<![CDATA[ Latest from Ideal Home in Open-house ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house Wed, 17 Jun 2026 08:30:00 +0000 en <![CDATA[ I arrived in England as a German minimalist – and now my home has a bright pink ceiling and an orange velvet sofa ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/lara-winter-from-german-minimalist-to-cosy-english-style BPEssfaJnJVJcVKVLRsCi5 Wed, 17 Jun 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ How we built a bespoke-looking kitchen island for under £300 – and it's become one of our proudest renovating achievements ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/the-home-boys-building-a-bespoke-looking-kitchen-island UPUADirxxLVSwZfqrxqCAd Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:19:01 +0000 <![CDATA[ Ask Lucy: I’m solving your domestic dilemmas – it’s time to take note of my cleaning tips and tricks ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/lucy-kalice-ask-lucy-june-2026 Z6dgUopCd3FfaZb7WVB6uW Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:15:27 +0000 <![CDATA[ 'These are the good days' – how I'm learning to recognise this even if I'm living in an unfinished home ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/hannah-carvell-these-are-the-good-days 44fxxtWfqiRLnyqnZzDr3X Mon, 15 Jun 2026 08:30:00 +0000 Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:56:58 +0000 <![CDATA[ How I created balanced, layered lighting in my open plan kitchen and dining space – my tips for creating the right mood for every occasion ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/natalie-jahangiry-layered-lighting-in-my-open-plan-kitchen UbdF8JA9awt83VomWRjXs Thu, 11 Jun 2026 08:33:15 +0000 <![CDATA[ My dream kitchen renovation that’s been years in the making is finally taking shape – it's been stressful but also incredibly rewarding ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/leah-hodson-kitchen-renovation-starting-to-take-shape 9GFYESaCfBf794carZcywT Wed, 10 Jun 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ My garden is my therapist, keeping me grounded in an ever-changing life ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/amanda-jones-my-garden-is-my-therapist reztj4apy3Ya7zEbxHLgCS Tue, 09 Jun 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ Designing my downstairs loo – my tips for transforming a tiny, practical space into a beautiful little sanctuary for both you and your guests ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/grace-h-designing-my-downstairs-loo vpVD7aqrtcbgP6fNzpvF2C Mon, 08 Jun 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ I had plenty of space – so why did my home still feel chaotic? How I found the perfect solution when our rooms were trying to do too much ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/francesca-swan-planning-a-summerhouse-to-solve-our-space-issues i5YwZuEnHP3U2KNhe4iQ8L Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:30:00 +0000 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:05:48 +0000 <![CDATA[ Inexpensive ways I update my home when I'm on a retail detox – when sometimes all a space really needs is a reshuffle rather than a shopping trip ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/ammarah-hasham-inexpensive-ways-i-update-my-home ZYVKeBACRaKaUvALtBityW Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ Someone else’s rubbish, my treasure – 5 tricks I use to make thrifted finds work in my home ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/lara-winter-5-ways-i-make-vintage-finds-work-in-my-home GQT44PpAT5Vb8rhfQN94Sn Wed, 03 Jun 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ We made a B&Q kitchen look bespoke and saved thousands – how just a handful of small decisions completely changed the finish ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/the-home-boys-how-we-made-a-b-and-q-kitchen-look-bespoke LMGiJC4QiXEhdqroNwwHYG Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:44:49 +0000 Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:45:13 +0000 <![CDATA[ For me, colour isn’t decoration, it’s atmosphere – why I’ll always choose colour over neutrals at home ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/hannah-carvell-why-i-always-choose-colour-over-neutrals-at-home UCBYt5Sks8p7fEB6K3iKLh Mon, 01 Jun 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ 5 things I always like to do when I'm transitioning my home from spring to summer ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/lucy-kalice-how-i-transition-my-home-from-spring-to-summer jan5MQGmJGMTZoB7Mh6cFD Fri, 29 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ Can I make my new kitchen space work as hard on the inside as it does at being beautiful on the outside? ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/natalie-jahangiry-designing-an-organised-kitchen 6sAgQXoCWbqKHLCvSsUp2V Thu, 28 May 2026 09:00:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ The three plants I’m sticking to this year for an easy-to-maintain and bloom-filled garden ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/rebecca-constable-three-plants-for-an-easy-but-impactful-garden 7BgFwyaDRVy7fj959XK2gB Thu, 28 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ Love oak but hate the price? I tested a combo of wood stains for a formula that fakes the look of oak, then used it to elevate my pine staircase ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/leah-hodson-how-i-faked-an-oak-staircase w5hK2GE7KXPa7BbsMoM5Jf Wed, 27 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ A few years ago I went LOOPY in the garden, and decided to keep all my weeds – here’s why I value them as much as my plants ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/amanda-jones-why-i-decided-to-keep-all-my-garden-weeds 29XGJM6iFWXASv5cqYqfuj Tue, 26 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 Wed, 27 May 2026 09:27:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ Inherited a kitchen you can't afford to change? A kitchen transformation is often just a clever game of distraction – these are my top tricks ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/grace-h-how-i-made-an-inherited-kitchen-feel-like-my-own 8SNDQ2zL95m8TMmRsDFFbQ Mon, 25 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 Wed, 27 May 2026 09:28:24 +0000 <![CDATA[ The tiny home mistakes that niggle me – sometimes it's better not to look too closely for those imperfections because once they're on your radar you can't unsee them ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/francesca-swan-the-tiny-home-mistakes-i-cant-unsee Nstytxsn92xrYsrazjweWN Fri, 22 May 2026 09:04:10 +0000 <![CDATA[ How I designed a room for my teenage daughter that she actually loves – let there be whimsy, bold and unexpected, done their way ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/ammarah-hasham-how-i-designed-a-room-for-my-teenage-daughter 4heJk9BN7e8q3uiuciLQZK Thu, 21 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ I used to think you could 'finish' a garden in a year or two – since then I've discovered why gardens take so long and why that’s actually the best bit ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/lara-winter-why-gardens-take-so-long uAvbanW5V77Lny6apcLoK8 Wed, 20 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ What renovating together really does to a relationship – somewhere in the middle of all of it we’ve built something that isn’t on any floor plan ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/the-home-boys-what-renovating-together-really-does-to-a-relationship gFYpgeP3sqv9FAJNEpJ4eS Tue, 19 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ Cottagecore vs real cottage living – what it’s actually like to live in a country cottage ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/hannah-carvell-cottagecore-vs-real-cottage-living z2UkwJppnGzAnnGpucPJnV Mon, 18 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ 4 ways I’m turning my wedding memorabilia into home decor ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/lucy-kalice-how-im-turning-my-wedding-into-home-decor 2KCbSuQcSu3jvAXrVB2fVB Fri, 15 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ I’ve taken on two kitchen renovations and am left with one big question – was it really worth it in the end? ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/natalie-jahangiry-is-a-kitchen-renovation-worth-it gpmQz9TNpqubAKs2kzyo8C Thu, 14 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ Painting uPVC – how I transformed the feeling of every room in my house, and all it took was a £25 tin of paint ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/grace-h-painting-upvc 7fEdVr8tigBR9HcB9aR5sh Wed, 13 May 2026 13:16:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ We’re 4 weeks into our loft conversion – these are the lessons I've learnt so far ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/leah-hodson-loft-conversion-lessons-four-weeks-in TLJWo2RRwoeBRbvqzYenAX Wed, 13 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ I think we should all be prepared for tough times ahead – am I being a scaremonger, or just resilient? ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/amanda-jones-how-im-preparing-for-tough-times-ahead A6Uynbd3KiZdghBfNMPYtV Tue, 12 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ How I used the stacks of magazines I've been collecting for 30 years to create the coffee table of my dreams ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/francesca-swan-magazine-coffee-table 9rXXkKS5Sq9exMyBPyCm8e Fri, 08 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ Renter-friendly IKEA products that everyone should know about – the famous five edition ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/ammarah-hasham-my-favourite-renter-friendly-ikea-products fApKbZsksLbZWmk6sBijvG Thu, 07 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ 5 things I always forget about my garden every single spring – from mistaking seedlings for weeds and never ever buying enough compost ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/lara-winter-what-i-forget-about-the-garden-every-spring NaXoQrzSkhyMiLELJeyTn5 Wed, 06 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ The floor that nearly finished us – it might be the most labour-intensive renovating decision we’ve ever made but we'd do it all again ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/the-home-boys-the-floor-that-nearly-finished-us ncHQw6PBmZe7uat8aKKVME Tue, 05 May 2026 08:35:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ My DIY patio makeover cost me under £100 – how I added colour and energy into my space without breaking the bank ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/hannah-carvell-diy-patio-makeover-on-a-budget hmNC87kCLxxBWMGHJtqBNk Mon, 04 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ I was afraid my house would be really dirty when we got a dog but instead it’s made it more homely – here’s how ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/lucy-kalice-how-i-pet-proof-my-home 28MQ9qAYMejzbiquRYsUBM Fri, 01 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ My kitchen renovation is finally complete – take a look at the big reveal! ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/natalie-jahangiry-kitchen-chronicles-part-six Zm2bbhvq2oFCKgbzbJY6D Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ The reality of a builder’s finish – and why prep work is essential to save both time and money ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/leah-hodson-the-importance-of-prep-work-when-decorating becBkYgpvv6pUoYkHRmsQB Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ My low spend year, what I learned – and why I would do it again ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/amanda-jones-my-low-spend-year j5vmymH3CfcHDasWowfgM6 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ The cost of haste – in my rush to cross the finishing line, I made some decorating choices that I’d change in a heartbeat if I had my time over ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/grace-h-the-cost-of-haste zgsg93pKE4UksoYXYENGnm Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ We thought the summerhouse would be the easy bit of building our forever home – but *spoiler alert* that was definitely not the case ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/francesca-swan-how-our-summerhouse-became-the-most-difficult-part-of-our-reno 4syi3dfnFh4dpUGYfnucp6 Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ How I throw a garden party – without spending too much or rushing out to buy everything new ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/ammarah-hasham-how-to-throw-a-garden-party-with-things-you-already-own sNh3UKDATsMpUHVigEmK3i Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:30:00 +0000 Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:59:45 +0000 <![CDATA[ Dark blue walls and big opinions – why designing my 8-year-old son’s room challenged me more than I expected ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/lara-winter-designing-my-sons-room XrGnS2WTRR4vankAnqJhe4 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ The rooms we use the most and why they weren’t the ones we expected – how the reality of a renovation has quietly reshaped our plan for our home ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/the-home-boys-the-unexpected-rooms-we-use-the-most G2yFXW4Esim9kBNQkU8sGk Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:30:00 +0000 Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:21:17 +0000 <![CDATA[ Slowing down and making do – how I'm embracing a home that evolves slowly and imperfectly ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/hannah-carvell-slowing-down-and-making-do mhx7rVTvuk9k5G8fy2shFM Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ I’m answering your domestic dilemmas – these are my top tips to solve your real life cleaning queries ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/lucy-kalice-domestic-deilemmas-april-2026 QAwtPuqgu66L372hUpb6aK Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:44:07 +0000 <![CDATA[ Flatpack, but make it bespoke – the IKEA hack tips and tricks I swear by ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/natalie-jahangiry-the-ikea-hack-tips-and-tricks-i-swear-by xcWmuHFnQZnZPYgziuKyP7 Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ 5 ways I’ve saved money during our renovation – without compromising on quality! ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/leah-hodson-5-ways-i-saved-during-our-renovation 3VRy7AN9duRS4H2qjLEo3k Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ After years of being obsessed with tiny homes, I’m now living in a smaller space – but is it everything I thought it would be? ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/amanda-jones-is-living-in-a-smaller-space-what-i-thought-it-would-be jGMZdZDEkhrdNxHmpZtvQL Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ The power of the cordless glow – my guide to rechargeable lights and how I use them to avoid the glare of 'the big light' in my home ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/grace-h-my-guide-to-rechargeable-lighting 68JcBegWw6cednutx7A8re Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ The chandelier that changed the way I approach designing my home – seeing a light as sculpture, presence and emotion all at once ]]> https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/francesca-swan-the-chandelier-that-changed-how-i-approach-design tReow9PSdUoBrabEUzp6pY Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:09:16 +0000