Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2025 i Ideal Home

EDITOR’S LETTER Because we want Christmas to feel so special, it’s the time we bring out our ‘best’ things. We light our best candles, dig out our best plates from the back of the cupboard and buy the very best flowers to display in vases around the house. And it was while I was trying desperately to remember exactly where I stashed the posh napkins after last year’s candlelit Christmas dinner, that I got to thinking what a shame it is that we often only use these ‘best’ items once a year. I’m not necessarily advocating that these become everyday things - I actually really enjoy the sense of treating yourself that saving them for special occasions brings - but what I am suggesting is that we make an effort…

Dress with foliage Go for a fairytale forest look with strands of fresh garden cuttings along the centre. Artificial moss on a roll is easily cut into large circles to make place mats. Use a large serving bowl or plate as a template. Give it a twist… Lightly mist the foliage with fake frost spray for a touch of subtle sparkle. Add red accents Bring festive energy to a modern, white room with red glassware, cushions and candles. Invest in a roll of red ric rac trim to make simple napkin ties or to hang sprays of foliage from the backs of chairs. Give it a twist… For a luxe, traditional look, swap crisp Scandi-inspired cotton cushions for velvet and mix in touches of gold, brass or bronze. Go for…

What the experts say... Designers and stylists share their views ‘Stone is the perfect base for minimal Scandinavian interiors all the way through to bold schemes. This soft classic shade is elevated by natural materials and tactile textures to add depth to a space.’ BAILEY OATES, COLOUR EXPERT, EARTHBORN ‘The warmth of stone hues feels incredibly soothing. These neutral shades work really well in a colour-drenched room as an alternative to white or grey. Juxtapose with deeper browns and blacks for a captivating, sophisticated interior.’ RUTH MOTTERSHEAD, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, LITTLE GREENE ‘Stone shades have become a go-to for the quiet luxury aesthetic, helping to enhance architectural details without overwhelming the space.’ ANNA HILL, BRAND DIRECTOR AND COLOUR CONSULTANT, FENWICK & TILBROOK ‘Stone tones are ideal for the bedroom; they lend…

HOME NOTES WHO LIVES HERE? Danielle Tolson, who runs a business selling wool homewares, lives here with her husband Bobby. Her grown-up sons, Alex and Adam, return at weekends. THE PROPERTY A 1950s bungalow, converted into a four-bedroom barn-style home in Oxfordshire. THE LAYOUT The ground floor has a dramatic new entrance hall, doors and windows with the addition of a staircase to the upper floor. The hallway leads to the open-plan family/dining/kitchen area and a large living room with an office and laundry room at the back. The whole upstairs floor was added to the original footprint of the bungalow and includes four large bedrooms, three bathrooms and a dressing room. Danielle Tolson wanted a barn-style home that would work for her growing family, so a 1950s bungalow wasn’t…

HOME NOTES WHO LIVES HERE? Natalie Forbes-Jones lives here with her husband, Nick, and children, Ollie, nine, and Millie, six. THE PROJECT Updating and modernising the main bathroom as part of the ongoing renovation of their five-bedroom home TOTAL COST £20,000 When Natalie and Nick moved into their new property in June 2023, they knew it would need lots of cosmetic work to transform it into their dream home. ‘It was tired, but had good bones,’ remembers Natalie. ‘The minute we made the offer I began making plans of what we would tackle first. The main bathroom was a priority - it was dark and had a carpet, a big whirlpool bath with pillars and two basins either side – like something out of The Godfather films!’ The couple…

While storing cutlery and crockery is pretty simple in a compact kitchen, finding room for your toaster, kettle, air fryer and maybe even a stand mixer will be harder. And when cupboard space comes at a premium, where does it all go? We spoke to experts on exactly how to organise small appliances in a small kitchen so that you can make the most of your space. 1 CONSIDER OPEN SHELVING Swapping wall cabinets for open shelving will make a design feel more open and airy, which is key in a small space. Plus, you can position them at custom heights that work for your specific small appliances. Where a stand mixer is unlikely to fit in a cupboard, you can use the full height of the wall to store…

■ GET A HERB GARDEN GOING ‘Herbs can be sown under cover as a January gardening job, particularly hardy annuals and biennials such as chervil, parsley, and coriander,’ says garden guru Sarah Raven. She recommends washing parsley seeds in warm water the night before you plan to sow and lay them out to dry on kitchen paper overnight: ‘Doing so will wash off the seed coat’s germinator inhibitor, giving you a quicker harvest.’ ■ SOW BEDDING PLANTS Tender bedding plants that need a long growing season can be sown in January in a heated propagator. ‘If you’re sowing this early,’ warns Annelise Brilli, horticultural expert at Thompson & Morgan, ‘it’s very important that you can give the seedlings a good amount of light, otherwise they may become spindly and etiolated.…

I t’s ‘all the trimmings’ that make Christmas dinner so stressful – and turn your welcoming kitchen into a no-go area. There are the extra dishes, the expectations of family and friends, and the pressure we put ourselves under to make everything perfect. ‘Christmas can be a bit like a wedding,’ says Debora Robertson, author of Notes from a Small Kitchen Island. ‘We load our emotions onto it, with fixed ideas about what it should be like, but really, it’s only one day. We can make it whatever we want it to be, no one is marking you, it’s not a test.’ 1 MAKE A LIST – AND CHECK IT TWICE Find some time now to plan the menu, write a shopping list (and double-check every ingredient is on it),…

The chef and TV presenter lives in Essex with his wife Jools, and children Petal, Buddy and River. Their eldest Poppy has just graduated while Daisy is still studying, but they’ll both be home for Christmas WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE TIME AT CHRISTMAS? River, my youngest, is still at that age when everything is completely magical. We’ll put mince pies and carrots out for Father Christmas on Christmas Eve, and he LOVES decorating the tree, and that’s just wonderful to be around. Aside from the great food, it’s still all about family and getting everyone together. WHAT’S YOUR NON-NEGOTIABLE MUST-HAVE AT HOME AT CHRISTMAS? Get-ahead gravy. Good-quality gravy is an absolute non-negotiable in our house. My wife is gravy-obsessed and will happily sit and enjoy it straight from the jug with…

1 SET A SEASONAL SCENE ON YOUR DOORSTEP Create a festive showcase at the entrance of your home to fully embrace the season. Use lanterns to light walkways and add ambience after dark. Frame the windows and the front door using garlands made from foraged greenery and red berries, and introduce festive props like cushions and decorations. 2 SET UP A HOT CHOCOLATE STATION When the festive season rolls around, why not create a comforting hot chocolate station for friends and family to enjoy? Invest in a hot chocolate maker and serve plenty of toppings alongside – marshmallows and sprinkles for the kids, choc-covered pretzels and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt for the grown-ups. Scatter a few festive decorations and you’re ready to go... 3 ELEVATE SUPERMARKET CRACKERS Luxe-looking…

STYLE STATEMENT Merry Twixmas Finding a scheme that keeps you enthralled for the entire festive season can be tricky (you’re not alone if you’re itching to get those decs down before the new year). The key is picking something that will look just as wondrous for New Year’s Eve, and that requires a little sparkle. Think frosted silvers, pearlescent whites, and a black accent for contrast. We’re enjoying this set-up from Matalan, especially the glistening glass Christmas tree (shown), and the bargain prices of the baubles! IH LOVES... Rustic wreaths Glitter pine wreath, £22, M&S W hat to do this month... READ Looking to freshen up your home for the new year? The Big Book of House Plants by Emma Sibley (£18.99, Quadrille), an impressive directory of 110 houseplants, succulents…

Candelabras Set the scene with a glowing centrepiece Napkins A final flourish for the perfect setting Cutlery sets It’s all in the details Crackers Bring on the festivities with a bang Serving platters A work of art for the table…

1 HANG GIANT PAPER STARS Liven up a blank wall with a cluster of oversized paper decorations in different sizes. Using the same shape, such as stars, but in slightly different variations will add extra interest – one of these stars has colourful tips, while another is a more intricate star shape, for example. 2 DOUBLE DRENCH WALLS You’ve probably noticed the trend for colour drenching by now, which can give a room a cosy, cocooning effect. Instead of painting walls and woodwork in exactly the same colour, you could try using similar shades. For example, if your walls are mid green, why not paint your ceiling in a darker green shade – and then use a lighter one for the woodwork? PAINT CHEAT SHEET 3 See in the New…

HOME NOTES WHO LIVES HERE? Emma Grant, founder of a sheepskin baby brand, her husband Ant Long, a lawyer, and their three children. THE PROPERTY A double-fronted Victorian villa in east London Emma and Ant found out they were expecting Otto, their first son who is now aged seven, the day they exchanged on the house and nearly pulled out. The house had a 1970s vibe – but not in a good way – when they bought it, so they embarked on a top-to-toe refurbishment, replacing windows, flooring and period features, as well as adding a kitchen extension and reconfiguring the upstairs to create a family bathroom and en suite. WHERE WERE YOU LIVING BEFORE? ‘We were previously living more centrally in the city, but by moving out a bit,…

BEFORE YOU BUY ■ Kettles are for more than just brewing cups of tea. Investing in a kettle will make preparing dinners much faster and easier, providing boiling hot water for everything from cooking pasta to peeling tomatoes. Some kettles come with in-built water filters, which is great for those with limescale build-up or concerns about the quality of their local drinking water. ■ Large-capacity kettles are perfect for filling night-time hot water bottles or parboiling potatoes for a Sunday roast, and even if you don’t use it as much, a small kettle can pack plenty of style into a compact kitchen. ■ How much you spend depends on what features you’re after. Prices tend to rise the more stylish and feature-led the kettle is. If you just want a…

Wisteria, with its sumptuous long flower clusters and fabulous fragrance, is understandably extremely popular – but to ensure it keeps coming back stronger and more beautiful each year, you need to know when to prune it to ensure it continues to flourish. It doesn’t matter whether your wisteria is growing wild and free, or whether you’re growing it in a pot, this iconic plant needs pruning twice a year: always in January/February and July/ August. This doesn’t just keep its growth and size under control, it ensures beautiful blooms year after year, too. WHY PRUNE IT IN WINTER? While it might not be clambering up your home or walls as ferociously as it does in summertime, that doesn’t mean you can ignore it all winter. Andy O’Donoghue, co-founder of Gardens…

Social media has been feeding me content on putting together my very own personal dopamine menu – a list of activities that will prompt the brain to produce dopamine. The trend first started in 2020 in a YouTube video, offering the method up as a tool for people with ADHD to use when they need stimulation but don’t know what to do. It effectively takes away the decision fatigue factor when you know you need to take some time out but you’re not sure what exactly to do. I’ve written before about the little pick-me-ups I turn to when I’m feeling low and need a mood boost, and I loved the idea of taking the idea further and thinking about a whole range of options in classic menu style –…

“As these linens are made from recycled plastic, the fabric is stain resistant, while moth larvae won’t eat it ” Sustainable settings If you’re looking for new table linen for the festive season, or for use year-round, take a look at Weaver Green’s ranges. The brand’s three designs – Antibes, Maxime and Jaipur – come in two colourways each, all of which are designed to easily co-ordinate with existing tableware and décor, whatever the event. Made to look like French linen, the beautifully soft tablecloths have, in fact, been made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. They all come in a choice of two sizes and there’s a range of napkins to match the cloths, too. CHEMICAL-FREE COOKING The debate about non-stick pans being dangerous to one’s health has been raging for…

It’s safe to say that I’m not alone in thinking that the run-up to Christmas can be pretty exhausting. From making sure you have everything for Christmas dinner (not to mention all the other meals and snacks), to buying and wrapping presents for all the family... It’s such a mammoth task that decorating your home might not be as high up on your to-do list as you’d like it to be. So if you find yourself close to Christmas, and low on both time and inspiration, we’ve got you. From hanging decorations the easy way to creating the perfect dining table on the big day, take your pick of these easy-to-achieve updates to bring your home roaring into the festive season.…

STYLE DIRECTION “Use lengths of wide satin and velvet ribbon tied into bows to add colour and homespun glamour to your tree " HEATHER YOUNG, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF USE NATURAL TEXTURES Ditch the glitter and sparkle, and decorate your tree using beautifully cut and pleated paper decorations mixed with simple green glass baubles, standing the tree in a rustic scallop-edged woven basket BRANCH OUT Suspend a branch over your table to hang decorations from, a great way to add a festive touch without compromising table space DISPLAY FORAGED FINDS Bring the winter garden inside by displaying pine, eucalyptus and spruce branches in vases, draped over mantelpieces and tied onto beams. Verdant greenery will add colour, texture and fragrance to your scheme. Mini potted fir trees can be brought in and decorated with…

1. SEASONAL DECORATIONS Create your own Christmassy display to welcome visitors, with some of your favourite decorations. Whether it’s a garland or two, floor-standing lanterns or hanging baubles, it’s a lovely way to get guests excited for the big day. For a similar herb and flower dryer, try Dibor, £19 2. SPARKLY LIGHTS Nothing offers a more magical touch to a room than fairy lights, so string some behind the bed or around a door or window to add some instant sparkle. You could try writing a short word in lights, such as ‘joy’ or ‘Noel’, by hanging hooks to string them around. For similar fairy lights, try Lights4fun. Walls in Old White wall paint, £55.95 for 2.5ltr, Annie Sloan 3. GUEST HAMPER Treat friends and family to a welcome…

MEET THE EXPERTS BARRIE CUTCHIE, DESIGN DIRECTOR, BC DESIGNS ‘For years, we chose to make small bathrooms and more of them, but the trend for 2025 will be to go large with quality over quantity.’ JEN THOMPSON, SENIOR FURNITURE DESIGNER, ROPER RHODES ‘Bathroom design will be all about self-expression, wellness and personality.’ LEE THORNLEY, FOUNDER, BERT & MAY ‘I expect to see more natural materials and earthy-toned schemes in 2025, as we continue to seek grounding through nature.’ Big bathroom plans for the new year, but no idea how or where to start? Bathrooms are changing as our needs for this once wash-and-go space become increasingly demanding when it comes to both aesthetics and functionality. We asked three experts, two from the world of bathroom design and one from a…

A cloakroom can be a wonderful addition to your home if your household has outgrown sharing one bathroom upstairs. It’s not as expensive as you might think (between £2,000 and £4,000), but it’s also not an easy DIY job, as it requires plumbing experience. ‘It isn’t just about adding a toilet,’ explains Barrie Cutchie, design director at BC Designs. ‘At the very least you will need a washbasin, a light source and also ventilation. If there’s more space to play with, then you may consider turning it into a downstairs washroom or bathroom,’ he adds. 1 PLAN THE ESSENTIALS There are several elements to consider when creating a new cloakroom. ‘Installation will involve plumbing, heating and electrics – these all need to comply with certain safety standards,’ explains Thomas Goodman,…

BEFORE YOU BUY ■ You can pay as little as £15 for a toaster in the supermarket, but top brands will set you back as much as £200 for a stylish statement option. We found lots of great toasters for under £50, but as a general rule the more you pay, the more features you’re likely to get as standard. Other extras can include a wider range of colours and a sturdier-feeling metal exterior. ■ If there’s just one or two of you and you’re not a fan of fancy loaves, then we’d say a simple two-slot model with a couple of functions will probably suffice. Two-slot designs are also better if you’re tight on space as it’s a product that usually has a permanent home on your worktop. For…

CLEAN | ORGANISE | SOLVE Start the New Year as you mean to go on with easy ways to SAVE MONEY, plus tips on how to REFRESH your home with minimal effort, on page 144; update your home office set-up with the latest TECH must-haves on page 146; read all about how to give your freezer a good CLEAR OUT on page 147; and finally, on page 149, find out how to get out of bad habits with your finances and discover new ways to SAVE and SHIFT DEBT for good.…

Busted sausage on toast with beans SERVES 2READY IN 13 MINS ● 200g mixed mushrooms ● 2 large higher-welfare sausages (70g each) ● 2 thick slices of bread ● Olive oil ● 4 sprigs of thyme ● 2tbsp brown sauce ● 2tsp sun-dried tomato paste ● 1 x 400g tin of cannellini beans 1 Place a large non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat. Slice or tear the mushrooms into the pan to start dry frying as it heats. 2 Squeeze the sausagemeat out of its skin, pressing and smoothing it to cover the whole surface of one side of each piece of bread, then place sausage-side down in the pan with a splash of olive oil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until golden…

YOU WILL NEED ● Old newspaper ● A hula hoop ● Gold spray paint ● Several long lengths of ribbon ● Glue ● Pins ● Fresh foliage ● Florist’s wire If you have an old hula hoop in the shed, or you spot one in a charity shop, give it a new lease of life by transforming it into a festive card display. Lay some newspaper down in your garden and spray each side with gold paint (leaving the first side to dry before tackling the other). When completely dry, string several lengths of ribbon vertically across the hoop. Secure with glue. Pin your Christmas cards along the ribbon and top with some foliage tied on with florist’s wire for a finishing flourish.…

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