Amanda Jones is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on sustainable living and decorating a home in way that is good for the environment. See the rest of her articles here.

As a passionate gardener, the autumn has always been a time for me to reflect on the growing year. To look at what has worked well and implement any changes in the following year. I garden following permaculture methods. One of the principles of permaculture, is ‘observe and interact’. Observation causes us to pause, which I feel, ensures we make the best decisions.

This summer has been brutal. The relentless heat and drought have taken its toll on garden, and gardener. This year has been the hottest, driest I’ve ever known, and that is said from a child who played through the summer of 1976. This summer has also taught me about what our future summers could be like, as the climate crisis unfolds.

Scientists are telling us that the growing ‘El Nino’ is the most significant one in recorded history and warning us that next year could potentially be hotter, and drier than this. Autumn and winter could also be wetter than usual, if that is the case, then I’m going to have to make some changes in how I garden. My observations from this year, need to inform future years.

1. Water harvesting

What I thought to be a ‘good enough’ rainwater supply, ran out far too quickly. I have 3 large water butts, and 4 large bins I store rainwater in. Usually these keep me ticking over, however by mid-July, they had all run dry, except for the one I use to top up my little pond. I believe there will be an increasing pressure, to learn to how to harvest more rainwater. We live a country that has a lot of rainfall, we really should not be in drought over the summer.

As a nation, with our changing climate, our winters are more likely to be wetter than before, we need to learn to adapt, and quickly. Rainwater capture also helps prevent flooding and provides resilience towards future droughts. Whilst I can’t change what governments do, I can try and increase my own water supply, I just need to work out the best way to do this.

2. More polycultures

Like so many of us, I lost some crops, some plants really struggled, whilst some thrived. I have 12 raised beds in my garden, and most of them are now polycultures, a mixed way of growing food and flowers, that is beneficial environment for them.

The larger plants shaded and protected the smaller plants. There was a kind of symbiosis going on, the plants were helping each other in ways I couldn’t see.

3. More shade

Several crops fried, especially those with tender leaves. I really need to introduce more shade, through intercropping plants, like in polycultures, but also by introducing some shade cloth too.

This winter I’ll be looking into what type of shading is best, what is the most effective way to use it in the garden and making sure I’ve bought some before the heat of next summer.

4. More food forest

One area that coped surprisingly well was my small food forest. I have 4 fruit trees, surrounded by a guild of supporting plants, some edible, some beneficial to pollinators, some good for soil health. The plants have supported one another, and the trees have offered much needed shade.

I will be looking at introducing more edible crops into these guilds over this next year. The shading of the trees also cooled that part of the garden too, which was lovely.

5. More mulch

Providing any bare soil with a good layer of mulch is essential in dry, hot weather. It stops the soil heating up, eroding away, and retains what precious moisture the soil already has.

I use homemade compost, leaves and bark as mulch, but one of my favourite methods is ‘chop and drop’. This is a permaculture practice that essentially mimics nature. When you prune a plant, or deadhead a flower, instead of removing the detritus to the compost bin, you simply chop it up and put it directly onto the ground surrounding the plant. So much easier, and time effective than normal composting methods.

6. More diversity

Wildlife and biodiversity are at the heart of how I garden. This summer, I’ve been even more mindful of the creatures and plants that share my garden with me. I’ve ensured that there are plenty of watering stations around the garden for insects, birds and the mammals that need them, topping up daily. Our small pond has been vital to the frogs and toads.

Earlier in the year I stopped feeding the birds, on the advice of the RSPB, as viruses are often transmitted through birdfeeders. This makes it even more important we cultivate plants, (and insects) that feed our birds. Autumn has come very early this year; due to the stress the plants have experienced by the drought. I’m concerned the fruits and berries, that usually sustain them over winter won’t be available when the birds need them most in the depth of winter. I need to ensure I put more plants in the garden that are a natural food for birds, so they rely less on birdfeeders.

The climate is changing, and it’s destabilising our weather, patterns that we have relied on for millennia are no longer guaranteed. The old methods of gardening may not be fit for purpose, in our new unpredictable future. We are all going to need to adapt, and quickly.

Imagine a world where EVERY garden, supports wildlife, encourages biodiversity. Imagine a world where EVERY garden, had rich life-giving soil, that that locks in carbon. Imagine a world where EVERY garden has trees to absorb the heat, provide shade, and cools the environment. Just imagine how different things could be.

When we think about adding those finishing touches to a room, our minds tend to go to the usual suspects: cushions, curtains, maybe a lampshade or two. And while I’m certainly not about to suggest we abandon a good patterned cushion (I wouldn’t dream of it!), there are so many other, often overlooked, ways to bring pattern into a room.

One of my favourite things to do is have a quick scroll through an interior designer’s Instagram page (something I do far too regularly) and look at the less obvious ways they’ve introduced colour, pattern and texture. Sometimes the most effective way to use pattern is to put it somewhere you wouldn’t normally think to look.

1. The trusty upholstered stool

We have two upholstered stools in our house and they’re some of the hardest-working pieces of furniture we own. There’s one by the front door for putting shoes on and another in the bedroom which is primarily a very expensive dumping ground for my other half’s gym wear.

I’m planning to add more and am currently on the hunt for the perfect fabric so I can have two more made for our living room to sit behind our ottoman. I love that they’ll help to close in the space and create more of a defined seating area, rather than having the TV be the focal point of the room.

The other great thing about an upholstered stool is that it can be moved around. Need extra seating when guests come over? Easy. Pull up a pew!

They’re also a brilliant opportunity to use a fabric that might feel like too much of an investment for a larger piece of furniture. You only need around a metre of fabric, so this is one place where I’d say push the boat out by splurging on the fabric you have been lusting over!

2. Draft excluders and door stops

I appreciate that a draft excluder is not the first thing that springs to mind when you think about decorating with pattern but hear me out…

They may be small, but I honestly think adding pattern in any form is worth considering, particularly when it’s something you use every day. We have two draft excluders downstairs where there’s often a bit of a chill in the air, and I love that they’re such an easy win. They introduce pattern and texture in a complementary colour but they’re also genuinely useful when winter rolls around. That’s something I always look for when decorating: can the pretty thing also earn its keep?

A patterned door stop works in exactly the same way. It’s tiny, but it’s another opportunity to introduce a fabric, colour or print without having to commit to an entire piece of furniture.

3. Wall hangings

I love seeing textiles used in unexpected ways and putting them on a wall is one of my favourite ways to add pattern. Large-scale artwork can be expensive, whereas a beautiful textile can often create just as much impact for less. It also brings something that a framed print can’t always offer: texture.

Take the beautiful wall hanging in the cover image from Tess, aka @tessfwa.home, as the perfect example. It immediately draws your eye and adds pattern without making the room feel overloaded. Shout out to this excellent wallpaper choice too!

Clearly a fan of a wall hanging (I can see why!), Tess also introduced pattern and texture to her previous landing in one fell swoop. I love that unexpected pop of red against the blue stairs.

And you don’t necessarily need to go out and buy something specifically labelled a “wall hanging”. Vintage flatweave rugs, scarves, tapestries and even beautiful pieces of fabric can all work beautifully.

4. Furniture

Who says sofas, ottomans and chairs have to be plain? Often with an investment piece it can be tempting to play it safe and opt for a neutral but there are other options. Patterned furniture can be a little harder to find off the shelf, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Going bespoke means you can be more considered about the piece you introduce and if you’re going to make a statement, you may as well make it a good one.

Having my ottoman made in a bespoke fabric is honestly one of my favourite investment purchases (there's not a day that passes where someone on Instagram doesn’t ask where it’s from). I often refer to it as the hero piece in our room and choosing a fabric I absolutely love has made it feel much more special than an off-the shelf number ever could.

So why not commission a piece of furniture in a standout fabric? Take the new Amelia trundle storage ottoman from The House Upstairs as an example. This new design is practical, but there’s nothing boring about it. Can we also take a moment for all the delicious use of pattern in this room.

If going totally bespoke takes up too much headspace, there are plenty of brands that are getting in on the action when it comes to patterned sofas now. I’m still lusting after a patterned sofa myself and stumbled on a gorgeous vintage-inspired floral number from Sofas & Stuff that is pretty much perfection.

The trick with a big, patterned piece is not to make everything else compete with it. Mix it with some quieter, plain fabrics (OK, and maybe a beloved stripe) and let the hero piece do the talking.

5. The fireplace fender

Possibly my favourite, and certainly one of the most overlooked, ways to introduce pattern is a club fender – the upholstered seating that sits around the base of a fireplace.

I’ve been scouring eBay for YEARS to no avail, but I find them so chic and timeless and will happily wait for the right one to appear. It’s all just a matter of time...

I romanticise the idea of perching on one, with a glass of wine in hand while hosting friends, although realistically we all know it would probably become reserved for her MAGesty – Maggie, our ginger cat who rules the roost around here.

The image that lives rent-free in my mind when it comes to fireplace fenders is this contemporary version by interior designer Georgie Wykeham. It’s a brilliant alternative to the traditional brass versions you often see, with a painted bobbin frame paired with the most perfect pink and white fabric.

If you’re wanting the ease of buying online, the Gaia Chindi Fender from Graham & Green is a great contender. Patterned enough to create impact but subtle enough that it will go with many other patterns in a space.

Rather than introducing yet another cushion or curtain, the fender brings pattern in at a completely different level.

Look beyond the obvious

I’m certainly not suggesting that cushions and curtains are off the table. They’re classics for a reason but if you feel as though you’ve exhausted the obvious places to introduce pattern, look down, look up and look at the things you might normally overlook.

A stool. A draft excluder. A piece of fabric on the wall. A sofa. Even the furniture around your fireplace. Pattern doesn’t have to be everywhere to make an impact. Sometimes unexpected hits of it are enough to make an otherwise ordinary room feel much more interesting.

And, perhaps most importantly, you don’t need to match everything. In fact, please don’t. The best patterned rooms, in my opinion, are the ones where you can’t quite work out how everything goes together – it just does. That’s the fun of it.

Strategist and content creator Francesca Swan is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on the concept of 'Everything' and what makes a home special to you. See the rest of her articles here.

If you regularly frequent this little corner of the internet (thank you and welcome back!), you will already be well versed in my Everything design philosophy. If you’re new here, you’re also very welcome – in fact, you’ve arrived at a very good time.

I am passionate about creating moments of beautiful connection in our homes that submerge us richly and deeply. For a second, that feeling is Everything, all that exists – the antithesis of nothing. These moments matter, because our noisy world becomes still and we feel present and grounded.

I devised the Everything Test to help me join the dots between this ephemeral holy grail and how I design my home. I’m relatively new to interiors and often struggle to define my style. I hoped that by properly investigating why I repeatedly choose and love certain things, some clear guiding principles would emerge. In turn, this might make my ever-flighty creative muse more reliable, reducing costly, time-consuming mistakes in the long run.

The question 'Do I like this?' (often a changeable answer on any given day) is replaced by something simpler and easier; "Does this belong in my story?".

Having ventured down this rabbit hole, I then began to wonder how the Everything Test actually worked in real life. It’s all well and good doing it myself, but would it hold up and deliver under the scrutiny of others?

I embarked upon some highly scientific (ahem) research and inveigled a crack team of wonderful creators whose diverse homes I hugely admire, to complete the Test and share their findings with me.

A huge thank you to these infinitely generous and talented creatives who contributed to bring this to life. So much life in fact, this is Part One of Two!

Stepping up to bat this week: Helen, Natasha, Tess and Laurie.

The 'Everything Test' in a nutshell

Firstly and very importantly, several commented how much they enjoyed doing it. Which, in truth, made my day, because this shouldn’t feel like homework – it should be fun!

Doing the Test is simple. You can find the full version here, but in a nutshell: walk slowly around your home and consciously use all your senses to pick five to eight special pieces that instinctively spark your Everything feeling.

Ask of each piece: What does it make me feel? Why do I own this? What story does it tell? Would I choose it again? What does it reveal about me?

Look for the themes: stories, memories, colours, shapes, materials, texture, provenance, craft, humour, nostalgia, practicality, people, places, values.

Then ask what they reveal about your personality, experiences, how you want your home to feel and the decisions you make. The answers begin to form your Everything design language.

One test, four very different homes

The homes featured could not look more different. Natasha’s graphic, eclectic and colour-confident; Tess’s period home punctuated by marble and art; Laurie’s restoration warm and quietly considered; Helen’s layered with vintage, pattern and colour.

So, what happened when they stopped describing their style and started digging to find what lay beneath it?

1. Helen Somers

Helen describes herself as 'a lover of colour, pattern, vintage and heritage. Decor can be slightly excessive but absolutely no beige'. Her experience with the Test gave me some very positive early news:

'This has been very enlightening – goodness, you’ve got me thinking. So much so, I actually did it twice!

'I always say my style is lots of colour and pattern. I still think that’s true, but I’m also shocked at just how much vintage and natural wood I have.

'I love the idea that homes and furnishings have history, which also explains my love of one-off pieces that feel unmistakably ours. My living room display cabinet and its handcrafted detailing. The touch and smell of an Edwardian sideboard in the hall. My brassy and sassy cinema chairs living their best life. All these pieces have a unique story and character.

'Red is everywhere – it’s so joyful and lifts my mood.

'Texture and natural materials are important – silk, wool, cotton, glass, marble and wood. I’m very tactile and far more interested in how a home feels, than creating a showroom. I want my home and guests to feel comfortable, so a slightly scuffed velvet cushion is most welcome.

'After my first take on the Test, I later also realised how happy my marble fireplace makes me. It was reclaimed from a stately home being demolished and we have given it a new home, so it lives to fight another day. I love touching and appreciating the chips, wondering who else has done the same over the years. It’s definitely part of my Everything; made from a natural material, pattern in the marble AND a pop of red with the William de Morgan tiles I adore.

'I’m very drawn to pattern; I find it soothing and joyful. I was initially surprised that some of my choices were “plain” wood, however I’ve re-examined them and each piece has pattern – inlay on the glass cabinet, the shape and form of my classic Ercol table.

'Then I realised how little "new" mass-produced stuff I have. I bitterly regret our built-in wardrobes. We do have modern kitchen cabinets, as a compromise with my husband who likes a more contemporary look, however I then added a vintage display cabinet to soften and age the space.

'I’m also more aligned to durability than I initially thought. I grew up in a make-do-and-mend family; we never threw things out if they still had purpose and I’ve inherited these values. I’d rather source crockery and cutlery from vintage outlets than the high street.

'Now knowing how fundamental the vintage/mismatched/layered approach is for me, I don’t think I’ll rush decisions like fitted furniture again. I love the idea of repurposing and giving furniture new life. Perhaps that’s why I’m enjoying my upholstery course so much?!”'

For Helen, taking the time to let her findings settle, then revealed something deeper and more meaningful she hadn’t consciously realised before.

I admire how she applies her wonderful eye for design by using vintage to balance her husband's taste for modern. A useful practical example of two styles living harmoniously together under one roof.

2. Natasha Landers

Natasha wears many hats (literally!): interior designer, gallery owner, curator and location homeowner. Her favourite phrases are 'there is never too much art' and 'shop from home'. She’s a big fan of slow renos, which she’s applied to her home of 26 years.

Natasha's response was short and confident – she is an experienced interiors and creative professional, and it shows.

'My home is highly curated and everything has been picked with a curator’s eye. Each piece is intentional and has attached meaning, as if its own story. As much as aesthetics are important to me, the stories I associate with these things are what makes it feel like my home.

'A piece of art called “don’t touch my hair”, because as a black woman I navigate a world where I have to stop white people seeing my hair as a curiosity that they can touch without permission.

'My mid-century coffee table bought from a house clearance sale. The woman selling it used to play cards and do jigsaws with her brother as a child.

'The yellow wall organiser in my kitchen, which is the perfect balance of design and practicality. My green velvet sofa in my living room, designed to my specification and reflecting my personality (also my favourite colour).

'I wasn’t surprised by the findings, as I create my home wearing my interior design hat. This means I consciously think about the stories my pieces tell, along with their curation and how they align with my values.

'This is a great test for anyone trying to find the important elements that create a unique home. It simply reaffirmed how much my home reflects me and my design style: colour, upcycling, eclectic and rebellious.'

That point matters. Natasha naturally has a wider design vocabulary and an established way of interrogating taste, because it's literally her job. For many of us – faced with too much choice, too many tabs open, too much Pinterest – the real question is often just: where on earth do I even start?

3. Tess Atkinson

Tess is a recent London leaver, now renovating her Georgian home in the countryside whilst raising her two girls. She pens a Substack called The Lost & Found Club and her findings were a particularly delightful read.

'It’s nice to notice an element of madness and fun. My chosen things literally do spark joy, trigger memories and make me happy.

'A chrome crown fruit bowl – a total bonkers piece that everyone should have. My “Jane Fonda Workout” book makes me smile so much. I love her and this book is so stunningly of its time, reminding me of simple pleasures. The Beata Heuman bow handles on my wardrobe drawers are also very pleasing to me; they feel special to use and their shape is a fun way to elevate the room.

'A Ren Condry painting of very glitzy ladies in our living room, which we first fell for in a gallery when I’d tagged along with my husband’s work trip. Unbeknownst to me, he then bought it for my birthday, hiding it under our bed for weeks before he gave it to me.

'The gorgeously bright Alicante Rosso marble in our en-suite and the detail on the vanity turned the room from a beige box into a beautiful jewel.

'My number one vintage find: a Constance Spry vase from Fulham Pottery. When we viewed our home, I pictured this exact vase on the living room mantlepiece, so when I found one for an embarrassingly low price, it felt like I’d struck gold. My heart was racing and I was sweating a little, as you do only when you find amazing vintage. I remember that every time I look at it.

'I am surprised that my favourites were the mad pieces – perhaps my style is a little more eccentric than I’d given myself credit for? I was trying to be chic and pick classics, but if I’m being true to myself, it is the silly things that draw me in. I’m encouraged to lean more into the fun elements of design, which then sit alongside practicalities.

'Perhaps they also reveal a commitment to quality products, good materials and to not take things too seriously, which is exactly how I want people to read my home. It’s a grand space, with gorgeous original features, but we are a young family who like to live life fully, which you can see in these pieces and their meaning.

'Some of my items are decades old, whereas others are newer, but importantly, all of them will now stay with me for life. I don't want a home that lasts just one season – I want it to work and evolve over a lifetime. My pieces also aren't space-specific; they could, and likely will, move around and that's exciting. I love shopping my own home!

'It’s also reminded me that Rome wasn’t built in a day and it’s more fun to slowly find pieces with meaning than buy something because ‘we need a rug in that spot’. Sometimes we should let the right piece find us and make a home for it.

'It proves to me there just isn’t a one-size-fits-all interior design ethos. A home simply must have pieces with stories and nuance, or you’re entering catalogue territory.'

Interesting…slow considered shopping, fun and not taking it too seriously, not to mention more stories and meaning. Also, top marks to Tess’s husband for such a marvellous birthday present.

4. Laurie Morgan

Laurie is the creator of Bricks & Boughs, documenting the restoration of her Victorian country home in the Surrey countryside. With a background in home and interiors, she takes a considered, instinctive approach to creating spaces that feel lived in, layered and full of character.

'I adore my old farmhouse kitchen table. I wish I could say it’s been in our family for generations, but it was a Facebook Marketplace find. It carries the marks of a long life, and I love to think about all the people who have sat and shared meals around it, making memories over the years. There’s something special about giving a piece with so much history a new chapter.

'I fell in love with the George Nelson Apple Bubble Light whilst working at Heal’s during university and thought how wonderful it would be to eventually own one. Years later, when we bought our first home, it was one of the first pieces I invested in and it’s been with me ever since. It’s a design classic, but to me it represents the beginning of my interiors career and those early days on the shop floor, where much of my love for design started.

'I thought my least favourite colour was probably yellow. But some colours simply speak to you and I could instantly picture Butter BH by Mylands London in our family bathroom. The way the light moved and the warmth of the yellow against the raw terracotta floor just felt right.

'A collage artwork my mum made for my daughter’s first birthday is incredibly special to me and the story behind it makes it even more meaningful. My mum suffers from rheumatoid arthritis in her hands and can barely hold a coffee cup, yet over a year she painstakingly cut out hundreds of tiny pictures and assembled the most beautiful and thoughtful piece of art I will ever own.

'When selecting fixtures and fittings for our restoration, it was important to create a sense of continuity, so I’ve used Corston Architectural throughout. From kitchen handles and light switches to wardrobe hardware, the consistent narrative of these subtle yet thoughtful details quietly brings the whole house together.

'I’ve noticed that what I choose to surround myself with hasn’t appeared overnight and is a considered blend of the new, the old and the storied. In the end, I’m drawn to things that feel they belong rather than simply fill a space.

'As much as I love perfect homes in magazines, I want our family and friends to feel they can relax here and for our home to be lived in and enjoyed. If a glass of red wine leaves a stain on the kitchen table, then so be it. We’ll always remember the good time we had.

'I would now describe my interior style less through aesthetics; what drives my design process is actually creating experiences and, ultimately, memories. Of course I care about how things look, but I’m more interested in how a space makes you feel and what you touch, hear and smell. You might not consciously notice these small sensory details, but they make a house feel like home.

'It’s reconfirmed for me that to create a space that works for you, you should always trust your instincts.'

Laurie’s findings are different, but also the same in many ways. It’s clear that slow design, even more stories and memories, are recurring themes alongside the importance of comfort and experience.

So, did the test actually work?

Encouragingly (and much to my relief!), everyone discovered something useful, whether new or simply reaffirming something they already knew. The Test helped to both confirm and uncover. It clarified something unconscious or half-formed, with either a lightning-bolt realisation or a slow revelation.

Ultimately, it’s not just about the very different things in these homes – the main takeaway is the stories they hold and our relationship with them. Values, memory, identity, sensory experience, instinct, humour and plain old joy all matter equally. Things that stand the test of time, small yet vital details, along with unique vintage and personal treasures, also get the seal of approval.

What is your 'Everything' made of?

My hope is simply that the Everything Test gives you a fun starting point to understand your own style, trust your instincts and help future-proof your design decisions against the algorithm.

Perhaps you can then experiment more freely and confidently, knowing you’re more likely to make lasting choices and create a cohesive, meaningful and personal home that grows slowly with you?

Maybe try it as a couple or family to discover the shared ground uniting your design languages under one roof, rather than shoehorning everybody into one?

As I write this, I’ve also been reflecting on whether my own Everything Test findings were too broad. I'm relatively new to interiors and often overly conscious of what people think of me and my home. Did I perhaps unconsciously lean to what I thought people wanted to hear rather than the truest possible answer?

It's very easy to drift towards what's deemed tasteful, rather than what may be unglamorously true. This Test is intended to be an antidote to exactly that. The answers may be funny. Odd. Universally tasteless, even. None of that matters. What’s important is it’s true to you, and you alone.

But we are only halfway through. Do the same threads of story, memory and attachment show up in the next chapter? Does the professional versus non-professional gap hold? Or does the second group complicate everything I think I've just learned? And what happens if I sit down and redo my own Test?

In the meantime, have at it! Pick your five to eight pieces and ask yourself why. What's your Everything actually made of? Tag me with your findings – I’m fascinated to see what you discover.

Part Two is coming… stay tuned!

Home decorator Ammarah Hasham is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts infusing her rental house with plenty of personality. See the rest of her articles here.

The past few weeks have mostly been spent refilling ice trays on repeat and hunting for birthday presents for an offspring who, by the way, has reached the stage where birthday lists come with very precise links. These days, I am far more aware of hair products, skincare launches, and mascara prices than I ever expected to be. I was also recently told that it would be a really good idea to have a bathroom mirror with a built-in Bluetooth speaker. I am in alien territory here. I am not that cool.

I do, however, feel pretty smug when I come up with ideas such as using self-adhesive floor tiles on the walls (yes, you read that right), a trick I previously shared in my family bathroom makeover. I think that is probably more my area of expertise. I remember promising to share how I attached the wall sconces beside the mirror without drilling a single hole. So here we are.

The makeover dates back to 2021 and, rather reassuringly, both the tiles and the light fixtures are still in place. But before we get into the lights, you can hop over to my original bathroom makeover and see the full before-and-after here, which will make the next part easier to follow.

Finding the lights

I found these LILLHOLMEN wall sconces in IKEA’s As-Is section, which is somewhere I always check before wandering around the rest of the store.

These lights were actually discounted display items and I was lucky enough to find two for around £7.50 each. I had been looking for something sleek and timeless for the bathroom, and I also liked the fact that they came with easy-to-clean glass globes.

Creating a no-drill mount

First, I dismantled each light fitting.

Next, I cut a small piece of wood to fit inside the recessed area at the back of each light. It needed to be thick enough to fill the space and sturdy enough to take the screws. The idea was for the screws to pass through the existing holes in the fitting (the gold part) and into the wooden block, creating a solid mounting point.

However, as luck would have it, somewhere between all our enthusiasm and improvisation, we managed to lose the screws. To this day, I remain fully convinced that I had nothing to do with it. Anyway, I found our stash of regular screws that looked fit for the job. The only problem was, they were silver.

The wooden blocks were screwed into place and the mounts were ready. Don’t worry, that silver didn’t stay silver for long.

Attaching the wall sconces

This part needed patience…I applied a generous amount of No More Nails to the back of the wooden block, following the instructions, and pressed the light fitting into position beside the mirror. I taped them firmly in place using a heavy-duty duct tape.

I was still slightly nervous about the whole assembly staying put, so I added Gorilla Glue around the areas where the fittings met the vinyl tiles to give everything a firmer hold. Gorilla Glue expands slightly as it cures, which actually worked in my favour and helped secure the light fittings more tightly in place.

A small prayer was sent and everything was left alone for the next 24 hours or so. Looking back, I probably could’ve used Gorilla Glue from the beginning. But DIY projects are often a bit of trial and error.

Turning them into cordless lights

Once everything had fully cured, I carefully removed the duct tape. Since wiring them wasn’t an option, I added self-adhesive, battery-operated puck lights inside the globes. They are basically small wireless LED lights that run on batteries and can be switched on with a tap or remote, so no electrical wiring is needed.

This meant I could still get that soft ambient light effect without drilling into the tiles or touching the electrics. For a rented bathroom, where drilling into the tiles was a complete no-go, this felt like a pretty good solution.

What would I do differently

If you’re thinking about trying something similar, I would keep the light fixtures as lightweight as possible. I would also choose a light fitting that made changing the puck lights easier. Although the glass globes looked lovely, they proved a little fiddly to remove, so over time the sconces became more of an ambient feature than a practical everyday light. In hindsight, rattan or fabric shades might have been a better option.

I would also keep a more vigilant eye on the screws. Having to colour my replacements with a Sharpie to vaguely match the gold fitting was not exactly part of my plan, but in the end it worked just fine.

Considering I was half expecting one of the sconces to make a dramatic descent into the sink at some point, the fact that they are both still here five years later feels like quite the result. For a completely improvised DIY experiment, happy to call this one an aesthetic success.

A quick note

Although this little hack has worked well in my bathroom, please always check the manufacturer's guidance on weight limits and suitable surfaces before trying something similar, especially with glass fittings.

Adhesive performance can vary depending on the surface, the weight of the fittings and the conditions of the room. And just to be clear, I applied the adhesive only to the removable tiles, not directly to the original tiles in my rental.

As you were.

Home decorator Lara Winter is one of Ideal Home's Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on revamping a 200 year old cottage to make it right for modern family life. See the rest of her articles here.

I used to think decorating meant tackling a whole room. Choose the paint, find the furniture, hang the art, sort the lighting and somehow make everything work together. Easy.

Except sometimes it really isn’t. The more I looked at a room as one big project, the more overwhelmed I felt by everything that wasn’t quite working. So, almost accidentally, I started doing the opposite: ignoring most of the room and concentrating on one corner at a time.

And weirdly, that’s when everything started falling into place.

Start with a corner you’ll actually use

One of my favourite spots in our living room is ridiculously simple: an armchair, a small marble-topped table and our green drinks cabinet. That’s basically it. But the chair swivels around to look straight out into the garden, which makes it somewhere I genuinely want to sit, rather than just furniture arranged to look nice.

That’s probably my first rule for a good corner: think about what you’ll actually do there. Where will your cup of tea go? Is there somewhere for a book? What will you look at when you sit down? Sometimes moving a chair by half a metre does more for a room than buying anything new.

Don’t overlook the really tiny corners

Not every corner needs an armchair and a perfectly positioned lamp. One of the smallest areas I’ve deliberately decorated is our kettle corner.

Our thrifted kitchen cabinet holds all our mugs and glasses, so the kettle naturally lives beside it. I hung a tiny piece of art by Lucy from Kitchen Corner Gallery on the side of the cabinet, just above the kettle, and added a little hen-shaped teaspoon holder. That’s it. Cute and practical.

I make tea approximately 700 times a week, so why shouldn’t that tiny bit of kitchen make me happy? We tend to focus our decorating energy on the big views of a room, but sometimes it’s the little places you use every single day that deserve it most.

If a whole room overwhelms you, shrink the job

Our dining room is a walk-through room and the first room you enter when you come into our home. For ages it bothered me. There are lots of doorways, people constantly walk through it and whenever I thought about “doing the dining room”, I couldn’t work out where to start.

So I stopped trying to solve the whole room and focused on the dining nook instead. We built the DIY banquette, added a good table, put down a beautiful Neptune rug and painted the shelf above in Firebrick Red, one of my favourite colours. Done.

And somehow, once that area felt intentional, the rest of the room stopped bothering me. My eye had somewhere to land and the whole space suddenly made more sense. Now it’s one of my favourite rooms in the house.

Shop your house before you shop the shops

Before buying anything for a corner, I always think it’s worth moving things around. Steal the lamp from upstairs. Try the little table that isn’t doing much in another room. Move some art. You’d be surprised how different something can look simply because you’ve stopped seeing it in the same place every day.

Corners are brilliant for this because you’re not committing to an entire new scheme. A chair, lamp, table and picture you already own might be all you need.

Know when to stop

This might be the hardest bit. Once one corner looks good, you don’t immediately have to “finish” everything around it.

Rooms can evolve slowly. In fact, I think mine usually end up better that way. Make one bit work, live with it and then see what starts bothering you next.

The internet would have us believe rooms are transformed over a weekend. Mine tend to improve one little corner and one inexplicably long DIY project at a time.

Turns out, looking at less of a room has helped me like the whole thing a lot more.

Committed home renovators David and Andrew Harrison-Colley (better known on Instagram as The Home Boys) are part of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing their thoughts on making a home together and living through the tricky parts. See the rest of their articles here.

Every breakage, delay and awkward layout at Owls Cottage has taught us something about our own home – because a house that has to work for strangers can't hide behind good intentions.

Changeover day at Owls Cottage always starts with the same walk-through: strip the beds, check the bins, count the wine glasses. Last month we got to six out of eight and stopped counting. We didn't need to see the pieces in the recycling to know what had happened. We just walked to the garage, opened a box, and put out two more.

Owls Cottage sits next door to our own cottage, and for the last few years it's paid its way as a holiday-let while we've worked on the house we actually live in. Same postcode, same taste, completely different brief. Our own home only has to survive us. Owls Cottage has to survive whoever's booked it that week – and unlike us, they've never been told which floorboard creaks or which tap needs a firm hand.

That's the real difference, and it's taught us more than we expected. A well-designed room shouldn't need its quirks explained to you. Every choice we've made at Owls Cottage has had to hold up without us standing next to it, translating.

Lesson one: replaceable doesn't have to mean disposable

The wine glasses that came with the cottage originally were a fairly delicate, matching set – the kind you'd choose for your own dinner table without thinking twice. They didn't last. After replacing a few, we gave up on matching altogether and switched to vintage cut-glass instead.

It turns out our local charity shops are full of the stuff – heavy, faceted, no two quite the same, usually 50p to £1 a glass. We pick up little hauls whenever we spot a good one and keep the spares in the garage, which now contains what is probably an unnecessarily well-stocked emergency wine-glass department. When one breaks, we swap in a replacement from the box, and nobody notices it wasn't part of the original set – because there never really was an "original set" worth being precious about.

The glasses look better than the ones they replaced. They also cost less than a pound to replace instead of a tenner and a wait for delivery. We hadn't expected those two things to line up quite so neatly.

Lesson two: the least disruptive option can still be the durable one

The cottage bathroom came with grey patterned wall tiles that had dated badly, though they were still stuck fast to the wall. Pulling them off would have meant a much bigger job than we could risk – tiles that well-attached tend to take plaster with them on the way out, and we didn't have an open-ended timeline to deal with it if they did.

We considered painting over them, but weren't convinced a painted finish would hold up to daily use in a bathroom we wouldn't be keeping a constant eye on. Because the existing tiles were sound and firmly bonded, we used Kerakoll Keragrip Eco, a primer that rolls onto suitable existing tiles and creates a key for the new adhesive to bond to. It only works over a stable base – you're not skipping the prep, you're skipping the demolition. That meant no risk to the plaster underneath, and a job we could finish in the gap between bookings. We found green zellige tiles heavily reduced at the Topps Tiles Outlet and tiled straight over the old grey ones.

It's not really a holiday-cottage problem. Anyone with a bathroom they can't take out of action for a fortnight – which is most people, most of the time - is weighing the same thing: the most correct fix against the one that actually gets finished on time. We liked the result so much that when it came to our own main bathroom, we used the same zellige tiles again.

Having already lived with them at the cottage, we knew exactly what we were getting into our own home, instead of guessing from a sample tile.

Lesson three: build in flexibility before you need it

The second bedroom at the cottage has two single beds that get reconfigured most weeks – twins for one booking, pushed together into a super-king for the next, depending on who's staying. Two separate headboards would never have read as one piece once the beds were joined, and unless they were fixed to the beds themselves, they'd have been genuinely clunky to shift every changeover.

So we built one padded headboard that spans the full width of the wall instead. MDF panels cut to size at our local B&Q, upholstered in fabric from a local fabric shop, foam and spray adhesive bought online to keep the cost down – nowhere near what a custom-built version would have cost. It's hung on a French cleat, so in theory it lifts straight off if it ever needs recovering or repairing. We haven't had to test that part yet, but with beds changing over weekly, it was never going to be a headboard we could afford to make fiddly.

Whichever way the beds are arranged, the wall itself effectively becomes the headboard. It's a small bit of joinery, but it's changed how we think about our own bedroom too – we're planning something similar there once we finally get round to finishing it, useful for any room that has to earn its keep two different ways, not just a guest room booked by strangers.

Designing for the unfamiliar

None of this came from working only on our own house. When it's just the two of us living somewhere, a mistake is an inconvenience – an ugly tile, a job we'll get round to eventually.

At the cottage, the same mistake shows up on someone else's holiday. That's forced us to design for people who don't know the house's quirks, which turns out to be a genuinely different skill from designing for people who do.

It's changed what we're willing to risk closer to home, too - though not in the way you might expect. Owls Cottage hasn't taught us to buy worse things for it; it's taught us to tell the difference between irreplaceable and hard-working. The irreplaceable pieces tend to stay at home. The cottage gets things that can take everyday use, be replaced without fuss, and still feel like they belong there.

If you ever come round for dinner and your glass looks a little more interesting than ours, there's a reasonable chance it's on secondment from Owls Cottage. It may also be nicer than ours – which is perhaps the clearest proof that practical doesn't have to look practical.

Screen printer Hannah Carvell is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on colourful home design for a creative family to live in. See the rest of her articles here.

People often assume that because I spend my days screen printing, I must have some secret formula for putting colours together or an instinct for knowing exactly what works.

The truth is far less glamorous. My studio floor is usually littered with test prints, colour swatches and sheets of paper covered in scribbled notes. I spend an awful lot of time simply trying things to see what happens.

That's probably the greatest lesson screen printing has taught me, and it has very little to do with making art. It's taught me to trust my own eye.

When I first started screen printing, I'd often second guess myself. I'd hold two colours together and wonder whether they were supposed to work. Was that shade of pink too bright? Did mustard really belong next to lilac? Should I be choosing something a little safer?

But the more I printed, the more I realised there wasn't a rule book hidden away somewhere. Sometimes the combinations I was least certain about became my favourites, while the sensible, predictable choices felt rather flat.

I often think my test sheets are the best sheets. They're the ones where I stop trying to get everything right and simply start playing. I'll layer colours I'd never have consciously put together, combinations that, on paper, probably shouldn't work. Yet they're often the ones I love the most. It's taught me that some of the most interesting colour palettes come from letting go of the rules and trusting your instincts instead.

Now I rarely ask whether colours "go" together. Instead, I ask whether they spark some joy (Marie Kondo eat your heart out). If a combination makes me stop in my tracks in the studio, chances are it'll find its way into my home sooner or later too.

I think we can all become a little overwhelmed by trends, paint charts, instagram and all the endless advice telling us what colours we're supposed to have this year. There always seems to be another list explaining what works with what, or which shade has suddenly become outdated. Somewhere along the way it becomes surprisingly easy to stop listening to your own instincts.

My home has never really worked like that. It's a collection of things gathered over time: colourful screen prints leaning on shelves, vintage finds, family photographs, flowers from the garden and treasures found in charity shops and car boot sales. None of it was bought because it matched perfectly. It simply found its place because I loved it.

Working as a printmaker has also taught me that layering is often where the magic happens. In screen printing, each colour is printed one at a time. What looks rather ordinary after the first layer slowly comes to life as the next colours are added. Occasionally I'll peel back the paper after the final print and discover the image is even better than I'd imagined. Other times, I've added one colour too many and realise it was stronger before.

Homes are much the same. The rooms I love the most aren't the ones that were finished in a weekend. They're the ones that have evolved slowly. A chair moved from one room to another. Prints swapped between walls until they find their rightful home. A lamp bought from the local car boot sale. Layers added over months and years rather than days.

Screen printing has also made me much braver about editing. That might sound strange coming from someone who clearly likes collecting things, but editing isn't always about having less. It's about making space for the things you really love.

In the studio I'll often spend hours creating a design only to remove a tiny detail at the very end because the print is stronger without it. I'm forever starting again as a print evolves and I realise I want to take it in a different direction. It's also exactly how the drawers for my twice-yearly sample sale seem to fill up so quickly.

I've learnt to do the same at home. Every now and then I move things around, take a picture down, swap a cushion or quietly admit that something no longer belongs. It isn't because I'm chasing perfection. Quite the opposite. I'm simply making room for the pieces that still make me pause as I walk past.

However much I plan and sketch a print beforehand, it always evolves once I begin printing. Colours change, inks overlap in unexpected ways and new ideas appear halfway through. Perhaps that's why screen printing has taught me to become comfortable with uncertainty.

No matter how carefully I mix my inks, there's always a moment of anticipation when I lift the screen. Sometimes there are happy accidents that are far better than what I'd planned. Occasionally things don't work at all. Either way, I've learnt that creativity is rarely about getting everything right the first time.

Maybe that's why I've stopped worrying whether my home is ever truly finished. For years I thought one day I'd finally arrive at that perfectly decorated house where every picture was hung, every corner complete and every room exactly as I'd imagined. Now I'm not so sure I'd want to.

A home, much like a print, is always evolving. There will always be another season, another idea, another bunch of flowers picked from the garden or another slightly wonky pot to bring home from pottery class. And I rather like that. After all, the most interesting homes aren't the ones that follow every decorating rule. They're the ones that tell the story of the people who live there.

If screen printing has taught me anything, it's that the only opinion that really matters when you're creating a home is your own.

Content creator Lucy Kalice is one of Ideal Home's Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on cleaning, home decor and making the most of small spaces. See the rest of her articles here.

Hello from Canada! The land of maple syrup, bears and ice hockey. And the place I have the pleasure of writing this weeks article from. It’s actually the place I wrote my first ever Ideal Home article over a year ago (whose been a reader since day 1?).

Now I love holidays as much as the next person. I’d go as far as saying that going on holiday and staying in lovely places is my favourite hobby...annoyingly not the cheapest of hobbies but alas it it’s a hobby nonetheless!

There’s the obvious things to look forward to on holiday - trying new delicious food, exploring amazing different cultures, sunbathing whilst getting lost in a book (I’m a real sun-lover and bookworm). Oh and how could I forget, not having to do any washing up or laundry!

But another thing that I really look forward to is the interiors. I love looking at all the furniture in hotels, noticing the different textures and patterns used which create the mood. I notice all the scents used in hotel rooms, what candles they’ve got which add to the ambience and how it makes the place feel. I love using all the different tableware in restaurants (especially the wine glasses) and I even love browsing in homeware shops.

I get so much inspiration from these spaces because it’s not what I’m used to seeing. On a day to day basis we wake up in our own home with our own home comforts. But when you’re away you’re thrust into an entirely different world. So I’m always looking to see if there’s anything I can bring back home with me or a design feature that would work in my house. And it’s just so different from just scrolling past something on Instagram or Pinterest, you actually get to touch it, feel it and use it.

The best part about getting this inspiration whilst your on holiday is that the touches that you do take back home with you, will also remind you of the holidays or places you’ve visited! I mean why wouldn’t you want a home curated from all your favourite places?!

So I thought I’d share with you some of my favourite finds and how I’d love to one day incorporate them into my home.

Bahamas

My husband and I went on our honeymoon to the Bahamas in May and I quickly fell in love with the place, especially the Caribbean interiors.

This is the restaurant in Coral Sands hotel. The attention to detail was second to none - from the painted ceilings, to the checkered tile flooring. There were shells everywhere and pink everywhere…my absolute dream!

It was the kind of interior that scratched an itch in my brain and I simply fell in love. Now I want to incorporate as many shells in my own home so that it’ll remind me of this special island.

I love love LOVED these shell bar stools. The pink interiors were so fun and it’s taught me to not be afraid of colour. I’ve been so inspired that we are actually planning to redecorate our downstairs toilet and the theme is pink and shells!

Paris

If you’ve been to Paris you will have absolutely seen the bistro chairs they have there. They are everywhere and they are iconic. I think they have so much character and look so chic.

In the future I’d love to have a patio table surrounded by these chairs in orange. How fun would that be! And it’ll always remind me of my trips to Paris.

Naples

The hotel that we stayed in when we visited Naples had this huge mirror attached to the inside of the window frame. In my home we don’t have space in our bathroom for a mirror on the wall, so instead we have one of those tiny freestanding mirrors on the windowsill.

After a few days of using the hotel mirror I knew it would work perfectly in our bathroom. Not only that but it looks gorgeous too, so we plan to install one in our bathroom.

So I urge you, next time your on holiday, a staycation or a night away, if you like something take a picture! If it’s a vase, a chest of drawers or a bathroom tile, it’s the perfect time to get inspiration for your own home. And slowly but surely you’ll create a home that’s filled with such special memories and is completely personal to you!

Interior designer Natalie Jahangiry is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on decorating a home to suit a busy family life while sticking to your aesthetic values, too. See the rest of her articles here.

I’ve just returned from a summer holiday in Mallorca with my family. We had a wonderful time escaping the busy day-to-day London life (alongside the current heatwaves!) in Portocolom, a traditional and picturesque fishing village on the eastern coast of the island.

And while this might shock some of you (when I show you the interiors) I fell in love with the Spanish interior style.

Now by the above statement I mean that Spanish style is very different from my own style. If you’ve seen any of my previous articles, which include my new bedroom and kitchen renovations, you’ll know that at this stage of my life I am into colourful, playful spaces, with a warmer look and feel overall. There’s less of a play on pattern, but I do love texture. Heritage style and vintage furnishings also play a role in my home. Spanish interiors, on the other hand, feel much more stripped back. Natural, earthy, contemporary and almost quiet in comparison to my own home. And although this is very far from my own style, I absolutely love it.

This isn’t my only visit to the Spanish islands recently either, last year we stayed in Ibiza Old Town and I had a similar love affair with the style. So here comes my Jekyll and Hyde moment…The moment I tell you that yes, I love my current style, but I also feel like I am having an interior love affair because I just can’t get enough of the clean and natural feel of Spanish Style.

The warm whites, stone mixed with marble, raw finishes and slightly imperfect, but perfect feel to everything. And although I know I can’t replicate this soothing Spanish look and feel in my own home currently, one day I’d love to use this combination to shape my imaginary holiday home, or perhaps a client’s home if they were looking for this relaxed Mediterranean look and feel.

So here are my takes on how to create a little slice of Spain at home, and the elements that stood out to me the most on my travels.

Minimal, but still warm

One of the things I really love about Spanish interiors is the sheer amount of natural stone, it’s everywhere. Across floors, walls, sinks, worktops, furniture, decor. In homes, hotels, bars, shops, the outside of buildings…you name it, it will be there! And it’s that beautifully pale, almost sun-kissed kind of stone that feels so warm and natural, especially under the Spanish sun.

And I think this is where I am drawn in, the part that has somewhat swayed my view on minimalism. As I mentioned, I wouldn’t exactly describe my home as minimal, I’d say I sit in the midimalist/lived-in category. It’s very colourful, my walls are heavily dressed with styling and there’s not a white wall or ceiling in sight.

To me, minimalism can look (not always) a little bare and uninviting, but these spaces never felt cold or empty to me. Yes, there may be less colour, styling and furniture, but where it lacks in colour and well stuff, the stone is complimented by natural woods, texture, linen, rattan, marble and imperfect finishes.

This considered combination not only looks beautiful, it brings warmth and cosiness, just through a different lens. I think what Spanish interiors really nail is that ability to be minimal but not stark, letting the natural materials do the work…and I think that’s one of the parts I’ve really fallen for.

Woven textures

Wicker and rattan consistently appear in Spanish style, from baskets to lampshades, chairs and accessories, they bring warmth and character to what could be considered quite pared back spaces.

Our hotel in particular had a great display of this in action. The ceilings showcased an array of rattan lightshades, set against stone walls and marble floors. I loved how something as simple and rustic as rattan brought a softer more considered feel without taking away from how refined and stylish the space looked overall.

Pottery and ceramics

Then there’s the ceramics…oh my love. Anyone who knows me knows I have a ‘thing’ for kitchenware and glasses so this for me was an utter highlight.

Handmade and slightly imperfect pieces appear everywhere. Oversized pots, decorative bowls, hand-blown glasses and patterned crockery that all feel like they have been collected over time rather than bought brand new. I think it’s this mix of quite minimalistic overall decor, then bringing in pieces full of texture, pops of colour and character, that really brings the spaces to life without them ever feeling stark and overly styled.

It’s safe to say my suitcase was rather heavy after we went to visit the local market!

Traditional meets contemporary

One thing that really stood out was how transitional the style can feel, mixing traditional Mediterranean materials such as raw stone, wood and ceramics with much cleaner, contemporary details such as black steel-framed doors and windows.

Well…technically Crittall-style steel doors are a heritage feature, dating back to the 20’s, but with their slim frames and large panes of glass they take on a much more contemporary feel. In Mallorca, I really loved how this industrial black steel sat against white rendered walls and marble to create clean, crisp lines.

It’s not all about the inside

The buildings and architecture in Spain have me swooning, to the point where the kids kept telling me off for stopping every 5 minutes to take a picture. Pastel hued buildings, the details on doors, colourful exterior shutters and that mix of warm wood with stone. The outside of these buildings really set a tone for what you may find inside.

Common colour palettes include soft pinks, earthy tones, warm whites, putty shades, butter yellow and the occasional pop of a richer red. So you can imagine how this plays into my current colour palette obsession. It’s also fascinating that the outside of the buildings is sometimes where you see the most colour, in contrast to the much more modern and minimal interiors set within. But somehow the two don’t feel disconnected and the blend works perfectly, almost giving you the best of both worlds at the same time.

Plants, plants and more plants

And finally, plants. Lots and LOTS of plants. And I think this is where our worlds come together with a common factor. I love plants, the bigger the better. I love the way they look and the feeling of bringing outside in, and did you know plants are good for your health? That’s another article for another day, but it’s safe to say they are an all round necessity in a home.

So against all the beauty and wonder of natural Spanish tones, the greenery really stands out to create a big statement. Huge pots and trailing plants adorned so many spaces we visited, so for me, it was easy to fall in love.

I particularly liked the huge banana leaf plants, popped in oversized terracotta pots against stone walls. They add colour, but in such an organic way, bringing that inside-outside look and feel that makes a space feel calm and welcoming. Plants add so much texture and character to a room too, and it’s probably one of the easiest elements to steal and replicate at home.

So while I won’t be swapping out my colourful, lived-in home style for the calming minimalism of Spanish style anytime soon, there are certainly elements I’ll be stealing and incorporating with my own little sprinkling of Natty personality. And as for that imaginary Spanish holiday home I will be dreaming of for months…well, does anyone want to lend me one? In the meantime, a girl can dream!

Home decorator and content creator Leah Hodson is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on overhauling a home with clever DIY and decorating tricks. See the rest of her articles here.

My husband’s first reaction when I told him I wanted a pink pantry was delight (surprisingly)! “Finally some colour!”, he said. That’s because I chose a grey kitchen and a cream utility room, which to him is devoid of colour – rude, as he knows that I introduce colour through styling!

However, I didn’t want the pantry to be overly pink or to be completely different to the other rooms. Here’s how I ensured that I had the pink pantry I wanted, that still flows with the rest of the house!

A colour theme

In my utility room, I have a blue ticking stripe wallpaper from Dunelm covering one wall. This is to add depth and acts as a patterned contrast to the cream floor to ceiling cabinets. Moving onto the kitchen, I painted the window Laurel Green by Rustoleum to bring the outside in, to add warmth to my grey kitchen and make it feel less sterile.

So when it came to designing my pantry and deciding on colours to complement pink, I utilised blue coloured paints (‘Teacup’ & ‘Avery's Sky’ from Earthborn Paints) alongside green paints (‘Poppet’ & ‘Little Sprout’, also from Earthborn Paints), to create a hydrangea mural that covered the whole wall.

I love the mix of colours I used as they are tonal in shade and work well in adding depth and shading next to each other.

One statement piece

No pantry is complete without base units! I searched for a long time to find units that fit the depth and length that I needed – it wasn’t an easy task! I was about to purchase the kitchen base units when I did another search and found these wavy edged Drammen cabinets on vidaXL, and they’re perfect!

I normally prime the furniture I’m painting with Zinsser’s BIN so that the paint adheres to it easily after. This time, I tried a different primer, Earthborn’s multi purpose primer. It was my first time using it and I was pleasantly surprised at how hardwearing it was! It passed the scratch test and even when I used the cabinets as a temporary worktop, there were no scratches. I might have a new favourite primer for laminate furniture!

Onto the pink – I chose to paint the cabinets in Earthborn’s ‘Thimble Lane’, a gorgeous bright pink. I went a little bold with the cabinet knowing that I wanted to keep the rest of the room rather pared back. The cabinet is the star of the show!

You can never have too much storage

Base units alone are not enough storage for the amount of dried foods we have on constant rotation, so storage needs to be extended onto the walls. This left me with a little dilemma, to paint it Thimble Lane like the cabinets or stick with the same pinkish off white as the walls, Piglet. After a little swatch on the shelf brackets I felt that Thimble Lane on the shelves and the cabinets would be too much for me.

Painting the shelves ‘Piglet’ by Earthborn also allowed the hydrangea mural that I painted to pop against the pink rather than making it feel like an after thought. One thing I didn’t realise was how colourful and varied food packaging is before this project. I’m really glad that I went for a subtle shelf instead and it doesn’t look too overwhelming when the shelves are stacked full of different products.

One thing this experience has taught me is that colour doesn’t have to be overwhelming. I used to play it safe, sticking almost exclusively to beige and grey, worried that introducing bolder colours would make a space feel chaotic. But as my style has evolved, I’ve realised that colour often brings out the best in my favourite neutrals rather than competing with them. The trick is using it with intention.

If you love the idea of colour but don’t know where to start, try borrowing one or two statement shades from another room and using them as complementary accents around your main feature. It creates a sense of cohesion throughout the home, allowing colour to feel considered rather than overpowering. Sometimes, all it takes is one confident pop of colour to make a neutral space come to life.

Amanda Jones is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on sustainable living and decorating a home in way that is good for the environment. See the rest of her articles here.

This article is a follow on from my last article, about why I wish there were no interior design trends, you can read it here. I want to explore why developing your own personal style is preferable, than relying heavily on trend-based style. There are many different types of interior design, and there are many different types of personality. In theory, we should all have very different homes, but that’s not always the case. So why do so many homes, look so similar?

There are way too many different styles of interior design, to mention in one article. From an ultra-modern style, full of the latest tech, to the other end of the scale, interiors that are very ‘twee’ and cottagey, full of ‘knick-knacks’ and sentimentality.

There’s minimalist interiors, very pared back, with crisp clean lines. Then the maximalist ones, full to the brim with colour, pattern and shape, all competing for attention. You may have a home that reflects your love of mid-century furniture, or you may have been inspired by a visit to a French chateau, and so have a home full of French flair. There is an interior style, to suit everyone’s tastes and desires.

I have always preferred a personal style-based approach to interior design. I find it more interesting and inspiring, whether that’s my own home, or someone else’s. Developing your own style usually takes a little bit of time, and it’s not entirely faultless, you can still make mistakes along the way.

It takes time, it takes patience, but slowly and surely you will learn what you love, what makes you happy. Someone for example, just acquiring their own home, may find they are heavily drawn to trends. They are still trying out different ideas and discovering who they are, and what their personal style looks like.

Trend-based interiors are just that, based on what you are seeing a lot of, whether that is online, Instagram for example, or written in a magazine, like Ideal home. These trends can usually be seen in articles that start, ‘What’s Hot in 2026’, I always find these articles interesting, even if it’s just to see what we are being told we should be putting in our homes.

Trend-based interior design is a much faster paced approach to our homes. It can change rapidly. The trends can also change from season to season. This can easily leave you feeling bored, and it’s not long before you feel the need to move onto the ‘next big thing’. That could be the latest trending colour, or the fact that the bedding you have, no longer feels ‘relevant’.

And because the trends are so fast paced, there’s a need from manufacturers to churn out a lot of homewares, very quickly. Invariably this can mean you buy things that are mass-produced, and of poor-quality. Afterall, it feels much easier for us to swap out a table that ‘only’ cost £100, as opposed to one that may have cost £1000, because it has been made by traditional methods

If you aren’t confident with your own sense of style, it can be very easy to be swayed with what’s trending. When you develop your own, individual style, you will create a look you’re happy with, one that ‘feels’ like you, suits your family, rather than a ‘copy and paste’ edition of something you’ve seen online.

That’s not to say, even if you HAVE developed your own individual style, that you can’t be inspired by trends. I remember falling in love with a particular shade of chartreuse in the ‘90s by Designer’s Guild, and that colour, in some form or another, has been in my home ever since. It’s a colour that brings me real joy, whether it’s in trend or not.

There’s a real joy in creating a home that’s individual to me. I love that my home has longevity, there’s an element of permanence to it. If I want a change, then usually, that just means moving a piece of art around, or a piece of furniture. There’s no big scale redecoration or furniture buying involved. When my home gets repainted, it’s because the walls are beginning to look a little worn, not because I’ve decided that I want the latest shade of green that’s trending right now.

My home reflects me and my family, perfectly. It’s perfectly, imperfect. It reflects my love of older pieces of furniture, from different eras, my discovery of second-hand treasures, as well as my love of travel. And whilst I love colour, I also know that the colour drenching we are seeing everywhere now, is too much for me. I prefer neutral walls, with the colours being found in objects, textiles and art. That’s because I’ve established my own style.

I was so happy to see the trend for millennial grey homes fade away, it seemed to have been around for so long. Over the last few years there’s been a growth in more colourful and collected interiors, starting with the cottage core vibe that struck social media.

As someone who loves colour, I’m happy people are embracing more of it. However, the more I see of these colourful homes, with their pink walls, and the mass-produced prints, in scalloped edge frames, the more one home feels like it’s literally blending into another. Is this cottage, ‘collected’ look, the new millennial grey I wonder? What will these homes look like a few years from now? Will they have abandoned the cottagey vibes, because it’s not really ‘them’, and adopted the next ‘latest’ look?

You can make your home look different from everyone else’s, be more unique and individual. Not however, by being the first to jump on the next latest trend, but by developing your own unique style. You’ll achieve this by understanding what you truly love and being confident in those choices. If you love colour, then embrace it, but please, put your own stamp on it. Make it your own individual style, and not just a copy and paste, of the latest trend you’re seeing on Instagram. Do this, and your home really will, stand out from the crowd.

Home decorator and content creator Grace H is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on colourful home design, mixing vintage pieces with new and making personality-filled spaces. See the rest of her articles here.

I’m asked for advice all the time about why a room isn’t working. I can’t, for the life of me, use an electric saw (yet!), but to borrow the words of Liam Neeson, what I do have is a particular set of skills. Skills I’ve acquired over a very long career. And that particular skill is being able to walk into a room and, usually within five minutes, work out why it isn’t quite working.

It’s not a superpower, and I don’t think there’s one magic formula for a good room (I wish there was). I just start looking at the things that are competing for my attention: the light, the proportions, the furniture, the empty spaces and, perhaps most importantly, whether the room actually feels like the person who lives there.

We’re all bombarded with dreamy homes online and gorgeous colour pairings that make us want to immediately reach for the paintbrush. But a copy-and-paste approach rarely feels authentic. A room can look beautiful and still feel completely wrong for you.

So, before you redecorate, buy a new sofa or convince yourself that the answer is another cushion, here are the six things I’d check first.

1. The room feels flat → check the lighting

As much as I love an excuse to buy a new lamp, I’m not suggesting you simply add more and hope for the best. Instead, look at where the light is coming from. Is everything illuminated by one ceiling light? Are there dark corners? Is the bulb so cold that it feels vaguely reminiscent of a spacecraft? Could moving a lamp completely change the atmosphere?

Think about layering your lighting so that it comes from different levels. A big light and one lamp in the corner isn’t going to cut the mustard. Wall lights, lamps on shelves, lamps on side tables flanking a sofa, small lamps on a coffee table - you catch my drift.

I also feel like I don’t see enough floor lamps in homes (including my own). A comfy chair with a floor lamp beside it instantly creates a little cosy moment and makes a room feel more considered. Add a small side table to perch a drink on and the space is given purpose and is instantly inviting

And I’m not a fan of a floor lamp being one texture from top to bottom either. Mix a gorgeous wooden base with an oversized pleated shade in a fun print and I’d be surprised if it didn’t look ten times better.

The point is, lighting should create pockets of atmosphere, not simply make sure you can see.

2. Everything feels a bit… disconnected → look at the scale

I’ve spoken about my disdain for a tiny rug floating underneath a large sofa before, but scale is one of the easiest things to overlook when a room doesn’t feel quite right.

The same applies to tiny artwork above a substantial piece of furniture, or furniture where everything is roughly the same height. It can make a room feel oddly flat and disjointed.

Think about what you see at eye level and then play around with different heights and proportions. Add a taller side table, a lower coffee table, an oversized lamp next to a smaller piece of furniture or a large piece of art above your sofa. You want the eye to move around the room rather than everything sitting on the same visual plane.

I know things like lampshades, rugs and artwork get more expensive as you size up, and it can be tempting to think, is it really worth paying extra for the bigger one?

In my honest opinion: yes. Yes, it is. A rug in the right size will out trump even the most beautifully crafted smaller rug.

3. It looks nice, but feels soulless → there’s probably nothing personal

A room can have beautiful furniture, interesting colours and all the right accessories, but if everything looks as though it could have been bought from the same shop on the same afternoon, it can still feel strangely soulless.

My favourite eclectic homes tell a story so add books that are well-loved, photographs that capture a moment in time, odd objects that you simply had to have even though you don’t really know why, artwork that you kept coming back to before finally buying it, holiday finds and second-hand pieces.

In other words, things that tell you who lives there.

I get plenty of messages from people online who like to tell me that they don’t like something in my home. Good. That’s the point. My home is for me and we don’t all have to like the same things. In fact, I’d much rather walk into a home and wonder “What on earth is that?” than walk into one where everything is perfectly coordinated.

4. There’s too much going on → find the visual resting place

This may come as a surprise to colour lovers everywhere, but the solution isn’t necessarily adding more and more colour and pattern (I know. Who even am I?).

The eye needs somewhere to rest. That might be a plain wall, a quieter piece of furniture, empty floor space or simply a bit of editing when it comes to accessories.

For example, I often use plain white bedding, which surprises people, but I love that it feels calming and provides a brilliant backdrop for patterned cushions and throws. I also have walls where I could, in theory, add more art, but I deliberately leave them alone. I want my home to feel considered rather than chaotic.

Having something empty isn’t the same as having something unfinished. Sometimes the space you leave alone is what makes everything around it work harder.

5. It feels smaller than it should → look at the floor

This one comes down to rugs, furniture placement and negative space.

I will always stand by the fact that a rug that’s too small can actually make a room feel smaller. When it’s floating in the middle of the room, the furniture can look as though it belongs to several separate zones rather than one cohesive space.

I also often see sofas pushed right up against the wall. Presumably, the thinking is that if you can see more floor, the room will appear bigger? Incorrect. Having a little space to walk around furniture can actually give the illusion of more space. It allows the room to breathe rather than making everything feel squeezed around the perimeter.

Because of the door placement in our living room, we annoyingly can’t move our sofas in as much as I’d like. What we have done is add a slim console behind one of the sofas, giving us another surface for lamps, photographs, flowers and other bits and pieces. And I swear it makes the space feel bigger.

Sometimes you don’t need more floor space. You just need to make better use of the floor you have.

6. Something feels “off” but you can’t work out what → photograph it

This sounds silly but take a photograph of the room rather than relying solely on your eye.

Ideally, I want to create little vignettes throughout a room - moments that look good individually but also work together as a whole. So, stand back, get your phone out and take a snap. Suddenly, you might notice that the artwork is too high, one side of the room is visually heavier, the curtains aren’t quite right, or the furniture arrangement feels awkward.

Yes, I take pictures of my home for a living, but it still amazes me how much difference a tiny tweak in placement can make when you see a room as a photograph rather than standing inside it.

It’s worth a try and it’s considerably cheaper than buying a new sofa!

The five-minute room test

So, before you start shopping, painting or moving every piece of furniture you own, spend five minutes looking at the room and ask yourself the following questions…

• What is the first thing my eye lands on?
• Where does my eye go next?
• Is there enough light at different levels?
• Does the furniture actually work for the way we use the room?
• Is everything the same visual volume?
• Is there anything personal or unexpected here?
• What feels too busy?
• What feels too empty?
• And finally: Is the problem actually the room – or is it just one thing in it?

More often than not, a room that doesn’t feel quite right doesn’t need a complete overhaul. It just needs you to stop, have a proper look and work out what’s actually bothering you.

So, diagnose before you decorate. You might find it doesn’t need changing at all – it just needs looking at differently, or perhaps just a quick switch around.

Strategist and content creator Francesca Swan is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on the concept of 'Everything' and what makes a home special to you. See the rest of her articles here.

About halfway through the renovation, I found myself drinking from a chipped cup, whilst using a half-melted spatula to stir a pan with a very dubious, and frankly dangerous handle.

We were living with a random collection of items that had been either salvaged from any box we could lay our hands on in our over-stuffed storage or battered during the utter chaos and demolition of the build.

This unnecessary shabbiness had stealthily crept up on us without us even realising it. We had allowed ourselves to become victims to temporary circumstances and the Chinese water torture effect of our two-year project.

Unsurprisingly, I was overcome by very strong reverse Everything feeling – I wasn’t content, there was zero joy and the whole sorry situation made me want to be a million miles away.

I couldn’t do much about the building dust and dirt, but I realised I could control the controllables to make each tiny single moment as special and meaningful as possible.

I took a much-needed step back and thought about how we live day to day, the things we touch all the time and the mood and ambience of every space.

My mission was to identify small, useful everyday objects that would subtly, yet hopefully immeasurably improve our disastrously low quality of life and bring back some beauty and intentional design.

I immediately knew that this was not going to be solved by hours trawling the internet and an expensive shopping trip. Both time and money were in very short supply.

Instead, I shopped my own home (read: temporary storage units), raided my trusted retailers, and got on with investing in the quality pieces we had planned to wait for.

Thankfully, I had my Everything design-language to steer me – an anchor to keep me focussed and make sure that what I bought truly earned its place in our home and would stand the test of time, whilst restoring that much needed joy and connection.

So, here you have not only a renovation survival kit of sorts, but also my Everything daily essentials go-to shopping guide. No gatekeeping here…

Creature comforts

First things first – the bedroom. For over six months this room, and bed in particular, multi-tasked as our mission control for working, eating, relaxing and sleeping. The comfort, style and practicality of our most grounding daily ritual had slowly been eroded by overuse and malaise.

It was time for a bedlinen upgrade, which neatly coincided with my discovering Rise and Fall. Founded with the intention to enhance the quality of everyday life, their products are created to last by some of the world’s finest manufacturers, with a focus on ethical sustainability across the board with less waste, considered production and commitment to making every aspect of the business better for people and planet. A true Everything brand to me, bringing much needed, yet accessible luxury to my life.

Their heaven-sent Soft and Smooth range is, without exception, the best bedding I have ever had the good fortune to have wrapped around me. Combining timeless design with exceptional natural materials, it’s silky-smooth, softly luminous and ridiculously comfortable. A subtle nature-inspired palette of buttermilk, pebble and deep clay softly blends perfectly with the powdery tones of our bedroom.

The bedroom has finally been completed by the very welcome addition of the Cornish Beds Porthilly Bed. The bespoke pewter metal frame and softly whimsical wave edge headboard brings subtle and strikingly individual character to the room, balancing our Victorian period features with a delicately contemporary touch.

Hand-crafted to order in their Cornish foundry using traditional Victorian casting techniques, our headboard was personalised using Kirkby Design linen, its hand-spun organic depth creating interesting contrast against the softly glowing pewter frame.

There’s a wonderfully reassuring comfort going to bed every night in something not only beautiful to look at, but that also feels innately strong and properly made with expertise and love. A true Forever Bed.

Beautiful everyday essentials

Next up; the everyday heroes, both big and small, that can easily upgrade routine experiences.

I gave our mismatched and somewhat shabby cookware, serveware and tableware a much needed refresh with the wonderful Our Place. I’m fully obsessed with this brand and have been slowly collecting it over the past few years.

Not only do their gorgeous terracottas, soft pinks and warm blues helpfully pair perfectly with our new kitchen palette, the range is super intuitive and versatile, brilliantly uniting form and function.

My new blue salt bakeware set and terracotta serving set make the most of our new kitchen appliances and my ever-ambitious hosting plans, as well as bringing another considered accent of colour.

Other unexpected joys came from a Skandi London red marble wine cooler, perfectly matched to the Rosso Levanto and doubling up as a lovely ornament when not in use.

Bedside table chaos was stylishly solved thanks to pillar pressed glass plates with a subtle ridged detail that catches both the light and the eye, helpfully picked up for a song in Habitat at Sainsbury’s.

Gorgeously unique Archivist Sunray matches make lighting the fire feel a little more considered and special, as well as looking rather nice on the coffee table.

And slightly less glamorous, but highly essential, the Ferm Living Sama toilet brush that is not only easy on the eye, but also does the job of keeping our brand new WC looking brand new.

Forever flowers

Without doubt, flowers are one of the easiest and most joyful ways to brighten up a space. However, bringing beautiful blooms into a constantly dirty and changeable space can considerably reduce their shelf life, and whilst I have Elton John taste in flowers, I do not have his budget for constant refreshes.

Then, on a recent detour into our local Habitat in Sainsbury’s I chanced upon some lovely faux blooms and decided to take a chance and try my hand on an arrangement for the kitchen.

I was aware of the possibility that I’d been blinded by the apparent ease, simplicity and affordability of this wonderful solution, so left it to the guest test. Without exception, every single person asked where I’d bought those beautiful flowers from and was gobsmacked by the answer.

I’m now fully converted and bought some for the living room too.

The selection in our local store is much better than online, plus in this case, it’s always better to see them in person to weed out the good from the bad – not all of them are a sure thing and some shapes and colours are a clear giveaway.

Judge for yourself but check them out if you’re in a similar boat. Dunelm also have a solid collection.

Decorative objects with personality

Styling also has huge power to bring a space together and in our constantly shape-shifting state, that means objet d’art. The interesting, meaningful and considered vases, ornaments and other beautiful small pieces that are easy to move around and quickly bring a dead corner to delightful life with character and nuance.

However, I know myself too well. If I start scrolling for these too widely, I will fall into a very deep and expensive internet hole. So, I’ve learnt to be laser-focused and when time and budget are against me, I’ve found Serax to be indispensable.

When the flat is finished and I've got more time and brain space, I'll widen the net and be able to browse more at leisure. But in the meantime, I know I can head there and it's an effective and efficient way for me to shop.

Their website is so well and widely curated, I am guaranteed to find heavenly Everything pieces, whilst also discovering new and interesting designers.

I also bought several pieces for the old apartment from there, so I’ve shopped my own home to complement the new additions.

The Serax edit (old and new) that finally made the styling of our new kitchen make sense:

• Bob Verhelst blue Bebop vase
• Antonino Sciortino Metal Basket Bowl
• Bela Silva green Eternal Snow Stem Glass
• Ligne Roset Les Oiseaux vase

Not to forget of course, the wonderful eBay for a longer burn search. I recently picked up an incredible hammered chrome/soft-gold mirror for my office by independent maker, Kerry David Whittle.

I also have this divine vintage onyx fruit and egg bowl in my basket. Quite why I think it’s a good idea to share this with you is beyond me, but as I said, no gatekeeping. Just please don’t buy them before me.

Let there be light (and fragrance)

We all know there is no faster or easier way to transform the ambience and mood of a room than with lighting and scent. Sade is also a fail-safe for me, but that is a more personal preference.

A scarcity of both plugs and ever-changing available space in which to place a lamp, meant we were constantly at the mercy and horrors of the big light.

I was new to the wonders of cordless lights, but now don’t know how I ever lived without them. Being able to control our lighting set up, no matter what chaos has emerged within any given room at any point is something of a magical wonder to me.

Fast forward to a nearly completed home, and they remain indispensable for creating the perfect ambience for any occasion.

It’s no secret I have an obsession with statement lights and since falling in love with the elegant glass domes that have graced both our hallways, I know I’m not alone in having a real thing for Pooky lights. They’ve snuck into nearly every room, not to mention adding a stylish accent to our summerhouse and terrace outdoor spaces.

Two Pooky lights emerged as must-haves for this particular situation: the Dennis is a beautifully crafted cordless lamp with a wonderfully tactile combination of smooth brass and finely knurled bronze, sitting back effortlessly to the material language of the apartment.

The Bronte is also now a permanent favourite; a perfect little library light, designed to clip neatly on shelves, mantelpieces, and bookcases, where an unsightly cord would get in the way. It brings a warm pool of light exactly where it's needed, whether illuminating a cosy reading spot or simply making my shelves look even more inviting. An essential for our double-walled library in the living room. I might have more than one and could not live without them.

Scent is always also a non-negotiable, but especially when constantly surrounded by the joyous bouquet of eau d’renovation.

Enter Droplet, the Modern British House of Scent, with their Scent Amplifier: an immersive surround scent system, built to fill a space with long-lasting fragrance in an elegant and minimal way.

For starters, it’s a rather heart-stoppingly beautiful addition to any room; a portable walnut-toned wooden base topped with a hand-blown crystal glass vessel and a warming light that softly illuminates when scent is in motion.

But equally importantly, it delivers up to 15 hours of diffusion on a single charge. The result is a slow, simmering stream of scent, rather than a single burst that fades, allowing you to control fragrance in the same way we control our music or lighting. A game-changer for turning any dusty and fume-filled room into a luxurious and relaxing haven.

This was not just a renovation life-saver – it’s become an essential for our entire home and reduced my expensive candle habit and obsessive (and often messy) mission to stop the ongoing frustration of tunnelled candles.

Everyday 'Everything' essentials

So, there you have it, my Everything everyday essentials that did a spanking job of brightening up both our lives and space.

Important for renovation survival, yes, however I’m also pleased to say they are all smart, serviceable and stylish buys that have earned a permanent place in our home.

Beyond renovation life, the lesson remains the same.

Do not deny yourself small comforts simply because wider circumstances may be temporarily imperfect – you do not need to compromise or suffer unnecessarily.

Both our homes and lives should be well lived in and enjoyed; we deserve nice things and special daily experiences.

Is there a knotty daily moment you can improve by adding a dash of comfort, beauty, character, ease or joy? There are many simple ways to make our homes and daily life feel that little bit nicer without much budget or time.

Always remember, your Everything feeling can be lost or found in the most unexpected and mundane places. When you know where to look, it’s not only easy to find but often ridiculously easy to fix.

Home decorator Ammarah Hasham is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts infusing her rental house with plenty of personality. See the rest of her articles here.

The money I spend collecting trinkets could probably add up to a terrifying amount, but the borderline maximalist in me has a GIANT weak spot for them. I mean, they do feel like a harmless little guilt-free treat.

Not proudly admitting this, but I kind of have an inability to leave an antique shop empty-handed. The china plates need a home, and I am always happy to adopt any silver or brassware I find, usually with absolutely no idea where to put it and completely ignoring the family’s raised eyebrows as I bring yet another piece home. That’s why I love a glass cloche.

They are basically a safe space for all my knick-knacks and a very convincing way of making my random finds look like they had a purpose all along. Think of it as an upside-down bowl. Anything you would pile into a decorative bowl can probably go underneath a cloche, except under a glass it suddenly feels more like a miniature museum display.

So where can you buy them from?

There was a time where I would wishfully look at magazine photographs of these beautiful glass domes and hope to own one without spending a ridiculous amount of money.

Depending on your taste and budget, you can now easily find them in shops in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Personally, though, I still prefer hunting for them second-hand.

Older glass just feels so much better to me. I love the weight and thickness you often get with vintage pieces, and a good one feels totally worth the money.

Bootsales, antique shops, eBay and my recent favourite, Facebook Marketplace, will surely generate some fruitful searches. And don’t worry if your cloche comes without a proper base. A decorative plate, your old wooden breadboard or even a stack of books can work beautifully underneath one.

How to clean them

Once you have secured the goods, vintage or new, give them a good, but gentle, clean.

Your display would look a hundred times better when a cloche is cleaned properly before displaying any items. Make sure to avoid anything abrasive, and go easy with the kitchen sponge too. If it needs a proper wash, gentle lukewarm water with a little washing up liquid is enough.

Dry it with a lint-free, microfibre cloth. I use the good old newspaper and window cleaner trick for a streak-free finish. All prepped and peppy.

And now comes the fun bit.

What can you actually put underneath?

Everything except the kitchen sink. Historically, these glass cloches were practical objects with a purpose. Garden cloches protected young plants from cold weather, while glass covers were used to protect delicate objects especially specimens collected by naturalists. But as they found their way into our interiors, their elegant appeal and timeless charm became quite hard to ignore.

If you are creating a display, I would suggest using different heights. A group of cloches in varying heights can look beautiful together, but equally, you can dot a couple around your home. And because they are so versatile, you can keep changing what sits underneath to match the colour, theme or the mood of your space. Which, for someone like me who is always switching things around, is rather alluring.

Display your apothecary collection

We all love an apothecary moment, don’t we?I have been collecting these vintage earthenware medicine and apothecary bottles for a while and putting them under a cloche has created this little vignette.

It is almost like a 360-degree frame, drawing your eye in and giving each item its own spotlight. The bell shape allows me to be creative and lets my collectibles become the main character.

What do you think?

Add a touch of greenery

As cloches were originally designed to protect plants, adding greenery underneath them feels almost naturally correct. Display a plant and notice how instantly elevated it would feel.

Tiny ferns, mosses and humidity-loving plants look beautiful under a cloche and, if you’re feeling particularly creative, you can even create a small terrarium. Since my skills at keeping plants alive are fairly basic, I am happy giving one solo plant all the spotlight.

Display your matchbox collection

I am currently on a mission to collect vintage matchboxes and I have no sensible explanation for that. Probably it's their nostalgic charm that I love, but putting them underneath the cloche gives it all a touch of sophistication.

Even my slow growing collection actually feels thoughtfully accentuated under the glass.

Give your shell collection a home

My family loves collecting shells and we have this mix of beach and second-hand finds. For quite some time, I kept it all in a bowl, but their unique shapes were hidden underneath one another.

Filling my cloche with these shells has literally brought each piece into the centre stage. And I can actually admire their colours and savour an unobstructed view of the whole display and, I must say, it looks incredibly chic.

The possibilities really are endless here. I am actually curious to know, what small finds would you put sous cloche?

Interior designer and content creator Rebecca Constable is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on demystifying the process of designing and decorating a home, and helping people work out where to spend and where to save.

Despite having left formal education over 20 years ago, I still get that excited back to school feeling as September approaches. And although it seems picking out stationary in WH Smith no longer carries the allure it once did, for those preparing for university there is an even more exciting piece of admin to be done.

University accommodation, at least in the UK, is without fail uninspiring and slightly grotty but it is often the first opportunity we have to create our own piece of home. I’m not quite there yet with my children but if they were heading off to uni there are a few things I would heavily encourage them to buy in order to turn a generic room into a space that works well and actually feels like them.

First of all it has to be a rug. You’re never quite sure how many occupants the room has had before but any carpet in a dorm room is likely to be grey (for practical reasons), stained and not very soft. Therefore my approach would be to buy a rug that fills most of the room acting more like a carpet. You can introduce as much or as little colour and pattern as you like but most importantly you want it to be soft.

A Ruggable rug would be a brilliant solution as you can pop it in the wash at the end of the year, perfect for a teenager who is having their first foray into independent living (I’m under no illusion that they would actually do this themselves).

I also love this rug from Next as the slubby texture looks quite forgiving when it comes to stains. And this rug from Ikea would add some nice pops of colour and pattern into a room.

Then I’d move onto bed linen. With the bed likely taking up a lot of the room, a nice set of bedsheets will have a big impact, and although I am usually an advocate for sticking with a classic all white set, here I would take a different approach.

Bed linen is likely going to be one of the few places you can inject some colour, pattern and personality so I would go for something that’s fun and adds interest. And of course a minimum of two sets so you know they’re able to change their sheets at least once in a term…

I love this set from M&S, the lattice pattern is very cool and the blue and burgundy colour combination is perfect. At the other end of the aesthetic spectrum is this wonderfully whimsical set by the Historic Royal Palaces which almost looks like a beautiful wallpaper on your sheets.

And finally you can’t beat a bold stripe and no one does them better than TBCO when it comes to bed linen. The ruffle trim instantly makes a bed look more put together than it actually is.

Then it's on to lighting, because if there’s one thing you can guarantee about university accommodation, it’s that it won’t be beautifully lit. We want a layered lighting scheme rather than a single strip light so I’d go armed with three lamps, two table lamps and one floor lamp. The two table lamps will be for the desk and the bedside table, whilst the floor lamp will go in another corner of the room or at the end of the bed.

For the floor lamps you could either go for something striking like this marble look lamp from H&M or down the classic route like this reading lamp from Dunelm.

For the table lamps it’s again another opportunity to introduce colour, pattern and texture. I love this fabric lamp from M&S as it makes a space feel cosy even when it’s off. This metal table lamp from H&M comes in every colour imaginable so there really is something for everyone, but I love the dusty blue shade.

And finally this lamp from Oliver Bonas combines beautiful textures whilst being elegant and fun.

Of course I’d encourage them to think about artwork as I don’t think any space feels complete without something on the walls. But also you may want to cover as much wall as possible depending on the state of them. I would get one large landscape piece or a pair of portrait prints to cover one main bit of wall. And then I would supplement them with two smaller pieces to dot around the room. You ideally want to pick pieces that are light so you can use command strips to put them up if you’re not allowed to put nails in the wall.

Desenio has a great selection of reasonable art and even their framed prints are still super light so perfect for hanging. I love how fun this Chilling Leopard print is and the Abstract Poster Pack provides an instant injection of colour, as well as covering a lot of wall. PSTR studio also has a brilliant selection of prints like this Flowers and Check piece, again the blue and burgundy combination works so well.

And finally I always love to look in museum shops for brilliant affordable artwork. As a black Londoner who spent my teenage years at Notting Hill carnival I would have loved to take this Spirit of Carnival print by Tam Joseph with me to uni as a reminder of home.

Finally I’d urge my young student to get a pinboard in the hope that they might stay relatively on track with their studies. I love a pinboard because it does a number of things; it covers more wall, provides a place to keep important/useful information and also creates a space where they can curate and collate what matters to them.

This classic pinboard from Hudson Home feels very chic and elegant. I also love the array of colours the Wonderwall noticeboards come in adding a major dose of colour, personally I would go for orange. And at the other end of the spectrum is this preppy noticeboard from Etsy which has Ralph Lauren vibes.

Picking out the pieces for a university room should feel very exciting. For many people, it’s the first opportunity to create a little piece of home that’s entirely their own. And it’s likely to be the starting point for the many homes they’ll create in the years to come.

Home decorator Lara Winter is one of Ideal Home's Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on revamping a 200 year old cottage to make it right for modern family life. See the rest of her articles here.

There was definitely a time when I thought a beautiful home was one where you couldn’t really tell anyone lived there. Before taking a photo I’d remove the post, hide the toys, clear the fridge and generally erase all evidence that four actual humans lived in our house. Which, when you think about it, is a bit ridiculous.

These days I’m much more interested in homes that tell you something about the people living in them. And rather than just accepting family life as something that gets in the way of decorating, I’ve started designing around it. Not all of it, obviously. Nobody needs to see the contents of our junk drawer.

Treat kids’ art like proper art

One of my favourite pieces in our entire house is a huge cowgirl painting my five-year-old painted. It hangs above the antique bureau in my office that belonged to my great-grandmother. Does it technically “go”? Who cares. I love it.

I think we’re too quick to stick children’s artwork on the fridge while spending money on prints made by people we’ve never met. Pick the pieces you genuinely love, frame them properly and hang them somewhere prominent. Suddenly it stops looking like something brought home from school and starts looking like art. Because it is.

Make your storage work for the family you actually have

We have a lovely Transformer Table in our dining nook with hidden storage on both sides. What would you expect to find inside? Napkins, placemats, perhaps some nice glasses. What do we keep in ours? Pens (approximately half without lids), pencils, activity books, scissors and glue. It is absolutely rammed. The storage drawers underneath the DIY banquette next to it aren’t any more sophisticated. More craft supplies.

And actually, that’s exactly why I love both pieces so much. Good family storage doesn’t mean finding somewhere upstairs to hide all the children’s things. Sometimes it means keeping them exactly where you use them – just behind a nice-looking door. Our boys can sit down at the table and draw without anyone fetching a box from another room, then everything gets swept back into the drawers afterwards. In theory, anyway.

Put things where you actually use them

I think there’s a temptation to design family rooms for the moments when they’re tidy rather than the way they’re used for the other 95% of the week. If your children always draw at the dining table, store the craft supplies there. If everyone dumps shoes by one particular door, put the shoe storage there. If toys constantly migrate into the living room, give them a basket in the living room.

Stop fighting where your family naturally puts things and start designing around it. It’s much easier than spending the next ten years asking, “Why is this HERE?”.

Stop worrying about whether sentimental things match

Our kitchen contains a monk-shaped salt shaker that belonged to my grandparents and a wooden duck chopping board that belonged to my late dad. Neither featured on the mood board, but I’d choose them over a perfectly coordinated accessory every time.

Inherited pieces don’t need to match your decorating style. Mix them in with newer things and let them be a little odd. An old jug can hold utensils, plates can go on walls and random ornaments can sit on bookshelves. A home full of things that perfectly coordinate is lovely. A home full of things with stories is better.

Let somewhere be messy

Our fridge is covered in drawings, photographs, certificates and whatever else has been deemed fridge-worthy that week. Would my kitchen look calmer without it? Yes. Do I care? Increasingly, no.

You don’t have to let family life take over every surface. Give it somewhere to live: a fridge, pinboard, magnetic wall or noticeboard, and embrace that one area being gloriously imperfect.

Social media has made us very good at looking at our homes as pictures and noticing the cable, the toy or the thing that doesn’t match. But the homes I remember aren’t usually the perfect ones. They’re the ones where you walk in and immediately know who lives there.

And I’d much rather have that than a perfectly styled fridge.

Committed home renovators David and Andrew Harrison-Colley (better known on Instagram as The Home Boys) are part of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing their thoughts on making a home together and living through the tricky parts. See the rest of their articles here.

The shower enclosure we had in our heads didn’t exist, so we made it.

We wanted something that felt less like a standard glass cubicle and more like part of the room – a window-style partition, painted in the same green as the panelling, with brass fittings and enough character to hold its own next to our vintage sink. We could picture it perfectly. We just couldn’t find it anywhere, certainly not at a price our renovation budget was ever going to forgive us for.

So the search for the right thing turned into a plan to build it ourselves, which is roughly how most of this house has come together. Most of the questions we got when we shared it were about the obvious bits – the glass, the paint, the brass – but a few people asked something more specific: what stops the timber rotting? Fair question.

We’d shown the frame going up and the tiles going on, but skipped the least photogenic stage in between, so the join between the two looked a bit more like a leap of faith than it actually was. So here’s the whole build, missing stage included.

Where the idea came from

We’d already agreed on a pony wall to hide the pipework and split the room without closing it off entirely. What sat above it was less obvious. A standard shower screen would have done the job, but it felt too sleek for a room built around terracotta floors, beadboard and old brass.

Then Andrew turned up one evening with an image saved from deVOL – a utility room with a window-style screen dividing the space, brass taps below it, more like part of the architecture than a piece of bathroom kit. That was the moment it clicked for both of us. We weren’t trying to copy it exactly, just borrow the idea of a glazed partition that felt like it had always belonged there.

Building the frame

We started with the studwork, forming the pony wall and the taller section behind it, which gave us somewhere to hide the pipework and a solid base for the glazed frame above.

The outside was wrapped in moisture-resistant beadboard, and we tiled the inside up to the top of the pony wall before building the frame – so we knew exactly how wide it needed to be, rather than guessing.

For the frame itself, we used 34mm pine, with thinner battens arranged on the dry side to create the grid of window panes. We measured and dry-fitted it more times than either of us would care to admit, because a slightly uneven grid has a remarkable ability to look very uneven once it’s painted.

The detail most people miss is that those little panes aren’t individually glazed. The whole grid sits behind one full sheet of toughened glass.

From the room, it reads as a proper multi-pane window. From the shower, it’s one continuous surface with no tiny corners for soap and limescale to collect in. The timber grid stays on the dry side; the glass does the actual work of keeping the water in.

The stage we didn’t film

Before any tiles went on, we treated the whole shower area with a Mapei Shower Waterproofing Kit – the tanking system that sits behind the finished surface and protects the walls and the vulnerable junctions around the tray and enclosure.

It’s slow, repetitive, and disappears completely once the room’s finished, which is exactly why it never made it into the video. Tiles and grout are the bit you see; this is the insurance policy underneath.

Finishing it off

All the woodwork was primed and painted in an exterior-grade eggshell (colour-mated to Farrow & Ball’s “Dibber”), then given a clear acrylic matt topcoat to stop water soaking into the paint. The small amount of trim exposed inside the enclosure got extra attention – waterproof lacquer on every edge, silicone on every junction.

The glass went in last, cut to size and held with pin nails and timber beading, sealed all round with clear, water-resistant silicone. Then came the virtually frameless glass door with brass hardware – simple enough that it more or less disappears, leaving the green window frame to do the talking.

If you’re planning something similar

• Plan the true wet zone first, and work out how the waterproofing meets the tray, tiles and glass before you design the decorative frame.
• Waterproof before tiling, following the kit’s instructions properly rather than your own best guess.
• Use toughened glass cut to the opening, and design the frame around the glass, not the other way round.
• Keep timber in the wet area to a minimum, and protect every face of it, not just the side people can see.
• Treat silicone as part of the design. It needs to be continuous and easy to check, not an afterthought.

Would we do it again?

Absolutely. It took a lot more planning than buying a screen off the shelf, but it solved the exact problem we had – definition without blocking the light, brass and green tied together, and a finish that looks far more bespoke than the fairly ordinary materials it began as.

More than a year of daily use later, it’s still doing exactly what we wanted. We keep an eye on the paint and the silicone the same way we would in any bathroom, but it’s held up exactly as it should. Sometimes the thing you can’t find is just the thing you haven’t made yet.

Screen printer Hannah Carvell is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on colourful home design for a creative family to live in. See the rest of her articles here.

Last winter I stepped well outside my comfort zone and, rather reluctantly, agreed to have a stall for my screen-printing business at a Christmas fair. The thought of putting myself out there honestly filled me with dread, but a friend twisted my arm and, on a cold November morning, I arrived with boxes of prints and greeting cards to set up my table.

As it turned out, it wasn't nearly as terrifying as I'd imagined. In fact, I rather enjoyed spending the day chatting to other makers and customers. But the real reason I'm grateful I went had nothing to do with selling screenprints.

I kept finding myself drawn to a beautiful pottery stall filled with hand-painted mugs and plates. The potter, Joanna Lampley had a badge pinned to her apron that simply read, "Ask me about pottery classes."

So I did.

I've haven’t done another fair since (they're definitely not for me!), but I've always believed that stepping outside your comfort zone has a funny way of leading you somewhere unexpected. Sometimes it's meeting new people, sometimes it's opening a door to a work opportunity (or TV show) or maybe a favourite hobby you are now hopelessly addicted to.

I signed up for one term of pottery classes as a little treat to myself. Every Friday afternoon, for two blissful hours, I head to the pottery studio to spend time with the same lovely group of women and our wonderful teacher, Joanna. Without question, it's become my favourite part of the week. We make whatever we like and we chat and drink coffee, sometimes it feels like therapy as much as an art class.

Pottery is the perfect antidote to our fast-paced lives because nothing about it can be rushed. One week you're shaping a lump of clay, then it needs time to dry before its first firing. After that comes glazing, another firing, and finally, weeks after you first began, you get to hold the finished piece in your hands.

As someone who spends much of my working life surrounded by colour through screen printing, glazing has become my favourite part. It still feels like magic. You never quite know how the colours will react in the kiln or what beautiful surprises will emerge.

When I first started, I imagined I'd be confidently throwing elegant bowls and mugs on the wheel. Two attempts quickly taught me otherwise. Wheel throwing requires a level of precision and concentration that my brain simply doesn't seem to possess!

Instead, I've fallen completely in love with hand-building. My bowls, mugs, platters and plates may be a little wonkier than those made on the wheel, but I think they're all the more charming for it. Each one is unmistakably handmade, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I've also developed a habit of rescuing leftover scraps of clay that might otherwise end up back in the recycling bucket. They become little birds, mushrooms and curious creatures that now live happily around our garden pond.

I've made a bird bath, a wonderfully wonky mug for my daughter painted with her two beloved goslings, trinket dishes for my husband's bedside table, and a fruit bowl that now takes pride of place in our kitchen.

The joy isn't just in making them, it's in living with them. Every handmade piece around our home tells a story. The fruit bowl reminds me of a Friday afternoon spent experimenting with glazes. My daughter's mug makes me smile every time I see her using it. Outside, my growing collection of colourful ceramic creatures peeks out from the wild Erigeron daisies lining the stone steps to my print studio.

Those pieces have become part of our home's personality. They sit happily alongside quilts I've sewn, curtains I've made, paintings, family photographs and the wonderful creations my children have proudly brought home over the years.

None of it is perfect, but that's exactly the point. In a world where it's so easy to buy something new with the click of a button, there's something deeply satisfying about filling your home with objects you've made with your own hands. They might be a little wonky, a little imperfect and completely unlike anything you'd find on the high street, but they're full of memories.

Every time I look around my home, I'm reminded that creating something purely for the joy of it might just be one of the loveliest ways to make a house feel uniquely yours.

Content creator Lucy Kalice is one of Ideal Home's Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on cleaning, home decor and making the most of small spaces. See the rest of her articles here.

If you’re not chronically online like me then you might be wondering what on earth whimsical home decor is. Don’t worry I’ve got you covered - think colourful, quirky and playful design style. The exact opposite of the ‘greige’ phenomenon that we seem to be (almost) out the other side of.

Whimsical (or whimsy) home decor is having it’s moment right now. In it’s essence it’s nothing new. Decorating with colour and prints? Doesn’t seem very groundbreaking to me. But it used to be only the brave or eccentric people that seemed to do it.

Now for the record, there’s nothing wrong with greige. The era of griege began in 2009 where colour was a big no. Greys, beiges, creams and black was the game and stripped back minimalism was the name. It was THE design style to have. Prints and patterns were out and block colours were in.

I can see it now – living rooms painted light grey with dark grey crushed velvet sofas, black coffee tables, light grey carpets and rugs. If I’m honest it’s not my style and I would go as far to say it’s a bit of a copy paste repeat lazy design style. In my opinion homes should be full of personality and reflect the people that live there.

And that’s exactly where whimsical home decor comes in. Whimsical decor exudes personality by adding colour, prints and character to a home. It is very similar to dopamine decor which focuses on mood-boosting decor – filling your home with colours and items that bring you joy and happiness. What both of them have in common is decor that is unique to the home owner.

Why I’m obsessed with this is because it’s fun! There’s no right or wrong. It doesn’t matter if the colours don’t inherently match. That’s the beauty of it. It’s the bright colour combos and weird and whacky pattern mixing that shouldn’t work but does. Leopard print with florals or stripes and polka dots.

It makes a home feel homely and lived in (but in a good way). It creates interest in a home and gives it life! It also means that no two homes will look the same which I love.

I think…in fact I WANT everyone to incorporate some whimsical decor in their home and notice the positive affect it has on your mood. Even if you are more of a neutral colour palette kind of person, you definitely shouldn’t rule it out. An easy place to start is to add some little ornaments or small decorative pieces around the house.

I’m obsessed with all the photo frames in Habitat right now and this green and pink striped one would be the perfect whimsical addition to your home. If that one's too much or not your style, then they also have this Bobble affect one in blue and cream which would look beautiful in any home. And for £6 you absolutely cannot go wrong!

I’m so excited to make my home more whimsy and have fun whilst doing so. So take this as a sign to add more whimsy to your home too!

Interior designer Natalie Jahangiry is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on decorating a home to suit a busy family life while sticking to your aesthetic values, too. See the rest of her articles here.

Artwork is so important in a home. It's often treated as the finishing touch, but I actually think it can have one of the biggest impacts on how a room feels.

Art is where you can inject personality, colour, nostalgia and, most importantly, a little bit of you. It can add texture, create a focal point or simply be something that makes you smile every time you walk past it. Unlike choosing a sofa or kitchen worktop, there aren't really any rules…and I think that's what I love about it most.

If you come to my home you will notice that creativity fills our walls and I wouldn’t have it any other way! I'm particularly drawn to pieces centred around people and animals, and you'll find both dotted throughout. I love art that has personality, a sense of humour or something slightly unexpected about it. For me, it’s often the final layer that takes a room from looking 'done' to actually feeling like home.

Why I love shopping independent

Don't get me wrong, I love a good H&M Home purchase, but I also try to balance that by shopping small and independent where I can.

I spend hours scoping out artists and independent brands for both myself and my interior design clients, and I have huge admiration for the people trying to build something of their own and cut through all the noise.

I've been a small business owner myself a few times over (let's just say I've dipped my fingers into many pies, from wedding stationery to Persian food!) so I understand just how much time and effort goes into creating not only a product, but the brand and business behind it too.

Art is also such an easy way to support smaller businesses while bringing something into your home that feels a little less mass produced. So, with that in mind, I'm shining a spotlight on some of my favourite female artists and women-led independent art brands…many of whom you'll already find hanging on the walls of my own home.

Georgia Herbig Art

Georgia Herbig is a self-taught London based painter whose work celebrates womanhood through colourful, contemporary scenes.

There's something wonderfully joyful about her creations. You'll find women relaxing, drinking martinis, gathering together or simply enjoying a quiet moment alone. The colours are bold and the lines confident, yet the figures themselves have a softness to them that stops the pieces feeling too loud.

I particularly love artwork that captures those everyday little rituals and relationships, and Georgia does this beautifully. They're pieces that make a statement, but also suit a lot of interior styles at the same time.

My favourite pieces: Five's A Crowd, Martini Hour and The Lovers.

Find Georgia on Instagram: @georgiahbg.art

Rose England London

You may have spotted Rose England’s cowboy art all over Instagram, but if you haven’t here’s an insight into the popular artist…

Rose grew up on her father's rose farm, which has heavily influenced her work, with nature and particularly flowers appearing throughout her collections. More recently, her work has evolved towards pieces featuring women, with a playful Western influence thrown into the mix. It’s feminine and whimsical, with a lovely earthy quality running through her use of colour.

I love the slightly nostalgic cowgirl references paired with softer colours and texture. They're fun without feeling novelty, which isn't always an easy balance to get right.

My favourite pieces: Cowgirl Sisters No.3, There's No One Else and Soho.

Find Rose on Instagram: @roseenglandlondon

Margo in Margate

I discovered Margo McDaid, aka Margo in Margate, on a recent trip to Margate. Her distinctive female portraits seemed to follow me from shop window to shop window around the quirky streets of Margate and once you've spotted a Margo, they're pretty hard to forget!

An Irish artist now working from her Kent studio, Margo has a brilliantly distinctive style. Her female portraits have a nostalgic, almost vintage quality, but the bold colour and slightly playful expressions keep them feeling fresh and contemporary.

I'm lucky enough to have one of Margo's originals hanging proudly in the centre of our bedroom wall, which the kids have affectionately named 'Love Lady'. We also have one of her cat prints and, knowing me, I'm sure there will be more joining them very soon.

My favourite pieces: Girl on Pink, Girl in Orange Bob and Just Keep Swimming Painting 05.

Find Margo on Instagram: @margoinmargate

Art by Mia Jones

Mia Jones is another artist whose work immediately stood out to me because of its focus on people, relationships and those small shared moments that somehow say so much. I actually spotted Mia’s work through fellow Open House writer Amanda Jones and instantly knew I needed a piece for my home.

There's a real personality to her work that I love. Her figurative pieces feel relaxed rather than overly polished, which gives them bags of character. They’re the kind of pieces that spark conversations and evoke memories of times gone by, and that’s what I love about them.

My favourite pieces: We Come As A Pair and Final Pour.

Find Mia on Instagram: @artbymiajones

Studio Vreeken

Studio Vreeken was founded by Sharon Vreeken in 2019, combining her background in product design and interiors with her love of drawing and painting.

Her work immediately appeals to my love of colour. She combines traditional techniques with digital art and 3D forms, taking inspiration from people, everyday moments and warm, worldly influences. Female portraiture runs throughout her collections, with everything from soft neutrals to vibrant pinks and greens.

I already have two large Studio Vreeken prints hanging together on my wall and I love the impact they have as a pair, tying in with the warm pink palette of our living room. There's something about the scale, colour and simplicity of them that works beautifully in an interior without disappearing into the background.

My favourite pieces: Love Letter and Hugging.

Find Sharon on Instagram: @studiovreeken

Camille Jouarre

French-born artist Camille Jouarre originally trained as a graphic designer, and I think you can really see that eye for shape and structure coming through in her paintings.

Working primarily in acrylic, her pieces explore the human form through fluid lines, expressive gestures and layered brushstrokes. They're deceptively simple at first glance, but the longer you look, the more you notice the movement and character within them.

I particularly love how the colours and figures in her work go hand in hand. There’s enough negative space around the figures to let a room breathe, while still bringing plenty of personality and earthy texture to make a real impact.

My favourite pieces: Invested in You, Murmures and Le Pianiste.

Find Camille on Instagram: @camille.jouarre

Studio IMO

Ibi Meier-Oruitemeka of Studio IMO has perhaps one of my favourite stories of the bunch. A self taught British-Nigerian artist, she only began painting in May 2024 after feeling a sudden pull towards picking up acrylic paints.

Her work quickly found an audience, with her first collection selling out within a week and her second in under an hour.

Ibi's paintings explore human connection and solitude, drawing inspiration from her heritage and identity. There's a softness and soulfulness to the figures that I find really beautiful. They feel intimate without you necessarily knowing the story behind them, you can almost create your own story and interpretation around each piece.

My favourite pieces: I've Got You and Untitled.

Find Ibi on Instagram: @studio_imo_art

Fill your walls with things you love

My biggest piece of advice when buying art is not to overthink whether it 'goes'. Of course, colour, scale and placement all play a part, but ultimately you should buy artwork because you feel something when you look at it.

Mix originals with prints, expensive pieces with affordable finds, and don't be frightened to move things around as your home evolves. Your walls are an opportunity to tell your story…so fill them with people, places and pieces that actually mean something to you.

Home decorator and content creator Leah Hodson is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on overhauling a home with clever DIY and decorating tricks. See the rest of her articles here.

If you’re like me and your main source of inspiration is Pinterest, occasionally, it’s good to look away from your screen and find inspiration in the real world. Because inspiration could hit you in the most unexpected places! One recent place for me was a shopping mall loo!

On a recent trip to Australia, I found myself snapping photos in the most unlikely places – restaurant interiors, shopping centre toilets and everything in between.

Saturday lunch

I started my trip in Sydney visiting my husband’s extended family. We have done this trip a couple times before, with the most recent trip only two years ago! So I thought I knew the drill, as we tend to do the same thing the first day we’re there. But there I was, entering the Woolwich Pier Hotel for lunch, and I was in awe of every detail.

The effortless blue window frame that mirrored the aquamarine sea reminded me of how I painted my uPVC kitchen window Rustoleum’s Laurel Green to bring the outside in. I also loved the simple architectural wall light that flanked the window that reminded me of Lighting Direct's Westport wall lights, that I installed right outside my pantry to light the walkway.

Beauty in nature

A couple days into our trip, I was sitting having my morning coffee at our AirBnB. I was absentmindedly daydreaming, staring out into the distance through the window, when I started to notice how striking the trees were. I liked how the leaves hung from the stems.

This sparked an idea for a future mural in my dressing room (which I’ve been planning on Pinterest). I liked the stone wall too and so I started wondering how I could recreate it in my garden…we shall see!

Shopping mall toilet

Whenever I’m in Sydney, we always make time at Birkenhead Point for a little shopping trip. On one side of the building is a small dock for boats which you can see from the first floor toilet, which I’ve always loved.

This time, I ventured higher, going to a different toilet on the top floor (I’m not that weird, I promise)! It’s completely different from the toilet I usually go to and I had to take a quick snap of the washing area.

I love the combination of materials, and the best way to describe it would be industrial chic! Statement marbles are definitely having a moment now!

A little play time

After Sydney, I spent a week in Melbourne with my sister and her family. One day my sister booked a little play session at The Museum at Play and Art. My children had a lot of fun playing and exploring the museum. There was so much to do and their favourite activity was building little river houses for the ducks.

Whilst taking them to the bathroom, and waiting for them to wash their hands, I found myself studying the curves of the washing up area. There wasn’t a single right angle insight but it didn’t look overly matching, just the right balance.

Pantry styling inspiration

On my last evening in Melbourne, we had dinner at my sister's favourite Italian restaurant, Scusi Mi. Again, I wasn’t particularly looking for anything just glancing around at the restaurant interior when I started thinking “won’t my pantry look good styled like this?” I've always been drawn to visual merchandising and the way products are thoughtfully displayed, so it was no surprise that I quickly snapped a photo before our food arrived.

There’s nothing quite like finding inspiration when you least expect it. Usually, I’m a Pinterest girl, turning to endless mood boards whenever I’m planning a project. But this time, it was refreshing to gather ideas from real spaces instead, noticing the little details you simply can’t appreciate through a screen.

Amanda Jones is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on sustainable living and decorating a home in way that is good for the environment. See the rest of her articles here.

So why do I feel there should be no interior design trends? Is it because I’m devoid of any imagination, creativity, or fun? No, that’s not it, I’d LOVE all our homes to be full of creative fun and flair. I’d be so happy, and I think we’d all feel a lot happier, if our homes were uplifting, interesting and unique.

It’s because, I believe, trends ultimately lead to overconsumption, and wastefulness, and that in turn, is having a negative impact on our planet, and our purses. This is why, I see myself as a slow interior advocate, which I’ve written about in this article.

I absolutely LOVE slow interior design and could very easily get carried away with new ideas. However, I believe we should be mindful and intentional when we are decorating and designing our homes. The environment should be at the heart of what we choose whether that’s the amount or frequency that we buy items, or the materials the manufacturer has use, and how it was made.

I’ve written a lot on here about my love and appreciation of second-hand, and how I feel it’s the cornerstone to slow interiors. Afterall, buying something that’s already had a life, slows down the pressure to make new stuff. I’ve also written about the need, where possible, to obtain things that are made of natural materials, to slow down the production of plastics, and other chemical heavy products. This all comes under the slow interior banner.

Something I haven’t written much about is the absolute joy and satisfaction, slow interiors bring me. When you decorate your home slowly, intentionally, it gives you the time to develop a real appreciation of what you already have, your family needs, and how best your home can meet those needs. It gives you the time to make the best decisions. We live in a world that is fast, where decisions and ideas can be made on the click of a button, and delivered the next day, not how it was forty years ago.

I got my first home in the mid 1980s, and it was furnished almost entirely with second-hand furniture. Being my first home, I was super excited to put my stamp on it. As we were short on cash, I could only do it very slowly a bit at a time, but then, so were most other people I knew. It was the norm.

I’m not exactly sure when the fast, trend-based interiors started to emerge, but I can remember the impact one programme had on the nation. It was in the mid-nighties. The program was called Changing Rooms, and we loved it. Two celebrity interior designers spent 48 hours, transforming a room in neighbouring houses.

Even for the 90s they had some very questionable design choices, but it was fun to watch, and very entertaining. Whilst the program showed ordinary people having fun decorating their homes, having a go at something creative, it also pressed, I feel, the fast forward button on what we expected home design to be. If Changing Rooms could quickly transform a room, then so too could any of us.

Don’t get me wrong, if you are going to decorate your main living room, you want to get the messy bit over and done with as soon as possible, just so you can restore a bit of order. The program, however, gave the impression decisions and ideas, can be executed very quickly. It didn’t reflect the many hours the designer would have put into the design, the choices they would have had to make, before they even went on location, it was instant design.

Now I’m not putting all the blame on one program, after all, I like many others loved it, especially seeing the contestant’s reaction to the revealed room. I think the growth of interior design print, (magazines and books) and social media (Instagram), have also played a huge role in our obsession to following trends when decorating our homes.

There has always been ‘fashions’ within homes, you only need to look around a stately home, to see what was deemed fashionable with the rich, those ‘fashions’ however lasted decades. The speed at which we replace what’s in our homes today, has increased significantly. Planned obsolesce and technological advances account for some of this, but I think peer pressure, and the rise of social medial influence, counts for more. Interior design has become more and more trend based, rather than style based, which is something altogether different.

People of my grandparent’s generation bought things to last a lifetime. Their bedroom furniture lasted their lifetime, now you might buy bedroom furniture, and think nothing of swapping it out five years down the line., because the “look’ has gone ‘off trend’.

By designing your home slowly, you allow yourself the time to make thoughtful decisions, based on need, budget and longevity. It’s not based on the latest colour or fabric trend, and you won’t get so bored of it next year. Yes, things will need to be replaced along the way, and you may fall in love with a new colour, but that won’t mean changing the whole room, it will be just small adjustments. The reason it works is because your home is designed for your family, not a family you’ve seen on Instagram. Any changes will evolve slowly, and not in a mad rush to be the first to adopt a new trend. By designing your home slowly, you will find you develop your own unique style, and that will reflect your creativity, better than any trend.

Now I’m not necessarily saying I’m the perfect example to follow. It took me eleven years to prioritise decorating our hall and stairs, we literally walked into a building site for all that time. It took twenty years of complaining about our mattress and bedframe, before we bought a new one. I now smile when I open the front door, and I sleep in hotel inspired comfort.

So, I’m the first to admit I take too long getting things ‘right’, but surely, can we all slow things down a bit. We all have a responsibility to think about how we consume interior design, whether that’s how we present our homes on social media, and therefore contributing to the obsession for ‘trends’. Or if, like myself, writing articles for magazines, we have a responsibility to curb overconsumption.

Let us be more mindful with what we consume, physically or mentally, and make long lasting design decisions, that’s based on developing our own unique style, rather than trend-based design. If we do this, not only will be preventing more waste going into our landfills, but we will also be saving ourselves time, money and energy.

Home decorator and content creator Grace H is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on colourful home design, mixing vintage pieces with new and making personality-filled spaces. See the rest of her articles here.

"If in doubt, go for a stripe" is a motto I live by. But another often-overlooked "neutral" patter is gingham.

Your Honour, I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth when it comes to all thing's gingham: I am slowly becoming obsessed (I know this word is overused, but I am speaking the truth).

Why it works

Much like the timeless stripe, gingham adds pattern and colour to a room without completely stealing the spotlight (unless you want it to, in which case, go for a wide scale!).

It plays incredibly well with florals, plains, and other patterns. It’s an interior designer favourite for a reason, and it’s also a relatively affordable way to upgrade your space since the price per metre is fairly low.

For the ultimate balance of price and quality in ginghams and stripes, you cannot beat Ian Mankin.

Where to use it

Once reserved strictly for picnic blankets and traditional tablecloths, gingham has broken free. You can introduce it anywhere and in any form:

• The quick fix: Pop a gingham cushion into an existing mix of cushions.
• The window: A loose Roman blind works beautifully in a bathroom.
• The trend: There is a gorgeous new trend for laying tiles in a gingham format. If you’re lucky enough to have a small utility space or a downstairs loo, this looks incredible.
• The hideaway: It makes a fantastic fabric choice for cupboard skirts (you know, the ones used to hide washing machines instead of a bulky door).

Let’s break down the choices and explore a few more while we’re in gingham land…

1. Statement beds

Posie & Penn offer pull-out beds in an array of gingham colours that act as a real statement piece.

While often seen in children’s rooms, there’s absolutely no reason why you couldn’t add one to a spare bedroom or office – it makes for a beautiful place to sit between Teams meetings.

Robyn over at @renovating_belgraveplace used the red version in her home, and it is nothing short of sensational.

2. Window dressings

When I was searching for navy window dressings for my landing, I knew I wanted a gingham Roman blind. I already had a striped curtain downstairs, and I wanted them to work together in terms of colour but offer a point of difference in pattern while staying in the same design family.

This was my first foray into gingham, and it went so well that I’ve already added gingham curtains to our spare bedroom. I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. When it works, it works!

If you’re having bespoke curtains or blinds made, consider adding a gingham lining to the back. It’s an elevated, unexpected finish that will instantly make you smile when you look up at your windows as you arrive home of an evening.

3. Walls and floors

I am a massive fan of a statement wall, and gingham is a brilliant choice. Whether you opt for wallpaper (check out the affordable options from Dunelm) or tiles laid in a gingham/plaid format, you really can’t go wrong.

Because gingham is a classic, it’s unlikely to date, but it still adds an unexpected, chic element to a room. There's also no reason why you couldn’t bring this pattern down to the floors, too. The possibilities are endless.

4. Cushions, lamps, and accessories

If in doubt, a little gingham will always save the day. We recently added a pair of gingham cushions with contrast piping to our office.

Because the wallpaper we used is quite bold and geometric, the gingham works better than a stripe (as it contrasts nicely with the zigzag lines of the wallpaper) while ensuring future cushion swaps stay in harmony.

I also have a lampshade made in a large-scale yellow gingham and desperately want to add more to the house. Next up, I’m thinking of switching out some living room cushions – I just can't get enough. Gingham galore!

5. Bedding and table linens

The most effortless and obvious way to embrace the trend is through bedding and tablecloths. You can’t go far wrong with Piglet in Bed or Secret Linen Store for both as their quality is top notch – the Saffron Gilbert Gingham from Secret Linen Store has caught my gingham-loving eye recently.

Why not mix and match different colour ginghams like Kirsty @stayinginstudio – how good does her layered bedding look?

For a more budget-friendly option, H&M Home is my absolute go-to for large-scale gingham tablecloths. I have a yellow version that is one of my all-time favourites, and it cost about the same as a Friday night takeaway!

6. Sink skirts

I think I need to do a whole separate post on my love for sink skirting, because it’s such a good way of adding pattern and texture to an unexpected place like a bathroom. Gingham and stripes reign supreme here – just a quick scroll through Pinterest will present you with a whole selection of gingham sink skirts that are an absolute treat for the eyes.

I absolutely adore this image by @kitandco_ as the sink skirt adds a touch of whimsy and charm. 10/10 for styling too. No notes.

Bathrooms, kitchens, utilities, you name it, add a sink skirt and it’ll instantly cosy up the space. (The same rules apply to bed skirts and valances, too!)

So, to wrap up my case for the defence: if you’re looking to inject some timeless, affordable charm into your home, gingham is the answer.

But in the spirit of telling the whole truth, I have to warn you – once you let one little checked cushion or Roman blind through the door, it’s a slippery slope to total gingham takeover. Don't say I didn't warn you!

I rest my case, Your Honour!

Strategist and content creator Francesca Swan is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on the concept of 'Everything' and what makes a home special to you. See the rest of her articles here.

It was 11pm one random Tuesday, when something truly magical happened to me.

I was sitting in our newly completed kitchen after an impromptu few hours of styling faffery. Funny to think that one evening was all it took to finally complete a room, which had been eighteen very painful months in the making.

Suddenly, a sense of total belonging, contentment and joy submerged me. A true breathtaking Everything moment that will stay with me forever.

The realization that I’ve never lived anywhere that feels so completely like home as this apartment.

After eighteen months of living with a temporary kitchen in amongst the chaos and dust of the build, it hit me that I was now standing in a finished room that simply hadn’t existed before, with a fully working kitchen, no less.

It makes sense that the metamorphosis of our house finally transforming into our home happened in the kitchen. After all, it’s the heart of the apartment, serving many purposes – ones you become very aware of after washing dishes in the bath and eating dinner in bed. Not to mention, one of the biggest investments in our quest for the perfect home.

Yet it wasn’t simply that it felt beautiful and practical. More so, that the new build extension now truly belonged to our original Victorian apartment. A natural continuation of our home, opening into the garden and connecting the summerhouse beyond.

The reclaimed French doors leading to the garden share the same period features as the original living room windows. The Bavarian oak chevron floor, the marble glowing with kaleidoscopic beauty, the bronze radiators and hardware – all mirror the accents and natural threads already established throughout the main apartment.

For the first time, I wasn’t looking at a room imagining what it might become. I was simply enjoying where I was and marvelling at just how much space we finally had after months of surviving in one room.

In that moment I realized we weren’t just finishing a renovation. We were finally living in our home.

Strangely, that feeling took a few weeks to land. I had been imagining a big cinematic reveal when the kitchen was completed with the marble – tears, triumph, angels descending over the Rosso Levanto, trumpeting and singing to the skies. Instead, it was a rather flat “right, well that’s done then. What’s next?”

Looking back, I think that’s because exhaustion often arrives before celebration. For me at least, emotional connection and joy only really settle once I stop trying to create the perfect room and simply start living in it.

Finally, being able to enjoy and appreciate the achievement and significance of the finished kitchen also reminded me of something much more practical: kitchens are won or lost long before you choose the worktops, cabinet colours or taps. The important work happens in the planning.

The decisions that really matter

There’s no getting around it – for many of us, myself included, kitchen planning and design can be very overwhelming. So much to consider, so much choice, so many opportunities to get it wrong.

Thankfully on my second renovation and kitchen design, I had a little knowledge under my belt, although still a tad wobbly with confidence. However, I knew enough to do three things immediately.

First and foremost, looking objectively at our space and thinking about the nuts and bolts of our we live and what the space needed to do to work for us.

What appliances and storage do we absolutely need? What would intuitive organization look like? What did we hate and love about our last kitchen? Which cupboards will we open twenty times a day? What do we own now, what might we own later and where will it all go?

Next up, let my Everything instinct guide me to a design starting point that would anchor the scheme and hold the room together: the marble.

Starting here made everything else easier to figure out. The investment in the stone naturally led us towards a high-low mix – off-the-shelf cabinets, bespoke doors and colours chosen to work with the marble rather than compete with it.

Last but definitely not least, find a brilliant kitchen designer

A favourite motto of mine “You don’t know what you don’t know”, is a timely reminder that experts exist for a reason. Time spent with a good kitchen designer is never wasted. Kitchens are complex spaces, packed with decisions you don’t know you need to make until somebody asks the question.

One of our best decisions was allowing the designer to challenge our assumptions and solve problems we had not spotted, with solutions we didn’t know existed.

As is so often the way, beauty came at the cost of practicality. The marble counter and splashback meant no overhead cupboards, an integrated extractor hob sacrificed even more cabinet space to house it, and no plug points.

How then to create enough storage for what we needed?

Thank the kitchen angels for the full height double wall of pantry doors running into my office which solved all our storage problems.

Not forgetting the appliance garage; pocket doors opening from the end of the pantry hiding our appliances, which effortlessly slide out to the counter, with the marble running seamlessly into the cabinet as a naturally intuitive part of the kitchen.

A Quooker tap also removed the need for a kettle, streamlining the kitchen even further.

There is no clutter, no parade of plug sockets and appliances fighting for attention: just the marble. Those practical decisions are not especially glamorous, but they are the ones that quietly improve your life the most. The same goes for appliances.

Appliance research is not something I enjoy and there is a lot out there. We worked with the kitchen designer first to understand the options and create a shortlist, from which I used AI to investigate and score the final choices.

It is also worth remembering that many kitchen suppliers will price match. We made brilliant, much needed savings by narrowing down our choices, building a comparison spreadsheet, doing proper price searches and then taking the lowest prices back to our supplier.

I am very pleased, and hugely relieved, that it has worked out brilliantly. The kitchen is simple and intuitive to use and makes the best possible use of the space.

Choosing colour with confidence

My Everything marble was always the star of the show, and the rich variety of veining in the Antico Carrara and Rosso Levanto provided much scope for inspiration.

This was both wonderful and challenging in equal measures. So much beauty means so much choice. Not always helpful.

Add to that, the light in the room is complicated. With two huge rooflights, clerestory windows and French doors, with a south-west orientation – when the sun is out, it is really OUT. Colours shift dramatically, not just throughout the day but also through the seasons.

I locked our cabinet colour in early, matched closely to subtly accent and highlight the character of the Rosso and Antico.

The wall colour, I confess, is still a work in progress – less said on that particular conundrum the better. Needless to say, take your time with paint sampling, and if in doubt, get the experts in.

Styling with meaning

Once the cabinets and marble were finished, the fun could finally begin. Or at least, it should have.

Instead, I found myself overthinking every single detail. I had built the marble up into such a sacred design deity that everything around it needed to be equally incredible and worthy. Nothing like some self imposed pressure to inspire creativity.

Eventually, I gave myself a metaphorical shake, took myself back to my moodboard and stopped trying to style a perfect kitchen and instead styled our kitchen.

I always use my Everything instinct as a lifeline when I lose my way creatively. When you know and believe in the things you genuinely love, collect and curate them with meaning and consideration, you will always create spaces that you feel intuitively connected to.

Natural materials sit at the heart of my design language, so the marble was a north star that drove the kitchen from the very first moodboard.

It worked. The polished Rosso Levanto highlights its extraordinary range of coloured veins, while the honed Antico Carrara brings a warm, soft contrast. Together they show two very different sides of stone: organic and timeless, but also bold and unexpected.

From there, every piece became another conversation with the marble.

Bronze and aged brass form another material thread throughout the apartment and continue here; from the cast-iron radiators to the hardware. These are subtle connections, but they help the new extension flow cohesively with the whole apartment.

I am instinctive with styling details and if something begins to feel too matchy-matchy or tied to one particular style or era, that’s my cue to go in the opposite direction.

Not conflict. Just enough tension to keep my eye moving.

In the best possible sense, I do not want the room to feel coordinated. I want interesting and unexpected conversations between objects that make me stop, think and feel. My magpie eye for these pieces is well trained, but also slightly irrational with often inconvenient timing.

My endearing love for a mismatched chair

I have a habit of buying expensive one-off chairs when we have zero budget, inevitably leading to awkward conversations with my understandably irate other half.

The age-old trick of hiding new clothes at the back of the wardrobe before wearing them with a nonchalant, “I’ve had it for years”, unfortunately, does not work with chairs. Nevertheless, I managed to style it out. Literally in this case…

My beloved vintage Brutalist-inspired metal chairs bring sensual, sculptural curves. The graphic Art Deco-style metal chair sat on my wishlist for two years before being reduced to clear, at which point I obviously snapped it up.

The set is completed by a pair of elegant wicker chairs from a sublimely stylish Parisian apartment I spotted in “Call My Agent!” I screen-grabbed them, launched an enthusiastic detective mission and eventually tracked down a realistically priced copy.

None of the chairs match. Which is entirely the point.

Each has its own thoughtful form, texture, personality and history, yet share gentle bronzed and softly golden tones. Every piece exists beautifully in its own right, while still working as part of a harmonious whole.

A room that tells a story

That gentle tension is something I seek to create everywhere in our home.

The black kitchen table is soon be replaced by my live-edge oak office desk, cut down and painted a beautiful statement colour to provide contrast against the marble.

Every piece of art has meaning and tells our story.

There is the framed Hockney print from an exhibition we went to years ago. My beloved limited Geoff MacCormack David Bowie print the other half surprised me with one Christmas. The framed Yves Saint Laurent postcards from Le Jardin Majorelle, bringing another accent of colour and memory of a special trip.

The softly curved opaque glass vase bought for me by my mum to bring some much-needed style to my first student flat.

Alongside those are newer pieces – I adore Serax for beautifully considered accents. A contrasting teal, almost Dalí-esque vase that introduces a sharper, graphic form that plays against the curved lines of the chairs and the graphic metalwork of the Art Deco chair.

Two delicate green tinged glasses subtly catch the light, drawing out the green veins of the Rosso. A black wire fruit bowl adds an unexpected moment of industrial rawness against the softness of the marble.

There are extravagant faux flowers, because I have Elton John tendencies towards flowers without Elton John’s budget.

Lots of shape, colour, material, light, texture. Pieces speak to each other without feeling married to each other.

It won’t be for everyone, but that should be the point of what we create in our homes. It should be unique and just for us.

A kitchen that made our house feel like a home

The kitchen taught me far more than I expected. Start with one Everything decision, instead of fifty random ones. If in doubt, lead with natural materials and their extraordinary emotional power and beauty. Never forget the value of brilliant designers and craftspeople. Most importantly, trust your intuition. More often than not, it already knows the answer.

The “finished” kitchen is not perfect. But no room or home ever is. There is still snagging to complete. The wall colour needs sorting. The table is a work in progress, as is the art.

But those unfinished edges don’t feel like failure, rather the realities of life and wonderful opportunities for more creativity and invention.

I’ve let go of the triumphant reveal with perfect styling and instead am embracing the prospect of it slowly organically coming to life, as I find fun in the details and trust my vision.

The anticlimax has lifted and the joy returned.

Even in it’s ever evolving state, I can still see beauty and meaning everywhere, not because every piece is expensive – far from it – but because every decision means something.

I finally feel I’ve come home.

This is where we are meant to be forever. The dust and chaos has lifted to slowly reveal something special and deeply personal. I feel proud and grateful for what we have achieved, survived and learnt.

For me, that is what an Everything home means. Not a perfectly designed home. A deeply personal one.

Home decorator Ammarah Hasham is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts infusing her rental house with plenty of personality. See the rest of her articles here.

A couple of weeks ago, I shared a simple DIY using cork board stick-on tiles to create a giant pin board.…and it kind of went viral, racking up nearly one million views. (Gulp).

OK, watching those numbers climb was surprisingly exciting. But what stood out even more were the conversations that followed.

Many of you wanted to know where I'd bought the cork tiles, but one question appeared again and again. ‘How are you going to remove it?’

Some wondered if it would damage the walls. Others admitted they’d never even considered trying something similar because, as renters, the walls can feel almost untouchable. If you are reading this and nodding along, join the party…

Every renter knows that little voice asking, “Will I lose my deposit if I try this?’’. Being a renter sometimes feels like a battle between the home you want and the home you are allowed to have. Whenever I find myself caught in that tug of war before starting a project, I usually consult two people: my inner DIY enthusiast and my inner deposit custodian. Here’s what they have to say.

1. Photograph everything before you start

I have talked about this strategy here because it literally takes a few minutes but can save hours of stress later on. Before making any changes, I photograph every room from every angle paying particular attention to existing marks, paint chips, damages, fixtures, and anything else that seems noteworthy.

Those photos provide visual proof of how the property was received and come in handy when I am trying to put the rooms back together. Having photo proof is also helpful if there’s ever a disagreement about damage that existed before the tenancy.

2. Think backwards before you think forwards

Let’s call it my Reversibility Rule. Every project should have an exit plan.

Before I stick, drill or paint anything, I ask myself a couple of questions: Can I put this room back as I found it? If I had to move out in two months, can I undo everything without panicking? If the answer is yes, I carry on.

Decorating isn’t usually the problem. Permanent changes in temporary homes are. I’ve transformed almost every home I’ve rented and, if I am honest, putting it all back together has always felt a little daunting. But it has never stopped me creating a home I love. The joy of living in a space that feels like mine has always outweighed the inconvenience of restoring it later.

3. Look after everything you remove

This is the step so many renters overlook. When you’re caught up in a DIY project, it’s easy to chuck the old drawer handles into a random box and tell yourself you’ll remember where you put them. Spoiler: you probably won’t.

Keep every tiny screw, cupboard handle, light fixture, curtain pole and curtain hooks somewhere safe (unless you’ve agreed otherwise with your landlord). Yes, even the ugly ones. Especially the ugly ones.

I keep everything together in labelled boxes because you’d be surprised how easy it is to forget where you’ve put something after living in a home for several years. Admittedly, I have the memory of Dory, so labelled boxes have saved me more than once. No one wants any unnecessary expense that’s easy to avoid by being a little organised.

4. Always do a patch test

Just because something is labelled renter-friendly doesn’t mean it’ll suit every rental. I’ve completed more than fifteen reversible DIY projects in this house alone, and one thing I’ve learnt is that every property behaves differently. The same adhesive that comes away easily in one home can take chunks of paint with it in another.

That’s why I always do a patch test before I commit to any makeover. I apply a small piece of the product somewhere discreet and leave it there for a few days. If it comes away easily, I carry on. If it doesn’t, at least the damage is limited to a small area. Social media is brimming with inspiration but please, please, please do your own research to avoid any disappointment.

5. Keep a can of paint handy

This might be the least exciting tip, but a useful one nonetheless. Always keep a small can of the paint handy in the colour used in your rented home. Most rented homes use fairly standard shades, so matching it is usually straightforward.

Since the walls in my home are painted magnolia, I keep a small tester of Dulux Magnolia for touching up marks, scuffs, and tiny chips. It is invaluable for fixing the occasional DIY mishap as well. You’d be amazed what a ten-minute touch-up can do when it comes to protecting your deposit.

I know one day I’ll hand these keys back. But when I do, I’ll be proud that I cared for this home without sacrificing the joy of making it my own.

Home decorator Lara Winter is one of Ideal Home's Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on revamping a 200 year old cottage to make it right for modern family life. See the rest of her articles here.

For years, I had a cupboard full of "special" things.

A handmade mug I'd bought from a local ceramicist. A beautiful candle that smelt almost too nice to light. A fancy home fragrance I was saving for... well, I never really knew what. I'd tell myself I'd use them when people came over, or when we had friends round for dinner, or when there was something worth celebrating.

Instead, I'd make my morning tea in an ordinary mug, leave the expensive candle untouched and spray the cheaper room fragrance. Months would pass before I'd open the cupboard again. The candle? covered in dust. The home fragrance? Lost most of its scent without ever really being enjoyed.

One day I looked at it all and thought: This is ridiculous! Who exactly am I waiting for?

These days, if I buy a beautiful mug, I use it every morning. If I find a candle I love, I'll happily light it while I'm folding laundry, making dinner or sitting on the sofa watching TV on a completely average Tuesday evening.

In fact, I almost enjoy it more when nobody else is around because it reminds me that my home isn't just there to impress visitors. It's there to make everyday life feel a little bit nicer.

The funny thing is, I'm really not someone who spends lots of money on handbags or shoes. I couldn't tell you what's fashionable this season and I rarely buy clothes unless I genuinely need something. Home has always been my thing. That's where I choose to treat myself because that's where I spend most of my time. I also realised I was doing the same thing with crockery.

Growing up, lots of us had "good" plates and "everyday" plates. My grandparents definitely did. The nice glasses only came out when guests visited. The pretty serving dishes stayed tucked away in the cupboard for Christmas.

I decided that doesn’t make sense for us in the slightest. So now I don't own boring plates, or plain glasses. If I buy something because I love it, I want to use it. Every single day.

Of course, that means things occasionally get chipped or broken. We've lost more than a few glasses over the years and one of my favourite handmade mugs didn't survive an unfortunate meeting with the kitchen floor. Was I disappointed? Absolutely. But I'd still rather enjoy those things every day than have them sitting untouched in a cupboard for years because I was too worried something might happen to them.

The same goes for bedding. If there's one thing I've become surprisingly passionate about, it's making our bed as comfortable as possible. Soft cotton sheets, breathable duvets, linen in the summer and a silk pillowcase have become little luxuries I genuinely look forward to every evening.

We spend roughly a third of our lives in bed, so I've stopped seeing good bedding as an indulgence. It's something we get to enjoy every single day, and that feels like money well spent.

Looking back, I think I used to believe I had to earn nice things. That beautiful mugs were for guests, candles were for special occasions and luxurious bedding belonged to some future version of me who had everything figured out.

But life has a funny way of reminding us that special occasions aren't always the big ones we imagine. Sometimes they're just a quiet cup of tea before everyone else wakes up, reading a book while the rain taps against the windows or sitting down for dinner with my family after a busy day. Those ordinary moments make up most of our lives.

So why shouldn't they happen with the mug you love most? Or the candle you've been saving? Or the plates that make you smile every time you set the table? Our homes shouldn't feel their best only when other people walk through the door. The people who deserve to enjoy them most are the ones who live in them every day.

And if that means I burn through candles a little faster or need to replace the odd mug now and then, I think that's a price worth paying. I'd much rather have a home filled with things that are well loved than one filled with things that have simply been well preserved.

Committed home renovators David and Andrew Harrison-Colley (better known on Instagram as The Home Boys) are part of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing their thoughts on making a home together and living through the tricky parts. See the rest of their articles here.

A few articles back, when we first stepped outside to tackle the garden, we made a promise: to show you “the new face of the cottage now that the front has been re-rendered and the porch is in”. That was the piece that kicked off this whole outdoor chapter – the bricks, the wall, the patio, and now, finally, this. The front is in, and it feels like exactly the right project to close out the run.

Matching old and new, on purpose

The render is on the original part of the cottage only – a traditional, textured stone finish. We chose it quite deliberately to match the render on the cottage next door, which we also own and run as a holiday let. The two houses have always felt like siblings to us, and we wanted the front of ours to keep reading that way from the lane.

The new extension is a different material altogether: brick, not render. So tying the two together was never going to come from a shared finish – it had to come from matching what was already there below the render line instead. More on that shortly.

The paint that fought back

For the colour, we went with Valspar Premium Masonry in a soft, pale sage called Afternoon Nap – warm without tipping into green, and gentle enough to sit happily against the red brick. It’s a proper exterior-grade masonry paint: breathable, weather-resistant, and designed to shrug off UV and rain rather than crack or peel with age.

What we hadn’t bargained for was just how much a new stone-finish render drinks paint. The texture that gives the wall its lovely tactile finish also means every little crevice wants filling, and a standard roller just skates over the top of it. We ended up working it in by hand with a thick-pile brush, going right into every dip and pit, and even then it took three full coats to get proper, even coverage – not the one-and-done job we’d optimistically pencilled in for a weekend.

A garden arch doing a porch’s job

The porch is a Grange Valencia garden arch – which is to say, not strictly a porch at all. It’s sold as a garden arch, the kind of thing you’d expect to see wrapped in roses halfway down a path. We liked its proportions and its lattice sides enough to put it to work over the front door instead, and it’s done the job beautifully.

We painted it in a Valspar exterior garden paint in cream, matched carefully to the UPVC wood-grain cottage windows we had installed a couple of years back, so the new structure reads as though it’s always belonged rather than arriving last month. It’s a good reminder that the right piece doesn’t always come from the aisle you’d expect.

Where the old workshop used to stand

The new brick extension sits on the exact footprint of the old carpenter’s workshop we demolished right at the start of all this. Rather than let it read as an obviously new addition, we matched the brick colour to the existing brickwork visible below the render on the old cottage, and had it laid in the same Garden Wall Bond pattern as the original house.

Cottage-style windows and the same red pantile roof finish it off, so from the lane, the join between the old render and brand-new brick all but disappears.

It’s the same principle we’ve applied indoors from day one – old and new sitting together comfortably rather than competing – just written this time in brick and render instead of paint and vintage furniture.

If you’re matching old and new exteriors

• Look next door before you look at a colour chart. Matching a neighbouring or original finish does more for kerb appeal than any single paint colour will.
• Budget extra coats for textured render. A stone or pebbledash finish can drink far more paint than a smooth wall - plan for three coats, not one or two.
• Use a thick-pile brush for texture. A roller will skim the high points and miss the gaps. Working paint in by hand takes longer but gets full coverage.
• Don’t assume “porch” means the porch aisle. A garden arch, painted and positioned right, can do the job for a fraction of a bespoke joinery price.
• Match brick bond and colour, not just the bricks. The pattern the bricks are laid in matters just as much as their colour for a seamless join between old and new.

What’s still waiting (until after the summer)

We’d love to tell you the front is entirely finished, but you already know us better than that. The picket fence still needs repairing and repainting in a few places where it’s taken a battering. The lawn, which took the brunt of two years of building traffic, has given up being a lawn and is now mostly weeds with ambition. We’ve also got the boundary with next door’s fence to sort out, and – thanks to Suffolk’s new recycling rules that landed in June – we’re now the proud owners of four large bins and a food waste caddy that all need somewhere to hide.

All of it is on the list. None of it is happening until the summer’s AirBnB bookings ease off, because the front garden being a building site is one thing, but disrupting guests staying next door is quite another. So for now, we’re allowing ourselves to enjoy the render, the porch and the new brickwork exactly as they are – weeds, wonky fence and four wheelie bins included.

A year into writing this column, that feels about right. Not finished. Just further along, and glad you’ve been reading as we got here.

Screen printer Hannah Carvell is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on colourful home design for a creative family to live in. See the rest of her articles here.

When two content creators came to photograph our Somerset cottage, I spent days worrying they'd notice every unfinished project and wonky corner. Instead, they reminded me why we fell in love with this house in the first place.

If someone tells me they're coming to photograph my house, my first instinct isn't excitement. It's panic. I immediately become aware of every unfinished job that's been happily blending into the background for months. The hallway still needs painting. The skirting boards could do with a wipe the dogs have scratched the paintwork on the door. Why do I let a menagerie of animals sleep and do parkor off the living room sofas.

As someone who runs a creative screen printing business from home, I'm no stranger to styling a corner for a photograph. I spend hours screen printing homewares, photographing new collections and sharing little glimpses of our cottage online. But that's the thing about social media you choose what people see.

A few weeks ago, I was asked if two lovely content creators could use our home for a lifestyle shoot for a renovation brand they were working with. My immediate response was, "Are you sure you've got the right house?".

In my head, I could think of a hundred homes that felt more worthy. Houses with beautifully renovated kitchens, immaculate utility rooms and not a muddy paw print in sight. Ours is still a work in progress and I told them this before they even arrived.

It has wonky walls, decorating projects waiting for "one free weekend and some spare cash", and enough animals wandering around to make styling a room an unpredictable experience.

There is almost always a dog asleep in the middle of the floor, and if the back door is open for more than thirty seconds, there's every chance one of the chickens will decide to pop in and see what's happening.

Despite every instinct telling me to politely decline, I said yes, and I'm so glad I did. Watching someone else move through your home with a camera is a surprisingly emotional experience.

As we sat chatting in the garden afterwards about why we'd chosen this house, I realised I'd spent the whole experience seeing it through someone else's eyes.

They weren't looking at the things I'd been worrying about. Instead, they noticed the morning light pouring through the kitchen windows. They rearranged a vase of garden flowers I'd picked without thinking much about them. They commented on the old beams, the character of the cottage and how peaceful it felt.

At one point they stopped to photograph a corner I'd walked past hundreds of times without really seeing.

It made me realise how easily we become blind to the homes we live in every day. We stop noticing the things we once fell in love with because we're too busy seeing the list of jobs still waiting to be done.

Living in a house while raising children, running a business and juggling everyday life means it's never really "finished". There are always ideas saved in Instagram, paint charts tucked in drawers and always another project waiting for the school holidays.

For the longest time, I thought I'd finally relax once everything was complete. The trouble is, I don't think homes ever are. Perhaps that's exactly as it should be.

I do chase perfection. I'm trying really hard to accept that it doesn't exist. If I stop and really look at life in our little Somerset cottage, tight budgets, muddy floors and chaos included, it's probably as close as I've ever come to the life I used to dream about.

Running my screen-printing business has taught me to look for beauty in everyday moments. So much of my work is inspired by simple things: wildflowers growing along a country lane, the colours of the Somerset landscape or the changing seasons outside my studio window (I did a whole serious of prints around the pink cloud and sky I love living here) , wisteria season I will always reach for the Lilac inks.

It's funny that I find it so easy to spot those details out in the world, yet sometimes struggle to see them in my own home. That day reminded me to slow down.

To notice the afternoon light across the old (and scratched) wooden floors. The wild flowers picked that morning from the garden sitting in a favourite jug. The stack of well-loved books beside the sofa. The very excited dogs running from room to room. The evidence of a home that's being properly lived in.

As the photographs started appearing on their cameras, I found myself looking at our cottage through fresh eyes. Instead of seeing all the things that weren't finished, I saw warmth. I saw personality. I saw the home we'd slowly built over the past few years after taking a leap of faith and moving our family to Somerset.

It wasn't perfect. But then, it never was supposed to be. I think we're all guilty of apologising for our homes before anyone even walks through the front door.

"Please excuse the mess."

"We're halfway through decorating."

"It normally doesn't look like this. (in fact its normally messier, we tidied up before you got here)"

The truth is, the people who visit us rarely notice the things we're apologising for. They're too busy noticing the smell of coffee brewing, the fresh flowers on the table, the dogs wagging their tails or the way the sun streams through the windows.

Maybe we're the only ones keeping score, I am no stranger to drooling over other peoples beautifully decorated homes on instagram, longing to buy tiles or change the scratched up wood floors in our living room.

The photoshoot lasted just one afternoon, but it left me with something I hadn't expected. A renewed appreciation for the home we'd created. Not because it suddenly looked perfect, but because someone else had helped me see that it never needed to be.

Sometimes all it takes is a fresh pair of eyes to remind you that home isn't about flawless interiors or finishing every project on the list. It's about the life that's quietly unfolding inside those four walls.

These days, whenever I catch myself focusing on the jobs still left to do, I shall try and remember that afternoon, someone else's camera lingering on the things I'd stopped noticing. Maybe that's the secret to loving our homes. Not making them perfect, but learning to see them with fresh eyes every now and then.

Content creator Lucy Kalice is one of Ideal Home's Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on cleaning, home decor and making the most of small spaces. See the rest of her articles here.

Interior designer Natalie Jahangiry is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on decorating a home to suit a busy family life while sticking to your aesthetic values, too. See the rest of her articles here.

Can I tell you a secret? Until recently, we didn't own any rugs. Coming from a half-Persian household, this is quite a shocking admission as rugs are almost built into the core of our culture. And it's not because I don't love them, I absolutely do, it's more that our girls (6 and 4) are notorious mess pots and our house is very much a lived-in family home.

Spillages and little 'oops' moments are never-ending. Painting, crafts, slime (gosh… all the slime!!) are everyday occurrences, and alongside the girls we also have two elderly cats. So you can imagine the accumulation of floor mess that comes with our family life. The thought of investing in a beautiful rug only to spend my life panicking about what might be dropped on it wasn’t really an option for me, until now.

Then came Ruggable, a brand we actually use regularly for our interior design clients. Their rugs are washable (winning!), water-resistant and non-slip, which makes them a pretty safe pair of hands for busy family homes like ours. Suddenly, having beautiful rugs around kids, cats and all the inevitable mess didn't feel quite so daunting!

As I've been working my way through our latest round of renovations, (which started with the kitchen and somehow had a knock-on effect on the rest of the house!) I decided it was time to give our floors a little more love too.

I've spent so much time thinking about walls, ceilings, furniture and lighting, yet the floor is one of the largest visual areas in a room, so why shouldn't it get the same attention? And so began my journey into becoming a rug person, family chaos and all.

In the office – treating the floor like artwork

Our home office has beautiful hardwood floors, but the room was crying out for some extra texture. It's a very practical space… a haven for tester paint pots, fabric samples and all the usual creative chaos. I decorated it last year (and still absolutely love it), but I felt the floor needed a little more attention. I wanted something that would complement the existing scheme rather than fight against it, which is when I spotted the Ruggable x Jungalow collection and the little light bulb in my head pinged.

Created with artist and designer Justina Blakeney, the powerhouse behind Jungalow, the collection immediately caught my attention. Colourful and expressive, the rugs feel almost like artwork for the floor, with warm earthy tones, pinks, terracottas and reds, so you can imagine how I was instantly sold.

I chose the Cadra Warm Brown Rug and it fits so perfectly, it's almost as though our office was designed around it. The room was already colourful, but adding a pattern to the floor has brought another dimension, pulling the existing colours together and making the whole space feel warmer and more layered.

I shared a few snaps of the rug on my Instagram and immediately had messages from friends and followers, asking where it was from. But the real test has been family life. I don't have to panic every time the girls arrive with a box of craft supplies and tip the entire contents onto the floor, felt tips and all. Knowing the rug can be washed means I'm much more relaxed about actually living with it, which, for me, is the whole point.

In the bedroom – a little nod to my Persian heritage

In my recent bedroom renovation articles, I talked about taking inspiration from Margate House and borrowing some of the decorating ideas I'd seen without simply copying the look, which included the floor. The hotel uses a mixture of different floor coverings, but I was particularly drawn to the rugs and the way they helped anchor each space. It reminded me that sometimes a room can have all the right individual ingredients, but still need something to visually tie everything together.

For our bedroom, I was naturally drawn towards a more traditional, Persian-inspired design, so I went for the Adeline Antique Red Flatwoven Rug. It adds a subtle pattern without overwhelming the room, picking up on the inviting warm colours I had already used throughout the scheme.

There's also something quite personal about it for me, bringing in a design that gives a subtle nod to my Iranian heritage makes the room feel more like ours rather than simply a collection of beautiful Pinterest-worthy things.

That's something I've become much more conscious of when decorating our home more recently. Your home should be a reflection of your personality and the pieces that mean something to you… whether that's artwork, something you've inherited, a vintage find or even a pattern that reminds you of your heritage, it’s usually these things that give a room its true identity.

In the kitchen – the place I never thought I'd put a rug

Now this was a first for me… I have never had a rug in the kitchen. In fact, I don't think I'd ever even considered putting one in a kitchen before! However, when we renovated the space, the existing floor tiles were one of the only things we didn't change.

They're practical and perfectly fine, but visually I felt the floor needed another texture to soften all the hard surfaces. So I added a runner along the most functional run of the kitchen.

Rather than introducing another bold pattern, I went for a sisal-look weave with the Haven Natural Performance Weave Rug, which brings in warmth and texture without competing with the rest of the kitchen design. It's a relatively small addition, but it has made the floor feel much more connected to the rest of the scheme.

On reflection, although I haven’t had a rug in the kitchen before I now think runners are a particularly clever addition, helping visually break up a long run of cabinetry and make what is ultimately a very practical space feel softer and more homely.

Would I have put a precious, high-maintenance, expensive rug next to an area where we're cooking, eating and inevitably dropping things? Absolutely not. But knowing I can stick it in the wash has completely changed how I think about using rugs in harder working spaces.

So, am I officially a rug convert?

It appears so! For years I'd convinced myself rugs simply weren't practical for our family in particular, when really I just hadn't found ones that worked with the way we live.

The perfect rug can soften hard surfaces, pull colours together and add another layer of personality to a room. But my biggest takeaway is that you shouldn't have to choose between a home that looks beautiful and one you can actually live in.

The right pieces should work around your family life, not the other way around. And after years of bare floors, I think it's safe to say rugs are very much here to stay… I might even add a few further additions into the mix, you never know!

Home decorator and content creator Leah Hodson is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on overhauling a home with clever DIY and decorating tricks. See the rest of her articles here.

We’ve spent the last 6 months renovating our house – at this point it feels like a full house overhaul! The reality is that it started off as a small extension, morphed into garage conversion before then adding a loft conversion.

I never thought I’d say this, but I’m so happy to be cooking again! I love meal time with my family but the cooking part...not so much! However, after 6 months of creative cooking, using a combination of a camping stove, microwave and airfryer – I’m so happy to be cooking properly again!

The kitchen before

Let's take it all back to the start. I inherited a tight galley kitchen and the layout just didn’t work!

The stove was in the corner and the fridge was right behind it, with the side door in-between where we took all our rubbish out. Not ideal at all to be cooking, especially with my husband trying to break down the recycling as well! The sink was in an awkward position too, being off center from the large 1960s window.

The upside, however, was how much storage there was in the kitchen! It was functional, but it wasn’t the room I wanted to be in other than to cook.

The kitchen after

During our renovation, I knew I wanted to knock down the wall between the kitchen and the dining room.

I’m not a big fan of a massive open plan kitchen/dining room/living room, but a must for me is to be able to eat in the kitchen. Therefore, I opted for an open plan kitchen and dining room instead. This drastically reduced the amount of storage that I had in the kitchen. I went for Smile Kitchen’s Jenson Range in Clay and this meant more storage compared to an inframe style.

A kitchen is such a costly expense and so many problems can happen along the way - we experienced our fair share with delivery delays and damages, however I'm happy with the end result.

Storage

One would think storage would have been lacking since we removed a whole wall of floor to ceiling units. However, when filling the cupboards, there was enough space for all my things!

It’s a small little addition but the spice rack on the side of my range cooker is my favourite part – it stores all my spices neatly and out of the way.

I kept the wall units minimal, only choosing to have 2 wall cabinets instead of having them on every wall in the kitchen. They hold my growing collection of glassware in one and our daily essentials, like teas and coffees and snacks, in another.

But this doesn’t mean that I haven’t found storage elsewhere – cue the pantry and utility!

Lighting

I believe that the right lighting completes a room! In our kitchen, it's no exception with the lighting choices I have gone for.

For practical reasons, I’ve chosen downlights, a much needed change from our previous set up where I was squinting in winter while preparing dinners.

For ambient lighting, I have chosen Edit Iris Ceramic Ceiling Pendant Light from Lighting Direct flanking the sink. This makes the room more cosy and visually reduces the size of my large 1960s window.

The pendant lights complement the Wisteria Mabel Rattan 3 Light Bar Ceiling Pendant, also from Lighting Direct, my preferred choice for the dining room area that gives a cosy feel.

My little secret

Want to know my little secret for an amazing smelling kitchen? It’s the cleaning products that I use! Previously I shared that I love Bower Collective’s limescale remover, but in my kitchen I’m using their All Purpose Cleaner from their Bower Collective x Roald Dahl’s limited edition James and the Giant Peach range which smells divine – a fresh peach fragrance infused with natural essential oils.

When doing a renovation, it’s important to take a step back and look at how far you’ve come. From a kitchen that you never liked, to living in a dusty renovation and eventually creating the kitchen of your dreams.

It’s important to look back and see the progress, reminding yourself that the finished product is coming!

Amanda Jones is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on sustainable living and decorating a home in way that is good for the environment. See the rest of her articles here.

I’m writing this after spending a weekend amongst a group of young, female entrepreneurs. In a time where young adults are finding life financially quite difficult, I was impressed with their vision, and their determination to make their businesses work, and provide them with an income.

In my last article, I talked about my pledge to support small artists more, especially after seeing how hard my own daughter had to work, to establish her art business Art By Mia Jones. In this article, I want to expand on this idea, by discussing the benefits of supporting small businesses.

My whole adult life, I’ve tried to be an advocate for small, independent businesses. This probably stems from spending my childhood, growing up in my own parents’ ‘corner’ shop. I saw how hard they worked to keep the business going, especially after the first big corporate supermarket came into town. I also saw how integral they were to the local community, how they in turn, supported local independents suppliers. A chain of interconnection and mutual coexistence, that enhanced the whole community, and local commerce.

During my years on Instagram, I’ve tried to promote and advocate for small businesses, over large corporations with huge advertising budgets. I’ve had some brilliant, positive experiences when making purchases from them. My budget might be tight, but I always prioritise buying from smaller independent enterprises if I can, even if their prices may be a little higher, and I may need to save a little longer.

Through Instagram I’ve met some amazing small business owners, who I’ve built a rapport with, many of which I’ve been a loyal customer for years. Once I’ve found the right product and level of service, you have me as a customer for life. This week I’ve been reflecting on why I love smaller businesses so much, and why I prefer to spend my cash with them, over a large corporation.

The personal touch

I’ve found over the years the level of service I get is far, far superior to anything I get from a larger corporation. There’s a real human being on the end of a phone, or email, rather than an automated reply. Whether that is to find out more about a product, or to customise an order, the communication is always so much more effective, and less likely to make me feel frustrated and stressed. If there’s an issue, it’s dealt with quickly, by a real person.

I’m done with the logistical nightmare of trying to find a customer service number in a large corporation, increasingly there is none to find, it’s almost like they don’t want to communicate with us.

Personal service is much more important to me than any possible savings I might make, from a ‘click, next day delivery’ platform. With a small business, as their customer, you really are at the heart of what they do, and they truly appreciate your custom.

Expertise and knowledge

You are more likely to be buying from someone with a particular expertise. They will have an in-depth understanding of their products, therefore be able to advice and support you with your purchases. Whether that is the best moisturiser to put on your skin type, or the most durable fabric to use on your heavy-duty sofa.

These people know their business and know how best to advise you. Over the years I’ve saved so much time, energy and money by tapping into the expertise of small business owners.

Maintaining a greater choice and diversity

The more enterprises there are out there, the better it is for us as customers. Be that physical shops, or online ones, the more choice we have the better.

When one or two large corporations monopolise, customers can easily become less important than profit, and because there is so little competition out there, standards can slip.

We need to protect that diversity at all costs, and we can do that by syphoning more of our money away from the big players. We may think that having an online shop open 24/7 gives us much more choice, but the fact is, it has ultimately closed so many small businesses, lessening our choices.

Local is even better

If I can shop locally I will, although this is harder now with the demise of our high street. I will always support a small coffee shop over a chain for example. Local businesses not only employ local people, but they also keep cash circulating around the local community, just like my parents’ business did in the70s and 80s.

We’ve all heard reports of mega corporations avoiding taxes, small businesses don’t have the same power or loopholes, personally, I would prefer any spare cash I do have, going to them.

They are supporting their local community and services and should be rewarded for that.

Because they work so hard

Behind that small business is a person, or a small group of people working very, very hard.

They must be all things to everyone. Not only do they have to produce/source products, but they also have to manage the business, be accountant, understand legal requirements, advertising, customer service, packaging and postage.

If they sell online, they also must navigate the ever-elusive algorithm, it’s certainly no level playing field. It’s hard work and hats off to anyone embarking on this.

Obviously, these are my own opinions, based on my own experiences, but it is an area I feel particularly passionate about. As usual there are some exceptions to this, as a disabled person, who has mobility challenges, shopping online can be brilliant.

For those who are time poor, and looking for a convenient way to shop, I understand why you choose an easier option. There is a place for both, but I would like to see a more balance of power.

If by reading this, I’ve given you some food for thought, next time you want to make a purchase, pause. Don’t automatically click on that large ‘buy now, next day delivery’ sites you usually do. Is there a small business out there, with the product you require, that you could support? Do a little research.

You may have to wait a day or two longer for delivery, but you’ll also be keeping our shopping diversity alive, and that I believe, will benefit us all.

Home decorator and content creator Grace H is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on colourful home design, mixing vintage pieces with new and making personality-filled spaces. See the rest of her articles here.

I remember the day we finally got the keys like it was yesterday. Armed with a Pinterest board, boundless enthusiasm, and a very limited budget, I was so excited to get the house "finished" before I had even started. I romanticised the idea of lighting candles in a beautifully decorated room, waking up to a little bud vase full of flowers, and enjoying Sunday lie-ins in a home that was a true reflection of us.

Nearly five years on, people often consider it finished because of the carefully photographed angles on Instagram. And it is finished in a way, I guess. We’ve done all the big jobs, but I honestly believe that now is the fun part: adding layers, styling, and upgrading the items that just don’t fit my style anymore.

Lesson learned: do not be so impatient. I can hear my Grandad’s voice ringing in my ears: "Slow and steady wins the race..."

I often share before-and-after shots on my Instagram page. While I hope they offer insight and inspiration to others, I also selfishly share them for me – to document the process and remind ourselves of how far we have come. We worked incredibly hard (and I use the phrase "we" loosely here, as my other half doesn’t take a massive role unless it comes to the tech elements of our home!).

So, if you will indulge me, let’s take a walk down memory lane. Hopefully, it’ll help you take your foot off the pedal a touch so you can enjoy the process and avoid making a hasty mistake.

Don't rush

I’ve spoken about this in previous articles and wax lyrical about it on my page regularly, but it’s honestly so true. If you rush, you WILL make mistakes and compromise the overall design.

A room needs to evolve slowly so that layers and pieces are added organically. If you’re not careful, a space can easily end up looking over-designed, too matchy-matchy, or even a little soulless.

No regrets (well, maybe a few...)

While I’m not a fan of the concept of regret – I always think we learn something from our decor missteps, I have made some rash decisions that I’ve since had to rectify. (Industrial lighting choices, anyone?).

I’m not going to spend too long talking about what I wish we’d done differently, though. Instead, let’s focus on the joy of layering slowly.

Stop shopping!

Yes, I mean it. If you go on a massive shopping spree just to complete a room in one weekend, it will look too "done", too curated, or worse, like a showroom page.

Paint the room, buy the key pieces of furniture, and maybe grab one new cushion if you really want to push the boat out but leave it there.

To get that eclectic look (that I personally love), pieces need to feel a bit random or thrown together. I actually love interiors best when there are one or two elements in a room that don’t quite work on paper.

Let’s take a look at our living room through the years to break it down.

Phase 1: The blank canvas

This is where we started. A completely blank canvas, or fifty shades of no thank you.

Phase 2: April 2022 (5 months in)

Five months after getting the keys. The walls were painted, picture rails fitted, alcove cupboards built, and the mirror and mantelpiece added. The yellow sofa was brand new, but everything else came with us from our old London flat.

This is the perfect demonstration of a rug that floats in the room completely unanchored. I couldn’t be bothered to paint the ceiling either, which is why it remained brilliant white – a decision that future Grace would come to regret.

Phase 3: October 2023

The uPVC window frames were painted (see my previous article on how I did it) and the layers were slowly being added. Notice how a correctly sized rug makes a massive difference?

We added a vintage armchair, a striped side stool, window film to stop the snoopers, plants, and curtains (admittedly too drab, but it’s all a learning curve). Clearly, my love of stripes was starting to come into play.

This is the stage where my Mum assumed we’d stop. She was wrong. It was fine, but a little flat. I needed more texture and more pattern!

Phase 4: February 2025

The drab curtains went and the bespoke blinds arrived (in hindsight, I would have picked something a tad bolder and more fun, but we’re as I said, we’re constantly learning). My bespoke ottoman of dreams also arrived in a custom size – do you see how much better the scale is here compared to the old wooden coffee table?

Some artwork went up, rechargeable lights were added to the alcoves (a total gamechanger in winter), and most importantly, the ceiling was finally colour-drenched in the same shade as the walls.

The room was really starting to come together. But we could still do better...

Phase 5: The present day

Is it perfect? No. But it is clear to see that every single little change has added to the overall finish.

Today, there are pinks, yellows, reds, and greens. There are mismatched vases, large-scale artwork alongside small-scale pieces, a lovely, layered lighting plan, a freestanding stove, and trinkets and treasures that have been collected over time. (Top tip: always shop your own and move things from room to room to keep things fresh).

The moral of the story?

Grandad was right. It looks a little mismatched, and that’s exactly what I wanted. It feels so much cosier now with lighting that actually works for the space, furniture that is the right size, artwork that is the correct scale, and a rug that covers nearly the whole floor.

Do I wish the TV wasn't on show like you see in the glossy magazines? Sometimes. But watching TV is a massive part of our lives, and our homes need to be a reflection of the actual people living in them, not a tick-box exercise for the approval of others.

Let me know if you liked me breaking things down like this, and we can tackle another room next time!

Strategist and content creator Francesca Swan is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on the concept of 'Everything' and what makes a home special to you. See the rest of her articles here.

In the ongoing spirit of sharing the whole, unfiltered, unvarnished truth about our renovation experiences – the good, the bad and the downright ugly – please find for your entertainment, and possibly education, what I’ve pithily titled “The Curse of the Kitchen Marble”.

A word of caution. This is a bit of a horror story, but *spoiler alert* there is a happy ending.

I have news…After nine months of mind-bending stress, the kitchen is FINALLY finished and I’m very happy to report I love it beyond actual words.

We now have a beautiful Rosso Levanto marble counter with double bullnose edge, flowing into a two-thirds height splashback before finishing in Antico marble all the way to the ceiling, framing the window.

Of course, we also have cabinets and appliances and they’re great. But to be honest, I just see the marble. Which is the point.

We absolutely adore it. Now. For a long time, though, we genuinely thought the kitchen marble was cursed.

Of every bump and ruinously expensive pothole in the road of this renovation – and there’s a been a LOT – the marble has undoubtedly caused the most problems and delays. At times it was genuinely a bit scary, not to mention deeply stressful and very upsetting.

Several people, my other half and our lovely contractor included, questioned (more than once), whether it was really worth it? Shouldn’t we just choose something else?

Categorically not. Thank you. Next question.

I have a REAL thing for marble. It’s a true Everything material for me, never failing to stop me in my tracks and fill me with joy. I'd set my heart on flooding this kitchen with it from the very start and once I have an idea in my head, there is simply no talking me out of it.

Sure, I questioned my sanity more than once but never questioned the marble. Now it’s finished, I know it was the right decision.

But it came at a steep cost, in more ways than one.

Why a marble kitchen was always Everything to me

Beautiful kitchens don’t begin with cabinets. As with any room for me, they begin with one Everything decision: an emotional and creative anchor from which the design takes shape.

The marble.

Years earlier, I’d obsessed over a sublime double bullnose detail in a restaurant and locked it in my Everything inspiration box. This led to the idea of a double-depth worktop and dramatic full-height splashback, using two contrasting marbles.

My instinct was that an entire wall of natural stone would not only create a uniquely beautiful statement, but also soften the contemporary extension and connect it to the original period apartment beyond.

In theory, it would bring a sense of permanence and belonging, as if it had been there forever.

All that remained was to choose the marble…easier than it sounds.

The complex conundrum of choosing the marble

Initially, we knew very little about marble, however this was a big investment, so we wanted to take our time to learn and explore all the options.

Visiting different stone merchants was fascinating and so much fun. But standing in a yard after yard, packed with tantalising glimpses of thousands of beautiful slabs in a kaleidoscope of colours was also somewhat overwhelming.

I thought I would instinctively know the right marble on sight, however the more we saw, the longer my “shortlist” grew.

Thankfully, we discovered Develli, who eventually supplied our stone. Their knowledge and passion, not to mention endless patience, simplified things and removed the fear factor. Their expertise quickly helped us narrowed down our options.

Countless mock-ups followed, testing different combinations until we finally landed on polished Rosso Levanto for the worktop and lower splashback, paired with honed Antico above to frame the window.

So far, so good…

The curse of the kitchen marble begins

Our marble was delivered to the fabricator and installer. I’d chosen a small family business, with years of experience, an excellent reputation and impressive portfolio. They were passionate, detail-obsessed and lovely to work with.

Then things slowly unravelled…

Planning delays meant our kitchen slipped several months, but eventually it was fitted and they came to template. Installation was set for two weeks later.

We were beyond excited, not least because we could finally book in the valuation for our remortgage, essential if we were to stand a fighting chance of finishing this money-pit of a project.

Then, at 10pm the night before installation, a WhatsApp pinged.

Cancelled and rescheduled the following week. They apologised and explained they were dealing with operational issues.

Not ideal, but these things happen. I explained the urgency of remortgage valuation and potential impact of further delays. All good, they promised.

Then it happened again. And again. And again. And AGAIN!

We were now seven weeks past the original install date, without a functioning kitchen and washing dishes in the bathroom sink. We installed a temporary MDF worktop and bit the bullet with the valuation, to avoid restarting the arduous mortgage process from scratch.

At this point, I should have drawn a line and walked away. Instead, I tried even harder to make it work with them.

I've spent much of my career managing suppliers with large commercial budgets and contracts. Normally I'm meticulous about due diligence, risk and accountability.

Yet staggeringly, when it came to my own home, I ignored all my years of experience.

I believed the assurances I was given. I kept giving them the benefit of the doubt, because I thought they were good people trying their best in the face of huge difficulty.

Another date was set. Then communication stopped completely. Another no-show. No messages. No replies. No phones being answered. Nada.

Up to this point, I’d glossed over the gory details with my other half. His work was particularly demanding at the time, and I genuinely thought I could sort things without adding to his already full plate.

However, by day ten of their disappearing act, I was struggling to cope. In the car on the way to the supermarket, I quietly admitted the truth.

“I can’t get in touch with them and have a niggling, yet very real fear something is seriously wrong their side. We might have lost three slabs of marble.”

Together, we did some very overdue digging. Sadly, that niggling fear was true. They were facing severe problems and we were not alone in our situation, from customers to suppliers.

Thankfully we hadn’t paid them anything. We now just desperately needed to save our marble.

A firmly worded message setting out our ownership of the stone, along with our intention to take all necessary steps to retrieve it, finally prompted a reply.

The owner acknowledged the situation, but reassured us our stone was safe and could be collected. In theory.

In reality, it was inside a stone yard, whose landlord was refusing access to goods and equipment whilst a dispute over arrears was being resolved.

Then came a separate, equally stressful, carefully worded negotiation with the landlord to secure access to our stone. Thankfully, he allowed collection.

In the meantime, I found an amazing new fabricator and installer, The Only Way Is Granite. They were hugely experienced, not to mention incredibly sympathetic and supportive of the difficult situation and helping me find solutions. I truly do not know what I would have done without them.

Next followed the complex, time-consuming and utterly joyless logistical nightmare of getting the stone from the yard to them.

Getting the three huge slabs onto a transport vehicle within a tight access window is as thorny as it sounds. The equipment in the yard could not be used, and I lost hours sourcing the expensive hire of a specialist HIAB lorry and coordinating with our transport.

There is a tiny silver lining here, for you at least; if you ever need to know anything about HIAB hire, I’m your woman. A dubious and useless expertise I can add to my renovation CV, along with drainage strategies.

With everyone booked and coordinated, collection day dawned. I spent the morning on the edge of my seat and glued to my phone, praying everything went smoothly for once.

Naturally, the M25 had other ideas. A major closure meant the transport eventually arrived hours late.

We had to pay the HIAB to wait for ten mins of work. Poof. A thousand pounds gone, just like that.

A super fun day. I still shudder when I think of it.

But, joy, the marble was in perfect condition and finally, safely in the hands of our wonderful new company.

The curse is lifted...

When things go spectacularly and painfully wrong, it does serve to remind you how extraordinarily wonderful it is when they go well. The nightmare of those months quickly transformed into an absolute dream.

Their team made up for everything. A joy to work with, from templating to install with sublime craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Another bonus? Our emotional and financial investment in the marble meant I was now even more hell-bent on my mission to use every spare inch sustainably. They jumped enthusiastically on board.

The Antico joins random spare offcuts from their yard, all cut down into floor tiles for the hallway.

In a wonderfully serendipitous event, the leftover Rosso also found an unexpected but truly perfect home. Stay tuned for more on that coming soon… it’s a bit special.

In all, a very happy ending in more ways than we ever believed possible.

Boundaries matter more than being nice

The whole sorry episode taught me a hard lesson that also makes me a little sad.

Life happens, and some things are unavoidable. However, I was deeply let down by people I trusted and had gone out of my way to make allowances form at huge cost to both our project and emotional wellbeing.

It yet again proves the importance of paying attention when someone’s actions stop matching their assurances.

Unfortunately, people don't always behave as we might hope or expect, whether intentionally or because circumstances have perhaps overtaken them.

You can't control the behaviour of people around you. The only things you can control are your own behaviour and responses. Protect yourself, your project and your interests. I didn't, and that is a huge lesson.

Through my slightly naïve, albeit well-intentioned efforts to support the supplier, I unintentionally sacrificed our own interests and, unwittingly, those of our contractor.

Ultimately, we all paid the price, not only financially, but also through the delays: the constant reshuffling of his schedule and team; the impact on our standard of living, already suffering after eighteen months of renovation. We ended up washing dishes in our bathroom, resulting in a broken a macerator and the hideous smashing of tiles for the repair.

That said, the happy ending does also feel like a testament to my belief that, if you are ultimately a good and kind person, that should come back to you eventually. Hopefully.

The lesson I'll never forget

So, there you have it. The Curse of the Kitchen Marble. Also, known as a lesson that applies to all the horror stories we’ve been unlucky enough to encounter on our journey.

Be fair, respectful and kind. Set clear parameters and expectations on both sides and make sure you keep your side of the street clean. Do your homework and due diligence, do things properly and use the correct and appropriate channels.

Know your rights and that of the other party concerned. Judge objectively whether you REALLY need to go over and above your legal obligations. Plan for the worst-case scenario, and you will more than likely be pleasantly surprised when things go swimmingly.

Unfortunately, I am inherently a people pleaser – thanks ADHD and rejection sensitivity dysphoria – and struggle with boundaries in my personal life, something I’m working on.

Renovations are, by their nature deeply personal, so maybe that’s how the wheels came off in such a spectacularly ruinous way.

Looking back, if I’d had clocked this and applied logic and boundaries, I’ve always used in my professional life, things would have been a LOT less painful for a lot of people.

Anyway. With that out the way, there’s another column to follow in the not-so-distant future on the sexy, fun stuff – the design and styling of my Everything Kitchen.

In the meantime, I hope this offers a kernel or two of helpful intel that either reinforces what you already practice or inspires you to gently start.

Home decorator Ammarah Hasham is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts infusing her rental house with plenty of personality. See the rest of her articles here.

I love dressing up …when I am not roaming around in my pyjamas, of course. For me, accessories are what pull an outfit together. I’ve been collecting them for as long as I can remember. In fact, some of my pieces have been with me since my teenage years (yes, that long), and I still reach for them today.

I realised I decorate my home in exactly the same way. I rely on accessories to give a room that same je ne sais quoi. Just like a great pair of earrings can transform a simple outfit, a well-placed lamp can completely change the mood of a room. The best part is that the price tag doesn’t matter. Some of the most affordable lamps I’ve owned, and even DIY-ed, have made the biggest impact. Just like a favourite accessory finishes an outfit, the right lamp controls what your eyes notice first.

After years of renting, one thing I have realised is that just because a space doesn’t have any personality, it doesn’t mean we should lose ours too. Rental homes rarely come with much character, so it’s up to us to bring it in.

When I moved into my first place, I thought the overhead light was enough. I never really questioned it because it was bright enough for me to cross stitch, and at that time, that was all I cared about. If I could see what I was doing, the lighting had done its job.

Over time though, I found myself reaching for the lamps more and more. Every time, the room instantly felt calmer, warmer and far more inviting.

Lighting wasn’t just about seeing the room anymore. It was how the room made me feel.

And my good old lamps served a much bigger purpose than simply filling an empty corner.

They break up the magnolia

One of the biggest frustrations of renting is not being able to paint or wallpaper. Almost every rental I’ve lived in has come with the same neutral walls. Three countries, yet the same story every single time.

I’ve learnt to introduce colour in ways that don’t require a paintbrush or my landlord’s permission, and lamps have become one of my favourite ways to do just that. A colourful base or lampshade instantly breaks up the sea of beige, giving your eye somewhere to land.

The beauty of lamps is that they are completely portable. You can move them from room to room till you find your favourite spot or scatter them around your home like confetti, adding little dots of colour where needed. A decorating investment you never have to leave behind.

They layer light beautifully

Lighting controls what your eyes notice. Make it count. You can change the feel of a rental by layering your lighting. More often than not, rentals have a functional single overhead light that floods and flattens the room.

Introducing lamps in varying heights can help you create depth and dimension in an otherwise boxy and clinical space. A floor lamp, table lamp or even a small rechargeable lamp on the shelf can work together to make a space more inviting.

I have learnt through plenty of trial and error that lighting behaves a bit like a camera operator. It directs your attention. It highlights the features you want people to notice while allowing the less attractive parts of a room to fade into the background.

In rentals where there is little to no architectural character, you can completely change how a room is experienced simply by playing with where the light falls. And of course, you don’t need to spend a fortune to do that.

They outsmart bad lighting

Who even decides where switches and plug sockets go in rentals? They always seem to end up either smack in the middle of a wall like an eyesore or tucked away in the most awkward places. Then there’s that single ceiling light that’s somehow expected to do all the work.

(Rant over)

That’s why I’ve come to rely on lamps, especially rechargeable ones. They let me create cosy little pools of light exactly where I want them, not where the wiring dictates.

Thankfully, there’s an easy way around it. Cordless lamps and smart bulbs with remote controls give you far more control over how your home feels, bringing a little of that hotel-style convenience into a rental. No trailing cables. No need for extension leads. Just pure freedom and convenience to brighten up poorly lit corners, without being restricted by badly positioned sockets.

Many rechargeable lamps are dimmable too, so you can adjust the brightness depending on the mood you want to achieve in a room.

A COMPLETE game changer!

They add texture and contrast

If a room looks a little flat or everything seems to blend into one another, lamps can work wonders. They can create a cosy lived-in ambience without making any major changes. The secret lies in choosing a lamp that’s just as beautiful switched off as it is switched on.

I always pay attention to the materials, finishes and textures. A pleated lampshade brings in softness while a ceramic base brings another layer of interest. If your style leans towards something more modern, a glossy metal lamp might just be your thing. Natural materials like rattan or wood create a warmer, more relaxed feel.

When we think about contrast, most of us immediately think of colour, but that’s only part of the story. Contrast also comes from mixing materials and finishes. Pairing smooth ceramics with woven baskets, a linen lampshade with a metal base or a curved lamp beside clean-lined furniture creates a subtle juxtaposition that stops a room from feeling predictable.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m still the person who loves the big light when I'm cleaning, crafting or working on a project. I’d barely be able to thread a needle without it. But once the day is done, and it is time to unwind, it's the lamps I reach for.

Interior designer and content creator Rebecca Constable is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on demystifying the process of designing and decorating a home, and helping people work out where to spend and where to save.

Since we moved into this house 9 years ago we’ve been on a journey to find ways we can use less plastic, reduce our waste and better look after the health of our family.

The success of that has depended on a number of things including the age of our children (or how sleep deprived we are), how well an eco-friendly product has worked and also how much disposable income we have.

Over the years we have made eco swaps and some have been a success and others have resulted in us returning back to the less planet friendly alternative because they work better.

However after much trial and error I have found some brilliant home products that are plastic free, kinder to the planet and genuinely better than their plastic counterparts, which make them a really compelling swap

1. Food containers

First of all we have finally got rid of the dreaded Tupperware mountain that used to loom in our cupboards. An assortment of random, discolored plastic boxes and lids which we used for storing leftovers.

We have now replaced them with the brilliant Ikea glass food containers which you can buy with a bamboo lid. They come in all shapes and sizes, stack beautifully and can be used in the oven, which means you can take something out of the fridge, heat it up and serve it straight on the table without creating lots of washing up.

But what I love most about them is that our food doesn’t have that weird plastic taste you get from a Tupperware when something has been stored in it.The food tastes just as it did when you first cooked it.

2. Laundry detergent

Secondly we’ve swapped our laundry detergent and fabric softener to Smol. Their products all come in cardboard cartons which are easily recyclable rather than a plastic bottle.

Our washing machine has a built-in dispenser for detergent and softener which means we can just use the cartons to fill it up and there is no leftover plastic waste.

And of course the products work brilliantly, I particularly love the outdoorsy fabric softener which makes the whole house smell amazing when the clothes are drying.

3. Wooden stools

The third swap we did was buy wooden stools from both IKEA and The Futon Company for our bathrooms so that the kids could reach the sink and toilet, rather than the standard plastic ones.

To be honest this was mainly driven by my desire for a child friendly but aesthetically pleasing home, however it has proven to be an excellent decision.

Because they’re made of solid wood the stools have lasted over 9 years already and are still going strong. And once they’re no longer needed by the kids in the bathroom I know they will get used elsewhere in the house as side tables and for other things. Had we got plastic stools I am pretty sure they would have been chucked out by now.

4. Stainless steel containers

Our fourth swap has been to the Black and Blum lunchboxes. My husband often takes his lunch into work and these are brilliant! Again it means we don’t have to use plastic Tupperware and even though they’re made of stainless steel they can still go in the microwave so you can easily heat anything up in the office.

The only downside is that the lid is plastic but overall it’s significantly less than a standard lunchbox and your food is really only touching the stainless steel.

5. Surface cleaner

Finally we have swapped our surface cleaner over to Purdy and Figg who have the most amazing smelling scents. When you first sign up you're given a reusable glass spray bottle and small glass bottles of the concentrate which you simply top up with water.

I love being able to choose different fragrances depending on the time of year and they leave the whole kitchen smelling divine. This is just one of those products that just works better the usual options and the fact that there is no plastic waste is brilliant.

We are far from perfect when it comes to making eco swaps in our house but we are conscious of how the choices we make impact our health and the environment. And I think as long as we keep trying to choose the better option where possible we’ll be able to contribute in a meaningful way to looking after the planet.

I’m constantly amazed at how the next generation have these ideas and principles already instilled in them and so I think we have a lot to learn from our children.

Home decorator Lara Winter is one of Ideal Home's Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on revamping a 200 year old cottage to make it right for modern family life. See the rest of her articles here.

I have a confession to make. If you've ever looked at photos of our cottage and imagined I'm one of those people who carefully finishes one room before starting the next, I'm afraid you've been fooled. I'd say I complete about 85% of every DIY project before getting distracted by something much more exciting.

I absolutely love decorating our home. Coming up with ideas, choosing colours, building something from scratch or watching a room completely transform - that's the bit I enjoy.

The final jobs, though? Painting skirting boards, filling tiny gaps, touching up the last bit of paint... I lose all motivation. By then, my brain has already wandered off to the next project.

Our home library is probably the best example. It stayed unfinished for years because of a few ugly metal shelf brackets that I'd always planned to hide.

Eventually I had a rare burst of determination, built a little arch to disguise one side and added coving across the top so it looked much more like a built-in piece of furniture. It made such a difference and I was so pleased with it.

Did I finish it? Of course not. There's still one lonely bracket on the other side that I've never got around to covering. Every time I walk past it, I think “I really should do that.” And then I carry on walking.

The same thing happened with my home office door to the garden. I'd wanted to paint the white UPVC door for ages and finally settled on the most gorgeous terracotta red (Red Earth by Farrow and Ball).

I got halfway through the second coat, realised I'd run out of paint and told myself I'd pick up another tin the following week. That was months ago.

The door still needs another coat and, if I'm honest, I barely notice anymore. My attention has already moved elsewhere.

Then there are the floorboards on our upstairs landing. One afternoon I decided I'd had enough of the old carpet, so I ripped the whole thing up without much of a plan.

Underneath were beautiful original boards and I could already picture how lovely they'd look once they'd been sanded and sealed.

That was over a year ago. The floorboards are still very much waiting.

I used to think this was one of my worst habits, but I've started to realise it's probably just the way I'm wired. I love the excitement of creating something new.

Once I can see the finished result, the creative part feels done. What's left is the DIY equivalent of paperwork. Maybe that’s why my list of future projects is always much longer than my list of finished ones.

Thankfully, my husband is much better at seeing projects through to the end. He'll quietly remind me that something still needs another coat of paint while I'm enthusiastically explaining my latest idea. Between us, we usually get there eventually, although perhaps not in the order either of us expected.

I also think there's something quite comforting about a home that's never completely finished. It means we're still living in it, changing it and finding new ideas. If I'd insisted on completing every tiny detail before moving on, we probably wouldn't have half the projects we love today.

So yes, if you ever visit our cottage, there's a fair chance you'll spot an exposed bracket, a door that could do with one more coat or floorboards that are still waiting for their big moment. But you'll probably also find me halfway through another project, wondering why I ever thought this one would be different.

Committed home renovators David and Andrew Harrison-Colley (better known on Instagram as The Home Boys) are part of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing their thoughts on making a home together and living through the tricky parts. See the rest of their articles here.

This whole renovation started with a demolition. Three and a half years ago – before the extension, before the terracotta floors, before any of the good bits – we took a sledgehammer to the old carpenter’s workshop at the side of the house. So it feels oddly fitting that the last big job in the garden began exactly the same way: with us knocking something down.

Because the sunny corner we’d earmarked for a patio had one small problem sitting right in the middle of it – the original outside toilet. A little brick outbuilding that had been clinging on for decades, doing nothing in particular except getting in the way of our plans. Before we could build the nice part, we had to lose the loo.

Demolition, part two

There’s something very satisfying about a demolition when you know exactly what’s going in its place. This wasn’t knocking down for the sake of it – it was clearing the way. Off came the roof, down came the walls, and within a day the corner had opened right up. Suddenly we could see the space for what it could be rather than what it had always been.

And true to form, we couldn’t quite bring ourselves to bin the lot. The bricks that were worth saving got the same treatment as all the others – cleaned up by hand, mortar chipped off, stacked back onto the pile. Some of them have gone straight down into the patio.

There’s a nice symmetry to that: the old outside loo is, in a very literal sense, now part of the floor we stand on with a glass of wine on a summer evening.

Building it back up

With the corner cleared, the patio itself came together faster than we expected – partly because we’d had plenty of practice with these bricks by now (see: the wall, the edging, the steps), and partly because the weather held for once.

We started with the bit no one photographs: the base. A layer of MOT hardcore, raked out and compacted down hard until it stopped moving underfoot. This is the unglamorous foundation that stops a patio sinking or lifting later, and it is absolutely not the place to cut corners.

On top of that, we bedded the bricks on a sand and cement mortar – the same mix we used for the flush lawn edging. A patio has to take furniture, footfall and – eventually – the full weight of a barbecue and a crowd, so it needs locking down properly.

A pattern that ties it all together

Here’s the detail we’re quietly most pleased with. We laid the patio in a basketweave – pairs of bricks turned alternately, so the eye reads a woven grid rather than straight runs.

We chose it to match the treads of the new brick-and-sleeper steps, so the two flow into one another. But the pattern goes back further than that: it’s lifted straight from the brick floor in the snug, inside the cottage.

That’s become one of our favourite things about this stage of the renovation – letting the inside and the outside speak to each other. The same reclaimed bricks, the same basketweave, echoing between a room we’ll retreat to over winter and a patio we’ll sit out on all summer.

It makes the garden feel like part of the house rather than a separate project bolted on at the end. A home that feels collected and connected rather than compartmentalised has been the goal indoors from the very beginning – it turns out exactly the same thinking works outside.

Designing around the time of day

If there’s one thing we’d urge anyone planning a patio to think about, it’s not the size or the shape – it’s the light. Specifically, when you’ll actually be out there.

We positioned this one to catch the evening sun, because we know how we live: the garden gets used most at the end of the day, once the work is done and dinner’s being thrown on the barbecue.

A patio that bakes at midday and falls into shade by six would have looked lovely in photos and gone completely unused in real life. The way sun and shade move across a garden is easy to overlook on a plan and impossible to ignore once you’re living with it.

If you’re laying a reclaimed brick patio

• Compact the base properly. MOT hardcore, well compacted, is what stops the whole thing sinking or heaving. Boring, essential, non-negotiable.
• Mortar, not sand, for a patio. A sand and cement bed gives a firmer, longer-lasting fix than sharp sand.
• Dry-lay your pattern first. Basketweave – or whatever you choose – is far easier to plan on the ground before anything’s fixed than to unpick halfway through.
• Build in a slight fall. Set a gentle slope away from the house so rainwater runs off rather than pooling or draining back towards the walls.
• Steal a detail from indoors. Matching a pattern, tone or material to something inside is the quickest way to make a garden feel considered rather than added on.

Not quite finished (of course)

We’d love to tell you the patio is done and dusted, but if you’ve read any of our previous columns you’ll know we don’t really do “finished”. The bricks are down, the space is usable, and we’ve already eaten out there more times than we can count.

But there’s a next chapter already forming: a pergola over the top to give it some height and shade, and a built-in bench and outdoor kitchen area to turn the barbecue from a balancing act into something that actually feels like a proper setup.

Those are jobs for another season – possibly another year. For now, we’re resisting the urge to crack straight on, and letting ourselves enjoy the thing we’ve built before dreaming up the next bit. (This is growth. Ask anyone who’s renovated with us.)

Full circle

There’s a real full-circle feeling to standing on this patio. The whole renovation began with us knocking down one brick building at the side of the house; give or take three years, an extension and an entire cottage, the outdoor chapter is ending with us knocking down another.

The least glamorous corner of the whole plot – the one nobody would ever have looked at twice – has quietly become the best seat in the garden.

We’ll raise a glass to that. On the patio. In the evening sun. Roughly where the toilet used to be.

Screen printer Hannah Carvell is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on colourful home design for a creative family to live in. See the rest of her articles here.

We moved to the countryside with two dogs and a cat. Somewhere along the way we acquired chickens, ducks, geese and endless conversations about goats. I never expected animals to change what home meant to me but somehow they have.

I'll admit it, we're a family with very little self-control when it comes to animals. When we swapped our Victorian townhouse for a cottage in the Somerset countryside, we already had two dogs and a cat, so it's not as though we arrived pet-free.

But having a bit of land, working from home and a daughter who adores animals has proved to be a dangerous combination. Add in two parents who are hopeless at saying no and, well... our family has continued to grow.

First came Pickle. After one of the hardest years we've ever had, my husband losing his job, selling our home, moving schools and starting life somewhere completely new we all felt a little shell-shocked.

Bringing home a tiny Chihuahua puppy felt like injecting a little bit of joy into a year that had felt anything but joyful. We found him online, smiling in his photo, the last puppy left in the litter and reduced because he was so tiny and had come out smooth coated compared to his hairy parents and siblings.

We told ourselves that a Chihuahua doesn't really count as a whole third dog. More of a half-dog. That's still the story we're sticking to anyway.

Not long afterwards came a small flock of rescue hens, followed by a rather handsome black cockerel who needed a new home.

During those final months before we moved, when life felt particularly uncertain, we'd promised our daughter that once we had our own little bit of countryside she'd hatch a goose egg in an incubator and raise a gosling (we had lived by a river in the town and feeding the geese had become a daily ritual that she was sad to leave behind).

It sounded simple enough. It wasn’t. Goose eggs are notoriously difficult to hatch. It took three attempts, twelve eggs and a lot of patience before one tiny gosling finally appeared, watching her hatch was pure magic though. We named her Tama, and my daughter hand-reared her beneath a heat lamp until she was ready for life outdoors.

Of course Tama needed a best friend, so we found ourselves driving to a local poultry farm with a goose riding on my daughter's lap to choose a duckling. Together they picked the tiniest, wonkiest duck they could find, who was named Side Duck.

One of the most rewarding parts of our little menagerie has been rescuing ex-commercial hens through the British Hen Welfare Trust. You collect them having never seen grass or sky before, they have never experienced sun or rain. They're often missing feathers, their combs are pale, their nails are overgrown and they smell strongly of the lives they've left behind.

Over a few weeks, something lovely happens. Their feathers grow back. Their bright red combs return. They discover dust baths, sunshine and scratching around in flower beds. They start greeting you every morning as though you've been away for months, and watching them discover freedom for the first time never gets old.

People always ask if they lay eggs. They do. Beautiful big eggs, just like you'd buy in the supermarket, although naturally we couldn't stop there.

We now have hens laying blue eggs, green eggs and tiny white ones because apparently colourful egg baskets became another thing I never knew I needed (and had seen on instagram and could not resist trying to replicate).

The latest additions? Two fluffy goslings that definitely weren't on the shopping list after a visit to the Bath & West Show. But who can really say no to fluffy goslings?

Living with animals isn't quite the idyllic countryside fantasy Instagram would have you believe. There are no lie-ins. Ever. The dogs expect breakfast at seven o'clock sharp. The chickens need letting out every morning before being tucked safely back into bed every evening.

More often than not, someone remembers halfway through a television programme that nobody has shut the hens away, resulting in one of us sprinting across the garden in our slippers through sideways rain muttering, "The chickens!”.

Cleaning out coops isn't particularly glamorous either. It's perfectly pleasant on a sunny July morning. Less so in February when you're ankle-deep in Somerset mud and the hens have taken their annual winter break from laying.

Then there's the fox. Anyone who keeps chickens will know the heartbreak that comes with trying to balance giving them a proper free-range life while also keeping them safe.

We've learnt difficult lessons over the past couple of years, particularly during cub season, when even having the dogs in the garden isn't always enough, and sometimes, despite your best efforts, nature reminds you who's really in charge.

The children have learnt about loss as well as responsibility, and while those conversations are never easy, they're all part of living closely with animals. The funny moments, thankfully, far outweigh the sad ones.

One of our rescue hens insists on laying her eggs in the dog's bed. Chica, who my daughter hand-reared from a day-old chick, still wanders into the kitchen whenever she gets the chance and helps herself to a chocolate brioche from the bread bin before anyone notices. My husband despairs. The rest of us laugh.

Our current family debate revolves around goats or my husband will say how about piglets.

I'm firmly trying to be the sensible one, largely because the weekend cleaning duties mysteriously seem to fall to me, but living in the countryside has definitely shifted everyone's idea of what counts as a reasonable number of animals.

Every year there is the temptation to let a couple of the Weston Super Mare Beach donkeys come and live in our field for they’re winter break.

If you'd told me a few years ago that I'd happily spend my evenings putting chickens to bed, discussing goose feed over dinner or planning holidays around finding someone willing to look after our ever-expanding collection of pets, I'd have laughed.

But somewhere along the way, without really noticing, all these animals became part of what home feels like. They've given our children responsibility, routine and countless memories they'll hopefully look back on one day with enormous affection. They've filled difficult years with laughter, purpose and fresh starts.

Our house isn't perfect. It's noisy, muddy, often has chicken poo on the floor and there's almost always someone or something asking for food. But it's full of life and feels like home.

Content creator Lucy Kalice is one of Ideal Home's Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on cleaning, home decor and making the most of small spaces. See the rest of her articles here.

Last week was a big day in our household, it was the first time I’d picked up a rake and did some gardening…ever! After two years of staring out the back doors to dull grey fences, dried grass and enough weeds to qualify as a nature reserve, we’ve caved. We’ve finally started our garden makeover!

I’d always said the garden was my husband’s domain, he was loving taking care of the grass each year and two years ago he even built a bar at the back. But after going on quite a few trips this year, the garden had been neglected and was in a really bad state. Even the garden furniture doesn’t have any cushions so I’ve been sitting on the base of it with just a towel as a pillow…not the most comfortable or glamorous.

So last weekend we decided to start our garden transformation. We spent all weekend de-weeding, watering and seeding the grass and tidying it all up. And we have big big plans about what we want to do with it – I’m envisioning a pinterest-perfect garden with new painted fences, new furniture and some colourful plants and trees.

We have a long way to go but I’m confident we can sort it way before the end of summer (that’s if the weather keeps playing ball!).

Now we don’t have a big garden so my initial thought was how long would the de-weeding and tidying take? The answer: hours. The first lesson I learnt is that gardening is not a quick job, it’s a labour of love.

But what I quickly realised was how therapeutic and enjoyable it was. We all know it’s good to spend time outdoors and in nature, but this was a real mood-booster and gave me a huge sense of accomplishment when it was all done.

One of the nicest things was that it was time spent away from my phone and without distraction. I will admit that I am guilty of doom-scrolling and checking my phone even when there’s no notification there (I think we all are).

So to spend hours doing something productive and away from my phone was refreshing. And as someone who doesn’t love bugs, hates spiders and doesn’t really enjoy getting dirty, I really surprised myself with how much I enjoyed it.

However, that’s not to say it was easy. First of all, who was going to tell me that gardening is a workout??? If I’d have known I would’ve been out there sooner! It’s physically demanding – raking the lawn and pulling up the weeds was making me break a sweat as if i’d just spent an hour in the gym.

It’s also a great way to top up your tan and get some vitamin D, especially with all this glorious weather we’ve been having in the UK!

But there was one downside, the next day I woke up and my back was in agony. Hours spent hunched over chopping plants and pulling weeds will do that to you apparently and now I understand why people have those kneeling pads *reminder to self I must buy one*.

The garden is looking a lot tidier now and I’m sure I will learn a lot more throughout our garden transformation but one things for sure, gardening is good for the mind and body and is a hobby for all!

Interior designer Natalie Jahangiry is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on decorating a home to suit a busy family life while sticking to your aesthetic values, too. See the rest of her articles here.

What inspires you? In a digital era where we're almost overwhelmed with ideas online, I often find the best inspiration in everyday life. So when I first came across Margate House, a beautiful boutique stay on the Kent coast, I knew I had to visit.

And if you read my previous article, you'll know I did exactly that. I left feeling hugely inspired. As I wrote at the time: 'In my eyes, design is something deeply personal, and no matter how beautiful the inspiration, it's difficult to see yourself reflected through someone else's vision. That was until now.'

After visiting Margate House, I came home bursting with ideas for our bedroom… however, my aim is never to copy the look exactly. I'm a firm believer that copying leaves little room for personality.

Instead, I wanted to take small nods to the design, colour palette and styling techniques and reinterpret them in a way that reflected Tom and I as a couple. So out came the paint brushes, and into decorating mode I dove.

Space planning

When we design rooms for our Design and Refine clients, we almost always start with space planning, so that's exactly where I began here. First things first (and this may be a little controversial), I moved the bed from the centre of the chimney breast so it's now sitting beneath the window… eeek, I know!

I can already hear the "you'll catch a head chill in winter" comments, but the new layout made the room feel so much more spacious and functional. I also reminded myself of something important… it's my house, and I get to break the rules if I want to. Besides, American interior design shows seem to feature a bed beneath a window a lot, so it can't be all bad!

Sometimes good space planning is about challenging those traditional room layout rules and finding what works best for the space you actually have. And after all, if we don’t like it we can move it back, but so far so good.

Colour palette, panelling and paint techniques

COAT's collaboration with Margate House meant I could bring a little piece of the hotel home with me. As I always tell clients, colour looks completely different depending on the natural light in a room, so I tested samples in various areas of our north-facing bedroom before settling on Love Lane, a dusky pink with a real depth and warmth to it.

Now onto how to use that colour in our room. Margate House itself uses several clever paint techniques throughout the property, including colour capping, painting the woodwork darker and colour drenching.

Colour drenching has always been one of my favourite decorating tricks (it also makes it a lot easier to do when you are painting the room yourself!), and after seeing the living spaces in Margate House wrapped in Love Lane from head to toe it convinced me I wanted that same cocooning feel in our bedroom. So that’s what I went for. Yes… ceilings as well, back breaking work, but worth it.

When it came to panelling, the hotel features more traditional heritage style box panelling, but I opted for a slightly more modern slatted panelling style instead. While I love classic panelling, slats feel more in keeping with our home's overall look and feel.

Natural textures, handmade furniture and mixed woods

One of the things that struck me most at Margate House was the layering of texture and tone. Warm woods sit alongside brass, wool, linen and marble, creating spaces that feel like a home with pieces that have been collected over time, rather than a curated hotel space.

Every room is full of handmade details, unique furniture and thoughtful contrasts, so I wanted to bring that same sense of character into our bedroom. To help achieve that, I turned to Swoon, one of my favourite furniture brands.

I've been a fan of Swoon for as long as I can remember having my own space to decorate. In fact, I even had some of their pieces during my full-blown 'Millennial Grey' phase, and I'm pleased to say they've more than stood the test of time. What I've always loved about the brand is its approach to craftsmanship.

Rather than mass producing furniture, Swoon works closely with family run factories to create pieces in small batches, with some designs made in runs of as few as four. That focus on quality over quantity, detail and considered design felt perfectly aligned with the ethos of Margate House, making it an easy choice when selecting furniture for our bedroom concept.

First up was a bobbin mirror… of course! I chose the Walton Mirror, an elongated arched floor mirror that echoes other arches we have throughout the house and complements the tone of our existing bed. To introduce contrast in the woods, I added a walnut chest of drawers, with the Newham drawers providing the perfect balance against the lighter wood tones.

Every bedroom deserves a chair (and not just one to throw clothes onto), so I added the Braga Chair, featuring beautiful handwoven Danish cord as another nod to the handcrafted details throughout the hotel itself. I finished the scheme with the Marbella Table Lamp, which subtly references the marble accents I loved at Margate House.

I also found a bobbin style mirror for my dressing table on Vinted and painted it red to match the wardrobes, proving you don't always need to buy new to create a bespoke look.

Adding personality through art

Artwork plays a huge role throughout the boutique hotel, with quirky pieces adding personality to every room. Rather than directly copying the style, I looked to Margate itself for inspiration. It's such a creative, colourful place that finding artwork I loved wasn't difficult.

One shop in particular stood out: Margo in Margate, an Irish artist renowned for her relentless creativity and vibrant artworks, creating a series of original pieces based on vintage charm and vivid colors inspired by her youth culture.

I chose a piece that tied beautifully into the room's palette, and it's now proudly taking centre stage in the middle of the chimney breast wall.

Layering pattern underfoot

A vintage rug in the hotel's private dining space was the first flooring piece that caught my eye. Coming from a half-Iranian household, rugs have always played an important role in our home and heritage, so I wanted something that captured that timeless Persian carpet feel while still being practical enough for everyday life.

I found exactly that with Ruggable's Adeline Antique Red Rug, which combines a beautiful patterned design, with a washable, kid (and cat) friendly finish.

At the same time, we updated the main carpet throughout our hallway and continued it into our bedroom. We chose Tapi's Firefly Herringbone Carpet in Beige Chevron, which works brilliantly for our busy household with two children and two cats. Would I love a luxurious pure wool carpet? Absolutely, but for me, durability matters so much.

Modern polypropylene carpets have come a long way and offer the softness and appearance of wool, while being far easier to clean and maintain.. a must for family life and all the spillages that has to offer.

Layering for a boutique hotel feel

The luxurious curtains throughout Margate House were another detail I couldn't stop thinking about. I've become a big fan of layered window treatments and wanted to bring that same hotel inspired feel into our bedroom. I chose pink velvet curtains as the main feature, and they complement the wall colour beautifully.

To help with the practical challenge of having the bed beneath the window, I layered these with a sheer cotton voile from H&M behind. Paired with our shutters, the overall effect feels soft, elegant and wonderfully luxurious, while still being incredibly practical.

Giving built-ins a bespoke feel

One of the things we loved when we moved into our home was the wall of built-in IKEA wardrobes in our bedroom. And you may have spotted from a previous article I wrote, I love an IKEA upcycle.

Originally blue, I'd previously painted them the same colour as the walls, but this time I wanted to give them a more considered makeover. Following a recommendation from Laura at @houseprojectuk, I added beaded moulding trim to the middle section of the doors, before painting them in COAT's Wilderness Hill in an eggshell finish for durability.

To finish the look, I added the new range of Scroll handles in Dark Brushed Brass from Hendel & Hendel, which instantly elevated the overall look. I absolutely love the finished design and it’s a great way to make IKEA feel custom!

The pieces that tell our story

While we were in Margate I picked up several vintage finds, including a beautiful hand-stitched throw and a few prints that helped bring the room together.

Those collected pieces are what make a space feel personal. Margate House is full of unique little trinkets and characterful details, so I followed the same approach at home by gathering meaningful items from around our house.

Books, travel finds, family memorabilia and handmade artwork from the girls all found a place somewhere in the room. They're the pieces that tell our story, and for me, that's what makes a bedroom feel truly special. Oh and don’t forget plants (we love a plant).

Making it your own

Of course, I could have bought the same artwork, made a wavy headboard, copied styling and recreated the boutique hotel look. But that's never really the point. The beauty of inspiration is taking elements you love and adapting them to suit your space, lifestyle and personality.

For me, Margate House provided the perfect starting point, but the finished room still feels unmistakably ours and is in keeping with the rest of our house. It doesn’t feel like a Pinterest post, it feels like a lived in and loved space to relax and enjoy.

So take inspiration wherever you find it, but don't forget to make it your own. That's what transforms a beautiful room into a home.

Home decorator and content creator Leah Hodson is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on overhauling a home with clever DIY and decorating tricks. See the rest of her articles here.

I secretly love a bathroom renovation, one of the few rooms where I get to sit back and let the contractors do their work! Bathrooms are an everyday essential that need to be both beautiful and functional – all the while being cosy at the same time too!

Having done bathroom renovations twice (in my previous house and our current one), here are a couple tips on how I’m designing and sourcing my en-suite.

Tiles

Tiles can be costly, but spending wisely and checking second hand market places can help keep the prices down. I previously bought 10m2 of mosaic travertine tiles for only £30. This time around, I didn’t have much luck on the second hand shopping front, but I’ve found cheap clearance tiles on Johnson Tiles outlet store which I’ll be using in the shower.

They can also be a fun way to add texture and colour to your bathroom. I’m adding that splash of bold colour by using pink marble tiles called ‘Capri Sunset’ from Mandarin Stone for the rest of the bathroom floor.

My secret to a considered bathroom design is grey grout, or coloured grout. White grout makes tiles look dated and they stain so easily. I love using grey grout as it hides limescale stains very well!

Bathroom fittings

Taps and shower fixtures are one area where I’ve tried to save money in the past, and it’s a decision I’ve come to regret. They’re frequently used in the bathroom, so investing in a better quality fitting pays off in the long run when it comes to upkeep and looking as good as it does, years after installation.

Even though our en-suite ceiling height is only 2 metres, having an overhead shower was a non-negotiable for me. Thankfully, Roper Rhodes have a ceiling mounted shower head that is perfect for my en-suite! Their other bathroom fittings are also beautifully designed and high quality that’s made to last!

For the first time, I’m opting for a concealed shower system. I’ve always avoided them because of an unfounded fear of leaks hidden behind the wall, choosing exposed shower systems instead.

But after years of cleaning tirelessly, and constantly battling limescale in all those hard-to-reach spots, I’ve finally been won over. A concealed system not only looks more streamlined, but should also make keeping the bathroom clean that little bit easier.

Lighting

When my electrician told us he’s going to charge us for every point, I was stressed! Did you know every downlight is considered a point? Me neither! Tip: It’s always worth checking how many points are included in your renovation!

I tried keeping the number of points low, however, I still ended up with seven points! My en-suite is a long room with one tiny window at one end of the room, next to the shower, so alternative light options are essential. I’ve opted for three equally spaced downlights, above the shower, toilet and the vanity, to evenly light up the space.

I would’ve liked wall lights, but I am lacking in wall space so I opted for a light up wall mirror from Roper Rhodes that also de-mists! What I’m most excited about the mirror is that it has a motion sensor so no more jumpscares or turning on the wrong light in the middle of the night!

After renovating two bathrooms, I’ve realised that the best decisions aren’t always the trendiest or the cheapest – they’re the ones that make everyday life easier, with a side of bougie. Renovating is often a process of trial and error, and whilst I wouldn't change the lessons I've learnt along the way, I'm hoping this time I've found the sweet spot between what is practical and what looks beautiful too.

Amanda Jones is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on sustainable living and decorating a home in way that is good for the environment. See the rest of her articles here.

I love art, and I’ve bought some fabulous vintage pieces over the years. I buy art instinctively, and until recently, like lots of people, I’ve not thought too much about the artist, why they paint, or how they live their lives.

I go with my gut when choosing art. I never look at what’s trending, I just buy purely based on how a painting makes me feel, and colour is a massive draw to me. I’m a bit partial to a female portrait, much to my family’s despair, who do not share my enthusiasm. Last year I was asked not to bring anymore ‘strange women’ into the house, but to be honest, I’m not sure how much longer I can hold out, I LOVE female portraits.

I quite like an old frame too, one with bits missing, a bit of gilt, or one that someone painted many years ago, and that’s now a bit faded and chipped. Many of my paintings don’t even have frames, they are just propped up against the wall or piece of furniture, or strategically placed to hide a plug socket (another thing that irritates my family).

Most of my art is old oil paintings. I love the texture of oils, and that they don’t fade from the sun that streams through our windows. I don’t just hang art on my walls, I also have a huge vintage map of Great Britian and Ireland on my wall, it’s an old school chart, snapped up at a bargain price. The more colourful and quirkier something is, the more I love it.

For my 50^th birthday my friend bought me a beautiful painting of Venice, it’s one of my favourite cities. That painting was the start of a small collection of Venice paintings, I’ve bought over the years. They are now grouped together on my dining room wall. All from different eras, different styles, and different frames, but work together so well.

I mainly buy from small sellers in person, at vintage fairs or online. One of my favourite sellers is my good friend Julia, who sells art on her Instagram Antikquity and she also has a shop in Nottinghamshire. In her shop you’ll find some very eclectic and interesting art works.

Whilst I can appreciate art, and the skill of the artist, I had thought very little about the artist, why they paint, or how they manage to make a living through their art. That changed last year when my daughter Mia, returned from university.

After going to see a David Hockney exhibition, she was inspired to start painting again. She loved painting so much, she decided to set up her art business, Art By Mia Jones, over on Instagram. Over the past year Mia has sold original oils and sent hundreds of prints across the world.

For a new artist, just starting out, she has done very well. That said, this last year has been hard, a steep learning curve. I don’t think Mia realised how difficult it would be to create art, run a business, and promote yourself on social media. As I’ve watched all her highs, and lows over the last year, it has given me a deep appreciation for artists, especially those just starting out.

Although I’ve mainly bought vintage art in the past, I also know there are many wonderfully talented artists out there, so I’ve made a pledge, after seeing how hard my own daughter has worked, to try and support more of them.

This year I’ve not only bought some of my own daughters’ paintings, but I’ve also supported other artists too. I’ve bought a painting from Fiona Cumberpatch and a screenprint from Hannah Carvell, a fellow Open House writer. Both pieces have added another layer to my home, another part of my story.

If you love art and interiors, please consider supporting some of the independent artists out there. Let’s avoid the mass produced, AI generated prints, and focus more on individual artists. Whether it’s buying a small print, or commissioning a larger piece of art, the artist will be very appreciative of your custom.

If you can’t afford to buy anything right now, engaging in their social media platforms, liking and sharing their content, is another way you can help them.

After many years of buying vintage paintings, I’m now starting to view things a little differently, yes, I will continue to buy second-hand, but I will also be seeking out beautiful, interesting art, directly from living, breathing artists. Art really can enhance our homes and bring us much joy, let’s in turn support the amazing artists and creatives out there.

Home decorator and content creator Grace H is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on colourful home design, mixing vintage pieces with new and making personality-filled spaces. See the rest of her articles here.

Designing a bathroom from scratch is one of the most rewarding yet challenging things you can do – not to mention costing an absolute fortune if, like me, you have expensive tastes without the bank balance to back them up.

Our bathroom is teeny-tiny (less than 2m x 2m), and during the renovation, I made a few... controversial design choices. Everyone warned me against my decisions, but by thinking outside the box, we created our dream space. If you're currently planning a remodel, I hope our deep dive inspires you to trust your gut, even when everyone else thinks you've lost it.

1. The great tile rebellion

The default setting for most bathrooms is tiles everywhere. But after inheriting a sterile, cold room with floor-to-ceiling white tiles, I knew I wanted something different. I wanted something softer, warmer, and less... well, "bathroomy."

Initially, I pictured tongue-and-groove panelling on the lower half of the walls with wallpaper on top. However, my other half quickly vetoed the wallpaper, worrying that poor ventilation in such a small space would cause it to peel. After a brief sulk, I moved on to Plan B: a full, dramatic colour drench.

When I pitched the panelling idea to friends and family, the skepticism flooded in. Because we have a shower over the bath, everyone was convinced the wood would get wet, warp, and be ruined in a flash. My secret weapon? A vintage-inspired, wrap-around shower curtain. I reasoned that it would contain the water, while a good extractor fan would handle the humidity.

My dad was entirely unconvinced, uttering the fateful words:

“I’m telling you now, you’ll regret it.”

Do you know what? I don't.

2. The shower curtain logic

My theory worked perfectly. A year and a half later, the tongue-and-groove is still in mint condition. We installed a Victorian-style, wrap-around shower pole suspended from the ceiling. On the outside sits a decorative, waterproof striped curtain to add character and charm; on the inside, two liners keep the water in the bath.

It doesn’t feel claustrophobic at all, and no, the curtain doesn’t cling to you while you wash. It’s actually incredibly spacious, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

2. Re-thinking the storage formula

The obvious way to add storage to a small bathroom is to install a vanity unit to hide away ugly toiletries. That was our original plan, and we even had a custom unit made. But once it was in the room, it looked incredibly chunky and made the space feel half its size. (The failed vanity has since found a second life as a bar cart downstairs!)

Instead, we decided to build a bespoke cabinet to sit on the ledge running along the sink and toilet wall. But this presented a new problem: if a massive cupboard was occupying the wall, where would the shower head go?

Showers don’t have to be wall-mounted

Back on went my thinking cap. I started researching ceiling-mounted shower heads and found they are surprisingly easy to source. After a quick explanation and some random scribbles on scrap paper, my brother-in-law extraordinaire – who was fitting the bathroom for us – made it a reality. Leaving the wall free of shower plumbing meant my storage dreams could finally come true.

Sinks matter

With storage sorted, we could keep the sink super simple. We chose a period-inspired pedestal sink with an integrated towel rail to keep things neat. Getting rid of a boxy floor unit meant you could see more of the floor, creating the optical illusion of a much larger room.

3. The pink bath of my dreams

Once the shower situation was resolved, I finally realised my childhood dream of owning a freestanding bath. It’s not the obvious choice for a tiny room, and because I wanted it painted in a bold pop of colour, the naysayers returned. I was told it was a terrible idea and that the paint would chip instantly.

By this point, you might notice a theme: I didn't listen. Today, there isn’t a single chip or flake of paint in sight. It looks just as vibrant as the day it was painted.

4. Making a small bathroom even smaller

In a move that defied all logic, we actually brought our walls inward to hide a concealed toilet cistern. We also squared off the external window wall to allow for a deeper windowsill. My dad’s voice was ringing in my ears once again: “Who makes a small bathroom even smaller?!”

But I knew in my gut it would look more streamlined. Zero regrets! We now have two highly usable ledges (the windowsill and the ledge running across the toilet wall) that weren’t there before. They are the perfect perch for everyday essentials like toothbrushes and room spray, and even the occasional bunch of fresh flowers.

5. Saving on walls, splurging on floors

Because we saved so much money by skipping wall tiles, we had room left in the budget to spend on the floor. It was love at first sight when I found our statement floor tiles online, and the entire colour scheme of the bathroom ended up being based around them.

If you’re reading this and thinking you need to reign in your own design ideas to play it safe, take a second look at your plans. You might just find that the conventional choices are the crazy ones after all. The Moral of the Story

Trust your gut and don't be afraid to deviate from the standard manual. So many people made me question whether I was delusional or whether my ideas were even physically possible. It turns out they were – I just wasn't doing things the conventional way.

Strategist and content creator Francesca Swan is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on the concept of 'Everything' and what makes a home special to you. See the rest of her articles here.

As our renovation finally winds up, I’ve got a LOT of decisions to make and, in truth, I’m overwhelmed and losing my confidence.

My fatigued, yet over-active ADHD brain is tying me in knots – an unhelpful, yet familiar feeling. My go-to method of unpicking said knots is panic buying and snap decisions. Cue multiple time-consuming returns and a redecorating job in the kitchen.

That aside, thankfully life is a little calmer now, creating the bandwidth to start som very overdue deep therapy. It’s challenging work, but also brilliantly rewarding.

I’m getting to know myself, learning to be more open, connect more honestly and better understand my feelings and experiences. In turn, it’s changing how I see the world.

You’d be forgiven for wondering how this is relevant to our Ideal Home universe. However, this personal epiphany has already rippled through my last column on renovation lessons, where I was more brutally honest than ever been before.

That was difficult. I agonise over what people think of me and what to share. Now I feel more able to put this self-doubt aside, and share the full, unfiltered truth about my renovation and design experiences and who I am.

Call it Francesca 2.0 and gird your loins. Let us hope you all find my truth-dumps enjoyable, interesting, and/or useful. I would quite like to keep this gig!

Anyway, now the topic in hand…

I’ve been thinking a lot about my style lately. Can I define and use it to keep my home feeling true to me?

“How do you describe your style?” is a frequent conversation on Instagram. Some people have one neat sentence, whilst others, like me, struggle to find the right words.

I had zero idea when decorating our final rental. I simply cut and paste what I saw in the homes of a few zeitgeisty idols.

That can work, yet the risk is not reflecting your true personality or values. Sure enough, that apartment looked fine, but was generic with no sense of meaningful connection, belonging or joy – that essential intuition I now call my Everything feeling.

There’s a questionable collection of cityscape pictures still gathering dust in our storage – tell me you decorated in the 2010s without telling me you decorated in the 2010s. We lived with them for five years, but they were bought to fill a space and had no meaning.

Then late the other night, my mind noisily reshuffling my to-do list and fingers itching to shop for things we definitely didn’t need, I had a blindingly obvious, head-in-hands realisation. Although my interior style is hard to pin down, it always starts with my Everything pieces that feel innately true to me and make sure my home does too.

Pulling it back to this calmed and focused me.

Yet what is the difference between discovering a true Everything piece and the fleeting, dopamine-fuelled rush of a well-styled “must-have” mirror to match the cushion you’ve also just impulse bought?

It might be a forever piece. Or you might find yourself waiting untold hours for DPD to collect the return. We’ve all been there. Nothing is an exact science, and we don’t always get it right first time.

However, these countless red flags told me I’d lost my way and needed a big step back to properly understand what is important to my style and how I make decisions. I needed an anchor to ground me against panic buys and procrastination.

The goal is to confidently and intentionally fill our homes with personal, inspiring, value led things create an Everything connection with our mind, body and heart

Great. But how?

Pay attention and notice more

I recently visited the wonderful Modo Art Gallery, devoted purely to the remarkable David Hockney – without question my favourite artist since childhood.

Until then, I’d not fully absorbed his recent passing. Not only the loss of this irreplaceable visionary, but also what his work means to me. Viewing “Beneath the Surface: Swimming Pool Exhibition”, was the opportunity I needed.

Hockney’s central philosophy was encouraging people to look more carefully at the world around them, and to see and think differently.

What happens when you slow down, pause and pay attention? When you look longer and properly experience the world? When you go deeper beyond what you think you see and know?

I then stumbled on an interesting exercise in being present. Simply pick an object and describe it in purely sensory terms: what you see, feel, smell, hear or taste, without including any wider meaning. It’s tougher than it sounds.

Drinking a cup of coffee, for instance. You can see the steam rising from the dark

brown, slightly translucent liquid. The smell is rich and layered, with chocolate, fruit and something more earthy. The taste is warmly bitter, yet sweet, changing and lingering in your mouth.

It’s a shift in thinking and experiencing, but once you get the hang of it, surprisingly rewarding and rather fun.

Combining this with Hockney’s own words – “the world is far richer, more interesting, and more beautiful than we often allow ourselves to notice” – was a timely wake-up call.

We live in a world with myriad conflicting, often unhelpful things constantly competing for our attention. Social media. Too much choice. Awful news updates incessantly shouting from our phones.

Digital has huge value, but also huge downfalls. It cannot capture light, smell, touch – the beautiful, physical experiences of the world.

It can be overwhelming. We unconsciously start to shut down, blocking out all the noise. Ever feel like you’re on autopilot and an observer in your own life? Yep, me too.

It’s easy to unintentionally stop noticing the things that matter and are fundamental to our sense of self and well-being.

Relaxing outside, enjoying the gently warm late evening sunshine, rays of soft green dappled light filtered through the leaves of an ancient oak tree. The sculptural curves and vibrant colours of a vase won in a furious eBay bidding war.

When we stop noticing beauty and lose sight of what’s important in our world, we can lose confidence creating our homes. Instead, we copy. Follow trends. Buy impulsively. Decorate reactively. But does this reflect us or create our Everything feeling? Not to mention stand the test of time.

If we slow down to intentionally become more present and curious, we can properly capture things we’ve overlooked before.

Why do we repeatedly choose and love certain things? How does that knowledge inform our personal design language and help our homes feel more meaningful, coherent and individual?

By consciously grounding ourselves, we rein in our reactive autopilot and allow our inspiration and confidence to flourish. We can purposefully create from our heart and soul for lasting style and a home that truly feels like us.

My lightbulb moment

In the name of research, I applied this thinking to the Everything pieces in my home to understand what they reveal about me and the design of our apartment.

The findings have been liberating, useful and surprisingly eye-opening – valuable insights to inform my thinking and decision-making as I finish the apartment, but also hugely important for my life in general.

The biggest realisation wasn't about my style. It was about my values.

The pieces that I love aren't connected by a colour palette or design era. They're connected by meaning. They reflect my beliefs, curiosities and how I want to experience the world.

Suddenly things made much more sense.

So, with no further ado, welcome to my personal Everything pieces hall of fame.

Books, magazines and art

Our home is jam-packed with books, magazines and art and my collections will continue to grow.

My Vogue magazine coffee table. Exhibition posters we've loved for years. Pictures of my icons – Joan Didion, Patti Smith and David Bowie. My library, displayed as art in its own right.

They're permanent reminders there's always something new to learn, ideas to explore and perspectives to consider and gentle daily nudges towards thought and inspiration.

There's so much in this world I haven't yet seen and don't know. I want to keep discovering, experiencing as much as possible and constantly feeding my curiosity.

Natural materials

Marble. Wood. Linen. Jute. Limewash. Plants. These trigger something deep within me. They subtly, almost primevally make me feel calmer, more present and emotionally grounded, reminding me of my connection to something bigger and more permanent than myself.

I instinctively knew I wanted a lot of marble in our apartment. I’m fascinated by the age old process of metamorphism that creates this incredibly resilient yet endlessly beautiful material, with its infinite richness of coloured veining and texture.

Our kitchen, bathrooms, hallway, cloakroom and living room all celebrate and remind me of that.

One-of-a-kind pieces

My Everything pieces all tell a story.

The £10 chair bought on Facebook Marketplace 13 years ago, squirrelled away in storage until I finally found a place for it. Now reupholstered in Pierre Frey fabric – a bargain eBay find – it’s an incredible one-off that is also a sentimental snapshot of our life together. It makes me smile and feel grateful.

I love pre-loved objects, imbibed with experiences and memories I can't see but know are there. My brutalist-inspired scrolled metal kitchen chairs never fail to spark momentary glimmers of their rich, mysterious history - what they’ve seen and where they’ve been.

I also adore the thrill of the hunt and a good bargain, not least because I’m on a permanent budget. My brand new Arteriors metal chandelier was bought for a tiny fraction of the retail price and is a constant source of slightly smug pride.

I always shop my home first. The huge live-edge oak desk, made for my old office by an independent maker, didn’t fit when we moved and was relegated to storage. Then inspiration struck. Cut down slightly, painted a contrasting colour…et voila, the perfect forever dining table

Practical game-changing essentials

Everything pieces don't have to be decorative. Some are purely practical.

Reformer Pilates has genuinely changed my life, helping me find my way back to myself. Having a gym with a reformer is probably my greatest luxury.

I absolutely worship that machine. I talk to her as we work out together. Before and after every session, I clean and check her over. I know it's a bit weird, but she was an investment, she's beautifully engineered and she deserves to be looked after.

This slightly obsessive care doesn't end there. I'm incredibly particular about the features in our home.

They're not living things, but they're still precious to me. Caring for them properly shows respect – both for my surroundings and myself – whilst also helping them last longer.

There is a balance. Things are also meant to be used. Just light the Le Labo candle, Francesca. It's been four years already.

My Everything guidelines

Through these pieces, a pattern of my values emerges and tells the story of my design.

A constant, curious and open-minded quest for knowledge, discovery and new ways of doing things.

I'm deeply conscious of sustainability and waste, which is why we've found a use for every centimetre of the offcut marble from our kitchen.

Individuality and the unusual also matter. I love creating unexpected and intriguing conversations between objects that shouldn’t work together, yet somehow do.

Front of mind connection, respect and love for the people in my life, where I live and the experiences that have shaped me.

Then perhaps the biggest lightbulb moment of all... My Everything feeling is fundamentally about things that make me notice, think and feel.

Given my recent diagnosis of combined ADHD, it makes perfect sense. My hyper-active brain is constantly seeking stimulation, ideas and newness. Learning this has been one of the most positive and empowering moments of my life.

My mind needs feeding, but also space to rest. My Everything pieces give me both, stimulating my curiosity whilst simultaneously grounding me. I now truly understand why they're so important to me.

"The Everything Test"

So what does all this mean for you?

It boils down to one question: How do your values, beliefs and personality come to life through your style?

Enter stage left, “The Everything Test”. A simple, yet effective method I’ve coined and hope you’ll enjoy.

Start by walking slowly around your home and noticing things properly. Select the special pieces that instinctively draw you. Spend time using all your senses to describe them and why they matter.

Ask yourself:

What does it make me feel?

Why do I own this?

What story does it tell?

Would I choose it again?

What does it reveal about me?

Don’t think too much about the objects themselves. Pay attention to the answers.

Patterns, similarities and differences will become clear around them. Stories and memories. Colours. Shapes. Materials. Texture and smell. Where they came from and why you cherish them.

Those patterns become your personal design language – a flexible framework to more confidently make better decisions that are true to you, now and for years to come.

Designing intentionally

Creating a lasting and unique interior style isn't something we simply choose. The instinct behind what we love is ultimately deeply value-led.

We uncover it by paying closer attention to what matters to us, understanding why and allowing this knowledge to shape our homes.

Paradoxically, understanding your design language and principles behind what you love doesn’t restrict you. It frees you to experiment more confidently, safe in the knowledge you’re likely to create a cohesive and personal home that stands the test of time.

"Do I like this?" is replaced by a simpler and easier question to answer; "Does this belong in my story?"

This idea reaches further than interiors. It is a choice to live intentionally and curiously. To be present and actively connect with experiences, rather than passively observing.

Never forget the best things in life are wonderfully, tangibly real.

The smoothly worn surface of a wooden table beneath your fingertips. The changing tones of a linen bedsheet in the afternoon light. The smell of a wood fire on a rainy day. The weight of your favourite mug. The reassuring softness of the chair you've loved for fifteen years. The marble whose story began millions of years before yours.

They already surround you. Just pause and and notice them properly.

Home decorator Ammarah Hasham is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts infusing her rental house with plenty of personality. See the rest of her articles here.

"Keep the flowers. Pass me the stripes." That was me. For years.

Floral handbags? Absolutely not! (They’re still waiting outside my wardrobe). Ten years ago, I’d have admired a room wrapped in roses before returning home relieved it wasn’t mine.

I liked my interiors with a touch of rebellion. Still do. Sharp silhouettes. Bold colours. Clean lines. Everything else was figured out the messy way, one decorating disaster at a time. Patterned blooms, to me, felt a little too... well-behaved.

I’d convinced myself that people who decorated with florals were simply wired differently.

They had matching china.

Their delicate teapots wore tea cosies.

There was always a loaf of sourdough proving on the kitchen counter, and somehow it always rose. Then, I did the unthinkable. At least in my crisp-lined world.

I soft-launched florals into my life. Not with dainty roses or ditsy blooms. This wasn’t your traditional floral. Not the tea cosy type. The way I can best describe is that it felt as though exotic chinoiserie and regal botanicals had a very stylish baby.

The wallpaper that I fell for was Imperial Orange by Graham & Brown. It was floral with attitude. That’s what I wanted.

One botanical project led to another. Then, another. Before I knew it, I felt bold enough to buy a chair, flowers and all.

The wallpaper made me trust my own taste. Normally, I would have done it the other way round. A small piece of furniture first to test the waters before committing to a floral room. But, I guess, inspiration has a mind of its own. When it arrives, it doesn’t ask for directions. And, who was I to argue?

The Graham & Green button-back Suzani chair had been sitting on one of my Pinterest board for years. The only thing standing in its way was me.

A completely unnecessary amount of resistance.I didn’t stop there. One floral chair soon turned into two. Another Graham and Green chair followed. One I was absolutely willing to eat cereal for dinner to bring it home.

The funny thing is, I still wasn't drawn to traditional ditsy florals. Mine had to be oversized, bold and graphic. An entire bedroom got wallpapered in lemons. Well… lemons and pink vines. Lemons aren't technically flower but I’m counting them.

The citrus grove became the happiest room in the house. I turned the colour dial all the way up by pairing bold botanicals with my old faithful: checkerboard. Pattern clashing was at its happiest and so was I.

And then things really escalated… Flower power reached my master bedroom. Minimalists, I think you might want to look away.

It was all about pattern on pattern on pattern. This time I wasn’t experimenting with florals. I was embracing them wholeheartedly and knew exactly how I wanted the place to feel…A joyful cocoon of colour, pattern and florals.

I wrapped the room in oversized floral patterns and repeated the motifs across the bedding, cushions, and accessories. They were no longer an accent. I let them take over the room and if the decorating rulebook thinks it's all a bit much I'd simply ask, "Dear Rulebook, will you be sleeping here?".

That's the beauty of experimenting with your home. Sometimes, you surprise yourself. Sometimes, it introduces you to a version of your style you never knew existed.

Turns out, I really am that rebel who fell for roses. The question is: what have you ruled out that deserves another look?