Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2015 i Style At Home

Happy New Year! I hope you’re excited about your home’s potential for 2015 (whether it’s rented or your first home; a space for a growing family or the chance to reclaim the kids’ rooms!). We’ve plenty of inspiration to get those styling skills going. Take a look at our fab 20-page Makeover Special (page 57), where Stylists at Home Gemma, Joanna, Anne, Susan and Donna have achieved amazing transformations. If you’re looking to make an existing space work harder, 100 Style Ideas: Dual purpose rooms (page 34) has plenty of tips. Talking of tips, why not join our ever-expanding group of Stylists at Home and share yours in a future issue? Email stylistsathome@timeinc.com to find out more or check out our new ‘Stylists at Home Connected’ (page 8). NEWS FLASH…

MEET ELIZABETH My home... ABOUT ME I’m Elizabeth Powell, 40, and I live with my husband Shane, 40, a builder. and my two children, Harry, 11, and Darcey, eight. I work as a receptionist and a childminder. MY HOME We live in a three-bedroom, semi-detached Victorian house in the village of Longfield, Kent, which we bought in 2002. WHEN I BOUGHT IT The house was a small, dark two-bedroom character cottage that been neglected for quite a while. We thought it had potential to expand and wanted to put our stamp on every room. AND NOW We extended the back and added an extra floor. The whole house has been re-plastered and re-rendered and we’ve totally transformed every room including the garden and front drive. STYLE TIP I like to…

COLOUR MATCH Pick out the main colours in your existing scheme and look for a rug to tie these shades together. Alternatively, go for a block colour rug in a vibrant tone to lift a neutral room. PLAY IT SAFE Choose a rug that has a non-slip base where possible, to keep it in place and avoid tumbles. You can buy these separately and pop underneath. Try the Non-slip Rug Grip Sheet (L160cm x W110cm), £9.99, Argos, which can be trimmed to fit. SIZE MATTERS Think about how much floor space you want to cover. A small rug acts as a fun accessory, but to protect the floor, a larger size could be better suited.…

Banish post-Christmas blues with soft furnishings in bold patterns or timeless neutrals. If one of your resolutions for 2015 is brushing up on your sewing skills, what better way to start than by creating something for your home with a fabric you’ve fallen for? With any project, measure twice and cut once, especially if this is the first time you’ve made a cushion (see our #10mincushion on cushienumber.co.uk) or curtains. And do research basics, such as headings and linings. If you’re after ready-made, we’ve found designs you’ll love too. Colour choice Red shades, from cranberry to scarlet, are big news for fabrics this spring, with large flower and pictorial trends the ones to watch. For a more muted update, choose a neutral fabric featuring a pattern in similar soft shades,…

Walls painted in French Grey Intelligent Matt Emulsion, £41.50 for 2.5ltr; stair treads painted in Mid Lead; stair risers painted in Salix floor paint; both £26ltr; woodwork painted in Slaked Lime and French Grey; mirror painted in Scree; all Intelligent Eggshell £25ltr; all Little Greene. Ariel number stickers in Graphite (one-14), £39 per set; B010 plain frosted window film, £38 for a 100cm x 50cm piece; both Brume. Vogue Rustic Oak Natural Plank laminate, £29.49 per sq m, Quick-Step. Console table in Antique White, £79.95, Steel Magnolias. Loop fabric, £27 per m, Scion. Acova four-column radiator, £134; Izon vertical twin wall lights, £24 each; all B&Q. For a similar mirror, try Kinvara, £155, Oka Direct. Wire mail box, £14.95, Notonthehighstreet.com. Metal baskets, from £12.99 each, HomeSense. Bird ornaments, £5 per…

My room... ABOUT ME I’m Anne Mitchell, 33, and I live with my husband, Derek, 37, and our two children, Milly, two and a half, and Noah, one, in a four-bedroom house in West Lothian. MY CHALLENGE To knock the wall through to the dining room to create an open-plan space, while salvaging the kitchen to keep costs down. MY WISH LIST I wanted to be able to keep an eye on the children in the playroom, while I was cooking and also have easy access the garden. The original layout of our kitchen made you feel quite trapped as it was so tiny and only had access to the utility room,’ says Anne. ‘It was badly in need of an update. In fact, the entire ground floor of the…

MEET SUSAN My room... ABOUT ME I’m Susan Moodie, 51, and I live with my partner, Mark, 51, and our daughters, Harley, 26, and Amber, 17, in a five-bed period semi in Twickenham, south west London. MY CHALLENGE The guest bathroom was in an embarrassing state, with dated fixtures and fittings, a leaking skylight, and very little storage. It just felt drab. MY WISH LIST High-quality sanitaryware with a back-to-wall loo, a smart vanity unit, a bigger bath and lots of storage, all wrapped up in a glamorous scheme. Our guest bathroom was done up quickly and cheaply shortly after we moved in 17 years ago,’ says Susan. ‘So it was starting to look worse for wear. As it’s only used by guests and lodgers, I don’t go in there…

1 Disaster strikes ! A leaky pipe in the shower room over the garage has turned into a flood. The boys had this space as their den, but as they’ve left home now I’m going to reclaim it for myself! 2 Helping hands As a skilled delegator, I enlist a joiner, plumber, electrician and painter then I hit the high street. I can’t decide whether I want a cream or grey scheme, but I plan to keep the walls white. 3 Practical decisions Next I think about flooring. Should I go for carpet or hard flooring? I choose solid flooring and I can’t resist a cream rug – this room won’t be getting a lot of traffic so I think I can risk it. 4 All hands on deck The…

Pissaladière TAKES 1 HR 50 MIN MAKES 4 Make one quantity of dough from the stuffed-crust pizza recipe (right). For the topping, heat 50g butter in a pan and fry 4 sliced onions gently for 20 min. Set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 230°C/Gas 8. Divide the dough into four. Roll out each piece into an oblong (28cm x 15cm). Put them on two baking trays and brush with 3tbsp olive oil. Spread over the onions. Take 2 x 50g cans anchovies and halve the fillets lengthways. Arrange on top in a criss-cross pattern, Add 32 pitted black olives and sprigs of thyme. Season with black pepper. Bake for 20 min. Pepperoni ciabatta TAKES 30 MIN MAKES 8 Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Cut 2 x half ciabatta…

SHOPPING LIST MEAT & FISH * 8 pork sausages * 225g chorizo * 4 chicken breasts * 200g bacon * 450g raw king prawns FRUIT & VEGETABLES * 1 white & 3 red onions * 4 white & 5 sweet potatoes * 350g diced butternut squash and sweet potato * Bunches of rosemary , parsley , coriander * 1 garlic bulb * 2 red peppers * 250g green beans * 2 Little Gem lettuces * 1/2 cucumber * 4 courgettes * 150g mushrooms * 5cm piece fresh root ginger * 6 spring onions * 2 lemongrass stalks * 1 red chilli * 100g beansprouts DAIRY * Feta, Stilton & Cheddar * 400g crème fraiche * Milk * 300ml double cream * Butter GROCERY & FROZEN * Honey * Wholegrain mustard…

Drawer shelves Give a new lease of life to unused drawers YOU WILL NEED Solid wood chest of drawers Sandpaper & damp cloth Plasti-kote Twist n Spray primer, Twist n Spray paints in Baby Blue, Pistachio and Cameo Pink, all £7.98 each for 400ml, B&Q Wood batten Wood saw Tape measure Screws & wall fixings 1 Lightly sand any previously painted surfaces on the drawers, then wipe down inside and out. Working outside and using a dust sheet, spray all bare wood with primer and leave to dry. Spray the whole of each drawer inside and out a different colour (including the sides but leaving the back bare) with two coats of the coloured spray, allowing each to dry before applying the next. 2 If the drawer has a lip…

MEET SARAH My home... ABOUT ME I’m Sarah Charneca, 50, a paintings restorer, and I work for a local gallery, 108 Fine Art in Harrogate. I also teach art styles and techniques (sarah-charneca.co.uk). I live with my two children, Isabel, 16, Hugo, 14, and Winnie, our smooth-haired Dachshund. MY HOME A three-floor period property in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. I bought it in May 2008. WHEN I BOUGHT IT The house had no soul. It had been renovated by a property developer and every room was painted in magnolia. AND NOW We knocked down the wall between the living and dining room to create a large, open-plan living area, which has opened up the space and increased the light tremendously. We repainted throughout, using vibrant colours and feature wallpaper in some…

With so many to choose from, the variety of sofa styles on the high street can be overwhelming. So if you are looking to replace yours, and are not sure what shape is for you, we’re here to help. We love the way Sarah has combined a chaise longue with a Knole-inspired sofa and a period-style chair for a mismatched look that works beautifully. Will you go for a period-looking Chesterfield, or a clean modern shape? Take into account the style of your scheme when choosing a new sofa, and consider all the options. Classic vs contemporary Just because you have a country-style space doesn’t mean you have to choose a chintz sofa, but you should try to consider the look and feel of your home. A Victorian terraced house…

ABOUT ME I’m 32 and I live with my partner Ian in a two-bed end-of-terrace in Derbyshire. Our kitchen is my favourite room – it’s spacious with lots of storage. THE LAST THING I BOUGHT… was a bespoke lampshade made using Cabbages & Roses Toile de Jouy fabric to match my bedroom. STYLE TIP If you see something and fall in love, buy it! Always follow your home decor heart! ABOUT ME I’m 39 and I live with my husband Kevin, our toddler Percy, plus cats Gracie and Mabel. Home is a three-bed barn conversion in Herefordshire. THE LAST THING I BOUGHT… was a turquoise floral cushion cover – it picks up on the accent shade in our living room perfectly. STYLE TIP Make friends with your local charity shop…

My home... ABOUT ME I’m Harriet Hurdley, 32, and I’m a secondary school teacher. I live with my partner Mark Lees, 38, a graphic designer, and our cats Rufus and Teddy. MY HOME We live in a Victorian three-bedroom, mid-terrace house in Leicester. We moved here in December 2013. WHEN I BOUGHT IT Although the interior was liveable, the decor was very uninspiring, with harsh colours, bold patterns and shiny, modern finishes that didn’t suit our tastes or the age of the house. AND NOW We have chosen easy-to-live-with colours, quirky, retro furniture, and unusual accessories – every room has its own distinctive character. STYLE TIP A dado rail gives a bland room instant architectural character. Indulge in colour or pattern on the upper section, and use pale neutrals below…

Adding a seat turns a bay window into a homely place to sit and enjoy the view, read, or – if for a spare bedroom – give guests somewhere to relax in comfort. A window seat becomes an attractive focal point too, and when dressed with colourful cushions is a great addition to any room. Harriet treated hers to a new seat pad and cushions, continuing the colour scheme inspired by her Sanderson fabric, in shades of duck-egg blue, teal and mustard yellow. Make it useful If you build the seat with a hinged lid, you can store out-of-season bulky items, such as blankets and throws, inside. You can use it as a toy hideaway, but secure the lid so that it can’t fall down accidentally. Another option is to…

Whether you want to kit out your living room to double-up as a comfortable guest bedroom, or set up an all-in-one home office and spare room, we’re demanding more from our homes. And we frequently have to convert rooms to suit our changing needs. If this sounds familiar, think about how you can best use the space you have and which room will lend itself to being a dual-purpose area. Just remember to plan ahead and don’t get carried away with trying to squeeze too much out of one room. 1 Start by deciding what the main purpose of the space will be. How often will it be used for each function? Does it need to be equipped for both at all times? 2 Clear out any unwanted clutter before…

SOFTLY SOFTLY Elizabeth has used a palette of soft paint shades on the walls in her home to create a calm, relaxed feel. Try Crown’s range, with delicate shades such as Winterbloom, Créme de la Rose and Stepping Stone; all £19.49 for 2.5ltr. COUNTRY KITCHEN The matt kitchen units in Elizabeth’s house are from Howdens – try the Haworth White cabinetry range for a similar look. LIGHT MY FIRE Period details such as cast-iron fireplaces add character. If you’re looking for a fireplace to suit the age and history of your home, try the Cast Iron Fireplace Company or Victorian Fireplaces.…

Elizabeth needed plenty of vision to turn her dated period property into a light, bright and modern home. Yet, with careful planning, great use of colour and a kitchen-diner extension, she’s achieved just that. Do you feel your home is dark and gloomy and could do with brightening up? There are plenty of ways you can introduce more light without building work. From being ruthless with clutter to changing window treatments, it’s easy and affordable to achieve and will make your friends view your home in a whole new light. 1 CLEAR OUT CLUTTER Having a good clear out can make all the difference to a room. Keep surfaces clear and tidy and make sure nothing is blocking the light source to the room. Have a good look around your…

MEET GEMMA My room... ABOUT ME I’m Gemma Willerton, 40, and I live in Cheshire with my partner David, also 40, and daughter Leanne, 16. We bought our four-bedroom period property four years ago. MY CHALLENGE With its dated decor, grubby carpet and missing light fittings, the gloomy, narrow hallway was certainly not an inviting introduction to our home. MY WISH LIST I wanted a light and bright entrance that would reflect the rest of my newly updated home. I was keen to inject character and personality, too. Our home was in serious need of a top-to-bottom makeover when David and I moved in four years ago,’ says Gemma. ‘We updated the main rooms first, which meant the hallway got pushed to the bottom of the list. However, with renovations…

My room... ABOUT ME I’m Joanna Aldridge, 30 and I live with my husband Michael, and our baby, June, one, in our detached house in Buckinghamshire. MY CHALLENGE The living room was very tired looking and the carpet was worn. It needed freshening up and it was an unusual L-shape, too, so we had to think about the best way to use the space. MY WISH LIST I was keen to make it look smart and trendy but still feel inviting and relaxing for our daughter. Durable furniture and storage had to play a key role. When we bought this detached house last year, we knew we would have to update every room, but we planned for this to be our forever home so we were prepared for the work,’…

1 Changing the layout We knock down the wall between the kitchen and dining room and start moving the working part of the kitchen into the dining room end. We remove the glass doors and replace them with a wall, blocking off the living room. We were worried that it would make the space feel darker, but it actually gives it a much more cosy vibe. 2 Opening up the space The kitchen window is replaced with a patio door opening out onto the garden and we fit a door that leads straight into the playroom, saving us from having to go through the utility room, which was a real squeeze. 3 Reusing units Being on maternity leave while the building work is being carried out means I can keep…

1 Fresh start The cracks are really starting to show in our guest bathroom so it’s time for a new look. Luckily, Mark is pretty handy around the house, so he will do most of the work. After deciding to keep the layout the same, we start to rip everything out. 2 Flooring & tiles We realise the warped floorboards can’t be rescued so I look for new floor tiles. I settle on some lovely matt-grey ones that are nice and big, so they are easy for Mark to lay. I find large brick-style wall tiles at the same time in a paler shade. I really want to have a false wall behind the loo to hide the pipework and Saniflo system – I think it will make the room…

Crispy duck pancakes TAKES 30 MIN MAKES 10 1tbsp five-spice powder 1tbsp honey 2 duck breasts 10 Chinese pancakes Hoisin sauce 8 spring onions, sliced 1/2 cucumber, sliced 1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas 7. Mix the five-spice powder with the honey and spread it over the duck. 2 Heat a frying pan and add the duck breasts, skin-side down and cook for 5 min, pressing down well until the skin starts to crisp up. Turn them over and cook for another 3 min. 3 Transfer the duck to a baking tray and cook in the oven for 15 min until cooked through. Remove the duck from the oven and shred it with two forks into a bowl. Heat the Chinese pancakes as directed on the packet. Serve them with…

Brie & bacon toastie TAKES 10 MIN MAKES 2 4 slices unsmoked back bacon 2 panini rolls, halved 4tbsp butter 5tbsp tomato relish tomatoes, sliced Handful of basil leaves 75g low-fat Brie, sliced 1 Preheat the grill to medium. Once hot, place the bacon on a grill pan and cook for 5 min until it is crisp and golden. Set aside on a warm plate. 2 Halve the paninis, spread over the butter and a little tomato relish on the cut sides of the bread. Then layer up the tomato, basil leaves, bacon and brie. Butter the outside of the panini. 3 Heat the griddle pan to high and fry the panini for 5 min, turning until golden on both sides and the filling melted. Serve with a pot of…

Whatever the shape or size of your bathroom, it’s easy to add style with a few nifty tips. From clever wall displays to choosing the right accessories, it’s important to plan your ideas well and start off with a serious de-clutter. Styling a room is far easier when you’re not contending with numerous half-empty bottles of shampoo or ugly plastic containers, so ditch and decant before you begin. Select your favourite bottles (the ones that are almost too good to use!) and give these prime position on your shelves, while keeping other essential items in closed cabinets where possible. Bottle it up Pour toiletries you use regularly into pretty bottles or jars to keep in the shower or by the bath and decant hand soap into a stylish container to…

LAZY DAYS Sarah has a beautiful chaise longue in her living area that sits perfectly in front of the bay window. Try The Chaise Longue Company (thechaiselongueco.co.uk) for a wide variety of styles and fabrics. FINE DISPLAY A large cabinet with glass doors is ideal for displaying your collections of glassware and china. Sarah’s is the Liatorp cupboard from Ikea, which is priced at £275. WINDOW DRESSING Pretty fretwork shutters are a beautifully decorative way to maintain privacy, while maximising the amount of light that comes into a room. Jali (jali.co.uk) sells a variety of designs and can be used to fill either a whole or half window and come in either oak veneer or white-primed MDF.…

PLAN AHEAD If you choose wall-mounted shelves, the first step is to measure and mark out the exact position on the wall before hanging. Think about the spacing between each shelf unit and whether you want a symmetrical or asymmetrical display. PICK A STYLE With designs available in so many different looks, it’s important to pick one that suits your home and character. Opt for a distressed, rustic unit for a country-style bedroom or living room, or a sleek and clean piece to complement a modern kitchen. GET CREATIVE Why not customise your new unit or shelves to add a unique touch to your scheme? Have a go at lining the back of your shelving unit with pieces of wallpaper to add interest, or paint the sections of wall inside…

Give a tired-looking cabinet a new lease of life by transforming it into a stylish piece. Bring it up to date by lining it with a piece of funky wallpaper, and paint the wooden frame a bright, co-ordinating colour. HOW TO YOU WILL NEED Glass cabinet, £15, junk shop Sandpaper Damp cloth Masking tape Ronseal One Coat White Primer & Undercoat, £4.98 for 250ml, B&Q Paintbrush Ronseal One Coat Red Rose gloss cupboard paint, £18.98 for 750ml, B&Q Colours Cocktail wallpaper, £12.98 per roll, B&Q Scissors, PVA glue 1 Remove the shelves and lightly sand the sides, top, door frame and legs of the cabinet. Wipe clean and mask off the glass panels. Prime the wood and leave to dry. 2 Paint the wood with red gloss and leave until…

= mail order available ABC Abbey Tile Centre 01656 722722; abbeytiles.co.uk Achica achica.com Aga Cookshop 0800 804 6296; agacookshop.co.uk Alice Caroline alicecaroline.co.uk Amazon amazon.co.uk And So To Bed 0808 144 4343; andsotobed.co.uk Annie Sloan 01865 247296; anniesloan.com Anthropologie anthropologie.eu AO 0844 324 9222; ao.com Argos 0845 640 3030; argos.co.uk Aspace 0845 872 2500; aspace.co.uk Aspect Flooring 020 7731 3634; aspectflooring.com B&Q 0333 014 3098; diy.com Bathroom Supastore 0845 034 5605; bathroomsupastore.com Bathstore 0800 023 2323; bathstore.com Baumatic 0118 9336 900; baumatic.co.uk Bernard J Arnull 01932 341078; bernardjarnull.co.uk BHS 0344 411 6000; bhs.co.uk Blue Sun Tree 0116 267 0267; bluesuntree.co.uk Bo Concept boconcept.com Brand Alley brandalley.co.uk Brume 01364 73090; brume.co.uk Calm Gallery (The) 01223 269749; thecalmgallery.com Carpetright 0845 604 5619; carpetright.co.uk Cast Iron Fireplace Company 020 8942 8881; castironfireplacecompany.com Cath Kidston…

Have a go at our fab knitting project and create a real statement piece for your home. Using chunky needles and ribbon yarn, it grows quickly. Whether it’s used as a funky footstool or casual seating, it’s sure to add retro charm. HOW TO YOU WILL NEED 10mm (UK000) knitting needles 2 x kingsize duvets, £5 each; 2 x cushion pads, £1.50 each; all Ikea Bodkin or large darning needle 3 x 1200g (120m) balls DMC Hoooked Zpagetti in Lemon Yellow, £10 per ball, Shop.womans weekly.com Cast on 60 stitches. Working in 1 garter stitch (knit into every stitch to the end of each row), continue until your work measures around 170cm or it fits around the circumference of your rolled-up duvets (see step 2) when lightly stretched. Cast off.…

Try our oh-so-pretty cushion, inspired by the dusky lilac and plum shades of Elizabeth’s bedroom. We made our cushion, but you could also trim a ready-made one with lace for the same effect if you’re short on time. HOW TO YOU WILL NEED 50cm x 110cm Lilac fabric, £5 per m, John Lewis 2 x lace motifs, £4.50, MacCulloch & Wallis 2.10m x lace trim, £3 per m, John Lewis Sewing machine 41cm x 41cm Ecru duck feather cushion pad, from £3.99, Dunelm 1 From the lilac fabric, cut one 42cm x 42cm front and two 30cm x 42cm back pieces. Turn over 1cm then 1cm again along one 42cm-side of each back. Pin, press and machine stitch the hem. 2 Pin the lace motifs in place and hand stitch…

1 Starting afresh We pull up the carpet, strip the wallpaper and remove the ugly radiator. Our main aim is to make this space feel as light and open as possible, so we go for a warm neutral shade on the walls – Little Greene’s French Grey. The built-in cupboard, which houses the meters, is painted in matching eggshell. 2 Let there be light I take down a blind that’s stopping light coming in through the glazed front door – it’s amazing how much brighter the space feels! So our privacy isn’t affected, I fit frosted window film to the glass after a friend recommends it to me. Our hallway is starting to look better already. 3 Floor show I had hoped to discover Victorian tiles or floorboards under the…

1 Getting the basics right As we want this to be our forever home, Michael and I want to get it right from the start, so have every room re-plastered and painted neutral. New lights are fitted and dark wood flooring laid throughout. The living room has to work for us and our daughter as she grows so it needs to be fun, welcoming and practical. 2 A look in mind Luckily the furniture from our previous house fits in perfectly. It’s also pretty durable and will withstand knocks and bangs. We are also reusing the beautiful handmade navy curtains and Cissy Cook collage that we had commissioned, so I have a good starting point for the scheme. I find a Dulux paint colour to match the curtains and use…

For similar kitchen units, try Aran Cucine, £300 for a 600mm unit, Niche Kitchens. Iroko worktop, £65 per linear metre, Worktop Express. Lansa handles, £4 pack of two; Ekby Jarpen wall shelves, £18 each; all Ikea. For similar sink and tap, try Astracast Aegon, £128.63, Bathroom Supastore. Flavel range cooker, £519.99, Currys. Stoves extractor hood, £150, (salvaged from old kitchen). Walls painted in Crown Breatheasy Soft Cream emulsion, £18.47 per 2.5ltr, B&Q. Multi Stem wallpaper, £62 per roll, Orla Kiely. Golders Green and Oxford Circus metro-style tiles, £19.75 per sq m; Keystone floor tiles in Mocha, £26.45 per sq m, both Walls and Floors. Dresser, £35, Gumtree. Bunting kit, £16.50; letters, 89p each; both Handmade by LucyLu at Notonthehighstreet.com. Cotton ball light string, £22.95, This Modern Life…

MEET DONNA My room.. ABOUT ME I’m Donna Wilson, 50, and I live in a four-bedroom house in Greenisland, Belfast, with my husband Gary. Our sons, Scott, 22, and Jack, 21, have recently moved out. MY CHALLENGE To turn a former den into a tranquil, multi-functional room. It needed bedroom space for my mother-in-law’s visits, but I wanted to use it year-round myself, too. MY WISH LIST Restful colours, but with personality – not a beige box! They say every cloud has a silver lining, though the day we came home to find that the shower room off our sons’ den had flooded we didn’t see it like that,’ says Donna. ‘However, now that the boys have both left home, the den wasn’t being used so the flood was the…

Marble cheesecake TAKES 2 HR 10 MIN SERVES 16 200g chocolate digestives 100g butter, melted 200g dark chocolate 900g cream cheese 300g caster sugar 3tbsp flour 1/4tsp salt 4 eggs 2tsp vanilla extract 200ml soured cream 1 egg 1 Preheat oven to 160°C/Gas 3. Pour some water into a roasting tin and put it in the bottom of the oven. Grease and line a 23cm spring-clip tin and line the base and sides with baking paper. Crush the digestives in a freezer bag to make crumbs, then mix with the butter. 2 Press into the base of the tin with the back of a spoon and chill in the fridge. To make the filling: in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate until smooth. Set…

Avoid laundry mistakes Take care of your clothes and appliances with our top tips Rubbing stains Don’t rub furiously at a stain as this can damage the fabric. Treat the stain as soon as possible, working from the outside in and dabbing with a white cloth to avoid colour transference. Do up zips Left undone, zips can snag delicate fabrics in the same load so always fasten before putting in the machine. Check buttons Undo all shirt buttons before laundering otherwise the washing action can pull on the buttons so they’re more likely to work loose. Level your machine Not only is it noisy, but an uneven washer can cause damage to your floor as well as wear out machine components quicker. Place a spirit level on the top of…