Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2024 i Style At Home

As the days feel brighter and fresher, I’m always inspired to get busy at home and make a start on some of the DIY and decor projects I’ve been shortlisting. I’ve started small with bedroom panelling (which wasn’t too tricky and cost less than £100) before I move on to the biggies like the understairs cupboard and planning a new kitchen refit. Spring is always a popular time of year for kitchen projects, so we’ve got plenty of inspiration, from the latest colour trends (page 56), to our cover star Tessa’s stunning kitchen makeover (p84) and project-planning advice (p90). Or if it’s easy updates you’re after, we’ve got lots of takeaway ideas throughout the issue too, from Easter crafts, buys and upcycling, to tasty treats and a super-cute bunny grazing…

After living in Australia for 10 years, I knew I’d need to adapt my interiors style on moving back to the UK,’ says Shona. ‘I wanted that Australian aesthetic with black industrial-style doors, open-plan spaces and large house plants, but it’s quite hard without the Australian light. UK homes are much cosier with smaller windows. I’d first met my husband Nick in Bondi, before settling in Melbourne then nearby Castlemaine where we had children. However, after Nick lost his parents, we decided to move back to the UK to be nearer my family, and ended up settling in Frome, Somerset. House hunting As it’s such a sought-after area, we were lucky to find a three-bedroom 1920s semi within our budget and it felt like a friendly, happy house even though…

Upgrade basic bunks Turn bunk beds into stylish, enclosed sleeping pods with a bespoke decorative frame. Paint the back wall to match and add a curtain on a slim pole to make them even more snug. Give it a twist Personalise each bunk bed with different artwork, cushions and bed linen. Set up a kiddy command centre Perfect for a playroom, hallway or open-plan living space, this drop-zone idea will keep their toys or outdoor essentials in one place. Fix peg rails or hooks at a low height within their reach. Give it a twist Continue the peg rails along the wall for extra storage. Make a cute bookshelf house Cutouts of leftover wallpaper create a wall feature and give simple cube storage the potential to be used as a…

Make a stylish shelf unit from a circle of MDF and narrow planks – you can get MDF cut to size at DIY stores. Paint the piece white, then once dry, use tester pots to paint each section in a tonal mix of shades to create an ombré effect.…

Create a focal point Make the island the hub of the kitchen if you have a larger layout. Include a hob or sink area if you want to use the space for food prep or go for a seating set-up to create a spot for family to gather, with stools positioned around it. Add accent lighting strategically positioned above the island to highlight the area. The more prepared you are at the start of a kitchen renovation, the more likely it is to succeed as a space that’s both practical and beautiful. From choosing a layout and including plenty of storage to selecting fixtures and fittings, careful planning will prevent costly mistakes further down the line. Getting the right layout for your space is key to making your kitchen a…

If you’re itching to get the house freshened up after a long, cold winter, now’s the perfect time. Tackling the big spring clean room-by-room is easier than trying to do everything at once – the kitchen is a good place to start, from blitzing cabinets to sprucing up floors. Or for a pretty pick-me-up, a display of seasonal foliage in a vase is always a winner. Create an Easter display Brighten up your dining table with a seasonal arrangement. Mix twiggy foliage, such as twisted willow or eucalyptus, with in-season blossom or mimosa to add colour. Start with a tall, sturdy vase and pop the larger branches in place, spreading them outwards to give the display shape. Insert smaller blooms here and there to fill out the display, making sure…

EASTER PLACE SETTINGS YOU WILL NEED ★ Napkins ★ Egg decorations ★ Mini eggs ★ String ★ Ribbon ★ Floral sprigs 1 LAYER CROCKERY Create super-pretty place markers using painted eggs and spring blooms. Start by layering up your place setting, using a circular mat or charger plate and a selection of crockery in pastel shades. 2 ARRANGE NEATLY Fold a napkin into a rectangle and tie loosely with string. Tuck a floral sprig or two under the string and place on top of the crockery stack. Pop a few Easter decorations, mini eggs and ribbon swirls on top to decorate. HANGING TABLE DECORATION YOU WILL NEED ★ A sturdy branch ★ Foliage garland ★ Florist’s wire ★ String of micro fairy lights ★ Self adhesive hooks ★ Ribbon Hanging…

Primark MODERN ARTS Soft hues freshen up Art Deco shapes and Nouveau florals John Lewis & Partners COLOURFUL CLASSICS Team splashes of colour with trad designs, for a playful scheme Habitat URBAN RETRO Pair 1970s-inspired designs with contemporary loft living Matalan SORBET SHADES Sweeten up with sugary pastels and daisy motifs…

CELEBRATE SPRINGTIME Enjoy seasonal festivities with this pretty new range of tableware from Home Bargains in soft neutrals and fresh florals, and with a few Easter bunnies thrown in. We love the delicate reeded glassware, which cost just £4.99 for two tumblers or wine glasses. Next X Novogratz Look out for the colourful new home collection from Next and US design team Novogratz. Offering the brand’s signature high-end style at affordable prices, the range includes playful mirrors and lighting, shapely glassware and bold linens. 3 of the best SCALLOPED TABLEWARE NATURE-INSPIRED PAINTS Homeware brand Sophie Allport has launched a new collection in collaboration with COAT Paints. The colours, inspired by the countryside, are named after rural locations near Sophie’s home, from Oundle Navy and Rutland Stone to rustic Stamford…

We were living in a Victorian terrace nearby but as our family grew it began to feel small and we were drawn to finding a wider house on a bigger plot,’ says Laura. ‘When we viewed this 1930s property, we immediately liked the proportions and upstairs had a great layout with rooms coming off a central landing. But we needed a fair bit of imagination as the house was in a real state and full of stuff. We couldn’t even get inside one of the bedrooms and once we started hacking back the overgrown garden, we discovered it was three metres longer than we’d thought. Clearly it was going to be a huge project but we had to live here for a year and save up before we could start…

1 Craft your own crackers For a super speedy Easter table decoration, make crackers using fabric napkins. Choose a plain pastel or a pretty pattern such as gingham, ticking or a mini floral. Use cardboard loo roll inners to create your shape. You’ll need two per cracker (a longish piece for the middle and one cut in half for the two ends). Start by placing them lengthways on your flat napkin (popping a treat inside the middle roll) and then rolling the fabric around to create a tube. Secure with contrast ribbon ties at the two joints. 2 DECORATE AN EASTER GARLAND Make Easter wreaths to brighten up the house. Start with a basic woven ring – try Hobbycraft’s rattan grapevine wreaths, from £5 each – and gather some craft…

We bought this house six years ago, knowing that it had plenty of potential, but also that we were going to spend several years renovating it,’ says Tessa. ‘The downstairs floorplan was a real issue and it just didn’t suit us as a family with young children. The living room just needed a bit of renovating, but the rest of it was a mess. There was a tiny, dated kitchen, a lean-to and a strange dining room that didn’t serve any real purpose. The obvious thing to do was rip it all out, take the back off the house and extend into the large garden. As it was such a major project we put it off and slowly worked our way through the rest of the house, installing a new…

Arrange an egg hunt for little ones over the Easter holidays. Plant clues and signs around the garden to lead the way, with mini treats hidden around to be found. Provide an assortment of pretty baskets and bags for eggs to be collected in.…

RHUBARB AND GINGER TRIFLE SERVES 8 TAKES 40 MINS (PLUS CHILLING) FOR THE POACHED RHUBARB ★ 100g caster sugar ★ Zest and juice of 1 orange ★ 50ml stem ginger syrup ★ 500g rhubarb, cut into 5cm batons FOR THE REST ★ 1 ginger loaf, approx 230g, cut into 6 slices ★ 2 stem ginger balls, diced ★ 500ml fresh custard ★ 300ml double cream TO DECORATE ★ Crushed ginger biscuits YOU WILL NEED ★ Trifle dish, approx 2.5ltr 1 For the rhubarb, place the sugar in a pan with 50ml water, the orange zest and juice, and the stem ginger syrup. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rhubarb and gently simmer for 5-10 mins, until the rhubarb is tender, but still holding its shape. Use a slotted…

POT-ROAST CHICKEN WITH COUSCOUS SERVES 4-6 TAKES 2 HRS (PREP AND COOKING) ★ 2tbsp sun-dried tomato paste ★ 2 preserved lemons, skin removed and flesh finely chopped (or use fresh lemon) ★ 15g flat-leaf parsley, chopped ★ 15g tarragon, chopped ★ 100g butter, softened ★ 1 medium free-range chicken (1.7kg) ★ 3tbsp olive oil 2 leeks, sliced ★ 7 garlic cloves, crushed ★ 100g wholewheat giant couscous ★ 150ml white wine ★ 250ml low-salt chicken stock ★ 140g green olives, cut in half lengthways 1 Heat the oven to 190C/Gas 5. Mix the tomato paste, lemons, most of the herbs and 1tsp flaked sea salt into the butter. Carefully ease the skin of the chicken away from the flesh at the neck end and push the butter under the skin.…

While a large, spacious kitchen is the dream, the reality for many of us is a small kitchen that can feel cramped and crowded. But being savvier with the space you do have can make a big difference… Clear the clutter One of the benefits of a smaller kitchen is a tighter working triangle (of hob, sink and fridge) meaning that everything is within easy reach. Keep counters clear around the hob and sink areas to ensure prep space isn’t hindered; the less there is out on show, the more organised and streamlined the space will feel. Keep colour consistent Using glossy light-reflective surfaces and pale colours is an obvious way to make a small kitchen feel brighter and bigger. But matching cabinet colour to walls and splashbacks is another…

We were going to stay in our £70,000 two-bedroom flat for longer, but lockdown changed everything,’ says Abbey. ‘There was no garden and we were sick of staring at the same walls. I really wanted an older property in a quieter area that wasn’t overlooked, with fields nearby for walking the dogs. Our flat sold within five days, and after viewing three other properties we went to an open viewing for a three-bedroom semi with a garden in Billinge, Wigan. It was at the top of our budget but it had so much potential to extend in future, and we loved the old doors and fireplaces. In the car afterwards we made an offer straight away, then exchanged contracts the day before the stamp duty holiday ended. It was a…

SPLURGE Blow the budget with these top picks ‘MIX SANDY NEUTRALS AND BLUSH PINKS FOR A SOFT, SOOTHING SCHEME; ADD FOREST GREEN ACCENTS FOR FRESHNESS’ STEAL Grab a style bargain with these budget buys…

If you’re after a luxurious, high-end look and hardwearing, easy-clean surface, then choosing a quartz worktop could be the perfect fit for your kitchen. Go for durability Constructed using a mix of ground quartz, resin, polymers and pigments, quartz worktops are tough, durable and highly resilient. The surface is less porous than other stone worktops (such as marble or granite), which means it’s more resistant to stains and spills, and the hard surface is less prone to chips and scratches. Find the right tone Mostly available in natural tones, from cool white and warm neutrals to dramatic black, quartz can replicate the look of natural stones. Because quartz worktops are a manufactured surface, there are no natural imperfections, but the appearance will depend on how the quartz is ground –…

High-traffic hallways can get easily overrun and become a dumping ground for outdoor belongings. Shoes can take up a great deal of space, which is often lacking in small or narrow hallways. Built-in storage that makes use of wasted areas such as alcoves and corners, can be a practical solution, or look out for slimline freestanding pieces that will slot into gaps or butt up against a wall. Wardrobes and cupboards are another clutter hotspot, with shoes often left in an untidy jumble at the bottom. Get round this by using slot-in racks, adjustable shelving and cubbies to utilise space at the bottom or see-through boxes and stacking baskets so that shoes are easier to find and access. WORK IN PAIRS Double-up on shelf space with these ingenious shoe stackers…

If you’re looking at home improvements, you may also be considering making your home greener as you try to do your bit for the planet and help save money, too. But did you know you can get thousands back in grants to help you make your home more eco-friendly? Solar panels Solar panels are a great way to help reduce energy costs and your carbon footprint. The average cost of installing them is £7,000* and you’ll get the most out of them if you have a south-facing roof. You may still be able to get them if you have an east-facing roof, but north-facing is generally unsuitable. You’ll save money not only by producing your own energy, but you can then also get paid for the energy you don’t use…