Ideal Home |
- This barn conversion in Derbyshire will reignite your 'escape to the country' fantasies
- Simba Hybrid mattress review
- How to stencil floor tiles in a weekend and save up to £420
- Social media is raving about this genius painting decking hack that gets the job done in 15 minutes
| This barn conversion in Derbyshire will reignite your 'escape to the country' fantasies Posted: 29 May 2021 04:00 AM PDT Whether you’re looking to move or simply fancy daydreaming about a new home, there’s nothing better than finding a property that transports you into another world – especially one where that world includes a babbling brook, stunning views and a modern country aesthetic that’s fitting of a fairytale.
Welcome to the beautiful Long Barn. Long Barn is on the market for £885,000 with Mrandmrsclarke.com. The property is set on the southern edge of the Peak District in Ashbourne. Here you’ll find rolling countryside and an interior that’s just as stylish as the outside is peaceful, along with a slow pace of living that is both inviting and enticing. Meander down a long private drive and there you’ll find it – let’s take a look around, shall we? Long Barn exterior Image credit: Mr and Mrs Clarke Set within 1.4 acres of beautiful gardens, Long Barn is exactly as its name would suggest – a long, secluded barn conversion. Aside from the main house, there’s also an additional larch-clad four-bay garage with space above that could be transformed into potential living quarters if you wanted. Kitchen Image credit: Mr and Mrs Clarke Country living demands a country-style kitchen and Long Barn certainly delivers, with a cream four-oven AGA nestled into a chimney breast and flanked by off-white Shaker-style cupboards. Traditional terracotta-coloured ceramic floor tiles make a practical addition underfoot, as do the black granite worktops, Belfast sink, larder unit and separate utility room. Large enough to house a spacious table, the kitchen is ideal not just for cooking but for dining, too – open the French doors out to the patio area and drink in the beautiful setting. Living room Image credit: Mr and Mrs Clarke This house has not one but two reception rooms to enjoy, and this living room boasts a log-burning stove in a large-sized inglenook fireplace that makes for a very cosy space to relax in. Again, it’s a light-filled room with plenty of character, from the beams overhead to the rustic brick fire surround. However, it’s not without its technology – this room is equipped with fully wired theatre speakers to give you the ultimate sound experience. Bedroom Image credit: Mr and Mrs Clarke Upstairs, four bedrooms have been wonderfully designed, with the master bedroom featuring an en-suite and dual-aspect Velux windows. We love the wall panelling that adds interest to this calming scheme, along with a sturdy sleigh bed, tufted rug and neutral-coloured bed linen that together creates a stylish and soothing scheme. Dressing area Image credit: Mr and Mrs Clarke We can’t get enough of this delicate and feminine blush wallpaper, either, which sets the background for an elegant dressing table and rose-gold wall frames. Bathroom Image credit: Mr and Mrs Clarke Long Barn has three bathrooms in total. The family bathroom includes a roll-top bath, while all of the bathrooms feature Duravit fittings, with Neptune furniture adding that unmistakable note of quality and craftsmanship. Despite the sloped ceiling here, a wall-hung vanity has plenty of space, with plain white-painted walls keeping the backdrop simple and fresh. Visit bathroom ideas for more inspiration. Patio Image credit: Mr and Mrs Clarke Step outside and you’ll find yourself on the south-facing terrace, with views over the pastures and brook. Can you imagine yourself out here?  Image credit: Mr and Mrs Clarke The land also includes a natural pond, private patio from the kitchen, fruit trees, a copse with oaks and a garden swing.
It’s a dreamy place and easy to fall in love with – whoever snaps this place up is going to be a very lucky homeowner.
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| Posted: 29 May 2021 12:00 AM PDT The Simba Hybrid mattress is the original mattress from the well known British sleep experts. It is also their cheapest offering so we wanted to see how it stood up to the test of time, and recent mattress innovations. With 12 industry awards under its belt, we were expecting a crowdpleaser, so we tasked Linda Clayton – our long suffering mattress tester – with testing it for several weeks. She has previously tested other Simba mattresses and those from other leading mattress in a box brands, so she had plenty of sources for comparison. Find out what this mattress reviewer thought and whether it earns a place on our list of the best mattresses. Ideal Home rating: 5 out of 5 starsVerdict: The Simba Hybrid is a solid all-rounder aimed at the masses and with a committed fanbase, particularly amid those previously struggling with back pain. There are no wildly luxurious touches, but nor does it feel cheap. Zoned support cushions exactly were you need it, and it's packed with stay-cool features, too. Reasons to buy:
Reasons to avoid:
Simba Hybrid mattress
Simba Hybrid Specifications:Type: Hybrid (memory foam and mini springs) Who will the Simba mattress suit?Anyone looking for medium-firm comfort and a bit more movement from their memory foam. What is the Simba Hybrid mattress?This bed-in-a-box mattress combines layers of memory foam with conical springs. It sculpts to your body shape, offering good support on key pressure points, and is very popular with side sleepers and people who suffer from back pain. The Simba Hybrid isn't the brand's newest, or most high-tech model, but it has won multiple awards and inspires almost evangelical user reviews from fans. Pricewise, it's at the top end of the popular Hybrid sector but you can usually bag a bargain by holding out for one of Simba's regular sales – sign up to its Social Media for updates. Also keep an eye on Amazon Prime Day sales, when savings can range from 20–35% as well as regular discount events on the Simba website.
Unboxing: how long before you can sleep on a Simba Hybrid mattress?Like all bed-in-a-box mattresses, the Simba Hybrid is squashed, folded and vacuum-packed for easy delivery. The box is a very manageable 107cm x 50cm x 50cm. However, the springs in the Simba Hybrid mattress means it recovers from compression far faster than a spring-free foam mattress. The official line from Simba is the mattress will be sleep-ready within three-to-six hours after unboxing, but our test mattress felt fully inflated within an hour or two, which is especially useful if your only other option is the floor or sofa!  All Simba mattresses come with a safety knife to open the mattress plastic without causing damage How comfortable is the Simba Hybrid?The conical springs aren't full-size, so you won’t get the luxurious height of a traditional pocket sprung mattress, but it definitely feels bouncier than all-foam. The official firmness rating is Medium-Firm (Simba's score is 6.5/10), and our eight testers concurred that it is indeed the Goldilocks of mattresses – i.e. not too soft, nor too hard. They also found it extremely comfortable, especially when side-sleeping, which is handy. One of the biggest factors on how you experience firmness comes down to body weight. Lightweight sleepers will find it much firmer than heavyweight sleepers. Putting it as delicately as possible, if you are solidly built there's a reasonable chance you will find the Simba Hybrid too soft and not supportive enough but if you are within a fairly healthy weight range it should be 'just right'. Naturally the bounciness of the Simba Hybrid does have an impact on motion transfer – whereby one partner's movements are felt by the other. However, the two layers of foam sandwiching the springs have a dampening effect. Although movement was more obvious than on some firmer mattresses we've tested, especially full-on memory foams, it didn't actually disturb our sleep during the night. What is the Simba Hybrid made from?Here's the lowdown on layers. Starting from the top, you sleep on a hypoallergenic cover with integral airflow for temperature control. Under that lies a comfort layer, aka Simba-Pure foam, which has a modern, open-cell structure that's geared towards swerving the sweatiness of traditional memory foam. Next comes a layer of mini conical pocket springs (2,500 in a King Size) that provide bounce and responsiveness. Then there's a fairly decent wedge of Visco foam, which essentially contours the mattress to your body shape. Finally, a zoned support base helps reduce motion transfer and provides height. In essence, this all boils down to a well-supported, cool night's sleep.
Which Simba mattress is best? Hybrid v Hybrid Pro v Hybrid LuxeThis review is focussed on the original, entry-level Simba Hybrid, but if you have extra pennies to spend, you might like to check out the Simba Hybrid Pro and Simba Hybrid Luxe. The best-selling Hybrid Pro boasts seven layers (compared to five), with an extra layer of springs and an additional wool comfort layer. The newest launch, the Hybrid Luxe, has a whopping 10 layers, making it a portly 31cm deep. This time you get three spring layers (two layers of 25mm-high and one of 40mm-high springs), an antibacterial bamboo/wool layer, and two layers of Simba-Pure support foam, on top of the basics. While the Simba Hybrid is an excellent mattress, you do get more bells and whistles for your money with the newer models, and the Hybrid Luxe in particular is a noticeably plusher and more sumptuous sleep experience. They all offer plenty of cooling technology, and there isn't one that stands out as superior on the temperature control front, so it really comes down to working out how much you are prepared to spend. Which is better, the Simba Hybrid or Emma Hybrid mattress?Now this is a million-dollar question and, ironically, according to Google Search data it's one that many people lose sleep over! We have tested both and can offer a few helpful take-homes. The main differences are the Simba Hybrid has one more layer than the Emma Hybrid, plus more springs in its spring layer, although it's worth noting that they are both 25cm thick overall. In Emma's favour, the cover is machine-washable and we found motion transfer less obvious – in fact the Emma Hybrid felt stabler all round. The Simba Hybrid requires rotating more frequently in the first three months but it has really decent grip points and is a little lighter than the Emma Hybrid, so this shouldn't be a deal-breaker. We found the Emma Hybrid firmer and less bouncy than the Simba Hybrid but they are both very supportive and contour the body well – hugging without suffocating. They both come with 200-night sleep trials and 10-year warranties. Pricewise, it's a close call, especially since both brands are generous with the special offers and mattress sale events. In a nutshell, we'd probably recommend the Simba Hybrid to side-sleepers who prefer a softer mattress and cosier feel, while the Emma Hybrid is likely to be better for back sleepers who benefit from a bit more stability.
Is the Simba Hybrid worth the money?It's not the cheapest, nor the most expensive Hybrid, but you do get an impressive 200-night sleep trial. This is completely hassle free with no collection costs involved if it's not for you, plus a 10-year guarantee. Oh, and a nifty knife for opening the heavy-duty plastic bag that it comes suctioned into. It's the little things in life… Is the Simba Hybrid mattress any good? Final verdictWhile the Simba Hybrid isn't ideal if you're a front sleeper or want properly firm support, it is undoubtedly a decent all-rounder and will feel super comfortable for the majority of people. It's not the most luxurious out there but we do think it represents good value for money. Delivery is fast and free, and the UK-based customer service department are very friendly and knowledgeable. If you want to return it, for whatever reason, you won't need to prepare for battle. One final point, the Simba Hybrid is by far the least smelly mattress we have reviewed. All new foam mattresses suffer from a touch of off-gassing in the first few weeks. It's not toxic and nothing to worry about, but sensitive souls do find it extremely obnoxious and hard to bear. Happily, the Simba Hybrid barely smelt at all. The very slight odour after unboxing was completely gone within a record breaking 24 hours. The post Simba Hybrid mattress review appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
| How to stencil floor tiles in a weekend and save up to £420 Posted: 29 May 2021 12:00 AM PDT Statement floor tiles really pack a style punch, but can be rather costly if covering a large area like a kitchen or hallway. So why not update boring flooring for a snip of the cost by learning how to stencil floor tiles yourself? As kitchen or bathroom tile ideas go, floor stencilling is one of the most affordable ways to update the look of your home. And if you’re willing to take on the DIY challenge, you could customise your tiled floors for under £30 – what a bargain! According to job-prices.co.uk, getting an expert to stencil tile your floor can cost you anywhere from £450-£750 on average. Insulation Express has spotted a 226% increase in searches for ‘floor stencilling’, so you won’t be alone in taking on this job.  Are you ready to get your DIY on this bank holiday weekend? We're celebrating all things DIY with Ideal Home's Let's DIY This weekender, sponsored by Saint-Gobain Weber. You'll find everything you need to know to turn your dream DIY projects into a reality, including inspiring ideas, how to project advice and loads of expert tips. Happy DIYing! Floor stencilling – what you’ll need
 Image credit: @withinthegrove How to stencil floor tiles1. Sand the tilesUse sandpaper or an electric sander (for speed!) to smooth over the surface of the tiles. This will make the area more receptive to the paint. Otherwise the paint may flake off and not last as long. 2. Remove any dirt or greaseClean the area thoroughly with a de-greasing solution like sugar soap. Rinse with warm water and leave to dry. Learn how to clean grout properly for as professional a look as possible. 3. Prime the tilesUse a primer/sealer to prep your tiles before painting. Alternatively, if you’re looking to make this an easy DIY project, cut down on time and money by using a ceramic paint that includes a primer. Buy now: Zinsser’s Bulls Eye 1-2-3 multi-surface primer, £22, B&Q 4. Apply a base coatApply two coats of all-surface paint or chalk paint as a base coat using a foam roller and paintbrush. Leave to dry between each coat. 5. Begin stencillingOnce your base coat is completely dry you can begin stencilling. Tape or hold down your stencil over a tile and use a small roller to cover the area. Remove the stencil before the paint starts to dry. This makes sure it doesn't come off when you peel the stencil away. Clean the stencil and move onto the next tile. Buy now: Rust-Oleum Universal All-Surface paint in Satin Black, £19.25 for 750ml, Amazon 6. Protect your tiles Image credit: @withinthegrove Once all your floor tiles are stencilled, protect your work by covering with a hard-wearing sealant. Buy now: Rust-Oleum Clear Satin multi-surface sealer, £6 for 0.13L, B&Q Now you have a beautiful statement tiled floor to show off for years to come. Fancy! The post How to stencil floor tiles in a weekend and save up to £420 appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
| Social media is raving about this genius painting decking hack that gets the job done in 15 minutes Posted: 28 May 2021 11:00 PM PDT A DIYer recently shared a hack for painting decking, and once you see it, you’ll wonder how this wasn’t already a thing. The TikTok video revealed how a broom is all it takes to get the job done in record time.
TikTok user Dad Dancer takes a standard broom and dips it in a tray of grey paint. He then runs the broom up and down the decking, just like you would if you were sweeping away dead leaves. You can watch the video for yourself here. Since it was posted the video has had around 26 million views.  Image credit: Getty / Michael Moeller / EyeEm He says he did two coats, and it took him just fifteen minutes per coat. In a follow-up video, he recommends using a broom with nice soft bristles to avoid flicking paint around. Soft bristles will also help to achieve an even finish. This hack for painting decking is a clear example that if you get a lazy person to do a job, they’ll find a quicker way. It’s particularly helpful for those who suffer with a bad back, and stops you from hurting your knees, too. The people of TikTok were truly amazed, with thousands commenting on the game-changing video. ‘About to paint my deck, going to give that a try,’ one said. Another wrote, ‘Job well done, get the beers out!’ ‘What!? That’s amazing,’ said a third.  Image credit: Spike Powell/Country Homes and Interiors/IPC Syndication If your decking area is looking a little neglected, you’re certainly not alone. But a thorough clean and a lick of paint with this easy method will make a huge difference. It’s the perfect easy DIY job to tick off this Bank Holiday weekend, as it’s really satisfying and not too much effort once you’ve got hold of some paint.  Image credit: Future Publishing Ltd Painting fencing and decking is, admittedly, one of the more fiddly tasks in the garden. We’d much rather be repotting plants or sowing some seeds, but freshly painted woodwork will work wonders.
There was some debate in the comments about which way is the ‘right’ way to lay your decking. We recently asked experts for the correct way to lay decking boards to settle the debate. If you’re spending some time in the garden this Bank Holiday weekend, you’ll find lots of tips for making a calming retreat on our garden ideas page. Will you be trying this hack? The post Social media is raving about this genius painting decking hack that gets the job done in 15 minutes appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
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