Real Homes

There’s been a definite shift in our mindset over the last few years towards sustainability – or at least, that’s how it feels. The fight against single-use plastic continues, we’re increasingly eating less meat as a nation, and brands are racing to

As spring slips into summer, breathe new life into your bedroom and create a relaxing sanctuary with La Redoute’s SS22 collections. Switch from heavier bedlinen to lighter options; we’re loving the Aurès cotton duvet cover with its abstract graphic p

Extending on a budget is tricky if you want to create something special from your space. You have to find interesting ways to make room. For Cat and her husband, Wayne, their idea came after a few years weighing up their options. With two young child

NEXT MONTH: EXPLORING THE MORE IS MORE OF MAXIMALISM ■

When adding colourful vibes to your dining room, don’t forget about the ceiling. Take your feature wall up and over to zone your space and make your ceiling feel higher than it is. Feature block painted in Pressed Petal and walls in Blossom White Mix

Is there anything more instantly uplifting than a bunch of flowers on your kitchen worktop or coffee table? Whether it’s a fancy bouquet from a friend or a simple bunch of daffodils to add a touch of spring to your kitchen, fresh blooms have a way of

You can shop this page! Scan the QR code to be taken to our website, where you can browse our edits of the latest collections from your favourite interiors brands NEXT MONTH: DISCOVER THE LATEST HOMEWEARE BARGAINS FROM PRIMARK ■

For Cassie Williams, a well-designed home is all about texture. The interior designer advocates building up a cosy, welcoming space through layering: woods, metallics, linens, sheepskins and dried flowers piled up to create a room that’s pretty, prac

When you think of baby blue, you can definitely be forgiven for instantly picturing a baby’s nursery. However, this fresh, subtle hue has so much to offer to other rooms in the home. We’re sharing how to decorate with baby blue the right way, so you

With more and more of us choosing to work from our homes permanently since the pandemic, creating the perfect home office has become a priority for many. Whether you’re squeezing that much-needed work space in under the stairs or turning your guest b

The main concern for timber is the origin and manufacture process wood often goes through. As a British company using sustainable timber grown in the UK, many of Forest Garden’s products carry the FSC logo – so you can rest assured that the timber yo

Q What would you recommend an amateur DIYer kit out their toolbox with? A You can do a substantial amount of fixing and mending with just a few tools. A good drill is invaluable, as is a set of screwdrivers. A claw hammer can pull out nails as well

When buying a house that needs a little or a lot of work to make your own, the greatest renovating skill you can bring to the table is patience. The patience to sit with the dubious design decisions of the previous owners and get a feel for how you c

Picture this: you’ve spent the day trying to juggle your WFH Zoom calls alongside your partner’s, taking it in turns to bagsy the dining table (the professional set-up) while the other is relegated to a corner of the bedroom with terrible Wi-Fi signa

A comfy, cosy sofa is the cornerstone of a family room: at any one time it’ll be used as a play surface, a raft (if the floor is lava!), a cinema seat or a place to chill out after a stressful work call. Up the usefulness of this furniture staple by

Move your TV into the family room and keep your lounge for socialising and chilling out in peaceful silence. Fixed to the wall and integrated into a larger media unit, this design stops it becoming the focus of the room. Add a sofa, armchair and plen

When Lisa O’Hagan and her husband, Jonathan, stumbled across their now home in the heart of East London back in 2018, it was the quirky shape and unconventional layout that caught their eye. The couple were living in a large flat a few minutes down t

Download the brilliant new gardening app Iris from crocus.co.uk for free personalised plant identification and care tips, as well as garden inspiration. A smart set of new pots will instantly transform your outdoor space. But forget terracotta and n

We all know it’s not enough to just bring a bag for life with you when you go shopping, but what does the sustainability landscape look like today when it comes to our homes? A survey of over 2,000 adults commissioned by the charity Barnardo’s before

Tackling the garden came at the end of a two-year house renovation for Alasdair and Philippa Beaumont. ‘We’d left it until last so that we had a place to store all the building materials – it was a dumping ground,’ says Philippa. Overlooked by neighb

Before you start digging things up or chopping things down, start indoors, with a computer screen or an old-school pencil and paper in front of you. Make a plan of what you’d like to keep and the zones you’d like to create. There are free online plan

Make the most of natural sunlight and views out to the garden – both of which are said to improve our mental wellbeing – by building a sunroom. Whether you go for a modern structure or a more classic style, choosing thermally efficient materials for

If you’re decluttering your home for spring, why not streamline your doors and make them key-free? The smart lock on this Conexis L1 Yale door handle only responds to a card, tag or app, rather than a conventional key, for easier access. Now availabl

Bespoke needn’t always be expensive. Mereway Kitchens is helping kitchen renovators create a very personal look with its new Aura range. It includes handleless, Shaker and slab style units in a variety of colours – whether you love neutrals or statem

Is it time to give your home office a refresh? Has two years of WFH taken its toll on your desk set-up, leaving it in serious need of an update? Or are you pivoting to a new home-working role and want to start it right? Find ideas galore for styling

Need convincing about the benefits of going bespoke for a kitchen or joinery project? Let Catrin and Jono be your inspiration. Their kitchen extension was the largest part of a full renovation of their coastal home, set in the scenic Mumbles in Swans

Tiny but mighty cloakrooms are having a moment right now. Once dingy, compact spaces with only a solitary loo to offer, modern downstairs toilet ideas are getting bold with personality-packed décor and space-savvy appliances. Have you always dreamt a

Choosing the right windows for your home can be trickier than you expect. With a range of types and styles on offer, it’s hard to know which is the best fit – especially when budget comes into play. You should consider windows an investment, and opt

Looking for decking with a green conscience? Envirobuild’s products live up to the promise of the company name. Its composite decking is made of 90 per cent recycled materials in a factory run solely on wind energy. The durable boards boast a 68 per

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For an outdoor projector that offers movie watching at an affordable price, the LG PH510P HD LED 3D Portable CineBeam Projector is a real all-rounder. A mid-range option, it has incredible contrast ratio to experience film in 720p HD resolution. Weig

Quiet Mark certified products are proven to be some of the quietest on the market See the best mowers for compact lawns

■ Two large pieces of MDF (18mm thick each) ■ Plastic ducting (100 or 150mm diameter) ■ Skimming plaster ■ Three or four rolls of ModRoc ■ Jigsaw ■ Mouse sander ■ White paint ■ Matt, clear varnish/sealer 1 Start with your two large pieces of MDF, g