Ideal Home |
- See inside this one-of-a-kind luxury home in Brighton filled with quirky touches
- These Primark storage boxes are perfect dupes for the plastic crates all over Instagram
- Our guide to solar panels for the home – the costs, installation and grants available for domestic kits
- Fancy 'custard cream' walls? We reveal the special meaning behind the paint names in Ideal Home's new paint range
| See inside this one-of-a-kind luxury home in Brighton filled with quirky touches Posted: 01 May 2021 05:00 AM PDT Imagine this… you walk out of your luxury five-bedroom house onto a quiet road, walk down a path and come out onto Brighton racecourse where you then have access onto the beautiful South Downs. Or maybe you’d prefer a stroll into Kemp Town village with its array of cafes and boutiques, or Brighton beach where you can enjoy a walk along the seafront? Regardless, what we’re trying to say is that this house isn’t just a house – it’s a coastal lifestyle with scenery galore on your doorstep, and it could be yours.
Newly built, Rock Grove features all the mod cons, from solar panels to underfloor heating, and comes with a 10-year new home warranty. And, as much as it’s set next to the most amazing country and seaside setting, this house’s interior is just as breathtaking. Let’s take a look, shall we? Rock Grove exterior Image credit: Rightmove This semi-detached property’s sheer size and design details are pretty impressive. Its clean-looking facade belies the three-storeys inside – and the fact it has a whopping five bedrooms! We love the inset front door complete with tiled porch. Kitchen Image credit: Rightmove Step inside and you’re met with an entrance hall, W/C, utility room and a good size double bedroom, plus this rather suave open-plan kitchen-diner. A neat run of cabinetry is finished in a grey wood-effect with a solid white worktop and large-format floor tiles. A double oven, induction hob, dishwasher and double fridge-freezer ensure you have all the appliances you might need, while being neatly set away so as not to take away from the designer finish. We’re not sure what we love more – that large herringbone-style dining table with bench seating, or the striking black curvy staircase, which has been fabricated from steel with solid wood stairs – both make stunning focal points. Living area Image credit: Rightmove Part of the same room, this living space features dark grey walls that ensure the eye-popping mustard-coloured sofa stands out in style. Its curvy shape with a scalloped shell back helps zone this area, while quirky letter lights sit above. You’ll notice little metallic touches throughout, too, which keep the different parts of this large space feeling cohesive – from the gold coffee table and sofa legs, to the hall table and tap in the kitchen. Note the painted brick wall under the stairs, as well, with a wall-mounted magazine holder taking the place of artwork. Bedroom Image credit: Rightmove The bedrooms are set over all three floors, with the main bedroom suite a larger than average double – and although you can’t quite see it from this picture, it also has a vaulted ceiling. The walls are painted in a dark grey-black to match the striking wood-themed wallpaper, keeping this room cosy and a real haven to switch off in at the end of the day. It even has blackout blinds, so you can really get the good night’s sleep you deserve. Notice how this bedroom has been given the look of a boutique hotel, with fine finishing details such as the scalloped chair and side table, the gold gilt mirror and recessed lighting. Bathroom Image credit: Rightmove Now, you tell us, what’s the star of the show here – the deep copper bath tub or the blue star tiles that cascade from wall to floor? This family bathroom also features a modern double walk-in shower, W/C, wash basin and feature side lights to create a relaxing atmosphere. Back downstairs, Rock Grove has contemporary sliding glass doors that take you out into its private garden, which has tiles matching the internal flooring and an outdoor shower, should you need it, along with custom-built benches, planters and marquee-style garden lighting.
Ready to up and move to Brighton? Us too! This house is up for sale at £1,250.00 and you can find out more about it at Rightmove. Which is your favourite room? The post See inside this one-of-a-kind luxury home in Brighton filled with quirky touches appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
| These Primark storage boxes are perfect dupes for the plastic crates all over Instagram Posted: 01 May 2021 04:00 AM PDT Primark has been offering up some brilliant homeware items perfect for if you’re decorating on a budget. Our current favourite’s got to be these Primark storage boxes that look *just* like the ones we’ve seen everywhere on Instagram.
The stylish, foldable storage solutions we’ve seen online set you back £10 for a medium-sized one, while these start at just £1.50. The dupes come in a range of colours – there are two neutral tones in a mushroom shade and pale pink. For those that like brighter, bolder tones, there are also two purple and blue options.  Image credit: Primark Buy in store: Collapsible crate, £1.50, Primark Whatever colour you’re leaning towards, they would work brilliantly as a bathroom storage idea to keep toiletries neat and organised. Alternatively, they could make a children’s room idea for stowing away toys or keeping homework safe. Plus, if your kitchen cupboards need a serious edit, the collapsible plastic crates from Primark will also help categorise items so you can see everything. If your cookbook collection is overflowing these are just the ticket to help keep them in order, and easy to lift down from a shelf. Primark is selling both mini and medium-sized crates, and like the Aykasa crates, they’re made from recycled plastic. When the discount store shared the item on Instagram, the post quickly clocked up the likes and shoppers were quick to comment. ‘So perfect for my craft supplies ‘I got a black one ‘Oh my god how cute,’ another commented. If you’ve embraced some spring cleaning and decluttering, make sure you have some practical storage solutions. According to an interiors therapist, the biggest mistake you can make when decluttering is to forget to finish off the job with some clever storage options. Otherwise, it’s easy for the organisation levels to slip, bringing back the familiar frustrations of not being able to find things or not having enough space.
Since these cheap crates can be collapsed, they win extra space-saving points. We’ll definitely be keeping our eyes peeled for these on our next Primark trip. The post These Primark storage boxes are perfect dupes for the plastic crates all over Instagram appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
| Posted: 01 May 2021 02:00 AM PDT You've probably spotted an increasing number of solar panels popping up on roofs all around the UK. And it seems this trend is only set to continue. Due to the pandemic, large numbers of us are now spending a lot more time at home during the day. So investing in solar panels could be hugely beneficial for our energy bills at the end of the month. And that's without even mentioning the positive effects that reducing our reliance on fossil fuels will have on our planet.
According to a 2020 government report, over 970,000 UK homes have solar panels, and numbers are increasing rapidly. ‘We've increased staffing by 50 per cent since the start of lockdown to keep up with demand,’ says Tony Sampson, managing director at Naked Solar. ‘And we're still growing.’ Intrigued? You should be. The cost of solar panel technology has dropped massively over the years (around 25 per cent since 2014). So, if you were thinking of making the investment, now is a great time. What types of solar panels are available?There are two main types of solar panels: solar thermal for your hot water, and photovoltaics, also known as solar PV, for your electrics. There are, naturally, differences between the two. So it pays to know what you're after and what will suit you and your home best. Photovoltaic panels Image credit: Exeo Energy Are made of a polycrystalline material containing silicon cells and strips of wiring, known as 'buzz bars', framed in metal and cased in glass. They convert light into energy while the sun is shining. So it's a good idea to get your washing done, run the dishwasher and carry out any other high-powered tasks then. These are best placed on a south-facing roof so they absorb as much light as possible during the day. Solar thermal panels Image credit: Gregor Heating The key difference between solar thermal and photovoltaic panels is that solar thermal works on UV rays, rather than sunlight itself. This means they still work effectively in diffused, or lower levels, of sunlight. ‘This means that even on a light cloudy day, you'll still generate a decent amount of energy from your panels,’ says Richard Blackmore, renewable technical support at Gregor Heating.
How do solar panels work?The way your solar panels will work varies slightly depending on what type you have. How Photovoltaic panels work‘The cells in the panels have been dyed the right colour to ensure that the correct spectrum of light is enabled and reacts accordingly when the light hits them,’ says Ben Robinson, director at Exeo Energy. ‘This creates electrons that pass between the two sides of the cell generating the current. This is fed along the buzz bars and into an inverter box that converts it into power. You then connect all your solar panels together, so you get a large-scale version that increases the voltage.’ At night, or in winter, where the sun isn't strong enough to generate solar power, your home will automatically revert to using the national grid. Likewise, any solar energy not used during the day will also be fed back to the grid. You'll be paid for this excess via the Smart Export Guarantee scheme (more on this below). If you'd prefer to keep your solar energy for your own use, rather than send it back to the grid, there are battery systems available that keep it stored for when the sun isn't strong enough for generation. ‘The electricity gained from this should power the average house for one or even two days,’ adds Tony at Naked Solar. While there are various technologies that give the panels different aesthetics, all-black panels see the highest demand for residential homes as these tend to blend with roofs best. Even better, you can now get sunken panels that lie flush with the roof, which are even more unobtrusive. ‘If you're working on, or replacing, your roof, this is a good time to install these,’ says Ben.
How solar thermal panels workThe setup for most domestic houses will consist of two panels on the roof, with a pair of pipes that run to a solar pumping system in the roof, and another pair running down to the hot water cylinder. According to Richard, this setup should provide the bulk of your hot water from March through to September and October. ‘During the winter the system will then act as a pre-heater, taking your water temperature up to about 30/35 degrees, until your boiler tops it up to the required temperature,’ he continues. The setup is completely separate from your existing hot water system, but it does work in conjunction with it. So, if you're looking to upgrade your current property, rather than starting from scratch on a new build, you'll need to change your cylinder from a standard to a twin coil model to accommodate the new hot water source. As a bonus, most solar thermal systems only use two 2m x 1m panels, in comparison to the run of 10 to 12 that is needed for photovoltaics. Like with solar PV, they can be roof-mounted or there are in-roof options, too. How much do solar panels cost? Image credit: Gregor Heating For the average British home, budget £6,000 to 7,000 for the installation of Photovoltaic solar panels. There are no longer any grants available to help offset these initial costs – as we’ll explain later. But, saying that, there are ways to be savvy and save on these costs. ‘The price of solar panels themselves has come down dramatically,’ says Ben. ‘A large proportion of the cost of an installation is often tied up in the scaffolding.’ ‘You need edge to edge protection for your roof so it can be quite a chunk of the overall budget. That means that, if you need to carry out any other roof work, or to paint the front of your property, it can be much more cost-effective to install your solar panels at the same time.’ Solar thermal panels cost slightly less. ‘You should look to budget around £5,500 for a typical two-panel solar thermal system, plus VAT,’ advises Richard. ‘The VAT element is only five per cent, though, as long as there's no additional panels, so that's positive.’ Unlike solar PV, where there are no grants available, owners of solar thermal panels can benefit from recouped costs via the Renewable Heat Incentive, see below. How are solar panels installed?How to install solar thermal panels
 Image credit: Exeo Energy How to install Photovoltaic panels
What solar panel grants are available in the UK? Image credit: Polly Eltes/Future PLC There is money available for those using solar thermal panels to heat their home via the Government's Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). If you join the scheme (and, importantly, stick to the rules) you can receive quarterly payments over seven years. The amount will vary based on the amount of renewable heat generated by your home. Properties in England, Scotland and Wales are allowed to apply. You must be a landlord or own your own home. New builds are typically ineligible, unless you're undertaking a self build. ‘The way they judge your performance is based on your property's energy performance certificate,’ says Richard. ‘Whatever your annual hot water performance is expected to be – whatever that figure is, multiply it by 23.36 pence, the current rate, that will tell you what your income will be.’ Unfortunately, if you're looking to install Photovoltaic solar panels for your electrics on your roof, there are no longer any government grants to help you shoulder the costs of installation. So the only savings you'll be making are those on your electricity bill once the panels are up and running. Saying that, on 1 January 2020, the government set up the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme, to replace the now-defunct Feed-In Tariff. The SEG requires energy companies with at least 150,000 customers to pay households for any solar-generated electricity they send back to the National Grid. The rate you get back will depend on the supplier, though, as all the government requires is that it's a payment 'higher than zero.' Still, it's something – and can help to offset the costs of installation in the long run. Are solar panels worth it? Image credit: Polly Eltes Essentially, yes, solar panels are worth it. Both kinds of solar panel can help you make savings on your energy bills, while helping to chip away at the UK's reliance on fossil fuels.
‘If you've got a large family, lots of bathrooms, and water usage is high, a solar thermal system is absolutely worthwhile. You might not use your boiler and, thus, any gas or oil, at all during the summer months,’ says Richard. ‘But if you're in a one-bed flat where it's not easy to install or there's no roof access or you only have a very small tank, then it's probably not for you. This system is aimed at properties where installation is easy.’ Really, it's up to you to decide whether the savings you can make on your bills are worth the cost of installation. But Tony reiterates that demand for solar PV is growing. He adds that some customers have even wanted installs before moving. They believe the panels will increase the value of their home. ‘There are clearly a lot of people that think solar panels are worth it,’ Tony says. ‘We can't keep up with demand. Plus, new battery technology means it's a lot less critical to use the energy your panels create during the day, as was the case in the past. Now it can be stored until you need it, which is much more efficient.’ The post Our guide to solar panels for the home – the costs, installation and grants available for domestic kits appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
| Posted: 30 Apr 2021 11:00 PM PDT Fancy revamping your walls this bank holiday? Then take a look at Ideal Home’s new paint collection with Albany – Emotions of Colour. We’ve teamed up with Albany, who have over 100 years of expertise, to create a stunning range of 70 beautiful classic and contemporary shades. Albany paint is already a firm favourite among professional and amateur decorators for providing a high-quality finish. We’ve sprinkled a little extra Ideal Home magic over it to create a range that we hope you’ll love as much as we do.
 Image credit: Dominic Blackmore, Styling: Sarita Sharma From the paint names to the colour palettes, everything has been curated by the Ideal Home team. Have you ever wondered how paint names get chosen? The way we connect with colour is often connected to emotion and nostalgia, and that’s why the team named each shade after a happy memory – whether that’s a favourite snack (hello, custard creams) or a piece of clothing with sentimental value. ‘Five-o-One’s’ is a beautiful blue shade inspired by our Editor, Heather Young’s, favourite pair of well-worn jeans. ‘Esme’s Wardrobe’ is a lovely pink, proudly named by Heather’s daughter because it reminded her of the wardrobe in her bedroom.  Image credit: Dominic Blackmore, Styling: Sarita Sharma 'Naming the colours was a real treat,' says Heather. 'Many of my suggestions came during a family brainstorm session around our kitchen table over breakfast one morning.' Ideal Home Emotions of Colour paint rangeThe paint collection has been arranged into five palettes – Empowering, Grounding, Cocooning, Relaxing and Uplifting. Each palette has been curated to help create a certain mood in every room, from decorating the kitchen to living room paint ideas.  Image credit: Dominic Blackmore, Styling: Sarita Sharma 'The concept for this range is all about inspiring people to choose colour for their home, based on the way it makes them feel,' says Heather. 'The choice of colours out there can often feel overwhelming, but by grouping them into mood-based palettes, we hope to make embracing colour easier.'  Image credit: Dominic Blackmore, Styling: Sarita Sharma Buy now: Ideal Home Emotions of Colour, £23.40 for 2.5ltr matt emulsion, Albany If you find yourself intimidated by pairing colours then this is the collection for you. Every palette includes coordinating neutrals and accent shades, from the warm earthy hues in Cocooning, through to fresh, mood-lifting shades in Uplifting. The new Ideal Home Emotions of Colour collection launches today (1st May) and will be exclusively available in a range of finishes at Brewers Decorator Centres. All colours will be available in 250ml sample pots and 2.5lt pots.
Which is your favourite palette? The post Fancy 'custard cream' walls? We reveal the special meaning behind the paint names in Ideal Home's new paint range appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
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