STOCKISTS
SEE p120

Make the most of
September with the
best things to do, see
and buy this month

Sleeping
beauties
Make life a bed of roses with Piglet
in Bed’s new bedding collection. The
‘Into the Meadow’ range features
Piglet’s first ever floral linen bedding,
with prints drawn from the Design
Library Archives. These new styles
pair brilliantly with plain designs.
Midnight Cottage bedding,
from £29 for 2 pillowcases,
Piglet in Bed

Nuware plate
in Mustard,
from £18

Extra-large
Kalini mug
in Amber,
£18

Thimma
Champagne
coupe in Amber,
£45 for 2

GOLDEN GLOW
Raise a toast to the end of summertime with
the latest range of tableware from Nkuku.
These pieces have been made by artisans in
independent businesses, social projects and
co-operatives who work with Nkuku to
make these gorgeous, handmade designs.
Thanks to that careful crafting, every piece
has its own unique character.
6

yourhomestyle.uk

THIS MONTH WE LOVE

Pampered pooches

1

Treat your pup to one of Weaver Green’s
brand new dog beds. They’re made
from repurposed plastic waste, with
removable, machine washable covers.

2

Acorn Chinchilla dog bed, £210

5 OF THE
BEST…

Autumn
candles

Fill your home with
the scents of the
new season
1. Walks in the Forest
apothecary candle, £13.99,
By The Pines 2. Wickford &
Co Pumpkin Chai candle,
£2.99, Home Bargains
3. Hedgerow Berries scented
candle, £12.99, Gisela
Graham 4. Woodland Calm
candle, £25, Sophie Allport
5. Churchgate ceramic
candle in Soft Amber and
Pine, £6, Dunelm

5

3

WEIRD & WONDERFUL
Give your home a touch of the unexpected with
ceramics in soft, organic shapes. These quirky
stoneware pieces will add sculptural playfulness
to your schemes, giving even the sleekest space
a sprinkling of eye-catching personality.

4

Pink vase, £6.60; Grey trinket
tray, £3.39; Large white
decorative tray, £35.95;
Green candle holder, £5.24,
all Søstrene Grene

inspiration
@ourbearshome

We’re reading…
Man with Hammer by Greg Penn
Join Greg as he restores a whopping
30-room Georgian mansion on a
shoestring budget and pick up the
tricks he’s learned along the way.

We love a good IKEA hack, and Kate’s
account is full of inspiring projects
that we can’t wait to try out. ‘I take
great joy in making something look
more expensive and getting that look
I want for less,’ says Kate. ‘I love using
preloved elements and budget finds,
making them look more bespoke’

We’re watching…
Great British Home Restoration
We’ve loved following the stories of
these non-residential buildings being
transformed into stunning homes.
The last few episodes air this month,
and you can catch up with the rest of
the season on channel4.com.

September 2024

7

Feature Hannah Tribe

We’re following…

GET IN TOUCH

Every letter featured wins a prize!
Thanks to eflorist, this month’s star prize
winner will receive an Elegant Rose luxury
bouquet, worth £54.99. The runners up will
each receive bouquets worth £25 or over,
featuring stunning, seasonal blooms. Check out
eflorist full range of flowers at eflorist.co.uk.

YOUR

Write in
for your
chance
to win!
We love hearing from you! Send us your tips,
projects and photos using our details below...

Dresser to impress

Wonder wall

Letters may be edited. We apologise but photos cannot be returned.

I have kept many cards over the years, and
I thought I could make a very personalised
gallery wall. There are wedding anniversaries,
Christmas, birthday and Mother’s Day cards.
The blue hands and feet prints are from our
grandchildren; the pink ones are from our
recent great-granddaughter; and the poppies
were my granddaughters’ embroidered gift to
me. All bring daily joy – far better than being
kept in a box in the wardrobe!
Sandra Mathias, Warrington
Megan, production editor, says: This is a
beautiful way to treasure cards, Sandra!

Pick of the crop
I couldn’t resist making these IKEA tea
towels into fun cushions. Who knew
broccoli and swede veg, and red and white
spots, could bring such fun to a home!
Vivienne Finch, Devon
Michelle, homes commissioning
editor, says: These prints are
irresistible, Vivienne. I can see why
you thought they were too good for
the dishes – they’re so jolly!

I’ve been an avid reader of your magazine for a
number of years. My husband now gifts me a
subscription for our wedding anniversary each
year – however I think he sometimes regrets it
as I give him lots of projects...
Here’s one idea we got from your magazine.
Our Welsh dresser is 47 years old, and stored
baby equipment and toys. My daughter had it
in her home, but decided it was looking tired
and scratched. She couldn’t even give it away –
so I said I would store it. Then, your magazine
came along with a
lovely example of a
recycled dresser. My
husband made a
grand job of it.
Pauline Fairclough,
via email

Bright idea

I got inspired by your magazine. We had an old
white table lamp so my daughter and I used
leftover wallpaper to cover the lampshade and
turn it into something colourful.
Tong and Paige, Ealing
Tricia, creative design lead, says:
This is a great upcycle, Tong! We love
that you’ve cut the edges of the paper to
follow the line of the pattern. It shows
brilliant attention to detail.

Mel, editor, says:
Pauline, you’ve
given the dresser
a whole new lease
of life – nice work!

Star
letter

Use up leftover
wallpaper
to make
matching lamps
Your Home, Our Media, Eagle House, Bristol BS1 4ST. Email yourhome@ourmedia.co.uk
Instagram @yourhomemagazine TikTok @yourhomestyle.uk Twitter @your_home
Facebook @yourhomemag Tel 0117 927 9009
*The chance to win a prize is open to all residents of the UK, including the Channel Islands, aged 18 years or older.

8

yourhomestyle.uk

HOT LIST

Subtle
stripes

EDITORIAL
Editor Mel Sherwood
Creative design lead Tricia Ball
Creative designer Beth Charlton Lucas
Homes commissioning editor Michelle Grady
Production editor Megan Gaen
Staff writer Hannah Tribe
Senior digital editor Sarah Orme
Additional thanks to Chris Borgman, Poppy Benner

Add a touch of modern
glamour with these
sophisticated ribbed
pieces

ADVERTISING
Group advertising manager Claire Hawkins
Client solutions manager Emelie Arnold
Commercial brand leads Rachael Hawkins, Emily Savill
Senior brand executive Jessie Dolman
Ad ops executive, print Molly Websdell
Design manager, print Cee Pike
Design creative Andrew Hobson

1

3

MARKETING & CONTENT OPERATIONS
Senior performance marketing manager Kellie Lane
Direct marketing executive Emma Hunter
Senior marketing manager, digital editions Kevin Slaughter
Director of licensing and syndication Tim Hudson
Director of content operations Sarah Powell
Deputy content operations manager Emily Mounter
Content operations coordinator Lauren Morris
Head of brand marketing Rosa Sherwood
Senior digital marketing executive Laura Nightingale
Digital marketing assistant Shaye Pakes

2
5

4

PUBLISHING
Brand lead Rob Brock
Managing director Andrew Davies
CEO Andy Marshall

6

CONTACT Your Home at
Our Media Limited, Eagle House, Bristol BS1 4ST

Advertising enquiries
Tel 0117 300 8805

Subscription enquiries
ourmediashop.com/contactus
Tel UK 03330 135 8961
US/Canada 855 827 8639 (toll free)
Rest of the world +44(0)1604 973748

7

Editorial enquiries
Email yourhome@ourmedia.co.uk
Tel 0117 927 9009

9

8
1 Idra wall light in Light Aged Bronze and Champagne ribbed glass, £76.80, där
lighting 2 Ribbed ceramic candle in Maple Leaf, £3.99, Home Bargains 3 Verre
frosted ribbed glass vase in Gold, from £34.99, Ivyline 4 Åsveig cushion cover
in Grey-Brown, £12, IKEA 5 Handmade ribbed tumblers, £15 for 4, M&S 6 Clara
ribbed table lamp in White, £22.99, Wilko 7 Marcel round coffee table in Oak,
£229, Cult Furniture 8 Kingston cord classic bean bag in Beige, £59.99, Beanbag
Bazaar 9 Hayden textured stacking mugs, £28, Next

Feature Hannah Tribe

© Our Media Ltd, 2024, member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Unsolicited manuscripts and transparencies are
accepted on the understanding that the publisher incurs no liability for their storage or return. The contents of this
magazine may not be reproduced without permission. All prices are correct at the time of going to press. The publisher,
editor and authors accept no responsibility in respect of any products, goods or services that may be advertised or
referred to in this issue or for any errors, omissions, misstatements or mistakes in any such advertisements or references.
Your Home is published by Our Media Ltd, Eagle House, Bristol, BS1 4ST, UK. Every effort has been made to secure
permission for copyright material. In the event of any material being used inadvertently, or where it proved impossible
to trace the copyright owner, acknowledgement will be made in a future issue. Our Media Ltd is working to ensure that
all of its paper comes from well-managed, FSC®-certified forests and other controlled sources. This magazine is printed
on Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified paper. This magazine can be recycled, for use in newspapers and
packaging. Please remove any gifts, samples or wrapping and dispose of them at your local collection point. We abide
by IPSO’s rules and regulations. To give feedback about our magazines, please email editorialcomplaints@ourmedia.
co.uk or write to Legal, Our Media Ltd, Eagle House, Bristol, BS1 4ST.

The Destination for Decorators

YOUR FIRST & SECOND PURCHASE
Pick up a Brewers Card
in-store or register online

Over 190 stores nationwide. Visit brewers.co.uk to find your nearest.

HOUSEHOLD
Prepare your home for Zero Waste Week on 2nd-6th September, discover this month’s
to-do checklist, plus check out our travel mug reviews

Your

September to-dos

✓

1. Prolong the life of your
kettle by descaling it, especially if
you live in a hard-water area. Fill
with 50% water and 50% lemon
juice or distilled white vinegar, boil,
then leave to sit for 20 minutes.

2. Spruce up your recycling
area. Clean behind bins and boxes,
wipe them down inside and out,
and replace with new ones if any
are broken.
3. Thoroughly vacuum any
dark, undisturbed areas such
as underneath furniture and
along skirting boards, before
carpet beetles have a chance to
chomp through your carpets and
soft furnishings.
4. Inspect windows and doors
in your home to ensure they are
properly sealed. If you spot any
cracks or gaps, recaulk them to
reduce heat loss.
5. Tidy and organise your
garage before the weather starts
to turn and the space becomes too
cold to work in.

12 We test travel mugs We put five
stylish cups to the test, and reveal
our winner!

Photo Getty Images

Contents

Kee p your ke tt le inr
tip-top condition foa
the perfect cupp

13 Food on the go Our favourite
storage ideas for lunches and
snacks to take with you
14 Tips & tricks How to cut down
your food waste, including handy
gadgets for your kitchen
September 2024

11

HOUSEHOLD HINTS

WE TEST… travel mugs
THINGS WE CONSIDERED: How long does it stay hot? Is it too hot to handle? How do you clean it?

9/10

9/10
7/10

8/10

Best for quick trips

Best for car journeys

Best for reliability

Best for eco credentials

Strawberries Rice Husk
Travel Cup (435ml), £10,
Emma Bridgewater

The Bee Tumbler
in Black (400ml),
£30, Ohelo

Traveller Light in
Gloaming Blue (340ml),
£19.95, KeepCup

Tumbler in Black with
Teal slider (350ml), £27,
Ocean Bottle

This mug keeps my tea toasty
for up to an hour. It hasn’t been
designed to keep drinks hot
for a long time, so I’m really
impressed by its heat-retaining
properties. It has a silicone sleeve
to insulate hands from heat and a
silicone lid, the warmth of which
indicates how hot your drink is.
It’s lightweight and easy to carry,
but it doesn’t have a waterproof
closure, so be careful of spillages.
If you want to chuck it into your
bag after use, you need to make
sure it is empty and dry first. This
cup isn’t dishwasher safe, but
it’s easy to clean by hand. It’s
made from rice husk, so it’s ecofriendly. It will also biodegrade in
90 days if broken into pieces and
placed on a compost heap.

What I wanted was a travel mug
to shove in my bag and trust it
not to leak everywhere! With
the Ohelo tumbler being 100%
leakproof, my problem was
solved! The lid is designed so you
can sip from any side, which I
found useful in the car, as I didn’t
have to see where to drink from.
It has a removable strainer, which
is great for leaf tea, however I
found it better to take it out for
coffee as it slowed the pour. It is
excellent at keeping your drink
hot – for 6 hours! It was easy
to hold and fitted into my car
cup holder. Both the cup and
lid are dishwasher safe. The cup
is stainless steel with an etched
design, so no fading or chipping,
keeping it looking good as new.

This compact cup is lightweight
and ideal size for slotting under a
coffee machine. If you’re taking a
tea, the silicone band gets pretty
hot when the cup is filled with
boiling water, but it was never
too hot to pick up. It kept my
drinks hot for over an hour, which
was impressive. I also love the
leakproof lid – even when I ran
for the bus my coffee stayed put!
The cup base is dishwasher safe
and instructions for taking the
lid apart are included so you can
give it a deep clean. I took points
off for no obvious eco credentials
other than it is reusable; how hot
the silicone band gets; and taking
the lid apart is a bit of a faff –
but then I guess that is why it’s
genuinely leakproof!

This has become my go-to
commute mug. It’s compact,
stylish and comfortable in the
hand – its double-walled outer
means the mug gets slightly
warm. It keeps my tea hot for an
hour – but if left unsipped, the
drink would stay piping hot for at
least 3 hours. It came out of the
dishwasher nice and clean, using
an eco-cycle as suggested. I love
the mug’s eco-credentials – it’s
made from 90% recycled stainless
steel and each one purchased
funds the collection of 1,000 seabound plastic bottles. I’ve docked
one mark as it’s not leakproof:
while its removable slider allows
you to give the mug a thorough
clean, it also means that, in
transit, a few drops can escape.

Best on test
12oz coffee cup with flex sip lid in Lupine (355ml), £29, Hydro Flask
Available in an array of colours, including this pretty lilac hue, this cup also has plenty of
practical features to recommend it. The lid has a flexible top handle, which makes it easy to
carry and leaves your hands free for grabbing your phone, purse or other essentials while out
and about. The bottle itself has a durable powder coating that has stood up to repeated use
– mine still doesn’t have a scratch or stain on it after many morning commutes and weekend
outings. I found it to be reliably leakproof during testing, although you do need to make
sure you twist the lid round to the right spot to close it properly. The double-wall vacuum
insulation means it really does keep liquids hot (or cool) for hours – I had a cuppa on the go
for a few hours and it was still steaming hot. It has a wide opening, so it’s easy to fill up with
ice for cold drinks as well, and it’s dishwasher safe too. The only slight downside is that the lid
is a little tricky to take apart and reassemble for cleaning, although it gets easier once you’ve
done it a few times, and Hydro Flask has a helpful instruction video on its YouTube channel.

10/10

12

yourhomestyle.uk

Reviews Hannah Tribe, Tricia Ball, Kirstie Duhig,
Mel Sherwood, Michelle Grady

the winner

HOUSEHOLD HINTS
This zero-waste cutlery
set is a must have for
picnics, travelling and
eating on the move.
Keep it in your bag
wherever you go!

Great for granola, perfect for
porridge, Brabantia’s breakfast
bowl has a screw-on section at the
top to keep ingredients separate
Make and Take breakfast bowl in
Jade Green, £9.95, Brabantia

Reusable bamboo
cutlery set,
£6.25, ecojiko

Timeless and beautiful, this traditional tiffin
has three tins of varying sizes, separated
by two removable trays that make perfect
little plates! It has a practical handle too,
and comes in a range of chic colours
Pyramid three tier ‘Ashdown’ tiffin lunch box in
Teal Crush, £36.99, Pretty Tiffin

Keep your sandwich fresh in this
handy wrap, made from pure linen
with a waterproof lining. Perfect for
packed lunches, picnics, and using
again and again!

FOOD ON

the go!

Carry your lunches
and snacks in style
with these nifty
containers

Enjoy meals on the go with a travel
cutlery set and a hardwearing, beachworthy lunch box. This one has a silicone
band to secure the bamboo lid tightly,
for maximum freshness

Dinky plastic
tubs are ideal for
smaller portions
of fruit, crackers
or cheese, and
will fit nicely into
larger lunchboxes
Simply Kids clip
lock tubs 3 pack
in Pink & Purple
or Blue & Green,
£3, both B&M

Aside from the interchangeable snazzy
patterned covers (available separately),
we love this durable bottle for keeping
hot drinks hot for up to 12 hours, and
cold drinks cold for up to 18

Life’s A Beach lunch box in Blue, £12; travel
cutlery set, £9, both ProCook

Ice White 500ml double wall lined drinks
bottle, £18.99; Periwinkle cover,
£9.99, both BottleSoc

OXO’s silicone bags are a great new
way to transport your lunch, with a
leakproof seal to eliminate spillages.
They’re also a cinch to clean in the
dishwasher, ready for work the next day

Feature Poppy Benner

Reusable sandwich wrap in Duck Egg
Blue, £15,
Helen Round

Pick your
favourite colour
combination

Stand-Up quart (946ml) reusable silicone
bag, £20, OXO

September 2024

13

TIPS &

In a pickle

People have been preserving food in Kilner jars since 1842, and
the classic glass jars are still going strong today. They’re the
perfect choice for turning otherwise wasted fruit and veg into
something delicious! And for scraps that can’t be preserved or
pickled, pop them in the Kilner kitchen composter, made from
durable stainless steel with a swing-style handle to transport it
to the garden or outside bins with ease.

Get ready for Zero Waste
Week, plus discover top ideas
for the kitchen

HOW TO... cut down your
kitchen waste
Food waste is bad for the environment and for your
pocket. Here are five easy ways to use up scraps and
reduce how much food you throw away…

• Make a shopping list and stick to it. Plan your

• Freeze any food that’s about to go over. Stale
bread can be blitzed up, stored in a freezer bag and used
for breadcrumbs on pasta bakes and gratins. Frozen veg
scraps are ideal for making stocks for soups and stews,
while fruit can be blended into a delicious smoothie. If
you’re prone to over-catering, freeze those leftovers too,
and eat them up for lunch or dinner when time is short.

• Consider shopping more regularly, and in smaller
amounts. Doing a large weekly shop saves time, but can
lead to overspending and buying excess food that ends
up lingering in the fridge without a purpose. With two or
three smaller shopping trips across the week, you’re more
likely to eat everything before it goes off.

Preserving jars, from £2.50; kitchen composter 2L, £34, both Kilner

Eco
ideas

Once you’ve enjoyed your smashed avo on toast,
place the pit on the Amazing Avocado Floater from
elho and set it in water in a dish. A few weeks later,
you’ll see the first roots growing and you’re ready
to plant it. Alternatively, the Amazing Avocado
Pot has the floater and pot in one and comes
in either green or pink. All the pieces are
made of 100% recycled plastic and
Amazing Avocado
Floater, £5.79;
are 100% recyclable.
Amazing Avocado Pot,
£14.49, both elho

• Be savvy when it comes to use-by dates and
best-before dates. A use-by date is related to food
safety and it’s important to adhere to these, but don’t
automatically discard items with an overdue best-before
date. These are designed only to give you an idea of how
long foods will last before they lose quality. Always judge
the food on its texture, flavour and smell before throwing
it in your compost bin.

• Check the temperature of your fridge and make
sure your foods are on the correct shelf to keep them at
the optimum temperature. Cooked and prepared foods,
deli meats and leftovers should go on the top shelf where
the temperature should be between 5°C and 8°C. Put
dairy products on the middle shelf, where the temperature
should be about 5°C. And store raw meat and fish on
the lower shelf where the temperature should be closer
to zero.

14

yourhomestyle.uk

Fridge refresh

Sitting discreetly on a fridge shelf, the
Shelfy uses air-purification technology
to extend the shelf-life of fresh produce
by up to 12 days, meaning less gets
wasted. It also helps to preserve flavour
and reduce circulating bacteria and
odours, even linking up to Google
Home or Alexa for those of us who
love a fully connected home. We love
that there are no filters to replace, so
no extra costs over time – only savings,
and a healthier, happier fridge!

Shelfy,
£99, Vitesy

Feature Poppy Benner

meals ahead of time, checking your cupboards, fridge
and freezer first to make use of food you already have and
avoid doubling up. Some supermarkets have a handy mealplanning tool where you can source recipes, tailor a weekly
plan to your family’s tastes and dietary requirements, then
shop online for the ingredients.

rare | unusual | exciting

Hydrangea
Groundbreaker
ˇ˛˘Ѓ˥˦˧˚˥ ˨˗˖ ˩˘˥
paniculata hydrangea – don’t
miss out, plants will be scarce.

A

Ideal for those of you who love these robust and dependable shrubs yet have smaller spaces for which the larger varieties
are too overpowering. Hydrangea paniculata ‘Groundbreaker’ is an astounding, dwarf shrub which reaches a more petite height
and spread of around 40-50cm, perfect for containers on balconies or patios as well as open ground. A wonderfully exuberant
˔˕˨˗˔˖˘ ˙˕
ˠ˦˘ˠ˘˥˚˘˦˙˥ ˠʽ˨ ˧ ˁ ˩˘ˠ˕˘˥˦ˣ˥˘˔˗˜˚Є ˥˜˙˘˥ ˨˦ ˛˘˥˘˩˘˥˜˧˚˥ ˦ʡʹ ˘˥˦˔˥˘˕ ˧˛ˣ˜˞˔˗
white in varying degrees, depending upon the maturity of the blooms, with a stature ideal as groundcover if planted ‘en masse’. You
can even cut stems for vases, making the most of this beauty inside your home too. Plant Hydrangea paniculata ‘Groundbreaker’ in
ˠ ˜˦˧ ˘ ʠ˗˥˔˜˘˗ ˛˨ˠ˨˦˥˜˖˛˦ ˜ ˛˜˖˛˕˘˘Ѓ˧˦˙˥ ˠ˘˜˧˛˘˥˙˨ ˦˨ ˥ˣ˔˥˧˜˔ ˦˛˔˗˘ʡˇ˛˜˦˜˦˔˙˨ ˛˔˥˗ ˗˘˖˜˗˨ ˨˦˦˛˥˨˕ʡ
Your order is covered by our No Quibble Guarantee and will be delivered to your door as 12cm pots in 14 days. Our latest catalogue
will arrive with your order, if you wish to receive sooner or are not ordering today, please call 01386 562999 for your complimentary
copy or order online.

IT’S EASY TO ORDER
ONLINE:
hayloft.co.uk

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SEARCH ONLINE

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POST :
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CONSUMER NEWS

FOCUS ON

T V & streaming
services

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by
all the options or want to reduce
your monthly cost, here’s how to
find the best digital TV deal for you

HOW TO... save on streaming services
Many offer a free trial or a cheaper cost if you
don’t mind adverts, while there are plenty of
programmes to watch for free on catch-up TV.

• Sign up for streaming services’ free trials to try before
you buy. Start with one, cancel, then move onto the
next. This should see you through a few months, then
you can commit to your favourite. You can stream on a
smart TV, smartphone or tablet.

to start a free trial, and the paid subscription begins
automatically after, unless you cancel it. Prime Video is
offering 30 days of free TV shows, movies and sport,
while Apple TV+, Paramount+, Now TV, and Britbox
have seven days free. Sky often offers a 30-day trial
period, but Netflix and Disney+ have stopped.

Top 3 smart TVs at a glance
What to watch all your favourites on

Hisense 55A6TUK 55-inch
4K UHD HDR Smart TV,
£579, Crampton & Moore
• Has Freeview built-in, allowing you
to stream live TV and on-demand
BBC, ITV, CH4 and CH5 content for
free without a dish or aerial
• AI picture enhancement
• Dolby Vision

• Netflix and Disney+ currently cost £4.99 each per
month for a standard plan with adverts. Disney’s
standard plan costs £7.99 ad-free on two devices,
while Netflix charges £10.99 for the same. The
premium plan for Disney+ is £10.99 a month ad-free
on four devices, while Netflix is £17.99.

• Apple TV+ costs £8.99 a month, Paramount+ is
£6.99. Now TV has a £6.99 per month offer if you
sign up for six months minimum (instead of the usual
£9.99). Amazon Prime Video costs £8.99 a month or
£95 a year, which works out as £7.92 a month. Britbox
costs £59.99 a year, while Sky starts from £26 a month.

UR78 65-inch 4K
smart TV, £529.98, LG
• Sleek and slim
• Filmmaker mode
• HDR
• 4K Ultra HD and AI Sound
• Game Optimiser for gaming

• For free viewing any time, use catch-up TV apps on
your smart TV, watch online, or download apps onto
your smartphone or tablet. Channel 4 has box sets as
well as current shows, while BBC iPlayer is ad-free with
box sets, movies and catch-up TV. My5 has recent
programmes to enjoy, while UKTV Play is the catch-up
service for U&Dave, U&Drama and U&Yesterday.

• Freeview offers over 100 TV channels for free and
newer TVs come with this built in. If you have an older
TV, you can buy a Freeview box with no subscription.

CHiQ ROKU TV L32G5NK
32-inch smart TV, currently
priced at £139.99, Amazon
• Smaller size, perfect for bedrooms
• Dolby Audio
• Free Roku mobile app to control
TV, use voice search and more with
your smartphone
• Supports Apple AirPlay, Apple Home,
Alexa and Google Home voice assistants

September 2024

17

Feature Hayley Gilbert Photo Getty Images NB All prices accurate at time of press

• You’ll need to sign up with a debit or credit card

CONSUMER NEWS

Frequently asked questions..

Find a show you
can a ll agree on!

From TV licensing to the latest deals,
here’s all you need to know

Do students need a TV licence?
TV Licensing says that students may be
covered by their parents’ licence – their
address when not at uni – but only if the
students use TV-receiving equipment
powered solely by its own internal batteries,
and not connected to an aerial or plugged
into the mains. In other words, you need a
licence even when away at uni, though one
licence should cover a whole flat.

Are there any streaming deals to
look out for? As well as the free trials,
some platforms offer free subscriptions for
a set period via your mobile phone provider,
credit card, broadband, bank or other outlets.
Current offers include 12 months’ free
Disney+ with a Club Lloyds current account,
three months of Apple TV+ for free when
you sign up to Currys’ Perks Club loyalty
scheme, and three months’ Disney+ for £12
in Tesco Clubcard vouchers. Check if your
bank, broadband or mobile provider are
offering any deals and incentives and if
you’re thinking about changing providers,
ask if there are any deals currently or
coming up.

Can I subscribe to more than
one at a time? Yes, you can have as

If you do
one thing..

‘Save by sitting through
the ads – subscriptions
are cheaper if you don’t
mind ad breaks’
How can I check what’s on where?
There’s a great free online tool at
justwatch.com, which has all the details on
what shows and movies are showing on
different streaming services, so you can work
out what’s the best subscription for you, as
well as comparing costs. Use filters to search
by genre and see an overview of all the main
players, including Netflix, Disney+, Amazon
Prime Video, Paramount+ and Apple TV+.

18

yourhomestyle.uk

Can I share my subscription with
family and friends? There are different
rules for different streaming services and this
is something that’s been cracked down on
lately. As a guide, Amazon Prime members
can share Prime Video with one other adult if
you have the full Amazon Prime subscription,
but not the pay-monthly Prime Video sub.
You’ll need to form an Amazon Household,
link your accounts and agree to share payment
methods. Apple TV+ lets you share with
six other family members living at different
addresses, while Netflix only lets you share
with others at the same address. If you do
add anyone at a different address, you’ll be
charged an extra £4.99 a month.

Check if you really need a TV licence.
If you only watch catch-up channels, you
may be able to get away with not having
one, but if you watch live TV or BBC iPlayer
then you absolutely do. The price has
gone up to £169.50 per year recently,
so spread the cost with a monthly
direct debit. Buy yours at
tvlicensing.co.uk.

USEFUL CONTACTS
• Start a free trial or sign up for a
subscription at netflix.com, tv.apple.com,
paramountplus.com, disneyplus.com,
nowtv.com, amazon.com, britbox.com
and sky.com.
• Sign up for Currys’ loyalty scheme at
currys.co.uk/perks.
• See what Tesco Clubcard deals are currently
on offer at tesco.com.
• There’s plenty of advice on which
streaming service to get at uswitch.com.

Photo Getty Images

many as you like if you’re happy to pay the
subscriptions. To save money, however, it’s a
good idea to just have one or two at a time,
as who really has the time to watch everything
on every platform? If there’s a particular show
you enjoy, you could always wait until the
whole series has been streamed, then sign up
for a free trial and binge the lot!

www.treatex.co.uk

Resistant to spills
Easy to spot repair
Low odoour
Contains no biocides,
preservatives or carcinogens
Safe for use on children’s toys
Easy to apply

• Cutlery Sets/Pieces

• Candlesticks

Meets VOC emission regs

• Trays and Bowls

• Jugs/Tankards

÷7HD&RσHH6HWV

• Some Jewellery (please ask)

• Trophies

• + Many Other Items!

• Ornaments

• Knife Handles Replaced

Treatex Hardwax Oil Ultra
Treatex Hardwax Oil Ultra Clear is a hard wearing finish, perfect for use on floors, doors,
worktops, wooden toys as well as most other internal wooden surfaces.
Made of a core of natural, sustainable raw ingredients, it is classed as food safe, highly
resistant to liquid spills and is easy to clean and repair as well as being quick drying and safe
for use on children’s toys.
Find out more at: www.treatex.co.uk/hardwax-oil-ultra

DECORATING
Switch up your schemes with the latest launches
and clever styling hacks

COMING
UP ROSES
Celebrate country house style
with Wallpaper Direct’s latest
collection, in collaboration
with designer Timothy Wilman.
It is made up of a whopping
91 different designs in five
coordinating groups. Mix and
match the wallpapers within
these groups to take the hard
work out of pattern matching –
it’s all done for you!

Contents
22 Spotlight on Transition into
the new season with this trending
blue hue
26 Hello, autumn Bring your home
up to date with this cheat sheet for
the latest trends
32 Style it from the ground up Use
this interior decor trick to create a
cohesive look every time
38 ‘This space is both beautiful
and practical’ Laura transformed
her tired garden into a stylish
outdoor room using clever zoning

Highgrove wallpaper
in Mustard, £95 per roll,
Timothy Wilman Home
at Wallpaper Direct

September 2024

21

SPOTLIGHT ON

BOLD blue
From cool cobalt to warmer teals, it’s
time to be brazen with blues as we
transition into the new season

Rich green-blues add a sophisticated
feel and team beautifully with warmer,
earthy tones such as rust and ochre, as
well as metallic gold or bronze accents
Dice ottoman bed frame in Plush Atlantic, from
£849; Alba copper table lamp, £219; Mono
swirl table, £379 for 2, all Furniture Village

STYLE FILE
A Matisse-inspired print in cobalt blue
makes this wallpaper a striking backdrop.
Pair with greens, oranges or reds in the
same depth of colour for a vibrant finish
My Secret Garden wallpaper in Blue, £83 per roll,
Wallpaper Direct
No Rain No Flowers
Blue framed wall art,
£45, Oliver Bonas

Blue ceramic
table lamp,
£79, La Redoute

BundleBerry by
Amanda Holden
small & medium
trunks, £90 for
2, QVC UK

S

Feature Lara Berry

hades of blue are well-known for inspiring
feelings of calm and promoting relaxation,
but they can also make a fabulous
statement that oozes style and sophistication,
not to mention a good dose of dopamine too.
As we move into a new season, a palette of bold
blues and darker green-blues are the ideal choice
for the transition, helping to keep any room in
the house looking fresh and comforting. You’ll
be spoilt for choice when it comes to finding the
accessories to bring blue into your scheme, from
artwork and bedlinen to lighting, storage and
textiles. Be brave and colour-drench your room
to achieve the wow factor, or give a more subtle
and restrained nod to the latest go-to shade with
a few key pieces – the choice is yours.

Add blue highlights to your room by
updating window treatments or doorways
– shutters make an instant style statement,
especially in this showstopping shade
Tracked solid shutters in custom colour,
from £461, Hillarys

September 2024

23

STYLE FILE
Svartpoppel cushion
cover, £4.50, IKEA
Enamel flat flower candle
holder in Blue, £4.95,
Rex London

Blue mug, £4.12,
Søstrene Grene

Blue & White check 100% cotton non-slip
bath mat, £9.99, Homescapes

£10 AND
UNDER

Give
bedrooms
an instant
pick-me-up
with the
addition
of eyecatching
bedlinen

Blue bubble hi-ball
glasses, £2.50 each,
George Home

Make your budget go further
with these affordable updates
Wall rack in
Electric Blue,
£27.40, Søstrene
Grene

Blue & White
harlequin
reversible
duvet set,
from £12,
George Home

Painting a feature wall or piece
of furniture is an easy and
affordable way of introducing
this hue to your home. Use
alongside lighter colours to keep
the room looking spacious
Wall paint in Napoleonic Blue,
£33.65 for 2.5L, Annie Sloan

Sophia Malia
accent chair in
Marine Blue velvet,
£209.99, ScS

Balloon poodle
ornament in Blue, £24,
Fab Home Interiors

Milo scallop wool rug in Blue, from £79, Dunelm

STYLE FILE
Complement your bold blue
with touches of navy, lilac
and even yellow to create
impact in any space
Walls in pure matt paint in Major
Tom, £54 for 2.5L; panelling in
interior eggshell in Docklands,
£70 for 2.5L, Fenwick & Tilbrook

Iris vase, £14.99,
Dobbies

If you don’t want to
completely redecorate
in this colour, add a few
carefully chosen pieces
to a neutral scheme for a
room refresh that exudes
sophistication

Elements
Griffin
compact
bedside
table in
classic Blue,
£79, Dunelm

Retreat accent swivel chair
in Casual Chenille Ivory,
£599, Sofology

The moodboard
Embrace this trend by incorporating these key
decorating elements into your home

1

9
8

6
7

2

3

10
11

5
4

12

1 Panama fabric in Kingfisher, £10.50 per m, Terrys 2 Matt emulsion in Plunge Pool, £45 for 2.5L, Claybrook Studio 3 Raklosta fabric, £15 for 3m, IKEA
4 Pattern luxury vinyl flooring in Larkspur, £57.49 per sq m, Harvey Maria 5 Matt emulsion in Free Dive, £37.58 for 2.5L, Dulux 6 Midnight wallpaper in
Blue, from £75 per roll, Bobbi Beck 7 Venation wallpaper in Teal, £69 per roll, Ohpopsi 8 Pikko mosaic wall tile in Dark Blue, £8.79 per tile, Topps Tiles
9 Nova porcelain Admiral wall and floor tile, £89.53 per sq m, Ca’ Pietra 10 Mardi Gras 575 Alicante vinyl, £17.99 per sq m, Carpetright 11 Matt emulsion
in Dart Frog No. 84, £44.95 for 2.5L, Victory Colours 12 Sunflower border in Blue, £40 for a 5m roll, Fiona Howard

September 2024

25

DECORATING IDEAS

HELLO,
Switch up your style for
the new season with these
quick ways to get your
schemes trending

26

yourhomestyle.uk

FALL FOR
ROMCOMCORE
Make yourself the leading lady with this
loveable trend. The inspiration for this look
comes from the films of Nancy
Myers, which include The Holiday and
Something’s Gotta Give. Her protagonists
live in homes that are warm and
welcoming but also highly polished and
beautifully styled. It’s an idealised vision
of our homes in the late Nineties and
early Noughties. Think soft colours, warm
wood and plenty of vintage and pre-loved
pieces. This trend harks back to the
pre-digital age, so make sure
to hide your tech too.

Marilyn 8 light chandelier
in Pewter, £220, BHS

Stoneware
mug in Light
Brown, £4.98,
Søstrene
Grene

Faux mohair
throw, £25, M&S

Indus
wooden
bowl, from
£40, Nkuku

T

here’s a chill in the air and the
evenings are getting longer.
Summer is on its way out and
it’s time for a change, but it doesn’t have
to be a big one. Update your home with
minimum effort using our cheat sheet to
autumn’s biggest trends.
Bamburgh Grande sofa in
Natural, £1,799, DFS

Stitch in time

Embroidered designs are going to be big over the next few months. Their heirloom
quality plays into the huge trend for the old money aesthetic, which is a new
twist on country-house style. Look out for traditional folk motifs like Suzani-style
embroidery to give your scheme a truly heritage feel. If embroidery doesn’t feel
like a practical thing to have in your home, printed designs can be just as effective
– and much more budget-friendly!

September 2024

27

Feature Hannah Tribe

Scalloped side table, £99; Betty table
lamp, £49.50; reactive mug, £5; stripe
ruffle edge bedding set, from £59; Suzani
bedding set, from £39.50; linen blend floral
embroidered bolster cushion, £19.50; striped
round bolster cushion, £19.50; patchwork
velvet bedspread, from £149, all M&S

DECORATING IDEAS
Small dried
grass wreath,
£35, Cox & Cox

Dried White
gypsophila
bouquet,
£10, Dunelm

pastel dried flower
wall hangings,
£35 for 3,
Oliver Bonas

Beautiful dinner candles in Lime Green,
Sage Green and Ivory, £2.95 each;
Gold hand candlestick holder, £18;
White parrot candlestick holder, £25;
large White ornate parrot candlestick
holder, £48, all Rockett St George

Ravello flower jug, £30,
The Cotswold Company

Pick your blooms

Celebrate the fading glamour of the summer
with bunches of dried flowers. These preserved
plants instantly give an autumnal vibe. Try it
out with ears of wheat to bring a real sense
of harvest time or use flowers from your own
garden, like hydrangea, lavender and honesty
for a pocket-friendly bunch. Use a Japanese
flower frog or ‘Kenzan’ to anchor your display,
or fill your vase, around a third of the way up,
with sand to provide support for the stems.

PUT A BOW ON IT
There’s no need to tie yourself in knots to keep up to
date with the latest trends. This season, the easiest way
to update your look is to add a couple of bows to your
schemes. You can wrap ribbons around candlesticks or
twist fine wire into bow shapes and prop them up on
picture frames or pop into shelf displays. Keep the loops
of your bows small, and the tails long, to create the ideal
shape for this year. Look up the ‘fork bow trick’ to create
perfect bows every time.

28

yourhomestyle.uk

DECORATING IDEAS

Shine a light

Twinky rechargeable wall light in
Antique Brass, £100, Pooky

Treat yourself to a flattering
glow by banishing the ‘big
light’ and opting for lamps and
occasional lighting instead.
Choose pieces that include a
timer, as this means you won’t
have to disturb the display when
you turn them on each night.
When you’ve found the ideal
spot for a wall light, to save
yourself the expense of calling
out an electrician, consider
trying a plug-in or rechargeable
option instead.

Montpellier bed frame in Walnut,
from £1,000; Pallington Bloom
duvet set in Ruby, from £65,
both Laura Ashley at Next

GET SET FOR
A FEAST
Celebrate the harvest season with a tablescape
that represents the very foods you’re looking
forward to eating. Veggie-themed decor has been
on trend all year, but it’s set to peak this autumn.
Pumpkins are the cream of the crop, and you’ll
find them all over the high street. Opt for designs
which make the most of the pumpkin’s generous
shape, like mugs and casserole dishes.
Green bubble glass tumbler, £2.50; Green reactive glaze
12-piece dinner set, £35, pumpkin serving bowl, £14,
pumpkin shaped plate, £8, pumpkin bowl, £3.50,
nibble bowl, £3, all George Home

Theo table lamp, £159,
The Cotswold Company
Oxleigh wall
mirror in
Walnut, £129,
Cult Furniture

Opt for dark wood
Oliver Dark
Oak & Black
Marble
side table,
£349.99, Oak
Furnitureland

Add an instant sense of grandeur to your look by adding richly-coloured woods.
The trend for Scandi interiors and bright, light birch is on the wane, giving way
to something deeper. Get in on this trend now and you’ll find loads of pieces to
choose from in secondhand shops, as it hasn’t quite hit the mainstream yet. You’re
sure to find a bargain or two. If you don’t have space for new furniture, consider
a dark wooden floor for your next room reno. It’s a classic way to add heritage
style to newer homes and feels perfectly fitting in older ones – oh, and it’s great at
hiding scuffs and marks too!

September 2024

29

DECORATING IDEAS
Eggshell in
Jaipur, £29
for 750ml,
zhoosh

Eggshell emulsion
paint in Charm Blue,
£20 for 1L, Dunelm

Plant-based multisurface eggshell
paint in Brompton
Road, £40 for 1L,
Mylands

Colour drench your woodwork
Turn cabinetry and skirtings into style statements by
painting them with a rich new shade. Use an eggshell or
gloss paint for a hardwearing finish – and remember to
do your prep! Use a fine grade sandpaper to rub down
your surfaces, this will take off any shine and create a
‘tooth’ for your paint to stick to. Check the back of your
paint tin to see if you’ll need to prime the surfaces too.
Even though these stages can feel a little dull – we all
know that adding colour is the fun bit – taking time to
prepare your surfaces means that your final coat will look
more professional and, crucially, stand up to everyday
wear and tear.

ADD DRAMA
WITH BOLD
CURTAINS
Give your home an opulent feel with
thick, decadently gathered curtains. Not
only will these rich swags of fabric give
your home a luxurious look, but they’ll
also help it to feel warmer too. When
choosing your own curtains, make sure
that they’re at least twice as wide as the
opening you’re hoping to cover. This will
give you plenty of gathers, even when
the curtain is fully closed. Stop draughts
by making your curtain a little longer
than the opening too. Try adding 15cm
to the length of your drape for a grander
feel. Make it extra cosy by adding a
lining and an interlining behind your
main fabric. You can pick up synthetic
‘bump’ interlining for as little as £3 per
m, but it makes a huge difference to
how warm your room will feel.
Studio stripe fabric in Claret, £54.50 per m;
paint pot check fabric in Claret/Rust, £47.50
per m, both Ian Mankin

30

yourhomestyle.uk

Twyla Nocturne
wallpaper, £85
per roll; interior
eggshell in
Alizarin, £36 for
1L both Graham
& Brown

DECORATING IDEAS
Avorio pop-up
extending dining
table and 4 dining
chairs, £1,695,
sideboard with LED
Lights, £699, both
Furniture Village

GET A GLOW UP
Rethink metallics to create a cosy, tactile space. Using
glittering surfaces adds rich dimension to your schemes,
providing interest and depth, even when you’re using
a limited colour palette. This season, chrome and silver
finishes are set to take over from brass and copper as
the designer’s choice. Even though these tones tend to
look cooler, they don’t have to feel cold. Mix them with
limewashed walls, beige-toned neutrals and cushioned
upholstery to create a warm minimalist scheme. The result
is incredibly chic, without feeling clinical or austere.

Make it magical

Pop Stevie Nicks on your moodboard and let’s get
twirling – the dreamy goth look is back. This mystical
trend is perfect as the nights get longer and, with a light
touch, there’s no reason to limit the magic to Halloween.
Make it work all season by aiming for a seductive, classy
take – think black lace, berry tones and sweet celestial
motifs, rather than anything spooky or playful. Complete
the effect with plenty of candlelight – both LED and
flame candles create an enchanting atmosphere and will

Large arch ornate
overmantle mirror
in Black, £229.95,
Melody Maison

Dark Forest
coaster set,
£6.99 for
4, Tenovus
Cancer Care
Black ribbed
12-piece dinner
set, £22; Blue
glass candle
holder, £6;
marble tealight
holder, £5;
stacking ribbed
glass, £2.50; York
Gold 16-piece
cutlery set, £10,
all George Home
Moon phase bath runner, £35, Urban Outfitters

September 2024

31

DECORATING IDEAS

STYLE IT FROM

THE GROUND UP!
Starting with a rug as the basis for your scheme is a simple
and effective way to decorate a room – here, we bring you
four inspiring looks using this designer trick

T

here’s a straightforward decorating hack, loved by
interior designers and even style-savvy celebs – Lily
Allen is a fan – that’s trending in the interiors world
right now. The idea is to start with a beautiful rug, using
this as the linchpin of your whole scheme, rather than just
for adding a spot of colour or comfort underfoot. Much
in the same way as you might do with a wallpaper, this
approach draws on the principles of pulling out colours,
motifs and textures to inspire the rest of your decor. It’s a
great technique to try if you already have a favourite rug and
want to try a new look. Or perhaps, if you find you often
make mistakes with wall colours, choosing a rug first could
help you to narrow down that palette and make a considered
choice. We’ve tested out the theory by creating moodboards
for four of this year’s biggest trends, inspired by great rugs
that you can find on the high street right now!

Newell leather 2-seater sofa, £825; Morillo glass
nesting tables, £80; Eero floor lamp, £50; Morillo
2-door sideboard in Black, £290; traditional
flatweave wool rug, 120cmx160cm, £125; grid
mugs, £7.20 for 4, all Habitat

Newstalgia
This handwoven rug is packed with tasteful earthy
tones, and makes the perfect starting point for a
retro 1970s look. Alongside the warm tones are
pops of navy blue and green – ideal as accent
colours to freshen up the scheme and make it feel
more modern. The geometric pattern of the rug
is easily referenced with wallpapers and fabrics.
Pick out designs with bold edges and pleasing
symmetry, but nothing too matchy-matchy. A little
variation will make your space feel more liveable.
Studio G Denver fabric in Retro,

Vinyl matt emulsion
in Navy Blue No.965,
£15 for 2.5L, Wickes

Superstar Duran
tile, £70 per sq m,
Claybrook Studio

Hey! Manhattan wallpaper in Washed
Denim, £65 per roll, Mini Moderns

Skylight Empire
handle,
from £22.99,
Dowsing &
Reynolds
Traditional flatweave wool rug, from £85, Habitat

32

yourhomestyle.uk

DECORATING IDEAS
Babouches printed cotton fabric
in Clay, £29 per m, The Pure Edit

Clarence Mews decorative
patterned tiles, £39 per
sq m, Quorn Stone

Superfresco Easy Halcyon
Beige metallic-effect
wallpaper, £29 per roll, B&Q
Papier-mâché
ceiling lamp,
£49.99, Zara
Home

Nymåne wall light in White, £27;
Sandsvingel curtains, £32; Nordli chest
of 4 drawers, £245; Sunneby cord set
in Black, £7; Jakobsbyn pendant lamp
shade, £25; Stoense rug in Off-White,
200cmx300cm, £129, all IKEA

Limewash paint in
No.249, £65 for 2.5L,
Rust-Oleum

matt emulsion in Fawn,
£31.82 for 2.5L, Crown
Decorating Centres
Stoense rug in Off-White,
200cmx300cm, £129, IKEA
Yuri Sand tiles, £39.95
per sq m, Walls and Floors

Nova Metallic
wallpaper in
Champagne
with Silver
Sparkle,
£40 per
roll, I Love
Wallpaper

Starting your look with a rug doesn’t always
mean pattern and colour – it works for a more
subtle look too. This fluffy rug has a sounddampening quality that sets the vibe for the
whole scheme: think calm and cosy, with softedged accessories inspired by the patterns
that appear on the rug when touched. Made
from synthetic fibres that throw light around
in different directions, the surface takes on
hundreds of delicate beige shades – use these
as inspiration for your colour palette.

Feature Hannah Tribe

The new neutrals

Joney set of 2
door handles,
£6.95, Sklum

September 2024

33

DECORATING IDEAS
Ashley Wilde Escorca
fabric in Ocean, £27
per m, Terrys

Mr Jones
porcelain
tile in
Azure,
£18.95 per
sq m, Tile
Mountain

Folia fabric
in Cinnabar,
£29 per m,
The Pure Edit

16cm empire
shade in
Red Silk
with Glasgow
Gold interior,
£37, Pooky

Tropez tile in Blue, £69.60 per
sq m, Porcelain Superstore

Old money
aesthetic
Traditional-style rugs
are the ideal touchpoint for a heritage
look. This rug is bold
and beautiful, but
the subtle colours
mean it won’t
dominate the room.
Soft blue is the most
obvious and versatile
colour to take from
it, but don’t play
things too safe – it’s
the pop of red that
gives this traditional
look a twist. Use
woven textile motifs
and geometric styles
to reflect the rug’s
pattern around the
room. Look out for
Ikat accessories and
herringbone throws,
then use trellis prints
on hard surfaces like
walls and tiling.

Walls &
Ceilings matt
emulsion in
Tinsel Town,
£14.99 for
2.5L, Wilko

Floral MotherOf-Pearl
hook, £16,
Anthropologie

Nomad Seville rug, from
£195, Weaver Green

Greenskeeper
geo wallpaper
in Ink, £75
per roll, Graham
& Brown

Matt emulsion
in Pink 02, £45
for 2.5L, Lick

34

yourhomestyle.uk

DECORATING IDEAS
Cath Kidston
Sprig
Twilight
fabric,
£21 per m,
Jane Clayton

Bobbin D-bar handle
in Brass, £24.95,
Plank Hardware

Cari wave
fabric in
Marine
Blue, from
£79 per m,
Woodchip
& Magnolia

Scallop easy-fit
lampshade
in Mustard,
£22.50, John
Lewis & Partners

Claypaint
in Splashing,
£57.50 for
2.5L, Earthborn

Get a Wiggle On wallpaper
in Mustard and Millennial
Pink, £50 per roll, Lust Home

Iris upholstered
ottoman bed in Soft
Velvet Slate Teal, from
£715; Pink summer
floral bedding set,
from £18; Phoebe
wiggles rug, from
£95; Bobbin table
lamp in Pink, £50;
Wiggle side table in
Pink, £55, all Next

Mylo tile in Aqua, £44.50
per sq m, Victorian Plumbing
Pop tile in
Teal, £54
per sq m,
Porcelain
Superstore

Dopamine decor
Matt
emulsion in
Joyful Pink,
£48 for 2L,
YesColours

Inject some fun into your space with joyful pastels
and an on-trend wiggle motif. This rug has a handcarved texture and viscose in its construction for a
touch of sparkle. Another key feature is its warmneutral background. Replicate this by using a neutral
shade across two-thirds of your room and adding
brighter colours across the last third – perhaps the
ceiling! Bring in pattern with wavy fabrics that
reference the expressive lines of the rug, and add
cheerful bobbin textures via furniture and accessories.
Phoebe wiggles rug, from £95, Next

September 2024

35



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REAL HOME

Thrifty forever home

KITCHEN
Emily likes to have
everything within
easy reach. ‘I find that
if I have my cookware
in a cupboard, I tend
not to use it, so I
keep the cake tins
out ready for the kids
when they want to
bake,’ she says

‘Our eclectic home tells
the story of who we are’

Branch Sort Code

OUR MUST HAVES
GoodHome Balsamita
Matt Grey slab highline
cabinet door, from
£18; GoodHome
Poprock Black & White
mosaic effect vinyl tile,
£16 per sq m, both
B&Q. For similar, try
Mozzafiato Pitigliano
tile, £45 per sq m,
Claybrook Studio.
Innovative Kitchen cake
tins, £36.50 for 3,
Mason Cash

Rather than selling to upsize, Emily and James Kirk extended their first property
to create a home they love even more than when they moved in 20 years ago

‘Our bank manager knew
we’d taken on this project with
a tiny budget, and as he was
ripping out a fairly new
kitchen from his own home,
ĂäĩƅäŅäàĆőőĩŖʼnùĩŅε̠̞̞͡
including the cooker
and fridge’

Reference Number (for office use only)
BASKET BOOST

Signature(s)

Make use of the
awkward space between
wall cabinets and the
ceiling with matching
baskets for extra
storage

W

hen Emily and James were
ready to get their first place
together, they both agreed that,
rather than renting, it made sense to get on
the property ladder – but the only way they
could afford a house was to buy a project. ‘The
previous owners moved here when it was first
built but hadn’t done any updates, so it needed
a new kitchen and bathroom, plus completely
rewiring,’ explains Emily. ‘But, with three

68

‘We’ve never changed the layout as
the flow has always worked really well,
so over time we’ve just refreshed the
room by upgrading the doors, floor and
worktops,’ says Emily

bedrooms, a large garden, and space at the
side for a possible extension, this place had
plenty of potential.’
The couple delayed moving in while the
work was ongoing, spending every weekend

Adding an extension gave Emily’s family
home a new lease of life

‘Being surrounded by
nature is important to me
and this plant has been
with us for 15 years – I love
the way it trails across the
ceiling,’ says Emily

CONSERVATORY
‘We used to have a small
dining table in the kitchen,
which worked when the
children were younger,
but as they’ve grown it’s
been great to have a bigger
space to use,’ says Emily,
who sourced the table
and chairs from Facebook
Marketplace and then
painted them
OUR MUST HAVES
Black Copper brush triple
LED lantern, £29.99, The
Range. Divante White tufted
panel eyelet curtain, £8.99,
Wilko. For similar, try Chester
Charcoal 4-6 seater round
extending dining table,
£750, The Cotswold Company

semi-detached house in Nottingham, which
we bought in May 2004. You can follow
our renovation journey on Instagram
@enchanted._.whispers.

NEXT TO DO I want to install a log
burner in the living room, and to replace
the vinyl-wrapped worktops with quartz.
MY FAVOURITE ROOM We love being
outside and entertaining, so the outdoor
kitchen has been one of our best DIY
projects. I have a small vegetable patch next
to it, so potatoes and veg often go straight
over to be cooked in the oven.
MY TOP TIP Just give it a go! We came
here straight from living with our parents,
so had no DIY experience, but I quickly
realised that we would need to mess up
over three times to cover the cost of getting
a professional in and, realistically, that
won’t ever happen.

GROUND
FLOOR

Bedroom
Bathroom

Kitchen

Lounge

Conservatory

FIRST
FLOOR

Bedroom
Bathroom

Bedroom

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yourhomestyle.uk

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yourhomestyle.uk
September 2024

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Feature and styling Lisa Moses Photos Caroline Mardon

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COME ON IN. .
WE ARE Emily Kirk, 43, a visual
merchandiser, my husband James, 50, an
electrician, and our children, Molly, 17,
Daisy, 13, and Leo, seven.
OUR HOME IS a 1950s four-bedroom

OFFER ENDS 17th September 2024
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Scan me!
September 2024

37

GARDEN ROOM MAKEOVER

‘This space is both
beautiful and practical’
Laura Cave transformed a tired-looking patch of garden into a stylish outdoor
living room, complete with a fully functioning kitchen and bar

L

aura Cave and her husband, Alex,
always knew they wanted to tackle the
ugly outbuilding attached to the back
of their house. ‘It didn’t seem to have any
apparent function, and we always thought it
could become a great area for entertaining,’
explains Laura. Alex began knocking down
the original structure about four years
ago, ‘but then life took over, so we stopped
working on it,’ says Laura. During the years
in between, the couple mulled over ideas and
plans, and living with the space allowed them
time to consider the best use of the area.

BEFORE

THE PROJECT

STEP INSIDE..
WHO LIVES HERE? I’m Laura Cave,
44, a furniture artist and content
creator, @lauracavehome, and I
live with my husband Alex, 44, our
sons Rowan, 13, and Rufus, 11, and
our two cats, Coco and Ghost. My
home is a four-bedroom Victorian
house in Gravesend, Kent.

Laura came up with various designs and
configurations, taking inspiration from
magazines, Instagram and Pinterest, and
she landed on the idea of creating a fully
functioning outdoor kitchen with a bar,
plus a large decking area along the side for
relaxing and dining. The couple decided to
use the bones of the original outbuilding
as their starting point because, as Laura
explains, ‘we wanted to give the kitchen area
a roof and a sink, which meant factoring in

WHAT WAS UPDATED? We created
a fully functioning outdoor kitchen
and transformed a scrappy piece of
grass into a chic outdoor living room.
WHY THE CHANGE? The garden
was unkempt and ugly. The large
patio was made up of utilitarian
slabs, and next to the house was a
disused ramshackle brick building.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE? The
idea has been there since we moved
in, but the design evolved over six
months and the actual build took a
couple of weeks.
TOTAL COST

38

£6,508

yourhomestyle.uk

‘The egg chair was originally in a different
part of the garden, but I liked the way the
rattan looked against the black wood, so
I moved it in here and also chose a similar
style for the barstools,’ says Laura

lots of practical details, like ventilation and
plumbing, alongside the aesthetics.’

WHAT WE DID
‘I showed our builder my design, sketched
onto a piece of paper, and he got my vision
immediately,’ says Laura. ‘The builder did

GARDEN ROOM MAKEOVER

HIGHS & LOWS
Figuring out how to get hot water outside was
tricky, and involved drilling through a couple

ing
Sociable seasetating

e your
Ma ximis
with
ke Laura,
li
s
option
er
tdoor corn
a large ou
g
in
atch
sofa and m
benches

Laura chose weatherproof furniture and rugs
to zone the space, then ‘shopped her home’
for soft furnishings to give the garden room a
relaxed and welcoming look

My style tips
GO FAUX Although I love real

Feature & styling Lisa Moses Photos Caroline Mardon

the structural work, making the plinths for
the kitchen and bar worktops and adding
the roof; then a local fencing company
constructed the decking and pergola.’ The
couple chose wood cladding rather than brick
on the exterior of the kitchen-bar, but they
loved the look of the exposed brick once the
old plaster was knocked off the interior, so
decided to keep it. ‘We also had electrics
channelled into the space so that we could
have bright task lighting in the kitchen, as
we felt solar lighting wasn’t going to hit the
mark,’ says Laura.

plants and flowers, adding faux
foliage behind the seating area
was the most practical way to
hide the fence behind it, as it
requires no maintenance and
made an instant impact.

KEEP IT RUSTIC To contrast
with the sleek black finish of
the decking and woodwork, I’ve
made sure to add some rustic
textures. The exposed brick,
live-edged wood and rattan
chairs and accessories bring life,
warmth and personality to the
all-black scheme.

STYLE IT UP The finishing
touches are all-important for
making the space feel like an
extension of your home, so pile
on cushions and throws, and
add little decorative details like
framed prints and candles.

Laura originally planned to simply deck
this space, ‘but I thought a pergola would
finish the look and make it feel more like
a contained outdoor room,’ she says

September 2024

39

Floor filler
Use outdoor
rugs to
zone the diff
erent areas
of a multi-p
urpose
garden room
and bring
indoor com
fort
outside

‘We really love the
different patterns
of the exposed
brickwork,’ says
Laura. ‘They show
how the structure
has changed and
been added to over
the years. It reveals
the history of the
space and tells the
story of the building’

‘I wanted something beautiful to top the
bar, eventually deciding on a slab of wood
with a live edge. To protect it from the
elements, I gave it five coats of natural oil
to waterproof it,’ explains Laura

of thick walls to take the supply from the
utility room next door, ‘but it was one of our
best ideas as, although it seems like a small
thing, it means we don’t have to go inside to
wash our hands when we’re prepping food,’
Laura explains.
She admits that not everything about the
build went to plan, however. ‘We had to
carefully remove the cladding we’d attached
to the front of the bar, to install the brackets
for the beautiful natural wood we’d belatedly
chosen as the worktop.’ The oversize pergola
also needed some thought, as Laura didn’t
want a big post in the middle to hold up the
large structure, so she chose to use crossbars
down the side, ‘but that was the compromise
to make it structurally sound,’ she adds.

40

yourhomestyle.uk

THE FINAL DETAILS
Laura dialled up the drama by painting the
woodwork and decking in black, elevating
the look with furniture and accessories in
rattan and yellow. Tiles were used for the
kitchen floor, adding a stylish yet practical
touch, ensuring the space is easy to clean. The
couple also installed a Big Green Egg, a type
of oven that can also be used for barbecuing
and making pizza, giving them plenty of
options for cooking al fresco. Finally, they
attached artificial foliage to the back of the
pergola, which hides the neighbour’s fence
and provides year-round greenery. ‘We love
having a such a stylish outside space to enjoy
with friends and family,’ says Laura, ‘and now
we long for sunny days.’

‘The new structure is on
the footprint of the old
outbuilding, which gave
us the starting point for
the design and layout,’
explains Laura

GARDEN ROOM MAKEOVER

ROOM PLAN

Laura has styled
the outdoor bar
as she would
one of the rooms
inside her home,
displaying pretty
pictures, candles
and trailing plants
to create a warm,
homely feel

8.5M

3.5M

‘The tap, sink and worktops were all
from our utility room, which was ripped
ĩŖőÁĢàŅäłěÁÚäàÁùőäŅūäĂÁàÁƈŅäĆĢőĂä
house. They were going to be skipped, so
we salvaged and re-used them’

THE DETAILS
£1,487

Pergola and decking

£66

Wood stain

£462

Lighting
Furniture

£3,118

Big Green Egg cooker

£1,375

TOTAL

£6,508

SHOPPING LIST

Laura used some old brackets to mount
a scaffolding board shelf, and chose a
rusted conduit she sourced online to hide
the electrical cables, all adding to the
industrial vibe of the outdoor kitchen

Decking and pergola supplied and fitted
by Hoist & Co, POA. For similar, try Utopia
wooden 6x3m pergola, £574.99, Dunster
House. For similar, try Power 10 x 18ft timber
decking kit with no handrails, £793, Wilko.
Timber weather-proofing wood stain in
Black, £44.22 for 5L, Protek. For similar, try
the Rust 20mm conduit, from £15.40, The
Workshop Below. For similar, try Outdoor
Fabric Pulse square corner dining set,
£2,599, Maze Living. GoodHome Apolima
Brown & Ebony Black rattan effect egg
chair, £280, B&Q. For similar, try Fallen
Fruits reversible outdoor rug, £24; Pax barheight rattan stool, £119; Priyanka rattan
easy-fit pendant, £59; Gold luxe bar tools
set, £25; Gold hammered cocktail shaker,
£15, all Dunelm. For similar, try Pollux LED
Edison bulb waterproof festoon lights,
£47, TEK LED. Black bulkhead outdoor &
bathroom oval light, £99, Industville.
Black metal candlestick, £12.99, H&M.
Bundleberry by Amanda Holden tropical
Green living wall, £66 for 50x50cm panel,
QVC UK. Large Big Green Egg, £1,415, Big
Green Egg. Rafael Black & White tiles, £45
per sq m, Your Tiles. Giclée fine art ‘Ooh La
La’ print, from £20, Max Made Me Do It.

September 2024

41

GARDEN ROOM MAKEOVER

DIY my style
DIFFICULTY LEVEL

EASY

decking
Revitalise a dingy decked area with this guide
to keeping wooden decking in tip-top shape,
like Laura’s

1

4

2

5

Before you can paint or stain
your decking you need to
make sure it’s clean and clear of
any debris. Remove any garden
furniture and plant pots from
the deck and use a stiff garden
broom to get rid of any surface
dirt and debris.
Next, apply a decking
cleaner, working it into the
timber using a stiff scrubbing
brush to remove any ground-in
dirt and algae. Rinse away any
dirty residue – ideally, carefully
using a pressure washer – then
allow the deck to dry out for at
least 24 hours. Now is the time
to check for any cracks, loose
nails or damage, and remedy
them before you start painting
the deck.

3

If your deck is prone to
mould and mildew, for
example if it’s in a shady or damp
position, spray an anti-mould
treatment onto the deck, then
work it in well and rinse away
any residue. Leave the surface to
dry thoroughly before painting.

42

yourhomestyle.uk

You can apply deck paint
over a previously oiled
deck, but you can’t put oil
over a previously painted deck
without removing the old paint
completely first, so keep that in
mind when choosing your finish.
Stir your decking paint
well to ensure it is evenly
dispersed then, starting in the
furthest corner and working
you way backwards, apply the
paint in the direction of the
wood grain. You can use a roller,
sprayer or brush to apply the
paint, but make sure you cover
the surface well, especially if your
decking boards are grooved.

6

Check the manufacturer’s
instructions to determine
whether your deck will require
a second coat, and apply this
after the recommended drying
time for the first coat. Try to
paint your decking on a dry day
when it’s in the shade, as strong,
direct sunshine can cause the
paint to dry unevenly and give a
patchy finish.

SLIP & Slide

September 2024

Feature Anna-Lisa De’Ath Photo Caroline Mardon

Wooden decking can
be slipper y. To prevent
this, clean it regularly and
choose an anti-slip paint
or
stain, or install anti-slip
decking strips

43

Vintage-style metal adjustable tractor seat
outdoor bar stool in Green, £109, Homescapes

Kelham wicker lounge
chair, £130, Habitat

Fringed Green hammock,
£89, Salt and Steel

Get the look

OUTDOOR
CHAIRS
Salsa 2-seater garden sofa in Damson,
£165, John Lewis & Partners

Style up your garden
room with chic
seating options,
like Laura

Veeva indoor-outdoor
bean bag in Teal, £49.99,
Beanbag Bazaar

Editor’s
choice

Foldable hanging egg chair in
Natural, £150, Online Home Shop

44

yourhomestyle.uk

Vivienne garden chair,
£156.99, Wayfair

BATHROOMS

Create a wow-worthy look for
your kitchen and bathroom with
our inspiring design ideas

SUPERSIZE
STYLE
If you want to make a
statement in your bathroom,
Hyperion Tiles’ new range of
patterned tiles could be just
the thing. Why not introduce
a luxurious marble effect to
walls and floors with these Lux
Noor Apple tiles? Made from
porcelain with a gloss finish,
these extra-large tiles have
a contemporary look, with
striking veining and a soft and
sophisticated green shade. Find
them at hyperiontiles.co.uk,
priced at £52.94 per sq m.

Contents
46 On your marks, get set, bake!
As the bakers make their way to
the tent, we show you how to
create that signature Bake Off
look in your own kitchen
50 Unwind in the perfect tub
From family-size to spa-like,
freestanding to panelled, find the
ideal bathtub for your space
September 2024

45

KITCHEN IDEAS
Series 15 of The Great British Bake Off is coming soon to Channel 4

Mix and
match pastel
tones for the
iconic Bake
Off style

ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET,

As The Great British Bake Off returns to our screens, get the look for less in your
own tent-inspired kitchen, with baking essentials and pretty accessories
Keep your bakes and cakes fresh
in vacuum-sealed glass boxes,
which keep the contents delicious
for up to five times’ longer. Items
can be bought separately or in
sets to suit your needs and budget
Gingham organic
cotton bunting, £25
for 3m, Talking Tables

I

t’s time to dust off your stand mixer
and get the baking trays out, as it’s
nearly time for The Great British Bake
Off to grace our screens! It’s a joy to watch
as the keen amateurs try their best with the
signature bakes, technical challenges and
showstoppers, while we put our feet up with
a slice of cake. To get you in the mood, here’s
how to give your own kitchen the Bake Off
look, with everything from bunting and
bakeware to taps and textiles in pretty pastels
and floral designs. And if you’re not a baker,
just pop to the shop and serve the treats on a
fab cake stand – we promise we won’t tell.

46

yourhomestyle.uk

Fresh & Save 14-piece vacuum starter
set, £79.95, ZWILLING

KITCHEN IDEAS
Luxe

The Great
British
Bake Off
Kitchen
Classics,
currently
priced at
£14.22,
Amazon

A good mixing bowl is key
to any sort of home baking.
These earthenware bowls
have a delicate floral meadow
embossed design, and come in
a gorgeous colour palette, with
various sizes for different tasks

In a sleek GunMetal
finish, the ProCook
stand mixer is a
6-litre model that
comes with a whisk,
beater and dough
hook attachments,
plus splash shield,
six speed settings
and pulse function,
all for £249

The KitchenAid
Artisan stand mixer
– seen here in Blue
Salt, KitchenAid’s
&RORXU
RI
WKH
<HDU
²

has a 4.7-litre capacity.
It features 10 speeds,
four accessories plus
scraper and pouring
shield, two bowls,
and more than 10
optional attachments.
Priced at £699

Less

Luxe

vs less

Will you choose the iconic pieces from the tent,
or the designer dupes?

In the Meadow mixing bowls, from
£19.50, Mason Cash

C

H

A hand mixer
is a really useful
appliance for baking,
and this one certainly
fits the Bake Off
aesthetic with its
pretty floral design.
Five speed settings,
and stainlesssteel beaters and
dough hooks make
light work of cake
mixtures, batters and
whipped cream
Laura Ashley China Rose
hand mixer, £59.99, VQ

Hira Ibrahim, general
manager at VQ

AR

M IN G

Less

Luxe
Smeg’s FAB 28 retrostyle fridge comes
in a choice of 19
colours and features
a multiflow cooling
system for the perfect
temperature and
humidity, as well as
D
/LIHSOXV
Ý&
GUDZHU

and ice box. It’s priced
from £1,399

CDA’s Betty fridge
also has a freezer
section, along with
a salad crisper and
wine rack. It comes
in retro shades
including Sea Holly
(pictured), Barley
and Tea Rose, priced
at £499 from The
Appliance Depot

Available in Pink, Cream,
Blue or Green, this stylish
pan set will add an instant
pop of colour to your kitchen.
The saucepan with lid, sauté
pan with lid, casserole dish
and steamer insert are all
induction-compatible and
RYHQVDIH
WR
Ý&
Soho cookware set in Pink,
£129, ProCook

September 2024

47

Feature Hayley Gilbert Photos Mark Bourdillon

P RI N TS

‘Bringing
harmony into your
appliances helps recreate
the GBBO charm. Adorn your
culinary haven with light, airy
patterns, timeless British designs,
and a high-quality finish so your
kitchen transforms into a tentworthy retreat.’

KITCHEN IDEAS

CH

OI

Paul Bough, chef at
ZWILLING and
STAUB UK

CE

‘Invest in
quality baking
utensils and cookware
so that your bakes come out
perfect every time. Vacuumsealable food storage is also a great
way to keep baked goods fresher, so
family and friends can enjoy your
creations for longer.’

Gingham tablecloth
in Red and White,
130x180cm, £40,
Walton & Co

H
C
E F ’S

Kitchen scales in Light
Pink, £29.95, Rex London

Speckled ceramic kitchen
canister 12cm, £16, La Redoute

Serve your bakes up
beautifully to family and
friends. This collection is made
by hand in a West Country
pottery using Cornish clay
Willow Green large Betty teapot,
£65; small Dreadnought jug, £20;
covered sugar bowl, £22; breakfast
cup & saucer, £20, Cornishware
Cupcake
cases
in Wild
Flowers
design,
£1.95 for
a pack of
50, Rex
London

Make sure you weigh your
ingredients precisely with a
set of digital scales. This design
has a removable bowl that
can be used for mixing, and
it comes in three colours to
complement your scheme
KSC01 digital scales, £129.95, Smeg

Eggs are a staple in the
Bake Off tent, so keep
yours easily to hand with
this beech tray, which holds
half a dozen
Borough egg holder in Natural,
£15, Garden Trading

48

yourhomestyle.uk

Old Foley Chinese
Rose cake stand by
James Kent, £24.99,
Vintage Pieces

BEST OVENS FOR
These built-in ovens come with
special features for perfect results

This 4-litre dual-action stand mixer is
perfect for neat storage and has an opentop design that makes it quick and easy to
add ingredients, without having to switch
it off. It has dual-rotating beaters, whisks
and dough hooks, plus a clear splashguard
to prevent messy spills
MixStar compact stand mixer,
£189.99, Morphy Richards

N90 Slide & Hide B64FT53G0B built-in
oven with steam, £2,029, Neff
‘Neff ovens have the Slide & Hide door, which
glides away under the oven, allowing you
to easily check on your bakes. Meanwhile,
CircoTherm technology allows you to cook on
three levels at once and still get even bakes.’
Sue Flowers, Neff, BSH Home Appliances

Scion Spike mini silicone
spatula in Sage,
£4.50, Dexam

Space-saving and stylish,
this stackable set includes a
cocotte, braiser, pan and lid
made from enamelled cast iron.
It’s suitable for ovens as well
as all hobs, including induction
Stackable cast iron pot set, £279
for a two-piece set, STAUB

Red, White
and Blue
stripe oven
gloves,
£25, The
Stripes
Company

Samsung NQ5B4553FBS built-in single
oven with microwave, around £429
With a 50-litre capacity, this oven has plenty
of room for baking and can also be used for
grilling, defrosting and microwave cooking.
It can also be controlled via the SmartThings
app, and will recommend personalised
recipes and even create a shopping list and
weekly meal plan for you.

Hoover H-Oven 500 HOC5S047INWIFI
built-in single oven, £398 at B&Q

R

Tony McCarthy,
commercial director at
Crown Imperial

DL
OVE

‘An organised
larder is a must for a
keen baker, offering flexible
storage for small appliances
and kitchen essentials, all close
at hand, ready to create your
next masterpiece.’

C U PBO

A

A double-fronted
pantry is a smart
storage solution
for keeping all your
baking essentials in
one place. Use the
inside of the doors for
spices and packets,
and keep the stand
mixer and other small
appliances neatly
tucked away – this
keeps the worktops
free for making pastry
and kneading dough
Midsomer pantry in
Grey Aqua, £5,722,
Crown Imperial

This oven has a large 70-litre capacity and
11 functions, including fan-cooking for an
even temperature throughout, perfect for
cakes, bread and traybakes. Added benefits
include an H20 cleaning system that uses
water and heat to dissolve food residue –
ideal for messy bakes.

Haier Oven I-Touch Series 6
HWO60SM6T9BH, around £729
With pyrolytic self-cleaning, an interactive
touch screen and connection to an app that
gives you recipes and video step-by-steps,
this oven is ideal for tech lovers. Climatech
technology creates uniform results every
time, while the soft+ climate feature is ideal
for cakes, bagels, croissants and pastries.

BATHROOM IDEAS

UNWIND IN THE

PERFECT TUB
Discover the art of bathing by choosing the right tub
for your space, and learn how a long soak can do
more than just wash away the day

Floor-mounted brassware is a luxe
option for freestanding tubs. A
smart, sleek design like this would
work in harmony with a modern
bath with a smooth, seamless design
Satinjet Wai floor-mounted bath shower
mixer, £703.30, Methven

50

yourhomestyle.uk

BATHROOM IDEAS
Choose from
white or black
levers for a
vintage aesthetic
JTP Grosvenor lever
Chrome wall-mounted
bath filler, £287,
Sanctuary Bathrooms

Add a bit of luxe
to your space with
a curved, doubleended bath. Backto-wall baths give
added flexibility
when it comes
to taps, making
wall-mounted,
deck-mounted or
floor-standing all
viable options
Stafford Essential
1700mm back-towall bath, £399.99,
Bathroom Mountain

W

hen it comes to choosing a new
tub, there’s not a ‘one-size-fitsall’ solution. Some will need
a hardworking tub to withstand excitable,
splashing kids, while others might want
something much more serene and spa-like.
Whatever your needs, there’s something
to suit you, and the floorspace you have
available. Don’t instantly disregard anything
before speaking to a professional, as there’s
often a solution – compact freestanding baths,
or walk-in shower baths, for example – that
could fit into your space. And once you have
that perfect bathtub in place, learn how to
make the most of your bathing experience,
whether you want to relax your aching bones,
soothe sore skin, or refresh your mind…
Panelled baths can be just as stylish
as their freestanding counterparts.
Choose panels in the same material as
the rest of the furniture for a seamless
aesthetic, or create your own panels
for endless colour and texture options

EXPERT TIP
‘Wall-mounted bath-fillers
are a great choice, as they’re
designed to support an
understated look that is both
space-saving and minimal’

David Boddy, product
manager at Abode

Float away
with a heady,
scented
bath oil
Rose,
Sandalwood &
Bergamot bath
& body oil,
£15.95, Shaloah
Skincare

Soak bath
mat, £35,
Oliver Bonas

Edsvalla
soap dish,
£3.99, JYSK

This classic crossheadstyle bath mixer has a
contemporary edge with
its sharp, streamlined
design. It will look right
at home in either a
modern or traditionalstyle bathroom
Serenitie wall-mounted 3-hole
basin and bath mixer in
Antique Brass, £525, Abode

September 2024

51

Feature Laura Higgins

Calm fitted bathroom furniture in Mineral
Blue, POA, Tavistock Bathrooms

BATHROOM IDEAS
There are plenty of walk-in bath options on the
market, but this one is super compact, offers a deep
soak experience, and has an integrated seat for ease of
use. A perfect choice for those with reduced mobility
Milton luxury mini walk-in 1060mm easy-access deep-soak bath,
£2,388, Victorian Plumbing

Just the spot for a candle
and your favourite book
Bath rack in Natural, £13,
Online Home Shop

Clarke & Clarke William
Morris Willow Boughs velour
bath towel, £24, Next

Think carefully about
the layout when choosing
a freestanding bath in a
compact space. Try to leave
about 10cm around the
bath for easier cleaning and
maintenance, and to help
make the room appear larger
Stafford Essential 1700mm
back-to-wall bath, £399.99,
Bathroom Mountain

A Victorianstyle tub will
slip right into
a Regencycore
scheme! The
joy of a slipper
bath is the
raised, sloped
end, which
makes for an
ultra-comfy soak
Orchard Dulwich
Navy single-ended
slipper bath and
tap pack with Matt
Black ball-and-claw
feet, 1550mm x
750mm, £1,014,
Victoria Plum

52

yourhomestyle.uk

Give your day a boost
with an uplifting scent
Cedarwood & Citrus scented
candle, £35, ARRAN

BATHROOM IDEAS
Keep all your bathtime
essentials to hand with a
trolley or butler’s tray located
within reach. A butler’s tray
is extra convenient if space
is tight, as it can be folded
away when not in use

̭D'ZD
BENEFITS
g;DHa<

Hambledon butler’s tray, £150,
Garden Trading

We all know that a warm
bath can ease muscles and
soothe the mind, but Dr
Barbara Kubicka, founder
of The Bath Project, says
that bathing goes beyond
that and is more than a
routine activity, with many
health benefits. Here are a
few ways Dr Kubicka says
we could be reaping more
rewards from a good soak…

Improved circulation
‘Warm water can improve
blood circulation, which
helps to deliver oxygen and
nutrients to your muscles
and organs. Gently massage
your limbs while in the bath
to stimulate blood flow
further, and help relieve
muscle tension’

P- or L-shaped baths
provide more space at one
end for when your bath is
doubling up as a shower
– P-shaped just being
curvier than the more
angular L-shaped version.
Both can be found in a
left- or right-hand design
Drench P-shaped showerbath with front panel and
shower screen, 1700mm,
£349.99, Tap Warehouse

#äőĩŰĆƈÚÁőĆĩĢ
‘Bathing in warm water
can help your body release
toxins. Epsom salts contain
magnesium sulphate, which
can help draw out impurities
from your body and leave
you feeling refreshed’

EXPERT TIP
‘Consider a back-to-wall
bath if you’d like to save
some space while still
maintaining the same allure
of a freestanding bath’

Skin health

Ruth Foster, interior
design expert at
Victoria Plum
This tiny tub could
be an option in a
compact space
Snowden 1300mm
small freestanding
bath, £699.95,
Victorian Plumbing

‘Adding natural ingredients
like oatmeal is soothing for
the skin and can help with
conditions like eczema, while
coconut milk contains lactic
acid, which gently exfoliates
and moisturises’

Mental clarity and
mood enhancement
‘Quiet time can be an excellent
opportunity for mindfulness
and meditation. Use
peppermint, eucalyptus and
black pepper essential oil to
heighten your mood, and play
soft music and light candles
for increased relaxation’

Better sleep

A shower attachment is
handy for hosing down the
bath, and the kids!

‘A bath an hour or two before
bed can signal that it is time
to wind down, improving your
chances of enjoying a more
restful sleep. Keep your bath
at a comfortable temperature
(between 38-41°C) and avoid
very hot water, as that can be
stimulating. Add lavender
and melissa essential oil, as
well as magnesium flakes, to
your bath to help calm the
nervous system.’

Imola bath & shower mixer in Black,
£289, Calypso Bathroom Furniture

September 2024

53

SEND US
YOUR DECOR
DILEMMAS AT
podcast@your
homestyle.uk

EAC H EP ISO D E, W E A NS W E R YO U R Q U E S TI O NS
AB O UT EV ERY S TAG E O F D E C O R A ND D I Y
– FR O M MA P P I NG O U T A M A K E OVE R TO
P IC KIN G T H E P E R F E C T F I NI S HI NG TO U C HE S

M

IBE

, INTER

IO

HOME

UR

O

O

ITE R

WR
S

TR

R

ITO R

ED

ESTY E
L
M

O

E

S

D Y, H O

W

RA

M EL SH ER

G

H

E

A

, H

HANN

, E DITO R

L

IG

EL

D

H

MICH

K IR STIE

U

OD

, E DIT O

R,

Y

HOMES
Take a peek inside reader homes filled with stylish
finds and creative decorating ideas

Emily has given her home of over 20 years a new
lease of life thanks to her love of vintage pieces

56

Laura shows us around her home, which has a
perfect combination of modern and original features

78
68
PLUS IDEAS TO STEAL

67
89
See Sharna’s luxurious family home renovation, which
she achieved on a budget and project-managed herself

77
September 2024

55

REAL HOME

Cool & cosy terrace

‘I’ve blended period
charm and modern style’
After buying a bland former-rental property, Laura Gibson has opted for
a rich, cocooning palette that helps its original features shine

H

aving previously each owned their
own homes, Laura and her partner,
Jonathon, decided to pool their
resources and buy a property together.
‘We really wanted a period property in a
conservation area in The Wirral,’ says Laura.
‘There are quite a lot of old houses in the area
but, after looking for six months, there wasn’t
much coming onto the market.’ Jonathon’s
house in Liverpool sold first, so they were
crammed into Laura’s little flat nearby, feeling
increasingly frustrated. ‘We even put letters
through people’s doors, but nobody replied.’
Finally, after a long wait, the perfect threebedroom Victorian house cropped up in their
favourite location. ‘It was love at first sight,’
says Laura. ‘As soon as I opened the door
and saw the original floor tiles, stained-glass
and old brass doorbell, I thought: “This is
the one.” It had a really nice feeling about it,
even though it had been rented out and was
painted magnolia and grey throughout.’

This house had the beautiful period details
Laura and Jonathon had been searching for

56

yourhomestyle.uk

REAL HOME
STRAIGHT TO WORK

KITCHEN
Painting the magnolia-coloured
kitchen cupboards in a two-tone style
has given depth and definition to the
space. ‘We’d love a new kitchen, but
it’s so expensive,’ says Laura. ‘The
updates we’ve done will extend its life
for a bit longer’
OUR MUST HAVES Kitchen units painted
in Kitchen cupboard paint in Oyster and
Natural Charcoal Black, £24.99 for 750ml,
Rust-Oleum. Reeded-glass pendant light,
from £168, Spark & Bell. Nordviken bar
stool in Black, £75, IKEA. For similar glass
film, try the Reeded-glass ½” window
film, from £14.75, Surface Designs

‘As soon as I opened the door and
ʼnÁūőĂäĩŅĆúĆĢÁěƉĩĩŅőĆěäʼn͡ʼnőÁĆĢäàúěÁʼnʼn
ÁĢàĩěàÙŅÁʼnʼnàĩĩŅÙäěě͡HőĂĩŖúĂő
This is the one.’

COME ON IN. .
WE ARE Laura Gibson, 36, advertising
operations manager at a Premier League
football club, my partner, Jonathon
Cantwell, 39, a civil servant, and our
one-year-old daughter, Ada.

OUR HOME IS a three-bedroom,
mid-terrace Victorian house in The Wirral,
which we bought in November 2020. You
can see more of my decorating journey
@thevictorianterracehouse on Instagram.

MY BEST IDEA was painting the ceilings
in colour. Most people paint them white
and forget they’re part of the room, but it
just changes a space so much.

MY FAVOURITE ROOM IS the kitchen,
even though it’s not new. It’s such a nice
open-plan space for entertaining.

GROUND FLOOR
Dining room

Kitchen

Living room

FIRST FLOOR

Bathroom

Bedroom
Bedroom

Nursery

September 2024

57

Feature Karen Wilson Photos Katie Lee

The next few months were spent excitedly
compiling Pinterest boards and buying new
furniture. ‘Everyone kept saying I should
wait in case the sale fell though,’ admits
Laura. ‘But I was optimistic and couldn’t help
myself.’ Luckily, the sale went smoothly and
the couple booked two weeks off work after
moving in to start work on the house, tackling
the living room first.
As well as ripping up the carpet and laying
new flooring, they had alcove cupboards
fitted and opted for a green and pink colour
scheme, with black and yellow accents. ‘I was
thinking about keeping the floorboards, but
they weren’t in a very good condition, and it
was really draughty and cold,’ says Laura. ‘We

REAL HOME

RAISE A GLASS
Transform glass cabinets
with reeded glass film,
which can be stuck to the
inside – ideal if the contents
of your cupboards aren’t
all display-worthy!

‘The range cooker was already
here, and we’ve kept the offwhite tiles as they go really well
with the colour of the walls and
the cupboards,’ says Laura

58

yourhomestyle.uk

Laura replaced the old, curved silver
handles with brass ones that tie in better
with the reeded-glass film on the glazed
wall cupboards. A complementary brass
tap finishes off the new look

DINING AREA
‘When we viewed the
house, they had massive
furniture in here, which
made it feel small, so we
were surprised to find
it’s actually a decentsized room,’ says Laura.
‘We chose benches that
can be tucked under the
table, which enhances
the sense of space’

‘I really liked the idea of
having a black kitchen, but
I wanted to keep the top
units lighter as the room
can be quite dark, even
though we’ve got really big
windows,’ says Laura. ‘It
stops it feeling too imposing’

OUR MUST HAVES
For similar, try the Hoxton
2m dining table, £459,
and Hoxton bench, £440,
both Aldiss. For similar, try
the Calia low shelving unit
in Oak, £349, John Lewis
& Partners. William Morris
honeysuckle 30x40cm
poster, £15.95, Poster
Store. For similar, try the
Essentials round 70cm
mirror, £35, Dunelm

chose smoked oak Karndean flooring, as
the richer, dark shade has a similar look to
old floorboards.’

COLOUR CONFIDENCE
In her previous flat, which also had an
original fireplace and high ceilings, Laura
had painted the living room a dark navy. She
found that it made the room feel larger, rather
than shrinking it, which emboldened her to
try a dark colour here as well. ‘I had intended
to paint the whole room dark green, but
settled on painting just one wall,’ she says.
‘It’s a very dark room and I felt it would
probably absorb some of the light. Keeping
the other walls white makes more of a feature
of the fireplace.’
The main bedroom was next in line for a
makeover. ‘It was painted in 50 shades of grey
that didn’t match, and had spotlights all over
the ceiling,’ says Laura. ‘So we removed them,

September 2024

59

REAL HOME
installed a single pendant and had the ceiling
skimmed. The fireplace was also painted in
thick white gloss, so we stripped it and used
an iron paste to restore the black colour.’
Inspired by @thehousethatblackbuilt on
Instagram, Laura decided to paint the ceiling
off-black. ‘Jonathon called it the goth room,’
she laughs. ‘He really wasn’t sure at first, but
I told him to trust the process and he really
likes it now.’
As with many old houses, there were a
few unexpected challenges to contend with
along the way. ‘A few months after moving
in, we noticed an awful smell by the sink,’
recalls Laura. ‘The house had been empty
for over a year, so everything in the drains
had solidified, causing a mini fatberg. At one

point we had sewage under the decking, and
some of the kitchen floor tiles came up. We
ended up getting the whole garden dug up
and the damp course re-done.’

FINDING THE FLOW
The debacle prompted the pair to embark
on a mini kitchen makeover much sooner
than planned. ‘We dug up the floor ourselves,
taking it back to the original quarry tiles,’ says
Laura. ‘Although we did try and save them,
they were too damaged, so we decided to lay
wood-effect LVT instead. Previously, the
downstairs felt disjointed, with carpet in the
dining area and tiles in the kitchen, so laying
the LVT flooring throughout has helped to
unify the space.’

LIVING ROOM
Laura and Jonathon chose the sofas before
they moved in. ‘I’ve always loved pink
and green together – the colours really
complement each other,’ says Laura
OUR MUST HAVES For similar, try the Zoe velvet
three-seater sofa in Bottle Green, £699, Dunelm.
Wall painted in modern emulsion in Duck Green,
£63 for 2.5L, Farrow & Ball. Ilaria cluster pendant,
£359, Next. Vintage banana tree and magnolia
50x70cm posters, £22.95, Poster Store. Botanical
Pattern No1 50x70cm print, £29.95, Desenio

RULE OF THREE
A set of three
complementary prints is
a fail-safe option for the
wall above a sofa. Hang the
busiest print in the centre
as the focal point

REAL HOME
‘When it comes to cushions, I quite like a clashing print,’
says Laura. ‘I think it’s more important to have one colour
running through for continuity, but it doesn’t matter
about matching the prints so much. I’ve also added in
a few yellow cushions as a third accent colour’

After trying four or five
tester pots, Laura finally
found the perfect shade of
green on Farrow & Ball’s
website. ‘I just went ahead
and ordered it without even
getting a tester pot,’ she
says. ‘I just knew that was
the one and went for it’
Laura believes the hearth
tiles are original, but the
Art Deco-style tiles on the
side panels are probably
replicas that were laid
when an electric fire was
put in. ‘The pendant light
was inspired by one of my
favourite Italian restaurants
in Liverpool that has lots of
multicoloured chandeliers
everywhere,’ she adds

September 2024

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REAL HOME
The kitchen ceiling, which featured plastic
panelling and 40-plus spotlights, was another
major bugbear for Laura. ‘It looked like a
spaceship,’ she says. ‘So, we took it down, had
it skimmed, installed just nine spotlights, and
reinstated the coving.’ Finally, the existing
units were repainted and given new brass
handles for the perfect finishing touch. ‘In the
future, I’d love a big pantry cupboard with
double doors, where we could have the small
appliances hidden away, but the space works
well for now,’ Laura says.

VICTORIAN STYLE
Although the kitchen was more of a quick
fix, the pair started from scratch in the
bathroom. ‘It had the same tiles from floor to
ceiling, and another plastic ceiling with lots
of spotlights,’ says Laura. ‘Although we didn’t
change the layout, we’ve replaced the tiles and
suite, as well as trying another dark colour.
An olive green shade has been used on both
the walls and ceiling to create a cosy space.
‘I wanted it to look a bit more Victorian to tie
in with the age of the house,’ says Laura.
Once the bathroom was finished, Laura
found out she was pregnant, so transforming
the third bedroom from a dressing room into
a nursery was their next priority. ‘We were
planning on having a break from DIY, but

BATHROOM
The daisy mosaic floor tiles were the starting point
for the new bathroom. Laura had seen them online
and in several restaurants over the years. ‘I just love
them and have paired them with classic subway
tiles, finished with a border,’ she explains
OUR MUST HAVES Duke Black 1695 double-ended
roll-top bath, £499.95, Victorian Plumbing. Mono Hex
porcelain mosaic daisy tiles, £149.92 per sq m, Ca’ Pietra.
Walls painted in matt paint in Green 05 Rome House, £45
for 2.5L, Lick. Burlington Chalfont 750 vanity unit in matt
Black with basin and Gold legs, £958.30, Easy Bathrooms

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‘I knew I wanted
a dark colour on
the walls,’ says
Laura. ‘At first I
was thinking of
a brown colour,
which morphed
into a muddy
green, and then a
dark green. I took
it onto the ceiling
as well, which just
finishes off the
space a bit more’

REAL HOME

‘My best idea was painting the
ceilings in colour. Most people
paint them white and forget
they’re part of the room, but it
just changes a space so much’
GUEST BEDROOM
‘My old bed from my previous flat has
found a new home in here,’ says Laura.
‘And the bedside tables were in my
parents’ home, so they passed them on
when they moved house. They’re good
for a bit of extra storage’
OUR MUST HAVES For similar, try the Abbey
metal double bed frame, £349, Dreams. Linenblend cushion covers in Red/striped, £9.99
each, H&M Home. Vindkast pendant lamp,
£29, IKEA. Piece of Nature posters, from £9.95,
Poster Store. Ceiling painted in matt paint in
Pink 13 Nashville House, £45 for 2.5L, Lick
‘We had alcove wardrobes fitted by
Sharps, as my sister recommended
them,’ says Laura. ‘The Grand
Budapest Hotel is my favourite film,
so my parents got me the poster on
the fireplace for my 30th birthday. It
goes really well with the pink ceiling’

September 2024

63

REAL HOME
MAIN BEDROOM
Laura chose this black and rattan furniture as
it’s classic and will stand the test of time. ’The
curved edges really caught my eye – I thought
it was a little bit different,’ she says
OUR MUST HAVES Walls painted in chalky
emulsion in Royal Circus; ceiling painted in chalky
emulsion in Zeitgeist, both £45 for 2.5L, Craig &
Rose. Black Catalina king-size metal bed frame,
£390, Next. Ankhara double wardrobe, £1,199;
and chest of drawers, £799, both MADE.com
Black details, such as picture frames, tie the look
together and complement the shade Laura chose
for the ceiling. The New York map on the restored
fireplace is one of many travel mementoes dotted
about the house. ‘We like to buy something from
each place we visit,’ says Laura

‘It was so homely and had a really nice feeling
about it, even though it had been rented out and
was painted magnolia and grey throughout’

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REAL HOME

LEARNING CURVE

it wasn’t to be!’ she laughs. ‘We decided to
take out the L-shaped mirrored wardrobes,
which dominated the room, and have new
wardrobes fitted in the guest bedroom
alcoves instead.’

Furniture with
curved edges will add
softness and give a
relaxed, calm feel to
a bedroom

BOLD & BEAUTIFUL

Make this!
See p66

By this point, Laura had become a big fan
of painted ceilings and decided to go for
pink in the guest bedroom, as a contrast
to the darker, neutral tones in the main
bedroom. Having rejected several tester
pots that were ‘too much of a bubblegum
shade’, she settled on a salmon pink that
hit the spot. ‘It’s my mum’s favourite colour
as well, so it’s nice for when she comes to
stay,’ she adds.
Now that every room has been
transformed, the house works perfectly
for Laura, Jonathon and baby Ada. ‘We’ve
pretty much got exactly what we wanted,’
says Laura. ‘My mum always said I’d want
a drive and a bigger garden when I had a
baby, but I’m definitely not done with this
house yet. I love it so much – especially the
history and the character. It feels like people
have been happy here in the past, and now
it just feels like home for us.’

These bedside tables from H&M work well with
the other rattan and black furniture, while the
old Victorian-style bed frame suits the age of the
house. ‘I wanted it to feel like a nice hotel, and for
it to be a really cosy, grown-up space,’ says Laura

NURSERY
‘I became quite indecisive when I was
pregnant, so we just went for a neutral
colour on the walls,’ says Laura. ‘Now, I
think it’s not really me, so I’ll probably go
more bright and colourful in here’
OUR MUST HAVES Wedmore three-piece cot
bed range with nursery dresser changer and
wardrobe, £899, Mamas & Papas. For similar,
try Jennings natural thermal eyelet curtains in
Natural, from £45, Dunelm. For similar, try Little
Dutch rocking sheep, £58, Scandibørn

September 2024

65

REAL HOME

Make my style

RATTAN bedside table
Make an old bedside table look brand new with this simple rattan
insert hack inspired by Laura’s design

SHOPPING LIST
OBedside cabinet with drawer Otape measure
Opencil Ojigsaw Ocombi drill Oorbital sander
Oold rag or kitchen cloth OBlack gloss paint
Opaintbrush Oscissors or craft knife Onatural
rattan webbing Ostaple gun and staples Othin
decorative wooden beading Omitre block Oglue
gun OBlack finger edge pull handle

‘I chose rattan and black furniture
as it’s a classic look and a colour
that will stand the test of time’

How to..

1

Take the drawer out of your bedside cabinet.
If possible, remove the front of the drawer. Use
a tape measure to mark a 1.5cm frame around the
outer edge of the drawer front – you’ll be using
this as a guide to cut out the central section for
the rattan insert, so ensure this doesn’t overlap
with the sides of the drawer. If so, adjust the
measurements accordingly.
Drill a pilot hole at each corner of the frame,
then use a jigsaw to cut along your marked lines.
Sand the cut edges smooth.
Use an orbital sander to sand the surface of the
cabinet and the drawer to remove any old paint or
varnish and provide a key for the new paint. Wipe the
surface clean with a damp cloth to remove any dust.
Ensure the surface is clean and dry, and apply
two coats of Black gloss paint to the cabinet and
drawer, allowing it to dry thoroughly between coats.
Using sharp scissors or a craft knife, cut a
sheet of natural rattan webbing to measure 2cm
larger all the way around than the aperture in the
cabinet drawer.
Place the webbing across the back of the
drawer aperture and secure it in position using a
staple gun, making sure you keep it straight and taut
as you work. Once it is secured in place, trim away
any excess.
Next, measure the height and width of the
drawer aperture and cut four lengths of beading
to fit around the inner edges of the aperture, making
sure you mitre the corners at a 45º angle to ensure a
neat, professional finish.
Glue the beading into position using a glue
gun. Once this is secure, attach a slimline Black
pull handle to the upper edge of the drawer, then put
the drawer back into the main unit to finish.

2
3

4
5

7

8

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yourhomestyle.uk

If black furniture
your thing, choo seisn’t
colour to suit you a

Project Anna-Lisa De’Ath Photo Katie Lee

6

REAL HOME

Steal my style

Happy HUES
Create a homely, laid-back space, like Laura, with cheerful pops of pink
and green, grounded by black accents
Jack three-seat
sofa in Green
velvet, £1,199, Jack
Wills x sofa.com

7

1

WHAT TO PAINT?
You don’t need to take the
same approach to colour in
every room. Paint one feature wall
to draw the eye and create a focal
point; colour-drench (paint your
walls, woodwork and ceiling all the
same) for a cosy space; or go for
a darker ceiling with plain
walls to make a room
feel larger.

2

6

5
3

4

1. Vita Copenhagen Eos pendant light in White, £130, Nedgis 2. Jessa Black oak counter stool, £149, Barker & Stonehouse 3. Hoxton three-seater compact sofa
in Malia Blush Pink velvet with dark feet, £899, ScS 4. Gold metallic bee cushion, £30, Ella James 5. Leona textured matt Black rattan three-drawer chest of
drawers, £99, B&Q 6. Pippa double metal bed frame in Black, £150, Habitat 7. A Trio of Palms art print in Pink, from £10, Maddison Ball Creative

September 2024

67

REAL HOME

Thrifty forever home

‘Our eclectic home tells
the story of who we are’
Rather than selling to upsize, Emily and James Kirk extended their first property
to create a home they love even more than when they moved in 20 years ago

BASKET BOOST
Make use of the
awkward space between
wall cabinets and the
ceiling with matching
baskets for extra
storage

W

hen Emily and James were
ready to get their first place
together, they both agreed that,
rather than renting, it made sense to get on
the property ladder – but the only way they
could afford a house was to buy a project. ‘The
previous owners moved here when it was first
built but hadn’t done any updates, so it needed
a new kitchen and bathroom, plus completely
rewiring,’ explains Emily. ‘But, with three

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‘We’ve never changed the layout as
the flow has always worked really well,
so over time we’ve just refreshed the
room by upgrading the doors, floor and
worktops,’ says Emily

bedrooms, a large garden, and space at the
side for a possible extension, this place had
plenty of potential.’
The couple delayed moving in while the
work was ongoing, spending every weekend

Adding an extension gave Emily’s family
home a new lease of life

REAL HOME
KITCHEN
Emily likes to have
everything within
easy reach. ‘I find that
if I have my cookware
in a cupboard, I tend
not to use it, so I
keep the cake tins
out ready for the kids
when they want to
bake,’ she says
OUR MUST HAVES
GoodHome Balsamita
Matt Grey slab highline
cabinet door, from
£18; GoodHome
Poprock Black & White
mosaic effect vinyl tile,
£16 per sq m, both
B&Q. For similar, try
Mozzafiato Pitigliano
tile, £45 per sq m,
Claybrook Studio.
Innovative Kitchen cake
tins, £36.50 for 3,
Mason Cash

COME ON IN. .
WE ARE Emily Kirk, 43, a visual
merchandiser, my husband James, 50, an
electrician, and our children, Molly, 17,
Daisy, 13, and Leo, seven.

OUR HOME IS a 1950s four-bedroom

‘Being surrounded by
nature is important to me
and this plant has been
with us for 15 years – I love
the way it trails across the
ceiling,’ says Emily

NEXT TO DO I want to install a log
burner in the living room, and to replace
the vinyl-wrapped worktops with quartz.

MY FAVOURITE ROOM We love being
outside and entertaining, so the outdoor
kitchen has been one of our best DIY
projects. I have a small vegetable patch next
to it, so potatoes and veg often go straight
over to be cooked in the oven.

MY TOP TIP Just give it a go! We came
here straight from living with our parents,
so had no DIY experience, but I quickly
realised that we would need to mess up
over three times to cover the cost of getting
a professional in and, realistically, that
won’t ever happen.

GROUND
FLOOR

Bedroom
Bathroom

Feature and styling Lisa Moses Photos Caroline Mardon

‘Our bank manager knew
we’d taken on this project with
a tiny budget, and as he was
ripping out a fairly new
kitchen from his own home,
ĂäĩƅäŅäàĆőőĩŖʼnùĩŅε̠̞̞͡
including the cooker
and fridge’

semi-detached house in Nottingham, which
we bought in May 2004. You can follow
our renovation journey on Instagram
@enchanted._.whispers.

CONSERVATORY
‘We used to have a small
dining table in the kitchen,
which worked when the
children were younger,
but as they’ve grown it’s
been great to have a bigger
space to use,’ says Emily,
who sourced the table
and chairs from Facebook
Marketplace and then
painted them
OUR MUST HAVES
Black Copper brush triple
LED lantern, £29.99, The
Range. Divante White tufted
panel eyelet curtain, £8.99,
Wilko. For similar, try Chester
Charcoal 4-6 seater round
extending dining table,
£750, The Cotswold Company

Kitchen

Lounge

Conservatory

FIRST
FLOOR

Bedroom
Bathroom

Bedroom

September 2024

Bedroom

69

and evening doing as much as they could
themselves. ‘We ripped out the old carpets
and started the reno by knocking through
from the small scullery-style kitchen into the
adjoining dining room to create a familysized kitchen. James is an electrician, so he
replaced all the electrics, while I spent days
removing woodchip wallpaper from the walls
and ceilings,’ says Emily. They then started
looking for a new kitchen, but were quoted
thousands of pounds – way over their budget
– before they had a stroke of luck. ‘Our bank
manager knew we’d taken on this project
Emily loves unique pieces that have their
own stories to tell, like this bureau, lamp
and vase
‘After taking the original fireplace out
we had a gaping hole, so we replaced it
with a plug-in, electric fire,’ says Emily. ‘I’d
love a log burner, but for now this is a lowmaintenance option’

with a tiny budget, and he mentioned that
he was ripping out a fairly new kitchen from
his home, which he offered to us for £200,
including the cooker and fridge,’ says Emily.
‘It was a bit like playing Jenga to work out
the best configuration of the cabinets, but
we based it around the existing utilities to
save money.’

UNEXPECTED COSTS
Although they were able to bag a bargain
kitchen, the couple did end up spending
out on unanticipated repairs. ‘The living
room had an old coal system that ran the
central heating and hot water, but during the
rewiring James hit a pipe, spraying water all
over himself and the room,’ says Emily. After
some investigation, the couple realised the
whole system needed replacing, an expense
they weren’t expecting. ‘We also had to renew
the rotting 1950s wooden windows, which

HΎġĢĩőÁùÁĢĩùƉÁő łÁÚėùŖŅĢĆőŖŅä͠HłŅäùäŅ
ŪĆĢőÁúäłĆäÚäʼnūĆőĂÁʼnőĩŅűÙäĂĆĢàőĂäġ͡ūĂĆÚĂH
ÚÁĢŖłÚűÚěäÁĢàúĆŪäÁĢäūěäÁʼnäĩùěĆùäΎ

70

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REAL HOME
LIVING ROOM
‘I don’t like plain walls and like to create a display,
so this was the perfect spot for the console. I
painted the top dark grey to ground it, and limewashed the shelf above to soften the look of the
wood,’ says Emily
OUR MUST HAVES For similar, try Calem modern
3-seater sofa with cushion back and stud detail in Smoke
Grey, £626.95, Online Home Improvements. For similar,
try Circee console table, £179.99, Wayfair. For similar,
try So’Home Faded Vintage machine washable rug, from
£65, La Redoute

ON REFLECTION
Create a cohesive look on
wall shelving by mirroring
your accessories just like Emily.
Buy duplicates of your favourite
items and add them to each
side of the shelf for that
symmetrical effect

September 2024

71

REAL HOME

A NEW LIGHT
Wall-hung, plug-in
electric lamps are spacesaving and easy to install,
as they don’t need wiring
into the wall, saving you
time, money and
paint!

‘James built the cupboards
using solid wood doors
from old wardrobes in
our previous bedroom. I
white-washed them, then
added the wallpaper panels,’
says Emily. ‘I wanted an
Indonesian wooden carved
headboard, but they cost a
fortune, so I sourced these
carved art panels from
The Range’

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REAL HOME
MAIN BEDROOM
‘I chose the custom-made cherry blossom peel-and-stick mural
to add to the chinoiserie look I wanted in this room. James bought
some wooden trim to make a frame around it. We also have a
projector that pulls down over it, which is perfect for movie night,’
says Emily
OUR MUST HAVES
For similar try Quay Design Carter wall light in Matt Black, £39.98, Indoor
Lighting. Almond Yellow peel-and-stick wallpaper mural, £49.90 per sq m,
Hovia. For similar, try Narmadas decorative wooden panel, £69.95, Sklum

‘I don’t like strong
colour on the walls. I
prefer to keep my
scheme neutral and like
to add interest using
unique accessories
and furniture’

ate into the budget for the carpets, so I used
rugs to cover the bare floorboards while we
saved again,’ explains Emily. But, after seven
months of visiting the house to do renovation
work, Emily and James finally decided to
move in. ‘The house still needed a lot of work
but, as we were getting low on money, we
knew any new works or decorating would be
funded paycheck to paycheck, so we decided
to do everything else while living here,’
says Emily. The couple finished decorating
and then, apart from updating the 1980s
bathroom after their first daughter was born,
they took a break.

STAY OR GO
As their family grew, the couple wanted more
space, so explored the cost of moving versus
extending. ‘We love our home, so we decided
to stay and build an extra room on the side
of the house, while also replacing the old
1980s lean-to attached to the kitchen,’ says
Emily. The couple discovered a company that
supplied the conservatory in pieces, using

EN-SUITE
‘I bought the basin in the
sale, before the extension
was even built, as I knew
we were going to do the
work,’ says Emily, who
chose the star tiles in the
shower to add a punch
of pattern

Make this!
See p76

OUR MUST HAVES
Scintilla Black Star Pattern
45cm x 45cm wall & floor
tile, £21.95 per sq m, Tiles
Direct. For similar, try Scrula
Cream marble washbasin,
£199, Tikamoon. Summit
high rise mono basin mixer
in Chrome, £89.95, Victorian
Plumbing. For similar, try
GoodHome Bonetta seagrass
& Black polyester (PES)
laundry bin, £38, B&Q

Emily made the seat from an old outdoor bench. ‘I bought deep foam
from Dunelm, stapled some fabric over it and finished the look with
upholstery nails. I also sewed the strips of matching fabric along the edge
of the curtain to add a touch of luxury,’ she explains

September 2024

73

REAL HOME
metal steels to crank the structure up to the
level of the house, which was then bolted onto
the side. ‘It’s quite a new concept that gets rid
of the need for concrete foundations and, as
we built it all ourselves, we saved thousands
compared to buying a traditional structure.’
For the side return, the couple initially
expected to create a family room with a WC
and utility but, after having an accident that
damaged her back, Emily decided the best use

‘I let the children
have free rein on
their rooms, and
Daisy wanted a pink
and white scheme,
so we went for Deep
Blush from Valspar on
the walls. I stumbled
across the vintage
silk throw in a charity
shop for £4 and Daisy
was over the moon
with it,’ says Emily

©äěĩŪäĩŖŅĂĩġä͡ʼnĩūäàäÚĆàäàőĩ
stay and build an extra room on the
ʼnĆàäĩùőĂäĂĩŖʼnä͡ūĂĆěäÁěʼnĩŅäłěÁÚĆĢú
őĂäĩěà̧̟̞ʼněäÁĢ őĩΎ

DAISY’S ROOM
‘We inherited the furniture from my mum,
and I love the French elegance it adds to the
simple room,’ says Emily
OUR MUST HAVES
Valspar matt emulsion in Deep Blush, £30 per
2.5L, B&Q. For similar, try Palais multicoloured
bedspread, £40; for similar, try Pampas Grass
canvas, £18, both Dunelm

of the new space was as a downstairs bedroom
with an en-suite.

RECENT UPDATES
The outdoor kitchen was an impromptu DIY
project, but has turned out to be one of the
couple’s favourite spaces to spend time in.
‘James had two weeks off during lockdown
so, on the spur of the moment, we decided to
build the outdoor kitchen,’ explains Emily.
‘He was able to source palettes from work
and, after doing a sketch on paper, he built a
frame and wrapped the bar area around the
pizza oven.’
Emily also felt it was time for an update of
the kitchen indoors, but the units were still
in good condition, so instead she gave the
space a purse-friendly glow-up. ‘I sourced soft
grey doors from B&Q , covered the quarry
floor tiles with peel-and-stick ones, and
replaced the stone splashback with colourful

74

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REAL HOME

INSIDE OUT
Emily has made her
outdoor kitchen feel like
an extension of her
home by using similar
colours and tiles to her
kitchen and dining
space

‘We start using the kitchen and bar in March,
ÁĢàőĂäěÁʼnőĂŖŅŅÁĂĆʼnĩĢƈŅäaĆúĂő͡ūĂäĢūäÚĩĩė
ÙÁėäàłĩőÁőĩäʼnÁĢàĂÁŪäƈŅäūĩŅėʼnΎ
As well as
an outdoor
kitchen, Emily
has created
a covered
patio area
for lounging.
‘Adding the roof
to the decking
has given us an
outdoor room
that can be
used even on
drizzly days,
and it also adds
a bit of privacy,’
she says

patterned tiles.’ She also wrapped the dark
wood worktop with marble-effect sticky
vinyl as a temporary fix, while they save to
replace it with quartz. ‘Living in a home for
this amount of time obviously means there
have been changes, both with the decor and
how we use the rooms, but it’s always been
a reflection of us,’ says Emily. ‘I love the fact
that our home tells the story of who we are
the moment you walk through the door!’

OUTDOOR KITCHEN
‘I love cooking outside and wanted to add
a Mediterranean feel to this space, so secured
the blue and white plates to the wall and
added the colourful patterned splashback,’
says Emily
OUR MUST HAVES Black outdoor multi-function
pizza oven and pizza peel, £179.99, The Range.
For similar, try Furniture Box rattan outdoor egg
chair in Black, £279.99, Robert Dyas

September 2024

75

REAL HOME

Make my style

UPHOLSTERED bench
Take inspiration from Emily with a reupholstered bench seat
finished with a nail trim for a classic look

SHOPPING LIST
OBench Ojigsaw Osheet of 1cm-thick
MDF Otape measure Oblock of upholstery
foam Oupholstery spray adhesive Ofire
retardant wadding Oscissors Ostaple
gun Oupholstery fabric Ocombi drill and
screws Oupholstery nail strip

How to..

1
2

If you’re re-covering an upholstered
bench, first carefully remove the old
upholstery fabric and foam.
Using a jigsaw, cut a piece of 1cm-thick
MDF to the same size as the top of your
bench. Then, cut a piece of thick upholstery
foam to the same size as the MDF and
attach it to the top of the MDF using
upholstery adhesive.
Cut a piece of fire retardant wadding
that’s roughly 10cm larger than the foam
piece on all sides. Lay the wadding out and
place the MDF, foam side down, on top.
Gently pull the wadding over the foam and
staple it to the underside of the MDF sheet,
making sure it is taut and wrinkle-free. Trim
away any excess wadding.
Cut a piece of fabric that is about 10cm
larger than the foam piece on all sides.
Place the fabric right side down, then place
the MDF sheet, wadding side down, centrally
on top of the fabric. Gently pull the fabric over
to the MDF sheet and staple it into position,
again making sure it is taut and wrinkle-free,
folding it neatly at the corners. Trim away any
excess fabric.
Place the bench base upside down on
top of the base of the upholstered MDF
and use screws to attach them together,
making sure all the edges are neatly aligned.
Turn the bench right side up when you
have finished.
Finally, measure all the way around the
bench top and cut a length of upholstery
nail strip to this length. Attach the nail strip
around the bottom edge of the upholstered
seat pad, using the nails supplied, to conceal
the join where it meets the bench base.

f
Tie in the colour ho
your bench wit
complementary
a cc e ssories

3

5

6

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yourhomestyle.uk

‘I prefer vintage pieces with a story
behind them, which I can upcycle
and give a new lease of life’

Project Anna-Lisa De’Ath Photo Caroline Mardon

4

REAL HOME

Steal my style

Collected NOMADIC
Combine eastern influences and contemporary designs with a pared-back colour
palette and plenty of texture, to get Emily’s relaxed look

1

Halvrebene lounge
chair in Natural,
£200, JYSK

UNIQUE PIECES
Create an eclectic mix of
accessories and decor, just
like Emily, with each one
telling its own story while
helping you to create
a new one in your
home

7

6

4

2

3

5

1. Sitting Thai Buddha tealight holder, £19.99, Tenovus Cancer Care 2. Boynton Oriental rug in Blue/Beige/Pink, from £34.99, Wayfair 3. Fara velvet throw in
Olive Green, £115, Idyll Home 4. Candy Ceramics vinyl flooring in Vidimus 578, £10.99 per sq m, Online Carpets 5. Carved four drawer chest, £545, Kayu
Home 6. White & Natural banana twist tiver storage basket, £79, Where Saints Go 7. Light Green glass plant mister, £5.99, Gisela Graham

September 2024

77

REAL HOME

Luxe for less reno

‘I got the designer look
without the price tag’
By project-managing building work herself and shopping around for big-ticket items,
Sharna Currington achieved the high-end look she wanted on budget

W

e loved the first home we bought,’
remembers Sharna Currington.
‘It was a two-bedroom ex-local
authority terrace, and we were surrounded
by a great community. When the children
came along, we decided to apply for a loft
conversion, but it was turned down, so sadly
we knew it was time to move on.’
Sharna and her husband, Raymand,
moved into their new home on 14th February
2018, and Sharna likes to joke that it was
a Valentine’s Day present. ‘I loved the high
ceilings, original fireplaces and the stainedglass windows, and I could also see changes I
could make so that the house could be made
into a beautiful family home,’ she says.
The couple had their work cut out for them
to get it up to scratch, though. ‘The lounge
and dining room were knocked through to

The renovation on Sharna’s house has been
a labour of love, represented by the fact that
her family moved in on Valentine’s Day

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REAL HOME

KITCHEN
’I complemented my Howdens kitchen
design with traditional brass fittings
to give it a more bespoke feel, then
added cheap skirting boards and
kickboards to give the design an
expensive in-frame look,’ says Sharna

‘Most of our budget went on digging
out the garden, removing the mud and
building retaining walls, so I decided to
project-manage the build myself’

COME ON IN. .
WE ARE I’m Sharna Currington, 49, a
home maker, and I live with my husband
Raymand Khan, 50, a claims manager, our
son Armaan, who is 19 and at university,
and our two daughters Anniyah, 14, and
Ambar, nine.

OUR HOME IS a semi-detached, 1930s
house in Luton, Bedfordshire and we
bought it in February 2018. I share my
interiors on Instagram @fix_no_166.

MY BEST BARGAIN my rattan bed. I
couldn’t justify the price of a new one, but
ended up finding it on eBay for only £150.

NEXT TO DO I’d like to make banquette
seating for the wall behind the dining table.
I think it will look great, and also be a better
use of the fairly narrow space.
GROUND FLOOR

Hall

Kitchen-diner

Living room

FIRST FLOOR
Bedroom

Feature and styling Lisa Moses Photos Caroline Mardon

OUR MUST HAVES Chelford handleless
kitchen in Fir Green, POA, Howdens.
Shaws of Darwen Ribchester 800 Belfast
kitchen sink, £758.99, Bradford Bathroom
Company. Emmie bar-height stool in solid
Oak, £149, Dunelm

Hall

Bedroom

Bedroom

SECOND
FLOOR

Bedroom
Bathroom

Dressing
room

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79

REAL HOME

‘The end goal was to
construct an open-plan
kitchen-diner’

MAKE A SPLASH
Take the worktop
material up onto the
splashback to give a
seamless look – a simple
way to create the
luxury vibe

‘The fixtures and fittings are all
different styles – some are aged
brass and some are shiny, and
the cooker is chrome, but not
everything needs to be matchymatchy. I say, don’t be afraid to
mix your metals,’ says Sharna

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SNUG
‘I’m always on the hunt for a bargain
and much of my home is furnished from
eBay or Facebook,’ says Sharna, who
replaced a large ugly fireplace with the
marble surround for £100
OUR MUST HAVES
Muhammad Ali print, from £6.95 each,
Juniqe. Pure cotton striped cushion in Green
Mix, £19.50, M&S. Hand-woven recycled
polyester outdoor rug in Natural/Terracotta,
from £140, La Redoute

DINING AREA
‘We don’t have
electrics channeled
into the ceiling, so the
pendant is simply hung
on a small hook and
plugged into the wall,
so I can take it down
and move it if I want,’
says Sharna
OUR MUST HAVES
Babylon wallpaper in
Papyrus/Willow, £195 per
roll, House of Hackney. Jutlo
woven grass 60cm diameter
ceiling light shade, £99, La
Redoute. For similar, try Pure
cotton gingham tablecloth
in Green, £25, M&S. For
similar, try Corona Black liveedge large dining bench,
£89.99, B&Q

create one long space, but the kitchen was
tiny,’ explains Sharna, ‘and there was a metre
void underneath, so the cold came whistling
through the exposed floorboards.’

FIRST THINGS FIRST
The couple began by reinstating the dividing
wall to create two smaller living rooms.
‘Our daughter Anniyah is autistic, so this
gave us a contained, calm space for her,’ says
Sharna, ‘but the end goal was to construct
an open-plan kitchen-diner that would
ultimately incorporate this room.’ Sharna
initially painted the whole house in Farrow
& Ball’s Ammonite as a base. ‘I didn’t want
to rush into decorating. Instead, I wanted
to sit with the house for a while to see how
it worked,’ she explains, adding, ‘there’s so
much inspiration out there that it’s easy to get
confused and forget what your own style is.’
Sharna’s vision was to add character and
drama by injecting lots of colour and pattern.
‘I’m mixed heritage, but was adopted by

September 2024

81

REAL HOME

a British family, and we used to call my
mum Hyacinth Bucket (from Keeping Up
Appearances) because she loved a very British
look. Growing up, I was surrounded by Royal
Doulton crockery and Axminster carpets, and
I’ve inherited a love of that style, though I like
to mix it up with Eastern influences.’

Sharna added wallpaper
to her bookcase to
complement the prints
she hung on the walls

LIVING ROOM

MOVE ON UP

‘My taste comes from a
real mix of influences – I’ll
have Oriental patterns
sitting in the same room
as William Morris prints,’
says Sharna

Before thinking about the downstairs reno,
the couple decided to do a loft conversion.
‘We wanted an extra bedroom where our son
Armaan could study for his A-levels in peace,’
says Sharna, ‘and when Covid hit, it gave us
all a bit of extra space.’
They then went on to give the bathroom a
complete makeover. ‘It was grubby and so full

OUR MUST HAVES
For similar, try Pennie large
2-seater sofa in Natural
House woven fabric, £1,299,
M&S. Morris & Co Morris
Bellflowers wallpaper in
Indigo/Linen, £80.65 per roll,
House Decor Interiors. For
similar, try Albert Racine 4 art
print, from £13, Fy!

REAL HOME

Sharna’s vision was to add
character and drama by injecting
lots of colour and pattern

of mould that everything needed stripping
out,’ explains Sharna, who chose green floorto-ceiling tiles, a black bath and brass fittings
to buy into the Victorian look she loves. The
couple also taught themselves how to panel
the walls, starting in Ambar’s room, which
was then decorated in shades of pink and
patterned wallpaper.

THE BIG PROJECT
In 2022, the couple began work on the
kitchen reno, choosing to do as much work
themselves as possible. ‘Most of our budget
went on digging out the garden, removing
the mud and building retaining walls, so I
decided to project-manage the build myself,’
says Sharna. ‘I didn’t want to pay the 20%

GOLD RUSH
BATHROOM
Sharna has paired the black bath with opulent
vertical green floor-to ceiling tiles, a design trick
that also makes the room feel bigger
OUR MUST HAVES Microhex White mosaic floor tile,
£7.56 per 26x30cm sheet; Dwell Emerald tile, £72 per sq
m, both Porcelain Superstore. Mini elbow wall fitting
in Antique Brass with 18cm pendant shade in Leopard
Love by Matthew Williamson, £91, Pooky. For similar, try
Camberley traditional bath shower mixer tap crosshead
in Antique Bronze, £149.99, Enki

Toning the black and
green colour scheme
with the brass accessories
adds that extra sense of
luxury, while fitting
in perfectly

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REAL HOME
‘We chose a
panelling design to
suit the traditional
feel of the bedroom,
though as it is an
unusually shaped
room, there was
a bit of trial and
error attaching it,’
says Sharna
‘This is the first
room where I really
went for a bold look
and it paid off’, says
Sharna, who chose
Farrow & Ball’s Green
Smoke ‘because it’s
quite muted and feels
like a hug’

mark-up of costs that come with employing
someone to do it.’
The couple were quoted £10k to take
the pillar out to make the room completely
open-plan but, Sharna says, ‘we couldn’t
justify that amount simply to take a small wall
down, and now I actually like the tiny bit of
separation it gives, as it zones the area.’ Much
of Sharna’s time was spent trying to find the
right product at the right time for the right
price, though she admits to buying the sink
two years before the work even started: ‘It was
a gamble, but it was such a bargain at the time
and looks great in the space so, luckily, it paid
off. I’ve got big ideas, but I have to achieve
them on a budget.’

PERFECT BALANCE
Style your bed
area symmetrically
for a hotel look, with
matching pairs of
prints, lamps and
cushions

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REAL HOME
MAIN
BEDROOM
Sharna chose
floor-to-ceiling
wardrobes for
maximum storage,
and added coving
around the top as
a finishing detail

‘Growing up, I was surrounded by Royal
Doulton crockery and Axminster carpets, and
I’ve inherited a love of that style, though I love to
ġĆŰĆőŖłūĆőĂ'ÁʼnőäŅĢĆĢƉŖäĢÚäʼnΎ

OUR MUST HAVES
Flowers in a Landscape
poster, from £17.95;
Take (Bamboo)
poster, from £17.95,
both Juniqe. Paradisa
wallpaper in OffWhite, £195 per roll,
House of Hackney.
Catherine Lansfield
reversible stripe 100%
brushed cotton duvet
cover & pillowcase
set in Natural, from
£20, Dunelm

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85

REAL HOME

‘The way the extension has brought us together
as a family is priceless, and now we love
őĂĆʼnłěÁÚäÁʼnġŖÚĂÁʼnĩŖŅŪäŅűƈŅʼnőĂĩġäΎ
Sharna chose a traditional-style dark green
kitchen from Howdens and accessorised it
with antique-looking brass fittings, finishing
the look with the bold splashback to add the
wow-factor: ‘something I’m always looking to
inject into every room,’ she says. The family
were crammed in the front living room for
about six months while the kitchen was
installed. ‘We were doing work as and when
we managed to save the next pot of reno
money, so the fear of the budget running out
was real,’ says Sharna.
However, now the work is finished, and
all the rooms have been decorated, Sharna
readily admits that ‘the way the
extension has brought us together
as a family is priceless, and now
we love this place as much as
Paint your panelling
our very first home!’
in the same shade as your
wooden furniture to create
a seamless look. See how
the desk blends in
beautifully

PRETTY IN PINK

AMBAR’S ROOM
‘The bedside cabinets are the same design, but I
painted them in two different colours because they
were originally in different rooms. I like the quirk it
adds, and the colours complement each other,’
says Sharna
OUR MUST HAVES Madara retro oak and rattan bed,
from £650, La Redoute. Kelda wallpaper in Pewta, £59
per roll, Scion. Churchgate Cotes rattan plug-in wall light,
£42, Dunelm. Flower Bunny poster by Sisi and Seb, from
£11.95, Poster Lounge

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yourhomestyle.uk

Sharna gave
Ambar’s room
a Scandi look,
‘as the classic
combination of
soft pinks and
greys with rattan
accessories will
hopefully stand
the test of time’

REAL HOME

ARMAAN’S BEDROOM
Sharna wanted to keep the original
brickwork left behind during the loft
conversion, but building regulations
wouldn’t allow it, so she chose
wallpaper to replicate the look
OUR MUST HAVES For similar, try
Tanlay Dark Red brick-effect smooth
wallpaper, £19 per roll; for similar, try
GoodHome Ghlin Matt Black table lamp,
£15, both B&Q. Lack wall shelf unit in
White stained oak effect, £60, IKEA

September 2024

87

REAL HOME

Make my style

BASKET pendant light
Upcycle a basket into a boho lampshade to create your own statement
light fitting, like Sharna’s

SHOPPING LIST
OWicker, seagrass or rattan basket
Oplug-in long pendant light
cord set Oceiling swag hook
Odecorator’s tape Opaint brush
OBlack acrylic paint Ocraft knife
OPVA glue

ng
Make sure you haough
your light close en
to a power outlet!

How to..

1

When choosing your plug-in
pendant, consider the location of
the socket you’ll be plugging it into, as
well as whether you’d like your pendant
cord to drape, or hang tautly. If you
want it to drape, you’ll need a longer
cord length. Also ensure the hook
you’re using is the right type for your
wall and the weight of the light fitting.
Run a line of decorator’s tape
around the outside of the basket
about 1.5cm in from the bottom edge.
Using a small brush, paint a line of
black acrylic paint around the outer rim
of the basket and allow to dry. Remove
the decorator’s tape.
Using a sharp craft knife, cut a
hole in the centre of the basket
base to the same diameter as the
central threaded section of the pendant
light fitting.
Paint a little PVA glue around the
cut edge of the basket to prevent it
from fraying and leave this to dry.
Unscrew the bottom ring from
the light fitting. Push the top
section of the light fitting through the
base of the basket and then screw the
bottom ring back onto the light fitting
to hold the basket shade in place.
Find the joist in the spot you
want to hang your light fitting, and
install the ceiling swag hook, ensuring
it is close enough to a power outlet,
then carefully hang your light from it to
finish. Attach a bulb to the light fitting.
This shade should only be used with
low-heat LED light bulbs.

2

3

6

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‘The pendant is simply hung on a
small hook so I can take it down
and move it if I want’

Project Anna-Lisa De’Ath Photo Caroline Mardon

4
5

REAL HOME

Steal my style

ECLECTIC dreams
Combine classic furniture with bold colour and dramatic pattern to
get Sharna’s quirky look

7

Chateauneuf rustic
rattan French
bed, from £1,495,
French Bedroom

1

MIX IT UP
When adding print,
buy matching items, such
as pairs of cushions, in the
chosen pattern to create a
symmetrical, hotel-like
look for your home

6

4
5

2

3

1. Grinsbol rattan mirror, £25, IKEA 2. Islington accent chair in Sleek Mustard All Over, £479, Sofology 3. Faith Green gloss wall and floor tile, £37.95 per sq
m, Walls and Floors 4. Matt emulsion in Midnight Garden, £37.58 for 2.5L, Dulux 5. William Morris Pimpernel and Thyme Green panelled cushion cover,
£23.99, Signare Tapestry Design 6. Bobbin table lamp in Pink, £50, Next 7. Crane Garden 3 art print, from £32, FabFunky

September 2024

89

Next month in…

YH

GET
COSY!s,

LOV E S

*All features subject to change

5 real homeg
full of snu
autumnal
st yling
ideas

PLUS Design a luxe kitchen for less • 5 speedy decor projects for autumn • Outdoor
storage solutions • Easy ways to keep your bills down • Hot choc makers on test & more!

Avoid reno regret with our
timeless tips & tricks

Inspiring makeover ideas
for every room

Hearty and healthy:
warming dishes you’ll love

On sale 17th September 2024
11
To subscribe, call 03301 358962 or visit OURMEDIASHOP.COM/ YHP3
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yourhomestyle.uk

IMPROVEMENT

We have all the ideas you
need for your latest makeover,
DIY or upcycling project

DOOR
TO DOOR
Transform the look of your
windows and doors in seconds
– and without a drill – with
the Pasadena Perfect Fit from
California Shutters. They are
specially designed for uPVC
windows, clipping directly
onto their brackets, rather than
within a frame like traditional
shutters. The collection is
available in two shades of
white – Arctic or Cotton
(pictured here) – and comes
with 64mm slats and an offset
tilt rod as standard. Pasadena
Perfect Fit shutters are available
at californiashutters.co.uk and
start from £66 per sq m.

Contents
92 How to improve your EPC
Make your property more energy
efficient with our guide
96 Create a clutter-free hallway
Try these decor ideas to give your
entranceway an upgrade
98 Ask the experts Get your home
office to work harder with our
experts’ help
100 Revamp repair recycle Try the
ancient kintsugi method to repair
old china and create a piece of art
September 2024

91

HOME IMPROVEMENT
Ideal for an older property, these flush solar-thermal slates
collect heat for hot water, and are less obtrusive than panels
For a quote, contact Solex

Highly insulating cork flooring
has a low carbon footprint and
is warm underfoot, helping to
improve a home’s EPC rating

This air-to-water heat pump
includes an indoor unit with an
integrated water tank, no bigger
than a fridge-freezer

UNA Lunar Grey cork flooring, from
£51.90 per sq m, Recork

Altherma low-temperature heat pump
from Daikin

If your home has been bought or rented at any time
since 2007, you can look up the EPC at gov.uk

HOW TO
IMPROVE
YOUR EPC
Follow our eight-step guide to boost your home’s
energy performance rating and slash your bills
mproving a home’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating reduces its
carbon emissions, makes it more comfortable to live in and easier to sell, and can
increase its value. However, as a new study by Rightmove has highlighted, the
biggest motivation for making green changes is to cut our energy bills, which can
vary by thousands of pounds across similar properties with ratings at different ends
of the scale. If your home is one of the 18 million UK properties that needs an EPC
upgrade, here’s what to do...

I
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Replace your boiler
Heating and hot water make up over
half the average household’s energy
use, and a lot of that energy will be
wasted in those with old boilers.
Modern condensing boilers are far more
efficient as they recycle gases that would
otherwise escape up the flue, using them
to heat water. Expect to pay from about
£3,000 including installation, though the
most efficient A-rated boiler can save over
£400 on your annual energy bills, so you’ll
recoup the cost in under eight years. With
fossil fuels gradually being phased out, it’s
worth looking into installing renewable
energy in the form of a ground- or airsource heat pump. Both transfer heat from
outside to radiators or underfloor systems,
with ground-source pumps being slightly
more efficient, but also more expensive.
Air-source heat pumps take up less space
and start from about £14,000.

HOME IMPROVEMENT
‘Check whether
you’re eligible for governmentbacked grants or funding. The ECO4
Funding Scheme offers free insulation,
heat pumps, boiler replacements and even
solar panels; the Great British Insulation Scheme
provides free insulation measures like cavity-wall
insulation, loft insulation, or floor insulation, to
qualifying homes; the local-authority-funded Home
Upgrade Grant helps homes off the gas grid improve
energy-efficiency; and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
offers grants to replace fossil-fuel boilers with
heat pumps or biomass boilers’

r ex
pert says...

Ou

Jon Bonnar, managing director
at Cotswold Energy

Recycled polyester thermal insulation,
currently priced at £30 per 5m roll, Amazon

E1 smart radiator thermostat,
£54.99, Aqara

An EPC provides detailed information about a property’s energy
performance. Buildings are rated from A (the best) to G (the worst),
and over half of UK homes are rated D or below. Individual features
such as the walls, the roof, and the heating system are ranked from
very good to very poor for energy-efficiency – suggestions are given
for changes that could be made to improve them, and the EPC rating
that could potentially be achieved once implemented.
EPCs for buildings in England, Wales and Northern Ireland were
introduced in 2007 and you can look them up on the gov.uk website.
You’ll need one when selling or letting a property as, by law, it must
be shown to prospective buyers or tenants. Currently, landlords are
required to achieve at least an E rating, but this is due to change to
C from 2028. There are no minimum requirements for sellers, but
upgrades are well worth doing, as Rightmove data shows that 75% of
buyers consider the EPC rating, and that boosting it from F to C can
increase a home’s value by up to 15%. EPCs are produced by Domestic
Energy Assessors and valid for 10 years. Find a local assessor online, or
ask your estate agent to do so.

Insulate the walls
Walls account for a third of
all heat-loss in an uninsulated
home, so insulating them is a
key step towards an improved
EPC. Most UK homes built from the 1920s
onwards have cavity walls (two walls with
a narrow gap between). Insulating them
is a job for a specialist installer, who will
inject insulation material into holes drilled
into the exterior wall. Fees are from £700
upwards, depending on location, property
size, and whether it’s detached, semidetached or terraced. Older homes were
generally built with solid walls that can
be insulated either internally or externally,
again by an expert. Internal insulation costs
about £7,500 for a three-bedroom semi,
should be tackled before decorating, and
reduces the floor area slightly. External
insulation is less disruptive and protects the
brickwork, but will set you back £11,000.

Top up loft and
floor insulation
Even if your loft is already
insulated, it might not be
deep enough; ideally, mineral
wool should be laid to a depth of at least
270mm. As long as access is easy, this is a
DIY job: start by placing a layer between
the joists, and a second layer on top, at
right angles. Fit boards over this if you plan
to use the area for storage, making sure
there’s an air gap under them to reduce
the risk of condensation. Alternatively –
or if the loft’s been converted into living
space – get a specialist to slot insulation
boards between and over the rafters (the
roof’s sloping timbers). Check that the floor
at ground-level is properly insulated, too.
Draught-proof it by filling gaps between
exposed boards, lay mineral wool under
a suspended wooden floor, and replace
underlay when installing new flooring.
September 2024

93

Feature Andrea Dean Photo Annington

You can save big money by
only heating the areas in
your home that are being
used. A room thermostat, combined with
thermostatic radiator valves, can help you
do just this. An average-sized house only
requires a single thermostat that switches
the boiler off when the target temperature
is reached. The best position is in the hall
or landing, away from direct sunlight,
though in a larger property you might want
to install two thermostats on different
floors. Thermostatic valves on each radiator
allow you to control the temperature in
every room to suit your needs – you might
want the bathroom and living room to be
warmer than the bedrooms, for example.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, these
controls typically cost £860 to install, but
lead to savings of over £100 per year.

Operate the heating remotely in
every room, with easy-to-use smart
radiator thermostats

WHAT IS AN EPC?

Sustainable upgrades have brought these former
MOD officers’ homes up to the top A rating

Fit new heating
controls

Reduce your home’s heat-loss
by adding insulation between and
on top of the rafters in the loft

HOME IMPROVEMENT
A lightweight alternative to glass, these secondary
glazing panels are invisible from the outside
CosyGlazing panels from Mitchell and Dickinson

Not ready to chuck your gas boiler? Use it in
combination with a hybrid heat pump
E-TEC Hybrid heat pump from Alpha

Make your heating system
more efficient with an app-based
smart-control system that can be
controlled from the house, garden,
office, or anywhere in the world
Thermostat smart heating kit,
from £309, Wiser

An inspiring example for
retrofitters, houses at this
development incorporate heat
pumps, solar panels and batteries
A three-bedroom house at Victoria Gate
in Stafford, with no energy bills guaranteed
for five years, is £287,000, Bellway

Lag the tank
and pipes
For the 45% of UK households
that rely on a tank or cylinder
for storing hot water – either
because they don’t have a combination
boiler, there are two or more bathrooms,
or their water is solar-heated – insulation
is vital to make it as efficient as possible.
Fortunately, this is one of the quickest and
least expensive ways of enhancing your
EPC – tank jackets, which should be at
least 80mm thick, start from around just
£20 and can be fitted in a few minutes.
Once secured in place, it will keep water
hotter for longer, so less energy is required
to heat it. Many people insulate their cold
water pipes to prevent them freezing in
cold weather, but it’s equally important
to lag hot water pipes to help them retain
their heat – especially if they run through
unheated areas, such as an attic.
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Switch to lowenergy lighting
A measure as simple as
swapping old, energyguzzling incandescent bulbs
for efficient LED equivalents also helps to
boost your EPC. LED bulbs use up to 90%
less electricity and last for an average of
50,000 hours (compared with 1,000 for
incandescent bulbs) – so, if left on for 10
hours a day, they will only need replacing
every 13 or so years. They’re suitable for all
indoor and outdoor fittings, are dimmable,
and available in cool-white for a crisp
bright light, warm-white for a cosy glow,
as well as a variety of colours. Look out,
too, for fittings with long-lasting integrated
LED lighting instead of separate bulbs.
These are generally disposed of when the
light eventually goes, though some may be
guaranteed for 10+ years, and may also
have replaceable parts.

Go for doubleglazing
Double-glazing is one of the
most effective EPC-enhancing
measures, as a single-glazed
home loses nearly 20% of its heat through
the windows. Rooms will also be quieter,
as double-glazing insulates against outside
noise, and condensation reduced. Options
include uPVC, aluminium and hardwood
(the most expensive) frames. Check that
your installer supplies British Fenestration
Rating Council (BFRC) energy-rated
windows, which guarantee performance
and quality. And if you’re in a conservation
area or listed building, find out if planning
permission is needed for replacement
windows. You might need to fit secondary
glazing – removable panels on the inside of
windows – instead. These can be a more
affordable option than double-glazing,
which starts at around £500 per window.

ENERGY-EFFICIENT
LIGHTING IDEAS
Shop the light fantastic – these mains-wired LED integrated
lights are an eco choice for indoors and out

2

1
Electricitygenerating solar
panels are most
effective on pitched,
south-facing roofs
with no shade
Solar PV panels from
Kimble Solar

Cavity-wall insulation
is injected into holes in
exterior walls, which are
then sealed. This should be
carried out by an expert

3

Find an installer through the
National Insulation Association

5

High-performance double-glazed windows improve
a home’s looks, as well as its energy-efficiency
These windows are from The Residence Collection

4
7

6

8

Install solar
panels
A big-budget upgrade,
solar panels harvest sunlight
to generate electricity or
heat hot water and, combined with other
EPC-improving measures, help bump up
your home’s rating into a top B or A band.
Installation is usually regarded as permitted
development, so you won’t have to apply
for planning consent. Solar photovoltaic
(PV) panels are required for electricity, and
solar thermal for hot water, and should be
positioned in a sunny spot on the roof. An
average solar PV system is around £7,000,
but excess electricity can be sold back to
the grid or stored in a battery (costing
£6,000+) to use later. A solar thermal
system costs about £6,000, and you’ll need
a cylinder to store the hot water, plus a
conventional boiler for back-up as it only
delivers about 50% of a household’s water.

11

10

9

1 Gold & Green cluster desert island palm 3-pendant light, £200, Rockett St George
2 Lindby Fjella colour-changing ceiling lamp, £129, Lights.co.uk 3 Harp 1-light dome
pendant by Ivy Bronx, £109.99, Wayfair 4 Orion 2-ring polished Chrome pendant, £264,
där lighting 5 Flexi integrated LED wall lamp in brushed Gold, £65, Dunelm 6 Sylvain
1-light Copper pendant by Wade Logan, £182.99, Wayfair 7 Varmblixt White frosted
glass pendant, £150, IKEA 8 Alvin outdoor Black wall lamp, £50, BHS 9 Chelsea solid
Brass outdoor spike light, £189.98, The Soho Lighting Co 10 Smoke Grey helix pendant,
£120, Next 11 Wrap hoop brushed Aluminium ceiling light, £150, John Lewis & Partners

September 2024

95

BUYER’S GUIDE

Create a

clutter-free
hallway
From shoe solutions and coat stands, to handy
baskets and boxes to keep your essentials neatly
stored, we’ve got your entranceway upgrade covered

W

ith ‘big coat season’ nearly upon us,
the entrance to our homes becomes
full to the brim with extra shoes,
clothing and accessories for all the family, so
getting on top of this space now can make all
the difference. Hallways tend to be small and
narrow, so multi-purpose furniture that is both
aesthetically pleasing and practical will make
a worthy addition to this area. We’ve found a
selection of furniture, accessories and handy
solutions to help you streamline your hallway –
so, however big, small or awkward the space, you
can create a calm and welcoming entrance.

How to banish
the chaos
Tired of tackling an obstacle course of
belongings every time you step foot
in the hallway? Then it’s time to cut
the clutter and have a good sort-out.
Start by clearing the entrance of all
belongings, then see if some items can
be re-homed elsewhere, for example
post in the home office, or out-of-season
outerwear in the bedroom or loft. When
you’re left with only the items that need
to be stored here, you can work out the
best solutions to suit your needs.
Simon Glanville, managing director at
A Place for Everything, has this advice:
‘A hallway is such a busy place and a
good way to bring calm to the chaos is
to think vertically. Use wall space where
you can, and opt for multi-use hooks and
hangers for coats and keys. Or choose
low-profile furniture like console units
or shoe benches with storage, to keep it
neat and tidy.’
If redecorating is on the cards too,
choose wipeable paint in warm and
welcoming hues, so scuffs and marks
can be quickly and easily dealt with.
This will help to maintain a clean and
organised hallway that you’ll enjoy
coming home to.

Natural wood and white
finishes pair effortlessly in this
collection. The three-tier shelf
measures H90cm x W72cm x
L25cm, with each shelf holding
up to 13kg. The stool doubles
up as a handy place to perch
to pop on shoes, as well as
offering space inside to store
belongings, while the hooks
are ideal for coats and bags
Bellwood three-tier shelf, £150;
Woodrow storage stool, £160;
Dotsy 7 wall hook, £33, all Umbra

96

yourhomestyle.uk

BASKETS,
BINS AND
CRATES
Contain the mountains of
hallway clutter with a selection
of baskets, lidded boxes or bins,
so that your entrance doesn’t
become a trip-hazard and
everything has its place. Stack
them up, place them on shelving,
or use inside a cabinet to keep
the contents more organised.
These versatile solutions come
in a number of sizes, styles and
colours; plus, with prices starting
from as little as £3.50, they’re
a more affordable solution
for cutting the clutter in this

If space is at a
premium, invest
in this leaning
ladder-style shoe
rack, measuring
H177cm x W55cm
x D37.5cm. With
seven shelves,
there’s enough
space to keep all
the family’s shoes
in order. It can
either be fixed
to the wall with
screws, or use
the silicone pads
provided for a
more landlordfriendly option
Oak leaning ladder
shoe rack, £119,
Futon Company

This ingenious design features
five flip-down wall hooks,
each capable of holding up to
2.25kg. When not in use, the
hooks masquerade as wall art
so you can ensure your space
looks its best at all times. It
measures H17cm x W38cm x
D4cm (set of three shown here)

If space permits, a
freestanding unit
like this is ideal for
decluttering your
hallway. Eight hooks
provide plenty of
space to hang big
winter coats, hats and
bags, while the woven
design and light
colour palette are
sure to complement
existing decor. The
cushioned bench
seat makes a useful
feature, while the
cupboard keeps shoes
neatly out of sight!

Picket 5 wall hook in Aged Walnut,
from £45, Umbra
We love the striking design
of this oak and veneer coat
stand, which incorporates
five hooks to hang coats
and bags, as well as a small
shelf for keys and gloves. It’s
freestanding so can easily be
moved to exactly where you
need it, plus its sleek, fussfree design means it looks
good whether in use or not!

Frances woven hallway
unit with cushion in
Natural, £135.99, daals

Twiggy wooden coat stand,
£125, Habitat

Keep this tall basket by the front door
during the cooler months to catch
gloves, hats and scarves so they don’t
end up on the floor. The natural tones
and texture in the basket’s design will
complement any decor scheme too
Växthus basket, £17, IKEA

Checkered boxes with lids in
Catkin, £10 for 2, Dunelm

Whether you opt for freestanding
or wall-mounted, coat hooks
and stands put the wall space
in entranceways to great use. If
you’re in rented accommodation
and can’t make holes in the walls,
then freestanding solutions are
the best option here. If space
allows, look for coat stands
that incorporate shelving or
cupboards, so that you can store
shoes as well as hanging items. If
you just want to make use of the
walls, a set of hooks is the best
option and often comes with a
more affordable price tag too.

These stackable
plastic boxes
with bamboo
lids look
stylish, and
are easy to
wipe out and
keep clean.
Available
in different
colours, sizes,
and with or
without lids,
you can tailor
your storage
to your needs
with ease
SmartStore
basket with lid,
from £14; basket
with no lid,
from £6, A Place
for Everything

SHOE
STORAGE
Shoes are often unruly and the main culprit
for making an entrance feel messy and
disorganised, but with a whole host of
designs available, there’s no reason why your
shoes can’t be stored in style. Expect to pay
just over £100 for super slimline cabinets
and ladder-style shelving, which are great
for space-restricted areas. If you’re after
something a little cheaper, check out simple
bench-style designs and consoles that can
help tame your footwear.
This storage console measures H80cm x
W70cm x D30cm and its slimline design
offers flexibility for getting organised.
Use the bottom two shelves for six pairs
of shoes, and the top two shelves for
stowing boxes or baskets with smaller
essentials neatly tucked away

If you prefer
to keep your
footwear hidden
from view, this
shoe cabinet is a
great option and
puts wall space in
narrow hallways to
efficient use. The
slimline cabinet
measures H122cm
x W63cm x D23cm
and its three
compartments can
hold up to 18 pairs
of shoes in total

Feature Lara Berry

Bring a hint of colour and
on-trend pattern to your
scheme with these lidded
boxes. They’re ideal for
perking up open shelving
in your entrance and
providing a handy home
for smaller belongings

COAT
HOOKS AND
STANDS

Lena rattan shoe
storage cabinet,
£129.99, VonHaus

Bronx console shoe storage, £85, Next

September 2024

97

ASK THE

experts

How to create the
perfect home office
Our experts solve your most-asked home dilemmas. This month,
we discover easy ways to improve your workspace

My home office is in my living
room – what decor tricks can I
use to separate the spaces?
Lisa Jones
Editorial design
manager
dunelm.com

Lino Notaro
Retail sales
director

Lisa Jones, editorial design manager at Dunelm, offers her advice
on ways to make an office area work in your living space…

Elements Griffin dining
chair, £45; Freddie Black
step up shelf desk, £99;
Boston wool border round
rug in Magenta, from £59;
Bod magnetic rechargeable
table lamps, £25 each;
storage boxes and files,
from £3.50 each,
all Dunelm

‘You can create a separate home office in a living space in a variety
of ways. Use room dividers, like screens or bookshelves, to create a
physical barrier between the two, place rugs or arrange furniture to
create distinct areas. For more visual separation, try colour-coding
or using different wallpaper, with smaller additions like lighting
and wall art to give the different areas their own identity.
Folding desks that you can tidy away at the end of the day are
a smart temporary option; or, for something more permanent,
make use of alcoves and create secret
cupboards with compact desks
like Dunelm’s Freddie Black step up
shelf desk. Also, add stylish storage
Evelyn folding
desk in Black,
solutions that blend with your decor
£49, Dunelm
but hide your office supplies.’

tp-link.com/uk

How can I boost the wi-fi connection
in my home office?
Matt Ousby
Innovation
director
slouchonline.com

Michael
Martin
Architect
architectyourhome.com

98

yourhomestyle.uk

Lino Notaro, retail sales director at TP-Link UK&I, and expert in home connectivity, says…

TP Link Deco
X50 Mesh WiFi6
system, £269.99,
The Technology
Doctors

‘Depending on where your wi-fi router is located, you may need a rangeextender or mesh wi-fi to ensure the strongest connection possible. If
you are struggling to maintain a stable connection, first make sure your
router is placed in a central location, away from obstacles and obstructions
such as walls, or other electronics such as microwaves, which can block
and absorb the waves.
For a budget-friendly solution, I recommend purchasing a rangeextender to help boost the reach of your wi-fi connections. Rangeextenders are a simple and cost-effective solution for home offices, and are
ideal for redistributing connections to areas the router alone can’t reach.
For the fastest and most reliable connections, a mesh wi-fi system will
eliminate dead zones and provide uninterrupted, stable wi-fi throughout
the home. Mesh wi-fi systems are made up of various ‘nodes’ that
efficiently distribute wi-fi using adaptive routing, which automatically
selects the best configuration and bandwidth for your data to deliver the
fastest possible speeds and strongest connectivity. If you work remotely
and rely on wi-fi for virtual meetings, uploading and downloading content,
or connecting to the cloud, mesh wi-fi is your best option.’

COLOUR
FOCUS

Matt Ousby, innovation director at Slouch and
its parent company, The Senator Group, has
been with the company for almost 20 years,
specialising in the design and engineering of
its high-quality products. He says…

Task One office chair
without arms, £269;
Desk One desk, from
£229, both Slouch

‘Since the rise of working from home, back in
2020, more people are finding they have aches and Task One office
which comes in both fixed-height and
pains, with many suffering from the likes of a
chair with arms,
£289, Slouch
adjustable models, and the fully
bad back or sore neck. This primarily comes
customisable Task One chair, which
down to our poor posture when working
has tilt tension, seat height and depth
remotely. When we work in the office, we’re
adjustment, and a moulded seat.
likely kitted out with high-quality office equipment
If your problem area is your neck, it’s also definitely
such as desks, chairs and secondary monitors, whereas
when we work from home, many of us will opt to work worth looking into a monitor-riser paired with a
separate keyboard and mouse, so that if you work
at the kitchen table with just our laptop; or sometimes
on a laptop you can have the screen a lot higher. You
even on the sofa or in bed! This can cause all kinds of
could even look at investing in a second monitor. These
problems for our body and posture.
options will mean you’re less likely to be hunched over
The best thing you can do is invest in a good-quality
looking at your laptop all day.’
remote working set-up. We offer the Desk One,

Can I convert my garage into
a home office?
Michael Martin, architect and co-director of Architect Your Home, and
co-director of Formed Architects & Designers, is passionate about design,
with a vision to make architecture accessible to everyone. He says…
‘Converting your garage into a home office can increase the functionality of
your home and provide a dedicated workspace that enhances productivity.
Make sure to plan carefully and consider all aspects of the conversion, to
ensure a successful project:
PLANNING AND DESIGN Define the purpose of your home office and
plan the layout accordingly. Consider the type of work you’ll be doing, the
furniture you’ll need, and any equipment or storage requirements. Check
for local planning guidelines – you might be able to undertake works under
permitted development, without having to apply for planning consent.
THERMAL PERFORMANCE AND WEATHERPROOFING Garages are
typically not insulated. Therefore, insulate the walls, ceiling, and garage
door to ensure the space is comfortable year-round. Address any potential
draughts or moisture issues. Seal gaps, install weatherstripping, and
consider replacing or upgrading the garage door for better insulation.
ACOUSTICS Install soundproofing materials if noise from outside, or other
parts of the house, is a concern.
VENTILATION AND NATURAL LIGHT If possible, add a window or
skylight to increase natural daylight and ventilation, making sure they
are energy-efficient.
BUDGET Estimate the total cost of the conversion, including materials,
labour, consents, and furnishings, and get a range of quotes from
contractors if you’re not doing the work yourself. You can expect to pay
£15,000-£25,000 for the build, minus the consultant fees, but these costs
are dependent on the finishes you choose.’

When it comes to wall
colours, there are certain
shades that can aid
concentration. We asked
Anjelica Delfino, paint
and interiors expert at
Valspar Paint, for her
expert advice on which
colours to choose to help
you focus your mind…
‘You deserve to work
in a space that inspires
you toward success.
Whether your office
is a tiny nook, a
cluttered spare
room or a
neglected corner
of the living
room, colour
can work wonders
for practicality,
productivity, and
peace of mind.
Colours with
long visual
wavelengths,
like reds and
oranges, can
boost your
attention span,
making them perfect
for study spaces or
home offices. Coral
Curry provides a
cosy, yet bright
Evening Mist,
and stimulating,
Perfect Backdrop
environment.
and Coral Curry,
Pair it with pale
all from £30
blues like Evening
for 2.5L,
Valspar Paint
Mist and neutrals
like Perfect Backdrop
to create a homely but
fresh space.
In our hectic lives, it’s
important to reduce stress by
eliminating visual noise, and
surrounding ourselves with
calming colours that reconnect
us with nature. Use layers
of soft greens and subdued
blues. Offset this palette with
a crisp white desk or pale
woods, and add an abundance
of lush, leafy house plants to
bring the outside in. This will
transform your workspace into
a relaxing and soothing area,
perfect for concentration and
enhanced productivity.’

Feature Lisa Hibberd Photo Architect Your Home

Since working from
home, I’ve developed
a bad neck – what do
I need to change?

September 2024

99

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

REVAMP REPAIR recycle

Repair cracked or broken ceramics with the ancient craft of kintsugi – a
decorative technique using urushi (lacquer), rice glue and metal powder

H

ave you ever accidentally dropped
your favourite piece of crockery and
had to sadly sweep it up and throw
it away? This upcycling project offers you the
chance to bring it back to life with the Japanese
art of kintsugi – a repairing process that makes a
feature of the breakage.

SHOPPING LIST
Cup of water or wet cloth cardboard
or plastic box bleach, if necessary
sandpaper epoxy glue (base and
hardener) small spatula acetone
craft knife epoxy putty and hardener
damp rag urushi disposable gloves
palette gum turps paintbrush
brass powder dusting brush
silk wadding soft sponge

BEFORE YOU START
Make a humid box by placing a cup of water
or a wet cloth in either a cardboard or plastic
box. This is to help the urushi set. The ideal
setting temperature is 20-25°C, with a
humidity of 80%.

3

1

Thoroughly clean the damaged areas and
the entire piece (using bleach if necessary).
Lightly scratch any sharp glazed edges with
sandpaper, to help the urushi to stick. Do not
sand the actual broken edges.
Thoroughly mix together the epoxy
from both base and hardener tubes for
about 1 minute. Apply the glue onto the broken
areas of your pieces, making sure that joints are
compressed tightly together during glueing.
Hold the parts together for 5-10 minutes.
Remove the excess glue using acetone. A
cutter or craft knife can be used to remove any
hardened glue.
Mix the correct amount of putty and
hardener, then reconstruct any chips/missing
areas and any gaps along the glued lines of
your repair. The putty can be smoothed before
it has set, using either a damp rag or a wet
finger. Once the putty has hardened (2-12 hours,
depending on thickness), further shaping can be
achieved with sandpaper.
Urushi is an irritant and therefore it’s
important to wear disposable gloves when
using it. In the event of exposure, wipe and
clean the affected area using oil, then remove
the oil with acetone or simply wash with soapy
water. Place a drop of urushi on a palette; if it
has become too thick during storage, dilute and
mix with gum turps. Apply a smooth layer to the
area with a paintbrush. Any putty or glue that

2

remains exposed on the repair must be covered
with urushi, in order to seal its surface.
Place the urushi-coated item in the
humid box. Urushi can be applied more
than once, but each application is best made
12 hours apart in order to achieve a smoother
surface. Clean any urushi dropped on the work
surface using acetone.
After 15-30 minutes, unfold the packet of
brass powder carefully. Then, dip the tip of
the dusting brush into the powder and gently
dust the powder onto the urushi until the coated
area is fully covered.
Return the item into the humid box and
leave it for 1-2 hours. Take it out, then
shape the silk wadding into a small ball with
your fingertips and use it to gently dust off the
surface of the repair. A light touch is important
– avoid stroking too hard. Return the item to
the humid box for at least 24 hours. Polish the
surface with the silk wadding several times
during this period.
After a week, the urushi should have fully
set. Carefully wash the finished item using a
soft sponge. Any excess urushi and powder can
be removed with acetone. Clean the paintbrush
using vegetable oil, then remove the oil with
acetone. Apply a drop of gum turps onto the
paintbrush to preserve its condition for future
use. There’s no need to wash the dusting brush
or silk wadding.

5
6

3

7

4

8

8

6

100

yourhomestyle.uk

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Iku Nishikawa was born and
raised in Kochi, Japan. She
studied graphic design in Tokyo
and later worked at a fashion
marketing office in Milan. Iku
now runs Kintsugi Oxford,
offering repairs and workshops
in the practice of traditional
kintsugi. You’ll find detailed
tutorials, FAQs and lots more
about kintsugi at Iku’s website
kintsugioxford.com, as well
as all the materials you’ll need.
She’s also on Instagram
@kintsugioxford

Top tip

Although urushi is foodsafe, brass is not. Use
sterling silver or 24ct
gold-leaf powder if you
plan to use the finished
plates for food

Top tip

Project Iku Nishikawa

Kintsugi-repaired
items should not be
put in a microwave or
dishwasher, nor be left
to soak in water or
used to hold contents
with temperatures
above 100°C

September 2024

101

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UPDATES
Get outdoors and give your garden a new burst of life with
our planting tips and project ideas

TUTTI
;H΅''
This understated little
evergreen shrub is in fact a
superstar fruit tree from South
America. Pop it in full sun and
a sheltered spot and watch
it grow up to 2.5 metres.
Each summer it will show
off its flowers – white petals
surrounding a starburst pinkred centre – before bearing its
remarkable fruit in the autumn.
This tastes like a luscious
medley of pineapple, guava
and strawberry – hence its
nickname, ‘the fruit salad tree’.

Contents
104 In your garden this month
What to plant, prune and protect
as we head into autumn

Feijoa ‘the fruit
salad’ tree, £42, The
Gluttonous Gardener

106 Six of the best bulbs for
spring colour Get these spring
flowering bulbs in the ground
now for a colourful start to 2025!
September 2024

103

GARDEN IDEAS

In your garden

THIS MONTH
As summer progresses into autumn, the green vegetation has
begun to morph into vibrant shades of rust, amber and gold

A

Feature Louise Midgley

t any given point in the year, greenfingered gardeners understand the
importance of planning ahead for
future displays. September is the optimal
month to invest in new shrubs, trees
and perennials, as once planted they are
guaranteed a constant supply of rainwater
during winter, enabling them to develop a
strong root system to support their healthy
top growth the following year.

104

yourhomestyle.uk

Other jobs to do now that will reap
rewards in spring include sowing seeds of
hardy annuals, dividing mature clumps of
perennials, and planting up window boxes,
pots and borders with bulbs. You may also
want to add an injection of colour from a few
late-flowering perennials such as Michaelmas
daisies and red-hot pokers.
Give holly, yew, hawthorn, hornbeam and
beech hedges a last prune of the year. If this

Colour isn't just for
summer! Keep your
garden blooming
into the autumn

GARDEN IDEAS
Grow Your Own
• Harvest bumper crops of fruit and
vegetables as soon as they are ripe, while
their flavours are at their peak. Rather than
leaving beds empty over winter, sow crops
of green manure, such as crimson clover or
ryegrass, to prevent weeds taking hold and
to improve the structure of the soil once they
have been dug in.
• Outdoors, make last direct sowings of
radishes, spring onions and lettuces, which

WHY NOT

Diary

should be ready to harvest before the cold
weather sets in.
• Early crops of broad beans for next spring
can be achieved with an autumn sowing of a
hardy variety such as Aquadulce Claudia. Keep
some fleece to protect them from hard frosts.
• Prune blackcurrant bushes that are more
than four years old. Remove the oldest
branches to encourage new stems to sprout
from the base.

Check out any flower shows near you for
inspirational blooms

T

?
RY

If you have
more fruit and
veg than you can
manage straightaway,
freeze them while
they’re ripe to keep
the goodness

At the start of the month, plant Crocus
sativus bulbs in well-drained soil. Harvest
the saffron strands eight weeks later

d g a rd

w e re

- po

e ry

involves stretching up high, balancing on a ladder or
trimming a hedge that is situated a long way from
your property, invest in a battery-powered hedgecutter, which is a lot easier and safer to use than
mains-powered tools with long electrical cords.
Net ponds before the autumn leaves begin to fall,
and remove any decaying foliage from pond plants.
When left in the water, they will break down and
the extra nutrients will encourage the rapid growth
of algae. Continue to mow the lawn regularly, and
administer an autumn lawn feed if it is looking a
little lacklustre after extra wear and tear during
the summer months. Autumn lawn feed contains
potassium and phosphates, which help strengthen
root growth, whereas a spring feed is high in
nitrogen to promote lush green top growth.
With cooler nights on the horizon, move
houseplants back inside and check for any
hitchhiking insects that may be hiding on the pots
or underside of the foliage.

e n po w e r t oo l s

Battery-powered hedge-cutters are much safer and
easier to use than corded alternatives
18v EasiCut 450 hedge trimmer, £89.99, Flymo

Don
’ t ge

t y o u rs e l f i n a t a n g l e

ba
y
! Tr

September 2024

tt

105

GARDEN IDEAS

1.
SIX OF THE

BEST

Bulbs for
spring colour
From late winter across spring, flowering bulbs
play a vital role in the natural world by providing
food and shelter for a wide diversity of living
creatures. They add colour, scent and beauty to
our gardens and, once planted, need little care and
attention. Mature clumps can be divided every few
years to ensure they remain floriferous

1.Narcissus ‘Golden Dawn’

You can have daffodils flowering in your garden from
December through to April if you invest in a few select
varieties. ‘Golden Dawn’ produces up to five sunshineyellow scented flowers on each stem during April.

Daffodils make
for fantastic
container displays

2.

2.Anemone blanda
3.Tulips

Available in a rainbow of colours, with the exception
of true blue, tulips pack a punch in spring. Bury them
deeply in the ground to give them the best chance of
reappearing the following year and also to prevent
squirrels digging them up.

4.Hyacinths

These colourful bulbs make great specimens for
containers and front of the border, where they can be
appreciated for their powerful perfume that hangs on the
breeze. Wear gloves when planting hyacinth bulbs, as they
can irritate bare skin.

5.Muscari ‘Valerie Finnis’

The bulbs of muscari spread quickly and are tolerant
of most soils and climates. Once established, they produce
a mass of strappy foliage in autumn, before sending up
dense towers of powdery blue flowers in early spring.

6.Erythronium ‘Pagoda’

As a recipient of the RHS ‘Award of Garden Merit’,
this bulbous, perennial plant can be relied upon to make
an appearance year after year when grown in moist soil
and partial shade. Once planted, cover the area with a
layer of organic mulch.

106

yourhomestyle.uk

Y

T TRY?
NO

H

Spring
bulbs grown
in pots can be
decanted into borders
once they have finished
flowering, but leave their
foliage to die back
naturally to feed the
bulbs for next
year

W

The daisy-like flowers of this low-growing spring
bloomer can be found in various shades of purple, blue,
pink and white. Before planting the hard little corms
in autumn, soak them in water for roughly 12 hours to
promote speedier growth.

3.

WH
Y

4.
Y
T TR ?
O
N

Order
paperwhite
narcissus bulbs now,
so you can plant them
up in time for Christmas
displays. They usually
take 6-10 weeks
to flower

Give these blooms a
headstart on their
growth with a bath

6.

io l e

t in

y ou r

garden

5.

Try t
his

g’s
o
d
g
n
award-winni

h
toot

v

KEEP YOUR COOL
Spring bulbs need a period of cold weather to break
their dormancy before flowering their socks off. The
majority should be planted from late August to the
end of October. The exception is tulip bulbs, which
are prone to getting fungal diseases if they sit in wet
soil for too long; hold these back until November before
putting in the ground. Plant your spring bulbs in welldrained soil at a depth of at least two to three times
their length.

September 2024

107

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01952 200 444

DRINK
Transitioning seasons doesn’t have to mean food and drink
confusion – get the latest inspiring recipes right here

THAT’S
A WRAP
Summer may be coming to
an end, but you can still enjoy
tasty barbecue food well into
September. These new plantbased Seekh Kebabs from
SHICKEN will get your taste
buds tingling, whatever the
weather! This ultimate lamb
alternative is crafted from
allergen-free pea protein and
a traditional marinade, with
garlic, ginger, green chilli,
garam masala and more. Simply
grill or pop in your air fryer,
then serve with naan and raita
for a delicious dinner – whether
you’re vegan or not. SHICKEN
Seekh Kebab Skewers are priced
at £4.99, shickenfoods.com.

Contents
112 Pick of the crop Seasonal
orchard fruits and nuts take
centre stage in these recipes
117 Eat the season Salads and
bakes to make the most of
fragrant fennel
119 Something to sip Give your
gin a French twist with this
classic Champagne cocktail
September 2024

111

F
O
K
C
I
P E CROP
H
T

Celebrate autumn with
these flavour-packed
dishes that make the
orchard fruits and nuts

PREPARATION
TIME 15 minutes
COOKING TIME
1 hour
SERVES 6

Sausages & lentils with apple & sage
YOU WILL NEED

Oil for cooking 6 well-seasoned
butcher’s sausages 2 tsp fennel or caraway
seeds (optional) 2 large onions, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and roughly
chopped 3 celery sticks, chopped 200g
celeriac, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks

4 garlic cloves, finely sliced 2 tsp sweet
smoked paprika 200g puy, green or brown
lentils 2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves picked
and finely chopped 3 sprigs of thyme
2 tbsp English mustard black pepper
1 tbsp tomato purée 800ml vegetable
or chicken stock 100g kale or cavolo nero,
coarse stalks removed, chopped salt
For the topping 1 large eating apple
12-15 sage leaves

DIRECTIONS
QHeat a little oil in a large flameproof casserole
over a medium heat. Add the sausages and

cook for 5-7 minutes, turning until browned.
Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
QToss the fennel or caraway seeds (if using)
into the pan and fry for a minute, then add the
onions, carrots, celery and celeriac. Cook for 1012 minutes until the veg are starting to soften,
stirring often and scraping up any brown bits
from the sausages. Add the garlic and cook for
another couple of minutes.
QAdd the paprika, lentils, rosemary, thyme,
mustard, and a few twists of pepper. Spoon
in the tomato purée and stir well. Cut each
sausage into 3 pieces and add back to the
casserole. Pour in the stock, then add enough
water to cover. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
QLower the heat and simmer gently,
uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally,
until veg and lentils are tender. Stir in the kale or
cavolo nero and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
QMeanwhile, prepare the apple and sage
topping. Quarter and core the apple and cut

into 3cm chunks. Heat a little oil in a small
frying pan over a medium-high heat, then add
the apple. Fry for 3 minutes until glazed, tossing
occasionally, and season with a pinch of salt
and a twist of pepper halfway through. Tip into
a warm bowl. Add a little oil to the pan, toss in
the sage and fry for 1-2 minutes to crisp up.
QTaste the casserole for seasoning, adding
more if needed. Ladle into warmed plates or
bowls and top each portion with a spoonful
of apples and a few
crispy sage leaves.
Recipe and image
courtesy of How to
Eat 30 Plants a Week
by Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall (£25,
Bloomsbury).
Photography
© Lizzie Mayson

FOOD & DRINK
PREPARATION
TIME 15 minutes
COOKING TIME
20 minutes
SERVES 4

Walnut chilli nachos
YOU WILL NEED

100g California walnuts, plus extra to serve
300g mushrooms 1 tbsp neutral oil 2 garlic
cloves, crushed 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp
chilli powder 400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato purée 400g tin red kidney
beans, drained and rinsed 400g tin black beans,
drained and rinsed salt and pepper 2 tbsp
chopped coriander 350g tortilla chips 50g
grated vegan cheese 200g guacamole 200g
tomato salsa

DIRECTIONS

TOP TIP
For extra spice,
use a Tex-Mexflavoured vegan
cheese

Autumn salad
YOU WILL NEED

150g blackberries 75ml red wine vinegar 1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp caster sugar 400g raw beetroot 300g radicchio 3 ripe
figs sea salt flakes 100g white tahini 1 tbsp lemon juice salt
40g shelled hazelnuts, chopped

QPlace the walnuts in a food processor and mix to a
coarse crumb. Repeat with the mushrooms and mix
into the walnuts.
QHeat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the walnut
mixture and garlic for 5 minutes. Add the spices and
cook for 1 minute.
QStir in the tomatoes, tomato purée and both beans
and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Season, then stir in the coriander.
QPlace the tortilla chips on a large heatproof plate, and
top with the chilli mince. Sprinkle with cheese and grill
for 2-3 minutes. Top with guacamole and tomato salsa
and sprinkle with extra chopped walnuts, to serve.
Recipe and image courtesy of California Walnuts,
californiawalnuts.co.uk

PREPARATION
TIME 15 minutes,
plus 1 hour pickling
COOKING TIME
30 minutes
SERVES 4 (as a
small main)

DIRECTIONS

Feature Lucy Whyld

QQuick-pickle the blackberries at least 1 hour before you want to eat. Put
the blackberries into a bowl. In a small pan, heat the vinegar, coriander seeds,
sugar and 75ml water just until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the blackberries
and set aside, mixing around occasionally.
QSteam or roast the beetroot until tender – around 30 minutes. Leave to
cool, peel and set aside.
QTo build the salad, choose either one large platter or individual plates.
Separate the radicchio leaves and arrange as a base, roughly tearing any larger
leaves. Cut the beetroot into wedges and arrange on
top. Cut the figs into wedges and add those too. Lift
the blackberries out of their pickling liquor and arrange
on top. Scatter over some salt flakes.
QFor the dressing, mix the tahini with 75ml water and
the lemon juice. Add salt and mix well. Scatter over the
hazelnuts. Serve with the tahini dressing on the side.
Recipe and image courtesy of Seasoning: How to
cook and celebrate the seasons by Angela Clutton
(£30, Murdoch Books). Photography by Patricia Niven

September 2024

113

FOOD & DRINK

Maple, pear and walnut
blue cheese tart
YOU WILL NEED

1 tbsp butter olive oil 200g rainbow chard, stalks
finely chopped and leaves roughly chopped 375g prerolled shortcrust pastry 2 pears, halved, cored and sliced
3 large eggs grating of nutmeg 150g crème fraîche
75g maple syrup (preferably amber) 100ml double cream
150g blue cheese (ensure vegetarian) 50g walnut halves

DIRECTIONS

PREPARATION
TIME 15 minutes
COOKING TIME
55 minutes
SERVES 6

QPreheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Heat the
butter and 1 tbsp oil in a heavy-based frying pan over a medium
heat and cook the chard stalks for 5-8 minutes, until soft and
starting to caramelise. Add the chard leaves and continue to cook
until wilted, then remove from the heat.
QLine a 20cm tart tin with the pastry, place baking paper over
the top, and fill with baking beans. Toss the pear slices in 1-2 tsp
oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake both for 15 minutes, then
remove from the oven.
QRemove the baking beans and paper from the pastry case and
continue to bake the pastry for a further 8-10 minutes until the
bottom is golden and crisp.
QLightly beat the eggs in a bowl, season with nutmeg and whisk
in the crème fraîche, maple syrup and double cream. Stir in the
cheese, then pour half the mixture into the tart case.
QAdd half the chard and the rest of the egg mixture. Then add
the remaining chard.
QTop with the roasted pear slices and the walnuts and bake for
30 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Leave to cool for
20 minutes, then slice and serve.
Recipe and image courtesy of Maple from Canada,
maplefromcanada.co.uk

Ginger & apple pork chops
YOU WILL NEED

300g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and sliced
Opies Stem Ginger in Syrup, 2 pieces, and reserved
syrup 4 x 170g boneless pork loin steaks salt and
pepper 100g cheddar cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS
Q3UHKHDW
WKH
RYHQ
WR
&Ý&
IDQJDV
PDUN

QIn a small pan cook the prepared apple with 2 tbsp
water and 2 tbsp of reserved ginger syrup until soft.
QChop the stem ginger into small pieces and stir into
the apple.
QPlace the chops in an ovenproof dish, season well with
salt and pepper.
QDivide the apple mixture between the 4 chops and top
with cheese.
QBake for approximately 30 minutes until the chops are
thoroughly cooked and the cheese is golden.
Recipe and image courtesy of Opies, bennettopie.com

114

yourhomestyle.uk

PREPARATION
TIME 15 minutes
COOKING TIME
30 minutes
SERVES 4

FOOD & DRINK

Toffee apple cake
YOU WILL NEED

Butter, for greasing 225g Doves Farm organic wholemeal
spelt flour 3 tsp Doves Farm baking powder 2 tsp ground
cinnamon 1 tsp ground cloves 3 eggs 150g light brown
sugar 100ml oil 4 eating apples 50g sultanas
For the toffee icing 75g butter 75g soft brown sugar

PREPARATION
TIME 15 minutes
COOKING TIME
1 hour
20 minutes

DIRECTIONS
QPreheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas mark 5 and grease a
20cm round cake tin.
QMeasure the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and cloves into a
bowl, mix, then sieve into another bowl.
QBreak the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the sugar, oil and beat
together. Peel, core and coarsely grate two apples into the bowl.
Add the flour mixture and stir to combine. Add the sultanas and stir
again. Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
QQuarter, core and slice the remaining apples thinly. Lay the apple
pieces decoratively on top of the cake. Bake for 65-70 minutes,
until a cocktail stick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin, then
remove the cake from the tin and stand on a flat surface.
QCut the butter into cubes and put them into a saucepan. Add
the sugar. Put the pan over a gentle heat and stir occasionally. Bring
to a rolling boil, then remove from the heat. Stir until the bubbles
subside. Immediately pour the toffee icing over the top of the cake,
allowing it to run down the sides.

TOP TIP
There’s no need to
peel the apples for
the top of the cake,
unless they are
cooking apples

Recipe and image courtesy of Doves Farm, dovesfarm.co.uk

PREPARATION
TIME 10 minutes
COOKING TIME
1 hour 10 minutes,
plus cooling
SERVES 4

Roast autumn
fruit compôte
YOU WILL NEED

6-8 plums, halved and stoned 2 small ripe pears,
peeled, cored and halved 250g cooking apples,
peeled, cored and cut into chunks 250ml cranberry
juice 50g clear honey 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways
and cut in half 1 small cinnamon stick, broken in half

DIRECTIONS

ree
yf

dair

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WKH
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IDQJDV
PDUN

3ODFH

the plums cut-side up in a shallow baking dish. Add the
pears and apple chunks, then pour over the cranberry juice
and drizzle with honey. Push the vanilla and cinnamon
among the fruit. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
QRemove the foil, turn the fruit over and return to
the oven, uncovered, for a further 30 minutes, basting
occasionally, until the fruit is tender.
QUsing a slotted spoon, lift out the fruit and place in a
heatproof dish. Discard the vanilla and cinnamon.
QStrain the cooking juices into a small saucepan and
bring to the boil. Boil for about 5 minutes or until reduced
by half.
QPour the reduced juices over the fruit and leave to cool
completely, then cover and chill until ready to serve. Enjoy
on its own or serve with yoghurt or crème fraîche.
Recipe and image courtesy of Dairy Diary, dairydiary.co.uk

September 2024

115

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ROASTED NEW POTATO,
FENNEL AND HAKE TRAYBAKE

EAT THE SEASON…

CUT
OUT &
KEEP!
Try this underrated
veg raw in a salad,
or roasted until it’s
deliciously sweet

Feature Lucy Whyld

✁

SMOKED MACKEREL
AND FENNEL SALAD

CHICKEN, LEEK
AND FENNEL GRATIN

WATERCRESS,
ORANGE AND
FENNEL SALAD

Watercress, orange and fennel salad
QPREPARATION TIME 10 minutes
QSERVES 1 (or 2 as a side/starter)

YOU WILL NEED

DIRECTIONS
QPeel and thinly slice the orange.
To do this easily, cut off the ends
of the orange so it stands up on
your chopping board and slice the
skin off, taking off as much of the
white pith as possible. Cut into
thin slices.

Recipe and image courtesy of
The Watercress Company,
watercress.co.uk

QPREPARATION TIME 5 minutes
QCOOKING TIME 50 minutes
QSERVES 2

YOU WILL NEED

400g Cornish new potatoes,
halved or quartered olive oil
salt and pepper 250g fennel,
halved and sliced into wedges,
fronds reserved and finely chopped
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp fennel seeds 1 lemon,
half juiced, half sliced into rounds
2 fillets skinless Cornish hake
2 knobs of butter 1 tbsp
finely chopped dill

DIRECTIONS

IP

Raw fennel
can discolour
quickly, so toss it
in a little lemon
juice to prevent
it browning

TOP

T

pesca

ian
tar

1 large orange 1 bulb of
fennel 50g watercress
1 shallot 30g feta, crumbled
flaked almonds

QTo prepare the fennel, trim off
the stalks, cutting them close to
where they connect to the bulb,
and slice off the root. Remove the
tough outer layer (if present) and
then slice very thinly – a mandolin
is good for this.
QArrange the watercress, orange
and fennel on a plate.
QFinely chop the shallot and
sprinkle over the salad along
with the crumbled feta and
flaked almonds.

Roasted new
potato, fennel
and hake
traybake

QPreheat the oven to 220°C/
200°C fan/gas mark 7. Put the
potatoes into a baking dish with
1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Roast for 15 minutes.
QToss the fennel wedges with
1 tbsp of olive oil and a pinch of
salt and scatter over the potatoes.
Reduce the oven temperature to

200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6 and
roast for a further 25 minutes.
QMeanwhile, mix together the
wholegrain mustard, fennel seeds
and lemon juice in a small bowl.
QPat the fish dry with a paper
towel and season all over with salt
and pepper. Place the fish on top
of the cooked potatoes and fennel
and pour the mustard marinade
over the entire dish. Add a knob of
butter to each hake fillet and top
with the slices of lemon. Return to
the oven for 10-12 minutes until
the hake is cooked through – it will
be opaque and easily flake.
QGarnish with olive oil, finely
chopped fennel fronds and dill.
Recipe and image courtesy
of Seasonal Spuds,
seasonalspuds.com

Chicken, leek and fennel gratin

YOU WILL NEED

QHeat 1 tbsp olive oil in a
casserole dish and add the chicken.
Fry for 5-6 minutes until golden.
QTrim the roots and woody

Recipe and image courtesy of
Abel & Cole, abelandcole.co.uk
118

yourhomestyle.uk

Don’t
throw away
the fennel
fronds – they
make a nice
garnish for the
finished
salad

I
TOP T

Smoked mackerel and fennel salad
QPREPARATION TIME 10 minutes
QSERVES 4

YOU WILL NEED

2½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ unwaxed lemon, zested
 2 tbsp lemon juice ½ tsp
clear honey 10g dill, roughly
chopped 1 fennel bulb, tough
outer layer removed and fronds
trimmed 80g pack pea shoots
200g cucumber, thinly sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, halved,
cored and finely sliced 210g
pack Waitrose Scottish Hot
Smoked Mackerel Fillets, skin
removed and flaked

DIRECTIONS

✁

DIRECTIONS

pesca

ian
tar

Olive oil 250g chicken leg,
diced 2 leeks 1 fennel bulb
2 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and pepper handful of
chives, finely chopped 1 tbsp
wholegrain mustard 100ml
half-fat crème fraîche 50g
breadcrumbs (optional) ½ tbsp
cider vinegar 50g peppery salad

greens off the leeks. Halve, rinse
and finely slice. Trim the dry tips
off the fennel, then finely slice.
Reserve the fronds.
QAdd the leeks, fennel and
garlic to the chicken pan, with 2
tbsp cold water. Season with salt
and pepper, stir and cover. Stir
frequently for 10 minutes, until the
vegetables have started to brown.
QPreheat the grill to high. Stir
half the chives and 1 tbsp mustard
into the pan. Pour in 150ml water,
stir, pop the lid on and simmer for
15 minutes, until the chicken is
cooked through.
QTake the pan off the heat, add
the crème fraîche and mix. Season
to taste, then slide under the grill
for 5 minutes. Scatter over the
breadcrumbs, if using, and grill for
1-2 minutes more. Garnish with
fennel fronds and the chives.
QWhisk the vinegar with ½ tbsp
olive oil and salt and pepper for
a dressing. Toss the salad in the
dressing and serve with the gratin.

P

QPREPARATION TIME 15 minutes
QCOOKING TIME 40 minutes
QSERVES 2

QFor the dressing, in a small bowl,
whisk together the olive oil, lemon
zest and juice, honey, and half the
chopped dill; season and set aside.
QHalve the fennel bulb, cut out
the core, and slice as finely as
possible widthways. Arrange
on plates with the pea shoots,
cucumber and apple.
QFlake the mackerel fillets over
the top, spoon over the dressing
and scatter with the remaining dill
to serve.
Recipe and image courtesy of
Waitrose, waitrose.com

Something to sip…

French 75
Unleash your inner flapper-girl and let this popular
Prohibition-era cocktail set a speakeasy tone

!

bubbles
e
h
t
p
Po

PREP
WO R K
For the simple syrup,
gently heat equal parts
water and white sugar
in a pan, bring to the boil
and stir until combined.
Leave to cool before
using

How to make
Q PREPARATION TIME 2 minutes
Q SERVES 1

YOU WILL NEED

 30ml gin 15ml lemon juice
15ml simple syrup Champagne
To garnish lemon twist

DIRECTIONS
Photo Getty Images

QPour the gin, lemon juice and syrup
into a shaker, along with some ice, and
shake until the outside of the shaker
is cold.
QStrain into Champagne flute and top
up with Champagne. Add a twist of
lemon to garnish.
September 2024

119

GUIDE

Where to buy
everything in this issue

A

Abode 01226 28 34 34
abodedesigns.co.uk
Accessorize accessorize.com
Aery aeryliving.com
Aldiss aldiss.com
Alpha alpha-innovation.co.uk
Amazon amazon.co.uk
Annabel James 0345 548 0210
annabeljames.co.uk
Annington annington.co.uk
Anthropologie
anthropologie.com/en-gb
AO 0161 470 1200 ao.com
A Place for Everything 01244 680501
aplaceforeverything.co.uk
The Appliance Depot
theappliancedepot.co.uk
Aqara 01384 414 200
aqara-shop.co.uk
Architect Your Home
architect-yourhome.com
ARRAN 01563 852401 arran.com

B

B&M bmstores.co.uk
B&Q 0333 014 3357 diy.com
Barker & Stonehouse
0333 355 8206
barkerandstonehouse.co.uk
The Bath Project thebathproject.com
Bathroom Mountain 01782 405047
bathroommountain.co.uk
Beanbag Bazaar 0800 988 1286
beanbagbazaar.co.uk
Bella Freud 020 8964 4900
bellafreud.com
Bellway bellway.co.uk
BHS 0333 005 0070 bhs.com
Big Green Egg 01962 793 800
biggreenegg.co.uk
Bobbi Beck 01209 440089
bobbibeck.com
BottleSoc bottlesoc.com
Brabantia brabantia.com/uk
Bradford Bathroom Co
01274 732933
bradfordbathroomcompany.com
By The Pines bythepines.co.uk

C

Ca’ Pietra 01380 735886
capietra.com
Calypso Bathroom Furniture
calypsobathrooms.co.uk
California Shutters
californiashutters.co.uk
Clarke & Clarke clarke-clarke.
sandersondesigngroup.com
Claybrook Studio 0209 7052 1555
claybrookstudio.co.uk
Cornishware 01749 880992
cornishware.co.uk
The Cotswold Company
0333 2001725 cotswoldco.com
Cotswold Energy cotswold.energy

120

yourhomestyle.uk

Cotterell and Co. 0191 266 8883
cotterellandco.com
Cox & Cox coxandcox.co.uk
Craig & Rose 01383 740011
craigandrose.com
Crampton & Moore 01226 350754
cramptonandmoore.co.uk
Crown Decorating Centres
crowndecoratingcentres.co.uk
Crown Imperial 01227 742424
crown-imperial.co.uk
Cult Furniture 0208 185 6960
cultfurniture.com

D

daals 02477 180 023
daals.co.uk
Daikin 01932 879271
daikin.co.uk
där lighting darlighting.co.uk
Dexam 01730 811811 dexam.co.uk
DFS 0333 9999 777 dfs.co.uk
Dobbies dobbies.com
Dowsing & Reynolds 0113 819 9985
dowsingandreynolds.com
Dreams 0800 652 5090 dreams.co.uk
Dualit 01293 652500 dualit.com
Dulux dulux.co.uk
Dunelm 0345 165 6565 dunelm.com
Dunster House 01234 817897
dunsterhouse.co.uk

E

Earthborn 01928 734 171
earthbornpaints.co.uk
Easy Bathrooms
easybathrooms.com
eBay 0345 355 3229 ebay.co.uk
ecojiko ecojiko.co.uk
elho elho.com/en
Ella James 01572 759190
ellajames.co.uk
Emma Bridgewater
emmabridgewater.co.uk
Enki houseofenki.com

F

FabFunky fabfunky.co.uk
FabHome Interiors
01253 370400 fab-home.co.uk
Farrow & Ball 01202 876141
farrow-ball.com
Fenwick & Tilbrook 01362 684125
fenwickandtilbrook.com
Flymo 0344 844 4558
shop.flymo.co.uk
French Bedroom 01444 415430
frenchbedroom.co.uk
Furniture Village 0345 646 1701
furniturevillage.co.uk
Futon Company 0345 609 4455
futoncompany.co.uk

G

Garden Trading 01993 845559
gardentrading.co.uk
George Home direct.asda.com

26
Gisela Graham 0207 708 6381
shop.giselagraham.co.uk
The Gluttonous Gardener
020 7627 0800 glut.co.uk
Graham & Brown grahambrown.com

H

H&M Home hm.com
Habitat 0345 640 2020
habitat.co.uk
Haier 0330 003 8122 haier-europe.com
Harvey Maria 0330 330 1231
harveymaria.com
Helen Round helenround.com
Hillarys hillarys.co.uk
Hisense 0333 123 7800
uk.hisense.com
Hoist Fencing 01732 823826
hoistfencing.uk
Home Bargains home.bargains
Homescapes 0121 368 0051
homescapesonline.com
Homesense 01923 473561
homesense.com
Hoover 03444 995599 hoover.co.uk
House Decor Interiors 01274 588 079
housedecorinteriors.co.uk
House of Hackney 0207 739 3273
houseofhackney.com
Hovia 0151 708 5400 hovia.com
Howdens howdens.com

Hydro Flask hydroflask.com
Hyperion Tiles hyperiontiles.co.uk

I

I Love Wallpaper
ilovewallpaper.com
Ian Mankin 020 7722 0997
ianmankin.co.uk
Idyll Home 01270 812717
idyllhome.co.uk
IKEA ikea.com
Industville 020 7971 7871
industville.co.uk
Ivyline 024 7633 9180 ivylinegb.co.uk

J

Jane Clayton 01761 404505
janeclayton.co.uk
John Cullen Lighting
johncullenlighting.com
John Lewis & Partners johnlewis.com
Juniqe 03092 033121 juniqe.co.uk
JYSK 03300 883818 jysk.co.uk

K

Kayu Home 0800 088 6835
kayuhome.co.uk
KeepCup 0207 042 3300
uk.keepcup.com
Kilner 0151 486 1888 kilnerjar.co.uk
Kimble Solar 01494 623001
kimbletech.com
Kintsugi Oxford kintsugioxford.com

KitchenAid 0800 102 6979
kitchenaid.co.uk

L

La Redoute 0330 303 0199
laredoute.co.uk
LG 0344 847 5454 lg.com
Lick lickhome.com
Lights.co.uk 020 3514 3658
The Lounge Co. 01225 792 429
theloungeco.com
Lust Home 0808 169 1796
lusthome.com

M

M&S 0333 014 8000
marksandspencer.com
Maddison Ball Creative
maddisonballcreative.com
Made 0333 777 8999 made.com
Maison Flâneur maisonflaneur.com
Mamas & Papas 0345 2682000
mamasandpapas.com
Mason Cash 0151 486 1888
masoncash.co.uk
Max Made Me Do It
notonthehighstreet.com/
maxmademedoit
Maze Living 01440 710673
mazeliving.co.uk
Melody Maison 01302 741000
melodymaison.co.uk
Methven 0800 195 1602
uk.methven.com
Mini Moderns minimoderns.com
Mitchell & Dickinson 01237 871127
mitchellanddickinson.co.uk
Morphy Richards
morphyrichards.co.uk
Mylands 0208 670 9161 mylands.com

N

National Insulation
Association nia-uk.org
Nedgis nedgis.com
Neff 0344 892 8989
neff-home.com/uk
Next 0333 777 8000 next.co.uk
Nkuku nkuku.com

O

Oak Furnitureland
0800 440 2254
oakfurnitureland.co.uk
Ocean Bottle oceanbottle.co
Ohelo ohelobottle.com
Ohpopsi ohpopsi.com
OKA 03330 042 042 oka.com
Oliver Bonas oliverbonas.com
Online Carpets 0800 9705 705
onlinecarpets.co.uk
Online Home Improvements
onlinehomeimprovements.co.uk
Online Home Shop
onlinehomeshop.com
OXO oxouk.com

ProCook 0330 100 1010 procook.co.uk
The Pure Edit 0330 055 2996
thepureedit.com
Pure Fabrics purefabrics.co.uk

Q
R

QVC UK qvcuk.com
Quiet Mark quietmark.com
Quorn Stone 01509 416 557
mystonefloor.com
The Range 0345 026 7598
therange.co.uk
Recork recork.co.uk
The Residence Collection
01452 345136 residencecollection.co.uk
Rex London 020 8746 2473
rexlondon.com
Rockett St George 01444 253391
rockettstgeorge.co.uk
Rose & Grey 0161 926 8763
roseandgrey.co.uk
Ruggable ruggable.co.uk
Rust-Oleum 02476 717 329
rustoleumcolours.co.uk

S

Salt and Steel saltandsteel.co.uk
ScS 0800 731 0048
scs.co.uk
Samsung samsung.com
Sanctuary Bathrooms
0113 244 4400
sanctuary-bathrooms.co.uk
Sass & Belle sassandbelle.co.uk
Sassy Shop Wax 0117 403 1267
wearesassyscents.com
Scandibørn 020 8191 2915
scandiborn.co.uk
Scion scionliving.com
Shaloah Skincare
shaloahskincare.co.uk
SHICKEN shickenfoods.com
Signare Tapestry Design
0127629483 signaretapestry.com
Sklum 020 3769 2694 sklum.com
Slouch slouchonline.com

Smeg shop.smeguk.com
sofa.com 0345 400 2222
Sofology 03444 81 81 81
sofology.co.uk
The Soho Lighting Co
0208 106 1221 soholighting.com
Solex 01305 837223 solexenergy.co.uk
Sophie Allport 01778 560256
sophieallport.com
Søstrene Grene 0330 818 0848
sostrenegrene.com
Spark & Bell 0796 1928342
sparkandbell.com
STAUB zwilling.com
The Stripes Company 01244 336387
thestripescompany.com
Surface Designs surfacedesigns.com
Sweetpea & Willow 0345 257 2627
sweetpeaandwillow.com

T

Tap Warehouse
tapwarehouse.com
Tavistock Bathrooms
01225 787870
tavistock-bathrooms.co.uk
The Technology Doctors
shop.thetechnologydoctors.co.uk
TEK LED tekled.co.uk
Tenovus Cancer Care
shop.tenovuscancercare.org.uk
Terrys terrys.co.uk
Tikamoon 020 344 55 440
tikamoon.co.uk
Tile Mountain 01782 223822
tilemountain.co.uk
Tiles Direct 0113 253 0005
tiles-direct.com
Toolstation toolstation.com
Topps Tiles 0800 783 6262
toppstiles.co.uk
TP Link tp-link.com

U

Umbra uk.umbra.com
Urban Outfitters
urbanoutfitters.com/en-gb

V

Vaillant vaillant.co.uk
Valspar 0344 736 9174
valsparpaint.co.uk
Victoria Plum 0344 264 4141
victoriaplum.com
Victorian Plumbing
victorianplumbing.co.uk
Victory Colours 01258 841310
victorycolours.co.uk
Villeroy & Boch villeroy-boch.co.uk
Viners 0151 486 1888 viners.co.uk
Vintage Pieces 07802 857154
vintagepieces.co.uk
Vitesy vitesy.com
VonHaus vonhaus.com
VOYA voya.ie
VQ myvq.co.uk

W

Wallpaper Direct
01323 430886
wallpaperdirect.com
Walls and Floors 01536 314730
wallsandfloors.co.uk
Walton & Co waltonshop.co.uk
Wayfair wayfair.co.uk
Weaver Green 01548 431902
weavergreen.com
Where Saints Go wheresaintsgo.co.uk
Wickes 0330 123 4123 wickes.co.uk
Wilko 0800 032 9329 wilko.com
Wiser wise.draytoncontrols.co.uk
Wood Finishes Direct 01303 213838
wood-finishes-direct
Woodchip & Magnolia 01254 241100
woodchipandmagnolia.co.uk
The Workshop Below 0121 582 1457
theworkshopbelow.com

Y
Z

YesColours yescolours.com
Your Tiles 02078707632
yourtiles.com

Zara Home zara.com/uk/en
zhoosh zhooshpaints.com
ZWILLING zwilling.com

22

P

Pathos Studio 01522 432466
pathosstudio.uk
Piglet in Bed pigletinbed.com
Plank Hardware plankhardware.com
Pooky 020 7351 3003 pooky.com
Porcelain Superstore 0330 094 0304
porcelainsuperstore.co.uk
Poster Lounge 00800 900 900 30
posterlounge.co.uk
Poster Store posterstore.co.uk
Pretty Tiffin prettytiffin.co.uk

September 2024

121

SHOP AHEAD

First look

Nature’s bounty
Get ahead of the harvest festival by picking your own
vegetable-themed pieces now

SAVE
Pumpkin soap
dispenser, £2.99,
Home Bargains

Spend
Artichoke tealight holder,
£12.99, Gisela Graham

Vegetable garden paper
napkins, £3.95 for 20,
Emma Bridgewater

Mushroom measuring spoons,
£9 for 4, Sass & Belle

S lash

Cabbage and
rabbit tea towel,
£11.95, Annabel
James

TO

P

Feature Hannah Tribe

Hand-painted radish
dinner plates,
£35.58 for 2, Maison
Flâneur

TI

£55, OKA

Just like in
real life, choose
veggies in a wide
range of colours
for the greatest
impact

P

Sweet Pea salt & pepper
shaker set, £28, Rose & Grey

2024

ONLY

£4.99
INC. P&P*

Everything you need for your

,-/uŒ!+#,-',@

+ CREATE YOUR OWN DECORATIONS AND

GIFTS FOR LESS WITH OUR EASY CRAFTS
+ CELEBRATE IN STYLE WITH THIS YEAR’S
TRENDS AND DECORATING TIPS
+ DELICIOUS RECIPES FOR ALL – FROM
SHOWSTOPPING BAKES TO FAMILY FEASTS
+ PRACTICAL ADVICE TO SAVE YOU MONEY
AND STRESS THIS FESTIVE SEASON

pre-Order your copy TODAY!
CALL 03330 162 138† and quote ‘YourHome Xmas 24 PRINT1’
ONLINE www.ourmediashop.com/YourHomeXmas24
†

UK calls will cost the same as other standard fixed line numbers (starting 01 or 02) and are included as part of any inclusive or free minutes allowances
(if offered by your phone tariff). Outside of free call packages call charges from mobile phones will cost between 3p and 55p per minute.
Lines are open Mon to Fri 9am-5pm. Overseas please call +44 (0)1604 973 746. *Prices including postage are £4.99 for UK residents, £5.99 for Europe
and £6.99 for Rest of World. Please allow up to 28 days for delivery from the on-sale date of 24th September 2024.