Vanessa Richmond
Vanessa Richmond started her journalism career in 1998 thinking that she wanted to be the editor of Vogue. She got as far as being Chief Sub-editor at Red magazine before realising that home is where her heart is… and so she joined the Ideal Home family in 2006 and stayed for 15 years. Over that time, she was Chief Sub-editor and columnist, Associate Editor and then became Editor in 2015. A year later, she took Style at Home under her wing, too, and then, in 2018, became editor of a third title, Country Homes & Interiors. Over the years, she has seen Ideal Home develop and transform into the digital powerhouse it is today, while staying true to its 100-year-old ethos of trusted expertise and authoritative journalism. In 2021, Vanessa decided it was time for a midlife reboot, moved from London to Norfolk and retrained as a secondary English teacher. Journalism is her side hustle now, but why have one career you love when you can have two? Apart from writing for Ideal Home and idealhome.co.uk, Vanessa has also written for Scandi at Home and undertaken commercial projects. She lives in Norwich with her old mum (‘Ma Richmond’) and their disabled rescue cat, Willo the Wisp.
Ideal Home truths
Where’s your happy place?
In my home office. Before moving to Norwich, I worked at the kitchen table and packed everything away at the end of the day, but here there’s more space. The house has a big wooden building in the back garden – calling it a shed doesn’t do it justice because it has a loft and sliding glass doors, we call it ‘the cabin’. I have my desk there, plus a kettle and fridge, and a sofa so I can sit soft for a bit if I want to. It has nice rugs and the walls are covered with pictures. It does double duty as a playroom for my nieces when they come to stay – their extensive Lego collection is stored there – but otherwise it’s all mine. Sometimes I tell Ma Richmond I have lessons to plan, but actually I’m down there drinking wine and listening to music. I think she knows.
What’s your home addiction?
Baskets. Whenever I see one I like, I buy it. Every room in the house has at least one. I put loo rolls in them, slippers, soft toys in my nieces’ rooms, balls of knitting wool, random stuff I like to use while watching telly (like nail varnish and the iPad). I used to think it was impossible to have too many baskets, but it is. I have a basket containing unused baskets!
What is your next home project?
Gah, there are so many it’s hard to prioritise. Probably painting the hallway. There’s a stripey runner up the stairs, so I’ll pick colours from that – probably a creamy colour for the walls and off-black for the woodwork. Plus an amazing chandelier. I’ve got my eye on an amazing one at Pooky.
Latest articles by Vanessa Richmond
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How to fix a slow-draining bathtub – for stress-free soaks
A step by step guide to smoothly draining tubs
By Vanessa Richmond
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How to fix a toilet handle – and keep your loo in working order
Everything you need to know about fixing a standard toilet handle so you can flush in peace
By Vanessa Richmond
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How to fix a clogged bathroom sink – and keep it draining freely
Get your bathroom sink draining freely and easily again with help from the experts
By Vanessa Richmond
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How to change a toilet seat – and upgrade your loo in a few minutes
Changing a toilet seat is one of the easier jobs in the bathroom for a quick fix
By Vanessa Richmond
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How to fix a clogged shower drain – and keep it clear and clean
A clogged shower drain can be a nightmare, but you can resolve it quickly and easily yourself with this step-by-step
By Vanessa Richmond
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Building an extension on a house – what to do, where to start and planning permission, explained
Getting the space you need could be simpler than you think…
By Vanessa Richmond
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How much does an extension cost? Plus ways to cut the cost of yours
Thinking about stretching your space? This is what it will set you back…
By Vanessa Richmond
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Make your music sound amazing by streaming with Deezer
Promotional feature with Deezer
By Vanessa Richmond
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Three things you didn't know you could do with a SodaStream...
This might just blow your mind…
By Vanessa Richmond
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The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean is £210 off at Amazon – and it’s recommended by dentists
Visits to the dentist are a bit tricky right now, so prevention is better than cure…
By Vanessa Richmond
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A Mrs Hinch favourite – the Shark upright vacuum is just £149.99 at Amazon for two hours only
Pet owners love this upright vac for its floof-busting technology, and now you can save 44% off the RRP
By Vanessa Richmond