Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2024 i Style At Home

Spring is just around the corner and the thought of warmer weather and brighter days has me itching to get on with all those decorating projects I’ve been putting off over winter. While a new kitchen is on my wish list, it will require lots of time and planning (and cash) so I’m focusing on the speedy and less-spendy updates I can tackle in the meantime. A quick freshen-up can make all the difference and needn’t cost a fortune, so we’ve put together lots of small-scale decor ideas, fast fixes and easy pick-me-ups in this issue. Check out our fabulous ideas for feature walls (p58), Avalana’s glam living room makeover (p80) and Laurie’s chic office update (p88). Whatever decorating projects you have planned this spring, I hope you’ll feel inspired!…

Pattern clashing may seem a bit intimidating, but with a few tips it’s actually pretty easy. Simply play with scale and stick to a colour palette to avoid it looking chaotic – choose a tonal scheme or two or three contrasting colours that complement each other. Stripes and checks are a good starting point before layering up other patterns. Pair with neutral bedding or flooring to allow the pattern to shine.…

Moving up the property ladder can become an impossible leap if you live in a popular area,’ says Jess. ‘Our three-bedroom Edwardian semi in Levenshulme, near Stockport, sold quickly following sealed bids when prices were soaring. Levenshulme is an amazing, vibrant community but our house was on a busy junction and we wanted a period property somewhere a little bit quieter. We decided to look at Heaton Norris, a mile down the road, and found a four-bedroom Victorian house. Picking a project While our last house had been beautifully restored by the previous owner, this house had been an unloved rental for 20 years. It was actually more appealing as I didn’t feel bad about ripping things out! It had woodchip wallpaper, Artex ceilings and the cheapest laminate flooring, but…

It was 2018 when we moved from Salford to this larger rented house further out of Manchester,’ says Avalana. ‘The location is handy for my husband Derek’s mobile hairdresser’s scissor business. And, as I’d just started my own business, Avalana Design, specialising in wallpaper murals, cushions, lampshades and art prints, I needed a space to double up as a showroom. I wanted somewhere that I could show off my products to clients and so the living room was first on the agenda for us to decorate. Later on, I started using our third bedroom as an office and the conservatory has become my studio. Starting point Our landlord’s chunky brown leather sofas really dominated the space, so I made sure he didn’t leave them behind! Thankfully he’s happy for us…

I’ve always loved country style,’ says Laurie, ‘everything about it, from the music to cowboy boots. And when I went on a US road trip with friends and stayed on a ranch, it solidified my love of that type of cosy decor with warm woods, rugged qualities and rustic textures. I think I was born in the wrong country really! Fast-forward a few years and I knew exactly what look I wanted for my new home office scheme. Planning the look The office had been one of the first rooms we’d decorated on moving into the house years before, and we’d done a very quick and easy spruce-up. As a 1930s house with dated wallpaper, we’d stripped it and painted the walls white, but hadn’t got much further than that.…

BORDERED STOR AGE BOX YOU WILL NEED * Old wooden crate (try eBay) * Ruler * Glue/sealant * Scissors * Small brush * Wallpaper remnants 1 FIND A BOX Pretty up a simple wooden crate using strips of spare wallpaper with a cheerful pattern. The band can be updated time and again with the changing seasons, or as it starts to look untidy, and only uses a small amount of paper, so it’s perfect if you have a stash of leftover wallpaper. 2 MEASURE UP Work out the height and width of the band you need by measuring all four sides of the box. Using a ruler, draw a band to these dimensions onto the wallpaper and cut out. 3 STICK DOWN Glue the wallpaper band to the outside of…

BEST DESICCANT DEHUMIDIFIER ECOAIR DD1 SIMPLE DESICCANT DEHUMIDIFIER TYPE DesiccantCAPACITY 2ltr EXTRACTION RATE 7.5ltr/dayMAX ROOM SIZE Small roomsNOISE 34dB DIMENSIONS H47.5xW29xL17.5cmWEIGHT 6kgPRICE £229.98 This desiccant dehumidifier doesn’t have a compressor, as most of the units in this list use. As such, that gets you the quiet performance but also an eco-friendly delivery of dry air which makes it right at home in a bedroom. That allows it to work in a wide variety of temperatures ranging from just 1-35C. This will suck away the moisture in the air, cutting off when full so you can empty the tank, which, even when full, is still lightweight. You can select the Laundry mode, which means high power performance for faster drying clothes when hung nearby, so no more damp clothes hanging around…

Looking trim Give your windows the edge with this elegant new collection from Blinds 2go. Choose from classic pleated curtains or smart Roman blinds, with an eye-catching embroidered trim that adds the perfect finishing touch to the linen-look fabric. 3 of the best SCULPTURED BUYS…

When our daughters left home for university, we knew we wanted to travel more and free ourselves up, so our large family house suddenly felt unnecessary,’ says Donna. ‘I had recently inherited my parents’ home and it’s in a great spot – Kirriemuir is on the edge of the Glens, but with all the amenities you need in a small town. Both I and my husband Anthony and thought it would make a very good base. We took our time doing it up as we still owned our family home back in Fife, where we continued to live while our daughters were still at university. However, in the end, we decided to sell it and move here to Kirriemuir. New beginnings My parents’ tastes were very traditional, so we knew…

Use under-seat space Make the most of a tricky bay window area with built-to-fit seating and concealed storage underneath. Perfect for stashing children’s toys, drawers are more practical than a lift-up lid. Top with fabric-covered foam seat pads. Give it a twist Paint plain timber drawers in a mix of bright colours. Make use of alcoves Fill wasted alcove space with floating shelves stacked one above the other. It will give useful storage and display space in a living room, and by adding a slimline console underneath, creates a spot to study. Give it a twist Add fabric-covered boxes to keep stationery and office odds and ends neatly out of sight. Organise essentials Utilise empty wall space in a busy kitchen or hallway by putting up a family organiser. Perfect…

Guaranteed to add wow to any room, a wall mural is a fantastic way of bringing drama and visual impact to your decorative scheme. Putting up a wall mural is pretty similar to hanging wallpaper – mural designer Avalana shares her know-how. Prep the wall Ensure your wall is smooth and clean before you begin so that your mural is applied to the best surface possible. Clean the wall with sugar soap and make sure that the surface is smooth by filling and sanding any holes. Organise your kit To achieve a top quality finish, make sure that you have the right tools to hand before you start. You’ll need: scissors, a sharp knife, a plumb line, wallpaper paste, smoother, brush, roller and a tray to spread the paste evenly…

Find the best spot While fixed and freestanding kitchen islands both offer useful extra worktop and storage space, each has its own merits. A fixed island can include utilities like a sink and hob, but once it’s in position, it can’t be moved. Freestanding islands tend to be smaller and can be moved around, plus they are less limiting in terms of space and layout. Narrow the choice A freestanding island is perfect for a smaller kitchen where there is less floor space to play with. Neater, narrower and lighter than a static island (and with no electrics or plumbing to consider) a portable design offers greater flexibility as it can be moved to a different position, unlike a permanent fixture. ‘LEAVE SPACE AROUND AN ISLAND FOR WALKWAYS AND APPLIANCES,…

With spring on the horizon and brighter days ahead, now’s a great time to get things organised and shipshape indoors. Tidying busy downstairs spaces like hallways, utility rooms and even pet areas can be a good place to start. Or, if you have a spare hour, try a quick fridge detox. If a mini decor project takes your fancy, our easy shelf revamp idea can be done in an afternoon and looks super stylish. Pretty up planters Treat friends (or yourself) to a floral pick-me-up to brighten an empty windowsill. Make inexpensive bulbs look special by covering up the pots with pretty paper. Use floral gift wrap or wallpaper cut in a square and then folded in half to form a triangle. Place the straight edge around the bottom of…

‘RICE POUCHES ARE A GREAT WAY TO SAVE TIME – TRY USING ONE IN THIS SWEET-AND-SOUR STIR-FRY’ STIR-FRIED SWEET CHILLI PRAWNS SERVES 4 TAKES 25 MINS * 1tbsp rapeseed oil * 1 onion, sliced * 150g frozen edamame beans or peas * 100g mangetout * 2 garlic cloves, minced * 5cm piece ginger, peeled and minced * 150g raw king prawns * 250g long grain rice pouch * 3 eggs, beaten FOR THE SAUCE * 3tbsp sweet chilli sauce * 2tbsp soy sauce * ½tbsp rice wine vinegar * ½tsp chilli flakes TO SERVE 4 * spring onions, sliced * Handful salted peanuts * Handful coriander, roughly chopped 1 Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat; cook the onion for 7 mins until soft. 2 Bring a pan…

Give a basic chest of drawers a luxe revamp using stick-on fretwork panels. Made of white vinyl and designed to be overlaid onto Ikea drawer fronts, just paint the drawers first in a bold contrast colour or use sheets of coloured film for a fast fix.…

Before we bought this place, we previously lived in a flat, just five minutes down the road from here, but we were desperate for more space,’ says Rosie. ‘We wanted to get a dog so a garden was essential, and this house ticked all the boxes. The downside was that it hadn’t been updated since the 1970s and was very dated, with a really small kitchen, so we were going to need to do some work on it. Despite that, we bought it in July 2018 with a view to extending the place. Making plans Initially we applied for planning permission for a wrap-around extension, which would have been squared off at the back, to make the space significantly bigger. A month later, however, we were disappointed to have the…

COLOUR BLOCK WALL Paint a striking colour block treatment to create a breakaway area for a dining table or seating set-up. Map out the blocks with pencil. Ensure crisp edges by using decorator’s tape to mask off the areas. Apply paint using a small brush and roller.…

1 Give doors a designer look Changing plain doors for something more fancy is a brilliant way of upgrading a bog-standard piece of furniture. You can buy new and cherry-pick the components to create a designer-style piece or if you already own an Ikea basic you can jazz it up with a new colour or door design. Turn a run of white Besta storage units into a bespoke sideboard by adding decorative turned legs and opting for smart doors with a traditional reeded finish. Gold pull handles give a luxe finishing touch. 2 PERK UP A PLAIN KITCHEN Refresh a drab kitchen by swapping a plain splashback for something more cheery. Strike a compromise between patterned tiles and plain by opting for a mix-and-match splashback that uses both. Alternate plain white and…

If you’re a keen crafter, chances are that you’ve built up a stash of materials and equipment over time and it can be tricky finding somewhere practical to store it all. While the luxury of a dedicated crafting room is the dream, the reality is often a makeshift table and supplies crammed into a cupboard. Good organisation is key, so that materials are kept neat, ordered and easily accessible, rather than jumbled-up and messy. If your craft area is in a shared space that other family members use, multi-functional storage and space-saving pieces that can be tucked out of sight when not in use are a must, as are labelled storage boxes for all your kit. Store scissors, pins and sharp craft knives well out of reach of little ones’…

APRICOT, PISTACHIO AND ROSE LAYER CAKE SERVES 12 TAKES 45 MINS (PLUS COOLING) FOR THE FILLING * 6 ripe apricots, halved and stoned * 2tbsp honey or maple syrup * ¾tsp vanilla extract * ½tsp rose water (optional) * 1tbsp lemon juice FOR THE SPONGES * 6 eggs * 150g light muscovado sugar * 150g self-raising flour FOR THE ICING * 200ml whipping cream * 350g fat-free 0% Greek yogurt * 1tsp rose water (or 1tsp vanilla extract, if you prefer) * 2tbsp chopped pistachios * Rose petals and flowers, to decorate 1 Preheat the oven to 150C/Gas 2. Put the apricots, honey or maple syrup, and 150ml of water into a saucepan. Add the vanilla extract. Leave on a low heat for 5-10 mins, until the apricots are soft.…

Hallways are the first space that visitors see, so it’s natural that we want them to feel warm, welcoming and bright. But faced with a dark, narrow entrance, the challenge can be trying to make the space feel less gloomy and not so confined. Maximise natural light Hallways often have little natural light, so maximising whatever light there is can be key to making the area feel brighter and more spacious. Keep glazed doors, fanlights or hallway windows uncovered so that any natural light flows through the space and try adding a large wall mirror to reflect back any incoming light. Create a focal point While a narrow hallway has a limited amount of space to work with, by using clever distraction techniques it’s possible to trick the eye and…