Kayleigh Dray
Kayleigh Dray joined the Ideal Home team in May 2023, and it feels like a role for which she’s been preparing her entire life. After all, her first ever job was working at a busy local garden centre, before she became a property writer for Fine & Country Estate Agents – a job which helped fund her degree in English Literature & Creative Writing at Royal Holloway, University of London.
She kicked off her career in magazines with an eye-opening internship at Cosmopolitan – and was able to impress her editor so much that she kept her on as a news writer. Kayleigh then went on to become part of the digital editorial team at Closer, before a successful seven-year stint at Stylist, where she took command as the site’s editor (and editor-at-large).
Nowadays, she can be found freelancing for a myriad titles about film and TV, but it’s her part time role at Ideal Home that allows her the chance to wax lyrical about her true love: gardening. She has just set to work on giving her own scrubby backyard a woodland-inspired makeover – and there’s been whispers of a vegetable plot, too!
Ideal Home Truths
Where’s your happy place?
My happy place is my tiny kitchen, as it’s the first room we put our own stamp on when we moved in. I love the clean white walls and turquoise tiles, and I’m obviously a big fan of the windowsill filled with herb pots and flowering fruit plants, too. There’s still work to be done, but I can’t help but feel proud of how pretty and functional this dinky little room has become.
What’s your home addiction?
I'm obsessed with buying plants – it’s actually been said I have a serious plant problem by more than one person. Whether it’s the time I “accidentally” signed up to a monthly plant subscription service and filled my home with leafy beauties, or the time I woke up frighteningly early to make sure I got my mitts on a coveted climbing hydrangea at our local community plant sale (hey, it’s for charity!), there’s a reason my husband now insists on a One In, One Out policy.
What is your next home project?
This house was bought at auction as a definite fixer-upper, and has been a work in progress ever since. Downstairs is almost sorted (almost), so next it’s the turn of upstairs, and particularly the so-called nursery, as the baby is still camping out in our bedroom…
Latest articles by Kayleigh Dray
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Green tomatoes not ripening? Monty Don knows exactly what you should do
Monty Don has the answer (as always!) if your green tomatoes are refusing to turn red
By Kayleigh Dray
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Martine McCutcheon's monochrome hallway has us in love, actually
Are you ready for a perfect (interiors) moment? Martine McCutcheon's monochrome hallway is it
By Kayleigh Dray
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The surprisingly easy garden hack that could boost your property value by 39%
Fancy adding up to £30,000 to your property value? Try this divisive gardening method
By Kayleigh Dray
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Why Alan Titchmarsh's contrary gardening advice is such a big surprise
Alan Titchmarsh has just dished out some entirely unexpected gardening advice, and talk about a u-turn!
By Kayleigh Dray
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The one place in your home you're forgetting to clean (and why you shouldn't)
These expert tips will help you clean the dirtiest spot in your home
By Kayleigh Dray
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How to harvest basil so your favourite kitchen herb keeps growing
Your basil will be the envy of all if you follow these expert tips
By Kayleigh Dray
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How to create a Nordic coastal garden at home for pure Scandi chic vibes
Close your eyes and you'll almost be able to hear the ocean...
By Kayleigh Dray
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How to take cuttings the Monty Don way, from fuchsias to hydrangeas
Keen to learn how to take cuttings? Let Monty Don be your guide
By Kayleigh Dray
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How we fell in love with the stumpery, aka this year's garden must-have
This ultra-cheap DIY garden project will transform even the darkest of backyards
By Kayleigh Dray
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9 of the easiest vegetables to grow that are beginner-approved
Trying to figure out which are the easiest vegetables to grow? We've got you covered...
By Kayleigh Dray
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King Charles shows off his take on the hottest garden trend of the year at Sandringham
King Charles III has given the gardens at Sandringham a royal overhaul
By Kayleigh Dray
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The one thing we should all be planting now, according to Monty Don
Spoiler: it's one of the easiest and tastiest herbs around!
By Kayleigh Dray
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The 3 popular interiors trends being labelled 'cringe' by Gen Z. Are you guilty of any?
It's bad news for Mrs Hinch fans, we're afraid...
By Kayleigh Dray
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Why this German gardening technique is set to become the hot new DIY trend
Hugelkultur isn't just a cheap option for gardeners – it's beautiful, too!
By Kayleigh Dray
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Alan Titchmarsh has issued a warning over the rewilding trend
The rewilding trend is causing controversy once again
By Kayleigh Dray
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How to grow mint in a pot: the expert rules to follow for a thriving plant
Yes, you can grow mint in pots and containers. Here's how
By Kayleigh Dray
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Conversation pits are back! Here's how to tap into the unexpected retro trend resurgence
Conversation pits were a staple of the 70s, and now they're all over TikTok
By Kayleigh Dray
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Forget Mediterranean gardens! Italian Nonna Chic gardens are the bellissima trend you need
The Italian Nonna Chic garden is at the top of our list of Mediterranean garden ideas
By Kayleigh Dray
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The best succulents to buy online at Amazon
If you don't have time for a trip to the garden centre then consider one of these beauties
By Kayleigh Dray
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Electroculture gardening is trending on TikTok - but what is it?
Electroculture gardening and pyramid energy are trending, and for good reason
By Kayleigh Dray
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How to take lavender cuttings and create your very own lavender field (for free!)
Learning how to take lavender cuttings is easier than you might think
By Kayleigh Dray
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The rise of the erotic garden? Here's how to harness the romantic gardening trend
Utterly sensual, the erotic garden urges us to rethink the way we view our outdoor spaces
By Kayleigh Dray
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Everyone is talking about that 3 hour warning for gardeners, but how true is it?
The truth behind the 3 hour warning that's all over the internet
By Kayleigh Dray
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Why Mrs Hinch's wholesome new hobby has taken social media by storm
Keen to embrace the farmcore trend? Make like Mrs Hinch and try your hand at this unusual hobby
By Kayleigh Dray