Ideal Home |
- Duck egg living room ideas to create a beautifully refreshing colour scheme
- Is your home too clean? Experts weigh in
- IKEA hacks – creative updates on best-selling buys that anyone can do
- 4.4million homeowners don’t know what subsidence is or how to spot it
| Duck egg living room ideas to create a beautifully refreshing colour scheme Posted: 02 Aug 2021 05:57 AM PDT If you’re thinking of redecorating your living room with a soft shade of blue, consider these duck egg living room ideas for inspiration. Duck egg living rooms can be the perfect way to introduce a key colour, without it feeling overwhelming – because duck egg blue is soft and serene. If you’re planning your own duck egg living room, start by getting out a paint chart. Duck egg is not a single colour, but a palette of glorious shades that ranges from near green at one end of the spectrum to the blue we commonly associate with the name. Having this broad selection of ‘duck egg’ shades opens up the possibilities of designing a room exactly suited to your own personal tastes. Dreamy duck egg blue living room ideasIf all your room needs to bring it to life is a fresh coat of paint, you can’t beat a soothing duck egg shade. It fits really well with all neutrals, from natural wood and cream to black and dark brown. It also looks great with bolder blues, making it easy to introduce some fun and vibrant accessories. Remember a duck egg living room idea does not have to feature duck egg wall paint. Consider wallpaper designs too – patterns or plains. Floral and leaf motif designs are particularly suited to duck egg blues. Or leave walls neutral and save those duck egg shades for upholstery, flooring and window treatments or a selection of carefully chosen accessories. 1. Add a lively contrast Image credit: Future PLC / David Brittain Add energy to a living space by teaming cool blue-green with punchy coral red. For a look that's bold yet calming, team a warm duck egg with a calm palette of neutrals. Steel grey, crisp white and soothing stone. Add interest with geometric prints on window blind ideas and cushions, then wake up the room with bright hits of fiery tomato. In a room with this kind of colour contrast, make sure the flooring and furniture is simple to keep things sophisticated. 2. Make it modern Miami Image credit: Next, Mae accent chair, £375; Fretwork velvet cushion, £20 Think clear, blue skies and sparkling seas of this beach side destination, team this fresh, duck egg back drop with ramped up pastels in peachy pink with defining shades of sunshine yellow reminiscent of the iconic buildings of South Beach Miami. Brass accents adds a modern, elevated finish along with shiny finishes for occasional furniture such as ultra luxe marble or a gloss, lacquered polish. Structural plants like large palms or cacti will bring an urban tropical edge to the room. 3. Paint every surface Image credit: Sofa.com, Iggy Armchair In Ocean Diamond; Viscose Cotton Iggy Footstool In Buttermere Baylee Viscose Linen; Bengal Medium Rug In Duck Egg For a soothing yet sophisticated finish, choose a shade of duck egg with grey undertones. This soft pastel can create a calming effect, so it's best to use it in a room where you tend to relax and unwind such as a bedroom or living room. For a surprising and chic accent, go for touches of black to punctuate this wash of grey and blue. 4. Pair with a warm neutral Image credit: Future PLC / Rowland Roques O’Neil Create a harmonious combination by pairing duck egg with warm neutrals and off-white for a softer, toned-down contrast. Whilst a brighter white creates a fresh finish for a contemporary, Scandi scheme, stone shades instantly create a country slant. 'Soft neutrals such as creams and subtle greys are great when paired with pastels, these create a serene setting that looks effortlessly stylish.' says Hayley McAfee at Villa Nova. 5. Explore the colour spectrum Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole Duck egg can make a great anchor shade for full-on vibrant colours. This smart modern living room is resplendent in cobalt blue, jade and duck egg. The glorious blue of the chairs is built up by the gradations of duck egg and aqua green of the tiled modern fireplace. Paired back wooden flooring helps ground the vibrant aqua tones, while the glam gold coffee table provides a wonderfully eccentric finishing touch. 6. Make it country rustic Image credit: Loaf, Parley Daybed, £1,645 Create that artfully undone look that evokes the effortlessly relaxed, French rustic or Tuscan villa look with a duck egg paint effect. To create a plaster effect, slowly build up light layers of lime wash or watered down emulsion using a large brush, leaving each application to dry inbetween. Adding furniture with a white-washed finish gives an instantly aged look, whilst terracotta brick flooring conjures up that rural-chic farmhouse style. 7. Keep it fresh and easy Image credit: Future PLC/ David Brittain This room features several shades across the broad duck egg colour spectrum, and the natural blend of blues and greens makes for a fresh, foolproof colour palette. Perfect for clutter-lovers, duck egg’s calming effect will offset busyness if you like to have a lot of stuff on show. 8. Add country style with wall panelling Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore Add extra country charm to a duck egg living room scheme by painting wall panelling. A decorative wall panelling idea gives the decorating scheme an extra lift, but adding a texture and avoid the colour from looking flat. Adding furniture in tactile upholstery in coordinating colours helps to add warmth and texture to the look. 9. Introduce colour on the floor Image credit: Brintons If you’re full committed to this dreamy shade of blue you can afford to introduce the colour via a coloured carpet. A country classic Laura Ashley designed floral, such as this Iona design at Brintons, is a bold way to add interest to the living room scheme. If you know you won’t fall out of love with the hue it’s an investment that will prove timeless, but just be wary of making such a long term commitment if you’re not 100 per cent sure. In order to make this living room flooring idea the main focus we recommend keeping the rest of the room fairly neutral – to avoid overpowering the scheme. Buy now: Iona Carpet, in Duck Egg, £83.99 per sq m, Brintons 10. Pile on the pattern Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore Pattern makes a great alternative to block colour. In some ways, it offers a lighter approach to using colour because of the variations within it. From the wallpaper to the cushions and rug, almost everything bar a few minor accessories is patterned in this duck egg scheme. What every piece has in common is the use of off-white to create its pattern, which is key to all the various prints working together. 11. Give duck egg a contemporary edge Image credit: Future plc/ David Giles Duck egg has a reputation as being traditional in style, only suitable for a country home – well, we’re here to say forget that notion. Duck egg is a gloriously soft shade of blue/green that can be seen in even the most contemporary of interiors. This impressive eclectic living room features a striking jagged palm print wallpaper, one which brings the space to life. The mixed tones of sage green and duck egg filters out to the tables and storage around the room on pottery and china, cushions and accessories. Pops of zesty yellow add further vibrance to the contemporary living space. 12. Be bold with painted bespoke furniture Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole This characterful living area makes a statement with storage, bookcases and doors painted in duck egg blue. The built-in solution is highlight by the use of colour, making it an imaginative living room storage idea. The staircase opposite with grey stair carpet and yellow and orange painted bannisters. 13. Go for true blue Image credit: Future PLC/ David Brittain Pick a duck egg from the bluer end of the colour chart and let it shine on walls and rugs. This fern-themed duck egg living room is a breath of fresh air. The sky-like blue of the paint and floor rug is a natural fit with the leaf motifs of the framed prints, footstool and scatter cushions. Other tones in the room are kept to cream and wood finishes, creating a beautiful balance across the scheme that is naturally restful. 14. Embrace all shades of pastel Image credit: Future PLC/ David Brittain Combine different duck-egg tones for a pretty living room scheme. The wallpapered walls of this space have a hint of grey, the sofa offers a hit of green, while the armchair is at the boldest, bluest end of duck egg. Modernise the feel with white or glass furniture, a mid-toned laminate floor and fabrics featuring contemporary prints of rabbits and florals. Accents of pastel yellow, pink and grey punctuate this beautiful scheme and are brought to the fore in wall-hung box display shelving. 15. Set the scene with a feature wallpaper
Create a duck-egg feature wall using a distinctive and stylish wallpaper from floor to ceiling. This wallpaper features open shelves and heirloom decanters and vases filled with lilies and honesty and has a retro style that is effortlessly warm and convivial. The primrose yellow Chesterfield sofa with contrast piping is the showy centrepiece and it is flanked by elegant velvet wing chairs in deepest blue velvet and Ercol-style storage that adds another vintage edge. 16. Add key accents to celebrate the shade Image credit: Future PLC/ David Brittain Keep a duck egg scheme subtle by using a washed out hue on the walls with brighter flashes of the colour within the wider decorating scheme. Bring in pretty upholstered furniture and key soft furnishings, such as cushions and rugs in a more saturated shade of duck egg. Add further pops with smaller accessories to balance the pops of colour at every eye level, from vases on a sideboard to wall art. Wooden furniture and flooring provides a clean base to enhance soft colour pairings. 17. Coordinate your prints Image credit: Future PLC/ Jon Day Team duck egg blue with natural motifs on walls and fabrics for a country-style living room scheme that feels fresh and welcoming. A backdrop of songbirds and oak leaves is the perfect companion piece for a wooden day bed filled with seat, cushion and throw fabrics featuring florals, stripes, beech leaves, poesies, British birds and even Scottie dogs. What more could a country-style living room need? If you love duck-egg blue, but don’t want to decorate with it, then bring the shade to furniture and accessories instead of walls, curtains and floors. Additional words by Michela Colling The post Duck egg living room ideas to create a beautifully refreshing colour scheme appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
| Is your home too clean? Experts weigh in Posted: 02 Aug 2021 04:00 AM PDT There’s nothing better than a freshly hoovered and polished home. A good old-fashioned clean, some fresh flowers and a lit candle go a long way – however, can you go overboard with the surface spray? Regular care and cleaning of our homes is key for our health and happiness, although some say a certain level of bacteria is good for our immune systems.  Image credit: Lizzie Orme The common theory goes that if you’re never exposed to germs in your squeaky-clean home, you’re more likely to catch bugs when out and about. Experts have now debunked this myth: they say that there is no such thing as an over-sanitized home. A 1990s 'hygiene hypothesis' persists today, causing many to believe that over-cleanliness is a cause of rising rates of allergies. It also presented the idea that children should be purposefully exposed to different microbes in order to build a stronger immune system. However, the Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH) has described this as ‘a potentially harmful belief.’ The RSPH says that exposure to bacteria and germs could lead to dangerous infections.  Image credit: Future How Clean Is Your House star Aggie MacKenzie explains in a recent article that ‘microorganisms found in a modern home are not the ones we need for immunity’ anyway. The main health concern, she argues, is using too many modern cleaning products instead of natural methods like vinegar, lemon and water. Miele says that it’s impossible to wear out your carpet with too much hoovering, but a build-up of too much furniture polish could lead to dulled furniture, with its residue becoming sticky over time. The manufacturing company known for its household items says excess polish can be removed with mineral spirits and that wiping them with a dry cloth is sufficient for day-to-day cleaning.  Image credit: BC Designs Next time someone tells you that having some bacteria in your home is good for you, you can confidently dispel the myth. Spread out cleaning tasks with our cleaning calendar – which is also helpful in reminding us to do occasional tasks like dusting those high up, hard-to-reach spots. When it comes to how to deep clean your house, make sure the things that clean are clean themselves – like your washing machine, your hand towels and dishcloths. Happy cleaning! The post Is your home too clean? Experts weigh in appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
| IKEA hacks – creative updates on best-selling buys that anyone can do Posted: 01 Aug 2021 11:30 PM PDT  We love imaginative IKEA hacks. You take a best-selling IKEA basic and give it a new lease of life – turning it into a ‘where did you get that?” feature for your home. Best of all, these simple ideas require next-to-no DIY skills. What’s not to love? IKEA Hacks: anyone can doTransforming an affordable piece of furniture into something totally unique for your home is a savvy way to decorate, ideal if you don’t want to splurge on new furniture. Equally appealing if you aren’t a fan of mass-selling pieces that will result in you having a carbon copy of your friends’ living room or bedroom. With imaginative upcycling furniture ideas and personalisation, you can transform these simple IKEA pieces into unique and expensive-looking features in your home. Take a look at these striking IKEA hacks that are cheap and easy to do. 1. Save space with a skinny night stand Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Whitmore This is one of the best bedside table ideas if you’re on a budget or even just lacking space. Take two of the IKEA Mosslanda picture ledges, attach one to the walls as ‘normal’ then take the second and turn it upside down and position on top. Affix this to the wall also, to form a small cubby space to keep bedside essentials to hand, such as books, reading glasses etc. To enhance the smart nightstand further add an LED strip light, to help shed subtle light on the contents. So you’re not feeling around in the dark looking for things. Buy now: Mosslanda Picture ledges, £5 each, IKEA 2. On-trend blue furniture with gold detailing Image credit: Rust-Oleum Painting Ikea furniture to turn it into a unique and expensive-looking item has been on our radar for quite some time, but adding metal detailing notches a DIY and decorating project up a gear. This unit has been transformed with Rust-Oleum furniture paint and finishing Wax to provide a matt finish for projects that require more durability against knocks and stains. With corner plates added for extra wow factor. Position the corner plates on the edge of the drawers pre-drill small holes, to make it easier when screwing in the fastening screws. Take your flat-topped screws and screw into place to secure the corner plates. Repeat this step to add the handles to complete your project. 3. Build bespoke storage using Billy bookcases Image credit: Future PLC/ Joanna Henderson Think outside the box with the much-loved Billy bookcases. Use a single width bookcase attached to the side of a double width version to create an ‘end’ so to speak. This then frees up a side panel on which to mount a cut-to-fit vinyl chalkboard sticker – making it even more versatile and useful. In addition to providing all the storage a busy household needs, there’s now a memo board to jot down all the necessary family to-do lists etc. Buy now: Billy Bookcase, from £45, IKEA 4. Customise a toy cupboard Image credit: Future PLC/ Joanna Henderson Update a basic pine cupboard with a lick of paint to add personality to a playroom idea. With just a few tester pots and a bit of Frog tape the plain pine unit can be transformed to a welcomed colourful addition to any room that requires toy storage. Wall-mount the unit to maximise floor space for play – ideal for a small kid’s room idea. Buy now: Ivar Cabinet, £45, IKEA 5. Turn a slimline bookcase into a swish bedroom bench Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore Place a sturdy Kallax shelf unit on its side to create a bespoke storage bench with cubbies to sit at the end of a bed. Perfect for basketfuls of shoes or spare bedding, cut foam to size and cover in a co-ordinating fabric to make a comfy cushion to sit on. Add gold longline feet at each end for a luxe finishing touch. Buy now: Kallax shelving unit, £29, Ikea 6. Create a slimline vanity unit out of a shoe cupboard Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore Pushed for space in a small bedroom? Make room for a micro-sized vanity unit with this clever hack. Ikea's Hemnes shoe unit measures only 22cm deep, so will butt up against a wall taking minimal floor space. With a handy top ledge to store bedroom essentials, there are four pull out compartments for holding clothes and lingerie. Swap standard drawer pulls for chic leather tabs and add a smart mirror on the wall above. Buy now: Hemnes shoe cabinet, £75, Ikea 7. Upgrade basic flatpack wardrobes with designer doors Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore Built-in floor-to-ceiling storage puts alcoves either side of a bed to good use. Give flatpack wardrobes a swish new look by swapping standard doors for an on-trend option with decorative Deco-style fluting and accent gold door pulls. Co-ordinate bed with wardrobes by adding a full-width headboard in the same colour to give a streamlined shelf for books and other bits. Fill wall space above with a flamboyant wallpaper. Buy now: Pax standard wardrobe, from £60, Ikea 8. Use simple spice racks to make a mini beauty station Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore Supplement a crowded dressing table with handy wall storage for hair styling kit and beauty products. Fix a couple of Bekvam spice shelves on the wall to hold bottles and tubes, fixing the bottom one upside down to create a hanging rail. Add a few S-hooks so you can hang hairdryer, straighteners and tongs. Buy now: Bekvam spice shelf, £3.50, Ikea 9. Pep up a plain chest of drawers with fancy fretwork Image credit: Future PLC/Joanna Henderson Stick-on fretwork panels are an easy way of giving a simple white chest of drawers a snazzy designer look. Stick directly onto plain white drawer fronts for an understated look or for a colour contast, try painting drawers a vibrant shade first. Buy now: Malm chest of three drawers, £60, Ikea 10. Turn wall space into a drinks station Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore If you've no spare room to squeeze in a cocktail cabinet or drinks trolley, why not utilise some un-used wall space instead. Slimline picture ledges sit close to the wall, but are just wide enough to hold glassware and bottles. Make your drinks station a focal point by painting the wall area behind in a standout colour or go one better and opt for chalkboard paint so you can chalk up your favourite tipples. Buy now: Mosslanda picture ledge, £9, Ikea 11. Put wall space to work with a bespoke pegboard Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore Swap a shabby sheet of corkboard for a Pinterest-worthy office upgrade. Kit out your desk wall space with a sheet of pegboard painted in a soothing shade to match your scheme. Add a couple of super-versatile Bekvam spice racks, put to use as mini shelves for holding stationery and office bits and bobs. Paint a complementary colour or in a contrast shade for a standout look. Buy now: Bekvam spice shelf, £3.50, Ikea 12. Fashion a work space with painted panel and floating shelves Image credit: Future PLC/ Joanna Henderson Create the ideal place for youngsters to work from with this simple hack, a winning small home office idea. Dedicate an area of the room by painting a panel section, cleverly mounting two floating shelves to create the illusion of a wall-mounted unit. Complete the space with a wire memo rack, compact desktop and a chair to provide everything they need. Adding clever magnetic strips helps to store everything from toy cars to pens – brilliant alternative toy storage idea. Buy now: Lack Shelf, £9, IKEA 13. Create a simple and stylish media unit Image credit: Future PLC/ Jo Henderson The Bekvam birch step stool is a resident hero in most households (everyone on the team has one!). But never before has it been used to such an extent as this. Thanks to two Fonnes wardrobe doors through the middle a simple pair of steps are now acting as a bespoke media unit. This design could also be made using sheets of MDF, salvaged floorboards or scaffolding boards – providing they can safely support the items placed on top, anything goes. This clever and not to mention affordable storage solution can be updated further with a splash of paint, to disguise the different elements altogether. Buy now: Bekvam Step Stool, £13, IKEA 14. Mount a rail to display houseplants Image credit: Future PLC/ Joanna Henderson Here’s a fine example of when something so simple becomes something so unique. The IKEA Racka curtain pole takes on a new life as a bespoke hanging plant rail. The simple curtain pole, sold complete with fittings, comes in black, white or grey and can be easily used to create a wall display of plants. Simply affix to a wall and suspend your macramé plant hangers at different heights to create an interesting house plant idea. Buy now: Racka Curtain Rod Combination, £7.75, IKEA 15. Hang a handy kitchen roll Image credit: Future Plc/ Joanna Henderson The stylish leather cabinet handles are transforming kitchens in more ways than one. Here we’re used the attractive Osternas leather handles to fashion a home-made kitchen memo board. Fix two of the cabinet handles to the wall and slip in a wooden dowel to make a stylish holder for the kitchen. You could also use this quirky idea to attractively store your kitchen towels, baking paper or foil. Buy now: Osternas Leather Handles, £10 for 2, IKEA 16. Make a bespoke lampshade with a basket Image credit: Future PLC/ Joanna Henderson Never have natural materials been more popular as home accessories. This clever hack turns a simple storage basket into a designer-look lampshade with very little effort. We started with an IKE Snidad rattan basket, removed the handles and sprayed it black to instantly transform it. You could leave it in it’s natural state to retain a more natural element in your decor. Drill a small hole in the base to add a bulb and hanging cord and presto – cool basket lampshade complete. Buy now: Snidad Rattan Basket, £25, IKEA 17. Fashion a hairpin-leg console table Image request: Future PLC/ Joanna Henderson Transform shelving units into a sleek hairpin-legged console table for a hallway or living room. Double-stack the shelving units and attach the metal legs to create a one-of-a-kind space efficient and stylish storage solution for a smart hallway storage idea. Buy now: Ekby Drawers, £44, IKEA 18. Give a chest of drawers an industrial luxe look Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles For this hack, you’ll need a Malm chest of drawers and a bit of confidence with a screwdriver. First attach a set of hairpin legs in your choice of metallic finish – The Hairpin Leg Co has a wide selection. Then paint the strips between the drawers with paint to match – we recommend going for gold for the ultimate glam look. 19. Fake a high-end, marble-topped side table Image credit: Future PLC/ Max Attenborough Glam up a table with metallic paint and marble-effect sticky-backed plastic. Carefully remove the table’s glass top, and spray the frame with Plastic-Kote metallic paint, making sure you pick a well-ventilated spot that’s protected with newspaper. Measure the width and length of the glass top, adding 5mm to each side. Cut your plastic to these dimensions (including the mm allowance). Peel and stick the plastic to the top, allowing the 5mm to overhang. Smooth off with a cloth as you go. Finally, trim away the excess with a craft knife and replace the top. Buy now: Vittsjo Nest of Tables, set of 2, £45, IKEA 20. Hang alternative vertical storage Image credit: IKEA Being smart with space is always a must for any room, especially in a small home where storage space is premium. Vertical storage helps to keep things streamlined – ideal for brollies and sporting equipment, rather than bulky alternatives. When affixing to the wall turn the ledges facing inwards, so the lip of the design is not visible from a side view. Choose decorative knobs to attach at the top and bottom of each one. Then using a chosen string or even a colourful flex, securely intertwine around each one to create a fence-like effect. 21. Create a fun cat climbing wall with shelves Image credit: IKEA If you have the wall space and a cat you adore, why not give them the run the house! Quite literally, with this ingenious climbing wall creation. The team at IKEA have shown us how the picture ledges can be staggered on one wall to create a playground for feline friends. Affix the picture ledges at various heights and distances on one wall, even line one with slithers of matting to provide a scratching surface. The team have even used wall brackets to dangle toys, to make the attraction more appealing. This is a great idea for house-bound cats especially. 22. Make a home office desk drawer with a picture ledge Image credit: IKEA Got a makeshift home office desk? Add a makeshift desk draw to keep it free of clutter. Attach two picture ledges on their sides to the underside of a desk. Leave enough with space in between for a storage box, to run along the ledge – to slide in the same way as a pull out draw would. (The IKEA team suggest left 23.5 cm). 23. Give a desk a glam makeover by spraying it rose gold Image credit: Rust-Oleum Give your home office a stylish feminine makeover by spray-painting your desk with rose gold paint. Remove the glass top from your desk, and take the frame to a well-ventilated area. Clean the frame with a damp cloth, then leave to dry. Spray with primer, leave for four hours, then spray with metallic spray paint. Leave to dry for 24 hours, then place the glass back on top an admire your brand-new desk. Get the look 24. Sew small mats together to make a bigger rug Image credit: Future PLC/ Philip Lauterbach Need a large rug but don’t have a large budget? Follow the lead for this clever homeowner, who, desperately wanting a floor covering to cosy up her bedroom, had this genius idea! To save money, this savvy homeowner took nine £1.90 Ikea mats and sewed them all together to make a larger rug. 25. Use kitchen and bathroom storage in your home office Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore Repurpose basic Ikea kitchen storage idea into a wall-hung system for your workspace. Give a scoreboard and a spice rack a complete overhaul with a simple lick of paint that tones in with your colour scheme. The spice rack transforms into a shelf, while Stugvik bathroom holders become storage for bits and pieces that can clutter up a drawer. Simply tap a nail into the wall to hang them up. 26. Build a bespoke storage headboard Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore Build a storage headboard by stacking Ikea Trones shoe cabinets and fixing to the wall for safety. This DIY headboard idea can be useful to store bedding, pyjamas and out-of-season clothes where they are easy to grab. Changing the sheets just got a whole lot easier! Buy now: Trones Shoe Cabinet, £22, IKEA 27. Use furniture wax to transform a simple desk organiser Image credit: Future PLC Give an untreated wooden desk organiser a luxe makeover by staining it with finishing wax. Give the drawers a wipe over with a damp cloth and leave to dry. Using a paint or wax brush, apply finishing wax all over the item, then immediately wipe away any excess using a clean rag. How much wax you remove is up to you – we applied plenty to give a lovely deep colour. Leave to dry, and then buff to a soft sheen. 28. Paint an office shelving unit gold for a style upgrade Image credit: Future PLC Cover the shelves of the unit with newspaper and tape down with masking tape. Wipe down the frame with a damp cloth and leave to dry. Spray with a metal primer spray, then spray with a metallic spray paint. Leave to dry before applying a metal sealer. Buy Now: Fjalkinge Shelving Unit, £115, IKEA 29. Do the shelf switch Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles You really can’t beat Ikea for affordable storage, as these homeowners know well. However, finding the glass shelves of this shelving unit a little impractical – especially when it came to gathering dust – they decided to switch them out. These cut-to-fit plywood shelves are a sturdier alternative. Buy now: Vittsjo Shelving Unit, £65, IKEA 30. Create colour-coded dressing areas for the kids Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore Give the kids their own tidy areas by painting wooden stools in bright colours. Ikea regulars will instantly recognise these as the Bekvam step! Once dry, space each along the wall – mark vertical lines just the width of each seat from just below the top step. Use the same colour to create a panel up the wall for a fun finish. 31. Turn a boring pine chest of drawers into beautiful storage Image credit: Future PLC Simply cover the chest of drawers in a wallpaper of your choice. Begin by painting the sides and top of the chest of drawers with a furniture paint that has a chalky finish. Next, remove the drawer handles and cut your chosen wallpaper to fit flush to the edges of each drawer front. Use a ready-mixed wallpaper paste to stick the wallpaper onto the drawers. Finish it off by adding smart ceramic knobs. 32. Update a headboard to match your new chest of drawers Image credit: Future PLC Choose a fabric in a co-ordinating shade to the bedroom wallpaper idea – used to transform your chest of drawers. Measure the height and width of your headboard, double the amounts and add 2cm more on each side to allow for a hem. Cut your chosen fabric to size and machine-sew a 2cm hem. Fold it in half widthways, then sew fabric or ribbon ties a third of the way from the top, and then the same again from the bottom. Slip the cover over the headboard and tie at the sides. 33. Add a pop of fun fluoro Image credit: Rust-Oleum We love this funky spin on Ikea’s simple Ivar cabinet. Cut four wooden spindles to length using a handsaw to make legs. Sand, then cover with Rust-Oleum pink neon spray paint. Apply several light coats. Once dry, attach the legs to the cabinet. Buy now: Ivar cabinet, £45, Ikea 34. Paint wooden stools in two colours for a modern look Image credit: Future PLC Give wooden stools a dipped effect by painting them in two shades. Sand the stool all over, then clean it thoroughly to remove all traces of dust. Apply masking tape around the legs where they meet the struts. Paint the top part of the stool white and leave to dry. Turn the stool upside down and remove the tape. Apply fresh tape to protect the new paint, then paint the bottom part of the stool in a mid-grey shade and leave to dry. 35. Turn a picture ledge into a pretty jewellery display Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore Repurpose picture ledges as a jewellery organiser and put all your favourite treasures on show. Make tangled necklaces and missing earrings a thing of the past with the ultimate jewellery organiser as a smart bedroom storage idea. Turning the shelves upside down will double storage space: screw hooks and eyes into the front and back edges for hanging necklaces and earrings, leaving the flat top surfaces free for make-up and accessories. 36. Turn a basic sideboard into a coastal-style piece with wallpaper Image credit: Future PLC Use a plank-effect wallpaper to give a sideboard a weathered look. Remove the sideboard’s handles, then sand it down all over. Wipe away the layer of dust, then use a ready-mixed wallpaper paste to stick washable wallpaper onto the sideboard’s front, sides and legs. Apply a decorator’s varnish to protect the wallpaper, then leave to dry. Stick laminate flooring to the top of the sideboard with a high-strength contact adhesive. Paint the sideboard’s original wooden knobs to match your chosen wallpaper and screw them back onto the sideboard. 37. Give a coffee table a distressed look to match your reinvented sideboard Image credit: Future PLC Cover this simple coffee table with textured laminate planks. Choose a pale laminate – you’ll need at least six planks. Measure the table top and shelf, and cut the planks to size. Lay the planks on the table top and on the shelf below to work out how to arrange them to fit. Stick the planks down using a high-strength contact adhesive. How do I make my Ikea bookcase look more expensive?The easiest way to make your IKEA bookcase look more expensive is to give it a style makeover! Take any IKEA piece of furniture, change the handles and give it a coat of on-trend colour and it will instantly feel bespoke – and therefore more expensive. Changing the handles can make all the difference, and gives you the freedom to make it totally personal. All of these imaginative IKEA hacks are a great way to update your hoe on a budget. 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| 4.4million homeowners don’t know what subsidence is or how to spot it Posted: 01 Aug 2021 11:00 PM PDT Subsidence happens when the earth underneath your house becomes unstable, so the foundations sink. Don’t worry, until now, we didn’t know much about it either. New research by LV= shows that, as a nation, we’re not too clued up on it. So the insurance company is highlighting the warning signs and how to stop it from happening to your home.  Image credit: Alamy Over half of homeowners in the UK identified false signs of subsidence when they were asked what to look out for. Plus, almost one in five had noticed potential signs of subsidence, but a quarter didn't take any action. Martin Milliner, Claims Director at LV= General Insurance comments that heatwaves and hot weather can spark potential problems. ‘During the summer months, intense heat can affect our foundations and lead to subsidence,’ says Martin. ‘Especially if your home is built on clay soil. Our research has found that many homeowners don't fully understand the significant signs of subsidence, and we want to help consumers be confident enough to spot them at an early stage.’  Image credit: Alamy Martin adds that many homeowners don't know if their buildings insurance covers subsidence, and recommends we check to avoid a costly problem in the future. Signs to look out for:
 Image credit: Alamy Clay or sandy areas can experience subsidence – shrinkage and soil erosion are key causes. But 55% of us don't know what type of soil our homes are built on. If you’re worried about subsidence and live in a clay soil area, there are ways of keeping the soil hydrated to prevent problems. For example, you can lay gravel or grass which will help water and drain it naturally. Those in sandy areas can prevent water softening the soil by checking pipes and drainage systems for leaks. You can also prune trees and large shrubs to prevent soil from drying out – ask a tree specialist for guidance if needed. The post 4.4million homeowners don't know what subsidence is or how to spot it appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
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