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M a k e yo u r d r e a m h o m e a r e a l i t y REALHOMES.COM

Real HOMES BEFORE AFTERS

FEBRUARY 2019

10

ways to cut the cost of your new kitchen

+

60 pages of amazing home makeovers

kitchen dressers Bathroom taps nests of tables wall tiles

REALHOMES.COM

BEST BUYS Family bathrooms clever ideas to inspire your new space

OPEN-PLAN LIVING 25 Create your perfect kitchen extension

PHOTOGRAPH KATIE LEE

seph Joseph receive a Jo mixing bowls set

u subscribe – worth £30 when yo see page 124

renovated or finished a room makeover. Yes, it might have been hard work to get the job done, but by really nailing what it was they wanted from the new space first, they’re reaping the benefits of their efforts now. So as we’re all racing headfirst into the new year, I hope you feel inspired to make 2019 the year you start your next house transformation. Beth Murton Acting Editor @BethMurton

what i’m buying this month... I could do with a bit of extra glamour in my life on these dark winter mornings, and this domed bathroom beauty will do the trick. See page 52 for details

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REALHOMES.COM

from the editor

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hat makes the perfect extension? Is it the fact it flows out to the garden, effortlessly linking indoors and out? Perhaps it’s how it transforms a dated and impractical layout into a multifunctional family room, or the way in which the new contemporary glazing can turn previously dark areas into light-filled spaces? If you’re lucky, chances are it can be all of the above. But how do you get from that first glint of an idea of taking on an extension project to actually achieving your dream space? There’s so much to do before the foundations can be laid that starting a project can often seem like a mammoth task that will never be achieved. I know how that feels, having been toying with the idea of extending for nearly a year. The thought of living in a building site for several months with two children, however, has so far been enough to put my plans on the backburner… That being said, I’m a firm believer in ‘no pain, no gain’, so I know that if we’re ever going to stand a chance of having a kitchen-diner that’s big enough for everyday activities for our family of four (cooking, eating, homework, entertaining and dancing around like lunatics on a Friday night for our regular kitchen disco), then I know we’ll have to take the plunge and go for it – all while trying not to think about the increased monthly mortgage payments, of course. If you’re in the same mindset, then our new monthly extensions planner (page 128) should give you the confidence boost you need to get your project off the ground, and save you money in the process (page 80). From working out the reasons why you want to extend in the first place to the key moments you want to create in your new space (everything from leisurely family breakfasts at the weekend to cocktail nights with the girls for me), it’s all part of finalising your priorities before you even think of parting with your hard-earned cash. It’s something the homeowners featured in this issue have nailed to perfection, whether they’ve extended,

s t n e t n co Style agenda 39

Inside track

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35

How to revamp your windows with colourful paint

news The products and trends that grabbed our attention this month

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home truths

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58 33

real home See how a side extension allowed Laura Edwards and Matt Jackson to make a mark on their home

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nesting instinct

52

Easy update Create a gallery wall the simple way with adhesive strips

Family bathroom Add a style splash and make yours kid-proof but not boring

the light fantastic

58

Create ambience and illuminate the way with stylish wall lights

37

new buys on the block The key home office trends and how to get the look on a budget

Tables that are aesthetically pleasing and twice as useful

35

boutique chic Be inspired by hotel designs for a rich and glamorous space

Our monthly columnist, Lisa Dawson, on artwork in the home

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Sunday project

metro tile ideas Transform the classic shape into a work of art for your walls

63

the big debate

reader offer! Use our exclusive discount to save 20 per cent at Walls and Floors

Is it worth using a project manager for your renovation or extension?

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READER OFFER Receive a Joseph Joseph nesting bowl set worth £30 when you subscribe – see page 124

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s t n e t n co project advice

home life 65

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Real Home

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127 extension of the month A unique angular addition that’s caught our eye

scandi style From hygge to lagom, here’s why we’re (still) loving all things Nordic

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128 planning your perfect extension

Real Home

Is extending really the best option for you?

See how Anna and Dilwyn turned a period property’s servants quarters into a luxury home

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132 the report The latest ideas, trends and buys for your kitchen and bathroom

106 team effort How to overcome problems with trades working on your project

140 how to cut the cost of your kitchen

108 real home

Clever ways to achieve your dream space for less

Shelley and Wayne Carline have created a home brimming with drama and unique style

147 Focus on curtains Our pick of the best fabrics to dress your windows

121 ‘if only we’d known’ Three renovating readers share their hard-won advice

151 The edit The latest kitchen dressers and wall-hung basin taps

134 real home Tactile oak and copper tones infuse Karla and Adam’s Arts and Crafts-inspired kitchen

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162 over to you

134

maximise your extension budget Make your money go further

Redesigning the layout made Charlotte Asquith and Chris Shaw’s dream home a reality

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project news The latest ideas and buys for your renovation

My favourite corner A reader shares the part of her home she loves the most

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22

Our readers reveal their worst decorating habits

#Sorealhomes Share your home with us on Instagram using our hashtag

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Future PLC, Units 1 & 2, Sugarbrook Court, Aston Road, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire B60 3EX

EDITORIAL Editor Laura Crombie Acting Editor Beth Murton Assistant Editor Alison Jones Features Editor Ellen Finch Style Editor Anna Morley Deputy Style Editor Amelia Smith realhomes@futurenet.com 01527 834456

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ISSN 14 64 - 4 061 áƺ Əȸƺ ƬȒȅȅǣɎɎƺƳ ɎȒ ȒȇǼɵ ɖɀǣȇǕ ȅƏǕƏɿǣȇƺ ȵƏȵƺȸ ɯǝǣƬǝ ǣɀ ƳƺȸǣɮƺƳ ǔȸȒȅ ȸƺɀȵȒȇɀǣƫǼɵ ȅƏȇƏǕƺƳً ƬƺȸɎǣˡƺƳ ǔȒȸƺɀɎȸɵ ƏȇƳ ƬǝǼȒȸǣȇƺ‫ٮ‬ǔȸƺƺ ȅƏȇɖǔƏƬɎɖȸƺِ Áǝƺ ȵƏȵƺȸ ǣȇ Ɏǝǣɀ ȅƏǕƏɿǣȇƺ ɯƏɀ ɀȒɖȸƬƺƳ ƏȇƳ ȵȸȒƳɖƬƺƳ ǔȸȒȅ ɀɖɀɎƏǣȇƏƫǼƺ ȅƏȇƏǕƺƳ ǔȒȸƺɀɎɀً ƬȒȇǔȒȸȅǣȇǕ ɎȒ ɀɎȸǣƬɎ ƺȇɮǣȸȒȇȅƺȇɎƏǼ ƏȇƳ ɀȒƬǣȒƺƬȒȇȒȅǣƬ ɀɎƏȇƳƏȸƳɀِ Áǝƺ ȅƏȇɖǔƏƬɎɖȸǣȇǕ ȵƏȵƺȸ ȅǣǼǼ ǝȒǼƳɀ ǔɖǼǼ I³! ٢IȒȸƺɀɎ ³ɎƺɯƏȸƳɀǝǣȵ !ȒɖȇƬǣǼ٣ ƬƺȸɎǣˡƬƏɎǣȒȇ ƏȇƳ ƏƬƬȸƺƳǣɎƏɎǣȒȇ ǼǼ ƬȒȇɎƺȇɎɀ ۰ ‫ ז׏׎א‬IɖɎɖȸƺ ¨ɖƫǼǣɀǝǣȇǕ nǣȅǣɎƺƳ Ȓȸ ȵɖƫǼǣɀǝƺƳ ɖȇƳƺȸ ǼǣƬƺȇƬƺِ ǼǼ ȸǣǕǝɎɀ ȸƺɀƺȸɮƺƳِ zȒ ȵƏȸɎ Ȓǔ Ɏǝǣɀ ȅƏǕƏɿǣȇƺ ȅƏɵ ƫƺ ɖɀƺƳً ɀɎȒȸƺƳً ɎȸƏȇɀȅǣɎɎƺƳ Ȓȸ ȸƺȵȸȒƳɖƬƺƳ ǣȇ Əȇɵ ɯƏɵ ɯǣɎǝȒɖɎ Ɏǝƺ ȵȸǣȒȸ ɯȸǣɎɎƺȇ ȵƺȸȅǣɀɀǣȒȇ Ȓǔ Ɏǝƺ ȵɖƫǼǣɀǝƺȸِ IɖɎɖȸƺ ¨ɖƫǼǣɀǝǣȇǕ nǣȅǣɎƺƳ ٢ƬȒȅȵƏȇɵ ȇɖȅƫƺȸ ‫דזזז׎׎א‬٣ ǣɀ ȸƺǕǣɀɎƺȸƺƳ ǣȇ 0ȇǕǼƏȇƳ ƏȇƳ áƏǼƺɀِ «ƺǕǣɀɎƺȸƺƳ ȒǔˡƬƺ‫ ي‬ªɖƏɵ RȒɖɀƺً Áǝƺ ȅƫɖȸɵً ƏɎǝ ‫׏ ׏‬È ِ ǼǼ ǣȇǔȒȸȅƏɎǣȒȇ ƬȒȇɎƏǣȇƺƳ ǣȇ Ɏǝǣɀ ȵɖƫǼǣƬƏɎǣȒȇ ǣɀ ǔȒȸ ǣȇǔȒȸȅƏɎǣȒȇ ȒȇǼɵ ƏȇƳ ǣɀً Əɀ ǔƏȸ Əɀ ɯƺ Əȸƺ ƏɯƏȸƺً ƬȒȸȸƺƬɎ ƏɎ Ɏǝƺ Ɏǣȅƺ Ȓǔ ǕȒǣȇǕ ɎȒ ȵȸƺɀɀِ IɖɎɖȸƺ ƬƏȇȇȒɎ ƏƬƬƺȵɎ Əȇɵ ȸƺɀȵȒȇɀǣƫǣǼǣɎɵ ǔȒȸ ƺȸȸȒȸɀ Ȓȸ ǣȇƏƬƬɖȸƏƬǣƺɀ ǣȇ ɀɖƬǝ ǣȇǔȒȸȅƏɎǣȒȇِ çȒɖ Əȸƺ ƏƳɮǣɀƺƳ ɎȒ ƬȒȇɎƏƬɎ ȅƏȇɖǔƏƬɎɖȸƺȸɀ ƏȇƳ ȸƺɎƏǣǼƺȸɀ ƳǣȸƺƬɎǼɵ ɯǣɎǝ ȸƺǕƏȸƳ ɎȒ Ɏǝƺ ȵȸǣƬƺ Ȓǔ ȵȸȒƳɖƬɎɀٖɀƺȸɮǣƬƺɀ ȸƺǔƺȸȸƺƳ ɎȒ ǣȇ Ɏǝǣɀ ȵɖƫǼǣƬƏɎǣȒȇِ ȵȵɀ ƏȇƳ ɯƺƫɀǣɎƺɀ ȅƺȇɎǣȒȇƺƳ ǣȇ Ɏǝǣɀ ȵɖƫǼǣƬƏɎǣȒȇ Əȸƺ ȇȒɎ ɖȇƳƺȸ Ȓɖȸ ƬȒȇɎȸȒǼِ áƺ Əȸƺ ȇȒɎ ȸƺɀȵȒȇɀǣƫǼƺ ǔȒȸ Ɏǝƺǣȸ ƬȒȇɎƺȇɎɀ Ȓȸ Əȇɵ ȒɎǝƺȸ ƬǝƏȇǕƺɀ Ȓȸ ɖȵƳƏɎƺɀ ɎȒ Ɏǝƺȅِ Áǝǣɀ ȅƏǕƏɿǣȇƺ ǣɀ ǔɖǼǼɵ ǣȇƳƺȵƺȇƳƺȇɎ ƏȇƳ ȇȒɎ ƏǔˡǼǣƏɎƺƳ ǣȇ Əȇɵ ɯƏɵ ɯǣɎǝ Ɏǝƺ ƬȒȅȵƏȇǣƺɀ ȅƺȇɎǣȒȇƺƳ ǝƺȸƺǣȇِ Xǔ ɵȒɖ ɀɖƫȅǣɎ ȅƏɎƺȸǣƏǼ ɎȒ ɖɀً ɵȒɖ ɯƏȸȸƏȇɎ ɎǝƏɎ ɵȒɖ Ȓɯȇ Ɏǝƺ ȅƏɎƺȸǣƏǼ ƏȇƳٖȒȸ ǝƏɮƺ Ɏǝƺ ȇƺƬƺɀɀƏȸɵ ȸǣǕǝɎɀٖȵƺȸȅǣɀɀǣȒȇɀ ɎȒ ɀɖȵȵǼɵ Ɏǝƺ ȅƏɎƺȸǣƏǼ ƏȇƳ ɵȒɖ ƏɖɎȒȅƏɎǣƬƏǼǼɵ ǕȸƏȇɎ IɖɎɖȸƺ ƏȇƳ ǣɎɀ ǼǣƬƺȇɀƺƺɀ Ə ǼǣƬƺȇƬƺ ɎȒ ȵɖƫǼǣɀǝ ɵȒɖȸ ɀɖƫȅǣɀɀǣȒȇ ǣȇ ɯǝȒǼƺ Ȓȸ ǣȇ ȵƏȸɎ ǣȇ ƏȇɵٖƏǼǼ ǣɀɀɖƺɀ ƏȇƳٖȒȸ ƺƳǣɎǣȒȇɀ Ȓǔ ȵɖƫǼǣƬƏɎǣȒȇɀً ǣȇ Əȇɵ ǔȒȸȅƏɎ ȵɖƫǼǣɀǝƺƳ ɯȒȸǼƳɯǣƳƺ ƏȇƳ Ȓȇ ƏɀɀȒƬǣƏɎƺƳ ɯƺƫɀǣɎƺɀً ɀȒƬǣƏǼ ȅƺƳǣƏ ƬǝƏȇȇƺǼɀ ƏȇƳ ƏɀɀȒƬǣƏɎƺƳ ȵȸȒƳɖƬɎɀِ ȇɵ ȅƏɎƺȸǣƏǼ ɵȒɖ ɀɖƫȅǣɎ ǣɀ ɀƺȇɎ ƏɎ ɵȒɖȸ Ȓɯȇ ȸǣɀǸ ƏȇƳً ƏǼɎǝȒɖǕǝ ƺɮƺȸɵ ƬƏȸƺ ǣɀ ɎƏǸƺȇً ȇƺǣɎǝƺȸ IɖɎɖȸƺ ȇȒȸ ǣɎɀ ƺȅȵǼȒɵƺƺɀً ƏǕƺȇɎɀً ɀɖƫƬȒȇɎȸƏƬɎȒȸɀ Ȓȸ ǼǣƬƺȇɀƺƺɀ ɀǝƏǼǼ ƫƺ ǼǣƏƫǼƺ ǔȒȸ ǼȒɀɀ Ȓȸ ƳƏȅƏǕƺِ áƺ Əɀɀɖȅƺ ƏǼǼ ɖȇɀȒǼǣƬǣɎƺƳ ȅƏɎƺȸǣƏǼ ǣɀ ǔȒȸ ȵɖƫǼǣƬƏɎǣȒȇ ɖȇǼƺɀɀ ȒɎǝƺȸɯǣɀƺ ɀɎƏɎƺƳً ƏȇƳ ȸƺɀƺȸɮƺ Ɏǝƺ ȸǣǕǝɎ ɎȒ ƺƳǣɎً ƏȅƺȇƳً ƏƳƏȵɎ ƏǼǼ ɀɖƫȅǣɀɀǣȒȇɀِ

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Fut ure p lc is a p ub lic com p any q uoted on t h e Lon d on Stock Exch an g e (sym b ol: FUTR) w w w.futureplc.com

Ch ief execut ive Zillah Byng-Thorne Non -execut ive ch airm an Richard Huntingford !ǝǣƺǔ ˡȇƏȇƬǣƏǼ ȒǔˡƬƺȸ Penny Ladkin-Brand Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244

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INSIDE

track

Get the scoop on new design ideas, must-have products and looks you’ll love… TASTEFULLY TIMELESS Transcend seasons and trends by investing in neutral tones to create a serene base for your scheme. Greys and taupes can be used for years to come, creating a sophisticated palete. Opt for sumptuous velvet fabrics which offer elegance and comfort. Embrace this look if you like updating your home regularly – by adding a rug, curtains or switching accessories and wall art, you can create a whole new feel.

Gail Bryson Stack rug in Yolk, from £169

FEATURE ANNA MORLEY

Iggy medium corner sofa in Thatch smart velvet, £3,810; Birch chevron rug, from £309; Taylor cofee table, £590; Taylor side table, £290, all Sofa.com

Darcy dining chair in Hazelnut Dexters linen, £450 Chaplin side table, £220

easy living

Highbury large wall mirror, £620

Don’t be fooled by the name, Sofa.com isn’t just about setees. It covers accessories and décor, too. Take a look at our faves…

Mabel daybed in Anchor Zoe Glencross Motram Meadow, £1,740

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GROUND CONTROL

SHOPPING SECRETS FROM A HOME ST YLIST

Make a statement underfoot with one of these lovely new vinyl rugs. Ideal for use in the kitchen and bathroom as they are washable, this update is both quick and practical. Available in three sizes and colourways, they can also be used with an underlay for a more permanent look.

Creative workshop tutor and author Emily Dawe on her styling loves. @editbyemily; emilydawe.com Quickest way to refresh an interior space? I go to my fail-safe store for interiors, H&M Home, for some new cushion covers. Instant updates like changing cushions, a new rug or swapping around pictures make such a big diference if you’re tired of your room’s decor. A few fab houseplants always make a big impact, too (try Stupid Egg). For last-minute homeware props I like ... To create something myself. I teach modern calligraphy workshops, so I’ll get my ink and pen out and do some lovely typography which I frame or prop on a shelf. My go-to market is... Until recently I was living in Brixton, and the market had some great independent shops. They sold everything from rustic brooms and brushes to succulent pots, vintage pieces and handmade candles.

Tanger black and white vinyl rug, from £76, Modern Rugs

SUPER MARKET

Drury Lane 16-piece cutlery set, £16

Congratulations! Sainsbury’s is celebrating its 150th anniversary, and is looking rather good on it. To celebrate, it’s released several exclusive new homeware collections, one marking the store’s history called Drury Lane. Others include Stockholm Spring, Botanist and Coastline.

For something a bit different I head to... Instagram! I’ve found wonderful independent businesses there. Some of my favourites are Never Perfect Studio, Hello Marilu, and Wanderlust Wares. With a baby on the way, I’m discovering kids’ brands like Mini Maison, Velveteen Babies and Litle Peach & Pip! Who does your look best? I love a mix of old and new, colour, quirkiness and style. Among car boot, charity shop finds and my artwork, are pieces from West Elm, Oliver Bonas, Fy (for unusual art) Audenza and good old Ikea.

Drury Lane ceramic measuring cups, £10

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Drury Lane placemats, £8 for two

Drury Lane cafetiere, £18

Drury Lane vintage cake tin, £7

Eastern promise There’s more than a hint of Oriental influence in this new Nippon wallpaper collection. Creating a calm statement, it homages the Japanese wabi-sabi tradition – a tribute to the belief in the beauty of the natural, pure and imperfect. Twelve patterns make up the range, which comes in a palette of soft and forest greens, deep blues, pale pinks and yellows.

Luscious faux poted bracken fern, £62, Audenza

Medium fiddle leaf fig tree, £39.50, Marks & Spencer

Pine 804-78 wallpaper, £84 per roll by Sandberg Wallpaper

GLORIOUS GREENS

blue hue

Nothing beats a living, breathing plant in your home, but if you struggle to keep yours alive, faux is your friend. These days it’s hard to tell the diference between real and fake, so if you prefer to dust rather than water your plants, pick from these designs.

Move over grey, blue is in town – and in a big way. We saw a real rise in blue kitchens last year, and in 2019 it’ll be moving into the bedroom. Go bold and adorn your walls with it, add a regal curtain or perhaps dress your bed in a striking cobalt set, which works perfectly against a muted background.

Book worm HOMEBODY: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave, Joanna Gaines (Harper Design, Hardback, £25) Joanna, author and co-owner of US-based lifestyle brand Magnolia, walks you through the practical steps for embracing your authentic design look and creating a home that reflects your personality. Full of inspirational imagery, it reveals room by room how styles are implemented, aiming to help make spaces you’ll love so much, you will never want to go out.

Lido double duvet set, £150; peach pillowcases, £40 (set of two), Under Cover Living

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Gisela Graham green bamboo faux poted plant in concrete pot, £29.95, Tuti Decor

Green speckled aloe vera in square cement pot, £52, Sue Parkinson

save Hetherington small brass base poufe in Blush Pink velvet, £99, Made.com

V spend TOO POSH TO POUFFE We’ve noticed little velvet stools cropping up everywhere, serving as an extra surface or footrest

IN THE FRAME If you love the look of shuters (which frankly, we do) but think they’re out of your budget, California Shuters has come to the rescue. Its easy-toassemble range comes pre-cut, drilled and hinged, and is available in a variety of colours so you can get the luxury look for less. Costing almost half the price of professionally installed versions, they’re a walletfriendly option..

Ridged velvet stool in turquoise, £410, Out There Interiors

Fontaine character 180mm engineered oak wood flooring, £55.14 per m2, the PurePlank collection at Havwoods

Afordable Hybrid basswood and aluminium shuters in Painthouse’s Jenson, from £166 m2, plus a £125 flat fee (for mixing the colour as shuter paint),California Shuters. Walls in Hudson, £48 for 2.5ltrs, Painthouse

Plum Pie mat emulsion, £38 for 2.5ltrs, Graham & Brown Ballet Pumps mat emulsion, £38 for 2.5ltrs, Graham & Brown

TEAL APPEAL

In line with the appearance of all things sky and sea-coloured of late, Graham & Brown’s paint colour of the year is a mesmerising deep, teal called Tiru. Rich and sophisticated, it works beautifully with other elegant paint tones. For more ideas on how to use it in your home, see page 41.

Woodworth mat emulsion, £38 for 2.5ltrs, Graham & Brown

Natural order Munchkin’s Nose mat emulsion, £38 for 2.5lltrs Graham & Brown

Tori wallpaper, £50 per roll; Tiru, mat emulsion, £38 for 2.5ltrs, Graham & Brown

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Bring nature inside with a wooden floor. A collection of affordable, easy-to-install 14mm planks in eight new designs have been released from Havwoods, in their PurePlank range. Each has a triple-layered construction providing strength and durability. They come in pale, natural tones and darker finishes, classic, rustic and character grade surfaces.

home truths

LISA DAWSON be expensive and can really personalise your space – try having a favourite photograph blown up on to canvas. Not only will it be a great talking point, but it will also have an emotional connection, an important factor when It’s mainly because she did Art at it comes to making your house a home. A Level which made her, in our eyes, Or go for feature wallpaper, or indeed, a something of an expert, a Brian Sewell mural – often works of art in themselves in female form. She went on to have and a brilliant way to bring in the colour. a suitably creative career in fashion But knowing where to start can be journalism, whereas my job generally a fairly daunting task. So what are my involved furiously tapping on a top tips for adding art to your home? keyboard while co-ordinating boring ANYTHING GOES Who says that you meetings and diary management have to stick to the standard art print for a procession of IT professionals. when you are planning out your wall? Deciding which colour highlighter On mine, I’ve got decorative plates, to use was the limit to my artistry. neon, guitars, flying dolphins (true However, I’ve always had a bit of story) and even a wooden goat’s head an obsession with art in my home and, that I picked up when on holiday in in particular, the glory of a gallery wall. Greece. If you love it, hang it. When I was a teenager, my bedroom CHOOSE WITH walls were covered YOUR HEART I’m a edge to edge in glossy ‘On my wall firm believer that art pictures that I’d is down to personal picked up at the I’ve got flying choice. Almost every poster shop on piece in my home Carnaby Street. I dolphins (true was chosen because spent hours flicking it sang to me. It through those plastic story) and even doesn’t matter if it’s display prints, looking a wooden goat’s not everyone’s cup of for the perfect sultry tea – whether you are print of James Dean. head. If you love into oil paintings or The leather-jackettypographic quotes, clad-bad-boyit, hang it’ kitsch art or pop art, working-on-astick to your guns. motorbike-look was MIX IT UP Contrasting frames make king – if you weren’t obsessed with a great focal point – it’s not essential for The Outsiders or saving Matt Dillon them to match. In fact, the randomness from going off the rails, were you even of colours or textures is super effective. there in the 1980s? The same applies to the style of art you Anyway, I digress. For me, a blank hang – whether it’s vintage, art prints wall is a canvas to display my favourites. or watercolours, together they create The juxtaposition of the art makes me a display that’s worth looking at. very happy. In my own home, I’ve hung Ultimately, your home should prints that belonged to my parents, always reflect your personality. There’s family favourites, limited editions and so much joy to be taken in filling your typography. There are oil paintings home with lots of things that you love. paired with neon, charity shop buys Andy Warhol once said, ‘Don’t think next to urban prints and photographs about making art, just get it done. alongside framed invitations – the Let everyone else decide if it’s good combination of styles never fails or bad, whether they love it or hate it. to put a smile on my face. And while they are deciding, make If you’re not currently a gallery wall even more art’. Word. aficionado, statement art is also a great FOLLOW LISA @_lisa_dawson_ way to add impact. It doesn’t have to

PHOTOGRAPH KATIE LEE

I’ve never been the artistic one in my family. That title always went to my sister.

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two-storey extension

Bright ıdeas An innovatively designed side addition gave Laura Edwards and Matt Jackson the chance to make a mark on their colourful family home

Profile THE OWNERs Laura Edwards, a teacher, lives here with her husband, Mat Jackson, who works in communications for London Marathon Events, and their children, Sam, nine, and Isabel, five THE PROPERTY A three-bedroom, 1960s ex-local authority end-ofterrace house in Lewisham, London project COST £143,000

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WORDS ELLEN FINCH PHOTOGRAPHS CHRIS SNOOK STYLING KERI SHEEHAN

WHY WE LOVE LAURA’S HOUSE... Awkward situations can often lead to creative solutions, and that was certainly the case with Laura and Matt’s end-of-terrace house. Keen to stay put but desperate for more space, they looked to the oddly shaped, tapered plot of land to the side of their property as a chance to expand their home and create an extension that better accommodated their young family. But one question remained: what could they do with such a strange space? With help from a local architect, the couple designed a standout extension with real architectural merit – a staggered structure that fits snugly in a tight space, complementing the house while setting it apart from its neighbours. For an ordinary ex-council house to undergo such a fantastic transformation is no mean feat. Of course, the inside of a house is just as important as the exterior, and you can’t underestimate how dramatically even the smallest extension can impact the way you live. As well as creating a new light-filled bedroom for the couple, building an addition has allowed Laura and Matt to revisit the open-plan layout of their house and create carefully thought-out zones – all united by the considered use of zingy shades throughout. We were keen to delve inside the couple’s bright and colourful home to find out more…

TOP TIP

REALHOMES.COM

Use accent colours to subtly link spaces and pull a scheme together, like Laura’s done with cushions, rugs, throws and candlesticks

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Over to Laura...

‘

We’d lived in south-east London for 10 years and loved the area. It’s got good schools and parks, and is in walking distance of lovely places like Greenwich and Blackheath – but we needed more space. To move to another property nearby, like a period house, would have meant we’d have to pay a lot more. ‘We had an odd-shaped side return that we realised we could do something quite interesting with, so we decided to extend. I found an architect – a work colleague’s husband. I’d seen their house before and loved what they’d done. I liked the idea of doing something to make our own house exactly how we wanted it, rather than spending money on a move. ‘The exposed brick wall in the dining area is one of my favourite things. The architects suggested it and it could have gone all the way up into the bedroom – which in hindsight, might have been quite nice. The colours and textures are really interesting – the kids love spoting shapes in them. Even with the extension, our house is relatively small, so I’ve kept the interior bright, clean and simple. Functionality was important, but it needed to be a space we wanted to come home to and that the kids would enjoy. I think the colours definitely contribute to that.

‘

TOP TIP Use the same flooring throughout to make an open-plan kitchen/ dining area seem more spacious, with nothing to break the eyeline

Flooring, Flooring Supplies. Ceiling lights, Made.com. Kitchen units, worktop, sink, tap, oven and shelves, Ikea. Splashback tiles, Topps Tiles. Walls painted in Dulux Mix Your Own custom paint; for similar, try Pixie Green. Fridge, Samsung. Radiators, Milano Aruba

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‘

We’d spoken to the council in advance of the work so we had tips on what they wanted. They were clear that the extension be “subservient” to the original build, and that’s where the architects got the idea for the Russian doll design we have now. I think it’s really clever. The side space was a funny shape – sort of tapered. You couldn’t put a big square box there because there wasn’t the space, so having something that was staggered made sense. ‘We both like modern lines. The architects were brilliant in thinking about how we use the space and making it work for us. That’s the benefit of having it designed for you – it fits exactly to what you want. Once they’d had a look, we chated over ideas and they mapped out ways in which the diferent zones of the open-plan space on the ground floor could work. Architects see it through completely new eyes – you have an idea about what might happen, but they always have a bigger vision.

‘

Glazing, Henry & Sons Windows

‘

The ground floor was open plan before we extended, but we were keen to create diferent zones, including the galley kitchen, dining space and siting room. Because of the odd shape of the living room, thanks to the staggered extension, we were able to create this small reading nook. The kids love to pick out a book, and Sam plays his trumpet in here.

‘

Armchair, Made.com. Rug, TK Maxx. Bookshelves, Ikea

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‘

Contacts

One of the key elements of the living room is the built-in storage, which the architects designed. They were so clever with it – when you come in through the front door, there’s a wall of storage all the way under the stairs up to the back door, as well as in the utility room and larder. It’s massively helpful to have that with two young kids. ‘We had conversations early on with the architects about what we could aford, and we broadly stuck to our budget – even if it meant staggering some things, like the carpentry. There were ideas along the way that they’d come up with – like zinc roofing, which was more costly than standard roofing – that forced us to weigh up where to splash and where to save. We would have loved to go into the roof and create a skylight above the stairwell, but it would have added on another £30,000. It would’ve been lovely, but we definitely didn’t need it.

Architect Selencky/Parsons, 020 8694 0713, selenckyparsons.com Glazing Henry & Sons Windows, 020 8965 5230, henryandsons.co.uk Kitchen Ikea, 020 3645 0000, ikea.com En suite Deep Blue Bathrooms, 020 8690 3401, deepbluebathrooms.com

‘

Bespoke storage, Sheppard Homes. Sofa, Ikea. Cofee table, Made.com. Rug, Ikea

TOP TIP

REALHOMES.COM

Want to create a modern focal point? Try painting your fireplace surround in the same bold colour as your walls

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‘

Because the kids were sharing a bedroom, we had to find a way to please both of them while giving them some individuality. The bright green paint ties the room in with the rest of the house and makes their space feel fun. We individualised the beds through the duvets. We knew they’d eventually have rooms of their own so we didn’t feel we needed to spend too much time or money. Despite that, they still got the biggest bedroom in the house – it’s lovely and spacious.

‘

Wall painted in Pixie Green, Dulux. White drawer unit and bedlinen, Ikea. Beds, Warren Evans. Carpet, Carpetright

TOP TIP Limited wall space? Look at a tall but slim vertical radiator. Pick a bold colour and it can be decorative and warming

‘

Having big windows was a massive part of creating a master bedroom we’d love to relax in. We have windows both sides of the room so it’s flooded with light. The kids love standing at the window and pushing their noses up it to make funny faces. One end of the room is a sloped alcove, so we got a carpenter to install a wardrobe and custom shelves. We went for a neutral scheme – it’s calming and works really well with the natural light.

‘

Walls painted in Chalk White, Dulux. Carpet, Carpetright. Bed, Muji. Bedlinen, TK Maxx. Bedside tables and lamps, Habitat. En suite, Deep Blue Bathrooms

THE PLANS GROUND FLOOR BEFORE

FIRST FLOOR AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEDROOM

LIVING ROOM LIVING ROOM

BEDROOM EN SUITE

BEDROOM

KITCHEN-DINER KITCHEN

BED ROOM

BEDROOM BATH ROOM

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BATH ROOM

REALHOMES.COM

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‘

In the summer, the bi-fold doors are one of the nicest features of the house. It makes the whole of the ground floor, including the outside, feel like one big room. The garden is quite small and ater we extended, it was reduced in size. But weirdly, it feels bigger now, like it’s an extension of the house, too.

BEFORE

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THE PROJECT

Report AND ESSENTIA THE LATEST IDEAS, TRENDS

L BUYS

FOR YOUR HOME IMPRO VEMENT PROJECT

CLASS-E TECH The Nest Thermostat E saves energy right out of the box, turning down when it detects no one is home and switching of when the scheduled temperature is reached. It’s also controllable from anywhere via an app or Google Assistant and has a discreet frosted display. Nest Thermostat E, £199, Nest.com

Say cheese The sleek Somfy Outdoor Camera records video when there’s movement, has an integrated 110dB siren to scare off intruders, and will alert your smartphone so you can talk to the person if they are a genuine, albeit unexpected, visitor. It’ll even remind you to activate it when you go out. £249, available at major retailers.

WORDS ALISON JONES COMPILED BY AMELIA SMITH

FASHIONABLE FADE

Open and shut case

Ombre is set to be a hot new trend in radiators... and we love it. Bisque’s Classic column radiators are available in four to six shades that fade from dark to light in a special application process. The finish can be combined with Bisque’s colourmatching service using favourite paint brands like Farrow & Ball and Litle Greene. Made bespoke to order, prices start at £888.

The door is the first thing you see before entering a room, so it’s important that it looks good. Jeld-Wen’s Curated collection ofers a hand-picked selection of internal and external doors ranging from the simple framed glass Moda to Grange, a barn door perfect for a rustic look. From classic to customised, you’ll find something to suit your scheme.

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Hardy multi-fuel stove, £379 for H46.8xW32.9cm, and £399 for H47.5x37cm, Arada

JOIN THE COMMUNITY ON L REALHOMES.COM FOR AL

To burn or not to burn? With this petite multi-fuel stove from Arada’s Hamlet range, the answer is a resounding yes. Designed with compact living in mind, the Hardy delivers big when it comes to heat output, ranging from 4.2kw to 5kw. And with a palete of seven colours, it will suit any room scheme, too.

PURPLE REIGNS This purple slimline lantern from Roof Maker certainly caught our eye this month. The shade was inspired by the Pantone Colour of the Year for 2018 – Ultraviolet Pearlescent. The narrow glazing bars are the UK’s slimmest, made to maximise daylight and keep maintenance to a minimum. Deep glass unit seals reduce the risk of condensation and Reflex glazing comes as standard, which is both insulating and blocks UV and IR so your furniture won’t fade. The lanterns are made to order and come in any colour – including purple! Prices start at £1,196.40 (excluding VAT), Roof Maker Grange sliding barn doors in Mindi wood veneer with black stainless steel track. From £269, Jeld-Wen

Exciting PROJECTS Read real-life home renovation and extension stories and learn from those who have been there before with our amazing case studies. realhomes.com/ completed-projects

Bookworm Doors are at once mysterious and inviting. You never know what lies behind one. It could be a warm welcome from loved ones. If it’s attached to a wardrobe and there’s snow underfoot, it might be Narnia. Nick Rowell started photographing doors while living in Argentina, setting up his Instagram @door_ jadore in the process. Now, he’s gathered his photographs from around the world in the book Door J’Adore (Ryland Peters & Small, £9.99). Read it and be inspired to give your door a makeover of its own...

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CLEVER GLAZING From how to choose the perfect rooflights to light-filled glazed extension ideas, we’ve got all your window and door-based needs sorted with expert tips and practical advice. realhomes.com/tag/glazing

EXTENSIONS GUIDES Extensions can be hard-going, so make your life easier with our tips, how-tos and inspiring case studies. As well as design ideas and cost-cutting hacks, you’ll also find useful information you haven’t even thought of – like how to choose an electrician – as well as the ultimate guide to planning permission. realhomes.com/extensions

FIND MORE PROJECT TIPS AT REALHOMES.COM/ADVICE

N YOUR HOMES INSPIRATIO AND ADVICE

#SOREALHOMES

Hot right now

Aula colour block nest of tables in teal, £99, JD Williams

Ritz nest of tables, £119, Dunelm

Elnaz set of two nesting side tables in copper and white marble, £199, Made.com

Ella nest of tables, £135, Next

Alpha nest of tables in gold and bronze, £499, DFS

Madam Stoltz black bamboo & iron side tables, £150, Printer + Tailor

NESTING INSTINCT

Sanford marble square nest of tables, £199, Marks & Spencer

FEATURE ANNA MORLEY

style it now Now you have some covetable extra placement space, top your beautiful tables with elegant home comforts

Flack silver metal side tables, £264 for a set of two, Artisanti

PLUNGE IT Take a muchneeded cafeine break with Barista & Co’s Midnight Gold three-cup cafetiere, £30, Amara

CARRY IT Pile on the biscuits, there’s plenty of room on HAY’s Kaleido small black tray, £19, Insidestore

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Gatsby Birdcage nest of tables, £279, Cuckooland

DISPLAY IT Bring the outdoors in with the Orla Kiely House Stem six petal flower vase in Dandelion, £14, Wild & Wolf

REALHOMES.COM

Opt for some stylish surfaces with a set of tables. They’re not only aesthetically pleasing, they’re twice as useful

Type 1228 gold lustre wall light, £125, Anglepoise

Zuiver shady wall light in grey, £99, Cuckooland

Mortimore wall light, £95, Rocket St George Cambourne 1-Light armed sconce by MiniSun, £27.99, Wayfair

Kin wall light, £199, Swoon

T FA N H IG

Brooklyn Umbrella wall light in pewter, £79, Industville

TH E L

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Whether you need to create a moodier ambience, highlight key features, or maximise your lighting options, illuminate the way with these stylish choices

Truman wall light in blue, £39, Made.com

Pimlico satin nickel and glass wall light, £45, Garden Trading

Emilia wall light, £110, Soho Home

Dara wall light in antique brass and glass, £70.80, Där Lighting

Mater Ray black wall lamp in oak and steel, £175, Cloudberry Living

FEATURE ANNA MORLEY

If you love an accent/ task light but don’t have an electrician handy, go for a quick and easy update with a striking table lamp

TIMELESS STYLE Sleek angularshaped design is captured perfectly in the Retro brass table lamp, £75, French Connection

SHADE CHIC Subtle pink mixes with dramatic black in the Warley table lamp with pink silk drum shade, £130, Habitat

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DOUBLE UP Why have one light when you can have two? The Apollo table lamp, £65, Debenhams

REALHOMES.COM

style it now

Anello wall light, £45, Oliver Bonas

Cowbell glass wall light, £75, Loaf

Astro glass and gold metal wall lamp, £87.98, Maisons du Monde

E T A B E D G I B E TH NO

SHOULD YOU PROJECT MANAGE?

‘Your heart is in every single thing. When it’s finished,

WORDS ALISON JONES

it’s more rewarding’ Katie Thomasson is extending and renovating two cottages on the Rutland/Leicestershire border with husband Andy ‘When we started renovating properties about 10 years ago, we couldn’t afford a project manager. We did it because we wanted to get a step on the ladder. We didn’t know anything about renovating but we’ve learnt as we’ve gone along. ‘You are never really in it 100 per cent on your own. We’ve got experienced people working with us, like builders, and they can offer advice. My husband is very practically minded as well, as he was an engineer. We’d watch the tradespeople, ask them questions and get them to show us things. ‘The big benefit to project managing yourself is you can save money. I think hiring one costs between 10 and 20 per cent of the overall budget. And I don’t think a project manager would have the time and inclination to source the best-value materials every time, so I’d say you can save another 20 per cent on top because you do have the incentive to go out and really search for them. ‘Also, your heart is in every single thing. You’re more emotionally involved and, when it’s finished, it’s more rewarding. Sometimes having to make every single decision can get you down a bit, but it is nice that, at the end of the day, 100 per cent of it is your choice and your taste. ‘You do have to be organised, working out what has to be done week by week and, towards the end, day by day, but there’s more satisfaction in seeing the transformation every single day.’

pushed us to the brink, if not over it’ Kay Davidson-Kay and her husband, Tim Kay, had a two-storey extension built on their home near Edinburgh ‘This was the first big renovation we had done and we didn’t really give the idea of project managing it ourselves any serious thought. We didn’t have any experience, not even of doing small projects , so we couldn’t contemplate it. ‘Both my husband and I have full-time, very full-on jobs, and really wouldn’t have had the capacity to deal with project managing. It was bad enough having to make the decisions you have to when it comes to choosing certain things for the build. I think project managing would have pushed us to the brink, if not over it. ‘Our architect was Keith Renton and it was part and parcel of his service. The tender document he put out to get quotes from various contractors was an eye-opener to me – it was 50 pages long! Keith would hold fortnightly site meetings with us and Lindsay Neill, of Crannog Construction, who did the build and took care of the day-to-day project management. ‘Having project managers paid for itself. They kept everything on track and made sure all the contractors were where they needed to be. With us having full-time jobs, two young daughters to look after, and burning the midnight oil making decisions about the minutiae, we couldn’t have factored it in – we would have gone doolally. ‘We have friends who have project managed, and their build has overrun by several months and been very full on. If your project is torturous, you end up sick of it and can’t enjoy your home. It’s about trying to make your life as easy as possible.’

“

Having project managers really paid for itself. We were very inexperienced and we couldn’t have factored it in – we’d have gone doolally

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NEXT MONTH: SHOULD YOU FOLLOW DECORATING TRENDS?

YES

ourselves would have

REALHOMES.COM

Could you oversee all aspects of a major makeover and extension? We talked to two renovators about whether it’s best to DIY or bring in the experts

‘Project managing

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Why let your windows fade into the background? Give your timber frames some love and create a new feature in your space with a simple splash of colourful paint. This draws your eye to the brightest part of your room and creates a sunshiney glow, whatever the weather. First, fill in any cracks or holes, and ensure the frames are clean and dry. Using masking tape to protect the glass, prime the surface with an undercoat and then paint two coats of your chosen colour. Every single window in your home doesn’t need to be the same – make a statement by integrating your windows into your chosen scheme for the room for a complete look. Tibetan Gold No Drip gloss paint, £16 for 750ml, Crown

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REALHOMES.COM

happy windows

BOUTIQUE CHIC Escape into glamorous surroundings inspired by the timeless luxury of hotel design. Go for Art Deco influences with rich materials, bold hues and striking patterns, for relaxed and desirable style

REALHOMES.COM

STUDY SOPHISTICATION There’s nothing like penning a leter on headed paper (remember that) especially when you’re in sleek surroundings siting at a well-appointed desk. Maximise this space with an oversized antiquefeel mirror to create interest and a lamp to light your task.

FEATURE ANNA MORLEY

Bowtie desk lamp in black, £155; Feathers mirror, £190; Beehive pendant, £170, all Pooky. Gubi Beetle chair; for similar, try Nunido

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THINK MINT Floor-to-ceiling curtains create high style and a sense of theatrical drama in this living area. Pairing peachy pinks against dusky green walls is a combination we are firmly on board with. Add interest with high shine finishes of gold and marble to complete the luxe look. Romari peach curtains, from £163 for H137xW127cm, and Mineral Azure Roman blinds, from £155 for H75xW65cm, (prices include measuring and fiting), Hillarys. For a similar chair try the Eichholtz Trapezium in Cameron light green velvet with brass legs, £1,125, Houseology. For a similar cofee table, try the Praia white marble and gold leaf table, £349, Swoon

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DEEPLY REGAL A rich teal background oozes sleek sophistication and is a prominent colour trend. Pair with paterned wallpaper with a delicate chinoiserie bird trail, a jewel-like deep maroon velvet sofa – which pops beautifully against the paper – and the lustre of metallic finishes on the furniture, and you’ve got yourself a confident scheme.

REALHOMES.COM

Tori wallpaper in Teal, £50 per roll, and Tiru paint, £38 for 2.5ltrs, both Graham & Brown. For a similar table, try the GillmoreSPACE Swan dining table, £362.32, Wayfair

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COVET THY COVERS We love hotel bedlinen. The crisp freshness and sharp lines are pure indulgence. Plus, we appreciate not having to make the bed, of course. Add some subtle textured geometric patern and we’re swooning. Mixing it with plush mustard velvet fabric sotens the look and brings added warmth.

UNCLUTTERED SPACE Cool, classic and clean, this open and airy combination of natural wood finishes, simplistic shapes and tonal textures creates the perfect Scandinavian-inspired backdrop. Black lines sharpen the scheme while tactile throws and rugs in understated tones sotly warm it, along with well-chosen wall art in similar calming tones. Bloomingville straight bench, £699, and Bloomingville seagrass round nature rug, from £93, both Nunido. Bloomingville brown wool throw, £99, Coggles. Bloomingville Deer storage basket, £155, Amara

Crinkle velvet bedspread and pillow cases, £29 to £149, Organic Modern Geo duvet cover and pillowcases, £29 to £159, all West Elm. For a similar bed, try the Tilia quilted bed in Cool Grey, £549, Made.com

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BOTANIST’S DELIGHT Opulence is in overload here with multiple layers SET THE SCENE of texture and patern. Strong hues combine with Capture this modern take on soter colours, the distinctive decorating style geometric shapes and nature-inspired using darker shades. Try deep blue and green andgraphics. mix with Together these elements textured elements such as echo the past and translate into a truly wood, tactile fabrics and even some hints of modern gold. interior. Smokey coloured glasses Azalea corner group sofa, in smudgy shades add £2,254; understated accents to Azalea footstool, this more dramatic£375; look. Azalea chair, £589; Arris rug, from £475 for L180xW120cm, all Natural parquet chopping board, £30; MarbleBarker trivet,& Stonehouse

REALHOMES.COM

£16; Abigail Ahern/Edition AA Odete pendant, £180; 12-piece dark green reactive dinner set, £60; wine glass, £7; decanter, £15; RJR.John Rocha Efni four-seater dining table, £1,500, all Debenhams

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tyle Real s from Real

@lynseyjanedesigns

Velvet quilted throw in gold, £30, JD Williams Home

ur lead Take yo owers inspired foll the Homes xury of by the lu life suite

Alveare tub chair in Blush Pink with laser-cut brass hexagonal detailing, £329.99, MY Furniture

Orion glass and brass pole ceiling light, £344, Artisanti (available from February)

Lalit cofee table in green marble with brass legs, £329, Barker & Stonehouse

L E T O H

Mind The Gap Hexa Onyx wallpaper, £175 per roll, House of Sloane

Pimlico antique brass drinks trolley, £149, Dunelm

Poet two-seater loveseat in teal velvet, £579, Cult Living

Metallic candle, £3.50, Primark

@designsixtynine

Design Project No.053 LED table lamp in satin brass, £60, John Lewis & Partners

@art_deco_dweller

H AV E N

Mateo large carved wool rug in Dusky Pink, £279 for H230x W160cm, Made.com

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Carraway side cabinet, £329, Marks & Spencer

New buys on the PRETTY BOTANICAL

BLOCK Take your pick from this season’s key home oice trends and shop the look at your favourite high-street stores

CREATIVE HUB

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Thorsten table lamp, £35.81, Homebase

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Dusky Pink Galley pendant, £10, Dunelm

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Colours Meghan geometric rug, £85, B&Q

SCANDI SIMPLICITY

Hygena Charlie dining chair, £59.99, Argos

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Wooden photo memo board, £12, Matalan

Faux fern house plant, £8, Sainsbury’s

Jacquard-weave cushion cover, £12.99, H&M

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Pine-efect and metal Brunel shelving unit, £350, Debenhams

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Fabric hanging leaf plaque, £5, Wilko

Calendar block, £7, Morrisons

Newgate Charlie Bell Echo alarm clock, £22, House of Fraser

Bradshaw desk, £179, Marks & Spencer

FEATURE AMELIA SMITH

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i Fern in hanging wire basket, £10; pink vases, £7 for two; cut-out candle holders, from £2.50; cactus in bell jar, £12, all George

Micke desk, £70; Helmer drawer units, £30 each; Skadis pegboard, £26, Ikea

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House by John Lewis Anton leaning bookcase, £199; Carter desk, £279, John Lewis & Partners

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Gallery walls are a firm favourite here at Real Homes HQ – there’s no beter way to transform a blank, boring space, as DIY instagrammer Medina Grillo illustrates in her sunny living room. But if you’re thinking, ‘that’s an awful lot of nails to hammer into my perfectly painted walls,’ fear not. There’s a brilliant solution that even the most DIY-phobic person can nail (no pun intended). Adhesive strips can be applied directly to your frame like tape. Ensure your walls are clean and dry, apply the strips to all four corners of the frame, press down and place into position on your wall. Hold for 30 seconds, then remove the frame, leaving the strips on your wall, and wait one hour. Reatach the frame and it’s good to hold up to 7.2kg. And if one of your pictures is slightly out of place? Simply peel of the strips and reposition. No one will ever know... Follow Medina on Instagram @grillodesigns

Command white picture hanging strips, £3.18 for a pack of three, B&Q. Wall painted in Mystic Mocha, £28 for 2.5ltrs, Valspar. Eden sofa, from £1,299 for a small sofa, Sofa Workshop

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WORDS AMELIA SMITH PHOTOGRAPH KASIA FISZER

Picture perfect

FAMILY BATHROOM

( MAKE YOURS BULLETPROOF, BUT NOT BORING)

Biggest bathroom overdue a revamp? Follow our guide to making a splash style-wise in a room that can stand the kids getting messy while getting clean

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bove all, your family bathroom – so called because it is used by all the family, unlike a private en suite – needs to practical. Yawnsville. Sorry, but there’s no escaping it. There must be storage, especially if dozens of plastic toys are still a part of the bathtime routine. And yes, we’re afraid all surfaces must be easy to clean and devoid of nasty little germ-trapping crevices. However, this does not, repeat not, mean it has to be personality free and lacking in street style. Family bathrooms, whether or not you are sprogged-up, should uplift the spirit in the morning (or at least sustain you until the first caffeine fix), and help you relax and unwind at the end of the day. According to the design experts, the key to any successful bathroom is space. A bit of a blow given that the average UK family bathroom shimmies in at a paltry two metres square. Recognising that the daily benefits are worth sacrificing occasional-use guest accommodation, many people are opting to convert their spare bedroom into a luxuriously big family bathroom. Some are able to steal space from a dead-end hallway, or by relocating the hot water cylinder. If physically up-scaling your bathroom’s footprint is a no-go, you can make the most of what you’ve got using space-saving sanitaryware. Try Ideal Standard’s Concept Space range. Also check out corner vanity

units, narrow-depth wall cabinets and baths with storage built underneath. To stop the budget rising, aim to keep as many existing fittings as possible – a plain white WC or basin is pretty timeless. And don’t change the layout just for the sake of it. Moving the soil pipe can prove a major hassle, and expense, while achieving the right drainage levels for the bath or shower usually involves all manner of upheaval, including raised flooring and extra boxing in. Think carefully about who will be using the bathroom now, but also cast your mind forward at least 10 years . A bath is pretty handy for toddlers, but teenagers usually prefer to drown their sorrows in the shower. Older relatives may struggle to access a shower-bath, while a double-ended tub could be just the ticket for ‘date night’. The point is, don’t limit the design to your lifestyle right now, forward planning will save you the pain of a premature do-over. Planning a new family bathroom may well be the pinnacle of adulting, but it doesn’t mean you have to abandon all your youthful exuberance at the door. Be fearless in your decorative choices, splash out on that mind-blowingly beautiful tile you saw on Instagram last week, and, above all, go for what you (and, ahem, your family) like. After all, it may be visited by many, but only you have to live with it.

FINal flourishes

Innsbruck Sand Grey designer heated towel rail, £70.97, Bathroom Takeaway

Natural jute pom-pom storage basket, £20, Debenhams

Round hanging mirror, £16, Sainsbury’s Home

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Laundry Today felt laundry bag, £60, Rocket St George

Hydra Pendant in polished brass, IP54-rated, £227.30, Mullan Lighting

WORDS LINDA CLAYTON

Make sure it’s ready for the ‘gram with a few strategically placed accessories and clutter-busting storage solutions

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Since electricity and water don’t mix, it’s important to ensure your light fitings have the correct IP (ingress protection) rating depending on their proximity to water. There are many guides to IP rating bathroom zones available online (see ‘How to Choose Bathroom Lighting’ at realhomes.com). Bathroom lighting used to look a bit grim but, happily, there are now loads of great bathroom-specific ranges emerging – we love Industville and Urban Cotage Industries for fresh, modern designs.

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Help to reduce potential slip hazards and keep the mildew at bay by installing efective ventilation – go beyond building regulation standards if you can – which will help stop steam setling on surfaces. Decent heating will also help floors dry faster, and you’ll never regret investing in underfloor heating. Speaking of drying things, a heated towel rail is as essential as the loo (almost), particularly if your children have hit the (twice) daily shower years. Google ‘BTU calculator’ to work out the right heat output for the size of your room. If space is an issue, look for corner designs, or plump for an over-bath model like you oten find in hotels. They don’t take up any usable wall space and oten have a shelf on top to stack spare towels.

Noir 800 Frame unit and basin, £699; Noir 800 rectangular mirror, £229; Noir wall-mounted three-hole basin and bath mixer, £299, all Bathstore

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It is impossible to have too much storage in a family bathroom. Start with an inventory of what you need to stow away, weeding out the unused git toiletries and ancient bath mats. Sort according to scale (and ditch those scales while you’re about it, you don’t need that kind of pressure in your life), and don’t forget to future-proof your storage needs. A baby bath takes up a lot of space, but it’s only for a short period so you can probably handle it lingering in the tub for a few months and put your cupboards to beter use.

A wet-room style walk-in shower, with level-entry flooring and frameless glass screen will help keep sightlines clear and visibly boost the sense of space. Use a specialist tanking system to boost your chances of keeping the water safely contained, and achieve the correct drainage gradients to prevent puddles. Go for a non-slip tile inside the shower space to help keep your kids upright and out of A&E. Also make the showering area as big as possible and encourage your children to towel of before they come out to keep the rest of the room dry(ish).

AquaDec EasyFit Floor Former, from £475; WaterGuard tanking kit, from £342; Aqua Screen X glass wetroom panel, from £579; Wetroom foot rest, £71, all Impey

Take the pressure of your sink area with a doublebasin set-up that provides plenty of room at teeth-brushing time. A seamlessly connected twin-basin top is always going to be easier to keep clean than two separate basins, and countertop basins are also major dirt traps compared to sleek undermounted bowls. Do try to leave a decent gap at either side of your double vanity – if users are forced to stand too close together, you’re asking for an elbow fight, no mater whether they’re old or young!

5 things...

Left Odensvik/Hemnes washstand, £320; Hemnes mirror cabinet, £130; Vitemöll wall lamp, £20; Fälaren bath mat, £5, all Ikea

you can’t avoid in a family bathroom

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Floordrobes are not limited to bedrooms. But in a bathroom, the floordrobe contents are oten wet. Even though the hoter-than-hell towel rail and/or laundry basket are two feet away…

Toothpaste drool. If you’re lucky, it will only reside on the inside of the basin. If not, it’ll snail-trail over the perimeter and down the sides, possibly onto the floor, inevitably meeting the freshly laundered bath mat.

Steam. There isn’t an extractor fan in existence that can compete with a teenager in the shower. Enjoy the efects of a steam generator shower, for free! Which is all fine until the paint starts peeling.

Toys breed at night. You start with a small net of toys and maybe the odd waterproof book. Before long, bigger, uglier plastic will be suckering to the tiles and squirting (black mouldy) water in your eyes.

The loo seat will be let up. End of.

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ONLINE INTERIORS SELLER

COLLETTE VERNON ‘We live in the principle wing of a Victorian country house. Originally this room had a separate toilet opposite and the décor was dated. We joined the loo room and bathroom together to make a bigger space. There’s now a walk-in shower where the loo was and the toilet has moved into the bathroom, which is much more practical when you have children. I wanted a classic bathroom that wouldn’t date, so marble ticks that box. I’d seen the hexagon tiles in Berners Tavern in Soho and tracked them down to Fired Earth. I source antique French mirrors for my day job, and had always wanted one above the bath. The unit the sink is on is a bespoke console made from reclaimed wood and the top of an old antique French armoire, it is really lovely. While the style is very much my domain, it does work well for all the family – we have three sons – the underfloor heating is a dream and everybody loves the bath. Water does go everywhere when the boys get in, so I think I could have tiled a bit further out around the shower area. I did have the foresight to use dark grout though, which makes the tiles easier to keep clean. It still feels fresh, even though it’s three years old now.’ Instagram: @thevintagetraderuk Shop: thevintagetrader.co.uk

} } Don’t forget TO SING IN THE SHOWER

Mirror with magnetic mobile LED light, £495; vanity unit with ceramic basin, £1,170, Ripples Bathrooms

Liting bathroom fitings of the floor is a space-boosting trick to make a bathroom feel bigger and lighter. Mopping the floor is faster when you don’t have to go round pedestals or the loo, too. Wall-hung fitings are usually bolted to a stud wall – use this to hide pipework and create storage niches by your basin or shower.

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When shopping for a mirror cabinet, maximise the opportunity by investing in one of the latest multifunctional models featuring heated mirrors, LED lighting, Bluetooth speakers and built-in sockets for electric razors and toothbrushes. Bang-eliminating sot-close hinges will also be appreciated first thing in the morning when you’re still a litle bleary eyed and fragile.

BT110 Splashproof bluetooth speaker in Red, £29.99, Amazon

Itching to ditch the neutrals? As one of your home’s smaller spaces, the family bathroom is ripe for a colour hit. Bright colours and paterns can really lit the room and echo the liveliness of daily family life. Follow the lead of the designer paint brands, which rarely miss a trick when it comes to mixing exotic new shades you’ll love. Teal is pitched to be 2019’s biggest colour story, with mustard yellows and pale pinks close behind. Studies have found pink to be naturally calming – used in prisons, it helps the inmates setle faster. Perhaps worth considering if bathtime’s a batleground with your litle reprobates?

Don’t get lured by a fancy tile patern when choosing flooring, your first priority should be practical. Encaustic and real stone tiles will always need more TLC than porcelain and ceramic, fact! Fortunately, the high street stores are much more fashion-forward these days so you don’t need to sacrifice style – check Bathstore’s latest collab with Ted Baker for example. To. Die. For. Pick tiles designed for bathrooms, they’re generally graded on the box – ask if it’s not clear. Vinyl flooring is also a cost-efective, low-stress option for a family bathroom, but choose a product with non-slip performance. Avoid wooden flooring if possible. There are some really convincing wood-look porcelain tiles – try Mandarin Stone – that ofer similar rustic charm without the stress of strategically positioned bath mats.

DIY INSTAGRAMMER

LISSI WALKER

Above Albi back-to-wall bath suite, £379; Gladstone II cloakroom basin mixer tap, £59.99; Gladstone wallmounted bath mixer, £89.99; MC31 walnut-efect double door mirror cabinet, £129.99, all Soak

If you don’t have space for a separate shower, take a look at shower-baths, which are oten wider at one end to provide a spacious showering area. They oten come with a matching screen that follows the shape of the bath to ensure a watertight fit. Be aware that most shower-baths require more water to fill than a standard bath, so check your hot water system can cope before you buy. Also think about how the shower screen moves and whether it can be swung out of the way sufficiently when you’re on your knees scrubbing children in the tub.

‘We live in a barn conversion that was rented out before and this bathroom used to be extremely bland – white-on-white with a tiny mosaic border tile. Our revamp was done on a budget, so we kept the bath, fitted vanity and loo, then made panelling ourselves, using wood from B&Q, to frame the bath. Painting the new panelling and existing units in Farrow & Ball Hague Blue brought it all together, then I went for a real pop of colour with the Thibaut Jelly Fish Bloom paper. Our two-yearold daughter loves splashing about in the roll-top bath, which I painted in a colour-matched coral shade by Valspar, and the ceramic floor tiles can handle any overspill. My advice to anyone considering bold colour is to go with what you like and what brings you joy. What this room lacks in space, it makes up for in colour and pattern. It never fails to lift my mood.’ Instagram: @Oxfordone

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Above Orchard New Retro complete shower bath suite, £999 for all the fitings shown (excluding tiles), Victoria Plum

9 DESIGN IDEAS FOR

metro tiles Channel your creativity and transform this timeless design into a work of art for your walls

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riginally designed as a practical and easy-toclean tile for the walls of London and New York’s underground, this simple rectangle is now a hugely popular choice for kitchens and bathrooms. The key to its success? Versatility. We’re stepping outside the box to show you our pick of inventive layouts and colour patterns for statement walls that you’ll instantly love.

1 FEATURE AMELIA SMITH

Vertical splashback Streamlined and stylish, this simple layout is ideal for smaller spaces, such as bathrooms and cloakrooms. If you’ve chosen a dark paint colour for your walls, high-gloss tiles can help reflect light around the room and stop the bolder hues from becoming too overpowering. Habana Rose metro wall tile, £51.74 per m2, Tile Flair

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2 Square up This creative layout isn’t one to go unnoticed. Choose a metro tile size that allows you to make a perfect square, alternating direction for a patchwork efect. A metallic finish works especially well in a bathroom, where bright lighting enhances the sheen. Shimmer gold metro tile, £63.36 per m2, Porcelain Superstore

3 Dramatic diagonal Break the rules to set the scene for an ultra-contemporary space. This diagonal brick-efect layout certainly adds drama, while the statement burnished finish brings a touch of luxury for a glamorous bathroom. Eclipse Despina tile, £299.95 per m2, Original Style

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4 All the wall In kitchens, tiles are oten reserved for splashbacks, but taking one bold colour up to the ceiling will give your room the illusion of height. This herringbone patern is instantly brought to life by contrasting white grout to make a feature wall. The best bit? It’s as practical as it is stylish – the entire wall can simply be wiped clean. Grey metro tile, £29.50 per m2, Topps Tiles

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Top tips

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Choose the right tile for your space with this handy advice MATT OR GLOSS? A mat finish is perfect for a modern, industrial feel, whereas a gloss finish is a more classic option, plus it also helps to reflect light around your space. You can even choose metallic tiles for instant glamour.

Statement herringbone If you’re concerned a bright block of colour is too strong an efect, break it up with neutral grouting and an interesting patern. This citrus shade has a bang-up-to-date look thanks to the vertical herringbone layout. Carnival Oro tile, £79.20 per m2, Fired Earth

FLAT OR BEVELLED? Choose flat edges for a contemporary look, or opt for bevelled edges for a traditional, country-style feel. CONTRASTING OR MATCHING GROUT? Dark grouting on pale tiles makes each tile pop and highlights the patern, whereas matching grout creates a calm, seamless look. For a simple yet efective update to a kitchen or bathroom, regrout your existing tiles in a new colour – you’ll be amazed at the diference it makes. DID YOU KNOW? ‘When tiling a wall with metro tiles, always start from the centre line of the wall and work outwards. That way, the cut pieces at the edges will be symmetrical,’ says Rob Maltman at Walls and Floors. ‘Smaller H7.5xW15cm metro tiles are great for a more snug and traditional look, while larger H10xW30cm metro tiles help make a room feel larger.’ BEAR IN MIND... Inexpensive tiles don’t necessarily mean low quality. However, it’s a good idea to see a sample before buying so you can check the colour, finish and quality.

6 Colour block Move on over feature wallpaper, the humble metro tile can create just as much impact and is a more practical choice for kitchens and bathrooms. Go for complementary shades in alternating bands of colour for a floor-toceiling statement. To enhance the feeling of height, start with darker tones at the botom, working up to the lightest shade. Sassy wall tiles in Bianco, Beige, Gris Claro, Ivory and Vision, £46.25 per m2, from the Renaissance collection, Craven Dunnill.

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7 stepped effect Whatever layout you choose, create interest by combining three colours of a similar shade. Pick out a key colour used elsewhere in the room, such as on the kitchen cabinetry, as in this scheme, to ensure a cohesive look. For a more hand-made look, these tiles have a bumpy surface and rustic edges, perfect for a country kitchen feel. Moss handcrated metro tile, £36.95 per m2, Walls and Floors

8 Horizontal stripe

9 jagged edge Want to give simple white metro tiles a touch more wow factor? Make a zigzag statement by exposing the edges of your herringbone tile patern. Whether it’s above your basin, cabinets or bath, you can say goodbye to straight lines when jagged ones look this good. Tile Mountain Underground tiles, £11.99 per m2, Soak

PLANNING ON FITTING TILES YOURSELF? Watch our step-by-step video on how to prep and tile a wall at realhomes.com/advice/ how-to-prep-and-tile-a-wall

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If the classic brick-style layout is for you, choosing contrasting colours laid in stripes not only adds instant impact, but also helps to elongate your space and make it appear larger. The bevelled edges complement the traditional kitchen, and the mix of shades provides a modern twist. Ceramic metro tile in white, grey and mint, £11.79 per m2, Wickes

SAVE 20% AT WALLS AND FLOORS Refresh your home with stunning tiles – and make great savings Tiles come in a variety of looks and styles and are great for injecting pattern and texture throughout your home, not just in bathrooms and kitchens. So why not update your space with our exclusive reader offer? Create warmth with wood or stone effects and natural stones, add timeless appeal with metro tiles, or make a statement with bold designs. Walls and Floors has a huge selection, and offers full-size samples with free delivery. You can split the cost of your order with Interest Free Finance, too, leaving money in the budget for extras.

Rustic split-face tile, £35.95 per m2

Slate-efect floor tile, £15.95 per m2

Ledbury Marina tile, £34.95 per m2

Arundel scored tile, £23.95 per m2

Paprika Scintilla tile, £29.95 per m2

Texxtile tile, £34.95 per m2 Contour hexagon tile, £33.95 per m2

HOW TO CLAIM Head to wallsandfloors.co.uk and enter the code ‘REAL20’ at the checkout. TERMS AND CONDITIONS Save 20 per cent at Walls and Floors, excluding the Star Buy and Clearance section. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other ofer. Must be applied online and cannot be applied retrospectively. UK mainland only. Valid until 31 March 2019.

Rustic wood tile, £19.95 per m2

White hexagon mosaic tile, £3.45 per sheet

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Rustic Blue reclaimed wood-efect tile, £19.95 per m2

Arabescato marble-efect tile, £36.95 per m2

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WORDS KAREN WILSON PHOTOGRAPH KATIE LEE

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Lucinda Holt lives in a detached new-build in Lancashire with husband Sam and their children Lola, seven, and twins Violet and Ruby, five

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‘When we lived in London we never had space to fit all our records, so it’s great that our home office now doubles as a music room. My husband Sam manages musicians and DJs, so has around 5,000 records that were previously boxed up in the garage. Because it’s a new house we don’t have any alcoves, so a friend recommended a local carpenter who made the LP storage wall for £1,200. He was amazing and got the dimensions spot on. Although we don’t buy vinyl any more as Sam has the latest digital tech, we have loads of old house, disco, soul and funk music. On a Friday night or Sunday morning we’ll often put on some tunes. Our favourite is I Found Lovin’ by The Fatback Band, which was our wedding dance. The girls complain because they want to dance to Katy Perry! As Sam likes dark interiors, we painted the walls a blue-grey and considered painting the shelves too, but I like seeing the wood grain. Lots of our favourite things are in here, like the £20 Peacock chair from Ebay and the vintage sideboard that’s full of cables, an old ghetto blaster and music magazines. There’s also a poster from Sam’s time DJing in Ibiza and a print by a young DJ and illustrator called Matt Leigh. One of the best things is the lovely countryside view from this room, which makes working in the space a real pleasure.’

Wall painted in Down Pipe, £45 for 2.5ltrs, Farrow & Ball. Vintage Peacock chair, £20, Ebay

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redesigned 1920s house

BATHED IN LIGHT Replanning the ground floor of an existing extension has made Charlotte Asquith and Chris Shaw’s dream of open-plan living a reality

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Knocking the kitchen and dining room together has created a wonderful entertaining space. ’We’ve had 30 to 40 people for parties,’ says Charlote. ‘It works really well as we can cook and chat to guests, then ater dinner go to the cosier living room next door.’

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Walls painted in Brilliant White, Dulux. Flooring, Direct Wood Flooring. Kitchen, Factory Kitchens. Bar stools, HomeSense. Dining table, Heyl Interiors. Chairs, Lakeland Furniture. Rug, HomeSense

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Charlote and Chris chose marblelook quartz worktops as it’s cheaper and more stain resistant. Replacing the white uPVC windows with grey aluminium frames has made a huge impact, too. Quartz worktops, UK Granite & Quartz. Stoves Sterling 900DFT dual-fuel oven, AO.com. Green ceramics, Rose & Grey. Copper wire basket, Home Bargains. Black hob kettle, Le Creuset

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BEFORE

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WORDS KAREN WILSON PHOTOGRAPHS KATIE LEE

THE OWNERs Charlote Asquith (@charloteasquith), her partner, Chris Shaw, a quantity surveyor, and their son, Lucas, three THE PROPERTY A four-bedroom, 1920s semi-detached house in Leeds, West Yorkshire project COST £32,000

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aving spent six months making do with garden furniture in their corridor-like dining room, Charlotte Asquith and Chris Shaw still can’t quite believe how much light and space they’ve gained by simply having a wall knocked down. Although the previous owners of their four-bedroom semi had converted the loft and carried out a rear extension in the early noughties, the layout wasn’t suitable for a growing family as it was split into a long galley kitchen and separate narrow dining room. ‘As the property faces north at the front and south at the rear, it’s like a tale of two houses,’ says Charlotte, who is expecting another baby in spring and has taken a break from her work in finance while her children are young. ‘The front is quite dark but the rear is the complete opposite – it’s lovely and bright all year round, and knocking the two rooms together has really made the most of that.’ Finding a home with such potential, however, wasn’t easy. The couple had settled in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, when Charlotte was studying at Newcastle University, as it was between Chris’s home town of Wetherby and his job in Leeds. Five years later the pull of Charlotte’s friends and family in Leeds brought them further south. ‘It’s only about 15 miles away but it makes a big difference,’ she says. As a former estate agent, Charlotte sensibly held back from house hunting until their three-bedroom Edwardian terrace was sold. She didn’t bank on it selling within 24 hours though, so in order to avoid panic buying their next place, the couple moved in with Charlotte’s parents for six months while they viewed around 30 properties. ‘Chris wanted more practical things like off-street parking and a garage, while I had a vision of a Victorian terrace with lots of period features,’ says Charlotte. ‘Nothing hit the spot until we saw this place, which had been owned by the same family for more than 30 years. It was clearly much loved but in need of updating. It was in a great location, not overlooked and ticked a lot of boxes in terms of both practicality and potential.’ After getting the keys in December 2013, the pair concentrated on getting one room finished and cosy in time for Christmas, starting with the front living room. ‘As grey was very much the “in” colour, we went for grey on the walls, sanded and stained the floorboards dark brown and painted the pine fire surround white,’ says Charlotte. ‘However we soon realised the north-facing room needed a lighter shade and later opted for a creamy beige instead.’ The large open-plan kitchen-diner at the rear provides a wonderful contrast to the front room’s cosiness. ‘We wanted a light, bright Scandi-type space with white kitchen cupboards, a nice big island and marble worktops,’ explains Charlotte. ‘As it’s open to a seating area, we didn’t want to feel like we were sitting in the kitchen so we’ve tried to make it blend into the space by not having any wall cupboards. However, there’s ample storage in the large island and the floor-to-ceiling units.’ The work involved knocking down the dividing wall and raising part of the ceiling which now boasts three rooflights, replacing the white uPVC windows with dark grey aluminium frames and swapping the patio doors for bi-folds. Despite it being the couple’s first renovation project and designed ‘on the back of a napkin’, it only took their builders a few weeks, and Chris’s estimating skills as a quantity surveyor meant they didn’t waver from their budget either. ‘It’s turned out so well considering we went to the Glastonbury Festival half way through when I was seven months pregnant, and kept getting calls from the builders,’ laughs Charlotte. Looking back, there’s just one aspect that the couple wish they’d considered more, and that’s the lighting. ‘We were limited by all the ceiling beams and had to make quick decisions for the electrician,’ she recalls. ‘If we did it again I’d maybe chose wall-mounted lights in the kitchen or move the hanging lights further apart. I’d also reduce the number of spotlights as it’s a bit much when all the lights are on.’ The couple have managed to keep costs down in many ways; Chris fitted the kitchen and laid the wood flooring himself with help from his dad, and in the bathroom they repainted the existing units and replaced the carpet with marbleeffect laminate. Buying bargain furniture from HomeSense and cut-price lights from Ebay and Amazon has contributed to the savings, too. Next on the wishlist is a woodburner for the open-plan room, and decorating the spare bedroom for Lucas as they prepare for the new baby. Chris also wants to create a decked terrace area off the rear balcony with a garden seating area underneath. As the house is built on a slope and has a full-width basement, they may even convert the storage rooms below into a proper room. ‘I can imagine us staying for at least 10 years as we love the area,’ says Charlotte. ‘There are great parks nearby and quirky independent bars and restaurants opening up all the time. We couldn’t ask for more.’

Since opening up this space, the industrial-style dining table gets used every day. ‘The layout makes it easy to cook and then quickly clean everything away,’ says Charlote. Dining table, Heyl Interiors. Chairs, Lakeland Furniture. Rug, HomeSense. Art prints, Mapiful & Desenio. Hooks, Ironmongery World. Plant, Homebase. Pendant light and Rocker chair, Amazon

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warm up Keep cosy with traditional radiators in stand-out shades 1

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1 Garden sage triple-panel horizontal colosseum traditional radiator, £239.99, Soak.com 2 Oxford traditional cast-iron radiator, £1,095, Frontline Bathrooms 3 Neptune II radiator finished in Natural Brass, £1,240.08, Castrads 4 Patern Princess radiator in Traffic Purple, £700, The Old Cinema

Right An old 1970s wallmounted gas fire was removed and the chimney breast opened up in readiness for a log burner in the future. ‘I absolutely love the tiles, although I had to persuade Chris,’ say Charlote. Scintilla tiles, Walls and Floors. Leather sofa, Made.com. Berber rug, La Redoute. Cushions, H&M and Primark. Side tables, Aldi. Wall hanging, Bobella. Map print, Luckies of London

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KNOCKING TWO ROOMS TOGETHER MADE THE

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MOST OF THAT

Repainting the reproduction Victorian fire surround has had a major impact in the front living room. Ater decorating twice, Charlote is mulling over yet another look in here. ‘I want to go a bit darker on the walls and try a light chevron wood floor now,’ she says. Wall painted in Egyptian Coton, Dulux. Rug, M&S. Lennon sofa, PF Collections. Cushions, Habitat, Primark and Aldi. Ladder shelving, Amazon. Bird artwork, HomeSense. Side table, West Elm

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Let daylight be your guide when choosing paint. North-facing rooms may need pale colours to not feel gloomy

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The couple wanted a calm and restful colour scheme for their atic bedroom, painting over the apple green walls with a more muted shade of green. ‘The bedside tables were one of my best bargains at under £70 each,’ adds Charlote.

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For a similar bed, try the Sherwood in walnut, Dreams. Bedside table, HomeSense. Walls painted in Light Blue, Farrow & Ball. Carpet, United Carpets. Pink throw, Primark. Quilt and pink cushions, Christy. Bedside lamp, Aldi. Macrame wall-hanging, Matalan. Art prints, Richer Prints

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Left and above Charlote admits she’s a bit more adventurous than Chris in terms of décor and has experimented with a dark feature wall in the guest bedroom. ‘Chris rolled his eyes when I suggested it, but he thinks it looks great now,’ she says. Puerto Rico bed, Argos. Feature wall in Railings, Farrow & Ball. Monochrome cushions, Ikea. Mustard cushions, Primark. Grey knited throw, HomeSense

sleep tight Create a serene scene for your sweet dreams with a natural wooden bed

Willow double bed, £499, Made.com

Bergamo solid oak bed, £299.99, Furniture Choice

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Vox Nature bed with slated headboard, £465, Cuckooland

Ater several layers of wallpaper were removed and the walls plastered, the box room was used as a study initially before becoming Lucas’ nursery. ‘The Scandi look was definitely inspired by Instagram,’ says Charlote, who used letover flooring from the kitchen-diner in here. ‘I created the mountain mural myself.’

TOP TIP

#SOREALHOMES

You can make a fun mountain range mural for your child’s wall just using tester pots and masking tape

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Flooring, Direct Wood Flooring. Cot, Ikea. Star blanket, Aldi. Polar bear head, Wilkos. Copper L decoration, Oliver Bonas

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The existing bathroom suite was given a revamp with a lick of paint and new marbleefect laminate flooring in place of carpet. ‘It’s not my dream space so it’s on our makeover wishlist at some point in the future,’ says Charlote Bath panel and vanity unit painted in Deep Space Echo, Valspar. Quick-Step Arte UF1400 Marble Carrara laminate flooring, Builder Depot. Try Blooming Artificial for similar palm trees

THE PLANS BEFORE

GROUND FLOOR

KITCHEN DINING/ LIVING AREA

LIVING ROOM

HALL

AFTER

GROUND FLOOR

KITCHEN/DINING/ LIVING AREA

HALL

LIVING ROOM

Contacts Construction B.J. Farrar, 0113 229 3546, buildersinwestyorkshire.co.uk Windows Marlin Windows, 01535 603909, marlinwindows.co.uk Radiators Cast Iron Radiator Centre, 0800 294 8603, castironradiatorcentre.co.uk Kitchen Factory Kitchens, 0161 485 5006, factory-kitchens.co.uk

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Ma x imi se your e x te n sion budge t

WORDS SARAH WARWICK

If the addition you want seems beyond your means, listen up. Here are 20 ways to make your extension spend go further

The money you require for an extension can mount alarmingly as you add in the sums incurred by the various elements of the project. As well as the costs of construction and materials required for the addition, design work, plans and drawings and necessary permissions all come in. The interior of the new space plus its connection to the existing house weigh on the budget, too, and all the more so if a kitchen or bathroom is part of the plan. Employing someone to manage the work on your behalf will also cost. But if you’ve done the financial planning and the extension you’ve dreamed of seems impossible to achieve without over-stretching your finances, take heart. Whether it’s performing some of the roles you might otherwise have handed over; adopting design tactics that mean build costs are lower; shopping cleverly for the essential elements of your extension; or even selling old materials to put money into your spending pot, it is possible to make a budget go further. Crucial too is the forward planning that will avoid expensive last-minute changes. Ready to get started? Use our guide to spending and saving cleverly.

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Applying for planning permission for an extension costs £206 in England, so building yours under permited development (PD) will mean you can upgrade a finish, for example, rather than pay out to the local planners. Bear in mind that you’ll need to ensure your extension meets the criteria for what you can do without having to formally apply for permission; find them on realhomes.com/ planning-permission. You might still want to get a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC), to prove your addition was legitimate when you come to sell, but as it comes in at half the cost of a planning application in England, that’s still cash to spend on something else.

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Use permitted development

If you need to get planning permission for your extension, then build this into your schedule. Most decisions are made within eight weeks, but don’t rely on a positive outcome because cancelling contractors at the last minute could have cost implications. If you’re applying for an LDC before building under PD, it’s important that your application contains sufficient information for the council to make a decision. Get in touch with local planning officers to find out what they need to see.

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PICK THE RIGHT MATERIALS AND FEATURES

PHOTOGRAPH PAUL CRAIG

Use widely available materials and your budget will go further. Think block work walls with bricks or timber on the outside and concrete or slate roof tiles. Avoid glass box designs or glass roofs – structural glass is costly. Work with standard sizes for doors, windows and rooflights, rather than paying for made-to-measure.

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Compare before you decide It’s important to get quotations from diferent building contractors before you pick the firm you’ll work with. Get three or four quotations: ideally, they’ll be from companies you’ve had recommended to you. Check references and make sure they’ve worked on projects like yours. But remember that although you do want to maximise your budget, cheapest doesn’t equal best. Be wary of a price that’s significantly below others.

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LOFTY HEIGHTS Above Sarah and James Paul achieved a grand addition to their Edwardian home in London, though they only extended by around two metres. Instead the double-height, partially glazed ceiling gives it a feeling of space. Rather than replace period features removed by past owners, they stuck with a modern design

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1

DON’T RUN OUT OF TIME

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Cut the cost of beams An extension open to the original house is what many of us are ater. If you’re prepared to leave part of an existing wall in place or to include a supportive column with the result that a shorter steel beam is needed to take the load, you could save. It doesn’t have to compromise your design. A section of wall could help create a broken-plan efect (where the space is partly broken up into separate areas), and a column could be a decorative feature.

6 DWELL ON THE DETAILS Assessing quotations from potential building contractors to see which is most competitive isn’t going to be worthwhile if you aren’t comparing like with like. How to ensure you can? Let suppliers know how you want their quotation set out. For your part, you’re going to need to tell them about the materials, fixtures and fittings, and let them have plans and construction drawings. Once you’ve looked line by line, don’t be afraid to negotiate if your preferred firm is more costly in a particular aspect of the job.

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THINK END OF LINE

PHOTOGRAPH MALCOLM MENZIES

Items that aren’t going to be restocked can oten bring big savings. If it’s elements such as tiles, paint or rolls of wallpaper you’re shopping for, don’t skimp on quantities as running out will severely compromise your design. Consider bigger features of your extension such as a kitchen, too. Ex-display units could be just what you’re ater. Don’t forget Ebay either, as other home improvers sell of kitchens that aren’t to their taste but might be to yours.

GARDEN LINK Above Mixing new, vintage and reclaimed pieces helped James Hewit and Pamela Sampson stretch the budget for their kitchen extension. Grey engineering bricks contrast with the red brick of their Victorian home in Surrey. The bench came out of a skip, while a Louis Vuiton wrought-iron table was bought at auction

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KEEP IT SIMPLE The rule is square or rectangular when it comes to extension shape if you want the budget to go further. Complicated shapes mean both higher labour costs and splashing out more on materials. Simple shapes also allow you to use standard doors and windows. The same goes for roof design: opt for something complicated and you’ll pay more, so a fuss-free pitched version makes good sense.

SMART SHAPE Below Working to a tight budget, Anna Rickard and Matthew Whitehead focused on getting the structure of their kitchen extension right, as they knew they could always update the interior and kitchen fittings at a later date

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shop around for doors Bi-fold and sliding doors can vary widely in price, so an investment of your time in comparing suppliers’ costs and the features of their products can result in extra budget that can go elsewhere. Bear in mind that bi-folds will generally take up less of your spend than sliding doors, and that uPVC is less expensive than aluminium for the frame. Panel sizes can also affect what you pay, so do compare the options to slice off some money.

PHOTOGRAPH ADAM CARTER

It may be tempting to go without architectural input to save on your extension, but maximising budget is about achieving a great design as well as not overspending. The right designer will be able to help you save where you can and concentrate resources where they’re needed. Prospective designers should visit your property, so they’ll be able to assess potential difficulties that can add to costs, too. Check that they’ve worked on similar projects, and have a good record with local planners.

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DO SOME OF THE WORK YOURSELF

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manage your own project Enough time on your hands to appoint the individual trades and direct and co-ordinate their work? You could make a substantial saving that can thus be concentrated elsewhere by stepping into the shoes of a building contractor. You shouldn’t take this on lightly, however. You’ll need to have some building know-how as well as enough hours to spare, and you’ll have to take on tasks such as supplying materials, liaising with the architect and building control, and hiring skips.

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Taking on some of the jobs the project involves can save you money on your extension. It could be a matter of doing the decorating at the end or carrying out a task like tiling, or even putting in a kitchen. Alternatively, you might muck in by, for example, removing old cabinetry. It’s vital you don’t bite off more than you can chew and compromise the finished result or cause delays. Make sure you choose a builder who’s happy to let you help in this way.

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JOINED UP THINKING

PHOTOGRAPH BRUCE HEMMING,

Adding a side-return extension allowed Alex Laidler and Steve Collett to create a light-filled link to the garden. They got their architect to work on improving an existing loft extension to their terraced home in London at the same time, so he could harmonise the overall look

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14 An extension on or near the boundary with next-door really requires you to adhere to the Party Wall Act. If you have to call in a party wall surveyor, this will eat into your pot of money. However, if you get the necessary agreement from your neighbours yourself, it’ll cost you nothing. Find what you require via the HomeOwners Alliance (hoa.org.uk).

15 BUILD AT THE SAME TIME

PHOTOGRAPH MALCOLM MENZIES

It’s possible that your neighbour in a terrace also has an extension in mind, so if you have similar goals, why not consider doing the work at the same time? You might be able to share an architect’s fees for a mirrored design as well as economise on building costs, including those for materials, and items like skips. If one of you has access to the front of the homes via a passageway, this can also be moneysaving. The other advantage isn’t financial, but it is valuable: you won’t be disturbing each other with building work.

SOCIABLE SPACE Above Jack Canning was hands on when it came to furnishing the new kitchen that was created when his bungalow in Lymington, Hampshire, was extended outwards and up. He made the base to the marbletopped table himself, using on-trend hairpin legs in a copper finish. The Eamesstyle chairs were from Ebay

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consider the specs If a new kitchen or a bathroom is part of your extension, you can make a real difference to your spend on fittings according to whether you opt for high street or high end. Thinking thriftily needn’t result in a less good-looking or functional room, either, as more economical outlets take their cues from designers. Consider, too, combining elements to concentrate resources. For example, you could put together cheaper kitchen unit carcasses with the doors you prefer, or add beautiful taps to a budget suite.

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be a good neighbour

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focus on plumbing Build an extension over a manhole, and diversion of the drain and a new inspection chamber will impact on your budget. The solution? If your extension design can avoid this eventuality, you’ll free up spend for lovelier elements of the new space. Equally, if you’re putting in a toilet, a position convenient to the soil stack will save you cash.

17 reuse what you already own If extending is about adding space rather than all-new interiors, you might want to put your existing kitchen in the extension, or reuse a bathroom suite. If the new room is bigger, remember that you can incorporate the required extra elements sympathetically. Kitchen islands are oten given a diferent finish and worktop, for example. And if an old kitchen doesn’t suit the space, it might find a new lease of life as a utility room.

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sell secondhand Just because you no longer need the fixtures and fittings from the spaces you’re extending doesn’t mean they’re rubbish. If they are in good condition, selling off flooring, doors, radiators, cabinets and so on can add to the funds for the extension. Advertise online to bring in money from your old stuff.

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MOVE OUT

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Turn to page 140 for top tips on cutting the cost of your new kitchen

stay small An extension doesn’t have to be sizeable to be successful and add all the extra living space you need. If your home has an unused passageway at the side – common in Victorian terraces and semis – this might provide all the space you need to create the kitchen-diner you’ve been hankering ater. There are economies of scale when you’re extending, so the per square metre cost of a side return extension will be higher than a large addition. However, that still means your final bill for the work can be smaller, leaving you money to spend on the fit-out.

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PERSONAL TOUCH Above Vintage treasures fill the contemporary extension added to Ben Arkell and Fahmida Bakht’s Victorian terrace in London. Ben made the kitchen himself from Ikea units and reclaimed wood from a school, complete with pupils’ graffiti and ink splodges

PHOTOGRAPH CHRIS SNOOK

Having the builders work around you might seem money-saving, but getting out of the way could mean a quicker and – in the end – less costly job. Of course, this won’t prove a saving if what you save on build costs is spent on a stay away, but calling in a favour from friends or vowing not to resurrect childhood disputes and staying with relatives could mean a bigger budget for the project itself.

Landskrona three-seater sofa, £495; Landskrona armchair, £275; Nyboda cofee table, £50; Vindum rug, £130; Ypperlig LED floor lamp, £45; Stockholm mirror, £75; Sjöpenna pendant lamp, £20, all Ikea

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SCANDI ST YLE AND WHY WE (STILL) LOVE IT

WORDS JENNIFER MORGAN

THERE’S been a Scandi style revolution in recent years – and with it has come new vocabulary that we’ve absorbed very quickly into everyday usage. How many of us have said (or heard friends say), ‘Oooh, I’m going to add a touch of “hygge”,’ (loosely translated as adding more texture), or ‘I’m going for a Scandi look in my bedroom’ (more of a simple style, less clutter)? How many books and articles have advised us to embrace the concept of ‘lagom’ (something that’s all about balance – not too little or too much)? But what effect has this had on our decorating and style choices – and is our cultural love affair with all things Scandi still rosy? ‘Scandinavian style is pared-back and fuss free,’ says Niki Brantmark, originally from London, now living in Sweden. Niki is author of Lagom: The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced, Happy Life (Harper Thorsons, £9.99), and blogs at myscandinavianhome.com. ‘There’s nothing bold or over-the-top about it, which means it’s incredibly appealing to a wide audience. At a time where we feel we are connected 24/7 and constantly stressed out, the simplicity of the muted, earthy Scandi look brings an element of calm to the home, turning it into an oasis.’ ‘Scandi interiors are simple, pared-back, elegant and timeless,

enduring beyond trends and changing fashion,’ agrees writer and stylist Cate St Hill (catesthill.com). ‘It’s all about living with less but living with better. It’s about being mindful of how furniture is placed in a room, of how designs relate to each other, where things come from and how they are made. But Scandi is also more than this. It’s about a feeling of homeliness and familiarity; creating a space that’s warm, cosy and inviting.’ Someone who knows just how appealing creating a Scandi-style space can be is blogger and influencer Reena Simon, whose Instagram account dedicated to all things ‘hygge’ has over 158,000 followers (@hygge_for_home). ‘I think we are drawn to light and space, yearning for a connection to the outdoors, and Scandi style gives us this in an affordable and accessible way. It’s open for everyone to achieve,’ Reena explains. ‘There are also many different ways of achieving a Scandi décor; if you are more drawn towards vintage or like a modern twist, then it still works. I like a rustic, industrial take on it – and it’s this flexibility that makes it appealing.’ Back to the Scandi buzzwords. ‘“Hygge,” to me, means taking time to enjoy the little things, such as moments with the family,’ says Reena, who’s mum to three girls under six. ‘This translates to a home in making it a warm and inviting place.’ ‘It’s a cosy, familiar setting that gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling,’ adds

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From hygge to lagom and everything in between, it seems we’re still swooning after all things Nordic when it comes to decorating schemes. Here’s why...

Niki, ‘whereas “lagom” is the Swedish philosophy for enjoying balance in every aspect of life, from work and leisure to family and food, and everything in between. By seeking equilibrium, you can relieve stress and make more time for the things that matter most in life.’ Since moving to Sweden over 15 years ago, Niki’s slowly whittled down the items in her home. ‘I’m now at a happy medium,’ she explains, ‘where everything is either used or loved (or, in an ideal world, both). I’ve experienced the benefits of a decluttered home first-hand and I feel organised and calm as a result. I might add more colour and pattern in 2019 – although I think I said this last year too – but Scandinavian style will always be at the heart of my interior design.’ Niki says that Scandi style allows us to be individual – another of the reasons we’re so obsessed. ‘Five years ago, everything was black and white and graphical; today it has a much softer, warmer edge. We’re seeing white walls being replaced with warm neutrals, muted pastels and bolder, earthy colours. Patterned wallpaper is also making a big comeback. The beauty of Scandi style is that you can keep your home simple and pared back, and yet still adapt it to incorporate the latest influences as they come and go.’ ‘I don’t necessarily see Scandi as a trend,’ explains Cate. ‘It’s more a way of life. It’s not just about how a space looks, but how it feels. And I think that’s something that will endure. There’s a move towards warm minimalism, with deeper hues and rich, neutral tones

– I’m seeing lots of beige, honey, ochre, burgundy, navy and forest green used to create cosy, inviting spaces that are still elegant and serene in their simplicity. It’s about building a sense of cohesion, so no piece of furniture or colour is over-dominating the space.’ So what about the craze for maximalism, where more is more? Should Scandi lovers be worried? ‘It’s not a style that suits everyone,’ says Cate. ‘I don’t like too much clutter and bold, clashing colours tend to give me a headache. Brights like red, orange and purple would keep me awake and alert. I’m quite a shy, quiet person, so I want my interior to reflect my personality. Scandi allows the home to become a neutral background for everyday life; a space that can evolve with you as you gather the things that make a home.’ ‘I do like having things on show,’ says Reena, ‘whether that’s lots of books or open shelving in my kitchen, but I’m not a maximalist or a minimalist – rather somewhere in between. I don’t think I’ve nailed “lagom” quite yet when it comes to work and family life, though,’ she laughs. Of course, there are certain brands that we Scandi-style seekers aspire to. ‘Muuto, Hay, &tradition and Menu – you could call them the “New Nordics”,’ Cate enthuses. ‘They create minimal furniture and accessories with roots in Scandinavian design tradition, but with an eye to the future – whether that’s working with up-and-coming designers or using new materials and techniques.’ ‘I love House Doctor and Broste Copenhagen,’ says Reena. ‘I love the earthy tones and the textures of their

Above left Ercol Originals loveseat, £679, Furniture Village. For a similar rug, try the Tekouma Berber-style hand-woven rug, £285, La Redoute

home accessories. My wishlist for both of them is endless!’ ‘I’m a big fan of mid-century classics and admire Hans J Wegner, but Scandinavians are known for producing beautiful hand-crafted items too,’ Niki says. ‘I try to support local ateliers in my hometown of Malmö, such as ceramicist Siv Andreasson (andreasondesign.se). When we talk about Scandinavian design, Finland is thrown into the mix with Sweden, Denmark and Norway. These four countries share a common design language that’s characterised by simplicity, minimalism and functionality. Pieces are designed for the many and built to stand the test of time.’ As we start to see what’s trending for spring/summer 2019 when it comes to our homes, we shouldn’t be surprised that Scandi will be there in some guise or other. ‘One of the things I admire most about Scandinavian homes is the way they adapt to the season,’ says Niki. ‘Simple changes can make the world of difference. In the summer, light linen cushions and arrangements of handpicked flowers bring in a light, whimsical touch. Outside, you’ll find rattan and wooden furniture dressed with cushions and blankets, a string of lights and candles. In the autumn, sheepskins, woollen blankets and inseason vignettes like acorns and pine cones appear – with yet more candles.’ ‘You can easily season-proof Scandi because it’s all about texture,’ Reena says. ‘It lends itself very well to summer evenings outdoors – think log stacks, an outdoor fire pit, a seating area with lots of cushions, throws and greenery, and you’ve got it just right.’

PICKS TO INSPIRE YOUR HOME

THE BOOK Lagom: The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced, Happy Life by Niki Brantmark (Harper Thorsons, £9.99)

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THE BLOG Follow Cate St Hill’s blog for simple, stylish Scandi-style living inspiration at Catesthill.com

THE INFLUENCER Reena Simon’s about to embark on a stylish new ‘hygge’ project: find out more at @anordichyggereno

Redesigned Victorian house

ACT Pops of colour and a touch of gold have transformed Anna and Dilwyn’s period property from servants’ quarters to luxury home 92

WORDS DILLY ORME PHOTOGRAPHS RYAN WICKS

CLASS

Kitchen units, Hacker. Walls painted in Serpentine from Litle Greene. Tiles, International Tile Store in Tunbridge Wells. Curl pendant light, from Leds C4

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Within the open-plan space, Anna chose kitchen units with pocket doors, meaning everything could be hidden away when not in use. The paint for the walls was matched to their cashmerecoloured finish so everything blends in. She then used a patina-efect tile to pull the colours and metallics together.

THE OWNERs Anna Ward, who owns an interior design company (furnishedbyanna.co.uk) and her husband, Dilwyn, a security consultant THE PROPERTY A three-bedroom Victorian semi-detached house in Hadlow, Kent project COST £77,700

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Anna and Dilwyn were sympathetic to the age of the house and reinstated most of the fixtures and fittings. ‘The stairs were modelled on the staircase in our neighbours’ entrance hall, which still had tons of original features,’ says Anna. ‘We installed coving to give the rooms a sympathetic period finish and replaced the standard modern woodwork with a design that was reminiscent of the period of the house.’ Full-height living room doors and Victorian glass windows are in keeping with the style and proportion of the property. Despite their reintroduction of period features, the couple opted for modern décor throughout the house, combining inherited, reclaimed and new pieces in an eclectic mix. ‘For me the interior design was about being bolder and braver,’ Anna says. ‘I do like strong colours and I wanted to use them to create something quite cocooning. As the house has evolved, I have found something I loved for each room and that inspired the scheme in it.’ In the living room, the defining item is the sofa fabric. ‘It was the perfect combination of traditional and modern,’ Anna explains. ‘The pattern is traditional but the bright colourway brings it bang up to date. I picked out the deep teal, my favourite colour, for the walls.’ In the kitchen, the multipurpose open-plan layout was key to Anna’s design. ‘We made the decision to have pocket doors so we could shut everything out and use the room differently when not using the kitchen,’ she explains. ‘Once we knew we were going for a streamlined look, I didn’t want it to be too cold so went for a cashmere shade for the walls and units. I inherited the gold sequin panel from my mum and I decided to link the gold throughout: I love the patina that develops over time, as well as the effect of mixed metallics. I wanted to bring a luxe feel to the space.’ While the layout is cleverly zoned, the defined areas still need to work together to create cohesion. ‘I think the hall wallpaper sets the scene for the whole house in the way that it’s classic – almost distressed – in crisp, contemporary colours.’ says Anna. ‘In the film The King’s Speech, the speech therapist, Lionel Logue, has a distressed teal wall – it inspired me and it’s something I’d always wanted to emulate in my own home. I really like the distressed glamour look – something beautiful that’s really a bit of a mess!’ Upstairs, the ‘distressed elegance’ that Anna loves continues, with wallpaper in the bedroom and large-scale marble tiles in the bathroom. Anna’s favourite buy is a famous Esquire magazine cover that hangs in the bathroom. ‘I never want to look at something on a wall and think, “Oh, I just bought that to fill the space.”,’ she says. ‘It’s really important to me, in my house and when I’m designing for others, that the space feels like yours and is a collection of items that bring back great memories or create strong feelings of home. After all the hard work, it’s those finishing touches that make the house feel complete.’

distinct lack of period features didn’t stop Anna and Dilwyn from falling for the olde-worlde feel of their first home. ‘The décor was really tired and chintzy,’ says Anna. ‘The house was effectively the servants’ quarters of a brewery, and when the split took place in the 1960s, it hadn’t been done at all sympathetically. But it had a lovely feel. The high ceilings and windows were really the only period fixtures in the property, however, we had a vision of how they’d work when we reinstated the elements we had in mind.’ As soon as the couple got the keys to their new home, they applied for planning permission and started to work up plans with an architect to maximise the space. ‘The house was Grade II listed, so everything had to have conservation sign-off, which took a lot of toing and froing,’ says Anna. ‘We had to move the stairs to create the new layout for the upstairs rooms and there were concerns that we were removing period features. The frustrating part was that these “features” weren’t even original – they’d been put in at the time of conversion in the 1960s.’ After seeing the planning process through, the couple were itching to get started. ‘We moved every single wall,’ Anna says. The couple opened up the hallway into an open-plan hall, kitchen and dining room – the hall space being defined by the new stair position. They also converted the garage, which the previous owners used as a dining room, into a studio and office, raising the floors to retain the flow throughout the whole of the downstairs. Upstairs, they transformed the previously cramped layout into a space with three double bedrooms and a family-sized bathroom.

BEFORE

Left The old kitchen was small and quaint looking, but a hangover from an unsympathetic modernisation of the former servants’ quarters

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Pops of pink add warmth and a sense of fun, particularly the script neon light, which Anna designed and had made (available to order through her). The table is framed with a contrasting mix of black and pink chairs. Table, Vintage Industrial Furniture. Black and pink chairs, Hay. Napkins, Linen Me

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The stairs were previously situated at the back of the house, which wasted space in the entrance hall and on the upstairs landing, so the couple repositioned them to improve the ground-oor layout. Cupboards and a wine fridge tucked under the staircase maximise every inch of space. Bloom pendant light, Ligne Roset

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Left Anna took a lead from a gold sequin panel given to her by her mum when she moved, deciding to link the gold throughout the house for a glamorous finish. Rug, Plantation Rug Company. Footstool reupholstered in Varesse Velvet, Designers Guild. For a similar radiator, try the Finsbury Horizontal from Rads2Rails Right The deep teal suede fabric used to reupholster the sofa inspired the colour scheme in the living room, creating a luxe finish. The low sofa was originally from B&B Italia, and Anna inherited it from her dad. Walls painted in Canton by Litle Greene. Sofa reupholstered in fabrics from Designer’s Guild. Chandelier, Flos. For similar side tables, try the West Elm round nesting side tables, John Lewis & Partners. For mid-century swivel chairs, try Vinterior

FEELING BLUE You can’t go wrong with an inky paint or sea shade to set of your scheme me

Smalt 225 Absolute mat emulsion, £43.50 for 2.5ltrs, Litle Greene

Boathouse No.33 Marble mat emulsion, £46 for 2.5ltrs, Mylands

Peek-a-boo Blue Feature Wall mat emulsion, £14.50 for 1.23ltrs, Crown

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Misty Sky Mixing mat emulsion, emulsion £27.56 for 2.5ltrs, Dulux

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Right Despite being open plan, Anna wanted the hallway to feel like one when you walked in. The wallpaper sets the scene for the whole house with its classic distressed design in a contemporary motled green colourway. The waved plank flooring was stained to a dark finish and laid throughout the ground floor to unify the space. Wallpaper, Blackpop. Flooring, La Casa, installed by Naos Flooring

‘WE MOVED EVERY SINGLE WALL, INSTALLED COVING AND REPLACED THE MODERN WOODWORK WITH A DESIGN REMINISCENT OF THE PERIOD OF THE HOUSE’ 100

Defining the woodwork gives a polished modern finish to the classic stair rail and door frames, contrasted by the contemporary streamlined floating unit, customised by Dilwyn who made the doors and sides. It’s topped with a collection of accessories and a print.

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Woodwork painted in Railings by Farrow & Ball. Unit, Ikea. Artwork, Rebecca Mason. For a tilted square terrarium, try the Aztec from The Urban Botanist

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Left The wallpaper continues the distressed grandeur efect from the hallway upstairs, while the unusual coppercoloured mirror makes quite a focal point.

Right Ater a big search, Anna found the vintage Esquire magazine cover in a pile of magazines bought from Ebay. Originally a git for Dilwyn – it’s now her favourite buy. For similar framed magazine covers, try King & McGaw. For a similar bathroom side light, try the Monza Classic 250 from Astro Lighting. Mirror rectangular tiles, My Furniture

GO FOR GLAMOUR Whether it’s every wall or just the one, paper your space with deep metallic prints for real impact Arthouse Ardita wallpaper in Ebony and Gunmetal, £21 per roll, Wallpaper Direct

Ipanema Heritage Blue wallpaper, £35 per roll, John Lewis & Partners

Hothouse wallpaper by Erica Wakerly, £89 per roll, Lime Lace

Avington Navy wallpaper, £65 per roll, 1838 Wallcoverings

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Paterned wallpaper, Surfacephillia. For a similar bedspread, try the Grey Silk Quilt bedspread at The French Bedroom Company. For a similar radiator, try the Florence at Castrads

Contacts

Below Choosing large-scale marble tiles creates a classic look in the relatively small bathroom, cleverly designed by Anna to fit in a bath with shower above, WC and sink with vanity.

Architect MKA Architects, 01732 850995, mka-architects.co.uk Interior design Furnished by Anna, 07968 699441, Windows Sashy & Sashy, 01732 773626, sashyandsashy.co.uk Bathroom CP Hart, 0345 873 1121, cphart.co.uk Kitchen Hacker Kitchens, hacker.ae

Marble tiles, International Tile Store. Bath, CP Hart. Sink unit, Ikea

Right Reconfiguring the upstairs allowed for three double bedrooms. The pale blue/grey walls and floral bedlinen give the guest room a tranquil feel. Walls painted in Tablecloth from Paint & Paper Library. Bedlinen, Marks & Spencer. Shade, Habitat

THE PLANS GROUND FLOOR

FIRST FLOOR

BEFORE

AFTER WC

BEFORE WC

LARDER

BEDROOM

KITCHEN-DINER KITCHEN

AFTER

OFFICE/ STUDIO

DINING ROOM

BEDROOM

BEDROOM

BATH ROOM BEDROOM BATHROOM

LIVING ROOM

LIVING ROOM

Removing several internal walls has opened up the ground floor of the house to create a flexible, open-plan space

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BEDROOM BEDROOM

TEAM EFFORT Taking on any home improvement comes with stresses, but what should you do when things (inevitably) go wrong with your chosen project team? Andréa Childs reveals her tips for success

WORDS ANDRÉA CHILDS

E

mbarking on a building project is like organising a wedding. There are the months of planning and saving, the endless scouting trips for wedding dresses/bathroom taps and the joy when you find ‘the one’, booking the professionals (vicar/electrician) and even planning the reception/kitchen-warming party. The big difference? When you get married, everyone understands the emotional investment; they expect you to go a bit Bridezilla and have a meltdown about your second cousin twice removed upstaging you in a white dress. Getting a loft extension or a new kitchen, though, is all about cold, hard cash, adding value to your property and saving the cost of a house move. Except it isn’t, is it? Most of us have dreams stirred into the mortar and hopes tangled up in the rewiring. The physical changes we make to a property might be about creating room for a growing family, having the space to launch a business from home, or simply making life a little bit easier and a lot more joyful. Which is why when things go wrong – or just not as smoothly as expected – it can be a soul-sapping experience. ‘We bought our house to be our “forever home” but it also needed a huge amount of work as it had been treated so poorly by previous owners,’ says Laura Marshall, who lives in a four-bedroom 1890s property with her partner Katy and their now five-year-old daughter, Millie. ‘We needed a building firm who would understand our emotional investment in the property. We met and got quotes from a lot of companies

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and went with the ones who really tried to understand how we live and what we needed the house to be – a safe place with a wonderful garden for our daughter, a welcome space for extended family to stay, and somewhere I can work without feeling my job is intruding on our home life.’ Laura’s renovation project was pretty straightforward. ‘Constant communication and clear boundaries were key. We made sure we were around at the beginning and end of each day, so we could make decisions and discuss how the work was progressing,’ she says. But even a shipshape setup like this had its issues. ‘We asked the builders not to work under Millie’s room at nap time but we had a few problems with noisy power tools. I came home one day to find Katy sobbing because Millie hadn’t slept and they were both exhausted,’ Laura admits. ‘And because we were working on both the house and garden, there were times when it felt never-ending. When we felt we were being buried in mud and dust, we’d ask the decorators to show us paint colours, or look at the gardener’s planting schemes; the fun stuff helped to remind us why we were doing it and kept us going.’ Establishing a rapport with tradespeople can be the difference between having a team that’s engaged and enthusiastic about your project, and one that skips off to other jobs at a moment’s notice, leaving you wondering when – if ever – the work will continue. ‘I’m self-employed so I recognise that tradespeople need to look out for themselves,’

says Penny Alexander, who lives in the Peak District and recently refurbished a 1960s caravan to rent out on Airbnb. ‘Our joiner took immense pride in the work because it was a unique project, but he also had to balance keeping regular clients happy. We learnt to respect each other’s goals.’ She’s a better woman than me. I remember feeling jealous when ‘my’ builders left to work on another bigger, more lucrative job at the end of the street. Wasn’t my house good enough for them? Should I provide better biscuits? I realised that while I’d tried to appear friendly, they’d seen a pushover. When I had a new roof put on my next house, I’d learnt not to treat the builders like mates and agreed a time frame for the job at the start. Talking to people for this article, it soon became clear that winging it doesn’t work when it comes to house projects. It sounds contradictory, but if you want to keep life even relatively relaxed, you need to find your inner control freak. ‘I’ve done three huge renovations and the secret to success is all in the paperwork,’ says Toni Summers Hargis, who lives in Surrey. ‘Don’t leave anything unspecified, make sure the builders and tradespeople know exactly what you want, and insist they get any changes down on paper. Don’t take quotes that don’t split labour and materials and itemise everything. If you accept a fuzzy estimate it will have tons of contingencies

When your builders become your enemies, not the angels helping you construct your dream house, the fallout goes far beyond recriminations and follow-up repairs. ‘We had such a bad building experience (and successfully had the building firm prosecuted by trading standards) that I actually can’t think about it without getting very stressed,’ says Jo Denver from Sidcup. ‘I’d say it’s over but it still upsets me two and a half years after they started. Part of me wants to sell up and move on but I don’t want to feel the builders have taken my home away from me.’ Most of us will be able to resolve issues before they get that far. If planning and communication doesn’t do it, then the ability to compromise should keep you out of court. ‘I brought in the builders to reconfigure my flat, giving it an extra bedroom and installing a new bathroom and kitchen, funded through remortgaging and saving hard,’ says Jenny Greene from London. ‘I didn’t keep track of additional spending as each was just a small amount each time, but it added up. When I received the final bill, I had this sickening sense of shock. I could just about afford it, but it would wipe out all my emergency funds. Fortunately, my builder agreed he could have been clearer about the costs and agreed to meet me halfway on the amount.’

‘I hate it when people give builders separate mugs and rent a Portaloo so they don’t use their house’s toilet. It’s like saying they’re not good enough to be in their house; not cool’ Embarking on building work is about customising our home for our ideal lifestyle. Each job, large or small, is a dream project because it’s about our hopes and desires. Which is why the team we choose to create that vision, and our relationship with them, is so important. So here’s my recipe for the ultimate build. Overshare like crazy at the beginning – bring out moodboards, family photos, sketches, whatever it takes to convey your passion and motivation for the project. When you’ve found the experts you believe can deliver that, it’s time to get to the nitty gritty. Ask questions, make lists, check invoices and never feel you’re being a nag. This is a huge emotional and financial investment, so you need to know the true costs. When it all gets too much, remember you’re a person, not just a project manager, and do something to treat yourself. A bubble bath, prosecco, it’s up to you. Finally, when the last builder has gone and the dust has settled, put the pain behind you and enjoy your new home. ‘Extending into our basement was like childbirth,’ says Julia Crouch. ‘Excruciating at times, but ultimately worth it for what it brought us.’ REALHOMES.COM

built into it. For a big project, agree payment in portions. Keep a balance back until the very end and don’t cave in to demands for payment if you’re not happy with the work. Yes, it pays to be nice, but if it starts going pear-shaped, don’t take any BS.’ Making sure the builders know your ground rules is key, because they’re different for us all. ‘We asked the team to take their shoes off when walking through parts of the house, so they didn’t tramp dust everywhere,’ says Laura Marshall. ‘We had two pre-schoolers at home, so had a no “power tools left unattended” rule, plus everything needed to be left tidy at the end of the day,’ says Olivia Vandyk from Hertfordshire. In return, show them you appreciate their efforts to keep the work on track and you happy. ‘I had a team of Polish builders, so I bought them Polish beer every Friday,’ says Julia Crouch from Brighton. Bridget Monahan, from Liverpool, agrees with the benefits of being hospitable. ‘I hate it when people give builders separate mugs and rent a Portaloo so they don’t use their house’s toilet,’ she says. ‘It’s like saying they’re not good enough to be in their house; not cool.’

How to keep a happy build

tea time

sugar rush

cheers

top tunes

Learn how the team likes their cuppas, or set up a drinks station with ketle, mugs, tea and cofee. We all need a cafeine hit sometimes, don’t we?

Fuel their energy with cakes and biscuits. Building is a physical job, so we’re sure the team can enjoy guiltfree snacking – right?

Provide some beers on a Friday night to say thanks for a good week’s work. Just don’t turn the pre-weekend tidy-up into karaoke night.

A radio is a bonus for the team, so crank up the volume – but invest in earplugs for yourself if you don’t like the music choice.

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Profile THE OWNERs Shelley Carline, who runs online interiors accessories shop Hilary & Flo (hilaryandflo.co.uk), lives here with her husband, Wayne, Shelley’s son, Bailey, 17, and the family labradoodle, Leo THE PROPERTY A four-bedroom 1960s semidetached house in Sheffield project COST £30,000 for extension work and kitchen

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Left and far left Situated where the old conservatory once stood, the new living area has Velux windows above and glazed sliding doors covering most of the far wall, leting light flood into a space painted in dark, dramatic colours. The side wall is dominated by a huge antique apothecary’s cabinet, purchased from supplier friends who import vintage from the US. ‘It’s something that’s always been on my wishlist, and when this arrived from New York, I just couldn’t resist,’ Shelley says. Mural, Rebel Walls. Chandelier and rug, Hilary & Flo. Ottoman, Cortesi Home. For a similar footstool, try Ebay. Oriental screen, Hayden Antiques. Sofa, Made.com. Walls painted in Devonshire Green, Valspar

A HOUSE LESS ORDINARY Shelley Carline and her husband Wayne have created a home brimming with decorative drama and unique style 109

REALHOMES.COM

WORDS GREG COOK PHOTOGRAPHS RICHARD PARSONS

Extended 1960s semi

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save

V spend

For a showpiece light with a boho chic twist, try a beaded chandelierstyle pendant

#SOREALHOMES

Two-tone wall tiles, Topps Tiles. Ceiling lights, TK Maxx. Walls painted in Railings, Farrow & Ball. Range cooker, Discount Appliances. For a similar neon sign, try Rocket St George

Beaded vintagestyle pendant, £175, The Farthing

FOR MORE INSPIRATION, VISIT REALHOMES.COM/COMPLETED-PROJECTS

The leaky conservatory and galley kitchen at the rear of the house has been replaced with a combined kitchen-living area. The couple repurposed the original kitchen’s wooden unit doors and panels and added beech worktops made from inexpensive ofcuts. The monochrome mosaic-patern floor tiles were sourced on Ebay. The central island was bought second-hand and its concrete top was cast by the couple themselves.

BEFORE

Large Luna ceiling lamp, £395, Lombok

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O

n the southern outskirts of Sheffield, at the end of a modest cul-de-sac, hides the home of interiors specialist Shelley Carline. Like many of the most exciting refurbishment and extension projects, Shelley and her husband Wayne’s home gives nothing away from the front; its façade is almost identical to the surrounding properties, aside from the touch of Shelley’s favourite off-black shade (Farrow & Ball’s Railings) adorning the door and windows. All of this only adds to the thrill of stepping inside. The couple have created a series of spaces that effortlessly function as both a comfortable, cosy family home and a theatrical backdrop for Shelley’s unique decorative flights of imagination – creating a property that’s the perfect mix of stage set and Aladdin’s cave. The rich and glamorous tone of the décor within these modest walls has been achieved with inventiveness, resourcefulness and an unfailing eye for an upcycling opportunity. It comes as no surprise that Shelley is a veteran of interior refurbishment. ‘I was only 25 and a single mother when I bought my first house,’ she says, ‘It’s fair to say money was tight, but the décor in that place was so dated and depressing, I knew I had to do

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something to give it a makeover. I began spending pretty much all my spare cash on buying furniture to upcycle, and interior magazines for inspiration.’ Shelley’s love for interiors soon developed into a career. ‘I actually used to love working away on my little projects after my son was tucked up in bed,’ she says. ‘It wasn’t long before it made me crave a more creative career.’ Soon after, her online shop Hilary & Flo was born – and with it arrived many of the ornaments and soft furnishings that make Shelley’s home so unique. ‘I do bring a lot of stuff back here,’ she admits, ‘but I need to know that every item will work in-situ before I sell it – or at least that’s what I tell myself!’ Shelley moved in with her now husband, Wayne, in 2005, and although their initial plan was to buy a new home together, the refurbishment of Wayne’s ‘bachelor pad’ was a project Shelley simply couldn’t resist. ‘I’d like to call it a blank canvas, but it was more “1980s peach-and-grey” than that,’ she says. ‘There was also a pokey galley kitchen and an old conservatory out back, which was boiling in summer and freezing in winter. Just like with my old place, we set to work slowly and steadily, improving as and when we could afford it.’ The couple started with a side-return extension, which initially provided the elegant extra dining space at the front of the house as well as a utility room and WC to the rear. Since then, the couple have also taken down the old conservatory behind the galley kitchen and used the footprint to create a kitchen-living area with Velux windows above and glass sliding doors opening onto the revamped back garden. It’s a space that’s undoubtedly become the focal area of their home, while also showcasing their combined talents and style. ‘I’m incredibly lucky that Wayne is a professional joiner,’ Shelley says, ‘not least because he made most of the kitchen by repainting and repurposing the old beech kitchen units, along with other unwanted offcuts of wood he’s brought back from work. We sourced the central island unit second-hand but we also made the polished concrete top ourselves. You can’t beat the feeling of successfully upcycling – and it meant that most of our budget could be spent on quality kitchen appliances.’ Today, Shelley and Wayne’s home is a testament to what can be achieved with the right combination of perspiration and inspiration, and regardless of whether her taste in style changes, that’s an ethos Shelley will never give up. ‘There are so many places to get upcycling inspiration these days,’ she says, ‘and you’re never far away from a vintage fair or a car boot sale. If you gave me a blank chequebook right now, I still wouldn’t want to do it any other way.’

TOP TIP

REALHOMES.COM

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Enhance the rustic feel of any room by opting for painted wooden panelling instead of papering or painting walls

This image and left The stylish dining area in the side extension has been laid with wooden herringbone patern parquet oor, while more wooden tongue and groove, painted in Farrow & Ball’s Railings, clads the walls. The wrought-iron legs and frame of the dining table were bought on Ebay and the top relaid using geometric paterned tiles from Topps Tiles. Roof windows, Velux. Hanging egg chair and faux poted cactus, Graham & Green. Circular jute rug, stork print and printed jungle cushions, Hilary & Flo. Walls papered in R12711 Patina, Rebel Walls

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The lounge area at the front of the house is dominated by an L-shaped mustard sofa, which complements the kitsch metallic gold palm lamp and ornate brass fan-shaped fireguard. The rear wall has been heavily adorned with an eclectic mixture of colourful artwork and black and white photography. Walls painted in Hague Blue, Farrow & Ball. Velvet sofa, Love Your Home. For a similar Indian patern rug, try OKA. Brass fireguard, gold palm lamp and circular mirror, all available on request from Hilary & Flo. Carmen Miranda cushion, Wild Rice Designs via Etsy

mirror mirror Frame your lovely reflection with our edit of the must-have circular mirrors

Chevron oak round mirror, £325, Cox & Cox Bamboo round black mirror, £100, Abode Living

Hampton round mirror, £660, Sweetpea & Willow

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Left Island Botanist wallpaper from the Homelands collection, Mairi Helena. Walls painted in Hague Blue, Farrow & Ball

Below Distressed texture wallpaper depicting blown brickwork meets walls clad in timber ofcuts in the guest bedroom. Crumbling Bricks wallpaper, Rebel Walls. Bedding, fabric jellyfish and monochrome print, Hilary & Flo

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Right and above There’s a playful retro-kitsch style in the couple’s master bedroom, with a vintage colonial-style ratan ‘peacock chair’ (bought at a local vintage fair), a feature wall depicting a Victorian engraving of far-away jungles, and letering in hot pink neon glowing above the bed. Jungle Land mural, Rebel Walls. Blanket, Grainger & Jaimeson. For a similar chair, try World of Wicker. Neon sign, made to order from Bag & Bones

TOP TIP

REALHOMES.COM

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Create an easy room scheme with a mural. Pick a theme (like Shelley’s jungle) and choose accessories to complement it

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Right and below Shelley’s thrity way with interiors continues outside: the decking was sourced from a timber yard, and the chairs from a cafe. Shelley’s husband transformed her old shop counter, made from reclaimed wood, spindles and authentic tin tiles, into a garden bar. Wall print, Margarita sign and wicker table, Hilary & Flo. Rug, Modern Rugs UK. For a similar sofa, try Maisons du Monde

THE PLANS AFTER

GROUND FLOOR

Contacts

FIRST FLOOR

WC

BEDROOM DINING AREA BEDROOM

KITCHEN/ BREAKFAST AREA LIVING ROOM

MASTER BEDROOM BEDROOM

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Windows Velux, 01592 778225, velux.co.uk Accessories Hilary & Flo, 07712 835837, hilaryandflo.co.uk Wall murals Rebel Walls, 020 3002 1116, rebelwalls.com Tiles Topps Tiles, 0800 783 6262, toppstiles.co.uk

‘Make sure you have as many savings as you can – even if you’ve

IF ONLY WE HAD KNOWN... They say you can learn from your own mistakes – but why go to all that trouble when you can learn from someone else’s? Three renovating readers share their hard-won advice

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Karen Friend (@cherryoakmanor), an office manager, lives in Kent with her husband, Mark, a company director, and their youngest son, Zenan, 18 ‘We bought our three-bedroom detached home with the view to adding a large extension and doubling the size of the property. With the extension and renovating the existing house together, my husband “guesstimated” that the whole thing would take two years. “Guesstimate” is his favourite word – and I still think he just told me that to keep me happy! ‘It’s coming up to three years now and there are still jobs that we’re tackling. The main issue is money. We had some left over in our savings when we purchased the house and that largely paid for the external work. We hired help for the structural jobs, but when it came to the interiors, we decided to take it on ourselves. That meant paying for materials. Suddenly, it turned into a month-by-month process. We’d look at our finances and say, “Okay, we saved £1,000 this month, so we can get the plasterer in.” ‘When I’m told something will be done in two years, I like to plan to that and pick out things like colour schemes and decorations. My husband, meanwhile, is more likely to wait two years, then say, “Right, we’re painting this room tomorrow – what colour do you want?” I’m so fed up of making decisions almost three years down the line that I tell him to just paint everything white. ‘The moment your extension is knocked through into your house, all that dust and mess becomes your home. At one point, when we knocked through the old bathroom, I was essentially bathing in the hallway – I had to be careful that we weren’t expecting anyone before I hopped into the tub! ‘I’d say that you should make sure you have as many savings as you can – even if you’ve estimated how much it’s going to cost, allow for more. Be patient. Unless you have a bottomless pit of money and can afford to move out while paying for someone else to do the work, you’ll probably have to live with the work while it’s going on. Just remind yourself that it’s all worth it in the end.’

REALHOMES.COM

WORDS ELLEN FINCH IMAGE GETTY

estimated how much it will cost’

‘I’d advise anyone not to leave lighting as a last-minute consideration. It’s impossible to overestimate how important it is’ Emma Farrelly, an HR advisor, lives in Manchester with her husband, Ben, and their children, Izzy, five, and Joe, one ‘We moved into our house with the intention of building an extension and knocking through the back rooms. There was a separate kitchen and long living room, with a small utility – not exactly a family space. I’d have had to prep and cook dinner while the kids were playing in another room, so it wouldn’t have worked for us. ‘One of our friends is a builder so he did the extension for us. I’d always pictured having big bi-fold doors with lots of light, and looking through magazines was an inspiration for me. While we were planning, we focused on creating a bright space and spent a lot of time imagining how beautiful it would look in the summer. ‘We didn’t really give much thought to how the space would work in the winter months, but when it started getting darker earlier we realised our mistake. There’s a pantry at the back of the kitchen and when we opened the doors, we couldn’t see a thing! Originally, we’d designed the kitchen with mood lighting in mind – just like the magazines – but we didn’t think about the practicalities. If I’m preparing food with the pendant lights switched on, I have to turn on the main lights just to be able to get into the cupboard for a tin of beans. ‘I’d advise anyone doing a kitchen extension not to leave lighting as a last-minute consideration. It’s impossible to overestimate how important it is. We’d thought about having lights on separate circuits in the main living zones, but now we wish we’d installed under-cupboard lights in the pantry and over the work surfaces. Because everything is fitted, it means we’d have to take the units out, so we’re putting it off for now. We’re just focused on getting through winter!’

‘Some jobs require an expert. If DIY goes wrong, you end up spending more getting it fixed’

Search ‘plan’ at Realhomes.com before you start for our essential project guides

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Evija Roberts, a trainee legal executive and craft blogger (fromevijawithlove.com), lives on the Isle of Man with her husband, Shaun, a machine operator, and their pug, Coco ‘We bought our house two years ago and tried to do everything on a budget. We’re both quite hands-on and thought we could save some money by doing DIY jobs ourselves. ‘We were renovating the bathroom and had employed a tiler, but we thought that we could do the plumbing, so we had our radiator capped by a family member. The radiator was dripping afterwards, but he reassured us it was normal, and we didn’t think anything of it. ‘A week later, I walked into the kitchen and thought that the ceiling looked like it was bending. I called our relative and asked him about it, but he said it was probably just from the water that leaked when we had moved the radiator. ‘After a few days, I’d forgotten about it – until my husband called me and said, “You need to come home.” It turned out the ceiling had collapsed – the valve on the radiator was too loose and water had been building up under the floorboards. We still have a boardedup hole in our ceiling now – we’ve decided to leave it until we renovate our kitchen. ‘We had a qualified plumber in to finish off the bathroom. We definitely learned a lesson – some jobs require an expert. You might think you’re saving money by doing it yourself, but if things go wrong you end up spending more on getting it fixed. In the future, we’ll be more realistic about what we can do ourselves and know our limits. From now on, no more DIY jobs unless we know we can definitely do it.’

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WORDS ELLEN FINCH PHOTOGRAPH DAVID MORRIS

Now the festive season is well and truly over, is it too early to start thinking about summer? With cold and gloomy days ahead, the Real Homes team is pining for warmer climes and bright skies. Nevertheless, even the winter sun would look beautiful filtered through this extension with its cleverly placed picture windows and bi-fold doors from Edinburgh Timber. It’s always exciting to see a refreshing take on a simple rear extension, and the eye-catching angles and light-reflecting stained weatherboarding of this build have got us planning an exterior makeover for our own homes. Bring on the warmer, lighter evenings… Total project cost: £70,000. Kalm Architecture, 01620 850 649, kalmarchitecture.co.uk

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the right angle

WORDS JASON ORME

IMAGES GETTY

So you think you want to extend, but is it really the best plan of action? In the first part of our new series, we look at why you should assess every available option

xtensions are expensive, disruptive and risky. You will be instigating a major building project, probably for the first time, and dealing with all sorts of decisions, regardless of how much trust you invest in a builder, that you are totally ill-qualified to take on. You’ll most likely be spending one of the largest sums you’ve ever spentt on a project you know next to nothing about, and relying on a handful of experts to get you through. So why put yourself through all that upheaveal? The irony is that for some people, an extension is a long way down on the list of most suitable home-improvement projects that they should undertake. For many, save knocking the whole house down and starting again, extensions should be the project of last resort – especially given all the above.

DO YOU REALLY NEED TO EXTEND? Let’s examine the basics. We extend when we quite simply don’t have enough space. But that raises a key issue, and highlights the main mistake that so many people make: is it additional space you actually need, or is what’s in your mind (an open-plan kitchen with living and eating areas overlooking

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the garden, maybe) a space that you can create from what you already have? The number one extension project is to create a bigger kitchen. Also, the biggest disparity between homes built before 2000 and what we want now isn’t the number of rooms or the size of the houses – it’s the size of the rooms, and in particular the size of the kitchen. Look at any home built before the 21st century and the rear flank kitchen just cannot satisfy our currently insatiable demand for the large, openplan living/eating space. But let’s take another look at the floorplans of those houses. What’s that large (often larger) room next to the kitchen? The dining room, of course – invariably used as an office/storage space cleared out for a Christmas dinner. Then there’s the large lounge, often already ‘knocked through’ to create a large living space. Let’s then take a look at what the market demands – usually the homes created by developers. After all, despite it all, they’re experts in understanding consumer demand and creating homes built for it. The typical size of those homes is no bigger – arguably smaller, in fact – than the homes we have been building for decades and probably centuries. Our families have shrunk, on the whole, over the years, but the number of bedrooms in our homes certainly hasn’t. There is no large scale shortage of bedroom space in our homes – certainly nothing worse than we had before. What

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this points to isn’t that our homes have suddenly become much too small – it’s that our expectations of them have changed. There can be little doubt that the huge increase in the number of home extension projects over the past 20 years has coincided with the explosion in interest in home design – magazines, websites, Pinterest and TV shows, from Changing Rooms to Grand Designs. We are far more conscious of our homes now than ever before, and we all aspire to the type of spaces we see on TV or in our friends’ houses. So, let’s get to the point. An extension should only be considered once all other options for remodelling the existing space have been dismissed. For the sake of £1,500-£3,000 per wall (removed, reinforced and made good), could your dream open-plan kitchen-diner be achieved more easily? Perhaps by opening up into the dining room and stealing a bit from the large living room, if you have one? If you need an extra bedroom, could you look at converting the loft space? It will almost certainly be cheaper than building new space. If there is no way that you – or, preferably, a consulted experienced designer – can work out how to get you there without creating more space, then you’re on the path to extending. Thanks to the process of agonising over whether you really need to extend or not, the happy news is that you’re already on the way to creating a proper viability plan for your project.

It’s important at this early stage to get them out and put them down on paper. These are the things that you have in your head when you imagine the project complete – the reason you’re doing it. They’re often little lifestyle snippets, and might be one, some, all or none of the following: Family together in a large kitchen, you cooking dinner, the family eating Lazy Sunday spring morning, drinking coffee and enjoying the sunshine Getting cosy on a December evening One of these might apply to you. It’s now time to go deeper into that mental image – what do you see? If it’s the third one, is there a fire? A stove? How big is the room? If it’s the first, how does the family interact? Is there an island? Where do the kids sit? Turning these abstract lifestyle-driven wishes into hard, practical illustrations of what you want to do in the home is the only way a designer can hope to create a home in which to do them – and to enable you to assess if the project is going to be a success or not. Every single decision you make, and how you assess the plans your designer creates, is going to be a factor of these initial aspirations – so get them down. The projects that end in failure – and projects fail for many reasons – tend to do so because they don’t have a clear set of priorities or a sense of what they’re trying to achieve. The best reason for bringing these aspirations into sharp focus is that they give you a chance to see if the plans you have allow you to get what you want. Where will you sit and have that Sunday 11am coffee, and what will you be looking at? Upstairs, practical requirements like extra bedrooms are fairly straightforward to assess, but think a bit deeper. How big do the bedrooms need to be? Do they allow for wardrobe space, and ideally for some form of living space? Even children like to be able to sit in their bedroom and have a bit of time to themselves, so work out where a little set of chairs might go, for instance. Ultimately, what you want to do in this early feasibility process is to work out whether the things that you want the house to do for you are best achieved by adding an extension, and if so, roughly what size of project this is going to be – or whether, in fact, you need to extend at all.

CREATE A PLAN As anyone who works in almost any job knows, the use of targets, monitoring and performance indicators is one of the things we all have to live with and plan our working lives around. It’s hardly what we lie awake at night dreaming of applying to our home life, but stealing a little bit of this annoying office habit can work wonders for your home project. Why? Because it helps to give your project a focus, and keep it on track – and you can use the targets you set as a guideline to assess every single decision against. What should those targets be? Well, you already have them, but the key is getting them down on paper. Clearly, some of them are going to be very pragmatic – how much you want to spend, for instance – but others, particularly the ones based on design, will be a little more abstract.

we’ll look at the practical issues of extending – where best to do it, and the Effect on your home’s value

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THE FEBRUARY

Report AND ES THE LATEST IDEAS, TRENDS

SENTIAL BUYS

FOR YOUR KITCHEN AN

D BATHROOM

ALL HAIL THE FLEX Made with memory flex material, this stylish mat black kitchen tap can be bent into any shape and will stay in place, so you can angle the flow into pans or awkward sink corners. Pioneer Gallery Flex tap, £179, Bristan

Flower shower The shower tray isn’t usually the most exciting part of a bathroom…until now! Villeroy & Boch has launched a new collection of paterned designs, from tile motifs to geometrics and natural stone efects. ViPrint Heritage collection Townhouse shower tray, from £662.50, Villeroy & Boch

Tubby Too, £2,091 plus £284 for a painted exterior, The Albion Bath Co

trend spot

FEATURE AMELIA SMITH

Pastel power Soft, light and pretty, these calming shades are oh-so feminine, and there’s no wonder we’re seeing a resurgence of them in bathrooms. Combine with dark grey to make the colours pop, or punctuate with modern black lines.

Ted Baker Stepped Up pastel mat wall and floor tiles, £50 per m2, Bathstore

Villeroy & Boch Artis surface basin in Powder, £806.40, West One Bathrooms

Cooke and Lewis Imandra gloss blue vanity unit, £190, B&Q

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Strong & tough Splashes of bolognese and grubby fingerprints ruining your kitchen aesthetic? We hear you. Luckily, Dulux has designed a new range of paints especially to withstand the general wear and tear that comes with family life. Easycare Washable and Tough turns liquids into beads so you can simply brush them away without ruining your colour. Available in the latest shades. Easycare paint, £29.81 for 2.5ltrs, Dulux

BEST FOR PONGY PETS Engineered especially to atack the most stubborn pet hair, and with carbon-enriched, lavender-scented filter bags to neutralise smells and leave a fresh fragrance, this is a must for keeping your home fur free. The Gtech Pro K9, £249.99, Gtech

3 of the best

BEST FOR LIGHTWEIGHT Under 4kg and packed with enough cordless power to clean an average home several times over, this nimble design can get the job done quicker. C300 cordless upright vacuum cleaner, from £179.99, Hoover

BEST FOR HANDS FREE For one less chore, program your robotic vacuum to do the carpets for you when you’re out. Scout RX2 Robotic vacuum cleaner, approx £700, Miele

MOROCCAN INSPIRED Ever seen a pretier splashback? We think not. These porcelain tiles are just the job for livening up a simple space. Combine with natural textures like stone and wood for an authentic, rustic feel. Bazaar ceramic paterned tile, £86.64 per m2, Ca’Pietra

Celeb spot Fashion designer Julien Macdonald has turned his hand to interiors with a stunning collection of tiles for Victorian Plumbing. From opulent metallics to sparkling white marble, each design is inspired by his clothing range and oozes luxury for the ultimate glamorous bathroom. Julien Macdonald copper sparkle mirror mosaic tile sheet, £24.95 for a H30xW30cm sheet, Victorian Plumbing

A LA MODE Pleats are stepping out of our wardrobes and onto our kitchen worktops with these show-stopping new ketles from Alessi. They’re the perfect statement for any modern kitchen. Michele De Lucchi Plisse electric ketle, £79, Alessi

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Because your home wouldn’t look as good without them...

FOR MORE INSPIRATION, VISIT REALHOMES.COM/BATHROOM

NEW VACUUM CLEANERS

C A R E F U L LY CRAFTED Tactile oak and copper tones infuse Karla and Adam’s Arts and Crafts-inspired kitchen extension after industrious sourcing – and a few compromises

WORDS JANE CRITTENDEN PHOTOGRAPHS JAMES FRENCH

Right Handleless oak wall cupboards are combined with dark grey, sprayed in RAL 7022 Umbra in a semi-mat finish. Metallic accents from the copperplated cooker hood and mantel add depth and texture.

Bespoke kitchen units, Chordal Green. Copper sockets, Sockets & Switches. Ceiling, walls and woodwork painted in Dusted Moss 1, 2 and 3, Dulux. For a similar cooker hood, try the Elica Dolce copper cooker hood from Angel Appliances

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TOP TIP If you love rich metallics but are working to a budget, copper plating could give you the look you want for less

Profile The owners Karla Bradstock, a client relationship manager for a pension administration specialist, lives with her husband, Adam, a builder and landscape designer, and their daughters, Freya, 10, and Florrie, eight

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The property A 1940s semi-detached home in Farnham, Surrey project cost ÂŁ44,000 for extension and ďŹ ting out the space

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The new doorway is let as an opening to link the kitchen with the living room. The design separates the cooking area from this work station, which is where Karla keeps her baking equipment. The oak shelf is ideal for recipe books. For a similar tap, try Abode’s Pronteau from Tapstore. For a similar sink, try Sinks.co.uk. Windows, Trade Window Supplies

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inspires you? Whether you get your decorating ideas from Scandi Instagram accounts or emulate mid-century masterpieces with Eames chairs and teak furniture, everyone leans towards a certain style when it comes to their home – even if that style is ‘mix and match’. For Karla and Adam, the Arts and Crafts movement that dominated design at the turn of the 19th century was the driving force behind renovating their bungalow and creating their new kitchen. Natural wood units and exposed oak beams lend the space its cosy, comforting feel, while copper accents add a contemporary edge. Read on to find out how they did it…

Step one

WHAT

Preparing to build ‘We were in the throes of a bungalowto-house conversion when we tackled our kitchen,’ Karla says. ‘Adam prepared drawings and submitted the planning application for the project. When permission came through, we moved into our neighbours’ home – they were abroad for three months – and Adam worked flat out to complete all the structural work. ‘We decided we’d extend by three metres to create room for a dining area and a door into a new utility room, and Adam wanted exposed beams in the double-height space. The house is clad in oak and designed with a nod to the Arts and Crafts era so the oak beams tie in well, and we like the fusion between old and new.’

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Playing with layout ‘We planned the kitchen layout around the original Aga to avoid any additional costs that might have come with removing and relocating the chimney. We didn’t want to be completely open-plan to the living-dining room, so we put in a second doorway to improve the flow but keep the separation. The design divides the main cooking area from the work station where I keep my baking equipment and where we make toast and sandwiches as a family. Making the space functional was important – the curve at the end of the peninsula was scaled back to allow room for the pull-out cupboards and fridgefreezer doors.’

TOP TIP For a hardwearing flooring with real character, limestone is millions of years in the making – you can even spot fossils in it

Step four

Step five

Design details

Choosing a worktop

The final product

‘Chordal Green went on to plan the layout, and they made the kitchen in their workshop. Natural limestone really appealed to us for the floor and worktop, even though the porous surface isn’t usually recommended in kitchens. ‘We settled on an unpolished finish to help disguise any marks, but there ended up being a mistake in our order that resulted in polished limestone. Acidic spills like lemon or wine do dull the polish, but we wouldn’t choose anything different now – we love the fossil detail and we can always repolish the surfaces.’

‘Adam, a builder and garden designer, has always liked copper within a garden scheme because of the patina that naturally forms, but our modest budget had to work hard to fulfil our design ambitions. Copper doesn’t seem so original now, but at the time it was a real challenge for me to find all the products at prices we could afford. ‘Now our house is completely finished, we can truly appreciate how our kitchen works within it. The kitchen is the only room in the house that’s come in on budget. The layout really suits us – we sit and eat in here every day, and one of us is always hovering by the Aga in winter. We love the oak beams, the oak cupboards and drawers, and the copper works really well with the wood.’

‘The build took an intense three months, after that we moved back into a shell of a house. Adam worked his way through the rooms for the next few years, but the kitchen was a priority. ‘At first, we investigated copper cabinets, which is how I came across furniture makers Chordal Green as they’d designed something similar for a bar. They produced an initial design, but we decided the copper looked too “blingy” and would be impractical with a young family. We changed tack and decided to make copper a feature instead of the main event. ‘I struggled to find a tap and cooker hood in a contemporary copper style that was still within our budget, so Chordal Green suggested copper plating ordinary steel products.’

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Step three

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In need of more storage? See page 151 for our pick of stylish kitchen dressers

TOP TIP Window frames and bays are a clever way to introduce a fun splash of colour, and to link indoors and out

Above Exposed beams in the vaulted ceiling add character but could be adapted later on if the family decide to build a bedroom above. The ceiling pendants were the best lighting solution to be fited to the oak beams. The dresser is an early 20th-century French piece, sourced on Ebay, and is in the Arts and Crats style the Bradstocks like so much.

Contacts Design and Construction Adam Bradstock Design & Build, 01342 328087, adambradstockdesignandbuild.com Windows and doors Trade Window Supplies (TWS), 0161 486 9949, tradewindowsupplies.com Kitchen (including splashback and appliances) Chordal Green, 01279 626403, chordalgreen.com Worktops and flooring Alpha Marble & Granite, 020 8574 3706, alphamarbleandgranite.com

Sliding doors, Trade Window Supplies. Copper light, Not on the High Street. For a similar dining set, try the Corona by Home & Haus at Wayfair

my kitchen favourites Davey Lighting factory ceiling light in copper, £429, John Lewis & Partners

MY GO-TO SHOP FOR HOME ACCESSORIES ‘John Lewis for new and Ebay for antique furniture’

MY FAVOURITE DESIGNER ‘It has to be William Morris’

William Morris drinks coasters, £9.50 for six, V&A Shop

VonShef 1200W copper die cast stand mixer, £174.99, Domu.co.uk

THE BEST WAY TO SPEND A SUNDAY IS… ‘Baking with our kids’

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Edinburgh natural solid oak small dresser, £639.48, Oak Furnitureland

WHERE I GO TO FOR INSPIRATION ‘The National Trust’s Standen House and Garden – it’s an Arts and Crats movement house’

THE ONE UNUSUAL ITEM IN MY HOME THAT I LOVE ‘My antique French dresser’

Standen House and Garden. Adult entry from £12 (free for National Trust members), National Trust

A DV E RTOR I A L

ADD STYLE TO YOUR PROJECT WITH CEDRAL FIBRE CEMENT CLADDING Providing timelessly beautiful facades for over 20 years, Cedral is experienced in helping you create a more beautiful world by adding the perfect finishing touch to your building or renovation project

W

ith a minimum life expectancy of 50 years, Cedral offers peace of mind that your new exterior will stand the test of time, providing a home for you and your family for years to come. Cedral is a low-maintenance, rot-free alternative to traditional cladding materials that adds real kerb appeal, without requiring regular upkeep.

Available in two styles, Cedral Lap and Cedral Click are ideal for self-builders or renovators who want to add a unique touch to their home. Whether Cedral is installed horizontally or vertically, it works in perfect harmony with other building materials for complete design flexibility. Cedral Lap offers a New Englandstyle aesthetic with the boards

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overlapping one another to create a traditional clapboard style, hiding any fixings for a flawless façade. For a more contemporary look, Cedral Click is the UK’s first and only flush-fitting, fibre cement, tongue and groove cladding material, offering a sleek and contemporary finish to your home. The ‘Click Clip’ installation system is a quick and easy fixing method that requires just two installers to do it. Both Cedral Lap and Cedral Click are available in 21 factory-applied colours, with Cedral Lap also available in two woodstain effects. The materials give you the chance to add a touch of personality to your property, while the complementary range of aluminium trims add the perfect finishing touch. What’s more, Cedral has a Class A fire performance rating and allows for insulation to be installed behind the boards during construction, helping to improve the thermal efficiency of your building project or external renovation. To request your free sample and find out more about the range, visit cedralcladding.co.uk.

CUT T HE COST OF YO U R K I TC HE N Knowing where to save without compromising on style might just mean you get your dream space after all 140

Stick to the same layout

The Dunham Midnight kitchen, from £3,564, Magnet

WORDS JENNIFER MORGAN

Search selling sites like Ebay and local Facebook groups for other people’s rejects – from Butler sinks to appliances to spare splashback tiles. One Ebay buyer found a Smallbone kitchen for just £1,000! Chat to local kitchen showrooms – find out when ranges are due to be replaced, and if the ex-display ones are available to buy. Ask about sale periods and request a discount, or if any appliances can be thrown in. Typically, new ranges are launched spring and autumn – so post-Christmas and summer sales are great times to shop for your new kitchen.

get the style with cheaper lookalikes If you’ve set your heart on something but it’s out of your budget, panic not. There are some great-looking alternatives that are practical, too. While a slate floor at around £40 per square metre might have been high on your wishlist, unless you can budget for underfloor heating, it will never be cosy underfoot, unlike a slate-effect vinyl (which you could lay yourself and save around £20 per square metre). Love a concrete worktop? The latest highpressured laminates can be fitted on site, and even used around an undermounted sink, thanks to their solid cores. Plus, you can get everything from concrete to copper-effect laminates (with prices around £50-£100 per square metre that’s nearly a third of what you’d pay for the real thing). Still looking to add a feature? Why not make a ‘rug’ using those gorgeous tiles you’ve fallen for in a small section by your sink? Or combine two different worktop materials to create different ‘zones’, such as food prep and eating. Go for a cheaper wood-effect laminate with a more expensive marble, quartz, composite or granite.

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shop savvy

If you can, avoid radically changing the layout of your existing kitchen, as this usually means moving services and meters. By that, we mean the plumbing for your dishwasher, sink and washing machine, your gas supply for your cooker or additional electrical sockets or cables for ovens and extractor hobs. Swapping like for like when it comes to unit positioning might also let you get away with keeping the existing flooring, too. A simple galley kitchen (runs of units facing each other) is often the cheapest layout as there are no corners to be fitted with clever units and doors, no mitred joins needed in worktop lengths and you might get away with buying just two end panels. If you want to ring the changes, play around with wall units instead – go for a different height or finish than previously, or mix with open shelving.

paint existing doors If your unit doors are in good condition, then why not paint them for an inexpensive new look? Choose an on-trend charcoal grey, inky blue or vibrant violet shade, adding new handles if needed to complete the mini makeover. You can get each door resprayed if you don’t fancy painting them yourself, or with the right prep and a good system, you could do them all in a week yourself. If you use a specialist makeover paint, you don’t even need to prime – just wash with soapy water and apply two coats before finishing with wax. Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint is the one Instagrammers love – it comes in a range of gorgeous shades, which can even be mixed to create your dream kitchen colour.

Kitchen units painted in pre-mixed Aubusson Blue and Emperor’s Silk chalk paint, both £19.95 for 1ltr, Annie Sloan

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what’s worth DIY-ing?

Marleti Anthracite Gloss kitchen with integrated handles, from £1,091 (based on eight units), B&Q

When getting quotes, ask for a breakdown – if you’re a confident DIYer then ripping out the old kitchen might be an area you can save money on. Just factor in the trips to the tip or the hire of a skip if needed, and what will need ‘making good’ before your kitchen fitters arrive. If you plan to fit your new kitchen yourself, you’ll need to be confident in your skills (and anything electrical or gasrelated will need to be fitted by qualified trades). Remember, fitters do this every day, so can deal with any problems that crop up. You may want to design your new kitchen plan and take it to the showrooms for quotes. Listen to what each has to offer; they may suggest a design solution or a cost saving you hadn’t thought of.

doors – Make material gains

keep wall units to a minimum

Below Oto laminate kitchen in Rose Walnut and mat Light Grey, from £7,500, Burbidge

REALHOMES.COM

The more units you have, the more expensive your kitchen, but if you are keeping the budget tight, then think about smart yet stylish shelving and storage alternatives instead. Simple floating shelves (either built by someone handy or bought for around £20 for a two-metre length) are one of the cheapest options, but you’ll need to think about whether you can curb the clutter as everything will be on show. You could be really inventive here, with wall-hung wooden crates great for a Scandi/industrial look , or a tall trolley for everyday crockery. If you aren’t replacing wall units, then you may need to get the wall replastered, which can add to your costs.

Laminate-covered, foil-wrapped, veneer or melamine chipboard or MDF door fronts are the most common, thanks to their affordability and great styling and finish options. You can go for on-trend matt or high-gloss or even wood-effect laminates. Solid wood doors can be pricey so if you are looking for a painted finish, choose MDF instead. You can mix finishes, with a gloss laminate for your base units and a solid wood for wall units, for instance, helping to keep costs down while still getting a great look.

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pre-assembled or flat-packed

reuse what you can Can you fit your old units in a utility room or garage? What about appliances… can you recondition your sink, tap or fridge-freezer for instance? Does your range just need a thorough clean (perhaps a company like Oven Clean might be able to make it as good as new?). A new range cooker can start from £750 and upwards, while a built-in fridge-freezer could set you back £400 (and once the new unit doors are on, your existing one could look as good as new). If your kitchen carcasses are in good condition and you like the layout, then why not just replace the doors? Just Doors and Flatpack Kitchens offer the latest door styles ready to be fitted to existing units, saving time, disruption and cost. You could also just look to replace the worktop too, which can give your kitchen a very different look.

Below Metod kitchen with Veddinge Grey doors, from £36 for a W40xD60cm base cabinet; Ivar shelving units, from £76 each; all Ikea

The kitchen units you choose depends on a number of factors, apart from the overall look. Assembled units (or rigid carcasses) usually cost more, are quicker to fit, have less chance of bits missing, and are perceived to be structurally superior. Modern flat-pack carcasses tend to be made on a CNC machine, which improves the chances of holes for screws etc. lining up. They are also initially cheaper (although allow more for fitting, unless you are doing it yourself). You need space to take delivery of assembled units, or to unbox and assemble flatpack ones. Most DIY sheds and kitchen suppliers offer both within their ranges, with many fitters believing a decent flatpack kitchen is better than an inexpensive assembled one.

NEXT MONTH HOW TO CUT THE COST OF YOUR NEW BATHROOM

Tile splash-risk areas only Tiling just behind the hob and around the sink area, rather than the whole kitchen, can help to cut costs (and you may be able to justify those more expensive tiles), but do paint kitchen walls with a durable paint that can be wiped clean if needed. Alternatively, choose a matching upstand to your worktop. At around 10cm high, one of these will offer some protection while looking smart, too. Cut out the need for a tiler by choosing a glass or stainless-steel self-adhesive splashback panel. You can buy them ‘off the peg’ from around £50 at Screwfix, with matching upstand lengths also available.

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FOCUS ON

Curtains Hang fabulous fabric at the window and create a chic dressing, as well as banishing the dark. Check out our selection BEST FOR A FOLIAGE-FILLED SCHEME

BEST FOR UNDERSTATED STYLE

Complement an on-trend display of super-sized houseplants with your choice of window dressing. The scaled-up motif of these curtains won’t be overpowered by real (or faux) foliage and the linen mix is ideal for a naturally inspired room scheme. Tuiss Foxglove Linen Evergreen curtains, from £36.95 for H70xW70cm, Curtains2Go

For a calming room scheme, opt for curtains that are part of a subtle tonal palete, and a light fabric that’ll drape beautifully. These curtains also have a blackout lining for sleep uninterrupted by the dawn. Relaxed Denim Graphite Grey blackout curtains, from £139 for H137xW168cm, Secret Linen Store

BEST FOR AN EASY MATCH When you’re revamping a room, choosing curtain and sot furnishing fabrics from the same collection as upholstery can pull the scheme together. This curtain fabric has a painterly motif. Curtains made from Ordesa fabric in Jade, from £30.50 per metre, Andalucia collection, ILIV

WORDS SARAH WARWICK

Three TOP TIPS FABRIC OPTIONS Coton is a versatile curtain material and some designs are washable. Linen looks sot and cool; try a linen blended with viscose for good hang and less tendency to wrinkle. Velvet is tactile and sumptuous, and it can help insulate draughty windows. Silk looks extremely luxurious, but is more delicate than other fabrics and prone to light damage.

Get your selection right with our lowdown on materials, headings and lining

HEADS UP Wave and eyelet headings are the most contemporary in look, creating regular fabric folds. They must be teamed with an appropriate pole. Pencil pleats are neat and the look is classic, while gathered headings are best for small windows or cotage style. More formal are double or triple pinch pleats, which can also make the curtains look full.

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TOE THE LINE Lining will protect curtains from the efects of the sun and extend their lives, and it helps fabric hang beter, too. Blackout lining stops streetlights, early dawns and light nights disturbing sleep. Don’t skimp on the width, though, as light will penetrate round the sides. Interlining will make curtains look fuller, and ofers extra insulation.

BEST FOR ADDING SOFTNESS Allowing enough drop for curtains to break on the floor like this pair can suit both French windows or those higher up the wall. The efect is gentler than a window treatment that stops at floor length, but less ornate and more practical than a puddle of fabric. Neo fabric in Mustard, £69.90 per metre, Omega Prints collection, Linwood

BEST FOR BOOSTING LUXURY

Finishing touches Don’t compromise a window dressing with tired accessories. These will do the business

MODERN METALLIC Add a warming note with rose gold details. Swish Soho light wood pole with Rose Gold stud finials and rings, from £74.95 for 1.2m length, Just Poles

Choose velvet curtains for an opulent finish. The material feels sot to the touch and the nap of the fabric means it’ll catch the light atractively, making it a great choice in rooms that are illuminated atmospherically for evening entertaining. Julius velvet eyelet lined pair of curtains in Sot Pink, £99 for H228xW228cm, Made.com

BEST FOR SMARTENING UP A geometric patern and a wave heading that produces sot but precise folds in the curtain fabric will add interest to a dining area and keep the look contemporary. Shibori Aquamarine curtains with wave heading, from £195 for H137xW127cm including measuring and fiting, Hillarys

BEST FOR CLEAN LINES An eyelet heading creates deep, regular folds of curtain fabric and a look that’s fuss-free and modern. It’s the perfect partner for a large and vibrant print like this one, and it works with plains, too, if you prefer to frame a window with block colour. Scion Nuevo curtains in Baja 120726, £30 per metre, Jane Clayton & Company

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TRY TEXTURE Finish a smart contemporary black pole with this tactile finial. Black Waxed Flat Disc finial, £20, John Lewis & Partners

HELPING HAND Tiny hands make light flood in. Open curtains to their fullest with these fun holders. Handheld curtain tiebacks, £38 each, Anthropologie

COMING NEXT MONTH On sale

in your new

31 january

Don’t miss our ultimate guide to adding a rear extension Be inspired by amazing before and after transformations Discover how to cut the cost of your new bathroom Create a loft space you’ll love How to make the latest neutral colour trend work in your home

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Kitchen dressers Display dinnerware and create character in your kitchen with freestanding statement storage 2

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FOR MORE INSPIRATION, VISIT REALHOMES.COM/STORAGE

1 Florence display cabinet dresser in pink and grey, £900, Bedroom Furniture Direct 2 Glazed cabinet with gold curved legs, £1,714, Turnbull & Thomas 3 Millbrook small open dresser in French Grey, from £1,233, Painted Furniture Co 4 Tall rustic industrial apothecary cabinet, £429.95, Melody Maison

on trend

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5 Avignon distressed mango wood display case in turquoise, £703, Maisons du Monde 6 Ancrot Eating Room Red painted display cabinet, £1,772.34, Oak World 7 Chelwood reclaimed wood dresser, £1,365, Modish Living

FEATURE AMELIA SMITH

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Basin taps Maximise countertop space with a wall-hung design that’s as sleek as it is stylish 2

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FOR MORE INSPIRATION, VISIT REALHOMES.COM/BATHROOM

1 Elite rose gold wall-mounted basin mixer, £99.95, Victorian Plumbing 2 Arun wall-mounted bathroom basin mixer, £205, John Lewis & Partners 3 Forge stainless-steel wall-mounted basin mixer, £249, Bathstore 4 Mode Spencer square wall-mounted gold basin mixer, £149, Victoria Plum

FEATURE AMELIA SMITH

5 Valleta black and gold wall-mounted basin tap, £149.99. Soak.com 6 Harbour Status mat black wall-mounted basin mixer, £144, Tap Warehouse 7 Waldorf white lever basin three-hole set, £469, Crosswater

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My partner’s a serial decorator. I swear our rooms are getting smaller with the amount of paint on the walls GARETH FISHER

Going at it like a bull in a china shop. I spent seven hours steaming wallpaper off my four-year-old’s bedroom wall, then found out the plasterer can’t come for a month LINDA CLAYTON READERS’ VIEW

Getting auction furniture in England for our house in France when a) I love French furniture and b) It costs a fortune to courier it over NATALIE HAYTER

What’s your worst decorating habit?

Buying things that would look fantastic framed, but then we never get round to framing them if they don’t fit Ikea frames

I’m a calm, laid-back person until I go shopping and see cushions – then I turn into a mad woman

KAREN MURPHY

POP BALDWIN

I start decorating one room and at the same time will be upcycling a piece of furniture for another CATHY FORSYTH

Buying plants. I’m running out of space. I floated the idea of hanging baskets and my husband laughed, thinking I was joking. KATE TURNER

My studio, car, and husband’s office are filled with broken doors, slabs of mismatched marble, and cuts of wood for when I build my dream bathroom/sofa/ kitchen from scratch CHRISTINA WARREN

Buying vintage and second-hand bargains for a reno we haven’t started ANNA RIDDELL-ROBERTS

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