New & Now

I’ve been wanting to see the brand new Laura Ashley store at Lakeside retail park ever since it opened in September and this was the week I got to pay it a visit! I love shopping online but nothing beats seeing the products in person and there was so much there, from murals to sofas, beds to lighting. And yes, I may have brought a cute rechargeable table lamp home with me!

February might be a shorter month, but that doesn't mean I have been any less desperate for payday to arrive! And with the endless rain and grey skies, I think the whole Ideal Home team are very much in need of a little pick-me-up. I made a mimosa wreath for my front door to give it a spring refresh – if you don't fancy making your own this spring wreath from Lights4Fun has 30% off right now, or you can buy faux mimosa stems from Amazon.

As I write this I'm looking out at my garden, dreaming of sunnier days. I'm planning a trip to the garden centre this weekend to treat myself to some new perennials. My garden furniture has seen better days, and this table and chairs set from M&S is currently the front-runner to replace it.

I asked our eagled-eyed editors what's on their radar to snap up come payday as I know it's 100% guaranteed that I'll discover new pieces to fall in love with myself.

6 February: Plate wall

I have been gradually adding to the plate wall in my kitchen for nearly a year now. It's a great way to add interest to my plain kitchen wall, and is a creative alternative to a gallery of prints – it feels eclectic and adds personality.

I love mixing vintage plates with new purchases, and I've been trying to pick up plates on my travels so it becomes a diary of places I've visited. I combine patterns with plains in a variety of shapes and sizes and I'm more than a little partial to a bit of typography! I haven't planned the arrangement – it's organic and grows with my collection but every so often I switch a few around, and I always have a wish-list on the go.

In terms of how I hang them, my go-to product is always these adhesive plate hangers from Amazon. You just wet the back with a sponge or your fingers, wait for it to go tacky and then press onto the back of the plate. It’s as easy as that!

30 January: Pay day treats

Never have I been so happy to see payday. January has felt like a marathon, and I know everyone on the Ideal Home team has been looking forward to treating themselves now our bank balances are looking healthier. From on-trend lighting to stylish storage, kitchen must-haves to downtime essentials, our editors' weekend wish-lists are full of brilliant buys.

This week I got to pay a visit to Bora's test kitchen to have a play with the new QVac vacuum sealer machine. I've actually never used a vacuum sealer before and had no idea this nifty piece of kit had so many uses, from infusing oils to efficient food storage (keeping food fresh for longer) to speeding up marinating.

9 January: New year organising

the organising bug has taken hold hard and I’m in full blitz mode. I don't know about you, but my urge to tidy and sort the house is off the scale. It started with my Christmas decs (I invested in a bauble storage box from Amazon, then I moved onto deep-cleaning and sorting kitchen cupboards and organising our medicine cupboard.

I’ve spent hours drooling over beautifully labelled boxes and jars on social, and have now I’ve gone full Khloe Kardashian. You'll find me happily labelling everything I can get my hands on with my trusty new label maker from Amazon, which makes me very happy.