Ideal Home |
- How to clean windows – tips for getting streak-free sparkling windows inside and out
- Best blenders 2021 – reviews of top blenders for smoothies and soup
- How to paint a staircase – expert guide to transforming hallways by painting steps
- New research reveals the best place to buy flat pack furniture - and it's not IKEA
- Garden mirror ideas – flood gardens with light to create an illusion of space
- Why your fireplace or wood burner could be harming your health – and what to do about it
| How to clean windows – tips for getting streak-free sparkling windows inside and out Posted: 29 Jun 2021 06:00 AM PDT Invite the brightness back into your home with sparkling clean windows. From making your own window cleaning solution to the trusted old newspaper trick, there are plenty of ways to bring the shine back to your window panes. Never underestimate the power of clean windows to transform your rooms, making them light, bright and good for the soul. Clean windows indoors and out provides a better outlook, for a view out and a good impression for those looking at the exterior. While cleaning windows is a simple care and cleaning job, it’s often one that proves frustrating – when you are left with streaks that feel like you’ve made them look worse?! Follow our expert tips for getting the best results every time. A guide to cleaning windows |
| Best blenders 2021 – reviews of top blenders for smoothies and soup Posted: 29 Jun 2021 05:15 AM PDT The best blender is a household essential for any kitchen. Blenders can whiz up speedy morning smoothies and crush ice and frozen fruits for refreshing summer drinks. Many of the best blenders are also capable of handling hot liquids, making them perfectly capable of blending up a hot soup for a healthy lunch. We’ve reviewed the best blenders from Ninja, Nutribullet, KitchenAid, Magimix, and Vitamix to bring you our top ten ranking, featuring blenders under £100 and premium options with preset modes for hands-free blitzing.
While many seek out the best blender for personal use, it’s nice to have the option of a larger pitcher for serving up a round of frozen daiquiris or some fresh gazpacho. With these larger blenders though, you will find that cleaning and space requirements are more demanding. What’s more, the best blender for smoothies is often one with the classic single-serve cup that made Nutribullet famous. Our top pick is an option that can do both, with a single-serve to-go smoothie cup and a detachable large pitcher, capable of blending up family-sized portions with pre-set modes. If this Ninja option is not right for you though, we also reviewed top options from Vitamix, for some serious high-quality blends, and Nutribullet, with a variety of cups for making dips as well as drinks. How much should I spend on a blender? Image credit: Vitamix How much you spend depends on what you want your blender to be able to do. The good news is that if you're on a tight budget, you can find a decent, basic blender for under £50. Its motor may have less power than more expensive models and the features will be limited – but it should still be able to handle everyday tasks. Spend more than £100 and you'll get a better choice of attachments and extra blades, usually a glass jug or a thermally resistant plastic one, and more choice of speeds and programmes. At the other end of the scale are premium blenders that have evolved from those found in professional kitchens. These blenders will be far more powerful, sometimes enough to gently heat the contents. These blenders frequently come with a price tag upwards of £500. Best blenders 20211. Ninja 2-in-1 Blender with Auto-IQ BN750UKBest blender overall
Type: Plastic Powerful blenders can turn tough fruit and veg into yummy smoothies but all that whizzing makes for a foamy drink. Enter the vacuum pump – designed to suck the air out of the jug or cups before the high-speed action begins. This incorporates fewer bubbles in the process, so you can pour out a silky-smooth beverage. The other benefit of using a vacuum is better colour retention (so the green doesn't turn to sludge brown as quickly). And, unlike some vacuum-compatible blenders, Ninja's Smart Screen Blender comes with the pump and enough batteries to run it. It's not just the vacuum pump that makes this a good buy for smoothie fans either. Concealed within the base unit is an 1100W motor, which gives the stacked six-blade assembly of the jug enough power for its smoothie, purée, frozen drink or ice cream programmes. You can also blend smoothies directly in a pair of on-the-go cups using a screw-in blade tool, and there are high, low and pulse speed options. What we especially liked about the Smart Screen Blender was its sleek buttonless control panel: it was easy to wipe it clean, with nowhere for mess to hide, and when the machine was off, it was completely blank. Its performance was also good – our smoothies only had small flecks of spinach and berries remaining and had a bright, vivid colour. Blending them was very loud but only took just over a minute. However, the vacuum process adds on about another 20 seconds for the cups and a minute for the jug, so may not be suitable for busy mornings. Ideal Home's rating: 5 out of 5 stars 2. Vitamix A2300i blenderBest blender for sheer power
Type: Plastic The Ascent 2300i can be used to make your own butter (no churning by hand, yet all of the wow factor at your next dinner party), dips, nut butters, mayonnaise, non-dairy milks, hot soup from scratch without a pan in sight, bread and pasta dough, wholegrain flours, baby food and frozen desserts – essentially, almost anything you could make in a food processor. To which end, it's built with a more durable construction than you'd expect your average blender to have. There's a large base to find space for in your kitchen, plus a two-litre plastic jug with a wide spout that manages to be both lightweight yet sturdy and a secure push-on lid that prevents leaks. And while there aren't any programmes, the Ascent 2300i doesn't lack options – 10 speeds plus a pulse button mean you can scroll between gentle liquefying and pulverisation. Other points of difference are a comprehensive recipe book, a tamper to nudge frozen ingredients towards its blades and an on-off switch so it's not accidentally flicked into life. In testing, it made a smoothie that was completely lump and fleck-free in about a minute, staying steady on the worktop even at the highest speed. Its count-up timer on the front came in especially handy for keeping an eye on blending times. Similarly, it took a minute to blend cooked ingredients into smooth soup and 6 mins 30 to blend and heat using the friction of its blades. A few pulses were all that was required to crush ice, and it cleaned easily after messy jobs by using water and washing-up liquid, with the mixture even reaching the lid for a thorough clean. Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars 3. NutriBullet RxBest blender for smoothies
Type: Plastic carafe/cups Fans of the original Nutribullet looking to upgrade to something with more oomph will love the Rx. While some bullet blenders can leave behind flecks (of leafy greens, for example) the Rx uses its 2.3hp/1700W motor to create a flawlessly smooth consistency. Inside its blade unit, you'll find four angled blades that screw into an oversized or short cup for smoothies or its Souperblast pitcher. This comes with a vented lid, so you can use a special programme to blitz veggies into hot soup in only seven minutes. There's no on or off button or speed settings. The Rx adjusts automatically to the contents and for the right amount of time – just drop the cup onto the base. In tests, it effortlessly blitzed smoothies using seeds and nuts. It easily tackled black treacle and broccoli too, all of which were thoroughly blended. This super blender then made piping hot soup from vegetables and pre-made stock. It's worth noting that it won't brown ingredients, so some may need cooking beforehand. It was also used to blend creamy nut butter from almonds and oil. One downside is that the blades aren't dishwasher-safe, so you'll need to clean out any residue by hand. Also, the cups are bulky to drink from directly and the kit it comes with doesn't have an obvious way to stack it for storage. Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 4. Magimix Power BlenderBest blender for one-touch programmes
Type: Glass How much blending is too much? If you're the sort of person who feels like you're always second-guessing your appliance or over-processing, meet the Power Blender. It comes with five auto programmes (one of which is a time-saving self-cleaning setting) that help take the effort out of blitzing ice, smoothies, desserts and soups, alongside four speeds plus pulse for when you want more control. On the design front, it's everything you'd expect from Magimix – clearly labelled buttons and a dial, a choice of three classic finishes, easy drop-on jug, and a good balance between sturdy and stylish. However, there are some quirks to be aware of, such as 1.8-litre glass jug. It's heavy even without anything in it, so pouring out accurately can be tricky. The push-on, pull-off lid can also be stubborn at first, and there's a max run time of a minute. Beyond this, there's a lot to love – the jug splits apart for cleaning, it's all dishwasher-safe and you can blend soup that's still relatively hot (up to 60 degrees C) so you don't have to wait long after cooking. Its smoothie programme, which was a gradual ramping up of speed, followed by low then high, took about 30 seconds to whiz through a fruit and veg smoothie. There was no trace of leafy greens left and the blend was beautifully consistent. Its cleaning programme using warm water and washing-up liquid left the jug spotless with some residue remaining around the lid. It also crushed ice into snow in seconds while its auto programme turned hot chunky vegetable broth into silky smooth soup in just over a minute. Ideal Home's rating: 5 out of 5 stars 5. Sage Super QBest quiet blender
Type: Plastic carafe and cup Putting off making your morning smoothie for fear of waking the whole household, or even the neighbours? The Super Q is here to save the day. While blending is never going to be a quiet activity, this speedy, commercial-grade machine does its best to dampen the usual racket, and, importantly, the sound it does make is less of a jarring whine – because it's often the pitch that's a blender bugbear as much as the volume. However, it's not just noise suppression that makes this blender an asset – it's also the breadth of programmes, versatility and efficiency. In the box you'll find a good-sized two-litre jug with a lid that clips firmly into place, a 700ml cup with removable blades and a lid that you can use to blend shakes or smoothies, tamper, spatula, and a sleek silver base unit. The controls are devilishly simple to get the hang of – there are five programmes at the push of a button, such as green smoothie, frozen dessert or soup (designed to heat up ingredients rather than blend already hot soup), plus a manual dial for ramping up through 12 speed settings and an LCD screen showing count up or count down times. What's especially clever though, is that the jug is compatible with the separate Vac Q pump, which enables you to suck the air out before blending. In our tests, this resulted in far less froth in a fruit and veg smoothie and noticeably velvety butternut squash soup, heated in less than six minutes (although this was noisy). A final reason to love it is its frozen food and ice-crushing abilities – it transformed cubes into snow in about 30 seconds (the programme lasts a minute), which was easily scraped out. The only downside is the price – but if other blenders are leaving you disappointed or deafened, the Super Q is a superhero solution. Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars 6. Smeg BLF01 50s blenderBest looking blender with smart features
Type: Aluminium With a die-cast aluminium body and six lovely colours to choose from, you won’t want to remove the Smeg BLF01 50s blender from your kitchen counter. We were impressed with just how smooth it left our drinks, even when they had ice and frozen blocks of spinach; a notoriously tricky ingredient. The soup had an almost whipped consistency because of how well the blender broke through tomato skins and peppers to incorporate, but Smeg does recommend waiting until your soup has cooled before blending, which is a shame. The jug doesn’t need to be screwed in: just slot it into the base and select your setting. The Smeg BLF01 50s blender may have a retro style but the build is all modern. It features a pulse setting and numerous preset modes, including a button for blitzing ice. You only get the 1.5 litre tritan jug with this one, so it’s not the most versatile. For pairing with a toaster or kettle though, the look really does impress. It also felt incredibly powerful and not too loud, which given the 800 watt motor was a surprise. Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars 7. Ninja Blender with Auto-IQ BN495UKBest personal blender
Type: Personal If you’re looking for the best blender for smoothies, it’s a good idea to consider a personal blender. Personal blenders are designed for taking drinks on the go, and can blitz up ice, frozen fruit and protein powder into smooth and creamy drinks. The Ninja Blender with Auto-IQ BN495UK is a smart choice. It has two smart settings that use Auto-IQ to tackle even the toughest ingredients, it can chop through chunks of frozen spinach, banana, and ice to make thick milkshakes and creamy smoothies. Personal blenders are far from versatile. This option comes with two 700ml cups that have lids for taking on the go, but nothing larger for blending family-sized dishes. What they do offer though is some seriously high powered blending power and a smaller footprint for your kitchen counter. We loved this model when we put it to the test, so if you’re after a personal blender, take a look. Ideal Home's rating: 4 out of 5 stars Read our full Ninja Blender with Auto-IQ BN495UK review 8. Philips HR3652Best blender for smoothies and soups
Type: Glass Most of us could probably do with eating more fruit and veg. Proven to motivate you into upping your five-a-day is the 1,400W Avance blender, which will turn unpalatable vegetables into smoothies and soups with ease. Its makers claim it produces 50% finer blending than a previous model – which is great news for the fruit and veg-phobic. For its price, it brings a lot to the table. This blender has a two-litre glass jar with 1.5-litre working capacity, 13 speeds plus pulse, two one-minute programmes for smoothies and ice crushing. It has cable storage and a spatula that inserts through the lid to move contents around. The manual speeds are only marked min to max without numbers between, so it's more difficult to reproduce a recipe if you've already found the perfect setting. It also can't be used for more than three minutes at a time. In tests, it turned a couple of handfuls of ice cubes into snow and made a fruit and veg smoothie, both using the dedicated programmes. Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars 9. Cookworks 1.5L Jug BlenderBest basic blender
Type: Plastic Proving that affordable doesn't mean having to make too many compromises, this basic blender should prove to be a hard worker in your kitchen. Plus points include three speeds with a pulse for more control over blitzing. Where you will have to compromise is that it's not dishwasher safe – and getting the blades spotless by hand means you'll have to be careful – and blending soups. Even though the jug is made from plastic, the lid isn't vented, meaning any soup will have to cool to room temperature before blitzing. There's also a maximum run time of a minute, which could limit your blending horizons, and no guidance as to what speed to use for different foods. One other concern is the flat base of the blender, which sometimes made it tricky to seat on the base without trapping fingers. In testing, we found that our fruit and veg smoothie wasn't as consistent as the same recipe made in other models. As well as noticeable texture, there were visible pieces of fruit skin and leaves after a minute of blending on top speed. This may be because during blending, the vortex wasn't quite strong enough to suck the contents on the surface down towards the blades. Ice crushing using the pulse also took longer than expected, about 30 presses of the button, and some larger shards remained at the end. That said, given the good performance with other tasks, such as batter and cooled soup, it's still an excellent option for those on a limited budget. Ideal Home's rating: 3 out of 5 stars 10. KitchenAid Artisan Power Plus Blender 5KSB8270Best blender for power
Type: Plastic If the smoothest of smoothies is a priority, the KitchenAid Artisan Power Plus Blender 5KSB8270 will deliver. Equipped with a peak 3.5hp motor and billed as the most powerful blender available, it liquefies everything from frozen fruit to nuts and grains. There's a choice of 11 speeds plus high or low pulse and three programmes for juice, smoothies and soups, plus a self-cleaning option. Its 2.6-litre blender jug is superbly designed – made from BPA-free dishwasher-safe plastic, it has a dual-wall construction so the exterior doesn't become hot even when it's heating soup. Inside the blender are four heavy duty 3mm-thick angled blades. On top, a vented lid lets out steam, while a tamper comes in handy for solid food. The blender power cable also detaches for storage. Available in three glossy shades, the Artisan Power Plus blender is beautifully designed and rightly so – at 9.4kg, lifting it in and out of a cupboard would be a chore. It's more of an investment than your average blender, so you'd need to get lots of use out of it to justify the cost. It’s also an exceptionally noisy blender – anything over speed 7 may have you fleeing the kitchen. However, in tests, it gave a peerless performance with smoothies, soup and ice. Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars How to buy the right blender for you Image credit: Vitamix 1. Check how powerful your blender isThe wattage can work as a guide but higher doesn't always mean a better blender. Take into account additional features that it uses to process food thoroughly, such as jug and blade design. A blender's power can sometimes be displayed in horsepower (746W = 1hp) instead of watts. While basic liquidisers sufficed with two blades, most modern jug blenders will have at least four, sometimes with mini blades nestled around the stack. They're usually angled, which helps them to whisk up pieces from the bottom of the jug and create a vortex to drag blender contents down from the top. 2. Check blender settings and speedsBasic models tend to have just a few speeds while more feature-packed models will have several. Both will usually feature a pulse option for quick bursts of speed. You can also find blenders with programmes for blitzing specific foods, such as soup, ice crushing, smoothie, pureé and frozen desserts. A cleaning programme is another handy option, allowing you to clean the jug in-situ by running it filled with water and washing-up liquid.
3. Check blender materialsThe blender jug itself will be made from either glass or plastic. Glass tends to be sturdier and less likely to become scratched but a good quality BPA-free plastic, such as Tritan, is a smart choice. This is because it's strong yet lighter than glass, which can make all the difference if you're lifting a heavy jug of soup. Jugs vary in total capacity and working capacity (ie how much they can safely blend without the contents trying to escape). This is usually lower for hot liquids. A 1.6-litre jug should cover most everyday blending but to be able to get the most of out of your blender, look for around two litres. 4. Check blender practicalityLook for blender jugs that have two-part lids, too, so you can add food or liquid as it blends. This is ideal for making sauces that can easily split, such as mayonnaise, or when processing hot food, so steam can be released. 5. Check for extrasThe lids may include small measuring cups. Some blenders have additional milling and grinding blades (which can be used for seeds, nuts and sometimes coffee beans), mini containers for mincing smaller amounts of food, personal blender cups and even food processor bowls. Another useful blender accessory is a tamper. This fits through the lid of the blender so you can move solid chunks of food, such as frozen fruit, towards the blades. What other key questions do I need to ask about blenders?
Are blenders easy to clean?You'll get more use out of a blender that's easy to clean, so look for those where all the removable parts are dishwasher safe. Some blender jugs will split apart so that the blades can be safely cleaned separately and more thoroughly. If the jug has fixed blades, it can be difficult to clean around them by hand, so always use a brush. Are blender noisy?All blenders will be noisy, though some more than most. The pitch can differ from blender to blender, too, meaning that some noises, while not louder, are more annoying than others. If possible, try before you buy. Will my small kitchen accommodate a blender?Blender cables can be substantial, so look for machines with built-in storage to prevent the flex getting out of hand. Unless you're buying a machine that you're happy to have on display on the worktop, your blender will probably live in a cupboard. If so, choose one that can be easily dismantled, is light enough for you to lift in and out and won't take up too much storage room. The post Best blenders 2021 – reviews of top blenders for smoothies and soup appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
| How to paint a staircase – expert guide to transforming hallways by painting steps Posted: 29 Jun 2021 05:01 AM PDT If you want to make a good first impression in your home, there’s no better place to start than in the hallway. As the first room you see on entering a house, a hallway is always worthy of a re-fresh. A simple way to update an entrance is by giving the stairs and banister a fresh lick of paint. Follow our handy step-by-step DIY and decorating guide of how to paint a staircase, using specialist floor paint, to give your own lobby a new lease of life with a splash of colour. Freshly painted wooden stairs can look stylish just as they are, or alternatively can provide the perfect fresh canvas on which to lay a striking carpet runner. Either way, a fresh coat of paint on the stairs goes a long way to lifting the decor.  Image credit: Pete Helme Photography / Rust-Oleum How to paint a staircaseTop tips before you get started
What you'll need
1. Prepare the steps Image credit: Pete Helme Photography / Rust-Oleum Remove any old carpet from your wooden stairs. You need to make sure the surface is in good condition before you start. Repair any loose or broken areas, fill any dents with wood filler and sand any rough patches to prepare the floor for painting. The bonus of a specialist paint nowadays is that it can be painted straight over old paint or varnish, so no need to fear hours of more sanding ahead of you. Once complete, vacuum up any dust and clean with a cleaning solution and cloth. 2. Choose the correct paint Image credit: Pete Helme Photography / Rust-Oleum Whether you're sticking to the same hallway colour scheme all over or painting a striking stair runner, choose the right paint. Rust-Oleum Chalky Finish Floor Paint is ideal. The hard-wearing, water-based paint resists knocks and scratches and can be applied directly to wooden floorboards or concrete flooring, and directly over old paint or varnish – with no topcoat needed. Top tip: Tape off areas if needed. If you're painting stairs in different colours or painting a runner, mark out your design using decorator's tape. 3. Start painting Image credit: Pete Helme Photography / Rust-Oleum Apply the Chalky Finish Floor Paint ensuring there are no drips. Use a brush for any details and angles where stair riser and tread meet. You can use a small foam roller for any larger, flat surfaces. Don't be tempted to apply thick coats of paint, the coverage will last much longer if you paint a few thin coats rather than one thick coat. Wait until each coat is fully dry before applying the next one – aim for a minimum of two coats, more may be required. 4. Take off the tape and clean Image credit: Pete Helme Photography / Rust-Oleum Remove any decorator's tape. Once completely dry, give a final brush or vacuum. Then stand back to admire your handiwork! A thoughtful painted staircase idea is to mix colours to give the look more depth – choosing to paint the rises in the same colour as the edging and bannisters (in this case white), while adding a subtle splash of colour to the step itself (in this case light grey).  Image credit: Pete Helme Photography / Rust-Oleum A freshly painted staircase makes all the difference, especially in hallways – where first impressions count. Of course due to the heavy footfall on the stairs they will require a resh coat of paint every few years, depending on how well they are looked after – to prevent excessive wear and tear. And that’s how to paint a staircase. Happy decorating to one and all. The post How to paint a staircase – expert guide to transforming hallways by painting steps appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
| New research reveals the best place to buy flat pack furniture - and it's not IKEA Posted: 29 Jun 2021 04:00 AM PDT A new study has revealed that Next is the UK's best homes brand for flat-pack furniture in terms of reliability and ease to put together.
Flatpack furniture is an unfortunate reality off shopping for homeware. It is convenient to buy and get home, but putting it together is often another story. Research by GTSE found that based on the number of negative social media comments Next is one of the most reliable brands for easy to put together flat-pack furniture. The research used data over the last year to look at the number of negative social media posts aimed at 16 of the UK's biggest high street and online retailers.  Image credit: Next Next received just 16 complaints from customers on social media in the last 12 months. Budget hero homeware brand Wilko came in second place. While it racked up almost four times as many negatives comments about its flat-pack furniture, it still only received a meagre 73 comments in the whole year. Dunelm one of our other favourites scored a similarly low complaints score, occurring just 91 complaints within the last year. For the latest homeware buys take a look at what is new in at Dunelm. Wickes and Habitat came in fourth and fifth position. Rounding out the eight number one flat-pack retailers was Argos, Oak Furnitureland and eBay.  Image credit: Next If you are wondering where the flat-pack giant IKEA had landed on the list, the survey revealed that they had built up 28,494 negative complaints in the last year. However, it is important to put that number into perspective, over 224 million people shopped at IKEA last year. 'With flat-pack furniture, the main issues often include the absence of straightforward instructions or the furniture taking too long to build,' says Tom Armenante, Ecommerce Director at GTSE. 'Alternatively, customers may have suffered bad customer service, or a sluggish online shopping experience, which prompted them to express their grief via social media.  Image credit: Next 'For those looking to buy self-assembly furniture, before making the purchase, we'd always recommend reading the reviews to see what other customers have to say,’ he advises.
‘Not only that, but it's important that you have the right equipment in your home to help you build your furniture – some retailers will often state what's needed, so it's best to doublecheck.’ The post New research reveals the best place to buy flat pack furniture - and it's not IKEA appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
| Garden mirror ideas – flood gardens with light to create an illusion of space Posted: 29 Jun 2021 01:17 AM PDT Mirrors are a great addition for any garden, with the power to totally transform the space. Garden mirror ideas are especially useful in small courtyard gardens, on roof terraces and limited balconies to add an extra dimension. A well-placed mirror can be transformative garden idea, adding a new dimension to gardens by increasing a sense of space and reflecting light into more shady spots. As the trend for taking interior style outdoors continues to grow, garden mirrors are becoming more and more popular. Along with outdoor rugs and cushions, garden mirrors are one of the easiest ways to add character to an outdoor living area – a brilliant budget garden idea. It’s important to think about where you place your mirror and what you want to achieve. Why hang a mirror in your garden? Image credit: Cox & Cox A garden mirror will reflect sunlight and if positioned cleverly, can help to make your a small garden look bigger. Traditional outdoor mirrors can be heavy and must be secured to the wall with the correct fixings. Modern acrylic mirrors are lighter and come in a variety of styles. An illusion mirror can create dramatic effects such as appearing to be a garden gate in a wall or hedge, or even a window. Whichever design you choose, an outdoor mirror is a transformative accessories. Best of all this simple garden transformation needn’t be at great expense. You might have an existing mirror indoors that you can upcycle and give a new home outdoors. If doing this make sure you use the right paint or sealant to ensure your garden mirror looks the part and is weatherproof. It’s easy to see why garden mirrors are gaining popularity. Here are a few more garden mirror ideas to get your creative juices flowing… Garden mirror ideas1. Paint the frame to match the fence Image credit: Future PLC/ Olly Gordon Make your garden mirror feel like part of the decor by painting the frame in the same shade as the fence. Matching the colours allows the mirror itself to be the focal point, rather than the frame. This idea is perfect for creating a cohesive, well-styled garden scheme. On-trend colours such as the black stain, seen above, is a striking colour choice for garden fences and mirrors to enhance the surrounding greenery. Add pops of contrasting colour by painting flower pots bright and using vibrant accent cushions. 2. Hang at the right height Image credit: Lizzie Orme / Future PLC A strategically placed mirror gives the garden an added sense of depth. To take this outdoor interiors trend one step further you could hang an overmantel mirror halfway up the wall to recreate the illusion of a mantelpiece. A familiar interior layout used in the garden helps create an outdoor living room idea. 3. Go large to maximise the impact Image credit: Garden Trading Of course the bigger you go the bolder the impact, as this large window pane mirror proves in this small courtyard garden. The generous sizes helps to reflect back more light and greenery to inject vibrancy into the small space. Another top tip, to make the space feel bigger, is painting the walls white as the colour will reflect better and create a sense of airiness. Buy now: Fulbrook Rectangular Mirror, £175, Garden Trading 4. Add ambiance to a dining area Image credit: Tim Young/ Future PLC Add interest and atmosphere to a area of the garden where entertaining takes place, beside a dining area or quirky garden bar idea. The reflection adds another dimension to proceedings, while of course reflecting back any lighting and elements of decoration used to dress the space. In this stylish garden an arched shaped mirror is placed perfectly within the arch of a climbing plant to accentuate the curved lines to soften the look. 5. Place to enhance plants Image credit: Lizzie Orme / Future PLC Making an impression with vertical planting, then elevate the look even further by placing mirrors behind to make more of a feature of your pots and plants. In this city garden a white walls is enhanced with the addition of a gothic-style window mirror which sits behind an evergreen plant – shining a light onto the greenery. 6. Upcycle a window frame Image credit: Future PLC Create your own outdoor mirror out of an old window frame using mirrors that you can pick up in craft stores. This old discoloured window frame has been transformed into a stunning statement mirror that matches the outdoor seating area perfectly. This garden is an all-round fine example of upcycling ideas for the garden – from the budget mirror to the DIY pallet garden furniture. 7. Create the illusion of extra space Image credit: Andrea jones/ Future PLC Have you ever thought a small room was twice the size? Only to realise upon closer inspection that it is in fact an illusion, created by a well-placed mirror. When you can’t see the edges or a defined shape of a mirror it blends in seamlessly to a space. In a garden space this works brilliantly to give depth to a flower bed and soften corners. It also helps to reflect light, ideal in a small shady corner of the garden. 8. Double the planting by positioning mirrors low Image credit: Lizzie Orme /Future PLC A mirror placed against a wall at a low level can beautifully accentuate flowers perfectly. When you’d put the hard work in to get the plants looking their best, you’ll want to show them off to their full potential. A mirror can cleverly cover all angles, giving you more of an overall effect. This is a clever way to make your planting efforts go a little further too. Perhaps you don’t have enough budget to go for extra plants? A strategically placed mirror can double the amount of plants – without having to double the garden budget. 9. Choose complimentary colours to blend in Image credit: Cuckooland Here, a French-style mirror with shutters adds a certain charm to an outdoor patio area. The chalky green shade is the perfect colour for the mirror to blend in to the surrounding foliage. 10. Extend your interiors style to an outdoor space Image credit: Cox & Cox Replicate a living room idea by including traditional-style furniture in the garden. Add some wow factor to your garden walls with an outsized mirror. This generous garden mirror creates a very convincing illusion to a garden beyond. If you have flora and fauna that is worth showing off, then double-up the effect with an oversized mirror. 11. Add colour to a stone wall Image credit: Polly Eltes/ Future PLC A well-placed mirror can add a splash of colour and interest to a boring old stone wall. This mirror acts as a constantly changing work of art reflects a oak tree in the distance, it will change from green to shades of amber as the seasons progress. 12. Use alternative shapes to add interest Image credit: Cox & Cox Use quirky shaped mirrors to add decorative interest. This charmingly shaped mirror creates a window-like portal into another world. Proving mirrors don’t have to be large to work wonders, this petite distressed mirror adds character to an otherwise plain brick wall. Buy now: Maroq Outdoor Mirror, £40, Cox & Cox Garden mirror dos and don’t Image credit: Dunelm
Will you be adding a garden mirror to your outdoor space this summer? We think it’s a winner! The post Garden mirror ideas – flood gardens with light to create an illusion of space appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
| Why your fireplace or wood burner could be harming your health – and what to do about it Posted: 28 Jun 2021 11:00 PM PDT The latest research into the health impact of open fires and wood burners is not good news for those of us who love to warm by a real log fire. The recent findings leave no doubt that indoor wood burning is bad for our health and the environment. Where does this leave homeowners who are not prepared to part with their burner?
 Image credit: Paul Craig Why are wood burners bad for our health?Every time you light an open fire or wood burner, the smoke that is emitted from the burning of the wood releases tiny particles into the air. These particles can’t be detected by a naked eye because they really are very, very small – that’s why they’re called fine particles or particulate matter. Now researchers from the University of Edinburgh have proof that even short-term exposure to these particles can have long-term consequences, because these particles stay in our bodies for a long time. The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, had people inhale harmless gold nanoparticles of the same size as the fine particles found in smoke and diesel exhaust fumes. It found that these particles travelled from the lungs into the bloodstream and urine within 24 hours and stayed in people’s bodies for as long as three months. The fine particles in air pollution have been linked to respiratory and cardiovascular illness and lung cancer, and now we know that you don’t even need long-term exposure to increase the risks.  Image credit: Brent Darby Awareness of the dangers of particulate matter in wood smoke remains low. Around 2.7 millions households in the UK have an open fire or wood-burning stove at home, yet, according to recent research by HETAS, only 26 per cent of UK adults know about the health hazards of fine particles. What can you do to minimise the risks?These findings do, unfortunately, mean that you should think twice about lighting an open fire, although as Bruce Allen, CEO of HETAS, explains, ‘the fuel we use makes a big difference. For example, burning wet wood fuel leads to five times more emissions than burning Ready to Burn certified wood.’ In fact, types of fuels that can be sold for home burning are now limited under new laws, taking effect from 1 May in England. Wood fuels are certified by Woodsure, while manufactured solid fuels are certified by HETAS.  Image credit: Max Attenborough If you already own a wood burner, it’s a very good idea to replace it with a new one that will meet the 2022 regulations. While the new standards do not apply to existing wood burners, new burners now have to comply with much tougher environmental regulations. As Bruce points out, ‘modern stoves can be much safer for the environment, producing around 90% less emissions than an open fireplace. Ecodesign compliant is the standard to look for.’
You can still enjoy the inimitable pleasure of sitting by a real wood fire, but it’s much safer to do so if it’s a modern wood burner not an open fire. It’s also a good idea to invest in the best air purifier to improve the overall air quality in your home. The post Why your fireplace or wood burner could be harming your health – and what to do about it appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
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