Innholdsfortegnelse for May-2018 i Ideal Home

Scary how quickly family life changes, isn’t it? Just as you get settled into a good groove, something shifts and you suddenly find yourself lurching into the next life stage. In the last six months Chez Richmond, we’ve transitioned from a busy, buzzy tri-generational household to a slower, quieter vibe. First, my sister and her family (including the Littlest Richmonds) upped sticks from a house up the road to a far-off county. Then, we unexpectedly lost Pa Richmond just after Christmas. So, now it’s just me, Ma Richmond and our little grey rescue cat, Willo the Wisp (who isn’t quite as wisp-like after a year of feline fine dining…). From stairlifts to stored toys, the house has had to adapt around us very quickly. Whatever journey you’re on, en masse…

COUNTRY THE SOFA Wallis two-seater fabric sofa, £849, Ideal Home range, Very THE CUSHION Mull cushion in Graphite, £14.99, Ideal Home range, Very THE STATEMENT PIECE Wiltshire large sideboard, £219, Ideal Home range, Very THE RUG Watercolour floral rug, from £99, Ideal Home range, Very MID-CENTURY THE SOFA Society three-seater Premium leather sofa, £1,099, Ideal Home range, Very THE CUSHION Knitted cable cushion, £14.99, Ideal Home range, Very THE STATEMENT PIECE Monty Retro coffee table, £99, Ideal Home range, Very THE RUG Broken Blocks rug, from £49, Ideal Home range, Very SCANDI THE SOFA Mode two-seater fabric sofa, £699, Ideal Home range, Very THE CUSHION Kendal knitted cushion and throw set, £49, Ideal Home range, Very THE STATEMENT PIECE Monty Retro large sideboard, £149, Ideal Home range, Very THE RUG…

Add pattern Geometrics are still the pattern of choice - the new wave are softer, so mix hand-finished prints, overlapping shapes and painterly lines. WHERE TO BUY Buttoned sofa bed, £179; Dinner pendant light, £22; Irving table, £35; pink table, £15; cushions, £6 each; throw, £15; accessories, from £4, all George Home Make it brighter An all-white backdrop is a classic Scandi trick that creates a bright, airy room. Bring it to life by layering bedding and cushions in highlight hues of yellow, mint and coral. WHERE TO BUY Ovals double bed set, £35; Geo rug, from £55; Circles throw, £40; cushions, £12 each; accessories, from £10; trailing succulent, £14, all Next Make black an accent colour Punctuate pastels, white or blonde wood with matt black furniture and accessories. WHERE…

 flat conversion in Finchley, London, bought in 2014. “We started revamping this place to sell it on, but ended up designing it as our dream home! ” THE VALUE Bought for £580,000 and converted into two flats. Sold one in 2015; this flat is currently valued at £520,000. Nathalie Udvary, an interiors stylist, lives here with her fiancé AJ Shome, a property developer. THE PROPERTY A two-bedroom Edwardian Nathalie and her fiancé bought their home as a one-off renovation project, but soon recognised the potential to create two flats to sell on. Their plans changed again when they fell in love with the space they’d created for the ground floor flat, and decided to make it their own. Working closely with property development company Founthill, Nathalie and AJ…

WHERE TO BUY 1. HANGING PLANTER Hanging mint green ceramic flower pot, £20, Persora 2. CUSHION Block-coloured cushion cover in dusky green, £9, H&M 3. MUG Clara green espresso cup, £8, Oliver Bonas 4. LAMP Wild & Wolf task lamp in Swedish green, £72, Amara 5. LETTER BOARD Small felt letter board, £30, Gingersnap 6. RUG Serengeti rug in 02, from £45, Plantation Rug Company range, Houseology 7. WALL CLOCK Retro-style wall clock in Swedish green, £30, Cuckooland 8. SIDE TABLE Oken folding side table in sage green, £40, Habitat…

MY GO-TO STORES… • IKEA A winner for affordable, well-designed furniture • H&M HOME The range of accessories is really impressive • ETSY I love finding unusual prints and decorative pieces • HOMEBASE Great for baskets and houseplants to help soften a room ALPHABET ART M is for Moose initial print, £25, Mountain Molehill range, Etsy FAMILY SPACE Wilmslow corner sofa, £1,899, Ideal Home range, Very YELLOW POP Agra cushion in Saffron, £35, John Lewis METALLIC DETAIL Metal photo frame, £8.99, H&M Home MIX TEXTURES House Doctor tube vase, £13, Amara SIMPLE DISPLAY Tonic white bookcase, £308.50, Maisons du Monde PAINTERLY POTS Geo faux plants, £8 each, Debenhams STYLIST’S TIP “It’s really important to add colour to these soft neutrals. If yellow’s too much for you, try blush, soft blue…

Stylist’s Note ‘Choose cushions and table linen in light pastels for spring and summer, but swap for deeper shades in autumn’ Nicky Phillips, Decorating Editor…

Keep colours fresh Charlie chose Farrow & Ball’s Peignoir, a pale grey-pink, for the living room walls. ‘The windows are tiny, so we need to keep things light,’ she says. ‘I do like pops of strong colour, too, to keep the old part of the cottage alive and bright.’ BUY THE KEY PIECES Pudding sofa in Blushed Pink vintage velvet, £1,795, Loaf. Coffee table from Made.com; for similar, try Harry, £325, Renn UK range, Notonthehighstreet.com. Gus rug in cream, £450, Habitat Put a twist on trad ‘I spent months researching stylish hallway ideas before I came up with this,’ says Charlie. ‘We wanted an older style with a modern twist to link the new and old parts of the house, so we used these floor tiles.’ She added a tongue-and-groove…

THE PROPERTY A four-bedroom detached new build in Solihull, West Midlands, bought in 2014. WHAT IT COST Wallpaper..................£90 Carpet.....................£350 Blinds.........................£90 Rug...........................£150 Furniture..................£957 Shelves.....................£120 TOTAL...................£1,757 “I’m proud of the colour scheme – grey, white, oak and a sprinkling of gold, which gives it a touch of sparkle and magic! ”…

THE PROPERTY A four-bed townhouse in Edinburgh. WHAT IT COST Kitchen units......£11,000 Worktop...............£3,000 Fridge....................£1,000 Tiles.........................£800 Plumbing.............£3,000 Electrics...............£2,000 Sink..........................£300 Tap...........................£220 TOTAL................£21,320 “We wanted something totally different from the sleek, modern white kitchen we had before ”…

THE PROPERTY A five-bedroom Thirties detached house in Welwyn, Hertfordshire. WHAT IT COST Units.................£20,000 Worktops............£6,000 Appliances..........£4,000 Sink and tap........£1,000 Flooring..............£3,000 TOTAL.............£34,000 “Now that it’s finished, I wouldn’t change a thing about my lovely kitchen, except maybe get rid of the toys, which seem to be gradually taking over! ”…

THE PROPERTY A four-bed Twenties house in Margate. WHAT IT COST Bath......................£2,195 Shower, panel and tray.........................£1,447 Loo...........................£207 Washstand..............£536 Taps......................£1,859 Pendant light..........£200 Tiles.......................£1,450 Wallpaper...............£590 Panelling..............£1,400 Radiators..................£471 TOTAL................£10,355 “I set out to create something ambitious and surprising – and I achieved it!”…

Candy Trigg lives here with her partner, Jasper McIntosh and her children, Ben, 13, and Jude, 10. THE PROPERTY A five-bedroom late-Victorian semi in Hove. WHAT IT COST Bath.......................£2,195 Shower.................£2,201 Loo...........................£456 Basin unit................£955 Taps.......................£1,447 Tiles.......................£1,283 Radiator................£1,306 Paint.........................£220 Lights.........................£110 Shutters..................£804 TOTAL................£10,977 “In the morning it’s a busy family bathroom, but after the kids are in bed, it becomes a calm sanctuary ”…

With its huge range of sustainably sourced products for every room in your home, Myakka is a treasure trove of fair trade furniture and bright accessories. Myakka specialises in solid wood handcrafted pieces, in a choice of rich grains, lighter limewashed finishes or painted styles, and all of its furniture has been made by expert artisans to combine amazing quality, outstanding value and timeless style. Myakka also sells a wide range of exclusive soft furnishings, accessories and a huge selection of lighting, all of which are a great way to introduce pops of colour and character into your home for that individual finishing touch. You’ll find a wide range of original pieces to give your scheme a fresh update. This month, Ideal Home has teamed up with Myakka to offer…

1 MINI BUT MIGHTY Sonos has launched the intuitive One smart speaker, with wi-fi and Amazon Alexa built in. For such a small unit, the sound quality is impressive. The speaker can also tell jokes, turn on smart lights and read the headlines. One, £199, Sonos 2 ALL-ROUNDER The first-generation Amazon Echo kick-started the smart speaker genre, being able to make calls, read books aloud and a host of other functions, as well as controlling smart home devices. This updated version has 360-degree sound quality, can hear your requests even with the music turned up and, thanks to a choice of covers, can blend easily into any room scheme. Echo, £89.99, Amazon 3 ASK IT ANYTHING Pin cushion-style speaker Google Home Mini is perfect in a kitchen or bedroom. Its…

Plant away If you have more plants than window ledge space – or you just fancy giving your pots a worthy display – a stand is a compact and stylish way to show them off. Simply upgrade a plain Ikea Bekvam step stool with a lick of paint – white and dark grey are both good backdrop colours to make the greens sing. For a bolder option, yellow is another great choice. BUY THE KEY PIECES Bekvam step stool, £13, Ikea; painted in Antique White chalky finish, £5 for 250ml; watering can, £6, all Hobbycraft. Pots: similar cream pot, Hjortron, £2.50, Ikea; Nessa, £1, Haskins; Beaker, £10, Know & Love; Kane, £2, Haskins; Brent Verdigris medium, £16, small, £8; Eden Mossed, £9, all Rowen & Wren; Conical bowl, £11, Know…

HOT TO TROT Warm up your dinner party in a flash. La Hacienda table top electric heater, £175, John Lewis TWO-IN-ONE This doubles up as a barbecue, too. Gardeco pot belly chimenea, £199.99, Studio.co.uk LUST FOR RUST We love this stylish, aged-look dish. Skagerak flame fire bowl, from £189, Nest ECO CHOICE Simple to use and available in two sizes. Blomus Floz Design Fuoco tabletop gel firepit, £95, Black By Design WOOD BURNER Light a few logs in this neat and petite steel cage for instant warmth. Brokö fire basket, £25, Ikea SHADOW PLAY With a fire burning within, this desert-themed firepit casts a stunning glow. Desert steel globe, £800, Homebase EXOTIC DESIGN Made from cast iron, this Indian-style grill can be used as a firepit come dusk. Kadai, £225,…

WHERE TO BUY 1. CUSHION Floral cushion, £12, JD Williams 2. HANGING BASKET Wicker hanging basket, 25cm, £2, Wilko 3. OBELISK Barrington plant support, £45, Garden Trading 4. TEALIGHT HOLDER Large Amsterdam house tealight holder, £12.95, Rex London 5. MUG Katie Alice Cottage Flower mug, £6, Creative Tops 6. PLANT HOLDER White bicycle plant holder with three pots, £18, Matalan 7. LANTERN Marrakech brass lantern, £50, Sweetpea & Willow 3 OF THE BEST COUNTRY GARDEN PLANTS Diascia Producing a mass of flowers throughout summer and into autumn, it’s perfect for adding lots of colour to a patio. Nemesia A compact, bushy little plant that quickly turns from seed to flower, and stays in bloom through late spring and summer. Cosmos This half-hardy annual sprouts pink daisy-like flowers that can grow…

COLOUR POP Fairy lights + pompoms = win-win! Boho pom-pom fairy lights, £14, Talking Tables CHIC SHADE This bejewelled beauty beats a plain brolly. Balinese parasol in orange, £250, Raj Tent Club PARTY ON Add a festival atmosphere to your garden party with this fun sign. Fiesta banner, £6, Sainsbury’s LUXE LIGHTING Bring a soft glow to evenings outdoors. Gold geometric candle holder, £29, JD Williams FUCHSIA FLOCK Brighten the garden by day and night! Flamingo stake lights, £19.99 for four, Studio.co.uk PRINTS CHARMING Add a pop of colour to seating with mix-and-match patterns. Nomad Brights cushion, £8, Matalan INSIDE OUT Give your outdoor space a cosy feel with weatherproof flooring like this rug. Sommar 2018 rug in orange, £10, Ikea BIT ON THE SIDE The perfect perch for your…

IDEAL GREAT DEAL COMMEMORATE THE BIG DAY WITH A GOOD CUPPA NEW TRADITION The Royal Wedding mug, £19.95, Emma Bridgewater QUIRKY KEEPSAKE Royal Wedding mug, £12, Victoria Eggs Debenhams is nailing it! This season, the Debenhams furniture department is trying something new with surprise statement pieces. We think it’s working, too, because the carved out Chevron sideboard is a raw but refined beauty with brass detailing. Take a look at the Kempton, the compact wooden framed sofa, too, which has more than a pinch of Danish-inspired design. Finally, the modern rattan La Forma range (below) taps into the trend for seating that blurs the lines between inside and out. NEW! AFFORDABLE ‘BOUTIQUE’ TILES Claybrook may be a brand new tile company, but this fresh start-up comes with a wealth of…

PATTERNED VOILES AT SCION “Call this a modern take on net curtains (a no-no with contemporary glass doors and extensions), these printed voiles are a softer solution to blinds, more interesting than plain sheers and – unlike curtains – provide privacy without blocking out the light. ” SPOTTED BY… STYLE EDITOR MICHELA COLLING…

“The house was very run down and almost everything – from the front gate to the kitchen cupboards – was painted some shade of garish yellow! ” THE PROPERTY A three-bedroom detached Thirties house in Nottingham. THE VALUE A similar property would cost around £325,000. Anna and Jason Martin were thrilled when they came across an affordable house in an area that they’d thought was beyond their budget. The trade-off was that the property needed a top-down renovation, but the couple only saw that as an advantage. ‘It’s a cliché, but it really was all about the potential,’ says Anna. ‘We were after a home we could grow into and raise a family in. There was scope here to knock through and create the open-plan kitchen-diner I’d always…

After studying textile design, Mags initially designed childrenswear for well-known brands including Boots and C&A, before changing direction to join Matalan as the design manager for its homeware collections. Mags lives in Southport, Merseyside, with her partner Jim, their daughters Arwen and Megan and their cat Robyn. My style is a little bit boho, a little bit calm Scandi and overall, quite eclectic. There are lots of pale grey walls, grey velvet cushions, books, lanterns and collected objects and art. I’ve always enjoyed mixing old pieces with new and modern designs. Grey walls calm down the colour in a house. We also repainted the ceilings – before, the rooms were all-over colour. Clean, crisp white above the picture rails and on the ceilings has really lifted each room, and made…

IDEAL SUBTLE TONES Ferm Living Neu pitcher, £49, Nest SMART SHAPE Modern weave storage bin, £39, West Elm CLASSIC DESIGN Type 75 Maxi floor lamp, £750, Anglepoise LINEAR LOOKS Bamboo lantern, £39.50, Nordic House COOL AQUA Bethan Gray Newman upholstered chair, £299, John Lewis CLOUD COVER Blue mist glass tray, £117, Amara MINIMAL TOUCH Aveiro extending table, £699, Made.com GREAT DEAL NEUTRAL OPTION Core grey pitcher, £39, Murmur TACTILE CHOICE Asunden basket, £15, Ikea SIMPLE STYLE XL Retro angled floor lamp, £195, Out There Interiors BLUE NOTE Scandinavian chair with solid oak legs, £74, Maisons du Monde GLOBAL HIT Cane lantern, £30, House of Fraser OMBRE EFFECT Ceramic hand-painted bowl, £16, Sainsbury’s CLEAN LINES Pitt dining table, £150, Wayfair…

1 ELEGANT BOHEMIAN HOW TO… take a simple, neutral space with classic key pieces and layer it with colour, pattern and character that can be easily changed seasonally or as your tastes change. 2 ARTISAN INDUSTRIAL HOW TO… set up the perfect arrangement for relaxed family dining. Get the bones right, then have fun with accessories in a free-and-easy mix of colours and textures. 3 MODERN ROMANTIC HOW TO… give your bedroom a soft but sassy look by teaming pastel tones with bold black and metallics for a space that’s great for hanging out in, as well as sleeping.…

Stylist’s Note ‘The black makes this scheme less sugary and touches of gold and copper give it a hint of polish and glamour’ Nicky Phillips, Decorating Editor…

1 Let them scribble! Attach a roll of paper (or some old wallpaper) to a shelf with a dowelling rod or a kitchen roll holder, then let it drape down onto a table. Or just pick up this ready-made roll from Olli Ella, add some coloured crayons or paint and let the fun begin! 2 RESERVE A QUIET SPOT FOR READING Make a cosy little corner where kids can escape the distractions of a screen and sit and read instead. 3 HANG HOOKS WITHIN REACH Fix a row of pegs or hooks at a child-friendly height so that little ones can hang up their coats, school bags and hats with ease. 4 Create a place for homework A bookcase with a foldaway desk is a great space-saving solution, ideal if…

WHERE TO BUY 1. SHELF Cloud shelf, £115, Graham and Green 2. WALL HANGING Every Day is an Adventure message flag, £7.50, Sass & Belle 3. MIRROR Moon-shaped mirror, £49.99, Zara Home 4. POUFFE Sandared large pouffe, £95, Ikea 5. HOOKS Hambledon peg rail, £35, Garden Trading 6. CUSHION Polar Bear Knut cushion, £35, Kidly 7. TOY BASKET Chambray & Cotton basket, from £4.95, Futon Company 8. ARMCHAIR Smithfield armchair, £995, Habitat…

WHERE TO BUY 1. PICTURE Print, from £25, Athena 2. LAMP Star lamp, £99, Made.com 3. PENDANT LIGHT Original pendant in dusty blue, £100, Anglepoise 4. BREAD BIN Rig Tig Box-it bread box, £55, Cloudberry Living 5. STOOL Tolix-style stool, £59, Cult Furniture 6. PLATES Beasties side plates, £25 for four, Magpie 7. TAP Abode Pronteau Prostyle tap, £849, Sinks-taps 8. TILES Archivo Bakula tile, £96sq m, Topps Tiles 9. ISLAND Westcote Blue island, £799, Cotswold Co…

Ceiling extractors fit tight to the ceiling, where they discreetly clean the air without obstructing sightlines. They tend to be more powerful than standard extractors and, being further away, are often quieter. Q How do I know if my ceiling is compatible? Unless your ceiling is low or made of concrete (as in some modern builds), look for a slimline model that will fit within your ceiling void. Check the extractor’s technical drawings before you choose; ducting must follow the same direction as the joists. Q What if it isn’t suitable? The easiest solution is to fit a false ceiling. For a streamlined look, you’ll need to drop the entire ceiling. If you can’t afford to lose height throughout and your joists can accommodate ducting, follow Janine’s lead and only…

Once a big no-no safety-wise, low-slung pendants, funky shades and glitzy chandeliers now come in bathroom-friendly designs. But don’t get carried away by good looks alone, as bathroom lighting is heavily regulated – with good reason! Q How can I ensure the design I like is safe? Swot up on IP ratings – IP stands for Ingress Protection, and shows how well protected from water a light fitting is. The bathroom is split into zones, with each zone determining the required IP rating for your light fitting (Google ‘IP-rated zones’ for a diagram). Q Can I hang a pendant above my bath or shower? This is zone 1, so unless the flex is very short, you will need a fitting with a minimum of IP65. If you have very high…

With the excitement of designing and decorating a new room, it’s easy to get distracted by big decisions such as furniture, flooring, fabrics and colour schemes. But when it comes to tiling a kitchen or bathroom, don’t forget that the details you use such as grout colours, trims and even laying patterns can have a massive impact on the way your tiles and your room look. GET CREATIVE If you love neutral schemes, but want to make your room more interesting, consider the trend for Herringbone pattern, inspired by parquet flooring but seen more and more for a stylish effect on walls using brick-shaped tiles. Make the look even more striking by experimenting with grout colours. There are lots to choose from these days and you can coordinate them with…

THE ECO FLOOR CLEANER This clever concentrate releases fragrant botanical and antiseptic oils that wash and nourish floors and can stimulate wellbeing in the home, too. £8.50 for 400ml, Tincture THE CARPET REVIVER Transform stained carpets in moments with the lightweight Russell Hobbs Refresh and Clean washer, which reveals a good-as-new surface beneath. £110, Next THE LABOUR-SAVING BUCKET Vileda’s easy wring and clean turbo set ends the hassle of squeezing dry a mop – just place it in the bucket wringer and a press of the foot pedal does it for you. £29.99, Argos THE TIDY DUSTPAN SET With a lip that moulds to surfaces so every speck of dust is swept up, this Bloom Homewares dustpan set also has a comb for cleaning the brush after use. £12.99, John…

1 COOL FRIDGE FREEZER Mixing technology from commercial kitchens with smartphone control, the LSR100 InstaView fridge freezer is quite something. A mirrored glass panel illuminates when tapped, giving you a clear view inside. With an A++ rating, it comes with Amazon Alexa voice control, so you can adjust the temperature settings with your voice. LSR100 (H179xW91.2xD74.5cm), £6,499, LG 2 TEA RUNNER The app-controlled iKettle will revolutionise your morning routine. It can be switched on via your smartphone and you can set timers to ensure there’s boiling water ready first thing. Its app even tells you if there’s not enough water in the kettle. Integrated with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa voice control, it also has a Formula mode for new parents that warms water ready for a night feed. iKettle,…

Strawberry lollies Takes 10min, plus freezing time Serves 6-8 INGREDIENTS • 150g strawberries • 90g caster sugar • 1tsp vanilla extract • 500g low-fat natural yogurt • 100g white chocolate, melted • 60g hundreds and thousands 1Put the strawberries, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl. Crush the fruit with a fork until broken up and mix in the sugar until dissolved. Add the yogurt. 2Pour in a jug, then into 6 or 8 ice lolly moulds and freeze. 3Once frozen, ease the lollies out of the moulds, dip in chocolate, then hundreds and thousands. Serve once they have set. Candy popcorn Takes 10min Serves 8-10 INGREDIENTS • 2tbsp vegetable oil • 100g popping corn• 300g caster sugar • 1tbsp honey • Pink food colouring 1 Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the corn and cover the…

There really isn’t a better time than the present to start thinking about how to get your winter-neglected garden ‘summer ready’. From choosing the right dining furniture to picking the best loungers, we’ve aimed to cover everything you need in this garden special, including planting ideas and our pick of the best barbies. So start planning your plot today – trust me, it’ll get you 15 in the mood for that summer sunshine. READ IDEAL HOME ON YOUR TABLET Visit idealhome.co.uk to download your digital edition of Ideal Home…

Welcome to my garden Alison and Douglas Gibb live here with their two children, Matthew, 20 and Eva, 17. THE PLOT A quarter of an acre set around three sides of a Seventies house. “Now we’re no longer overlooked, there really isn’t anything better than stepping into the hot tub, with a chilled glass of wine, for a spot of stargazing. Ours is by the back door – we use it almost every night ” Love ALISON’S STYLE? Turn to page 12 to shop the look HOW ALISON AND DOUGLAS DID IT ‘Being on a corner plot meant that privacy was an issue – we were tired of saying hello to every passer by! We also wanted to soften the brutal Seventies features and make the most of…

SMART SERVEWARE Colourful, durable and perfect for a party. Fiesta cutlery, £3.25 for a 12-piece mixed set, Sainsbury’s CLASS GLASS Your Pimms deserves to be served in a glass that’s so unapologetically kitsch. Flamingo glass, £4, Matalan WOVEN WONDER Freak gusts of wind won’t faze your table. Randwick willow napkin holder, £10, One.World REALLY DISHY Tableware that’s as pretty as the garden. Blaze melamine plates, £24.95 for a set of four, Joules KEEPING COOL Save yourself trips to the fridge. Garden Trading ice bucket with scoop, £16.95, Cuckooland.com BUG OFF Ensure your summer coolers are fly-free. Aloha milk bottles, £1.50 each, George at Asda WILD AT HEART Ideal for serving cold cuts, salad or fruit. Monstera leaf large platter, £15, Marks & Spencer RAINBOW BRIGHTS Keep these to hand for…

CLEVER COOKER The Fusion’s electric ignition makes lighting the charcoal effortless – and it’ll be ready to cook on in 10 minutes. Fusion, £899, Everdure by Heston SET UP CAMP The luxe cast iron Heat 400 is an outdoor wood burning stove and versatile grill in one, perfect for long summer evenings. Heat 400, £2,484, Chesneys MULTI-TASKER Use the stylish cast iron Forno as a griddle, pizza oven, smoker and heater. Grill Forno II, £595, Morsø MADE FOR MASTERCHEFS This ceramic barbecue easily reaches temperatures up to 400°C – great for searing steaks. Large BergHOFF ceramic barbecue, £999, John Lewis THE COMPLETE WORKS With griddle plate, rotisserie, electric ignition, ice bucket and glass viewing window in the double-insulated lid, this gas barbecue is made for easy entertaining. Gourmet Island, £749,…

The go-to store for fabulous, affordable homewares and fashion, Matalan has now been established for over 30 years, with more than 200 stores across the UK. And if you don’t live near a Matalan store or just prefer online shopping, you’ll find all its latest collections to browse and buy at matalan.co.uk. You can also get a glimpse of Matalan’s upcoming trends, as well as inspiration and ideas for decorating schemes, on Matalan The Show , hosted by Denise Van Outen. Watch out for special guests from the Ideal Home team, who regularly make appearances to discuss the latest trends and our favourite Matalan buys! This month, Matalan has teamed up with Ideal Home to give five readers the chance to win a £100 Matalan voucher to spend on anything…

“Mirrored furniture is a wise investment. Being colourless, it works in any scheme and any room, brightening gloomy corners and adding polish ”VANESSA RICHMOND , EDITOR SLIM SOLUTION A tall, narrow chest like this gives you lots of storage for a small footprint. The mirrored finish boosts light in a dark spot, too. Ideal Home range Mirage five-drawer chest, £229; Tiffany chair in Champagne, £249, both Very BEAUTY SPOT Slim consoles are great in bedrooms, as a desk or vanity for makeup and jewellery storage. Ideal Home range gold mirror dressing table, £249; Graham & Brown Rose Gold Glow wall art, £99.99; vase, £19.99, all Very IDEAL HOME LOVES… Glamorous buys at Very.co.uk IDEAL HOME loves Buttoned headboards Make breakfast in bed comfier! This one also…

SLEEK STYLE Domed silver pendant, £59.99, Ideal Home range, Very MODERN ELEGANCE Shoreditch floor lamp, £99.99, Ideal Home range, Very BEACHY VIBE Blue jar table lamp, £39.99, Ideal Home range, Very HOTEL GLAM Greenwich swing arm table lamp, £59.99, Ideal Home range, Very COUNTRY CLASSIC Ceramic green table lamp, £39.99, Ideal Home range, Very INDUSTRIAL CHIC Grey pendant lamp, £34.99, Ideal Home range, Very METALLIC MARVEL Copper base table lamp, £39.99, Ideal Home range, Very SCANDI TOUCH Mason marble and copper task lamp, £34.99, Ideal Home range, Very…

MY GO-TO STORES… • LOAF Investment pieces with a contemporary twist • IKEA Clever design solutions and brilliant value • HAY The best in Scandi style • JOHN LEWIS Well-priced, good-quality homeware • ATOMIC INTERIORS Iconic design furniture STYLIST’S NOTE “Don’t reserve your display cabinet for your finest china, keep everyday favourites in it for easy access ” STYLE EDITOR, MICHELA COLLING…

Easy living This pale shade makes living spaces feel calm and uplifted. It’s perfect for adding colour to small rooms without overwhelming them Stylist’s note “Soft mint green mixes easily with other greens and blues for a light and fresh, layered look ” NICKY PHILLIPS , DECORATING EDITOR Brighter mornings Less bland than white, but just as clear and fresh, mint green will make your bedroom a positive place to wake up in Stylist’s note “Avoid creamy neutrals and team mint green with pure whites and steely greys to keep the effect crisp and clean ” NICKY PHILLIPS , DECORATING EDITOR…

 THE PROPERTY A two-bed Victorian semi in Isleworth, southwest London. “This house is simple, homely and fun. Nothing is so precious it can’t be enjoyed by us all” THE VALUE Bought in November 2013 for £343,000; now worth around £575,000. Sarah Weston, owner of online store Buddy and Bear, lives here with her husband, Jon, a graphic designer, and their children, Sammy, four, and Alfie, 19 months. Desperate for a house and more space, Sarah and Jon Weston sold their Edwardian maisonette in Twickenham in 2013 and started looking in nearby Isleworth, where prices were slightly lower. ‘It was the house no one wanted,’ says Sarah. ‘It had been rented out and still had beer cans in the bedroom, but we could just about afford it! I think people were…

Stylist’s Note ‘Adding black – with flooring if your room gets enough light – gives a pale scheme like this more depth’ Nicky Phillips, Decorating Editor…

Elegant bohemian Walls painted in Salt 11 332 pure flat emulsion, £46.50 for 2.5L, Paint & Paper Library. Vertices 111704 wallpaper, £52 a roll, Entity collection at Harlequin. Kira Moroccan rug, £200, BHS. Curtains in Midori Espresso F1068/15, £33m, both Clarke & Clarke. Isla three-seater sofa in Silver Dexter’s linen, £2,360; Iggy armchair in Taupe brushed linen cotton, £890, Sofa.com. Baya white wash coffee table, £645, Lombok. Asha nest of tables, £219 for two; Hudson Living Chilson sideboard, £1,200, both John Lewis. Jago mirror, £165, Loaf. ON COFFEE TABLE Tribal platter, £22, Dunelm. Oak and ivy leaf dish by James Burnett Stuart, £18, Tinsmiths. Pewter topped vase, £45, Cox & Cox. Tavira platter, £25, Marks & Spencer. ON SOFA Cushions, from left: made in Nahli Sunflower 7811/07, £70m, Romo; made…

IDEAL MODERN CLASSIC Wooden tripod floor lamp, £149, Ideal Home range, Very LUSH BLOOMS Peacock cushion, £39.99, HomeSense WOOD TONES Oak and steel coffee table, £295, Notonthehighstreet.com CHEEKY CHAP Meerkat with Hat framed picture, £210, Alexander & Pearl CLOCK WATCH Extra-large chrome alarm clock, £79, Next SIMPLE BEAUTY Iittala X Issey Miyake tea light candle holder, £37, Iittala SUMPTUOUS SOFA Medium Truffle sofa in Dusty Rose clever velvet, £2,145, Loaf GREAT DEAL QUIRKY TOUCH A3 framed Meerkat art print, £64.95, Wraptious at Etsy GILDED LOOK Desktop clock, £26.99, Wayfair PRETTY PATTERN Ceramic circle votive holder, £5.99, Yankee Candle CLEAN LINES Gracie three-seater sofa in vintage pink velvet, £849, Made.com SMART BUY Jacques tripod floor lamp, £130, John Lewis ACCENT CUSHION Kotori gold cushion, £20, Arthouse EXTRA STORAGE Felix coffee table,…

WHERE TO BUY 1. MIRROR Albie wall mirror, £195, Loaf 2. FAUX FOLIAGE Eucalyptus in bottle, £10, George Home 3. TABLE Orrico aluminium side table, £130, Habitat 4. PICTURE White succulent print, £7 (unframed), Desenio 5. TOWELS Ombre towels in blue, from £5 for a hand towel, JD Williams 6. BATH Verona bath, £540, Victorian Plumbing 7. WALL TILES Herringbone Carrara tiles, £16.25 a sheet, Walls and Floors 8. TAP Pedras bath mixer, £499, Sinks-taps.com…

THE LARDER UNIT This modern country-style larder opens to reveal a multitude of racks, shelves and compartments. Oxford painted larder unit, £949, The Cotswold Company THE MEASURING JAR Calculate precise portions for rice, couscous and pasta with this smart lidded jar. Storage jar with measuring cup in mint, £14, Brabantia THE DOOR RACK Create extra space in the kitchen by hanging this four-shelf wire rack over a door to house any number of store-cupboard essentials. Over door rack, £10, Wilko THE CEREAL TUBS Keep your cornflakes crunchy by decanting them into easy-pour plastic containers. Home cereal dispensers, £11.99 for three, Argos THE JAR LABELS Never mix up ingredients again by labelling jars with handwritten chalkboard stickers. Kilner jar labels, £1.99 for 24, John Lewis THE SHELF ORGANISER Instantly see what’s…

A  Adventures in Furniture 0845 164 9062 aif.london Alexander & Pearl 020 8508 0411 alexanderandpearl.co.uk Amara 0800 587 7645 amara.com Amazon amazon.co.uk Anglepoise 02392 224450 anglepoise.com Anthropologie 0800 0026 8476 anthropologie.com Apple 0800 048 0408 apple.com/uk Argos 0345 640 2020 argos.co.uk Arthouse 01706 230077 arthouse.com Athena 0845 838 6886 athenaart.com Atomic Interiors 0115 965 7920 atomicinteriors.co.uk B  B&Q 0333 014 3098 diy.com Bailey's Home 01989 561931 baileyshome.com Bear & Bear 020 3735 9002 bearandbear.com Bedeck 0333 200 7331 bedeckhome.com Bela Casa Home 07463 000527 belacasahome.com Bella Bathrooms 0191 303 7771 bellabathrooms.co.uk BHS 0344 411 6000 bhs.co.uk Black by Design 01889 502716 black-by-design.co.uk Bold & Noble 01462 339011 boldandnoble.com Bonton 020 7792 8200 bonton.fr Boori boori.com Bosch 0344 892 8979 bosch-home.co.uk Bose 0800 085 9021 bose.co.uk Brabantia 0845 602 4877 brabantia.com Buddy and Bear 07740 356710 buddyandbear.com C  California Shutters 0800 195 0196 californiashutters.co.uk Cameo Kitchens 0333 222 1494 Candle & Cake 01508 489361…

WHERE TO BUY 1. SOFA Solleron corner sofa in brown/beige, £692, Ikea 2. PLANTERS Yorkshire terracotta flower pots, from £19.99, Waitrose Garden 3. TOWEL RAIL Raw oak Hambledon towel ladder, £95, The Farthing 4. CUSHION Round flamingo print mini cushion, £6, George at Asda 5. HAMMOCK XXL Brazilian palacio hammock, £119, Boutique Camping 6. PARTY LIGHTS Blooma Chalcon white LED string lights, £28, B&Q 7. LANTERN Otta woven bamboo lantern, £25, Also Home 3 OF THE BEST TROPICAL PLANTS Adam’s Needle yucca This no-fuss evergreen flowers in summer adding more structure and height. Aeonium This succulent’s rosettes need little soil and readily root, so are great for adding clusters of colour to gravelly areas. Fatsia Japonica The large leaves help create a tropical feel and team well with bamboo and…

WHERE TO BUY 1. PLAYHOUSE Mercia poppy wooden playhouse, £260, Wilko 2. PARASOL Charles Bentley parasol with crank and tilt in beige, £55, Homebase 3. CARAFE LSA International Hint blown glass carafe in pale lime, £30, Amara 4. TABLE Forest Rosedene six-seater wooden garden table, £185, Dobbies 5. CHAIR Loft Robin Day skid green plastic polo chair, £106, Fusion Living 6. GNOME Gardening Grandpa mini gnome, £6, George at Asda 7. CUSHION Blue outdoor cushion, £21, Maisons du Monde 3 OF THE BEST BORDER PLANTS Viola Producing dainty flowers between autumn and spring, these fully hardy plants look charming trailing from planters. Agapanthus Also known as an African lily, its globes of trumpet-shaped flowers appear from July to September and enjoy a sunny spot. Astrantia Major This ‘Large White’ flowers…