Garden trellis fence with flowering climbing plants

Budget small garden ideas — 23 affordable ways to transform your outdoor space

Give your garden, patio or balcony the glow up it deserves with these nifty tips and ideas

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    The best mattresses from pocket sprung to memory foam – tested by our experts for a great night’s sleep

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    Top Stories

    • A soft green-painted bedroom with green cushions and throws on the bed and a yellow glossy metal table lamp from H&M on the bedside table

      I have no space for any more table lamps, but these designer-look H&M ones are tempting me

      They're too good to resist

    •  A small tree in a large pot by a shed with lightbulbs strung up in the branches

      How to fill the bottom of a large planter – 4 household items garden experts use to save time, money and effort

      You don't need to use up all your potting soil

    • Dunelm humidifier on a white bedside table, in front of a blue painted wall and a bed with floral bedding

      I thought humidifiers were for kids, but this £25 Dunelm buy has me breathing easier than I have in months

      It's getting rave reviews, too

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      7 genius solutions to stop birds pooing on your patio – gently deter them with these simple tricks

      We've got the answers to keep your patio clear

    Ideal Home Experts

    • Heather Young

      Heather Young

      Editor in Chief
    • Becky Knight

      Becky Knight

      Deputy Editor Digital
    • Sarah Handley

      Sarah Handley

      Renovation Editor
    • Amy Lockwood

      Amy Lockwood

      Certified Expert: Sleep
    • Molly Cleary

      Molly Cleary

      Certified Expert: Appliances & Cookware
    • Sara Hesikova

      Sara Hesikova

      Certified Expert in training: Furniture
    • Lauren Bradbury

      Lauren Bradbury

      Certified Expert in training: Vacuums

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    Room Decor

    • A mustard yellow-painted bedroom with a bed headboard upholstered in baby blue and with soft pink bed linen

      How to choose the perfect paint colour for your home – top tips to make this decision easy and straightforward

      This expert-approved guide takes the guesswork out of picking the right shade

    • downstairs toilet with tropical wallpaper and blue wall panelling

      I predict this classic small-space-friendly wallpaper trend will make a comeback in 2026

      Get playful with pattern and transform your washroom

    • a white a green kitchen with a strip of pastel pink paint behind the extractor fan hood

      Are white tiles going out of style? These are the 4 tile trends to try instead for a stylish kitchen

      Because your kitchen deserves personality...

    • wet room with floral pattern tiles

      I'm convinced that pistachio green is the next big bathroom colour trend for 2026 - here's how to make it work

      Get ahead by giving your bathroom a pistachio-inspired refresh

    • A beige-painted bedroom with a canopy bed and pink accents

      Accent colour ideas – 12 ways to uplift any room in your home with a pop of the right colour

      Colour experts reveal the best shades to instantly bring any room to life

    • A colour-drenched dark green bedroom with shaker style wall panelling

      Is colour drenching a bedroom a good idea? 7 rooms that prove it is

      Stunning bedrooms that show why colour drenching a bedroom pays off

    What To Buy

    • Ideal Home certified expert logo on a white square with a pink and blue abstract patterned border

      Meet Ideal Home's Certified Experts

      Shop smarter with no-nonsense product advice direct from our team of in-the-know experts

    • Blueair air purifier on a white and pink background

      Best air purifiers 2025 — after testing dozens these are the top 9 to eliminate dust, allergens, and odours

      The best air purifiers for improving indoor air quality, as tested by the Ideal Home team

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      A dated Georgian cottage gets a modern-country update

      Cream tones and rustic pieces keep it sumptuous but simple

    • pink kitchen with a large kitchen island, three ceramic pendants overhead and a breakfast bar with four stools

      A dreamy pastel coloured seaside home on the Dorset coast

      A bold move to the Dorset coast saw this family completely transform their dated 1980s house into their ideal home

    • living room in small Cotswold cottage with pink painted walls, upholstered footstool and olive green sofa, rugs on floor, wicker tray, beam ceiling

      This tiny Cotswold cottage makes the most of every inch with a tailored, high-end look

      ‘I could see the cottage’s potential, and I knew I could make the layout work'

    House Manual

    • Meaco 1056 Air Circulator on white and pink illustrated Ideal Home style background

      The best fans for cooling down quickly – we've tried and tested bestselling options to find the best fan for the bedroom, living room, and more

      The best fans for cooling down quickly – we've tried and tested bestselling options to find the best fan for the bedroom, living room, and out and about

      By Amy Lockwood

    • Shark cordless vacuum cleaner plugged into wall

      How to clean a Shark vacuum cleaner — 6 steps to ensure your investment continues to work at its best for years to come

      I’m a vacuum expert and this is the exact step-by-step process I follow

      By Lauren Bradbury

    HOMES DISCOUNT CODES

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    Christy discount codes for May 2025

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    • How much does a new kitchen cost a breakdown of costs

      B&Q discount codes for May 2025

      SPONSORED Saving on DIY and decorating projects is easy with these active B&Q discount codes.

    • Haier white tumble drier in modern beige and grey kitchen

      Haier discount codes for May 2025

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    Renovation

    • Exterior of a kitchen extension, with sliding doors to the garden, and a large picture window

      This is the weekly extension planner I'd follow if I was adding space to my home

      What to expect week-by-week and the factors that can knock your build off schedule

      By Sarah Handley

    • Large loft conversion bedroom with exposed beams and brickwork, with pillows and throws on the bed

      Can my neighbour stop me from converting my loft?

      Find out which objections have merit and how to resolve them

      By Sarah Handley

    • A front porch with a green front door and potted plants and trees

      Debating between uPVC and timber for your porch?

      I asked the experts what the real difference is, and if one is actually better than the other

      By Amy Reeves

    • Two single beds, with mustard yellow throws in a loft conversion with panelled walls, two rooflights and a crochet style rug on the floor

      What types of loft conversions are there? I explain the 5 main options and their pros and cons

      From cheapest to most expensive

      By Natasha Brinsmead

    DIY

    • A sunny garden with a black fence adorned with string lights and lined with potted plants

      5 mini DIY jobs to get done over the long bank holiday weekend – experts reveal the easy tasks you should be tackling this time of year

      Do you feel like doing some simple home improvement this long weekend? These small DIY tasks only take a couple days to complete

      By Sara Hesikova

    • A living room with a wall painted in yellow and cream stripes with a yellow fireplace

      Easy DIY projects – 30 ways to give your home a quick update over the weekend that anyone can do

      Upgrade your home with these 30 beginner-friendly updates that you don’t need lots of time, skills or tools for to pull them off

      By Amy Cutmore

    Gardens

    Ground elder growing wild

    Should you get rid of ground elder? What the RHS's chief horticulturalist says about keeping or removing this weed in your garden

    To weed, or not to weed? We got the advice from experts

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      I can't get enough of café gardens this summer – here's how you can recreate the trend in your home

      Bring your favourite coffee shop to your garden

      By Holly Cockburn

    • Argos Home 4 Seater Rattan Effect Garden Sofa Set- Natural

      Argos Home’s rattan outdoor sofa set is one of the cheapest I’ve seen - and it has thousands of reviews singing its praises

      The happy customers say it's good value for money, comfortable and stylish

      By Kezia Reynolds

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      7 things I wish I knew before adding a fire pit to my garden

      Firepit fun isn’t all melted marshmallows and toasty toes

      By Linda Clayton

    News & Views

    • Bedthreads tableware on white bistro table in garden

      I can't get enough of café gardens this summer – here's how you can recreate the trend in your home

      Bring your favourite coffee shop to your garden

      By Holly Cockburn

    • Argos Home 4 Seater Rattan Effect Garden Sofa Set- Natural

      Argos Home’s rattan outdoor sofa set is one of the cheapest I’ve seen - and it has thousands of reviews singing its praises

      The happy customers say it's good value for money, comfortable and stylish

      By Kezia Reynolds

    • Using the Dyson PencilVac to dust a black lampshade

      Dyson has announced the release of a groundbreaking new vacuum — it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen and I want one immediately

      There's more new technology than you can shake a stick at

      By Lauren Bradbury

    • Aldi LED parasol on a Mediterranean patio garden.

      Aldi's magical garden lighting range will give your outdoor space a fairytale-worthy glow –and the LED parasol is the star

      I can't stop thinking about these magical lights

      By Kezia Reynolds

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