Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2024 i Style At Home

This year seems to have whizzed by. Having just got the garden in shape, I’m now focusing on cosying up indoors and (dare I say it) thinking ahead to Christmas. One of the jobs I did tackle earlier in the year, which has been a game changer, was a bedroom revamp. Adding panelling painted an earthy tone and bringing in spicy accent colours has made the room feel much warmer and more restful. If your bedroom could use an update, take inspiration from our calming colours for bedrooms (page 54) and find your favourite soothing scheme. For more practical solutions, check out our clever bedroom storage hacks (page 62) and linen organising ideas (page 98) or our duvet buying guide (page 102). Sweet dreams! Style at Home’s PET OF THE…

WALLS WITH WOW Wallpaper brand Galerie has teamed up with interior design icon Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen to launch the flamboyant ‘Off the Wall’ collection. From florals and Morris-inspired designs to a bold damask flock, ‘when you use one of my papers on your wall, you are papering your room with art,’ says LLB. Artistic offering M&S has collaborated with the National Gallery for a new collection of homeware that draws inspiration from original works of art and delves into a rich tapestry of print and colour. Highlights include painterly floral tableware and sumptuous soft furnishings featuring statement ruffles. 3 of the best SIDE TABLES LUXE FOR LESS The ‘quiet luxury’ trend is set to stay with its timeless appeal. And we’re loving Primark’s take on the luxe look with muted soft…

1 BUILD WRAP-AROUND SHELVES Utilise wasted space above and around a door by building wrap-around shelving to frame the doorway. Perfect for a study, landing or any room where space is tight, slimline shelves like these are ideal for small books and paperbacks, and are an easy build for a competent DIYer. Paint shelves to match the door and wall colour so that everything blends in for a seamless finish. 2 GO FOR UNDER-BED NOOKS In a child’s bedroom or spare room go for a purpose-built bed with space underneath to store a collection of bedtime reads. Make sure that the sleeping platform height is sufficient for the height of your books and fit out the space underneath with a shelf-depth backing board and wooden struts to create book nooks…

We bought our house back in 2021 and even though it’s in a really desirable area of London, we got it at a fraction of the cost of other local properties because it’s an ex-council house,’ says Olive. ‘Council houses often get a bad press, but they are built to last with sturdy materials and although it didn’t have any period features and the proportions were blocky, we loved that we had free reign to completely re-imagine the space and add our own aesthetic. Changing the layout Turning the layout into something more open-plan was key for us, so we started by knocking through the three small, dark rooms on the ground floor and adding a two-metre extension at the back to create an airy kitchen, dining and living space.…

Set up a bank of storage cabinets Instead of cluttering floor space with a bed plus chests of drawers and a wardrobe, use modular flat-pack cabinets to make a headboard that doubles as clothes and shoe storage. Give it a twist… Colour code your clothes with drawer fronts in different colours. Hang a simple clothes rail This is a great idea for a guest room or for holding outfits for the week alongside closed storage, which protects clothes from dust. Use cup hooks to hang leather belts and thread through a metal pole with a stopper at each end. Give it a twist… For a Scandi look, try the idea with a foraged branch. Build a multi-tasking headboard Make space for bedside essentials with an all-in-one headboard unit that incorporates…

A peninsula is similar to a freestanding island, but instead of floating free in the centre of the kitchen, it is attached to a wall, offering three exposed sides for use (rather than a freestanding island’s four). Gain extra prep space The benefits of a peninsula compared to a freestanding island are that it offers extra worktop space. While an island needs a walkway all around it, a peninsula can sit in the same spot and connect to a wall, with the walkway area used for additional worktop space instead. And unlike islands, which tend to be long and wide, peninsulas are narrower and can be long or short, so will fit into a small or large kitchen. Zone an open-plan room A peninsula can also come in useful when…

Winter is coming, with shorter days, longer evenings and time spent indoors hunkered down in front of the fire or the TV. Making sure that fireplaces are safe is a must and now’s also a good time to upgrade lighter-weight summer bedding, duvets and curtains, replacing them with thicker alternatives that will keep out the chills. And with the countdown to Christmas on, you could get prepped ahead of the festive rush, whether that’s stocking up on food, drink and gifts, sorting kitchen kit and dinnerware or getting guest bedrooms and wrapping supplies in order. Prep ahead for the festivities The Christmas run-up is always hectic, so shopping in advance and stocking up on supplies can help spread the cost and leave you feeling better prepared. With extras to make…

GLOWING TEALIGHT LANTERNS YOU WILL NEED * Glass jars * Selection of leaves * Decoupage glue/brush * Raffia/ribbon * Floating candles 1 COLLECT GLASS JARS Autumn leaves display a beautiful translucent quality, revealing their structure and delicacy when lit from behind, which makes them ideal for decorating candle jars. Collect glass pots or jars, and thoroughly clean and dry them. 2 GLUE LEAVES IN PLACE Select different-sized and shaped leaves. Dab a small blob of decoupage glue on a leaf’s outer edges and stick to the jar for a 3D finish. For a flat look, spread glue all over the underside and brush over the top side of the leaf. Repeat around the jar, then allow to dry. 3 TIE WITH RIBBON Add ribbon or a raffia bow around the rim. Pour water…

PLUM UPSIDEDOWN CAKE SERVES 10 TAKES 1 HR 35 MINS, PLUS COOLING * 75g light brown soft sugar * 40g butter * 2 limes * 5 plums * 175g Greek yogurt * 160ml sunflower oil * 4 eggs * 240g golden caster sugar * 300g self-raising flour YOU WILL NEED * 25cm round cake tin, greased and lined 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. In a bowl, mix together the light brown soft sugar, butter and the juice of ½ lime to form a paste. Brush or spread the mixture over the base of the cake tin so it’s completely covered. 2 Halve and de-stone the plums. Then cut each plum half into fine slices – you should end up with lots of thin segments of plum. Try and keep them…

LUXE GLASSWARE Entertain in style with luxurious glassware from George Home. Part of its new Modern Renaissance collection, the elegant pieces include fluted wine glasses, hi-balls and goblets, all in a delicate palette of dusky pink and green.…

WALL PANELLING For an elegant upgrade add faux panelling to a plain wall and paint it a vibrant shade. Buy a DIY kit with MDF mouldings pre-cut to size and attach to the wall using grab adhesive and panel pins. Fill any gaps, then paint in a bold colour.…

When we first viewed the property it wasn’t my cup of tea at all,’ says Laura. ‘The previous owners were animal breeders so the place was smelly and there was dog hair stuck to the kitchen cabinets! Plus one of the bedrooms had a wall of tanks full of live lizards. However, the house was bright and airy, had large rooms and felt like a great blank canvas… and we were in it for the long game. We loved the plot and knew that long term we could make it into an amazing family home. First fixes We began a phased renovation, starting with replacing windows, adding new electrics and having the walls replastered in the bedrooms at the back of the house. We wanted to get the children’s rooms…

1 HANG BEDSIDE PENDANTS If you’ve a small bedroom and minimal room for bedside tables, save space by opting for pendant lights positioned either side of the bed. Hanging lights will free up surface space for other bedside essentials and make a stylish focal point feature. Ask your electrician to wire the lights on a different circuit so each can be operated independently of the other. 2 ILLUMINATE WITH MIRRORS Maximise light in a gloomy bedroom with strategically-positioned mirrors to bounce light around the room and illuminate the space. Go for a slimline mirror hung on the wall behind the nightstand, with a bedside lamp positioned in front to amplify the light. Choose an opaque shade for a night-time lamp which will give a softer, more diffused light that is…

1 Make harvest lanterns Create a pretty display with a row of glass bottles or jars decorated with bunches of wheat and dried flowers. To make, measure and cut a strip of hessian to go around the middle of your bottle, fixing in place with a blob of clear craft glue. Gather a small bunch of wheat and dried flowers and tie together using invisible thread. Glue the bunch to the hessian, then cut a length of ribbon to fit around the bottle and glue in place to hide the glue on the flowers. Tie some plaited ribbon or twine around the neck of the bottle for added decoration, before placing a small candle inside fixed on a small candle spike. 2 ATTACH A SUPERSIZED PINBOARD Bring colour to a WFH…

When it comes to influencers, William Morris was certainly ahead of the game, leading a major design movement that is still trending today. His textile and wallpaper designs are everywhere right now, and you will instantly recognise his Arts & Craft patterns with their iconic nature-inspired details, from the intricacies of Strawberry Thief, to the simplicity of Willow Boughs. This season it seems high street stores are going crazy for his more-than-100-year-old designs.…

Reassess the layout Look at the room’s size and assess whether the existing layout works efficiently for you and your family’s needs. Consider switching things around if the layout really isn’t working. Repositioning a washbasin and loo side by side, opting for a smaller bath that fits into a recess or installing a walk-in shower with no outward-opening door can all help a small layout to flow more easily. Go big with mirrors Aside from their practical uses, mirrors bounce natural light around and help small spaces feel more open. An extra-wide wall mirror on one wall or a pair of mirrors side-by-side create the illusion that the room stretches further than it actually does. Choose frameless designs, rather than anything ornate, so there is less visual clutter. ‘MIX TILE…

BEST BUDGET FEATHER AND DOWN DUVET M&S DUCK FEATHER & DOWN DUVET FILL 85% new white duck feather, 15% new white duck down SIZES AVAILABLE Single, double, king, super-king TOG RATING 13.5 tog PRICE from £55 for a 13.5 tog single duvet If you love the satisfying flumph of feather and down, but not the high price tag, then this duck feather and down duvet is a great compromise. It has a high feather-to-down ratio which makes it an extremely affordable option while still achieving that soft, squidgy feather and down feel. It also manages this without any sharp feathers sticking through the lining or escaped down which tends to go hand-in-hand with budget feather and down bedding, so you’re guaranteed a comfortable sleep. REASON TO BUY Affordable, soft and…

Greenery makes a welcome addition to any space but if you find looking after houseplants a struggle, then a low-maintenance terrarium could be the answer. Planted up with easy-care plants and succulents, with everything contained under glass in a mini tabletop ecosystem, plants require minimal watering and aftercare – and the arrangement looks super stylish too! Start by choosing a container for your terrarium. Closed containers such as miniature greenhouses, lidded jars and lanterns (like ours) are ideal, or go for an open container, such as a globe or tank vase. Pick a selection of easy-care plants to go inside, such as shapely succulents or mini ferns, creeping fig and selaginella that will thrive in humid conditions. YOU WILL NEED * A lantern (with door) * Selection of succulents and…

SWEET POTATO, PEPPER AND LENTIL CHILLI SERVES 4-6 TAKES 1 HR * 4tbsp olive oil *1 large onion, finely chopped * 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped * 2 carrots, finely chopped * 350g sweet potatoes, peeled and diced * 1 red pepper, diced * 2tsp smoked paprika * 1tsp ground coriander 1tsp chilli powder * ½tsp ground cumin * ½tsp ground cinnamon * 400g tin chopped tomatoes * 500ml vegetable stock * 2tbsp tomato purée * 125g puy lentils, washed and dried * 2 x 400g tins kidney beans, drained and rinsed * 2tbsp chopped fresh coriander * TO SERVE * Greek yogurt, coriander leaves and tortilla chips 1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and garlic and season with a little salt and black pepper,…

Dunelm TIMELESS HERITAGE Combine deep tones of mulberry and olive for a classic look George Home CELESTIAL DREAMS Choose heavenly inky tones with sun and moon motifs Matalan BOLD RETRO Make a statement with striking prints and patterns Very MODERN NEUTRALS Team contemporary shapes with clean neutrals and indigo accents…

1 MAKE A CORNER FORMAT Carve out a dining nook in a kitchen extension by creating a corner-shaped seating area in a light-filled spot. Built-in banquettes can be easily constructed and positioned to take advantage of a picture window or roof lantern area so seating is in a sunny position with maximum light. If space is tight, a circular table will be easier to manoeuvre around than a rectangular design. 2 BUILD SEATING IN A NOOK Built-in banquette seating can be a great way of putting redundant areas, such as alcoves, nooks and bay windows, to good use. Simply construct a sturdy wooden framework to fit inside the recess, clad with country-style tongue-and-groove panelling then add a platform seat. Use foam padding to make a longline seat cushion, cover in…

SPLURGE Blow the budget with these top picks ‘CLASH BOTH COLOUR AND PATTERN FOR A MAXIMALIST STYLE, MAKING THE WALLS A SOLID HUE TO KEEP THE ROOM FEELING OPEN’ STEAL Grab a style bargain with these budget buys…

Six years after buying our three-bedroom house and with a second child on the way, we decided to sell up and find a place with a bigger kitchen and extra bedroom,’ says Jenny. ‘We loved our old kitchen but it was separate from the rest of the house and we wanted an open-plan space where the kids could play while we cooked. However, we couldn’t find a better property and soon realised we’d be killing ourselves with a high mortgage for not much more space. It made more sense to put the cash into extending our current home. We’d updated the kitchen a year after moving in with grey shaker units from Wren and since they had lasted well, we hoped to re-use them. Planning the space Our architect, Moi…

Hallways are the first area of our homes that guests get to see, and they’re also one of the busiest (and smallest), so keeping them tidy and organised can be a challenge. Lack of space plus inadequate storage options means it can be tricky finding somewhere to store coats, shoes, school bags and other essentials, so the hallway often becomes a bit of a family dumping ground. A tidy hallway will give a much warmer welcome so it’s worth taking time to organise a proper place for everything. Start by assessing your storage needs and the space available. Hallways are notoriously long and skinny or short and awkwardly-shaped, with doors leading into other rooms or fixtures like radiators and meter cupboards that obstruct wall space, so finding creative solutions that…