Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2019 i Style At Home

Azza Refaat ABOUT ME I’m 44 and I live in a rented three-bedroom villa in Dubai with my husband Moataz, 44, and our daughter Farida, who’s 16. WHAT LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNT? I used to be like a kid in a sweet shop when I went home shopping, but I’ve learnt to be patient, stick to my mood board, and wait to find the right pieces. Emma Lass ABOUT ME I’m 36 and I live in a top-floor river-view flat in east London with my husband Ashley, 36, and daughters Elsie, five, and Alice, one. WHAT’S YOUR LATEST PROJECT? When we moved in, the walls were varnished plaster, and it felt like we were living in a pub. We’ve just finished painting them, which has made a huge difference. Lauren…

HOMEBASE Classic baronial Style a traditional scheme using reds, greens and golds with touches of tartan SAINSBURY’S Winter frost Combine snowflakes and swans in enchanting silver and white DEBENHAMS Merry & bright Embrace exotic motifs in a riot of colours for a quirky festive scheme WILKO Rustic woodland Create a cosy seasonal look with natural wood, warm gold and lots of forest friends Style Maker AZZA SAYS ‘When picking your Christmas theme, try to mix two styles together for a unique look that reflects your own personality.’…

If you often find yourself stargazing and feel as though you might be from another galaxy altogether, then this is the trend for you. With a little bit of sparkle, plenty of starry skies and a mythical creature or two, embrace this other-worldly look for Christmas and beyond, swapping hanging decorations for constellation-covered accessories once the festivities are over.…

FARROW & BALL Millie has used a wealth of white and grey shades from this classic brand, which helpfully show you which colours complement each other, in case you’re not confident putting a palette together yourself. GISELA GRAHAM This is a one-stop shop for all your Christmas decorations and seasonal pieces, as well as home interior gifts for every occasion. MARKS & SPENCER For good-quality, timeless pieces, with a quintessentially heritage-style feel that will give your home a luxe update without the hefty price tag.…

Get cosy with a steaming mug of hot chocolate, kept warm with a simple felt cosy. Cut a piece of wool felt long enough to wrap round a handleless mug so it overlaps slightly. Tie with a length of twine and knot with a fragrant cinnamon stick for decoration.…

For a large wreath, make around 40 pom-poms, 25 large and 15 small. Source a base, try polystyrene wreath, 35cm, £4, Hobbycraft. Using long dressmaking pins, attach the pom-poms all over the base. Start with the smaller ones at the centre, and work your way out to the edge with the larger ones. To hang, either pin a looped ribbon to the back or feed a ribbon through the centre and tie in a bow. Then hang from a hook or nail.…

When we moved to the UK from Poland in September 2011, we initially rented a flat from a private landlord,’ says Martyna. ‘But after a couple of years, we were given a rental property through Thirteen Group, a local organisation that offers good-quality housing for people in need, with a view to renting, shared ownership and even the possibility of buying, which is a dream for me and my husband Lukasz. When we first moved into this house, it was in a complete state. But it had a lot of space, large rooms and a bright, airy hall, and I just loved the feel of it right from the very first viewing. Helping hand Thirteen Group gave us a £170 voucher to go towards decorating, but that only covered some…

IKEA sells classic matching furniture that is styled to last. Martyna’s bedside tables and five-drawer chest come from the budget-friendly Kullen range. MATALAN is always bang up-to-date with current trends, textiles and colours and is great for high-quality, low-cost pieces. EBAY is the go-to for a bargain and is good for well-priced industrial homewares such as Martyna’s wire storage rack in the kitchen, which she sourced for just £16.99. ALDI/LIDL are leading the pack for picking up current trends at affordable prices – don’t dismiss the bargain supermarkets when you’re on the hunt for homewares.…

the STYLE RULES Natural colours and textures set a cosy mood Embrace the Danish art of hygge to create a warm and contented living space. CHOOSE NATURAL CARPET Layer hard-wearing sisal with a foot-friendly sheepskin rug. PICK BOTANICAL WALLPAPER Hang a neutral wallpaper with a subtle leaf print to bring a sense of nature inside, even during the winter months. GO FOR COMFORT Pick a squidgy sofa and pile it high with tactile cushions and throws. MIX WOOD TYPES Rustic wood furnishings add to the cosy feel. Search for pieces with an artisan look and try mixing finishes. the STYLE RULES Be inspired by Scottish-cabin style Give guests a warm welcome by creating a luxe log cabin look using cosy cottons, natural furnishings and a touch…

ABOUT ME I’m Lisa Bunton, 36, content manager for rockmystyle.co.uk, and I live here with my partner Richard Mees, 35, and our two children Lyra, four, and Jenson, one. We live in a four-bedroom new-build home in Solihull, which we bought in 2014. MY CHALLENGE Turning our bland study-guest bedroom into a Scandi-inspired nursery for our baby son Jenson that would work well for him now when he’s little, and later as he grows up. MY WISH LIST I wanted a neutral scheme that would blend with the rest of my home scheme, a feature wall and fun accessories to make the space exciting for a little one.…

When Ges and I got married five years ago, we decided to rent his house out and live in mine,’ says Bron. ‘It’s a nice, solid house, but it had got tired. We needed to go through it and work out what we wanted to do. We left the kitchen and dining room until last as they were a bit of a mess. The kitchen was tiny and right at the back of the house, while the dining room was huge with an old wooden table I love and have had for years, but to be honest, it wasn’t used every day. Then there was a space in between the dining room and living room that had been a playroom for the boys when they were young. It was a…

Buying an ex-rental property was my chance to work with a bathroom that was a blank canvas, but lacked personality,’ says Jessica, of the Regency-era flat she owns. ‘It was just a basic suite, with magnolia-painted walls, and a cheap lino floor that was ill fitting as well as difficult to keep clean. It lacked a window, as the room had been created in the first place by borrowing space from the sitting room. I wanted my new bathroom to look bigger, but without having to do any major structural work. My must-haves At the top of my wish list was a separate shower and bath. The main challenge was how to work these two large items into a small space because the central position of the doorway meant the…

There’s no doubt that a beautifully finished bathroom will add wow factor to your home, whatever its size. For a small space, a compact bath is a solution that can look every bit as impressive as a full-size tub. What is a compact bath? The current standard bath size in the UK measures 170cm long by 70cm wide. Anything smaller is classified as compact or space-saving. Popular compact dimensions include 150x75cm and 160x70cm. Smaller still is the hip bath, sometimes called a shower-bath, which starts at 105cm long and are designed for sitting under a shower but can be useful for bathing children. Why should I get one? Obviously, they are aimed at bathrooms that simply cannot squeeze in a standard tub, but compact baths are not just for seriously…

Ready, steady, sort! HAVE A TEN-MINUTE TIDY Make it a habit to have a quick tidy-up each evening. Get the kids involved by setting a timer and assigning tasks. RECYCLE THE TREE Local authorities often arrange drop-off points for Christmas trees. Find yours listed online or in your local paper. RE-USE CHRISTMAS PACKAGING Save padded envelopes, cardboard mailing tubes and boxes for stashing Christmas baubles and breakables.…

FOOD PICKS YOU WILL NEED Black and glitter card Pencil Scissors Metallic pens PVA glue Cocktail sticks 1 Draw a star shape approximately 5cm wide onto plain card (you can find a template on the internet, print to the desired size, and trace onto your card). Cut out the star shape and use as a template. 2 Mark out the star shape on the reverse of different coloured sheets of glitter card using the template. Draw the same number of stars onto black card and cut all of them out, using scissors. 3 Using metallic pens, draw an outline on the black star shapes and write food names or little messages in the centre. 4 Lay a glitter star face down on your worksurface and cover the back with PVA…

A  Aga 0800 111 6477 agaliving.com Aldi 0800 042 0800 aldi.co.uk Amara 0800 587 7645 amara.com Amazon amazon.co.uk Anorak 020 8299 2416 anorakonline.co.uk Appliances Direct 0871 984 4416 appliancesdirect.co.uk Argos 0345 640 2020 argos.co.uk Asda 0800 952 0101 asda.com Attic 020 8943 9626 discoverattic.com B  B&M bmstores.co.uk B&Q 0333 014 3098 diy.com Balsam Hill 01234 227155 balsamhill.co.uk Bard & Brazier 0121 270 2222 bardbrazier.com Belling 0344 815 3746 belling.co.uk Bert & May 020 3744 0776 bertandmay.com Better Bathrooms 0844 484 7678 betterbathrooms.com Blinds 2 Go 0800 862 0464 blinds-2go.co.uk Bonordic bonordic.co.uk Boori boori.com Brintons 0800 505055 brintons.co.uk British Ceramic Tile 01626 834774 britishceramictile.com C  Cabuchon Bathforms 01524 66022 cabuchon.com Candle & Cake 01508 489361 candleandcake.co.uk Carpetright 0330 333 3444 carpetright.co.uk Cath Kidston cathkidston.com Central 23 020 3957 4018 central23.co Christy…

Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m more than ready to crash into the Christmas holiday! No matter how organised I think we are, there’s always something to sort out at the last minute. Last year, I found myself baking the littlest Richmond’s birthday cake on Christmas Eve (she was born on the Big Day…), frantically piping icing at 1am. But, I don’t care how stressy the run-up is as long as I get the chance to indulge in my favourite, most selfish (and, er, slightly embarrassing) Christmas tradition – hunkering down on the sofa with a box of Hotel Chocolat and a G&T to watch old episodes of Miss Marple (Joan Hickson, obvs). I know – rock ’n’ roll! Whatever your Christmas quirks, I hope you get plenty…

Before I’d even set foot in this house, I knew it was the one I wanted to live in,’ says Millie Masterton of her Victorian townhouse in Tunbridge Wells. ‘Fortunately, the interior lived up to the exterior, with its original features, light-filled rooms and the fact that it didn’t need much work. I liked that it was habitable as it was so we could move straight in, although it definitely wasn’t decorated to my taste. At the time, we were living in southeast London, but I didn’t want my children, Felicity and Rupert, to grow up in the city. Instead, I wanted a lively town within a short commute of London. But despite searching most of Surrey, I’d drawn a blank. Then, while visiting my best friend in Tunbridge Wells,…

Having my heart set on a period property meant our house hunt was very focused when we were searching back in 2009,’ says Becky. ‘That, plus the fact that we wanted to live close to the railway station in Wellingborough, meant we only viewed two properties – one new build on a housing estate and this one, which was brimming with potential. My husband John commutes into London every day and we both have family and friends in and around the area, so the location of the house ticked all our boxes. Being set back from a main road means it’s in a peaceful position, yet still very well connected to transport, as well as being around the corner from a park and local schools. For us it offers the…

ABOUT ME I’m Martyna Janczynska, 27 (@janki.home), and I live with my husband Lukasz, 33, and our children Amelia, eight, Stanis, five, and Pola, two. MY HOME A rented three-bedroom Seventies end-of-terrace house in Middlesbrough. We moved here in August 2013. WHEN I MOVED IN It was bright, airy and had lots of potential, but it felt daunting that every room needed a lot of work. AND NOW We’ve laid new flooring, painted or wallpapered every wall, and decorated each room using a palette of whites, greys and black. STYLE TIP Think about your house as a whole when choosing your decor so that the rooms flow and the scheme has a feeling of unity.…

Put together a home that reflects your personality by combining different style elements. Martyna has gone for an eclectic scheme, starting with a palette of white and grey, rustic brickwork and weathered wooden floorboards, then adding a mix of mono textiles, geometrics and artwork. Martyna has kept to the same colour scheme throughout, mixing in extra pops of brightness here and there with plants and greenery, plus accents in black, grey, and softer pinks in the bedrooms.…

2 Warm welcome Ditch your grubby doormat for a festive version. Buy a cheap coir mat, cut star, snowflake or letter stencils out of paper, and use spray paint to design your own wintry one. 3 MAKE A TREE Don’t have space for a full-sized traditional tree? Make your own scaled-down version using a large vase and some small branches from the garden, so you can still show off your best baubles. 4 Deck the halls Create a festive wall hanging in place of a wreath. Cut a piece of dark fabric, loop 3cm at the top over a long wooden batten and sew into place. Use chalk to softly sketch a design, then use white fabric paint, to paint over your design. 5 SANTA SACKS Turn a housewife pillowcase…

1 Draw and cut out a crescent moon template on paper. Pin the template to felt or thick cotton fabric, using it as a guide to cut out the shape, leaving a 1cm seam. 2 Cut out two pieces the same and stitch together leaving an opening in the seam at the bottom. Fill the shape with wadding and sew up the opening. 3 Cut out star shapes from gold foiled card or try the Wooden Star decoration, £2, B&Q. Attach the stars to ribbon or metallic thread. Pin the top of the ribbon to the back of the moon shape, placing at different heights, then sew to secure.…

ABOUT ME I’m Bron Armor, 53, a PR at Good With Words, and I live with my husband Ges, 60, a publican, and my two sons, Toby, 22, and, Rhys, 18, in a four-bed Victorian terrace in South Wales. THE CHALLENGE Creating a brand new kitchen in what was previously the dining room, as well as finding the space to install a range cooker. MY WISHLIST That range cooker was top of my list! Plus some plain grey units with an open-plan feel and plenty of copper and metallic highlights, as well as a few touches of my favourite colour, pink.…

ABOUT ME I’m Jessica Stephens, 35, and I live in a one-bedroom flat in a Regency building in Brighton, which I bought in 2013. MY CHALLENGE My bathroom had been made by taking space from the sitting room, so it was a tiny, windowless room. It was bland, with an awful lino floor, and had no personality or imagination at all. MY WISH LIST I wanted to make the room feel larger without having to do any major building work. I was keen to have a separate walk-in shower and bath. I also knew I wanted to add glamour with touches of gold, but I knew I’d have to be careful not to overdo it.…

BOOZY FESTIVE MUFFINS TAKES 1HR 15MIN, PLUS SOAKING OVERNIGHT MAKES 12 375g mixed fruit (dried raisins, cranberries, chopped apricots, chopped dates) 5tbsp brandy, whisky or rum 80g butter 75g light muscovado sugar 2 eggs Zest of 1 orange ½tsp mixed spice 90g plain flour ½tsp baking powder 200g natural marzipan Apricot glaze or honey, to brush Writing icing, to decorate 1 Mix together the fruit and alcohol, cover and leave to soak overnight. 2 Preheat oven to 150°C/130°C fan/ Gas 2. Whisk the butter until pale, add the sugar and beat again. Mix in the soaked fruit, eggs, orange zest and mixed spice. Sift in the flour and baking powder and stir well. 3 Spoon into 12 silicone cupcake/ muffin moulds. Bake for 45min until springy to the touch. 4…

VISIT ENERGYSAVINGTRUST.ORG.UK  FOR SIMPLE WAYS TO INSULATE YOUR HOME AND TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOU CAN SAVE When the temperature drops outside, don’t succumb to frosty fingers inside, along with heating bills that are literally through the roof. These simple DIY jobs will help your home stay toasty warm, while saving money. 1 LINE YOUR CURTAINS Prevent heat loss through windows by hanging thick curtains. Choose ones with a thermal lining or line them yourself with fleece. Don’t forget to let in natural warmth from sunlight during the day. 2 INSULATE YOUR LOFT Insulating your loft is a vital job as a quarter of heat is lost through the roof in an uninsulated home. If there’s no damp or condensation problems, fit rolls of insulation between joists,…

Fab festive afters Forget the flambéed pud – far too much work anyway! Why not wow your dinner guests this Christmas with something that everyone – both young and old – will delight in and happily devour? Made from luxurious and delicious milk chocolate, and decorated with a gold lustre, this brilliant carousel from Aldi will make a stunning centrepiece for your dining table and is a mere snip at £14.99. Something new for Boxing Day Save the leftover turkey for another day and treat your family and friends to a slice or two this delicious pie from M&S instead. Made with a traditional hot water pastry crust, the scrummy dish is packed with both pork and turkey, together with smoked bacon and festive chestnuts, and serves eight to 10…

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Gather your nearest and dearest – it's time to see in the New Year in style! Dunelm's range of lustre-effect glassware will bring a touch of glamour to your soirée, while mini sparklers will make sure your party goes off with a bang. 3 of the best… BARWARE BUYS…

EMMA SAYS ‘Millie’s red Scandi-style accessories work so well with the grey cabinets in her kitchen. She could display even more by adding a metal rail beneath the wall cabinets and hanging S hooks to show off more red accessories or utensils.’ ALICE SAYS ‘A light palette in a child’s room is a great base for bright and colourful accessories.’ ATHINA SAYS ‘Metal bed frames are great to use in smaller spaces. Being able to see through the posts and under the bed gives it a weightless appearance, and makes a compact room seem bigger.’…

MAKE DIY BUNTING Add a pretty touch to rooms with bunting made from fabric scraps in co-ordinating colours. Start by cutting a triangle template from stiff card and use this as a guide when cutting fabric. Cut your fabric triangles using pinking shears to prevent fraying, then sew them onto a length of bias binding tape, leaving a couple of centimetres between each until you reach your desired length. FIT A MANTEL SHELF A fireplace makes a great focal point in a living room, but can feel a little bare without a surround. A painted shelf on wooden or fretwork brackets makes a decorative option in a country scheme, or for a more modern look, consider a simple floating shelf with concealed supports. ADD A TOUCH OF FROST For an…

ABOUT ME I’m Becky Jones, 39, a print designer and founder of shop The League of Mothers. I live with my husband John, 40, and our five-year-old daughter, Lola. MY HOME An end-of-terrace in Wellingborough, Northants, which we bought in 2009. WHEN I MOVED IN The house had beautiful original features but every room needed redecorating and modernising. We also had to improve the insulation throughout. AND NOW We’ve put our stamp on the house and it’s bursting with colour and personality! STYLE TIP Don’t shy away from bold patterns – they can really add character to a room and create a striking focal point, whether used in wallpaper, rugs or just wall art.…

CHAMPION FEATURE WALLS To give a room a focal point, use lively, patterned wallpaper designs to create a feature wall behind a bed or sofa. This is a great way of adding colour and pattern without committing to a whole room, and is less costly, too, as you don't need to buy as many rolls – so you can splash out on some designer paper if you fancy it. ADD DRAMA Use dark, rich shades on walls and kitchen cupboards to create depth and contrast in your home. Choose from inky blues, slate greys and deep, intense greens – these will make vivid accent colours like Becky's choice of hot pink and orange really pop. MAKE IT DIFFERENT Get Becky's modern, eclectic Christmas look by swapping your traditional festive colour…

‘I love the blackboard wall. It makes a statement out of an otherwise plain surface. The accessories on the wall stand out and add interest.’ ALICE SAYS ‘Rugs add such warmth and are a great way of disguising flooring you’re not keen on but aren’t able to change.’ AZZA SAYS ‘The beautiful flowers mural in the girls’ bedroom has helped set the tone for the whole decor. It has created a feminine statement and an interesting feature in this pretty space. Also the mini gallery of hats hanging on Stanis’s wall has created a unique touch and a personal feel for his bedroom.’…

CREATE A GALLERY Make a focal point above a sofa, bed or large piece of furniture with a gallery wall. Add variety by using a mix of framed photos, decorative prints and typography, keeping to a unified colour theme. Desenio has a clever feature on its website that allows you to create different arrangements and see how well they work together. FAKE IT WITH BRICKS Exposed brickwork is a great way to add warmth and character – cheat the effect with faux brick wallpaper. Choose a style that complements your home, whether it’s industrial-style red bricks, country-look whitewashed or rustic exposed stone. Stick to a small area such as one wall, inside alcoves or on a chimney breast. WOW WITH WALL STICKERS Stickers are great for adding pattern and are…

Our old study-guest room worked fine but it wasn’t very attractive,’ says Lisa. ‘However, when my partner Richard and I found out that our second child was on the way, it gave us a deadline to turn this uninspiring room into a beautiful nursery. Nurseries are my favourite room to decorate, as I’m a big kid at heart. You can afford to go a bit crazy and whimsical with the finishing touches. I love Scandi style, and use a lot of whites, greys and natural accents in my home. I knew a neutral palette would work just as well in a nursery, as it’s so adaptable and will suit any age. Also, white walls are better for patching up crayon and finger marks left by our daughter Lyra, now four.…

Sunshine cotbed, £319; Sunshine wardrobe, £389, both Boori. Portraits wallpaper, £90, Hibou Home. Grey wash Cavendish Roman blinds, £90, Blinds2Go. Grey Pebble wool rug, £150, Dunelm. Supreme Feelings Saxony carpet in Arctic Grey, £350, Carpetright. Try the Albie armchair, £279, John Lewis & Partners. Cloud shelf, £70, Pottery Barn. Mosslanda ledges, £9 each, Ikea. Matt white shelf boards, £10 each; oak-effect brackets, £3.95 each, both B&Q. The jute pouffe is similar, £145, The White Company. Warm white Edison outdoor battery festoon lights, £9.99, Lights4Fun. Mountain Bear bunting, £38, Velveteen Babies…

Fancy the look of a range cooker, but not sure if it’s right for your kitchen – or your budget? This traditional cooker offers country kitchen style with cutting-edge cooking power – and now it’s possible to get this culinary classic without being forced to live on beans on toast just to afford it! What is a range cooker? There are two types. The first is a traditional heat-storage model made of cast iron with an enamel finish (think Aga and Rayburn) that can also heat your hot water system and radiators. The other is more contemporary, and resembles professional kitchen equipment, with a multipurpose hob, powerful burners, and add-ons like griddles or hot plates. Don’t they cost a fortune? There’s no two ways about it – these cookers aren’t…

Ashton and Bentley slipper bath, £1,692, The Brighton Bathroom Company. Shower screen, £1,798; fixed shower head, £430; hand-held shower, £497; shower mixer, £753; Techno 465 3H wall basin mixer tap in brushed gold, £438; bath mixer in gold finish, £775, all Cifial. Starck 3 Series Utility basin, £160, Duravit. Towel warmer in gold finish, £1,852, Bard & Brazier. Biba gold logo bath towel, £20, House of Fraser. Similar gold Metro tiles, £9.95 a tile, Walls and Floors. White gloss Metro tiles, £19.50sq m, Topps Tiles. Gold and white ginger jar, £45, Mitzi B. True Being hand and body wash, £22; lotion, £22, both Attic.…

Add a graphic splashback Ted Baker’s new triangular Colour Blocks wall tiles are available in two colour ranges – caramel-toned Warm and grey-hued Cool, both with a metallic finish. Each pack of eight contains four different variations that blend together beautifully, allowing you to be imaginative with a colour mix. Introduce a touch of luxe Love the look of marble but can’t afford a whole wall of tiles? Then check out this beautiful marble-look easy-to-fit glass splashback from Screwfix. Start by ensuring that you have a smooth, dry surface to work with (make any repairs to the plasterwork where necessary). Clean away any dust and debris, and lift the glass panel to lie face down on the worktop. Centre the glass and remove the backing sheet then put the bottom…