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| Best cordless vacuum cleaners 2021: reviews of Dyson, Vax, and more Posted: 23 Nov 2021 08:13 AM PST For easy midweek cleans, there’s no replacing the best cordless vacuum cleaner. While many still rely on a corded vacuum to get the job done, the best cordless vacuum cleaners (also known as stick vacuums) are hot on their heels with enough power to rival an upright model, and far more convenience. If you’re considering investing in a new cordless vacuum, now is the perfect time to buy. Seasonal savings are everywhere, including discounts on some of our favourite models from Shark, Dyson, Beko, Miele, Halo, and Vax, so you can have a new vacuum to keep your home spick and span ahead of Christmas. We have reviewed each and every one of the best cordless vacuum cleaners in our guide, so while they may look similar, we know the key differences from hands-on use and some serious testing. Our homes have seriously never been cleaner. Although cordless vacuum cleaners cannot rival the best vacuum cleaners when it comes to battery life (after all, a corded model has technically endless power) they do trump them on convenience. No need to keep plugging and unplugging your vacuum as you move from room to room, the best cordless vacuum cleaners simply need to glide from room to room. Some come with removable attachments for different floor types, but our favourite models from Shark have a DuoClean brush head that switches from hard to soft floor mode with the touch of a button. It should be easy enough this time of year to buy one of the best cordless vacuum cleaners for under £200. That said, more recent releases from Dyson, Shark, and Bosch will be a little more expensive. They come with some seriously high-tech features including smart displays which show you the gruesome details of exactly what you’ve vacuumed up, as well as lasers to show invisible dust that can be hidden on hard floors (new Dyson, we’re looking at you). With a great balance between value and high performance, the Shark IZ300UK Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner is our top pick of the best cordless vacuums. We have voted the Dyson V15 Detect as the best cordless vacuum cleaner in 2021 if money is no object. The Vax ONEPWR Blade 4 is our favourite budget vacuum cleaner. Black Friday cordless vacuum deals: what to expectKeen shoppers will know that Black Friday is just around the corner, and with some amazing vacuum deals to be had, it’s no wonder you’re researching the right model for you. Shark cordless vacuum deals deliver every year, so we’ll be keeping you posted if any amazing discounts appear. And while Dyson cordless vacuum deals are slightly less common, they can save you a decent wedge of money when they do drop, so we’re keeping our eyes peeled!  Shark IZ300UK: was £399, now £248 (save £151) at Amazon  Dyson V11 Absolute Cordless Vacuum Cleaner: was £599, now £449 (save £150) at AO.com  Beko PowerClean: was £299, now £269 (save £50) at Amazon Best cordless vacuum cleaners 20211. Shark IZ300UK Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum CleanerBest cordless vacuum overall
Bagged or bagless? Bagless The Shark IZ300UK Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner is a new drop from Shark, and it really blew us away when we put it to the test. First off, the PowerFins function means that rubber fins reach deep into carpets to pick up dust, crumbs, and scary amounts of deep-rooted pet hair with each and every pass. This is particularly good on carpet, but if you want to toggle to use on hard floors, you can use the smart display panel to switch over to a different floor type. That requires no switching out attachments, and there’s no need to even bend over. We loved how easy it is to store this vacuum. It has a hinge in the middle which, with the press of a button, bends the stick forward to fold it in on itself securely. It will stand unsupported when packed away, but you can’t leave it standing up unsupported when you’re midway through using. The control panel at the top of the Shark IZ300UK Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner shows power levels and allows you to switch from Eco mode to regular and max power. It’s advertised to have 60 minutes of battery life, but that’s on Eco mode. On the regular setting we found that it lasted just over half an hour, which was still plenty impressive. You can buy the Shark IZ300UKT for an added pet attachment, or the IZ320UK for two batteries. For all the bells and whistles, try the IZ320UKT. It has a pet attachment and two batteries, but other than that it’s the same vacuum as the IZ300UK. Read our full Shark IZ300UK Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner review 2. Beko Powerclean VRT94929VI Cordless Vacuum CleanerBest cordless vacuum for battery life
Bagged or bagless? Bagless The Beko Powerclean has a similar design to some of the best Shark vacuum cleaners, featuring an elbow feature that can bend down to reach under furniture without making you reach so far. It’s immensely powerful, too. There are three strength modes, but we found that we hardly needed to use the stronger settings because the lower mode was more than capable of tackling most messes. With the Beko Powerclean, you get a good range of attachments, including the crevice tool, carpet and hard floor brushes, mini motorised brush head, flexible extension, and dusting tool. Switching out the tools is easy enough, but you need to twist a little screw attachment to remove the brush rolls and switch between hard floor and carpet. This takes a minute or so, but we also experienced that both carpet and hard floor attachments were versatile enough to do a good sweep of the entire home without switching. The vacuum has a stand included, with a groove to hold the vacuum handle and charge it when not in use. Charging takes three hours, and the battery life is about 45 minutes. Controls work with a thumb trigger, and above this are the plus and minus buttons you’ll need to adjust strength. From the LED headlights to the incredibly strong suction the Beko Powerclean VRT94929VI Cordless Vacuum Cleaner seriously wowed us. Unfortunately, it can be tricky to find it in stock. Ideal Home's rating: 5 out of 5 stars Read our full Beko Powerclean VRT94929VI Cordless Vacuum Cleaner review 3. Vax ONEPWR Blade 4Best cordless vacuum on a budget
Bagged or bagless? Bagless This stick-style cordless vacuum cleaner has a slight design difference to most of the vacuums in our guide: the cyclone cylinder sits sideways. But the thing that really stands out is its comfy grip. It's perfectly shaped and has a soft touch. It feels nice enough in the hand that its 3.1kg weight doesn't feel too heavy. Buttons are under your thumb and responsive. One turns it on and off, another cycles between the two power settings (it remembers which one you were on last time) and the third turns on the floorhead's powered brush and headlights. It boasts triple filtration and runtime is quoted as 45 minutes but it will be much less on high power, using the floorhead. Its vacuuming was impressive on both power settings. Tools are impressive too. It comes with a crevice nozzle and dusting brush, both of which are well designed. But at the time of writing it also came with a free Cordless ProKit 2 accessory pack. This gives you an extendible, flexible crevice nozzle for tricky gaps, an upholstery tool, a stiff brush for tough dirt and a stretch hose so you can use the tools without the weight of the cleaner in your hand. The toolkit comes with a fabric storage bag too, but it would have been great if this could clip to the Vax. The battery comes off and docks in a charger. And the Vax comes with a wall mount, so you can hang it up when not in use. Meanwhile, the 0.6-litre capacity dust canister isn't large but it comes off easily and then is straightforward to empty. We were really impressed with the Vax's comfort, array of tools and cleaning performance for a mid-priced machine. Ideal Home's rating 5 out of 5 stars 4. Dyson V15 DetectBest high-tech Dyson vacuum  Image credit: Dyson Bagged or bagless? Bagless The Dyson V15 Detect is Dyson’s latest entry into the cordless vacuum game, and while it’s a pricey one, it’s fair to say it wowed us in testing. For a start, the laser soft roller is a genius creation that illuminates dust and dirt that maybe be otherwise invisible, making for satisfying efficiency in picking up every last speck from your floor. We also enjoyed the display, which shows a bar chart of the particles you’re picking up as you clean, and has information on the different sizes of each piece. We’ve got no idea how it figures that out, but it’s pretty cool. Empyting is easy thanks to the ejector, and the motorised hard brush for carpets is also ace for getting deep into the fibres of your floors and picking up pet hair. Our one gripe is the trigger controls, because you need to press it down continuously when you clean. It’s not difficult whatsoever, but won’t be to everyone’s liking. Ideal Home's rating: 5 out of 5 stars 5. Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum CleanerBest cordless vacuum for the power of a corded model
Bagged or bagless? Bagless We know it looks like many of Shark’s upright vacuum cleaners, but the Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner is completely cordless, with all the power we’re used to seeing on corded alternatives. It’s got a front-facing dustbin that’s connected to the filter and battery, and you can lift this away to remove the cleaning unit from the stick and carry the vacuum up the stairs or out to the car. For a cordless vacuum, the power is astounding. It was brilliant on pet hair, and while it’s definitely one of the heaviest options on the market, it’s up to heavy-duty work and could rival a corded vacuum in cleaning up the whole home. We found the control panel easy to toggle, and even the eco power mode, which is the lowest of the three settings, was plenty on tiled floors. The brush head is a little clunky and it definitely lacks the nimble motions of stick vacuums, but if you want a cordless vacuum cleaner to stay on top of a busy home with different floor types, you’ll love how easily you can switch between hard and soft floors with the touch of a button. Read our full Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner review Ideal Home's rating: 4 out of 5 stars 6. Dyson V11 AbsoluteBest cordless vacuum for power
Bagged or bagless? Bagless The Dyson V11 Absolute promises twice the suction (at the cleaner head) of any cordless vacuum cleaner. But it also costs twice as much as competitors. So is it worth the money? We found that the 60-minute battery life holds true as advertised. Not only did it pick up the dirt we could see, it managed to catch a lot of invisible dust from carpets and even hard floors. We love the look, which is as high-quality as you would expect from an expensive Dyson vac. It doesn’t take the number one spot because it’s undeniably expensive compared to some other five-star options. Attachments include a fluffy hard floor roller and four smaller accessories. The fluffy roller did well on wooden floors, but what we loved was the high torque floorhead which cuts back on power when working on hard floors and automatically increases it on carpets. You can monitor this with the bright display, which also shows how many minutes are left in your current mode. Not quite done? Just switch to a lower setting to make the most of your vacuum life. Capacity is higher than ever and it's easy to empty. But the run time and power controls are the stars of the show. If money's no object, buy the V11: you won't be disappointed. Ideal Home’s rating 5 out of 5 stars 7. Roidmi RS60Best cordless vacuum cleaner and mop combo
Bagged or bagless? Bagless A mop and cordless vacuum rolled into one, the Roidmi RS60 has a high-quality, weighty feel that isn’t burdensome, but does feel like it’s designed to last. Other attachments include a mattress cleaner, soft roller, and crevice tool. There’s even a pet brush, which is designed to literally suck up the hair from your pet as you brush it. A smart idea, if you can get your cat or dog to cooperate. It has a medium-sized dustbin of 0.55 litres, which does require regular emptying, but is easy to eject once you’ve removed the stick attachment. One of the most impressive things was the battery life, which lasted over an hour in testing, making it more than adequate for large homes. The LCD display shows which of the three power modes you’ve opted for, and when you’re done cleaning, it even displays the amount of calories burned. The on button is lower down than the button that you use to switch modes, which we did find a little fiddly, but it’s useful if you switch between different power modes on a regular basis. While it’s not cheap, it’s a quality pick. Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars Read our full Roidmi RS60 review 8. Dyson V11 OutsizeBest cordless vacuum cleaner for large homes
Bagged or bagless? Bagless The Dyson V11 Outsize has re-engineered the Absolute to include a 150% larger bin, 25% bigger cleaner head, with up to 60 minutes of runtime. It also offers 20% more suction compared to the V10, which was a popular model just a couple of years ago. Our reviewer was impressed from the start since the vac arrived in packaging made from recyclable cardboard, and how easy it was to assemble. It also already arrives with 20% of it’s 60-minute battery life so if you just can’t wait to take the V11 Outsize for a walk around the home, then this allows you to do just that. We found that this battery life – when fully charged – was more than suffice for whipping around a 2-bed terraced home. You also have the ability to adjust the cleaning modes which can make a difference to the battery life, and noise level. It performed exceptionally well on large rugs and hard flooring (with the soft roller head attached). The suction is really good and the larger floorhead helps to cover more ground, quickly. Turning to a smaller rug with a 60cm dia, however, the cordless vac either wanted to move it around or just grind to a halt. Using with the attachments such as the mini motorized tool and combination tool were useful around the home, across all levels, but there are 11 tools in total to opt for to give you yet more freedom to clean. There is no way to store these attachments on board the stick vacuum cleaner, however, so finding some suitable cupboard space for this would be useful. And lifting up the vac to use as a handheld is slightly heavier than previous models because of the enlarged dust tank although it’s not too uncomfortable. Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars 9. Bissell ICON 25VBest designed cordless vacuum cleaner
Bagged or bagless? Bagless The Bissell ICON 25V really impressed us. It performs really well and the design includes impressive attention to detail. Bright headlights on the floorhead illuminate cleaning. Run time is up to 50 minutes but it will be much less on high power. There are three power levels and the medium one is fine most of the time, but the vac doesn't remember your last setting, it always starts at top whack, which reduces battery life. The floorhead claims to beat the problem of hair tangles and we certainly didn't manage to get it badly tangled. It's also smaller than the Shark Anti Hair Wrap IZ251UKT floorhead. The 0.4 litre bin isn't the easiest to empty but it's ok. Weighing in at 3.2kg, the design is a top-heavy stick that converts to handheld. It comes with just one tool, a crevice nozzle that converts to a brush. That's great: you only really need those two tools. Though ironically the designers have given you space to store multiple tools at the charging dock. We were even bowled over by tiny design details. For example, built into the inside of the dock is a little spirit level, to make it very easy to mount the dock level. Another one: the tip of the crevice tool lights up when it's in use. We could go on. It's a mid-priced cleaner but the performance and design combine to impress. Ideal Home's rating: 4 out of 5 stars 10. Miele Triflex HX1 Cat&DogBest cordless vacuum cleaner for pet hair
Bagged or bagless? Bagless Miele's first cordless claims to be powerful enough to be your only vacuum cleaner. It's also supremely convertible: you can rearrange the pieces to convert from an upright cleaner (bottom-heavy, perfect when you're just vacuuming floors, stands up by itself) to a stick cleaner (top-heavy, very manoeuvrable) to a handheld. It comes with three tools: crevice nozzle, dusting brush, flat upholstery tool. We weren't convinced that you need the pet turbo brush unless your furniture is plagued with pet hair. But a second battery might be worthwhile. The Miele Triflex HX1 Cat&Dog is easy to use, well designed and impressively powerful on floors and more. It really offers the cleaning power you'd expect from a corded cleaner. But the ‘up to 60 minutes’ run time is 34 minutes if you're using the floorhead (which you probably are) and just 17 minutes at top power. Fortunately, the lower power setting is good enough and 34 minutes is long enough for a couple of rooms. You wouldn't be able to vacuum a whole house thoroughly on one charge. You'd need a second battery or to clean little and often. Its 0.5-litre capacity is on the small side too. You'll need to empty the dirt canister regularly, but this is easy and isn't messy. The Miele Triflex HX1 gives Dysons a run for their money. We missed the Dyson V11 Absolute's charging dock and fluffy hard floor roller, but the Miele's convertibility and sheer cleaning power won us over. If you don't mind the price, the HX1 is a great buy. If you want the best vacuum cleaner for pet hair, we’ve also got another dedicated guide. Ideal Home's rating 4 out of 5 stars 11. Dyson Micro 1.5kgBest cordless vacuum cleaner for small homes  Image credit: Dyson Bagged or bagless? Bagless The Dyson Micro 1.5kg is part of a new fleet of cordless vacuum cleaners from Dyson. It’s the lightest and smallest cordless vacuum in this guide, and with an entry-level price when compared to other Dyson models. The vacuum is very powerful, and we were impressed with the way hair didn’t get stuck around the roller brush. Attachments include a soft roller cleaner head, mini motorised tool, and combination tool. While there is no roller for carpets, the mini motorised tool worked well on rugs and car upholstery in testing. We found that the battery life was just shy of half an hour, which is a way off Dyson’s 50 minute promise, but because the vacuum glides so effortlessly across floors, it made quick work of kitchen floors and hallway dirt and dust. While it’s probably not a top pick for large homes thanks to the small size of the dustbin, the Dyson Micro is well suited to flats and would also be a great pick for those who have an upright or canister vacuums for their heavy duty cleans, but want something for those midweek sweeps that can sit pretty when not in use. Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars Read our full Dyson Micro 1.5kg review 12. Vax Blade 32VBest cordless vacuum cleaner for affordable power
Bagged or bagless? Bagless The Vax Blade 32V’s cyclonic stick design is reminiscent of Dyson handhelds, but the chamber is horizontal. Tip it to one side and press a button to empty. Twist the other side to remove the washable filter. Handling is similar to the Dyson V11 Absolute in terms of size, feel and excellent manoeuvrability. But it comes with just one big brush head and two detail tools (a brush and a crevice tool). Fewer tools then, less to store, but we miss the Dyson V11 Absolute's soft head for hard floors. The trigger is under your thumb and you just press it once, you don't have to hold it down. Lights indicate charge and there are two extra buttons: one turns boost mode off (the default is on, which increases suction but halves battery life), the other makes the brush bar spin (the default is off). Cleaning is impressive. It could replace the main vacuum cleaner in a small home and is superb for stairs and quick clean-ups. Again it's too top-heavy to stand up on its own. It comes with a very simple wall bracket that doesn't include the charger – you'll have to plug it in each time. Ideal Home's rating: 4 out of 5 stars 13. Shark Anti Hair Wrap IZ251UKTBest workhorse cordless vacuum
Bagged or bagless? Bagless The Shark Anti Hair Wrap IZ251UKT is big and heavy (4.1kg) enough that you might forget it's cordless. So although it's a top-heavy stick design, you won't be waving it around. But you'll also forget because the cleaning power is impressive. Its multi-stage powered floorhead whips up dust and hairs brilliantly and boasts ok headlights. Battery life is up to 40 minutes and we tested the pet version that comes with two batteries, so you can double it. It also comes with a host of accessories, but that isn't necessarily a good thing: where are you supposed to store them? There's a crevice nozzle, brush, upholstery tool, an adjustable thin wand that's good for getting behind radiators and under furniture, and because it's the pet model a small motorised turbo brush too. The bulky floorhead does a great job of cleaning: the combination of powered brushes seems to lift everything. They're also designed not to get tangled with long hairs and our test bore this out. There are two power settings under your thumb, one for hard floors and one for carpets. But you can also pull a trigger with your index finger for a temporary power boost. Just as impressive was storage: push a button halfway down the tube and the whole vac folds in half so you can stow it away in a cupboard. It makes a good handheld vac too, and the dust canister is easy to empty once you remove the tube to convert it. But with the tube, we found the machine too heavy for it to feel easy in the hand for cobwebs. In all, with two batteries and powerful cleaning, it makes a good replacement for a corded upright cleaner. You don't have to plug it in but it's not really lighter or more manoeuvrable than a corded model. Ideal Home's rating: 4 out of 5 stars 14. Halo Capsule VacuumBest lightweight cordless vacuum cleaner
Bagged or bagless? Bagged This new contender has an unusual design, with a lightweight (2.6kg) carbon fibre body and curvaceous styling. The handle is unusually positioned at the top too. It's a stick-style cleaner with a powered floorhead (no headlights) and two tools: a crevice nozzle and a dusting brush. They push on to the cleaner with the tube for cobwebs and awkward corners, or straight onto the body for use as a handheld vac. It's a bagged cleaner with a decent capacity of 1.6 litres. It comes with 53 compostable paper bags, enough to last years. The run time is up to 60 minutes, but will be much less on high power, using the floorhead. The controls are good. A power button under your thumb turns it on and it always starts at the middle one of the three power settings. You press the other yellow button to cycle between them. This works well as you rarely need the top setting and the low setting is a bit weedy. The thin blue button in between turns the powered brushes of the floorhead on. Every time you turn the vac on, you have to push this again. That's a bit annoying. Also annoying is the way the floorhead easily clicks to lock at 90 degrees… this top-heavy cleaner can't stand up by itself, so what's the point? It's annoying when it happens mid-cleaning. But the floorhead cleans well, with and without the brushes spinning. And we love the fact that the Halo Capsule is lightweight. Even the charger is petite. It leaves us wishing that the tube was in two pieces, so that the whole cleaner could pack down into a small kitchen cupboard: that would be novel. Ideal Home's rating: 4 out of 5 stars Everything you need to know about buying a cordless cleanerWhat are the different types of cordless vacuum?
How much should I spend on a cordless vacuum? Image credit: Vax Budget around £150 for a good-quality cordless with decent cleaning power. But you can spend more than three times as much on premium models. More money can buy you powerful suction, longer battery life or better tools. Some of the best cordless vacuums we tested came in at the £250 mark. If you can afford it though, it’s worth spending the extra money. More power and longer battery lives will pay off in the long-run, and the convenience of a cordless vacuum won’t be outweighed by limited power. What other key questions do I need to ask about cordless vacuums?Bagged vs bagless? It’s a tricky choice. On the one hand, bagless vacuums reduce the environmental impact and the expense of buying vacuum bags, only to throw them away. However, removing dirt from a bagless vacuum isn’t without its challenges. Hair can get wrapped around the filter and you’ll likely let off a bit of a dust cloud. Of course, brands like Dyson are constantly developing solutions to this. The new Dyson range has ejector technology that makes emptying the dustbin completely hands-free. For this tech though, you will have to pay. Charging your cordless vacuum It can take anywhere from three to six hours to charge a cordless vacuum in-between uses. If you plan on using it as your main vacuum cleaner, you need to opt for one with the battery life to make it through your home before you have to recharge, or you’ll have to go back later for different rooms. Some cordless vacuums come with replaceable batteries, meaning you can switch out for a new, fully-charged battery if the one you’re using dies. We did text every vacuum in this guide for battery life, the most successful being the Dyson V11 Absolute with a mighty 60 minutes. The post Best cordless vacuum cleaners 2021: reviews of Dyson, Vax, and more appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| 10 cult cleaning buys we have tried and loved – and they're on sale for Black Friday Posted: 23 Nov 2021 08:00 AM PST Cleaning might be an arduous necessity for some, but for over 400,000 people using the cleaning products hashtag on Instagram, it is a hobby, if not an obsession. In the past 18 months, cleaning and organising has become a popular pastime for various reasons (including being at home a lot more), but as the rise of cleaning stars like Mrs Hinch and Lynsey Crombie shows, keeping your home looking its best is on a par with self care, fashion and beauty. With the trend in cleaning, so too has there been a trend for cult cleaning buys. We are talking about the best cleaning products according to these ‘cleanfluencers’ and the items many of us buy in bulk, neatly stowed away in our cleaning cupboards. On top of the various solutions, pastes and sprays, there are a number of tools and accessories that every cleaning pro must have to make cleaning easy, quick and – dare we say it – fun. Read on to see our pick of some of the best cult cleaning buys out there. Most of them are at their lowest prices too, thanks to the latest round of Black Friday home deals, meaning a germ-free and sparkling clean home has never been easier, or cheaper. Cult cleaning buys Black Friday deals SonicScrubber Household Electrical Cleaning Brush | Now £18.99 at Amazon  Dyson V11 Absolute Nickel/Blue Cordless Vacuum Cleaner |  Kärcher WV2 Plus D500 Window Vac |  Asobeage Toilet Brush and Holder |  Shark Klik n’ Flip Automatic Steam Mop |  Stardrops The Pink Stuff 500g |  Flash Powermop Starter Kit |  Numatic Henry HVR160 Cylinder Vacuum Cleaner |  Flash Speed Mop Starter Kit |  Zoflora 12pc x 120ml Assorted Disinfectant All Purpose Cleaner | Now £17.76 at Amazon Where to shop for cult cleaning buysThere are a few stores that have really caught on to the lucrative nature of the cleaning industry. After all, when it comes to cleaning products and solutions, the more you use, the more you need to buy, so return custom is guaranteed if you stock the best things. We love to find a deal, and also bulk buy where we can and we find the following places are great for keeping our cleaning cupboards well stocked.
How to find the next cult cleaning buyGetting ahead of the crowd is a common mission for beauty bloggers and the fashion crowds, and it is no different for the big names in cleaning. If you follow these top cleaning accounts on Instagram it is likely they (and therefore you) will know about the next big thing before the ads even hit our screens. So what kind of things are we all looking for in the next ‘it’ cleaning product? Of course anything that can cut time or make cleaning easier is a big win. Then as the world becomes more conscious of our effects on the environment anything that cuts use of toxic chemicals or reduces plastic is quick to gain cult following. Finally, there are lots of products that aim to make cleaning as enjoyable as possible. This is often achieved with adding scent to the product to make it so good it could rival the best home fragrance, and makes the room you have cleaned smell divine for hours after. Other brands will give their cleaning products and tools an iconic design, pretty enough to make an Instaworthy cleaning caddy shot. We can certainly appreciate anything that leaves the cupboard under the sink looking as neat as the home it has just helped clean. The post 10 cult cleaning buys we have tried and loved – and they're on sale for Black Friday appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Best toaster 2021: for bagels, bread, baguettes, and more Posted: 23 Nov 2021 07:39 AM PST Buy the best toaster for your kitchen with the use of our toaster reviews. The top ten in our guide have all been tested hands-on by Ideal Home experts for evenness and quality of design. While a toaster has one of the simplest jobs in the kitchen, it’s also often the most important. After all, nothing can ruin a Monday morning like a burnt slice of toast. When reviewing the best toasters, we took into account the range of toasting modes, the ease of use, and any stylistic quirks that you may want to know about. We reviewed a mix of the best two-slice toaster and the best four-slice toasters, but many of the toasters in our guide from Smeg, Russell Hobbs, Breville and Dualit can be bought in a range of sizes, so if there’s one that takes your fancy but isn’t in the right dimensions for you, you could still pick up your perfect toaster. While two slice toasters take up half the size of a four-slice, they are often ill-equipped to keep up with family needs. After all, that morning school run doesn’t need any more delays. If you’ve got the space, this is an investment worth making, but smaller kitchens will benefit from a neat and compact toaster than can be tucked next to the best kettle for day-to-day use. In our best toaster guide you will find options from Smeg, De’Longhi, Breville, Dualit, Salter, Morphy Richards, and Russell Hobbs. We tested a variety of products in different colours, prices, and styles, so there is something for everyone with our toaster reviews. For more kitchen must-haves, take a look at the best microwaves. How much should I spend on the best toaster? Image credit: David Brittain You can pay as little as £15 for a toaster in the supermarket, but top brands like Smeg and Dualit will set you back as much as £250 for a stylish statement option. We found plenty of great toasters for well under £50, but as a general rule the more you pay the more features you’re likely to get as standard. Other extras can include a wider range of colours and a more sturdy-feeling metal exterior. Best toaster 20211. De’Longhi Ballerina ToasterBest toaster overall
Slices: 2 and 4 both available • Beautiful design Reasons to avoid: • No variable temperature across slots Quality toasting is important, but the best toaster will sit on your kitchen counters for years to come. Our top pick is the De’Longhi Ballerina Toaster. It has wide slots, levers with added lift, and the most beautiful and high-quality design which looks a treat when sat next to the matching kettle on your counters. We also think the De’Longhi Ballerina Toaster is reasonably priced for how luxe it feels to use. While it does cost more than the Morphy Richards Verve, which is our second choice, its design is noticeably more sturdy and the toast comes out with far fewer lines on the bread. What we did miss was the ability to set each side of the toaster to different brownness settings, which is something De’Longhi has features on other toaster and is perfect for picky families in a hurry. We did enjoy the dial which sets the duration of toasting time with the De’Longhi Ballerina Toaster. It tactile and gradual, meaning you won’t have to compromise if your ideal slice is between 3 and 4. Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars 2. Morphy Richards Verve ToasterBest toaster overall  Image credit: Morphy Richards Slices: 4 • You can lift to peek at your toast as it cooks Reasons to avoid: • Plastic-y design The Morphy Richards Verve Toaster is budget-friendly and offers a range of great features. We love the levers, which allow you to lift and look as your bread toasts, and the slider dial means you can adjust your level of toasting completely. We tested the four-slice, but there is also a two-slice with the same sleek finish. The Morphy Richards Verve Toaster comes in cream, black and white. It’s not the best range of colours but if you have a neutral kitchen it will slot in perfectly. We tried out the matching kettle too and had few complaints, so if you’re after a matching pair this could be the best toaster for you. The slots of the Morphy Richards Verve Toaster are relatively wide, and your toast will pop up once done so you can leave it to brown while you prepare your morning cuppa. While there’s no bagel or crumpet function, this option does come with reheat and frozen settings. Simply press these buttons after pushing the lever down to activate, and to end the cycle, just press the illuminated button for your toast to pop up. Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 3. Breville High Gloss toasterBest 2-slice toaster for small kitchens
Slices: 2 • High quality controls Reasons to avoid: • Sometimes doesn’t toast the top of the slice of bread Modern and neat, this toaster is never going to set your heart on fire like the KitchenAid or the Dualit, but it has an sleek exterior and solid build at a reasonable price. This kettle looks great in the kitchen, especially when paired with the matching kettle. It's slimline, easy to clean, and the weight of the controls makes it feel high quality. The crumb tray is quick and easy to remove for cleaning, and overall it works very well. The only annoying thing was that we found that large bread stuck out of the top of the toaster, so we had to flip them halfway through to toast them evenly. n have to flip my slice of toast around halfway through to make sure both edges get toasted. The two slots are wide and as with most others toasters we looked at, it has a high-lift function making things easy to remove without getting burnt. There's no setting for just browning the cut side of a bagel but as we don't object to ours gently toasted on both sides, rather than the more traditional one side, that didn't pose a problem. Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars 4. The Funky Appliance Company Funky ToasterBest four-slice toaster
Slices: 4 • Even toasting Reasons to avoid: • The colour selection could be better The Funky Toaster lives up to its name. The controls are appealing, with defrost and cancel buttons front and centre, which make a satisfying click when pressed. The quality of the toasting was seriously impressive. One of the most even in our lineup, with no visible difference between the two sides of bread. You can buy this toaster in three colours, but we tried it (and loved it) in cream. You can control the dial on both sides of the toaster, so if the Morphy Richards Verve Toaster’s lack of variable settings is off-putting, this one will suit your family’s various toast preferences. We also really enjoyed the Funky Kettle that pairs with this toaster. It’s reminiscent of the Smeg kettle, but cheaper. Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 5. Cuisinart Style Collection 4 Slot ToasterBest toaster for bagels
Slices: 4 • Bagel setting Reasons to avoid: • Very noisy when it pops The Cuisinart Style Collection 4 Slot Toaster is the perfect choice for bagel lovers. It’s a more common feature in American toasters to have a bagel setting, which will toast the inside of the bagel while leaving the outside nice and chewy, but because Cuisinart is an American classic brand, we got to experience the joys of a bagel setting for ourselves. One thing to note is that you should place the bagel with the outside facing in if you want the inside to be toasted on the bagel setting. Available in some really lovely colours, including rose, pistachio, frosted pearl, and silver, we really enjoyed that you can pair this toaster with either an upright or a pyramid kettle. The two sides can be operated independently, with different timer settings and the ability to defrost one side, and toast a bagel in others. The cancel setting will push your bread up with quite a loud mechanical noise, and we were underwhelmed by the lift of the levers, which didn’t go very high. That said, if you’re a bagel lover, look no further. Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars 6. Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater Polka Dot 2-Slice ToasterBest looking two-slice toaster
Slices: 2 • Love the look Reasons to avoid: • No lift-to-look We’re a little (ok, a lot) obsessed with the Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater Polka Dot 2-Slice Toaster. Its patterned exterior is sure to add a sunny start to your day, and there are matching kettles, mugs and even plates available for those who want to add another element of coordination. The retro-style design is carried through to the rather simple controls, which include a 1-5 dial as well as an eject, frozen and reheat setting. When you push down the lever there’s no lift-to-look, but we did think the Russell Hobbs toasted evenly and were very happy with how it performed in testing. These slots are extra extra wide, so those who like a wedge of toast in the mornings won’t be disappointed. The dimensions of this toaster are H22 x W17 x D27cm, which is on the larger side for a two-slice toaster. There’s also a four-slice model available for those who want a toaster for the whole family. Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 7. Dualit New-Gen four-slice toasterBest for quality and durability
Slices: 4 • Toasts fast Reasons to avoid: • No automatic pop-up Hand-built in the UK since 1945, we love the fact that each toaster still bears the name of the person that assembled it – have a look on the bottom if you don't believe us. The price reflects the fact that its makers believe it's a toaster that will last a lifetime. While it's claimed the unique patented ProHeat elements are virtually indestructible, if anything should go wrong, parts are super easy to replace or repair. OK, so does have fewer bells and whistles than other machines, instead priding itself on ease of use, quality build and durability. There's no automatic pop-up, although it does have lovely wide slots, you just lower your toast in manually using the lever at the front then turn the browning control to the desired setting and it starts to count down. Check toast is done by raising the lever to expose the toast without stopping the browning process, then lowering it back down if it's not done enough or turning the dial to zero if it's ready. There are settings for toasting one, two, three or four slices at a time, and defrost and keep warm functions. It browned faster and more evenly than most other models on test, producing perfectly browned bread in a little over a minute and a half. Most others took more than two minutes and while 30 seconds might not seem much, if you're rushing to get the kids to school, that could make all the difference. Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 8. Salter COMBO-7313 Pyramid Kettle and 2-Slice ToasterBest toaster and kettle set
Slices: 2 • A great set Reasons to avoid: • Large slices stick out the top of the toaster Looking for a toaster and kettle combo that you can rely on? We can vouch for this one from Salter. For a start, it’s a good value pick. The toaster is a two-slice model with a defrost setting, as well as a reheat and cancel button. We found that it toasted very evenly between the two slices, and because it’s so compact, it slots into just about any kitchen corner. The kettle is that classic pyramid shape we love. It clicks on with a blue light and automatically shuts off when it’s finished boiling. We like that it’s not too loud, and the line along the back makes it easy to judge whether you need a refill. Our one reservation with this toaster is that large slices stick out from the top of the toaster, so the entire slice wasn’t toasted. If you have a penchant for rose gold and want a great toaster and kettle set, this is a great choice. Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars 9. Breville Impressions 4-Slice ToasterBest four-slice toaster
Slices: 4 • Great value Reasons to avoid: • Large footprint This machine's certainly got the looks and although it has a fairly big footprint it is comparatively light. It still feels well built, though, despite the plastic outer casing, as the chrome accents give it a bit of shine and pizzaz. It's a great price, too – in fact, it's a 10th of the price of the most expensive four-slice model we tested. Easy to unpack, the instructions are clear and simple to follow. That said, there's not much to get confused about here, as the fascia controls are really intuitive. We loved the fact that the four slots had two different control settings, perfect for juggling the needs of picky family members with varying tastes. It has a satisfying and audible noise as the toast pops up, too, meaning you'll probably never need to use the keep warm function. There are the usual stop and defrost buttons, too plus an easy to access crumb tray. Although it wasn't the fastest toaster in our test, the results were pretty consistent, although if you're doing big quantities, swiping the lever a touch to the left after the first batch will prevent further slices overdoing a tad as it warms up to its task. The extra high lift feature meant we didn't have to dig smaller items such as crumpets out of the slot, either. Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars 10. Smeg TSF01 2 Slice ToasterBest retro-looking toaster
Slices: 2 • Love the look Reasons to avoid: • Tray is tricky to access With an exterior that's pure 1950s Americana – the shape's not unlike that of a classic 1950s Airstream motorhome – we thought it might be all about the looks with this machine. Luckily, that's not so. Although it's not huge, it does everything you need it to, and it does it all well. There are six browning functions; we opted for mid-way but noticed that once the toaster was warmed up, we could dial it down a bit. It also has a defrost button so there aren't any 'Oh no, I forgot to take the bread out of the freezer' moments, while the one side toasting function is good for bagels and the reheat perfect for those of us that sometimes get distracted and leave the toast to cool. The two wide toasting slots were more than big enough to cope with doorstop slices carved from a whole farmhouse loaf, as well as standard supermarket medium pre-cut bread. The self-centering racks keep the bread neatly in place and there's a generous pop-up so you don't end up burning your fingers trying to remove small items. The removable crumb tray comes out from the side, which might be an issue if you're short on space but it had a satisfying pop-out function. Ideal Home’s rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars Should I buy a two-slice or four-slice toaster? Image credit: Dualit/Anna Starmer If there's just one or two of you and you're not a fan of fancy loaves then we'd say a simple two-slot model with just a couple of functions will probably suffice. Two slot models are also better if you're a bit tight on space as it's a product that usually has a permanent, easy-to-access home on your worktop.
For couples and families, a four-slot or four-slice model is a better option – ensuring preparing toast for your brood at breakfast-time or simply serving up eggs on toast for two is an altogether speedier affair. If you're fixated on a particular look, don't despair, many brands produce two- and four-slot toaster models that look the same. Why do I need a toaster?Simply put, it's a kitchen staple that has been saving us time since it was invented in the early 20th Century. Unless you prefer to constantly check your bread under the grill to see if it's ready, a toaster really is the easiest and most efficient way to make perfect toasted bread, bagels, and crumpets. More than 100 years after the first, basic model was patented, our kitchens really wouldn't feel complete without one. There are hundreds of different models on the market, from simple two-slot bread toasters to all-singing, all-dancing four-slot machines, so we've checked some of the best two- and four-slice models to help you decide which one's for you. Buying a toaster – what key features should I look for? Image credit: Lizzie Orme What can it toast?First and foremost, of course, a toaster needs to, well, toast. Bread obviously, but also thicker items such as crumpets and English muffins, and some even have warming features for rolls and croissants. If you like your bread thick sliced, or hand-cut then, look for one that has slots made to accommodate any size, with mechanisms that hold bread central, whatever it's width. A four-slice model with a single slot is a good for toasting pitta or artisan breads.
A bagel-toasting programme will brown the bread just on the cut side but if you like yours crispy front and back then it's an extra you might not need or use. Can it defrost bread and keep my toast warm?As well as a decent variable control to give you your chosen perfect shade of brown, you should also look for defrost and keep warm functions. Look at build quality and maintenanceLook at the quality of the build as well as the design. After all, it's probably something that will be used every day so you're going to want it to last and perform well for years. Easy to remove crumb trays are also important, as is a surface that's clean with just a quick wipe. A high 'pop-up', which ensures you don't get your fingers burnt when removing smaller slices of toast or crumpets from the machine is also a good idea, particularly if you have children. The post Best toaster 2021: for bagels, bread, baguettes, and more appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Black Friday stand mixer deals 2021: deals now live Posted: 23 Nov 2021 05:30 AM PST Now is the time to buy a Black Friday stand mixer deal. Every year we see stand mixer deals sell out come Black Friday, because they’re a constant feature in any home chef’s Christmas wish list. From the KitchenAid Artisan to the Kenwood kMix, these machines are perfect for beating egg whites to stiff peaks, folding flour into a batch of banana bread, and kneading a fresh batch of sourdough for ten minutes at a time. We’ve reviewed many of the best stand mixers available in this year’s Black Friday stand mixer deal page, so not only can you find great savings on KitchenAid, Russell Hobbs, Kenwood, and Bosch stand mixers, but you can also pick up some expert advice from our stand mixer reviews. Some of the best Black Friday stand mixer deals this year so far are available on the Kenwood kMix, £230 off at Amazon for just £199. That’s a seriously good deal on a stand mixer we’ve put at the top of our rankings. Other deals include some exclusive Black Friday KitchenAid stand mixer deals, with up to 30% off when you shop at Amazon or Currys.
Although Black Friday doesn’t officially take place until November the 26th, we think the best of this year’s deals have already dropped. Last year we saw the KitchenAid Artisan at its lowest price of £349, so the current KitchenAid Artisan Amazon saving of 30% is already a better deal. We’re seeing discounts at AO, John Lewis and Partners, Very, and Amazon, but the best place to look for a Black Friday stand mixer deal right now is Currys, where the deals certainly aren’t waiting. We’re seeing some excellent savings at Amazon, Curry’s, and John Lewis and Partners, so if you’re shopping for a Black Friday KitchenAid deal, now is the time to act before the sellouts start! We’ll be keeping this page updated with all the best savings as and when they happen, so shop our quick links below to find exactly what you’re after, or take a look at our hand-selected Black Friday stand mixer deals with a quick scroll. Where to find Black Friday stand mixer deals
Today’s best Black Friday stand mixer dealsThese are the best of the best of today’s Black Friday stand mixer deals, and you can scroll down for more great savings on Kenwood, KitchenAid, Russell Hobbs, Bosch, Sage, and Smeg stand mixers.  KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer, Contour Silver: was £549, now £341 at Amazon  Kenwood 0W20011141 KMix Stand Mixer: was £429, now £199 at Amazon (save £230) Black Friday Kenwood stand mixer deals
The Kenwood name is synonymous with quality stand mixers. We’ve reviewed many of Kenwood’s most popular stand mixers, so you can peruse our Kenwood kMix review, our Kenwood Prospero review, or our Kenwood Titanium Chef Baker review for specific thoughts about the different options on the market. Grab yourself a bargain with these tempting Black Friday stand mixer deals.  Kenwood kMix KMX760.GD kitchen machine rose gold: was £499, NOW £299, Currys  Kenwood Titanium Chef Stand Mixer: was £499, now £449 at Currys (save £50)  Kenwood kMix KMX750 stand mixer in red: was £369, NOW £269, John Lewis & Partners  Kenwood Chef Stand Mixer: was £329, now £314 at Amazon  KENWOOD Prospero+ KHC29.H0SI 4-in-1 Stand Mixer: was £249, now £189 at Currys Black Friday KitchenAid stand mixer deals Image credit: KitchenAid The Great British Bake Off contestants, Lorraine Pascale, Nigella Lawson… everyone loves the Artisan. It's hardly changed from its launch in 1919 and is still built like a classic car, from the sturdy levers that slide into place with a satisfying clunk, to the stunning paint job. A must-have piece of kit in any baker’s kitchen, it is admittedly rare to find the KitchenAid on sale. If it’s on promotion, our handy widgets will pull through the best prices.  KITCHENAID Artisan 5KSM125BMH Stand Mixer: was £499, now £399 at Currys KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer, Contour Silver: was £549, now £341 at Amazon Black Friday Bosch stand mixer dealsWhen you think of Bosch, you might think of washing machines and power tools, but did you know the quality brand makes some pretty nifty stand mixers? Take a look at our Bosch MUM59340GB Stand Mixer review for more info on why it’s so great.  Bosch Serie 4 MUM59340GB: was £299, now £249 at Amazon Black Friday Sage stand mixer deals
We love the Sage stand mixer for its sleek and classically Sage-esque design. Think sleek stainless steel and thoughtful extras that make whipping up cakes and cookies easier than ever. The Sage stand mixer isn’t usually available on sale for Black Friday, so any discounts should be snapped up quickly.  Sage The Bakery Boss Stand Mixer: was £419, now £369 at AO.com (save £50) Black Friday Russell Hobbs stand mixer dealsWith a fun polka-dot design, the Russell Hobbs stand mixer is one of our new favourites. We tried it in our Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater stand mixer review, and found that it’s a great value stand mixer.  Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater Stand Mixer – Polka Dot: was £189.99, now £159.99 at Very.com Black Friday SMEG stand mixer dealsWe’ve reviewed the Smeg stand mixer ourselves and it really wowed us with its retro design and fun colour range. It’s not the cheapest stand mixer on the market, so you can save a lot of money if you do find a Smeg Black Friday stand mixer deal. What do I look for in a Black Friday stand mixer deal
Stand mixers typically come with a bowl, whisk, dough hook and beater. The dough hook and beater can usually go in the dishwasher, but the whisk doesn’t always, so you’ll have to read our stand mixer reviews to learn more about the post-bake cleanup. Spending more doesn't necessarily get you extra attachments, but your machine should last. Signs of quality include a stainless-mixer bowl or glass blender jug as opposed to plastic ones, metal casing, a powerful but quiet induction motor and a long guarantee. Looks are obviously important, which is why you’ll find a stand mixer in Nigella’s kitchen or on the counters of the Great British Bake Off, but the most stylish mixers are not always the most powerful. The KitchenAid Artisan, for example, only has a fraction of the wattage of the Kenwood Titanium Chef Baker. That doesn’t necessarily mean it can’t handle your cupcake recipes or sourdough loaves, but it may struggle with extra-large batches or unusual mixes. Noise is another thing to consider, because while some only intend to use their new stand mixer about once a week, if you plan on using it every day, you may get sick of having to shout over the noise of your bread kneading. We’ve ranked all stand mixers for noise in our reviews, but found that the quietest models come from Sage and Kenwood. What’s the difference between a stand mixer and a food processor?Stand mixers are made for keen cooks, and not surprisingly, prioritise mixing. They'll outperform most processors in this depratment, hands down, mainly because they have a wider range of speeds – use the lower ones for kneading bread and folding cake mixtures, and speed up when whipping meringues. Food processors can mix things, too, but they also feature circular blades, graters and choppers for slicing, dicing and grinding, and some have juicer and blender jug attachments that make use of their powerful motors. Hybrid stand mixers like Kenwood's Chef machines, are a favourite of top chefs. They have multiple power outlets that can be used with optional attachments such as food processors, blenders and even ice cream makers, but they'll tend to cost more. Does the KitchenAid ever go on sale?
Luckily for all of us, they certainly do. On Amazon Prime Day, you could pick up a KitchenAid Stand Mixer, Aqua Sky for £349.99. Usually a budget-busting £579, it was hard to ignore that whopping 40% saving. Why are KitchenAid stand mixers so expensive?KitchenAid's first household egg beater has a history, believe it or not, dating back to 1919. It's moved on considerably since then, but the retro look, tempting colours and sturdy design of the KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer, make it an ever-popular choice. But why are they so expensive? Well, KitchenAids have never been cheap. Even when the first mixers were launched in America in the 1920s, they would have set you back around $200. Which, with inflation, equates to around £2,000 in 2020. So the fact that you can pick up the most basic model, the Classic tilt-head mixer, for around £250, means you’ve made quite the saving. KitchenAids are built like a classic car. There are little-to-no plastic parts – save for attachments like the included shield to keep flour from flying up in your face. Instead they are made from sturdy die-cast zinc and in a wide range of enamelled colours. The planetary motor runs at 10 different speeds. The mixing bowl is stainless steel as standard, but some models come with glass bowls. All of which contributes to the price. You are also paying for convenience and adaptability. A wire whisk, dough hook and a flat beater are included, but you can upgrade even old machines with optional extras, such as a sausage maker, ice cream maker and a coffee grinder.
Keep this page bookmarked for more amazing Black Friday stand mixer deals between now and the end of the month. The post Black Friday stand mixer deals 2021: deals now live appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Christmas tree trends – most fashionable ways to dress trees for 2021 Posted: 23 Nov 2021 05:27 AM PST
This coming weekend is the one to get the Christmas tunes on and fetch the decorations out of the loft – because it’s time to decorate! Many households may already done so, but this weekend officially marks the time to decorate the tree. Our Christmas tree trends are on hand to inspire those who’ve managed to refrain from putting the tree up already! We know you’re not going to overhaul your entire collection of baubles, but the high street have re-invented Christmas yet again with a few twists on our favourite trends. Meaning you can update your tree scheme with only a few special new pieces. Discover the latest decorating looks to make sure your Christmas tree look its very best for the holidays this year. Christmas tree trendsIf you fancy giving your festive decor a refresh, then we’ve got the latest looks for dressing the tree – whether you favour a classic Christmas tree idea or something a little more glam. Trend 1. Merry and Bright Image credit: John Lewis & Partners If truth be told, this is the tree we all need in our lives – it’s bold, it’s unapologetic and most of all it makes us smile. Create your own Insta-worthy tree with statement baubles and neon lights to up the ante for your Christmas living room decor idea in 2021. Pop plain decorations in there too, so the fun shapes shine. This trend is playful and a great way to express how colour can add warmth and happiness to our homes. This style is ideal for a family household, the kids will love the brightness. Style tip: Make it fun for all the family with a rainbow palette and '80s retro style  Neon Star Light in Pink, John Lewis & Partners Trend 2. Snow White Woodland Retreat Image credit: Cox & Cox We’re all dreaming of a white Christmas for 2021! For this trend think winter wildlife nestled in soft eucalyptus-green accents. Celebrate natural textures like wood, rattan and wool. Dress the tree from head to toe in laser cut wooden decorations and woodland creatures galore. Blond and whitewashed woods compliment a colour palette of soft creams and greys to update this neutral colour scheme, giving it depth and tactile appeal. Style tip: Laid back styling is key, and a minimal palette of rich cream. Simple festive form decorates the tree, and interest comes through with texture. Dot a natural pom pom bauble here and there, use rattan details and textured ceramics to add layers of interest.  NEW Frosted Fir Pre-Lit Christmas Tree, Cox & Cox Trend 3. Fabulously Fun Retro Image credit: George Home Novelty decorations are only going form strength to strength, meaning it was only time before entire trees were decorated in quirky designs. Think State Side Christmas with boldly coloured, fun elements – from burgers to candy canes. A touch of a vintage vibe is definitely apparent in the wrapping and decorations. Kitsch designs are everywhere with the injection of multicolours and unlikely characters, like cacti and rainbows, giving a thought provoking element of surprise, inspiring happiness and joy. This look is super fun and happy – ideal for family households where the kids can decorate the tree.  Novelty Tree Decorations, George Home Trend 4. Classic Christmas red Image credit: Marks & Spencer After uncertain times we crave a familiarity and comfort form our decorating schemes. Red is the single most classic colour choice for Christmas – the colour Father Christmas sis dressed head to toe in and the colour of the iconic Holly berries, we associate with this time of year. Red is having a real resurgence as we strive to keep things simple and go back to traditions of Christmas’ past. But of course to make this trend feel modern there are contemporary velvet decorations and tree topper ideas to add a touch of luxe. Trend 5. Totally Alternative Trees Image credit: Ginger Ray A big trend for festive decorating in 2021 are alternative Christmas tree ideas. Popular as an extra tree, to that of the main living room tree, homeowners are looking to dress more than living rooms – seeking alternative trees to add fun to hallways, family rooms and more. Jess Martin, party decoration expert at Ginger Ray explains the trend; ‘Christmas 2021 is going to be a season of maximalism. For those who love going all out with their Christmas decor there's a new novelty tree in town and it's made entirely out of balloons!’ ‘A balloon tree is the perfect option if you have allergies, pets or if you just hate hoovering up all the pine needles. Plus there is no need to faff around with baubles and lights! Kids will love helping to put this up- just remember to order a balloon pump too…’  Novelty Candy Cane Balloon Tree, Ginger Ray 6. Eclectic Opulence Image credit: Future PLC This sophisticated look is the perfect alternative to the traditional Christmas colours. Here the stars of the show are peacock colours, with accents in gold to add that super-glam glow and hints of teal for interesting highlights. Look out for contemporary finishes, such as ombre and oil slick. This theme will set the scene for entertaining and see you right through ’til New Year’s Eve celebrations. This trend is both opulent and luxurious and its warmth is perfect for those cosy nights spent beside the fire. Peacock blue is not only the colour of the moment for home enhancement but its depth provides a fantastic backdrop to ensure your Christmas lights sparkle. Style tip: Complement this luxe look by piling on lavish greenery. Build up a garland with flowers (real or faux) in rich tones. Trend 7. Heavenly Renaissance Image credit: Matalan For this look layer antique golds with vintage-inspired designs. To give the look an undoubtable on-trend touch for 2021 incorporate celestial symbols and decorations. Go all out with a gold tree! Or if you have a tree already, just stick to gold and metallic decorations. A dusting of glitter and a sprinkle of sparkle, brings a glamorous touch to this ultra luxe theme. Velvet so soft to the touch in blushing rose, combined with grey mauve undertones, makes this a very sophisticated look. Style tip: Add sparkling tassels and decorations with a grownup flavour as a playful touch. Trend 8. Ice-cool Pastels Image credit: Future PLC This modern romance scheme is a mix of sparkle and shimmer, with delicate ice-cool pastels hues and pretty shapes. Understated delicious pastel tones create a calming yet captivating look – as trend set to be hugely popular for fans of a Glam decor. Don’t forget to use plenty of warm fairy lights for the magical Christmas twinkle. Style tip: Hang groupings of large decorations from varied lengths of string or ribbon to create a staggered display 9. New Nostalgia Image credit: Wilko Keep your family traditions going with gorgeous Christmas decorations to remind of bygone times. Take pleasure in dressing your home with spruce boughs, berry sprays and pinecones dotted around. Add tartan ribbons to wrapping, knitted stockings to the mantel and light special candles and lanterns giving off that familiar scent of Christmas. This trend offers a fresh take on a traditional story. Tartan checks and stylish berry patterns are brought together for a modern twist on a timeless trend. Style tip: Add velvet baubles as a key addition to this trend for an easy and affordable way to inject sumptuous textures this Christmas. What colours are going to be big for 2021?‘A snowy white look is always a favourite with our customers’ explains Jason Billings-Cray, Christmas Buyer at John Lewis & Partners. ‘Modernising the look is simple, warm neutrals can be layered with soft blue tones and silver to give the look depth.’ ‘Festive reds and greens are laced with gold for the traditional colourscape which look brilliant with fresh foliage and dried fruits. Outside of these classic colourways, we have everything from sophisticated blush and golds to lush turquoise and neon pink, there really is a look for every home however you like to express yourself at Christmas.’ What style of tree is on trend for 2021?‘At the moment our Brunswick tree is the most popular with its classic bushy and conical shape’ says Jason Billings-Cray. ‘The tree’s outer tips are accurately moulded and coloured to mimic a real spruce tree.’ ‘But our all white tree is proving popular with customers looking for a full icy white look. This full and fluffy white tree, with lifelike needles, is the perfect background to make colourful decorations “pop”.’ Which trend will your tree being wearing this year?? The post Christmas tree trends – most fashionable ways to dress trees for 2021 appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Black Friday sofa deals live now: the top sofa and sofa bed sales Posted: 23 Nov 2021 05:00 AM PST Black Friday sofa deals are landing early this year, with many big-name retailers already launching their Black Friday sofa sales and offering some hefty discounts on sofa beds and seating, which is great news if you’re in the market for one of these big-ticket items of furniture. To save you some legwork, we’ve rounded up the best Black Friday sofa sales on the Ideal Home team’s radar, along with keeping a running tally of all the interior decor sales worth knowing about in our Black Friday deals and Black Friday furniture deals hub. Of course, a deal is only good value if it really works for you, so before we all get too starry-eyed over big discounts and swoon-worthy upholstery, we’d recommend checking out our guides to the best sofas and best sofa beds for a round-up of our tried and tested favourites, plus, some buying advice. After all, when it comes to seating, comfort is as big a consideration as price. Once you’re ready to shop, come back on here to find the best sofa deals available this month. Black Friday sofa deals 2021: the sofa sales live nowOur A-Z of the Black Friday sofa deals and Black Friday sofa bed deals you’ll want on your radar.  Barker and Stonehouse | SALE NOW LIVE  Darlings of Chelsea | SALE NOW LIVE  Furniture Choice | SALE NOW LIVE  Furniture Village | SALE NOW LIVE  Furniture123 | SALE NOW LIVE  Home Essentials | SALE NOW LIVE  MADE | SALE NOW LIVE  Oak furnitureland | SALE NOW LIVE  OnBuy.com | SALE NOW LIVE  ScS | SALE NOW LIVE  Snug | SALE NOW LIVE  Sofa.com | SALE NOW LIVE The best Black Friday sofa deals: the Ideal Home editLooking to update your living room? You can be sitting pretty for less with our edit of the best Black Friday sofa deals. Prices from low to high:  Joni 3-seater sofa |  Orson 3-seater sofa | From  Nebraska sofa | From  Jack sofa |  Frederik chaise sofa |  Holly sofa | From  Brondby corner sofa |  Odyssey large split sofa | The best Black Friday sofa bed deals: the Ideal Home editWant multifunctional? Host guests without the need for a dedicated guest bedroom with our top picks from the Black Friday sofa bed sales. Prices from low to high:  Haru single chair bed | From  Haru small sofa bed | From  Mimi 3-seater sofa bed | From  Weymouth sofa bed | From  Esprit chaise sofa bed with storage |  Bluebell sofa bed | From  Nicoletti Alcova leather sofa bed | From  Cloud Sundae corner sofa bed | From A-Z of Black Friday sofa sales we predict will launch soonThere are no sales live yet, but based on previous years we think these stores are likely to offer some good Black Friday sofa discounts. We’ll be keeping this page updated as more sales go live, so if you have your eye on a particular piece you might want to bookmark this page to stay in the know.  Dreams | Predicted start date: Friday 26th November What is Black Friday?Often hailed as the biggest shopping day of the year, Black Friday happens on the last Friday of November, which this year means Black Friday falls on Friday 26th November 2021. The term Black Friday originated in the US to denote the first day following Thanksgiving when retailers would cut prices to draw holidaymakers to shop their store's sales. Driven by global brands, the price-slashing event soon crossed the pond, and now Black Friday – closely followed by Cyber Monday – has become one of the UK's biggest sale extravaganzas. The event has also spread to encompass more than one day, with many retailers starting their 'Black Friday' events earlier and earlier to try to get ahead of the competition. Although it's always wise not to be too influenced by sale marketing – after all, it's not really a bargain if you don't need it, however good the reduction is! – Black Friday can still offer a great opportunity to snap up some big-ticket items for the house. As well as keeping an eye on the best Black Friday sofa deals here, you might also want to browse our guides to the best Black Friday furniture deals and Black Friday bedding deals to save some more hard-earned cash whilst investing in your home. Want a sofa in a hurry? If getting a sofa delivered before the festivities kick-off is more important than a discount, here’s where to buy a sofa in time for Christmas
The post Black Friday sofa deals live now: the top sofa and sofa bed sales appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Christmas mantel decor – 30 ways to to create a festive fireplace Posted: 23 Nov 2021 04:30 AM PST  Practically purpose-built for festive dressings, mantlepieces are the perfect spot to get creative this December. With fireplaces often the focal point of living rooms, Christmas mantel decor has the opportunity to take centre stage over the season. Whatever Christmas ideas for decorating are running through your mind, there's sure to be a way to design your mantel to fit in your scheme. There are a few considerations to bear in mind when deciding how to style your mantelpiece, one of which being the mantle itself. 'When dressing for Christmas, it's important to consider the style of your mantel,' advises Reef Pearson from Radiance Fireplaces. 'Is your mantel traditional or modern?,' continues Reef. 'If your fireplace has a more modern look, it may be difficult to accurately capture a rustic or vintage style with your decoration so you'll need to be aware of this when shopping or creating.' Christmas mantel decor ideasFrom traditional stockings hung by the fire, luscious garlands draped along the mantlepiece, to decorating with fairy lights and candles, we've selected the very best Christmas mantel decor ideas. 1. Layer with baubles Image credit: Habitat 'The popular mantelscaping trend offers a great excuse to get experimental with decorating,' says Abi Wilson, Celebrations Buying Manager at Habitat. 'Fasten evergreen foliage to the mantel from which you can hang decorations and baubles. Stagger the hanging heights and mix matte and shiny finishes to craft a considered yet eclectic festive look.' When choosing the baubles, link to your Christmas living room decor – perhaps even using the same decorations hanging from the tree for full cohesion. 2. Go au natural Image credit: Future PLC For a truly naturalistic approach to dressing your mantelpiece, there's nothing better than a wild and free blooming bouquet. Use a soaked oasis to layer in fresh foliage, placing the shorter stems at the centre, and the longer ones at each side to create the 'bloom' feel, but don't be too precious – a few longer pieces towards the middle will only add to the natural vibe. Go easy on adding flowers, as you won't need many to make an effect. Finally, finish with dried flowers and grasses for added textures. Spritz every few days (or daily, if above a lit fire), and replace sprig by sprig as they dry out. 3. Choose a white and bright scheme Image credit: Marks & Spencer Christmas mantel decor is more often than not designed in the classic festive colour schemes of red and green. For a more fresh and contemporary approach, look to crisp and clean whites instead. White poinsettia, mistletoe, white winterberries and faux garlands with a frosted effect all layer together wonderfully to create a bright and modern display. To keep the design popping come the evening, it's key to add in the best Christmas lights you have – the restrained palette may otherwise get lost as natural light fades from the space. 4. Look to nature for texture Image credit: Dunelm When decorating the mantel sitting within rustic Christmas decor, turn to natural inspiration to add texture and depth. Feathers and pampas grass can be woven in – or used instead of – a garland, to give both that country edge and a wonderfully soft texture. Play with this theme by adding in more variety, perhaps through seed heads, dried flowers and acorns. Think about all the varying textures you might find on a rural walk and integrate into the mantel decor to achieve a fully dimensional look. 5. Mix candlesticks with tea lights Image credit: Future PLC Candles are one of the simplest and most effective Christmas decorations. Mantelpieces are the perfect place for them as they won’t be knocked over by excited kids (and parents). Create a varied display with candle sticks in a vibrant blue and tea lights in complimentary gold holders, they’ll look as pretty during the day as they do lit up in the evening. 6. Make understated feel more statement Image credit: Joanna Henderson Stick to a muted pastel pink colour scheme to match the mantelpiece to the tree, and the rest of the decor. A cohesive colour scheme can help to make a seasonal statement without allowing it to overpower the rest of the room. The natural forest green creates the perfect complimentary accent colour to sit along on-trend dusty pink to make a style statement without having to try too hard. Warm lights are best to add a soft glow to garlands, wreaths and the tree. 7. Add height with plants Image credit: Annie Sloan As with dressing a table, playing with height is an effective way to make a statement on your festive mantlepiece. Typically, this is achieved through tapered candles, or a pot of poinsettia. For a unique and budget Christmas decorating idea, place one of your existing indoor potted plants towards one end of your mantle. Any type will do, so long as the pot and sauce fit comfortably – and safely – on the shelf. Refrain from looking to symmetry and adding one at the other end, as this will make the area seem too crowded and chaotic. 8. Be bold with colour choices Image. credit: Future PLC/ Jamie Mason Make the mantel pop with bright accent colours. One trend that appears year after year is the colourful, child-friendly decorating scheme with a riot of bright colours captivate. Use these striking colours to adorn your mantel with striking hues. 9. Keep it simple Image credit: Next String a simple row of delicate baubles underside the mantel to make an understated style statement. In this case the homeowner have been daring enough with decorating choices, with striking black walls. But this idea is ideal for any Christmas decorating scheme and any style of fireplace. Simply thread a row of baubles along a think line of twine and hang below the mantel. 10. Delight with dried fruits and berries Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore Hang an oversized wreath full of berries and dried fruit above the fireplace to add instant wow. You can buy ready made, or dried out your own foraged finds to add to an existing fir tree wrath. Half wreaths are the newest way of doing things, making the adorning foliage feel more delicate, and yet more impactful. Plus if you are trying your hand at crafting a homemade wreath, only filling half helps to keep costs down. 11. Furnish with foraged foliage and paper Image credit: Future PLC/ Max Attenborough Keep the costs low, but the impact big! Do this simply with seasonal stems and branches sourced form the garden to welcome a touch of greenery indoors. Add the the perfect finishing touches with beautifully crafted paper decorations, from honeycomb bells to statement stars. The mix of natural materials will lend itself to the handmade vibe of the nostalgic Christmas tree trend. 12. Anchor with the alcoves Image credit: Future PLC/ Tim Young Use the surrounding space to balance the decorations on the mantelpiece. If you’re lucky enough to have alcove shelves either side it’s ideal to add simple decorative touches to tie in the focal Christmas decorations – to stop them jarring with the rest of the room. You don’t need to go OTT with the scheme either, it’s incredible what a difference even a few simple lights and hints of foliage can make. 13. Fill a fireplace with fairy lights Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore Illuminate an empty or unused fireplace by filling the space with fairy lights. Do so with the help of assorted lanterns, at staggered heights, all filled with simple strings of LED battery operated lights. 14. Set the scene with a simple bouquet Image credit: Future PLC/ Dan Duchars For this month make simple changes to where you place the flowers in your living room. By simply moving them onto the mantelpiece you’ll be helping to set the scene for the new focal point for Christmas decorating. A simple seasonal bouquet is easy to tend to, simpler than a real garland dressing the length of the mantel. You can change the water of a bouquet in a vase and replace any stems as and when it’s needed. Making a bouquet a simpler solution, but by no means less statement. 15. Captivate with cascading branches Image credit: Future PLC To make the most of a subtle earthy room, ensure that you stick to natural foliage. Go foraging for (or simply buy!) ferns, pinecones and pieces of evergreen branches to drape over the mantelpiece. Hang strands of foliage at varying heights from the mantelpiece. Give them a quick spray with some artificial snow to give them a frosted look as a finishing touch. 16. Spell out a festive message Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore Big, brash details are what modern glamour is all about. For festive flamboyance build your own garland by bulking out an artificial one with gold-sprayed foliage and a mix of boldly coloured baubles. Gold letters spelling out a seasonal word or message cap things off. 17. Fill an empty fireplace with presents Image credit: Future PLC Create a holiday focal point by filling an empty hearth with a stack of beautifully gift-wrapped packages in co-ordinating foils and ribbons, topped with baubles and handmade gift tags. Keep the mantel itself simple with a row of coloured glass candle holders and mini tea lights. Hang a few of your favourite cards from a length of satin ribbon and finish off with a garland of greenery above. 18. Give your mantle a homemade touch Image credit: Future PLC/ David Brittain Festoon the room with homemade decorations, using the mantel as the festive focal point for a truly cosy and welcoming feel. Arrange Christmas cards like a garland from your mantlepiece, either draped over ribbon or twine, or clipped on with tiny clothes pegs. Another option is to use this space to display your alternative advent calendar. 19. Go glam with gold leaf Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore ‘While csarlet and gold designs will complement the greenery to give it the room a “Christmas in the countryside" feel,’ notes Abi Wilson, Celebrations Buying Manager at Habitat, ‘Or bring a more glamorous tone with jewel shades of emerald, indigo and fuchsia." Opt for an opulent gold and blue scheme, with a variety of golden candle holders and a gold leaf garland adorning your mantelpiece. Continue the colour scheme to your Christmas tree and gift wrap for a particularly fabulous look. 20. Hang traditional stockings above the fire
Traditional Christmas decorating ideas like hanging a pair of stockings above the fire add a wonderful sense of nostalgia to the season. Go all in on this theme by sticking to classically Christmas-inspired colourways of red and green, and layer in freshly cut ivy for an extra dose of good old-fashioned festive decor. 21. Create a magical forest scene Image credit: Future PLC/ James Merrell Start with multiple layers of paper pine trees and add sparkling silver stars and frosty white foliage. Create a decadent display of candles and tea lights for the warmest and cosiest of mantelpiece displays. 22. Keep the look minimal Image credit: GAP Interiors/Dan Duchars If you’re not into glitzy Christmas decorations, there’s nothing wrong with keeping it lowkey. There’s something classic and Scandi about this minimalist mantelpiece, with a simple wooden star and sprig of mistletoe. 23. Hang a Christmas wreath Image credit: Future PLC/ Sussie Bell Keep your mantelpiece simple and elegant with an array of elegant glass and silver candle holders, and make a beautiful wreath hanging in front of a mirror the focal point of your mantelpiece display. 24. Fill the hearth with pillar candles Image credit: Future PLC/ Jeremy Phillips For a rustic fire-place with a wood-burning stove like this, a cluster of pillar candles and tarnished silver candle holders will add to the cosy glow from the fire. To keep the focus on the hearth keep decoration on the mantlepiece simple. The two wooden reindeer match the wooden mantelpiece perfectly and add a touch of Christmas cheer without being overpowering. Tie the fireplace in with the Christmas tree by draping ivy and fairy lights on the mirror above the fireplace. 25. Create a woodland-inspired scheme Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore Opt for the natural textures of winter with a dainty pine garland and a heart-shaped pine cone wreath on the mantelpiece for an elegant, woodland-inspired scheme. White and silver reindeer ornaments, cosy faux-fur throws and blankets and a wolf-print cushion complement the look. 26. Coordinate with colour Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore Embrace the spirit of the season by taking your Christmas colour scheme over to your fireplace. Go to town by adorning the mantelpiece with lots of pretty colour co-ordinated decorations. Give it some extra love with a festive red and white heart-shaped garland and red tree-shaped ornaments. 27. Choose a traditional country look Image credit: Future PLC/ Rachel Whiting Thick green foliage adorned with traditional decorations and warm glowing fairylights looks beautiful alongside a charming country scheme, with rich-coloured tartans and a crackling open fire. 28. Create a vintage display Image credit: Future PLC/ Polly Wreford Display a selection of vintage jars filled with pine cones, cotton reels and dainty paintbrushes for a vintage and minimal mantelpiece. Lace fairy lights between the jars and add pretty white foliage. 29. Add some glamor with silver candle sticks Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore Display tall candlesticks in silver candle holders of varying heights to create an elegant yet relaxed ambience. Add tealights and dainty fairy lights for extra glow, and a sparkly ‘Merry Christmas’ garland for a touch of understated glitz. 30. Ditch holly in favour of roses and ivy Image credit: Future PLC/ Mark Bolton If you’re not a fan of bold and bright Christmas decor, opt for a beautiful foliage display atop your mantelpiece. This gorgeous assortment of white roses and greenery wouldn’t look out of place any time of year. What can I put on my mantel for Christmas?Depending on the look you're going for this year, your Christmas mantel decor can be comprised of a variety of different pieces. Most common is a garland, either left naturalistic, or entwined with a string of fairy lights. Seasonal plants, like a poinsettia can add an extra festive touch. Candlesticks, baubles and stockings all help finish off the design of your holiday mantlepiece. How do you make a Christmas mantelpiece?If you're unsure where to begin with your Christmas mantel decor, a simple idea is to choose decorations which match with your Christmas tree. Perhaps lay a fir garland across the top of the mantlepiece and dot in excess baubles from your tree. Tapered candles in complementary or matching colours will help add height as well as atmosphere come evening time. If you don't have an open fire, you can still use a lot of mantel dressing ideas, as most can be easily adapted to work on decorative fire surrounds or ledges above a log burner. How long should a garland be on mantle?There are two main schools of thought when it comes to adding a garland to your Christmas mantel decor. One is to choose a garland which sits firmly on the mantel itself, and doesn't fall down at the sides. This creates a very clean and restrained look. The other option is to drape the garland so that it hangs over the edges for a more naturalistic and relaxed approach. If you're plumping for this, it's a good idea to make sure that the ends stay in the top third of the height between the floor and the mantel to keep proportionality. The post Christmas mantel decor – 30 ways to to create a festive fireplace appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| The sellout Bloom & Wild tiny Christmas trees are back - with one wearing mittens! Posted: 23 Nov 2021 02:00 AM PST The sell-out Bloom & Wild tiny trees are back! Posted through the letterbox these mini real Christmas trees arrive ready-to-dress with tiny decorations. Bloom & Wild’s tiny trees have sparked a whole Christmas tree trend. Plenty of other retailers have mimicked the adorable little trees, but the letterbox florist has upped the game with five new fabulously festive designs for 2021. The tiny trees are a great solution if you’re short on space for a larger tree, or simply want to jazz up your Christmas hallway ideas. The little trees aren’t just for this year, when the festive season is over they can be planted into the garden or a bigger pot and kept until next year. It's no surprise they sell out every year is it? ‘We know our mini trees are really special. And so do our customers. Between mid-November and mid-December last year, 1 was snapped up every 30 seconds,’ reveals Olivia Harvey, Director of Range & Merchandising, Bloom & Wild. Bloom & Wild tiny Christmas trees Image credit: Bloom & Wild
The best part about these trees is that you won’t need to wrestle them home for the shops or schedule a day to be in. Just like the online florist’s year-round bouquets, the mini Christmas trees comes flat-packed in a box that’ll fit through the letterbox – a genius idea if ever we’ve heard one. The adorable miniature potted trees come complete with diddy decorations, making it just like the full-sized tree only far cuter and taking up far less space.
The tree will arrive with decorations included – fairy lights with batteries included, baubles, garland, and a star topper for the final touch of Christmas magic. This year the tree comes in five festive designs – The Minimalist tree, The Simple Pleasures tree, The Creative Crafts tree, The Starry Night tree and The Winter Walk tree.  The Minimalist tree, £27, Bloom & Wild  The Simple Pleasures tree, £31, Bloom & Wild  The Creative Crafts tree, £39, Bloom & Wild  The Winter Walk tree, £45, Bloom & Wild  The Starry Night tree, £36, Bloom & Wild
These tiny trees pack a mighty punch as a Christmas table decoration idea centrepiece or as a Christmas mantelpiece ideas. Once Christmas is over the trees can be potted up outside. One of the Ideal Home team still has theirs growing in the garden from last year. Which one of the five festive designs will you be ordering this Christmas? The post The sellout Bloom & Wild tiny Christmas trees are back - with one wearing mittens! appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Living room wallpaper ideas to give your lounge an instant glow up Posted: 23 Nov 2021 12:01 AM PST If you’re looking for living room wallpaper ideas, you have come to the right place. Wallpaper has seen a huge rise in popularity over the last few years and it’s easy to see why. A great way to add colour, texture and interest to your room, it’s now easier than ever to transform your living space in just an afternoon and we’ve got plenty of ideas to inspire you. Often the best living room ideas start from an image or photo seen online, on TV or in a magazine, and you can begin to form a moodboard in your mind, of how you want yours to look. Living room wallpaper ideasWallpapering your walls, wall, or even half a wall is no longer the time consuming, fiddly job it might have been heralded as in years gone by, and with more and more brands supplying both wallpaper and paint in complimenting shades, giving your living room a fresh make-over is a job that can easily be taken on yourself, with maybe just a tip or two coming from the experts (ahem, us!) Take inspiration from these wallpaper ideas and see where it leads you… 1. Fall for florals Image credit: WallpaperDirect Once seen as fussy and dated, florals are back in the lime light and back on our walls, proving more popular than ever in living rooms across the country. Melanie Adams, Global Manager at WallpaperDirect explains, ‘ Floral wallpapers wrap your walls in nature and tend to incorporate a number of colours, which can be a great way to really imbed your colour palette into the space to make it feel cohesive yet natural’. With a fairly busy print like this one, try to pull out one key colour and echo it further around your room, in accessories and large pieces of furniture. Buy now: Caverley wallpaper in Rose and French Blue, £89 per roll, Sanderson range, WallpaperDirect 2. Team turquoise with teak Image credit: Future PLC If you have a fair amount of wooden furniture in your living room, from sideboards to dressers, coffee tables, side tables and perhaps even a hardwood floor too, it might be in serious need of some colour to lift the scheme. A punchy turquoise wallpaper like this one will bring vibrancy and life to your room, without becoming too bright and garish. Paired with white shutters, and white painted woodwork, this striking wallpaper is playful but still smart and sits beautifully behind an elegant sideboard. Thoughtfully chosen accessories in a similar hue, work together to create a pleasing decor. 3. Embrace a combo of colours Image credit: Future PLC ‘Blue and green should never be seen’, the old adage goes, but we disagree! Mix just about any blues with any greens (plus their sophisticated love child, teal) and you’ve got yourself an effortlessly harmonious blend that’s vibrant yet calm and soothing at the same time. The blues and greens combined in this Arts and Crafts style wallpaper create a gentle backdrop for brighter hues like royal blue and lime, perfect if you prefer a colour scheme with a little more energy. 4. Pair your paper with paint Image credit: Graham & Brown Choosing wallpaper for your living room walls doesn’t mean that paint isn’t also an option too. The two can actually work beautifully together, especially if you have any kind of panelling on your walls, but you want to pair your paper with the right shade. Zoe Hopgood, Designer at Graham & Brown explains, ‘When pairing a wallpaper with paint it’s important to match the paint with a hue used the wallpaper. With each of our wallpapers, we provide four perfectly partnered colours to make the styling process as simple as possible.’ Buy now: Restore emerald wallpaper, £65 a roll, Graham & Brown 5. Try a terrazzo print Image credit: Future PLC A terrazzo print is similar to a leopard print, as it can almost be seen as a neutral, and create a backdrop with which to pair a more daring colour scheme. Because of its random, small scale pattern, it doesn’t distract too much and if using with especially vibrant pieces of furniture, like these yellow set of drawers, adds interest to your wall, but still lets the hero piece sing. Try terrazzo to give your living room a fresh, new feel. 6. Make it matching Image credit: Laura Ashley For a totally cohesive look, why not match your wallpaper with your curtains? It’s the ideal way to extend your chosen wallpaper design over window dressings and ensure there is no break in the pattern. Many brands and designers will produce wallpaper, fabrics and accessories in the same print, so it’s easy to keep to a matching look. If opting for full length curtains is a little too much pattern for your taste, try going for a couple of cushion covers in a matching print to your wallpaper, so the design is echoed more subtly around the room. 7. Add depth to a colour scheme Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore Wallpaper no longer means you have to add standout patterns and prints. The trend for textured wallpapers is back, allowing you to add depth to a colour scheme without overpowering the space with pattern. In this striking blue living room idea the wallpaper adds interest to the use of colour, preventing it from feeling flat but not distracting fro the blue colour scheme. Painting the skirting boards in the room helps to immerse the entire wall in a unified colour. 8. Imitate wall panelling with wallpaper Image credit: Wallsauce.com "Wall panels add subtle textures and still achieve their original function of maintaining warmth, fulfilling our longing for the tactility and natural materials that modern life is often lacking’ says explains David Harris, Design Director at Andrew Martin. ‘Wall panelling is often seen as a traditional addition to our homes but fast forward to today and many people are adding their own spin to panelling, making it a more accessible design trend, which makes it so relevant for decorating in 2021.’ ‘If taking part in this DIY task seems overwhelming, you can now achieve a wall panelling look through the use of wallpaper which offers the same effect requiring minimal effort.’ 9. Enhance a rustic scheme Image credit: Future PLC/ Dan Duchars Use a living room wallpaper idea to add character to a decor scheme, such as this rustic country-style setting. Use a striking design to enhance the natural elements of your living room, such as woodland scene to add character to a cottage living room with exposed wooden beams and low ceilings. Choosing a wallpaper design around your existing decor will create a subtle yet stylish approaching to decorating. 10. Frame the fireplace with pattern Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore Wallpapering either side of a fireplace helps to cement your choice of wallpaper as the focal point for the room. Choose a wallpaper that contrasts but accents tonally with the paint shade on the chimney breast to help balance the scheme. The neutral linen upholstery and the washed wooden furniture help to anchor the look. The yellow armchair cements the choice of accent colour in this grey and yellow living room idea, giving it more prominence. 11. Invite texture to walls Image credit: Future PLC/ Joanna Henderson; Fragments wallpaper, £31 per sq m, Rebel Walls Where you’re looking to add interest to wall surfaces but not wanting fully-on pattern, seek an alternative design that emulates the look of a distressed surface. By doing so your walls will ooze character and interest without overpowering the scheme by layering too much pattern. The grey shades of this ‘Fragments’ surface wallpaper design offers a subtle warmth and shimmering effect, which gives walls a soft yet intriguing finish. 12. Coordinate pattern to match soft furnishings Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore Immerse the whole living room in coordinating pattern to add a real wow factor. Just be sure the room is large enough to take the look, often in small spaces too much pattern can overwhelm and make it feel claustrophobic. Take this fine example as best practise, where the pattern is soft and subtle, with a mid-tone green on a neutral ground. The light contrasting background helps to inject a brightness to the scheme, to prevent it from feeling too heavy. 13. Create a quiet corner for reading Image credit: Future Publishing PLC/ David Giles There’s nothing quite like a trompe l’oeil wallpaper to create a sense of intrigue, faking a set up that isn’t really there. Take for instance this library-effect wallpaper, which creates the look of stacked bookshelves to dedicate a corner of this living room as an imaginative reading nook. Clever use of wallpaper can create a sense of space, tricking the eye into making the space appear bigger than it really is. 14. Make artwork of a wallpaper design Image credit: Future Publishing PLC/ Tim Young Make a statement of a wallpaper by framing it. This creative idea allows you to use a wallpaper in your living space, in a more imaginative way. It’s great for not only adding a quirky touch to the decor, it’s also great if on a budget. Only one roll will be required to cover a smaller section of wall. 15. Dominate one wall with pattern Image credit: Future PLC/ Jeremy Phillips Choose the most dominant wall in the room to become a feature wall to position your chosen wallpaper design. This will most likely be the wall with the fireplace on, or if you don’t have any architectural focus points it could be the wall with the TV – where all the furniture points towards. Creating a feature wall helps to anchor the remainder of the decor, directing all eyes towards the wallpaper. 16. Compliment a colour palette Image credit: Future PLC/ Tim Young Add a tonal wallpaper design to walls that sit cohesively beside painted walls. Keeping a coordinating colour scheme here stops even a busy prints from over powering the room. 17. Create a decorative backdrop Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore An open-back shelving unit can be backed beautifully by a decorative wallpaper. It’s a great way to add layers to the look, creating even more of statement. To stop the busy wall from toppling the rest of the room keep furniture neutral for balance – a bright white helps to create a striking contrast. 18. Tie an open-plan room together Image credit: Future PLC/ Mark Bolton Use an eye-catching wallpaper to unify different living zones in an open-plan space. Here, two separate seating areas are visually drawn together by a whimsical botanical print running around the entire circumference of the room. Paper from the dado rail upwards to prevent the scheme from becoming too busy – it’s a sneaky way to save money on your scheme, too. 19. Smarten up with pinstripes Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Bevan Create a tailored, designer look in your living room with pinstripes – they look just as smart on your walls as they do on suits. Choose soft greys so the scheme doesn't feel overly masculine, and add a luxe touch with accents of gold in your accessories and soft furnishings. Keep window treatments plain and simple, making the walls the star feature. 20. Clad a chimney breast in wallpaper Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Scarboro Embrace architectural details that lend a sense of charm to the space. The beautiful of decorating a small area with wallpaper means you save on costs because only one roll is required. In this small living room idea the wallpaper helps to balance the fully stacked bookshelves either side of the fireplace, in the alcoves. 21. Play with mid-century patterns Image credit: Future PLC/ Claire Davies Add a sense of retro fun to your living room scheme with mid-century colours and patterns. When it comes to 1950s prints, it’s a case of the bolder the better, so be brave and create a striking feature wall in a daring shade or design. Balance your wallpaper with a streamlined period-style sofa in a complementary colour. 22. Pick a theme and stick to it Image credit: Future PLC/ David Brittain If you know you are going for a strong theme or trend in your living room, then pick out wallpaper that will complement and emphasise your theme. A botanical patterned wallpaper will instantly conjure up thoughts of the great outdoors. Carry the theme through to the rest of your scheme with natural wood furniture, soft pebble tones and rustic woodland accessories. 23. Make a statement with monochrome Image credit: Future PLC/ Lisa Cohen After an effortlessly contemporary look for a modern living room idea? You can’t go wrong with monochrome. Create a dramatic backdrop to your scheme with a bold black and white wallpaper, such as this striking cityscape. Paint woodwork black to frame your feature wall and turn it into a work of art. To soften the scheme, add a smattering of furniture and accessories in natural wood tones. 24. Go totally tropical with vibrant hues Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Bevan Transform a plain white room into a tropical paradise with a wallpaper teeming with exotic plants. Continue the colonial jungle feel in the rest of your scheme, with cane furniture, plantation shutters and a cocktail trolley for those early evening gin and tonics. Choose a wallpaper with a white backdrop and your scheme will still feel light and airy, despite the vibrancy of the pattern. 25. Try a tonal scheme Image credit: Future PLC/ David Brittain Pick a wallpaper featuring different shades of the same colour to create a subtle but striking feature wall rather than overwhelming the space. Opting for a simple design instead of a hectic pattern will also help to soothe the scheme. To break up a papered wall, place your furniture and artwork in strategic positions around the edge of the room. 26. Bring zing with bright colours Image credit: Lola Design; Hummingbird Black & White Mustard Wallpaper, £99 per roll If you want to introduce bright shades into your living room, balance a neutral scheme with a colourful wallpaper. Pick out tones from the wallpaper and echo them in your soft furnishings – this zesty lime yellow occassional chair help to draw the room together. Use a neutral colour like beige to break up strong blocks of colour where needed. 27. Fake wood cladding Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore Use a creative wallpaper design to create a wood effect on walls. In this tonal living room the wallpaper fakes the effect of wood cladding, adding a rustic element to the decor. The tones within the design are picked out in the soft furnishings to make the scheme feel harmonious and effortlessly chic. 28. Add a touch of flower power Image credit: Lola Design; Ladybird Stone Wallpaper, £99 per roll Bring a contemporary country living room to life with a floral wallpaper. Balance a large botanical print with plain painted walls for the rest of the room to make a real feature of the space. Here the wallpaper has only been used to create a striking feature wall behind a sleek walnut sideboard. Stick to plain or simple patterns in your soft furnishings, leaving the wallpaper to take centre stage. 29. Create a sense of drama Image credit: Future PLC/ Richard Powers Add a theatrical touch to a neutral scheme with a bold printed wallpaper. This rich midnight blue and gold pattern creates a focal point out of the modern chimney breast and immediately draws the eye. Touches of gold add a sense of luxury to the space and tie in with the metallic elements around the rest of the room. 30. Update an old classic Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Bevan Create a contemporary cutting-edge vibe in your living room with a wallpaper that puts a new spin on a classic print. A pixelated design transforms this floral pattern from traditional country to contemporary cool. For a strong, unified scheme, pick out colours and patterns from your wallpaper and reiterate them in your soft furnishings and accessories. 31. Welcome nature indoors Image credit: Future PLC/ Spike Powell Bring elements from the garden indoors with a classic wallpaper showcasing country flora and fauna. This spring-inspired country living room idea features gentle blooms, birds at play and leafy greens. Wirework pots and antiquities complete the potager look. Spring greens, soft lilacs and pretty pinks on white backgrounds give this classic style a fresh modern twist. 32. Set the scene Image credit: Future PLC/ Katya De Grunwald Embrace the great outdoors and cover your wall in graphite-hue forestry. This pictorial mural depicts towering trees and cloud-lined skies in a soothing palette of blues and greys. Positioning a powder-soft velvet chaise in front of an exquisite etched backdrop creates a serene corner for reading. The dark tones of the upholstery treatments and rug chime nicely with the feature wallpaper for a cohesive feel. 33. Nod to the past Image credit: Future PLC/ Lizzie Orme Use a striking retro wallpaper in a mix of classic 1970s colours, such as browns and oranges, to create a feature wall that is loud and proud. A wallpaper is a surefire way to help your distinguish a zone or theme in your space. Here, an assortment of modern and traditional furniture, such as the gentlemen’s leather armchair and mid-century sofa, sit well with the vintage display cabinet, while a greyscale Bowie artwork completes this 1970s scheme. 34. Personalise your walls Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore Work a world map into your décor for a cool artwork with international appeal. Maps come in myriad styles and scales, and they make great wall art, as this scheme proves. For a vintage vibe, go for a multi-map design like the one shown here. For country-house grandeur, try a blown-up oil-painting mural. Or why not try a photo print of trees and bring the outdoors into a city flat? 35. Proceed with painterly pattern Image credit: Future PLC/ Adrian Briscoe Introduce brushstroke-style patterns in bold colours. Drawing on the work of French painters Bonnard, Monet and Seurat, this painterly wallpaper pays homage to artistic spirit. This Impressionist-style wallpaper effortlessly showcases the graduated, ombre-effect that we have all come to know and love. Position a mirror on a wall opposite a patterned wallpaper and it will reflect the design at different angles as you move around the room. 36. Get in touch with texture Image credit: Future PLC/ Jamie Mason Mimic the look of stacked stone and exposed brick walls with realistic-looking faux wallpaper. Great for modern, urban spaces as well as country dwellings, this brick-style wallpaper effectively depicts a traditional, weathered brick wall. Faux wallpapers look all the more striking if kept to just one feature wall, with neutral furnishings and accessories. Less is more, so don't use them in more than one or two rooms or the effect will be diminished. 37. Wallpaper furniture Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore Who says wallpaper needs to go on your walls? Make a striking statement in your living room by wallpapering a key piece of furniture, such as a sideboard. This is also a fantastic way to upcycle an old item that might otherwise end up at the tip. Go for wood or brick-effect wallpaper for an on-trend trompe l'oeil look. Loved this living room wallpaper ideas? We have plenty more wallpaper inspiration for you! How to choose a living room wallpaperIt can be tricky to know where to start when choosing a wallpaper for your living room, but choosing a design that you love and excites you is a good place to start. You might also want to consider the size of your room and also its positioning, as Zoe Hopgood, Designer at Graham & Brown explains… "When choosing wallpaper for your living room it's important to note whether the room is north or south facing. If the room faces south then it will get a lot of sunlight, allowing the use of the cooler colours in the spectrum, however a north facing room will need warmer colours to make the space feel cosy. Using a patterned wallpaper creates a focal point for the room – try pulling colours from it using accessories to create a cohesive interior style.” Also think about how you want to feel in when you’re in your living room and how it is being used.. Is it a place to entertain? to relax? to curl up and watch movies? to enjoy a hobby such as painting? Once you know how the space will be used, you can start to think about whether you want a more invigorating, colourful design or a calming, muted one. There are many factors to take into consideration, aside from personal taste. Firstly consider how you use the room and whereabouts in the property it resides. In small living rooms a large scale patterned wallpaper might overpower the space. If the space is an open-plan living room adjoined to the garden, a nature-inspired wallpaper might feel more at home – perfectly welcoming the outdoors in. If the room is more of a formal sitting room only used on occasions, the space might benefit more from a gentle print to create a calming, serene feel. Where do I put wallpaper in a living room?Another tricky one, and perhaps a personal preference, but think about where a pattern or design will enhance the space and what sort of statement you want the room to make. Melanie Adams, Global Manager at WallpaperDirect says, ‘Many living rooms tend to have an existing focal point, such as a fireplace or entertainment system and so it's not always recommended to have a conflicting feature wall. Consider using a wallpaper on all four walls that complements the focal point for a more visually relaxing result.' Whatever wall you choose to cover, be confident in your choice and remember, it can always be changed if you really hate it. Do you have a Chimney breast or alcoves that would welcome wallpaper to make a characterful feature wall? In a living room generally speaking it’s best to wallpaper the most obvious wall. so the one you see when you immediately walk into the space. Wallpapering the wall with the TV on can help disguise it to some degree. Feeling inspired to add wallpaper to your living room? The post Living room wallpaper ideas to give your lounge an instant glow up appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| What is a smart meter and how does it work? Posted: 23 Nov 2021 12:00 AM PST By now we’re all familiar with the term smart meter, but just what is a smart meter? How does it work and why should you consider having one in your home? Whether it’s a smart meter for gas, smart meter for water or a smart meter for electricity they all work on the same principal – smart usage readings to provide better, more accurate calculations for household utility bills. What is a smart meter? Image credit: Getty Images/ Martin Prescott 'Smart meters are the new generation of gas and electricity meters,' explains Flurr Lawton from Smart Energy GB. They are being installed in homes across Great Britain at no extra cost, to replace the traditional meters, including prepay meters, that most of us currently have ticking away under the stairs, or outside our homes.' 'Smart meters record your energy use in the same way as a traditional meter, adds Flurr, 'but they also transmit the readings to your energy supplier, allowing them to prepare an accurate bill.' What do smart meters actually do?The smart meter provides fast gas and electricity readings which are automatically sent (at least once a month) to the utility supplier via a secure data network. This means that you no longer have to submit meter readings yourself manually. It should also mean that your bills are no longer based on estimates of usage. Smart meters usually come with a portable hub. This displays exactly how much gas and electricity you're using in real time, as well as what it's costing you in pounds and pence. This can help you keep track of what appliances are costing you more to run and if this varies during specific times of the day. A great way to budget while still keeping your home warm in winter. What is a smart meter for gas and a smart meter for electricity?Whether it's a smart meter for electricity or for gas, they both essentially fulfil the same function. Separate smart meters are installed for gas and for electricity. Depending on your supplier (whether you receive your gas and electricity from the same or different providers) the readings from your meters are sent in real time to a single portable home display where you can keep an eye on the separate readings for your gas and electricity consumption in your household. How do I read a smart meter?You can take a reading from your smart meter in one of two ways. Either from the portable in –home display from the menu screen you should scroll to the ‘meter reading’ screen. There you'll find your current usage. Depending on the type of portable display you have, you'll be able to get a breakdown of your usage by day, month, billing period, and so on. Taking a reading from the smart meter itself depends on the type of meter you have installed. Citizens Advice offers walkthroughs of how to read the various types of meters installed in most UK homes.  Image credit: Future PLC/ David Merewether What are smart meter pros and cons?'Lots of people think smart meters are great and to be fair, they're the future', says Gareth from GoCompare.com. 'If you get one installed, it’s likely to be a SMETS2 type meter and that means it will be compatible with other suppliers if you transfer to another provider at a later date. The hope is, 'that by increasing your awareness of price and use, you’ll cut your consumption and save money.' 'On the downside,' he admits, 'accurate billing sometimes means you’ll have to pay for the energy you use each month. For instance, more in the winter and less in the summer. That can make budgeting more problematic, especially for those on a tight budget. Ao we’d recommend talking to your new supplier about this before you go ahead'. Of course, as with any form of electronics, the technology of smart meters can occasionally fail. Which could leave you not knowing how much energy you've consumed, and therefore not know your next bill is going to be based on. Such failings can make it hard to take (or send) readings, which will in turn affect your billing. They're not the most intuitive of devices either, so those that lack any tech know-how may find smart meters to be quite confusing. Will I save money with a smart meter?'Just having a smart meter installed doesn’t automatically save money,' says Fflur Lawton from Smart Energy GB. 'But the in-home display that comes with your smart meter helps you keep on top of your energy bill.' 'A big advantage to having a smart meter is also the energy usage data it gives you. Which you can use to identify times and situations when you’re using more or less,' she adds. 'For example, you may realise that leaving your computer on standby consumes more energy than you had thought; getting into the habit of turning it off completely when it’s not in use.' 'Similarly, you may not be able to work out just how much energy your washing machine consumes, and see the real energy saving benefits of switching to eco cycles, or line drying rather than tumble drying washing.'  Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Whitmore Do I have to get a smart meter?In short, no. No –one is obliged to get a smart meter installed. However, some suppliers are making it a precondition that consumers get one installed in order to access their best deals. How do I top up a smart meter?Smart meters are available no matter how you pay your bill. So if you're a prepay customer (topping up with a card or key) you can avail of the benefits of having a smart meter. It's also easier to top up, with more options – online, via an app, by text or by phone. Will my smart meter work if I change suppliers?Yes, but it depends on the type of meter. 'Second generation (SMETS2) meters will retain their full smart functionality following a switch of supplier, explains Fflur from Smart Energy GB. 'The issue with switching only relates to some older, first generation (SMETS1) meters, which are no longer being installed.' What if my smart meter stops working?Take a manual reading from the meter itself as soon as you're aware of the problem. You may need to refer to this later. Work out whether it's the smart meter itself or the portable display which has the problem. Check the portable display power supply – it might have flat batteries or not be plugged in properly. Displays work best when they are positioned close by the meter. Try repositioning the display to a closer location. If the problem still isn't resolved, check that your supplier is receiving readings. If they are, then it's a display problem. If the display unit is under 12 months old they should be able to send you out a new one. You may have to pay for a new display if it has incurred damage which was your fault. Finally, if the supplier is having connectivity problems with your meter, you may need to take regular manual readings until the problem is resolved. The post What is a smart meter and how does it work? appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| The £8 Primark Christmas wreath Instagram is obsessed with Posted: 22 Nov 2021 11:00 PM PST The Primark Christmas wreath has taken Instagram by storm, with fans eager to pick up the festive decoration for just £8. There’s no doubt in our minds that this is one of the best Christmas wreaths around for 2021. A simple Christmas wreath never fails to make a home feel festive. Whether you’ve got one hanging on the door or resting on the mantelpiece, Christmas wreath ideas usher in the festive spirit with minimal effort. ‘Nothing says ‘Christmas’ like a festive wreath on your door,’ reads the caption on Primark’s Instagram post. ‘Wreaths from £8/€10. Coming Soon!’ Primark Christmas wreathFrom the post, we know that Primark will be offering at least three different styles at great prices. One (top left) is made of faux fir, eucalyptus, white Christmas berries, and pine cones. It has a lovely natural feel, and looks like it’s been given a dusting of snow. We’ve seen people using a mix of natural materials in their Christmas decor this year, so this feels very on-trend.  Image credit: Primark The classic green wreath on the right boasts a simple design with a single variety of delicate foliage. Alternatively, anyone steering away from classic reds and greens could plump for the shiny metallic wreath, tying in with modern Christmas ideas. Primark’s Instagram post has had plenty of comments from shoppers. ‘These wreaths are divine! We do, too, and are imagining it looking magical lit up by twinkly lights or candles. Many Primark fans tagged friends to alert them of the festive decor development. It’s unclear when they will be making their way into stores, so keep a beady eye out on your next visit. If you’ve never decorated with wreaths before, then rest assured this one will make a statement to your neighbours. Why not check out the cheapest wreaths on Amazon whilst you’re here, too? Unashamedly Christmassy, they’re a simple way to bring festive cheer. You could, of course, make your own with friends and family as a way to get into the Christmas spirit. When it comes to how to make a Christmas wreath there are just a few key steps to follow. We’re making our own and looking out for Primark’s budget options, though, because honestly, the more the merrier. The post The £8 Primark Christmas wreath Instagram is obsessed with appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Black Friday home deals – the best offers for Black Friday week 2021 Posted: 22 Nov 2021 11:00 AM PST Yes, the Black Friday deals are here early for 2021, which means that you can score an incredible bargain now. Whether it’s a new appliance to replace a broken one, a mattress for a better night’s sleep or perhaps it’s a Christmas gift for someone special? Don’t miss our roundup of the top Black Friday home deals. Because the earlier you shop, the better… in our eyes. Plus, this way you’ll miss out on the madness and score an early bargain. What’s not to love about that? Here are the very best Black Friday offers for 2021, as picked by Ideal Home experts. We’ve scoured everywhere from Amazon to AO, Robert Dyas plus more retailers to find the top offers on the market this week. Shop now before they sell out – or before the deals change. Black Friday sales – quick linksPrefer to do your sale shopping on your own? Use these quick links below to jump straight to Amazon, Very or wherever else, to shop the sales now. Amazon – up to 50% off big brands from Le Creuset to Joseph Joseph The best Black Friday home deals to buy in 2021These are the best Black Friday deals to buy today, as chosen by the experts at Ideal Home.  Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser |  Echo Dot (3rd Gen) |  Amazon Beauty Advent Calendar 2021 |  TASSIMO by Bosch Style TAS1107GB Coffee Machine |  Our Place Always Pan |  Blueair Blue Pure 221 Air Purifier |  Monaco Firepit |  Google Nest Mini (2nd Gen) |  Flash Powermop Starter Kit |  BISSELL PowerFresh SlimSteam 2234E | Black Friday mattress dealsFind all of the best mattress deals at our dedicated page These are the best early Black Friday mattress offers around right now – some brands have even released their Black Friday sales early for 2021. This is definitely the smartest time of year to invest in a new mattress, and these are the brands we suggest buying from.  Emma | up to 50% off for Black Friday 2021  Simba | 50% off over £300+ for Black Friday 2021  Eve | up to 35% off mattresses + 20% off bed frames for Black Friday  Brook + Wilde | 40% off ALL mattresses £500+  OTTY mattresses | up to half price off for Black Friday 2021 Black Friday furniture offersDiscover our Black Friday furniture deals page for all of the bargains Whether it’s one of the best sofas, a brand new bed frame or perhaps it’s new bedside tables that you want to buy this Black Friday? We say to do your shopping at the retailers below. This is where you can find early furniture deals on bedroom furniture, dining room buys and even living room furniture – including offers on the best sofa beds.  Amazon | SALE LIVE NOW Furniture123 | SALE NOW LIVE  La Redoute | SALE NOW LIVE  VonHaus | SALE NOW LIVE  Cox & Cox | SALE NOW LIVE Black Friday vacuum cleaner offersSourcing a new vacuum cleaner this Black Friday? Smart idea. We can help you bag the top vacuum for a cheaper price, so as to save you heaps of money on this must-have. Not sure which vacuum cleaner you want to buy? We’ve listed plenty of choices below, from the likes of Shark, Eufy and more, so that you can find the best option for you, whether you live in a 5-bed, a studio, or it’s a robot vacuum cleaner you want so that you don’t have to lift a finger.  Shark Upright Vacuum Cleaner [NZ801UKT] |  Shark Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner [ICZ300UK] |  ECOVACS Robotics DEEBOT N79S Robot Vacuum Cleaner |  Shark Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner (Single Battery) [WV200UK] | Black Friday kitchen offersAnother reason to shop the Black Friday sales? The kitchen deals are always incredible. By kitchen deals we mean offers on anything from the best toasters to air fryers, slow cookers, top kettles, coffee machines plus lots more. From top brands, too, including the likes of KitchenAid and Smeg. So, if the appliance you’ve been lusting after for a while is still a bit too expensive for your liking, then just wait for Black Friday. Here are the best early deals to bag now.  COSORI Air Fryer 4.7L with Recipes |  Morphy Richards Verve Pour Over Filter Coffee Machine |  Ninja Foodi MAX Multi-Cooker [OP500UK] |  NINJA Foodi Dual Zone 7.6L Air Fryer AF300UK| KITCHENAID Artisan 5KSM125BMH Stand Mixer| When is Black Friday in 2021?This year’s Black Friday sale falls on Friday the 26th of November. Cyber Monday is on the 29th of November 2021. Mark your calendars. What is Black Friday?A tradition in the United States since the fifties, Black Friday is an epic sale day that sees shops slash their prices to encourage Christmas shopping. Asda and Amazon brought Black Friday to the UK in 2010 and other brands followed suit, but bunfights over bargains in some stores have led it to become mostly an online affair over here. Black Friday 2021 – everything else you need to knowAre the bargains as good as they seem?There are some great deals – last year we spotted cheap Nespresso machines, budget-friendly mattresses and a even Miele vacuum at less than half price. However, some retailers use Black Friday as an opportunity to clear out old stock, or even increase the prices of items beforehand to make the deals look better on the day. How can I avoid being ripped off on Black Friday?'It's easy to get carried away, so make a list of what you want in advance,' advises Danny Munday, general manager of HotUKDeals. It also pays to read reviews and compare prices of the models you like, so you know you're getting a genuine deal. 'Check the shipping costs before you order, too,' adds Danny. 'Some brands charge so much for postage, it cancels out any savings.' Will my Black Friday purchases arrive by Christmas?It's not guaranteed, so check the estimated delivery times and factor in a few extra days on top. Due to the number of people shopping at the same time, some parcels may take longer to arrive than usual. How long have I got to get these promotions?Some deals sell out in seconds, so be ready to make a quick decision and have your card details to hand. Fingers crossed, you can grab yourself some bargains. Good luck! The post Black Friday home deals – the best offers for Black Friday week 2021 appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Christmas bauble display ideas – 23 ways to decorate creatively Posted: 22 Nov 2021 09:00 AM PST  When it comes to the Christmas decorations none works harder than the mighty bauble! Especially as Christmas baubles display ideas become more popular, for filling the rest of the home with colour and cheer – baubles are no longer just for the tree! Each year we witness new creative ways to display this simple yet stylish festive decoration to full potential. Whether choosing expensive heirlooms to cherish for Christmas’ to come or affordable acrylic designs to load up to offer a splash of colour, there’s a bauble display idea to suit. Christmas bauble display ideasTake inspiration from our imaginative bauble display ideas to add a stylish touch to any room; from over-mantel masterpieces to alternative Christmas tree ideas. Here’s how to put a creative spin on this classic Christmas decoration… 1. Create bauble wall art displays Image credit: Dobbies It’s was THE trend of Christmas 2020, where we saw ingenious Christmas displays made up with walls of Christmas baubles. But attaching hundreds of round decorations to walls is no easy task…unless you use a wire frame, like the clever team at Dobbies Garden Centres with its collection of festive baubles. Get creative with a wire screen to fix a fabulous arrangement of foliage and decorative baubles to create the most captivating display of the season. Secure the faux stems and the ornaments to the mesh framework using a fine floristry wire, to ensure every item is secure but that the wire is not seen. We even saw fans using and making chicken wire Christmas decorations last year to fashion their imaginative doorway displays. 2. Add colour and sparkle to a living room light Image credit: Tamara Kelly This is my own Christmas living room decor, so I can safely say this idea is an easy but impactful one on the feel of any room. Each year I give my statement living room chandelier a little festive makeover, with the simple addition of mini disco ball-style baubles. The assortment of pink decorations are staggered in height using various shades of pink ribbon. The baubles catch the light beautifully at night when the light is on – creating a heavenly disco vibe! I double bow the ribbon to ensure they stay put, but also to point out – the baubles are shatterproof and almost weightless, to avoid weighing on the delicate light fitting. 3. Suspend a bauble wreath over a dining table Image credit: John Lewis & Partners Floral arrangements suspended (safely) over dining tables is a hugely popular styling trend of recent years, and it’s easy to see why it’s so popular. Try this idea to jazz up a floral arrangement hung over a dining table. Using a decorative ribbon or twine staggered a collection of baubles from the structure of the wreath or tress branch – ensuring all are firm and secure, to avoid your decorative display falling onto the table below. Cascade the baubles down at different heights to add interest and depth to this magical display. Go one step further with a set of fairy light threaded around the wreath hoop, to add a soft illumination to the display. 4. Decorate a ladder Christmas tree with baubles galore Image credit: Homesense It’s shaped like a tree and has baubles hanging, which is enough for us to love this artistic creation. It would involve buying A LOT of baubles, but you can get hold of so many inexpensive sets now nowadays, so don’t let that deter you from recreating this fun alternative Christmas tree idea. Use a clear wire to hang the baubles to create a sense of them floating within the frame. Adopt this idea to add a sense of fun to a family living room or a hallway to welcome guests with a statement display. 5. Decorate the chair backs with baubles Image credit: John Lewis & Partners Pull out all the stops for your guests by decorating their chairs especially for the occasion. A selection of elegant, colourful baubles tied to the back of each chair can go a long way to making even the everyday kitchen dining chairs feel fabulously festive. We’d recommend using shatterproof bauble designs to avoid unnecessary breakages, because while you want the seating to look – it still has to prove practical. 6. Curate a display using cake stands and candles Image credit: Dominic Blackmore Fashioning an impressive centrepiece needed cost the earth. Repurpose your cake stands, stacking them on top of one another to add height and drama to the table. Simply use baubles on each level to add a decorative touch, with the option to enhance the look by adding in elements of dried fruit and sprigs of foliage. 7. Set the scene with a bauble centrepiece Image credit: Future PLC Fill a cloches, bowl or even a terrarium with decorative baubles to make an easy but effective Christmas table centrepiece idea. Using a glass structure allows the baubles to be seen, to add a splash of colour and glitz to the table top. 8. Make a big impact with mini baubles Image credit: Future PLC/ Jo Henderson You can go small but still make a huge impact to the decorating scheme. Use a sideboard or console table to create a sophisticated twig display, adorned with delicate small baubles – just enough to add a hint of festivities without being OTT. Pair with a simple candle votive with sprigs of seasonal foliage, for a soft approach to sophisticated Christmas decorating. 9. Display a bowl full of baubles Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole Pop baubles in a glass bowl to make an attractive coffee table or kitchen centrepiece. Compliment the colours of the baubles to the decor, adding the same tone. This simple display is enough to set the scene for the season, without having to deck the halls. Ideal for those wanting to keep decorating to a minimal. 10. Fashion an artistic twig bauble display Image credit: Future PLC/ Max Attenborough Who says baubles are only for Christmas trees? Branch out, quite literally, this year with an artistic twig display to add colour and festive decoration to a plain wall in the living or dining room. Choose to coordinate with your tree scheme or use a different accent colour to embrace more than one seasonal trend. It works best above a sideboard or shelf, allowing the surface to house the vase containing the twigs – alongside additional paper decorations and foliage. Alternatively you could suspend the twig from an existing picture hook, using twine or a clear thread. The branch display would replace what was usually hanging in the space – a clear sign of a seasonal refresh. 11. Go bold with a bright bauble star Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles Make a bold statement by placing a star on display, one made entirely from brightly coloured baubles. Ideal for placing anywhere you wish to make a focal point, such as on the mantelpiece. Ensure the star is securely propped up, to avoid it falling off and taking everything in its path with it as it falls. Coordinate tinsel to dress the surrounding space to add extra wow factor. If you’re feeling brave enough with a glue gun you could even have a go at making this yourself, simple glue the plastic baubles to a wire frame or polystyrene base. 12. Elevate your dessert Image credit: Future PLC For a simple but effective budget Christmas decorating idea, upgrade your dishes with decorations. Fill the top level of a cake stand with a dessert for your party guests, but rather than taking out more food than needed, use the extra levels to act as bauble displays. Pile up pretty baubles, battery-powered fairy lights or sprigs of holly and you’re good to go! 13. Put on a bauble array Image credit: Future PLC/ Sussie Bell Make the table a toast to the versatility of baubles. Fill glass vases and dishes with baubles and line every free table space with a string of these gems to set the scene for festivities. Create a truly show-stopping spread by mixing the bauble displays with fake snow and festive foliage. 14. Make a feature of a fireplace Image credit: Future PLC/ Emma Lee If you aren’t using your fireplace this winter but have a large cavern to fill, then place a log basket brimming with beautiful baubles. To prevent wasting their beauty, fill the basket first with blankets or something of the sort – then simply fill the visible area with baubles. Place the basket in the space before stringing stockings from it and sprinkling with strands of foliage. 15. Create an alternative nativity Image credit: Future PLC/ Paul Raeside Be super stylish and give your traditional nativity scene a glamorous spin this year. Upcycle a child’s playhouse with baubles and festive fairy lights for a fun festive display. Replace figurines with giant baubles in Christmas colours, completing your scene with metallic trees. 16. Set the table with a dapper display Image credit: Future PLC/ Jonathan Gregson Add some bauble tradition to your dining table this year by adding a small display to each place setting. Match a bauble to the colour of your plates and napkins to create a smart place setting for your festive feast for a thoughtful Christmas table decoration idea. 17. Tier baubles on a chandelier Image credit: Future PLC/ Chris Everard Baubles need not only hang from your tree, but can also hang throughout the house. Strung from a simple light the cascading balls will form a festive halo decoration. Hang from coloured ribbons to add jolly accent colours to the look. In this idea the baubles appear to seamlessly blend in, rather than stand out too much – thanks to the matching muted colour palette. 18. Enhance natural beauty with tonal baubles Image credit: Future PLC/ Max Attenborough Sometimes less is more. Use baubles in muted tones to enhance the existing decor. Elegant frosted glass and metallic browns singularly placed on a sideboard or mantelpiece can add just enough of a nod to festive cheer. Adding a seasonal element to a dried flower arrangement, that is already on display to lift the decor. 19. Jazz up a stairway for bauble heaven Image credit: Future PLC Cover your barren staircase with clusters of tree decorations and balls hanging from thick strands of ribbon. Lining the steps with festive decorations will get all the family excited as they come down on Christmas Day. 20. Give your wreath a bauble overhaul Image credit: Future PLC/ Maxwell Attenborough Instead of opting strictly for foliage this year, make a door wreath with baubles and large loops of luscious ribbon. Adding baubles gives it a contemporary twist. You’ll have all the neighbours talking and trying their hand at bauble bouquets next year. Above is a wreath from our Christmas shoot, fashioned with fragrant herbs, pretty baubles and decorative dried flowers. 21. Shower your home with bauble droplets Image credit: Future PLC Cover your home in strings of cascading baubles and other tree decorations like these. Make them out of left over baubles or last year’s colour scheme and pin them in front of barren walls and windows for a sprinkling of Christmas spangle. 22. Deck the halls and more Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Bevan Cover any wall art you have (whether that be a unicorn head or a gallery of family photos!) with strings of baubles and reels of ribbon for an instant festive make over that doesn’t need a tree. 23. Place an alternative new table signature Image credit: Future PLC/ Laura Edwards Be inventive with your table name cards this year by detaching the ribbon from a bauble and slotting a name card through the loophole. Super easy and super chic, these place settings will go down a treat with your meal. How will you be decorating with baubles this Christmas? The post Christmas bauble display ideas – 23 ways to decorate creatively appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| 16 best Christmas advent calendars for adults – to buy this Black Friday Posted: 22 Nov 2021 09:00 AM PST We’ve rounded up the very best advent calendars for adults to buy in 2021, so that you can buy rest assured you’re spending your money on one of the best options around. Whether chocolate isn’t your thing or you’re looking to spruce up your December with a new tradition – perhaps you are buying a Christmas advent calendar for somebody else? We are your eyes and your ears (and in some cases your taste buds) when it comes to finding something to suit your needs. Our Christmas advent calendar roundup features everything from alcohol advent calendars to food advent calendars, as well as ones for tea lovers, coffee drinkers and even DIYers.
We’ve even listed a few Black Friday advent calendar deals, for those who don’t want to spend a lot of money – but who still want to join in with the festivities. This is your last chance to buy an advent calendar for 2021, with December the 1st just around the corner. Don’t wait any longer.
Start scrolling to wow your guests, show off on your Instagram stories or treat someone you love to a little pre-Christmas surprise. Here’s how you can make December a little less stressful, and a little more festive. Black Friday advent calendar deals Bomb Cosmetics Countdown to Christmas Advent Calendar |  BIC Advent Calendar |  Flower Seeds Christmas Advent Calendar 2021 |  Snaffling Pig 2021 Pork Scratching Advent Calendar |  Bonne Maman Advent Calendar 2021 |  William Morris At Home Dove & Rose 2021 Beauty Christmas Advent Calendar |  Cath Kidston Beauty Shine Bright 2021 Beauty Advent Calendar | Amazon Beauty Advent Calendar 2021 | The best advent calendars for adultsThe best chocolate advent calendar for adultsFortnum’s Piccadilly Chocolate Advent Calendar  Image credit: Fortnum & Mason It’s official: the best chocolate advent calendar for 2021 goes to Fortnum & Mason. Their Piccadilly Chocolate Advent Calendar doesn’t just taste great, but it looks the part, too. Shaped and designed so as to look similar to their Picadilly store, inside this calendar you will find 24 small doors. Reach inside these doors and enjoy sumptuous chocolate for each day of December. These chocolates are made with a minimum of 35% cocoa solids and expertly crafted to tantalise your taste buds. Plus, there’s the bonus that this advent calendar will bring the wow factor to your kitchen – it also makes a lovely gift. Buy now: Fortnum’s Piccadilly Chocolate Advent Calendar, £22, Fortnum & Mason The best prosecco advent calendar for adultsFreixenet 12-Day Sparkling Wine Christmas Countdown Advent Calendar  Image credit: Freixenet We’ve seen plenty of prosecco advent calendars in our time, but this one from Freixenet tops them all. Even if it does only have 12 boxes. Inside each drawer sits a 70cl bottle of Freixenet, ranging from their Negro Cavada to their Rosado Cava and their sparkling rose. For a bubbly treat in the lead up to Christmas, this advent calendar is here to keep you calm when there are approximately 1,000 things on your to-do list. Enjoy your glass and a half of bubbly in front of the TV, along with your dinner or with friends. This one’s going straight in our basket before it sells out. Buy now: Freixenet 12-Day Sparkling Wine Christmas Countdown Advent Calendar, £60, QVC The best whisky advent calendar for adultsWhisky Explorer Advent Calendar  Image credit: Drinks by the Dram This impressive advent calendar is filled with 24 mini bottles of whisky that have been wax-sealed – and specifically picked to brighten up your December. These fine whiskeys have been selected among 20 distilleries from 5 different countries, and they are 30ml in size – AKA the perfect pour to enjoy post-work or pre-dinner, by the fireplace or in front of the TV. A brilliant gift for a whisky lover, this premium advent calendar is also nice and compact so as not to take up too make space on their kitchen worktop. All you’ll need to supply each day are the rocks… Buy now: Drinks by the Dram Whisky Explorer Advent Calendar, £99.95, Master of Malt The best luxury advent calendar for adultsThe White Company Beauty Advent Calendar  Image credit: The White Company Yes, The White Company’s 2021 advent calendar is finally here. And it’s as gorgeous as we expected it to be. Think everything from shampoos to bath shots, sleep oils and even four candles – two of which are full-size with a 33-hour burn time – all inside. These beauty and home bits come in a range of scents from signature favourites to winter must-haves, from Seychelles to Lime & Bay and the to-die-for festive scent that is Fir Tree. Enveloped inside a white box that opens like a book with numbered drawers, The White Company’s advent calendar is as pretty as it is packed with goodies. This makes them understandably hard to get your hands on – more stock is expected at the end of October. Buy now: Beauty Advent Calendar, £120, The White Company The best candle advent calendar for adultsYankee Advent Book  Image credit: Yankee If you are searching for a candle advent calendar for 2021, then you have landed in just the right place. This one from Yankee not only looks great as it’s designed to look like a book, but it is filled with a range of Yankee favourites. From their Snow in Love fragrance to Letters to Santa, Christmas Cookie and even Cinnamon Stick, all of their top festive fragrances come inside this advent calendar. There’s a mix of tea lights and votives, plus a votive holder included. Buy now: Advent Book, £34.99, Yankee Candle
The best beauty advent calendar for adultsAmazon Beauty Advent Calendar 2021  Image credit: Amazon Amazon has truly upped their game this year with their 2021 beauty advent calendar. It’s packed with products from top brands including Neal’s Yard, L’Occitaine, Foreo, This Works, Real Techniques and more. Open this advent calendar each day in December to be greeted with a brilliant surprise, some of which are full-size, others sample size. We don’t want to ruin too much for you, but you’ll even find a Foreo Luna Play Mini behind one of the doors! Get yours whilst they’re still available. Buy now: Amazon Beauty Advent Calendar 2021, £70, AmazonThe best wine advent calendar for adultsVirgin Wines Mixed Wine Advent Calendar  Image credit: Virgin Wines Searching for a wine advent calendar? Whether it’s for yourself, to gift or perhaps it’s a treat for parents? Either way, this one from Virgin Wines is the best wine advent calendar you can buy for 2021. Why? It’s filled with bestselling wines from around the world – including limited edition bottles. It’s also mixed so that one day you’ll open a 20cl bottle of red, another day it could be white wine and the next rosé. There is, of course, sparkling included, too, and on the big day, you’ll open a full-size bottle of prosecco. What are you waiting for? Pre-order now for just £10. Buy now: Virgin Mixed Wine Advent Calendar, £89.99, Amazon The best vegan advent calendar for adultsCandy Kittens Christmas Advent Calendar  Image credit: Candy Kittens Buying an advent calendar for a vegan? It’s not all dairy-free chocolate, you know. Candy Kittens’ tree-shaped calendar is packed with vegan gourmet gummy sweets that are palm-oil free, too. The best part? You’ll get two sweets a day – minimum! – plus for every one of these advent trees you buy, they will plant an actual tree. Give something back to the environment with this vegan advent calendar. You won’t regret it! Buy now: Candy Kittens Christmas Advent Calendar , £12, Amazon The best gin advent calendar for adultsHaysmith’s Gin Advent Calendar  Image credit: Aldi Yes, you can currently grab this grand advent calendar from Aldi – online only. Behind each door lives a 5cl bottle of Haysmith gin, all of which differ in flavour and taste so as to spruce things up this December. The best part? The advent calendar itself is designed to look like a giant Christmas cracker, so as to look the part on display in your kitchen. Win-win. Buy now: Haysmith’s Gin Advent Calendar, £69.99, Aldi The best advent calendar for DIYersDraper 02431 Advent Calendar  Image credit:Draper Buy this advent calendar for the tool enthusiast in your life who loves DIY a tad too much. There’s a total of 54 pieces to collect, from 24 different doors. Think everything from drill bits to screwdrivers and even a storage case for everything to sit neatly inside. Buy now: Draper 02431 Advent Calendar, £30.99, Amazon The best coffee advent calendar for adultsPact Advent Calendar  Image credit: Pact Open each door of this Pact Advent Calendar to reveal a sachet of fresh coffee to start your day, the right way (caffeine-fuelled, obviously). This coffee advent calendar is filled with pre-ground coffee that’s perfect for brewing in your cafetière or Aeropress, plus each sachet is fully recyclable – and ethically sourced. A great way to spice up your morning brew in the run-up to Christmas, and to keep yourself awake after buying Christmas presents online at 2am. There’s everything from fruity coffees to dark coffees, bestsellers and more included. Buy now: Pact Advent Calendar, £29.95, Pact Coffee
The best beer advent calendar for adultsBrewDog 2021 Advent Calendar  Image credit: BrewDog Give the gift, or surprise yourself, with a beer a day this December thanks to BrewDog’s 2021 advent calendar. A total of 24 full-size beers live inside this decorative cardboard calendar – they’ll love it! A mix of IPA, pale ale’s and stout, plus there are 6 new beers for this Christmas hidden in there, as well as four online exclusives. The best part? BrewDog works to remove twice as much carbon from the atmosphere as they emit each year. Last year, this advent calendar sold out fast (it’s easy to see why!) so get yours whilst you still can. Buy now: BrewDog 2021 Advent Calendar, The best charity advent calendar for adultsLove Cocoa Luxury Chocolate Truffle Charity Advent Calendar  Image credit: Love Cocoa If you are searching for an advent calendar that gives back, then Love Cocoa’s Charity Advent Calendar should be your first pick. Every penny of profits go straight to NHS Charities Together, whilst it’s filled with decadent chocolate truffles to count down to Christmas in tasty style. Every bite will make a difference, whilst this calendar is also plastic-free – just when you thought it couldn’t get any better. Buy now: Love Cocoa Luxury Chocolate Truffle Charity Advent Calendar, £25, Love Cocoa The best advent calendar for your dog (or cat)Lily’s Kitchen Dog Christmas Advent Calendar  Image credit: Lily’s Kitchen Because our pets are technically adults, too, right? Help them countdown to Christmas in tasty style with a Lily’s Kitchen advent calendar. They probably love when you buy them Lily’s Kitchen treats, so what’s to say they won’t love this? All treats are made with natural ingredients and they are baked. Three types of treats come included in this calendar, from Training Treats to Rise & Shine treats for early mornings and Bedtime Biscuits for when you are opening their calendar later on than you’d hope in the day. What more could they want? Buy now: Lily’s Kitchen Dog Christmas Advent Calendar,£17.60, Amazon The best advent calendar for home lovers24 day wax melt Christmas advent calendar  Image credit: LittleCarouselGifts This wax melt advent calendar is handmade by a small business on Esty, plus there’s the added benefit that you can get it personalised with a name. Great for gifting to anyone who takes pride in their home smelling lovely, and the wax melts behind each door are even shaped. With scents such as spiced cranberry, candy cane and spiced mulled wine to look forward to melting, this calendar is more than tempting… Buy now: 24 day wax melt Christmas advent calendar, £15, Etsy The best advent calendar for tea loversTeapigs Limited Edition Advent Calendar  Image credit: Teapigs Whether you drink several cups of tea a day or you can’t get enough of herbal teas recently, this advent calendar should be yours. Inside lives 24 single-serve envelopes, from festive blends to all of your classics. You might find your favourite new tea with help from this advent calendar… Buy now: Teapigs Limited Edition Advent Calendar, £34.99, Amazon Which advent calendar will you be treating yourself to this year? There’s more to come on our list… The post 16 best Christmas advent calendars for adults – to buy this Black Friday appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Black Friday Velvetiser deal: 15% off the Hotel Chocolat hot chocolate maker Posted: 22 Nov 2021 08:40 AM PST The Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser is on everyone’s must-have wishlist this Christmas, so it’s no wonder that people are searching for a Black Friday Velvetiser deal. Not only is it super chic and luxurious, but the Velvetiser is also a brilliant way to remedy your winter blues. We recently tried it in our Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser review, and it made some of the best hot chocolate we have ever tried. Think super creamy, thick hot chocolate, with countless flavour options you can buy in-store or online.
Now 15% off at Amazon, the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser is down to £93.49. Still pretty pricey, we know, but it’s rare to find the Velvetiser for under £100, which makes this is top deal that we thought was worth shouting out. It also comes with two glasses and a selection box of their top flavours. We love the salted caramel, but there is also a mint choc and a ginger option for those who really love to experiment. Black Friday Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser deal Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser: was £105.95, now £93,49 at Amazon (save £16.96) Forget the powdery stuff you can buy from your local supermarket. The Velvetiser will heat the milk to 67-69°C (the exact temperature at which cocoa solids melt), its built-in whisk will fold everything together and minutes later you'll be sipping a barista-quality drink. No more dusty powder from here on! Hotel Chocolat grades of chocolate always have cocoa as the first and highest-quantity ingredient – not sugar, like most store-bought versions.
This could make a great Christmas present for the hot chocolate-loving person in your life, or simply as a luxurious treat for you. Go on – treat yourself!
The Velvetiser comes in a choice of three stylish colours, and includes a selection box of indulgent chocolate. Our personal favourite is the Matt Charcoal, but it also comes in a stylish Copper and White. The kit also comes with two beautiful mugs that look the part when making latte as well as hot chocolate. And if you want a cheaper alternative, you can also check out the best milk frothers. Will you be getting one for the hot chocolate fanatic in your life? You’ll probably be their favourite person if you do. The post Black Friday Velvetiser deal: 15% off the Hotel Chocolat hot chocolate maker appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Best Shark vacuum 2021: our top 8, reviewed Posted: 22 Nov 2021 07:50 AM PST Looking for the best Shark vacuum? We’ve reviewed many of these top picks, including upright and cordless models, to help you make your decision. While the best Shark vacuum can be tricky to choose thanks to the sheer amount of models on the market, there are some key things to consider before making your choice that will narrow down your options.
There’s a reason that the best Shark vacuum cleaners also feature heavily in our guide to the best vacuum cleaners overall, because while the price can vary massively, we have always enjoyed the quality and innovation you’ll get with a Shark vacuum. Design perks such as the DuoClean brush head, which toggles between carpet and hard floors with the touch of a button, and Flexology, which easily pivots to reach under furniture, will make an instant difference in your cleaning routine. Many Shark vacuum cleaners have the same base model and come with a range of optional attachments that will change the product name and the colour. For example, the IZ300UK becomes the IZ300UKT when you opt for the model with a pet attachment, or the IZ320UK when you opt for the model that includes a second battery. Below, you will find the specific Shark vacuums reviews for certain models we’ve tried, but if you want a discount and don’t care too much about specific product reviews, take a look at our Black Friday Shark vacuum deal page for our top savings. What is the best Shark vacuum in 2021?The Shark IZ300UK Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner gets our vote for the best Shark vacuum you can buy for the year ahead. It’s jam-packed with all the tech spec you could possibly need to keep your home looking spick-and-span with relatively little effort. Got pets? It’s a good choice for taming pet hair, too, without running the risk of the floorhead bristles getting in a tangle. Black Friday Shark deals: quick links
Shark Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner [ICZ300UK]: was £399, now £278 at Amazon (save £121) Shark IZ300UK: was £399, now £248 (save £151) at Amazon Best Shark vacuum 20211. Shark IZ300UK Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum CleanerBest Shark vacuum cleaner
Cordless? Yes • Deep and effective cleaning • No pet attachment (although it still did a great job on hair) The Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner with PowerFins & Flexology is one of Shark’s latest releases, and boy did it wow us when we took it for a spin. Firstly, it feels incredibly sturdy and well-made, with a separate charger for up to two batteries at a time, meaning you can double your runtime for larger homes. Switching between carpet and had floors is very easy thanks to the DuoClean brushrolls, which switch over with the touch of a button. It’s also possible to go between three power levels, although we found the lowest level perfectly strong enough for the majority of tasks. At under 5kg it’s a sturdy but not too hefty model, and if you struggle with storage, you’ll enjoy the fact that the Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner with PowerFins & Flexology hinges forwards to fold when stored. It does have a smart touchpad at the top of the vacuum that shows battery level very clearly, too. The newer feature that Shark added to the Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner with PowerFins & Flexology is its PowerFins tech. These are essentially flexible silicone paddles that dig deep into carpets and effectively pick up dirt from right down at the base of rugs and carpets. This was immensely successful at picking up pet hair and dust that we didn’t even know was there. Opt for the Shark IZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner for a double-battery model, or the regular Shark IZ300UK if you’re happy with just the one battery. Ideal Home's rating: 5 out of 5 stars See our Shark IZ300UK Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner review 2. Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum CleanerBest Shark vacuum cleaner for serious power
Cordless? Yes • Very strong on pet hair Reasons to avoid: • It’s hefty Another recent drop from Shark, the Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner with PowerFins, Powered Lift-Away & TruePet has everything you need to stay on top of the busiest of homes, in a cordless model. Shark claims that it has all the power of a corded vacuum cleaner but in cordless form, and we couldn’t agree more. It’s got DuoClean which makes switching modes immensely straightforward, and the controls make it easy to see how much battery you have left. To charge, simply lift out the battery on the side of the dust tank and pop it into its charging port. The vacuum has lights that illuminate its path, and it left a visible path of clean carpet when we took it through the floor around the bed of a fluffy black labrador. Very impressive, so prepare to remember what colour your carpet was when you moved in! At over 6kg the Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner with PowerFins, Powered Lift-Away & TruePet is quite heavy, but it does have the Powered Lift-Away to make it easier to tackle stairs and upholstery. Another minor gripe was the small dust tank, which fills up very quickly indeed when you’re dealing with pet hair. The battery life does extend to around one hour though, so this Shark cordless can tackle your entire home in one go. Ideal Home's rating: 5 out of 5 stars Read our full Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner review 3. Shark Anti Hair Wrap & DuoClean Cordless Vacuum Cleaner IZ251UKTDBBest Shark vacuum cleaner for attachment options
Cordless? Yes • Mega long run-time Reasons to avoid: • A little noisy Whether you have a home with pets or feel more confident with a cordless vacuum that holds a long runtime then this vac would be a good shout for your needs. Shark seem to have ploughed all their top tech into this model which makes it a solid contender for the main vacuum cleaner in the house, not just the back up. It delivered pretty consistent results on the flooring, leaving carpet – including on the stairs – tiles, and parquet clean. The DuoClean floorhead had a big part to play in this as it can easily transition across the various floor types, on which its twin bristle brushes work their magic. Anti Hair Wrap – a feature designed to stop hair accumulating around the brush roll – had some impressive results, too. This meant that neither human hair nor the hair of small furry housemates lodged itself around the brushes of the floorhead or the motorised pet tool. The relatively new innovation to Shark’s portfolio is Flexology which allows the wand to go from straight to angled, is a feature which we highly rate. It means that you can get your vac under the beds and various items of furniture that are raised up on legs. What we found, however, is that the floorhead wasn't as easy to direct accurately as is the case when it's used with the rigid wand. Even if you prefer to use a smaller, handheld vacuum cleaner, the IZ251UKTDB has got you covered. We found that when equipped with the motorised pet tool it did an extremely thorough job and was easy to use on steps, even those awkwardly shaped. Ideal Home's rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 4. Shark IZ201UK Cordless Vacuum CleanerBest Shark vacuum for pet hair
Cordless? Yes • Lightweight Reasons to avoid: • Quite noisy The Shark IZ201UK Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is one of the best vacuum cleaners for pet hair on the market. It has a 0.7 litre dustbin which, while not the largest, is adequate for cleaning most homes without the need to empty mid-way. We also enjoy how lightweight it is, at just over 4 kg. This vacuum is good on both carpet and hard floors, but we found that the latter just slightly held the edge. It offers flexology, which simply means that you can pivot the vacuum under furniture thanks to the elbow-style latch. The anti-hair wrap is a bristle guard and comb which separates and removes hair from the brush roll as you go. This does an exceptional job not just on pet hair, but on human hair too. Attachments include a crevice tool, dusting brush, and upholstery tool which is perfect for stairs and sofas. The vacuum can convert into a handheld too, so you can use these attachments in a range of modes. Of course, opting for a more expensive Shark vacuum will deliver more attachments and extras such as DuoClean, Shark’s self-adjusting brushroll, but this is a great pick for budget-friendly, high-powered cleaning. Ideal Home's rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 5. Shark Handheld Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner CH950UKTBest handheld Shark vacuum cleaner
Cordless? Yes • Great suction Reasons to avoid: • Battery life may not be long enough for everyone If you’ve got pets around the home then this handheld vacuum cleaner is a must to have handy for those quick tidy ups. It’s cordless which always helps with moving around the home (and car) quickly since you’re not tethered to a plug. And the (more than) 10 minutes battery life is suffice enough for sweeping up dust, and crumbs and taming those stray hairs which seem to get anywhere and everywhere. Oh and did we mention, it’s our top pick of the best handheld vacuum cleaners, too. Something which our reviewer was impressed by during testing was that the diminishing battery did not affect the suction of this vac. The only way you knew that it was about to run its course was the flashing blue power button, which did go a-miss in a few instances when vacuuming-away. Although it would always be helpful to have more charge, this one does only take four hours to fully charge or less if you just want to quickly finish what you started. Maintaining this handheld vacuum will just mean that the 0.45L capacity will need emptying as and when it gets full of fluff. And the dust cup and filter can be washed with water from the tap. Ideal Home's rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 6. Shark DuoClean Upright Vacuum Cleaner with Lift-Away and TruePet NV702UKTBest Shark upright vacuum with a cord
Cordless? No • Pet-friendly Reasons to avoid: • Some may prefer cordless For those of us who find comfort in being plugged into the mains as we vacuum our homes, this Shark vacuum could well be the best option for you. It’s a good combination of where a stick vacuum meets a 8 metre-length cord which ultimately means no charging, whilst still being lightweight. It’s designed to deal with daily cleaning challenges and is one which will effortlessly navigate around furniture with enhanced swivel steering. This means that furniture and other obstacles will be no mean feat for this one to work around. And the DuoClean floorhead – as with the others in this guide – will mean that the two motorised brush-rolls work together in one floorhead to clean all floor types. But then if you need a more portable vacuum cleaner then you can transform this vac with just the push of a button. This is with thanks to Powered Lift-Away which is super handy for using the suite of attachments to refresh upholstery or vacuum skirting boards. One of the attachments which comes with this Shark vacuum is the pet tool. As with many of the best vacuum cleaners for pet hair, it’s purposely designed to draw out embedded hair from rugs, blankets and anywhere else your four-legged-friend likes to reside. Allergens, such as pet dander, can also be tamed with the Anti-Allergen Complete Seal which captures and traps 99.9% of dust and allergens inside the vacuum rather than releasing them back into the air. Ideal Home rated 4 out of 5 stars 7. Shark Anti Hair Wrap XL with Powered Lift-Away AZ950UK upright vacuum cleanerBest Shark vacuum with large floorhead
Cordless? No • Large capacity Reasons to avoid: • Heavy Last but by no means least on our list is this Shark vacuum which boasts one of the largest dust capacities with Powered Lift-Away. It’ll give you the freedom to clean more without you feeling the need to continuously empty it thanks to its mega 1.65 litres which is available to be filled. Although it is a corded vac, the 8 metre-long cable will give you an adequate radius to work your way around the various floors in the home. To help lift as much as possible as quickly as possible from the flooring is the DuoClean floorhead which has been enhanced with Anti Hair-Wrap technology. This will actively remove hair from both the bristles in the floor head so you don’t need to worry about de-tangling any locks at the end of each clean. This is ideal for long hair, short hair and pet hair. There’s a suite of onboard tools which can be used when the vac is transformed into a portable vacuum cleaner. And as an extra level of added reassurance for allergy sufferers, there’s Shark's Anti-Allergen Complete Seal which will help to keep the air you breathe clean after a vacuum. Ideal Home rated 4 out of 5 stars 8. Shark DuoClean Powered Lift-Away and TruePet cordless vacuum cleaner IC160UKTBest Shark vacuum with Powered Lift-Away
Cordless? Yes • Great suction Reasons to avoid: • Doesn’t cope too well with long pet hair If you have moulting moggies in the home then we can vouch that this Shark vacuum will do your carpets and hard flooring justice. Just as with the vacuum cleaner above, it has a DuoClean floorhead which can alternate between floor types with just a push of the carpet or floor button located above the on button. Our reviewer found that it had some rather pleasing results, especially on restoring flattened carpet pile. The Powered Lift-Away feature that comes in with this vac means that the pod comes away from the stick so there's only the small pod to hold or set down, and the wand – also detachable – to do the job with. There’s a button to also make this happen which is another positive because that’s one of the many good things about Shark – they make using your new (and old) vacuum cleaner super easy. This is echoed by the ability to remove the battery for charging which helps with storage because you can put the main unit away whilst just keeping the battery out. Ingenious. Arriving equipped with a suite of attachments to include a crevice tool, dusting brush, wide upholstery tool and a motorised pet tool (that's the TruePet) you’ll be able to tackle all areas of the home by attaching these to either the vac’s wand or handle. For pet owners you’ll be interested to know that the pet tool will deal with hair that's got itself knitted into upholstery (including in the car, dog owners!) and stair carpet. This performed really well on the upholstery but longer cat or dog hair does get tangled somewhat in the brushes. Ideal Home's rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars How to choose the best Shark vacuumThere are a few terms you’ll need to grasp before you choose your Shark vacuum.
How we test Shark vacuums
We really like to get a hands-on experience with the products which we feature across the Future Homes titles. It means that we get to understand more about what you are getting for your money. Each time we hear of a new vacuum cleaner that’s been added to the brand’s portfolio, or we see one with outstanding user reviews, we just have to try it out. You can read what we really thought about each model in the descriptions in this guide where you’ll also see our marks out of five. Each one with descriptions like these have been tested for a number of weeks (sometime months) so they’ve been faced with some real-life challenges. In some instances we’re even fortunate enough to be able to keep the vacuum cleaners so the test is always ongoing, if you like. Everything has been considered during our in-depth reviews. Factors such as manoeuvrability, run-time, emptying of the canister (or bag) and general controls. In any instance where we have been unable to review but couldn’t miss not featuring the vacuum cleaner in this guide, we’ve taken into account feedback from other users who have left reviews on the website where they’ve bought it from. The post Best Shark vacuum 2021: our top 8, reviewed appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Christmas party ideas for hosting festive soirées in style Posted: 22 Nov 2021 07:33 AM PST 'Tis the season to eat, drink and be merry. In other words – it's party time! If you're the one hosting the festivities this year, make life easy on yourself by using these Christmas party ideas which will fill your home with joy. Whether you want to decorate your home from top to toe, or simply take a couple of Christmas ideas to brighten up a room or two, there's sure to be a party idea which you won't be able to resist this Christmas. Christmas party ideasFrom nifty upcycling Christmas craft ideas to make your own table decorations to fashioning a bar area, these Christmas party ideas are simple yet effective. From ways to display your cards to jazzing up uninspiring corners, read on to find out our favourite ways to throw a festive shindig in style. 1. Make a good first impression on entrance Image credit: Future PLC Your front door is the first opportunity you have to set the scene for the party that lies ahead, so make sure it looks festive and inviting. Wreaths are always a great choice. Buy an artificial option, or even make your own using plantlife you’ve foraged from the garden. A vintage sleigh is the perfect setting for creating a small display of presents. If weather is sub-optimal, you could instead fill a zinc planter with festive foliage and wrap around with the best Christmas lights you can find – only use weather and water-proof options. 2. Dress your table to impress Image credit: Future PLC Your guests will have dressed up so make sure your home is adequately attired too. A striking arrangement of foliage above the dining table will add a sense of occasion – easy to do you can simply bend some pliable twigs, such as willow, and fasten with garden twine. For further visual impact fill large glass vessels with seasonal foliage and berries. Accessorise with a cluster of tapered candles for added drama. Using one of the traditional Christmas colour schemes will make it easy to design a chic and festive table and help differentiate it from other annual events. 3. Style your overhead lights Image credit: Pooky We love a more-is-more approach at Christmas, and for a Christmas party this means decorating anywhere and everywhere. Pendants above a dining table, or in the centre of a living room are ideal for dressing for the season, and create an unusual focal point for guests to admire. Dried flowers are an on-trend option, but you could also use ribbons or drape baubles. Keep things safe by making sure that your light is properly wired and doesn’t overheat when left on for a while. 4. Make personalised party favours Image credit: Future PLC When considering your Christmas party ideas, try and work in something handmade to really spread the love this holiday season. This may sound time consuming, but no matter where you are in your Christmas countdown, there’s a craft you’ll be able to fit in. This year, why not try your hand at making some stamped napkin rings. To make, first decide what you want to stamp – perhaps use your guests name, and the ring can work bith as a place setting as well as a sweet party favour to take home. Once you’ve chosen what to print, dab each letter stamp in ink and print a test run on paper to get the spacing right. Then move onto the ring itself, dabbing the stamp into the ink and blotting on kitchen paper each time to remove any excess. Leave to dry for half an hour before handling 5. Turn a dresser into a glamorous bar Image credit: Amara Convert an existing storage space or dresser into a drinks station. Glass fronted cabinets create a dazzling display space for coloured glassware and a selection of everyone's favourite seasonal tipples. Built-in shelves make a great drinks prep and serving space, plus keeping wine and spirits out on display rather than hidden away creates a warm and hospitable feel in a house full of guests. 6. Display an advent countdown Image credit: Future PLC Alternative advent calendars are one of the most fun trends of the year, so why not choose your favourite and turn it into a creative display for guests to enjoy? While by the time of coming up with your Christmas party ideas you may have got through a good number of days in the advent, allow yourself some creative liberties and set the whole thing up again to get the full effect. As well as looking gorgeous, you could also make it into a game for kids – perhaps clues or prizes for a festive scavenger hunt could be hidden in the calendar. 7. Glitz up empty wall space Image credit: George Home Think about empty walls as an opportunity for your Christmas party. If you have a good amount of space free on a wall, use it to create a cool background for selfies. There’s a huge trend right now for alternative Christmas trees, and a 2-D design is a great way to create that unique and festive backdrop. A simple string of fairy light attached to the wall with Command Strips or an existing picture hook can be pulled into a triangle to create the shape of a tree. Once you add a star on top and baubles for extra oomph, you’ve got your very own Insta-ready Christmas “tree”! 8. Make homemade festive lights Dan Duchars Lighting plays a key role in setting the scene for any party, especially a Christmas one where ambience is all important. Simple candlelight is the perfect way to make a festive soirée more intimate and heartfelt. Even if you have an abundance of votives already, you can bet you’ll need more to decorate for a party. That’s where upcycling comes in handy. Save yourself the trouble and expense of buying more votives than you would normally need. Simply spray paint used jam jars and other glass pots, to make your own shimmering mercury-glass-effect votives – a brilliant budget Christmas decorating idea. Lay an empty glass jar on its side, on newspaper and mist with water. Immediately spray over the water droplets with silver spray paint. Leave to dry, rotate and repeat. Once full covered pop a tealight inside. 9. Tie in Pom-Pom decorations Image credit: Future PLC/ Mark Scott Colour code your party decorations to create a wow statement. Pair pastel shades of iridescent baubles and glasses with decorative paper pom-poms. Even tealights and foliage can be in-keeping with the scheme. Suspending on-trend paper pom-pom decorations above a dining table creates a clear party zone. Use a thoughtful Christmas bauble display idea to add extra wow factor to the setting. 10. Add a nod to tradition Image credit: Future PLC There’s so much nostalgia at this time of year that sometimes it’s nice to include some of the more traditional Christmas decorating ideas in your scheme. Once your guests enter your home, the sight of a fresh and full bunch of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling will instantly evoke warm memories of past Decembers. You don’t even have to have the classic kiss under the mistletoe, because just its presence is a lovely Christmas hallway decor moment. 11. Create a unique card display Image credit: John Lewis & Partners Often as your guests enter you’ll be presented with a thoughtful card. Rather than placing on an overstuffed shelf, one cool Christmas party idea is to create a display that evolves over the evening. Place a sturdy bough with several windy branches in a vase on a mantle, or in the middle of a kitchen island and attach each opened card with a clothes peg, or punch a hole in the corner of the card. Thread through ribbon and hang at varying heights for a unique Christmas card idea to display season’s greetings around the home. 12. Extend a warm welcome Image credit: Future PLC Create a wow factor the moment your Christmas guests arrive through the front door. Style up a hallway console table with a seasonal display, to add some festive cheer to your entrance. Twinkling lights and Christmas go hand-in-hand, so try to add a bit of sparkling illumination to your hall. Create a warm and opulent atmosphere with scented orange and cinnamon candles set alight inside burnished and bronzed lanterns. If you don’t fancy a whole string of fairy lights, place a few battery-operated tealights in glass jars. Realistic faux flowers are a great alternative to fresh blooms, to ensure they last throughout the festivities. 13. Adorn your hallway with foliage Image credit: Future PLC Light the way into the party! Line your hallway bannisters and door frames with festive foliage in abundance. Aromatic evergreens such as eucalyptus and pine make wonderful garlands as they release their scent when brushed past, ideal for high-traffic hallways. Use delicate herb wreaths decorations to add further delicate fragrance. And why not throw some fairy lights into the mix to add an extra bit of Christmas sparkle? 14. Fashion a self-service bar Image credit: Future PLC/ David Brittain Home bars are all the rage, as the trend for entertaining from the comfort of our own homes is more popular than ever. Hosting house parties are ideal, not only do you save money on hiked up drinks prices – there’s no closing time (at your own discretion). Set up a drink trolley of sorts by dressing a unit with all the accessories your guests will need to make their own drinks. From an evening tipple to a morning cuppa, a self-service station means guests can help themselves. 15. Prepare a props table Image credit: Future PLC/ Dan Duchars Did you even host a party if you didn’t get a pic of family and friends with props?! From specs and lips on sticks to characterful hats, the photo prop is the party accessory du jour. Keep party props to hand on a sideboard or console table suitably dressed for the festivities. Alongside bottles of bubbly, all the ingredients for fabulous photos to treasure the happy memories. 16. Create a seasonal menu on a chalkboard Image credit: Future PLC Set the tone of what guests can expect on the menu front, by fashioning a chalkboard sign. Taking the pub-like approach of a menu board helps to make a dinner party feel all the more special, setting it aside from just an everyday dinner. 17. Deck the halls Image credit: Future PLC/ Jon Day It doesn’t have to be merely all about the tree, parties are the perfect excuse to dress every wall, of every room. Use over-sized paper decorations and paper chains — an affordable, yet effective way to instantly transform a room. Talking Tables has a wide range, to help you create your desired look. Alternatively to be more effective and eco-friendly you could make your own paper chains, using upcycled wrapping paper. 18. Dress your table to impress Image credit: Future PLC Your guests will have dressed up so make sure your home is adequately attired too. A striking arrangement of foliage above the dining table will add a sense of occasion – easy to do you can simply bend some pliable twigs, such as willow, and fasten with garden twine. For further visual impact fill large glass vessels with seasonal foliage and berries. Accessorise with a cluster of tapered candles for added drama. 19. Make a table centrepiece Image credit: Future PLC Christmas is not the season for shrinking violets; instead it’s the perfect excuse to really go for it with accessories. A quirky terrarium filled with seasonal foliage and baubles is all you need to create a statement Christmas table centrepiece idea with a twist. 20. Serve festive drinks Image credit: Future PLC Festive tipples are always an instant win for Christmas parties. Try spiced cider as an alternative to mulled wine or really wow you your guests with a serving of home-made vodka. Simply dissolve 100g of caster sugar in a pan of 100ml water, simmer for 3-4minutes. Leave to cool then add clementine and zest, leave somewhere cool for 24 hours. Strain the mixture and hey presto you have yourself a flavoured vodka for Christmas cocktails. Serve in pretty glass tumblers and garnish with sprigs of edible berries for a festive flourish. 21. Turn a dresser into a glamorous bar Image credit: Future PLC Convert an existing storage space or dresser into a drinks station. Here, wallpaper-lined walls and glass fronted doors create a dazzling display space for coloured glassware and a selection of everyone’s favourite seasonal tipples. The built-in shelves makes a great drinks prep and serving space. Keeping wine and spirits out on display rather than hidden away creates a warm and hospitable feel in a house full of guests. 22. Dress a console table for a buffet Image credit: Future PLC For a more relaxed Christmas party, load up a console table with party food and allow guests to help themselves, buffet style. A smart runner and a vase of decorated branches will add a festive party feel. 23. Blow up festive balloons Image credit: Future PLC Balloons are the easy way to make a big impact when it comes to party decorations. Set a sleek dining table with gleaming candlesticks and sparkling crystal to make a Christmas or New Year bash go off with a bang. Tie white balloons to mini decorative weights with lengths of ric-rac braid, ribbon or tinsel and surround the table. 24. Make sure your party sparkles Image credit: Future PLC/ Stuart West Want your dinner party to go off with a bang? Add small sparklers to each place setting to create a sense of drama. Just don’t allow them near the brandy-soaked Christmas pudding. 25. Light up your garden Image credit: Future PLC Show guests the way to your Christmas party with decorative outdoor Christmas lights. Here, three faux rattan stars make an eye-catching contrast against the leafy hedge, while a rope of mains-powered outdoor fairy lights entices people through the arch. Use fairy lights as up-lighters rather than all-over decorations to subtly draw attention to key features in your garden. How can I decorate my room for a Christmas party?There are so many ways you can decorate a space for throwing a party this Christmas. Firstly, things depend on where the party will be centred. If most guests will be in and around a living room, or you have an open-plan area, then of course the tree plays a major role in dressing the room. If people tend to congregate in your kitchen, add a mini Christmas tree into the kitchen. Lighting is key at every party, but never more so than at Christmas. Layer up candles and fairy lights to achieve the perfect twinkly vibe. Also consider your foliage – swathes of holly, ivy and eucalyptus, and well as pots of the ever-present poinsettia, set that festive theme. Finally, who is the party for? If it's family friendly, include homemade paper garlands and a hot choc station, as well as tactfully removing any breakable decorations. How do you throw the best Christmas party?Throwing a great party is actually much easier than you might think! Get your Christmas party ideas into action by first decorating the space you're using to host in, but also remember to include a welcoming wreath at your door and a few decorations in other areas guests might be using, such as a bathroom – a string of fairy lights and a simple display of holly can be incredibly effective. Next, make sure drinks are easily accessible – pre-made cocktails in jigs for ease, or prepare a drinks station so people can easily help themselves. If you're not serving dinner, make sure canapés are truly bitesize – nothing's more awkward than trying to hold a plate as well as your champagne glass. Cater to kids if they're invited too, perhaps have a small crafts corner with little activities like card making and even a pick and mix station. On second thoughts, the latter is a good one for the adults, too! What do you do at a Christmas party?Christmas parties are a wonderful opportunity to gather and spend time with friends and family before – or on – the big day. While you can, of course, plan games, usually people enjoy this time to be more relaxed and to be used as a chance to socialise. If you prefer a more structured approach, Secret Santa always goes down well, and helps break the ice. Christmas quizzes are a fun addition, different groups of guests could take turns in hosting rounds. Plus, it's been long enough since the great Zoom quiz run of 2020 that we're back to enjoying these once more! We hope you’ve enjoyed these Christmas party ideas as much as we’ve enjoyed writing about them. Time to get planning! The post Christmas party ideas for hosting festive soirées in style appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Black Friday dehumidifier deals - relieve allergies and your wallet with these great savings Posted: 22 Nov 2021 07:24 AM PST Fight off unwanted moisture and damp patches with these great pre-Black Friday dehumidifier deals that can’t be beaten. To steal a phrase from Game Of Thrones, “Winter is coming”. But homeowners don’t need a sword and shield for protection from the British weather; many of us just need a dehumidifier. The colder weather brings with it all sorts of allergens and bad bacteria which could end up affecting our home and our health. Chillier temperatures, frost and dew can cause dark spots, mould and damp stains across your windows, ledges and in the corners of our walls and ceilings. Not only this but bacteria and allergens brought in from the cold can trigger people’s asthma and breathing difficulties. But have no fear! A dehumidifier could be the perfect solution to fight your winter worries. They reduce the risk of allergens being in your house, as well as keep your walls and furniture fresh and dry all year long. Take a look at our guide for the best dehumidifiers around. And for many more of the most exciting discounts, take a look at our guide to the best Black Friday deals. Black Friday dehumidifier deals – quick links
Black Friday dehumidifier deals 2021 Credit: Dimplex Is your home suffering from damp, mould or mildew? If you’re feeling hopeless because you can’t get to a shop that sells them, have no fear, because you can grab a dehumidifier without leaving your front door. Retailers are soon to be offering savings on a huge number of dehumidifier brands, and you can see some early bargains below.  Pro Breeze 500ml Compact Dehumidifier | was £40, now £28 (save 30%)  ANSIO 22L Dehumidifier | was £200, now £160 (save 20%)
 Duux Bora Smart Dehumidifier | was £300, now £224 (save £75)  Dimplex 14L EverDri dehumidifier | was £180, now £145 (save 19%)  PureMate 500ml Compact and Portable Mini Air Dehumidifier | was £38, now £30 (save 22%)
Do humidifiers really work for damp?In a word, yes. The demands of modern life mean that our homes are constantly being pumped full of moisture, thanks to the regular cycle of bathing, cooking, washing and cleaning – all of which use gallons of hot water, creating steam. Let that steam and moisture build-up, and it will cause dampness, which will stain your walls, and left unchecked, cause long-term damage. A dehumidifier can be your best ally to tackle dampness and condensation and improve the air you breathe by regulating moisture levels and extracting that potentially harmful moisture. How does a dehumidifier work?A dehumidifier draws air containing water in with a fan, then extracts that moisture, deposits it into a tank, and pumps out dry air. The desired humidity can be set via a rotary control and an auto shut-off setting turns the product off once it's reached the optimum level. Most models have an indicator light to notify you when the tank is full. A continuous drain option enables the dehumidifier to run continuously by attaching a hose to the drainage outlet. The post Black Friday dehumidifier deals - relieve allergies and your wallet with these great savings appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Black Friday Shark vacuum deals: sales to shop now Posted: 22 Nov 2021 07:11 AM PST Black Friday Shark vacuum deals have well and truly arrived, so if you want to save on a cordless or upright vacuum cleaner this Black Friday or Cyber Monday, now is the time to shop. Many of our favourite models from Shark are on sale right now, and if you shop direct at Shark Clean you’ll even find a guarantee on select models that prices won’t get lower as Black Friday continues. That means you can shop right now without worrying about sellout deals.
The best Shark vacuum cleaners come with a host of great tech that will make life easier and a whole lot cleaner. If you deal with a lot of dust, pet hair, or stairs in your home, a Black Friday Shark vacuum deal will bag you a discounted model that’s powerful enough to reach deep into carpets or into corners of your home. There are a lot of models to choose from when picking your ideal Black Friday Shark vacuum deal, and while you can take a look at our guide to the best vacuum cleaners, there’s no guarantee that those models will be on promotion for Black Friday. That’s where our Black Friday Shark vacuum deal page comes in, because we’ll be listing our top picks of discounts on upright, cordless, and even handheld vacuums for those who want a new cleaning hero to bring them into the new year. Where to find Black Friday Shark vacuum deals
Today’s top Black Friday Shark vacuum deals Shark Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner [ICZ300UK]: was £399, now £278 at Amazon (save £121) Shark IZ300UK: was £399, now £248 (save £151) at Amazon Shark Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner [ICZ300UKT]: was £429, now £376 at Amazon (save £53)  Shark Anti-Hair Wrap with Flexology and True Pet IZ201UKT: was £349, Now £189, Shark Clean (save £160)  SHARK Anti Hair Wrap with PowerFins & Flexology IZ320UK: Was £399, Now £249, AO.com  Shark Anti Hair Wrap Upright Vacuum Cleaner NZ850UKTDB: was £369, now £219 at Shark Clean  Shark Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner [IZ201UK] Anti Hair Wrap: was £349.99, Now £189, Amazon Which Shark vacuum should I buy?There are so many options when it comes to choosing the right Shark vacuum cleaner for you. In fact, it can be a little overwhelming. There are some key things to know when it comes to shopping for a Black Friday Shark vacuum deal, which can make that choice a little easier. For a start, the way the Shark vacuum range is extensive. Subtle differences such as the number of batteries or the different accessories you can get with your new vacuum will change the model number and price, so think carefully about which attachments and the number of batteries you’ll need when shopping. What is Powered LiftAway?  Powered Lift-Away in use Powered LiftAway is a feature you’ll typically find on Shark’s upright vacuum cleaners, although in our Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner reviewwe also enjoyed it on a cordless model. A central canister containing the dustbin and filter can be lifted away from the main body of the vacuum and carried upstairs and out to cars, which makes cleaning those hard-to-reach spots a lot easier. What is DuoClean? DuoClean is Shark’s brushroll that adapts between floor types with the touch of a button. Many vacuum cleaners, including top-of-the-line models from Dyson and Vax, come with removable attachments to move between hard floors and carpets, but DuoClean simply changes the positioning of the rollers to optimise for different floor types, so you’ll never have to switch attachments when going from kitchen to lounge. What is Flexology?  Image credit: Shark Flexology is a hinged stick on your cordless vacuum that allows it to reach underneath sofas or beds without you having to bend down or move any furniture. It’s a real time-saver and great for those who may struggle to reach under furniture. We also enjoy Flexology models because they can fold down for easier storage, which we found in our Shark IZ300UK Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner review. What is Anti Hair Wrap? Shark’s Anti Hair Wrap is a self-cleaning brush roll that has combs built in to remove hair buildup from the roller without having to break the scissors out. What is PowerFins? PowerFins are Shark’s latest feature, and we’re big fans. They are silicone fins that sit on the brushroll to prevent hair build up and reach deep into the fibres of your floor. We found that it’s an effective attachment when it comes to removing deep pet hair and dust from carpets, picking up more dirt in a single pass. Best Shark cordless stick vacuum dealsCordless cleaning is the future, allowing the freedom to go the distant – quite literally. Because tugging on your vacuum cord when you’re cleaning halfway up the stairs is a very frustrating feeling. It’s a drawback that no longer needs to exist, as not only can you buy a great Shark cordless vacuum, you can grab a bargain with these great deals! Shark Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner [IZ201UK] Anti Hair Wrap: was £349.99, Now £189, Amazon Best Shark cordless upright vacuum deals SHARK Anti Hair Wrap Plus with Powered Lift-Away AZ912UK: was £369.99, Now £229, Curry’s Best Shark cordless handheld vacuum dealsThe best handheld vacuum cleaners will stay on top of day-to-day messes and come with charging ports so they look the part, too. Shark Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner (Single Battery) [WV200UK]: was £129.99, Now £99, Shark Are Shark cordless vacuums better than Dyson?Both Shark and Dyson vacuums have their pros and cons, but when you look at the main specs, you’ll often notice two things. The first is that, by and large, Dyson tends to have a tad more power than a Shark. Also, Dyson tends to be that bit heavier. So if you are worried about tackling cobwebs at ceiling height or lugging your vacuum up stairs, you may prefer Shark. Whereas if cleaning power is everything, you might prefer Dyson. Each brand also has its own specific technologies. For example, Shark’s legendary anti-hair wrap technology prevents pet and human hair from wrapping around the cleaning head, improving suction and meaning you don’t have to detangle it by hand. The post Black Friday Shark vacuum deals: sales to shop now appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner review Posted: 22 Nov 2021 06:30 AM PST With a cordless design and all the perks of an upright vacuum, the Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner is a brilliant choice for those who have large homes to tackle, but still want all the perks of a cordless vacuum cleaner. This vacuum claims to be as powerful as a corded vacuum, with a decent battery life that’s expandable with additional removable batteries. It is also freestanding and can switch between hard floors and carpets with just the touch of a button. The first thing to know about the Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner is that it’s got a mouthful of a name that needs some explaining. Anti Hair Wrap is somewhat self-explanatory, but the brush is designed to not catch onto hairs as you clean your carpet, but send them up to the dustbin for easy removal. The vacuum also has Powered Lift-Away, which means you can lift the central unit away from the vacuum stick to clean stairs and cars like you would with a hefty handheld. It’s brilliant for getting to hard-to-reach places where you cannot simply slide your vacuum over the floor. One of the latest features from Shark is its PowerFins design, and the ICZ300UKT offered me my first try. PowerFins really impresses me, because it makes a very noticeable change to the vacuum’s ability to clean carpets. With silicone paddles, the brush head reaches deep into the fibres of carpets to get to those trodden-in bits of dust or pet hair. Considering that it’s technically a cordless model, the Shark ICZ300UKT is one of the best cordless vacuum cleaners on the market. I put this cordless vacuum to the test for a few weeks on carpets and hard floors, and took into account its battery life and smart features. It particularly impressed me when it came to picking up pet hair. Many of the best Shark vacuums will also offer many of these perks, but the PowerFins design is particularly effective for pet hair. That’s before you take into account the Pet Hair attachment that comes included with this vacuum, so if you can live without the pet tool, this review will also apply to the Shark ICZ300UK Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner. Shark ICZ300UKT Black Friday dealsThe Shark ICZ300UKT features in our guide to Black Friday Shark vacuum deals, but it’s worth mentioning here that it’s on sale for Black Friday with an impressive discount. Shark Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner [ICZ300UK]: was £399, now £278 at Amazon (save £121) Shark Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner [ICZ300UKT]: was £429, now £376 at Amazon (save £53)
Ideal Home rated: 5 out of 5 starsReasons to buy:
Reasons to avoid:
Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner
Getting set up with the Shark ICZ300UKT
The first thing that won me over with the Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner was how it was packaged, which was entirely in cardboard. That made me feel a lot better about taking the packaging out to recycle it, as opposed to binning a lot of single-use plastic. Assembling it was easy to manage, and there is a chunky instruction book included with the Shark ICZ300UKT to help you get to grips with all the attachments. As a powered lift-away model you can easily remove the main unit from the wand to carry it up the stairs or out to the car for portable cleaning.
Other features to note are the DuoClean, which allows you to toggle between a brushroll for hard floors and a roller for carpets. The carpet roll features PowerFins, which is a rubberised fin that sits between brushes to prevent hair from building up on the roller, and to dig deep into carpet fibres to pick up deeply-rooted pet hair. While I reviewed the Shark ICZ300UKT, which has the pet attachment, you can also buy the Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner with PowerFins & Powered Lift-Away ICZ300UK for the same features but with no additional pet attachment. Everything else is still the same, so if you don’t have pets it may be worth opting for the ICZ300UK instead of the ICZ300UKT.
Using the Shark ICZ300UKT on hard floorsI tried the Shark ICZ300UKT on my hard floors first, using the LED controls to switch the DuoClean brush into the hard floor setting. I used the Eco setting first, which is very powerful for the lower end of the power on offer with the vacuum, and then put it onto the mid-power mode. The display also shows the battery power level, which is very useful for knowing when to switch battery or put the battery onto charge.
The Shark ICZ300UKT made quick work of cleaning the tiles in my kitchen, and while the brush head is quite large, it puts the roller brush out in front so it is able to reach into the underside of cupboards or along skirting boards. When it comes to reaching underneath the sofa, the Shark ICZ300UKT isn’t the most flexible thanks to the powerful LiftAway design at the front of the machine. It will struggle to reach under things and unlike other models I’ve tested such as the Beko PowerClean it doesn’t have a hinge at the front of the vacuum to drop down and reach under and around obstacles easier.
You can then lift away the main unit to empty the bin, which is attached to the battery holder and the filter, too. Using an easy switch at the bottom of the vacuum I was able to easily shake out the dust from my kitchen floor. Testing the Shark ICZ300UKT on carpetI must confess, I didn’t realise my carpets were in such a bad state until I reviewed this vacuum cleaner. I took to my office where my dog likes to nap while I’m working, meaning there is a lot of fur that I’ve allowed to build up for the purpose of testing. The perfect test for a powerful cordless vacuum! The dog is a black labrador who loves to nap on our cream carpets, so removing her hair from the floor is a full-time job that I sometimes struggle to stay on top of.
The Shark ICZ300UKT left an embarrassingly visible line of clean carpet after just one pass, so after a few minutes of cleaning, I was very impressed to find the 0.6 litre dustbin completely full of fur. This wasn’t even using the TruePet attachment, either, and clearly, the PowerFins design is excellent in reaching into the fibres of carpet to pull our deep-rooted pet hair. Another thing to know about the Shark ICZ300UKT is that it has lights on the brush head, which illuminates the path ahead while cleaning. This was a big perk when cleaning under the desk, which is quite dark even with the lights on. I was able to peer and make sure that there was no area I had missed.
One issue I encountered was how quickly the bin filled, exceeding the Max Fill line after doing just one (admittedly very neglected) carpet. This is one drawback if you’re looking for the best vacuum cleaners for pet hair, but for how deep it reached into my carpet, I’m willing to overlook the smaller bin size. After all, it’s still a cordless model. Battery lifeThe Shark ICZ300UKT claims to have a 60-minute battery life, but this is only when used in ECO mode and on a non-motorised tool. I put it to the test on the medium power level on the carpet mode to see how long it would last when cleaning a more demanding space.
While it was far off from the 60-minute claim, the Shark ICZ300UKT still lasted an impressive 31 minutes when cleaning the carpets. That gave me enough time to clean most of my house thanks to the powerful design which required only one pass on most floors. Other attachmentsWith the Shark ICZ300UKT you’ll also get a removable battery which lifts out of the unit and slots into an external charging base. This is very satisfying to use and it simply clicks into place on the main body of the vacuum There is a dusting brush, a wide upholstery brush to work on sofas and on the interior of cars, a 20cm crevice tool to clean hard-to-reach areas, and with the Shark ICZ300UKT you get an anti hair wrap pet tool. Like I said, you don’t get this when you buy the Shark ICZ300UK, which is otherwise the same.
Should you buy the Shark ICZ300UKT?I give this vacuum cleaner an easy five stars thanks to its impressive power levels and smart features. It stands upright when you lock it into place thanks to the low-lying centre of weight on the vacuum, which makes it easy to store, and it also has a decent battery life, especially when used on the Eco mode. One of the best things about the Shark ICZ300UKT is how powerful it is on carpets. Using the LED panel to switch from hard floors to carpets couldn’t be easier, especially when compared to other vacuums from Dyson which require you to remove one brush head and add another. This and its amazing results on hard floors and carpets is why it is one of the best vacuum cleaners I have tried. That said, it is an expensive choice, so if you live in a home with only one type of floor you may not need to invest in something with DuoClean or the power to clean different two types of floor. About this review, and the reviewerMillie Fender is small appliances editor at Ideal Home. She reviews everything from coffee machines to robot vacuums from her own home, meaning these tests have been carried out in the same conditions that you'll be using the vacuum cleaner. The Shark ICZ300UKT was kindly sent to Millie by Shark, and she tested for two weeks before writing this review. This gave her the chance to test all of its functions and check for any troubleshooting. The post Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner review appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Best microwave 2021: the 10 top solo and combination microwaves Posted: 22 Nov 2021 06:02 AM PST Now is the time to buy the best microwave for your home. Not only do these kitchen must-haves reheat your food in record time, perfect for winter soups and stews, but they can also cook jacket potatoes, veggies, and even meat in just minutes. Many of the best microwaves these days are combination microwaves, which can grill as well as reheat your food. These are great for cooking things like bacon and sausages without having to switch on the oven, and the functions will come in very handy over the festive period, when your oven may be a little strained. The cheapest microwaves are often the solo microwaves that are designed purely to heat food in minutes, and we’ve included a mix of both. In our guide to the best microwaves you will find ten top models that we’ve reviewed hands-on. That includes models from Swan, Beko, Sage, Russell Hobbs, Hotpoint, and more great brands. Some of the best microwaves are also available for under £100, so there is an option for every budget in our guide.
While most of the microwaves in our top ten are countertop models that can easily be plugged into your kitchen, we have also included built-in models, which look sleek and flush in the walls of your home. These obviously can create hassle to install, because you will need to dedicate a specific space in your kitchen design to fit a built-in model, but they are also often larger and smarter, with features that will rival your main oven. Best microwaves 20211. Swan Nordic Digital MicrowaveBest microwave overall
Type: Digital • It looks the part Reasons to avoid: • The controls took some adjusting to The Swan Nordic Digital Microwave can be spotted (by the eager-eyed among us) in the Great British Bake Off kitchen. It comes in this striking forest green, but there’s also white, blue, and grey to choose from. The nordic style works well with a range of other swan appliances and the dimensions are well suited for small kitchens. The microwave has fully adjustable strength settings, which is done by adjusting the micro power button. The dial can be used to scroll through timings, up to one hour, and the soft-touch finish also matches the door handle. The front of the microwave is mirrored but did not attract smudges when testing. With only 800 watts there are more powerful microwaves out there, but the Swan Nordic Digital Microwave is a top pick for those who have a little more than £100 to spend on a microwave that looks the part and performs well. Ideal Home's rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars Read our full Swan Nordic microwave review 2. Russell Hobbs Inspire Microwave OvenBest microwave for under £100
Type: Standalone • It’s super affordable Reasons to avoid: • Fingerprints leave marks You can expect the best microwave for under £100 to be lacking in combination features, but we loved how easy to use the Russell Hobbs Inspire Microwave Oven was when we put it to the test. It has six settings: Low, Defrost, Medium Low, Medium, Medium High and High. It’s also surprisingly compact for a larger capacity option, with dimensions of 34.5 x 45.2 x 26.2 cm. We did dock the Inspire Microwave half a star because the front leaves fingerprint marks which can mean more frequent cleaning, but found that its defrost and high power settings were brilliant for day-to-day use. The timer goes up to half an hour which is convenient for the defrost mode especially, and the non-slip feet meant it stayed secure through testing. You can also pair this microwave with the Inspire toaster and kettle for some added coordination. Ideal Home's rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 3. Hotpoint Curve MWH 1311Best microwave for corners
Type: Corner, standalone • A top compact pick Reasons to avoid: • Its small internal capacity This compact microwave (no combi grill or oven) has a curved back designed to fit into a corner, the front facing out in any direction. It's a clever design because corners are the least useful bit of any kitchen worktop. You can however put it anywhere: it's a great space-saver full stop at just 39cm wide and 35cm deep (but pretty tall at 36cm because the brains are all under the cavity). Capacity is just 13 litres but it somehow manages to fit a 28cm glass turntable in there, so it can handle a dinner plate. We loved its simplicity. You can microwave cook at four power levels (700W, 500W, 350W and 160W) or defrost by time or weight. Despite 700W being a bit low-powered, we found it could cook a respectable large jacket spud in 10 minutes. Features are basic but include clock, kitchen timer and child-safety lock. Controls are self-explanatory. Press the plus and minus buttons to select cooking time or just press Start to cook on full power for multiples of 30 seconds. The memo button lets you save a favourite program. Ideal Home's rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 4. Panasonic NN-DF386BBPQBest freestanding combi microwave
Type: Freestanding, oven and grill • Multi-functional combi design Reasons to avoid: • It has a large footprint This freestanding, 23-litre, 1000W microwave combi thinks it's an oven and it's not wrong: it does a good job of oven and grill functions. So much so that by Christmas you'll wonder how you ever survived without the extra cooking space. It boasts an oven-style, pull-down door and a flatbed design rather than a turntable, so you get 30% more useable cooking space. It comes with a wire rack for grilling, a full-width enamel tray for oven cooking, and also a Panacrunch pan (metal crisper plate) which is heated by microwaves to quickly cook the underside of dishes – for example, pizzas no longer have a soggy bottom. Controls are straightforward, plus there are seven automatic programs to cook popular foods by weight. A handy sticker in the door reminds you of them. Although if you read the instruction manual there are lots more recipes and tips. Features include a clock, a timer delay and a child safety lock. Cooking results are both outstanding and precise. Defrosted bread was fresh, not soggy, while a large jacket potato cooked using microwave-grill combi was surprisingly crisp-skinned yet fluffy inside, cooking in just 13 minutes. Ideal Home's rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 5. Sage Quick Touch CrispBest microwave for smart features
Type: Microwave-grill combi • Very smart controls Reasons to avoid: • An expensive microwave The Quick Touch Crisp boasts impressive foodie menus and handy shortcuts. When the door's closed, you have the usual controls for commanding microwave, defrost and grill cooking. Plus there are lots of smart menus for cooking various dishes and ingredients – the Sage's large, detailed display makes them easy to navigate. Ten buttons hidden inside the door offer popular shortcuts. And they're not all junk food: there are buttons for caramel, melting chocolate, softening butter and more. This is a microwave that makes it quick and easy to be a foodie. Features-wise, the Sage is a 1000W microwave-grill combi but not an oven. It has a 25 litre capacity and an 31cm turntable, big enough for even the grandest dinner plates. The crisper plate has a clever design with three legs that fold up: use it high for grilling and low as a crisper. We used it up high for cheese on toast (a shortcut button) and were impressed: you can cook up to three slices at a time and the results are delicious. Last but not least, the "A Bit More" button is perfect for when a dish needs longer but you don't want to have to set the program all over again. Ideal Home's rating: 4 out of 5 stars 6. Whirlpool Fusion AMW 848/IXLBest built-in microwave
Type: Integrated • Great for family kitchens Reasons to avoid: • It needs to be built-in If you're designing a new kitchen, consider an integrated microwave. You get a bigger, better appliance while freeing up valuable worktop space. This microwave, grill and oven combi genuinely serves as an oven – you get a 40 litres of extra cooking space, perfect for family meals. It comes with wire grill rack, full-width oven tray, large plastic steamer, crisper plate and an oversized 36cm glass turntable for the microwave. Its programs, intelligent auto-sensing programs and 30 built-in recipes make good use of all these features. Or just touch the arrow on the right to zap at full power (900W) for 30-second bursts, perfect for heating up a cold cuppa. Oven cooking is quick and precise. Grilling uses the round grill rack on the turntable for even cooking. And we loved the crisper plate – not just for stuff like pizzas, but also as a quick, fat-free way to cook oven chips, "fried" eggs, halloumi and more. The controls are intuitive and easy to grasp. When you're done, it beeps and offers the option to cook at the same power for longer. We found the glass a bit fingerprinty, but otherwise it's impossible to fault. Very impressive and can be teamed with the AKZM 6692/IXL oven, designed to match not just its design but also its touch controls, menus and recipes. Ideal Home's rating: 5 out of 5 stars 7. Swan SM22090Best microwave under £100
Type: Small microwave • Even cooking Reasons to avoid: • The style won’t be for everyone The copper hue of this 800W Swan microwave is easy on the eye and has a timeless appeal. The colour is interesting but subtle. The copper looks superb teamed with the mirror-finish glass door. It's compact and simple: microwave only, no combi. It has a relatively small 27cm turntable, so beware if you have large dinner plates. It boasts five microwave power levels. You can cook or defrost by time or weight. There are eight programs for cooking popular foods, including popcorn, pizza, drinks and potatoes. You can also quick-start cook for multiples of 30 seconds. The Swan isn't just a pretty face: it cooks evenly and we thought the features impressive for an affordable microwave. It does more than the basics and the controls are straightforward. But most of all, it's affordable but looks great. Swan offers a range of co-ordinated copper electricals to match, including three styles of kettle, five toaster designs and kitchen scales. You can even buy accessories like a pan set and a knife block in the same copper finish. Ideal Home's rating: 4 out of 5 stars 8. Russell Hobbs RHFM2363BBest for contemporary looks
Type: Freestanding microwave • Space-saving design Reasons to avoid: • Low in power Don't buy an unbranded supermarket microwave when for a little more you can buy this. The Russell Hobbs "Solo" looks great and it cooks well, too. The design draws ideas from more expensive microwaves. For example, it has a flatbed interior rather than a turntable, which means you can make more effective use of its 23-litre capacity. You can therefore fit in square plates and oversized casserole dishes. The purpose of turntables is to move food around, so cooking is more even. But the theory is that the Russell Hobbs' bumpy walls – sorry, "diamond cavity" structure – reflect microwaves in various directions, which leads to more even cooking. We found that it cooked and defrosted evenly enough – and fast enough, despite only offering 800W of power. And cleaning is easier with a flatbed than a turntable. The outside has a nice, modern design too, with a black, mirrored door, large handle and discrete digital controls. Cleverly, the display is behind the glass door but shines through it. Opening the door also reveals a list of the microwave's eight built-in programs. Other features include kitchen timer and child safety lock. Ideal Home's rating: 4 out of 5 stars 9. Bosch HMT75M451BBest small microwave
Type: Freestanding microwave • A compact pick for small homes Reasons to avoid: • Basic offerings for the price This has the smallest capacity (17 litres) and turntable (24.5cm) of the microwaves on test, but as a result it has a tiny footprint, just 46cm wide and 29cm deep. What's more, you can either sit it on the worktop or mount it on the underside of a kitchen wall cabinet to reclaim worktop space for food preparation. It's therefore a good buy if space is at a premium. It won't fit a large dinner plate, but it does a fine job of the microwave basics. It has five power settings (800W, 600W, 360W, 180W and 90W) and there are separate buttons on the front for each one, so you can immediately select any power. You can cook by weight or time (up to 60 minutes) using the pop-out knob at the top. Features include a small number of built-in programs, a memory button for your favourite setting and a kitchen timer. We liked the Bosch's space-saving design and also its simplicity. Some microwaves require you to read and memorise an instruction manual: this is straightforward. It's basic but good quality, with a brushed stainless steel finish on the outside. Note that the inside is white though. Ideal Home's rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars 10. Beko 32L Combination MicrowaveBest combination microwave oven  Image credit: Beko Type: Combination oven • Immense capacity Reasons to avoid: • It’s a pricey choice The Beko 32L Combination Microwave is a top pick for those who want a microwave that can also act as a grill or even a convection oven when need be. It’s got a huge capacity of 32 litres, which translates into its somewhat bulky dimensions: 41 x 51.3 x 30.7 cm. As for power, it’s pretty much as powerful as a microwave can get, with 1000 watts of grill power, 900 watts of microwave power, and a massive 2300 watts of convection power. There are six buttons, which makes it easy to choose a setting for your cooking, and with specific modes for defrosting, microwave grilling, and convection microwaving, you won’t get lots with fiddly or vague controls. A buyer’s guide to microwavesBefore you make your final choice, make sure you’ve take these key features into account.  Image credit: Richard Gadsby Do I want a combi?If you have a small kitchen or you're on a tight budget, a microwave-only model may be best. But otherwise a combi is well worth it. Your microwave doubles as a grill and/or oven, giving you extra cooking space (plan ahead for Christmas dinner) and the best of both worlds: cook a jacket potato quickly (microwaves) yet with a crispy skin (oven). What's a crisper plate?The latest, high-end combis often come with extra accessories like grill rack, oven tray, steamer and something new called a crisper plate. Forget everything you were told about not putting metal in microwaves: these large, non-stick metal dishes are heated quickly by microwaves to become a hotplate. Cook stuff like pizza fast and with no fear of a soggy bottom. You can even "fry" stuff like eggs and bacon with no oil. We love them. What if I don't have room for a microwave?New, small microwave-only models are surprisingly compact – there's space in front of them for food prep. You can also get microwaves designed to be wall-mounted under a cabinet and ones with curved backs that fit neatly in the dead worktop space in a corner. Or if you have plenty of cupboard space but not much worktop, consider an integrated model. How much should I spend on a microwave?Budget £100 for a microwave that will serve you well. We think cheaper, supermarket own brand ones are a false economy. Budget up to £300 for a larger combi with all mod cons. And double that for integrated, but then you get much more cooking space and an appliance that genuinely doubles as a proper oven. Microwave power – does it matter? Image credit: Whirlpool Microwave power is measured in watts – the higher the figure, the faster it should heat your food. The average is 800-900W. However, as microwave technology has improved, simply going for the most powerful model isn’t a guarantee of a better-performing oven. What capacity microwave do I need?
What auto programmes and presets do I need?
Not sure how long or at what power level you need to your penne or potatoes will need to cook? Don't worry, your microwave will tell you if it's got the relevant auto programmes. Most have them for the likes of popular dishes such as pasta, fish and vegetables. The cleverest can even weigh your food and work out the cooking times to the second. Auto-defrost and reheat functions are also worth investing in, as are one-touch shortcut keys for melting butter or chocolate (saving you from using the hob) or a quick boost of power. Sage microwaves have presets for, among other things, porridge, soup, fish and baked beans. Ding, indeed! Other features to consider
The post Best microwave 2021: the 10 top solo and combination microwaves appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Alternative Christmas tree ideas to make a statement Posted: 22 Nov 2021 03:28 AM PST Alternative Christmas tree ideas are fast becoming the most popular focal point for festive decorating schemes. Breaking away from traditional firs, we’re seeing alternative trees designed to make more of small space living and offer a fun alternative to a classic Christmas tree. Whether you’re looking for a Christmas tree idea to make a bold statement in place of your living room fir tree or as an additional tree for the hallway or even a bedroom – an alternative tree is sure to make a statement. Alternative tree ideasWhen a real Christmas tree is too much maintenance an alternative Christmas tree idea is the prefect solution. From best-selling artificial trees to DIY balloon designs, there’s a quirky extra tree to suit any room, whatever the decor of choice 1. Try a flat-pack tree Image credit: Cox & Cox If you’re short on living room space or want a secondary tree to brighten up an empty hallway, opt for a simple silhouette tree. Made of lightweight metal, it’s super-easy to decorate, with rungs and pegs that you can hook baubles and decorations on to. Or if you’d like a little sparkle, try wiring on a set of fairy lights. Buy now: Curved metal silhouette tree, £85, Cox & Cox 2. Save space with a slimline tree Image credit: Cox & Cox Big doesn’t always mean beautiful. This super-pretty blossom-covered tree takes up minimal floor space, but makes an eye-catching focal point without the need for any extra decoration. Bulbs are pre-wired, so there are no cables to get in a tangle and with 270 warm white bulbs, it looks ultra-twinkly after dark. Buy now: Indoor/outdoor large light-up blossom tree, £155, Cox & Cox 3. Light up a corner with a twinkly wall tree Image credit: Lights4Fun/ Oliver Perrott Create a fun and festive display to fill empty wall space above a console table or chest of drawers with an alternative Christmas tree idea that becomes a Christmas tree wall decor idea as well. Use pages of an old book, some hand-written notes or a selection of festive postcards, positioned on the wall to create a tree-shaped arrangement. Use Blu tack to secure and wire in a set of micro lights, topped off with a sparkling Christmas star. Buy now: 23cm Osby light-up star, £10.99, Lights4fun 4. Keep it simple with a Scandi-style wall-hung tree Image credit: Ginger Ray If you haven’t got the space for a floor-standing real fir Christmas tree, you can still get your festive fix with a simple wall-hung design. A picture hook is all that’s required to hang it from and the lights are pre-wired so need no adjusting. If you fancy a little extra sparkle, try hooking on a few mini baubles or use wooden pegs to display Christmas cards on the branches. And then once Christmas is over, it can be rolled up into a tube, taking minimal storage space in the loft. Buy now: Wall hanging Christmas tree with lights, £15.99, Ginger Ray 5. Go bonkers with a balloon treeImage credit: Ginger Ray Add fun to a family room with a bonkers balloon tree. With balloon arch ideas being one of the most popular trends of the year it’s no wonder the experts at Ginger Ray have turned to alternative Christmas tree ideas too. The quirky kit comes complete with 100 assorted balloons to create a show-stopping alternative Christmas tree. Just be sure to have a balloon pump on hand to save your poor lungs. Be aware not to put this design need a radiator, because the heat may cause the balloons to burst! A cool hallway is the ideal place for this fun design to wow guests the minute they arrive Buy now: Novelty Candy cane Balloon Christmas Tree, £24.99, Ginger Ray 6. Create a Christmas card tree Image credit: David Giles Brighten up a dull door or gloomy corner by creating a tree-shaped Christmas card display. Decide on a spot, then start your display by sticking on a wide length of ribbon, positioned centrally. Grab a small selection of favourite cards, sticking your first card a couple of inches down, using strips of washi tape to secure. Then simply add further rows, working your way down and adding a couple more cards with each row to create the tree-shaped effect. Top with a felt star as a festive finishing touch. 7. Style it out with a spiral Image credit: Ella James Create a festive focal point with a hanging Christmas tree. A brilliant way of creating height, without lots of bulky branches, it would make a great showstopper hung in a stairwell or hallway. Trimmed with 40 LED lights, greenery, bells and pinecones, the spiral unfurls to a length of approximately a metre and is battery powered so there are no trailing cables to worry about. Buy now: LED Spiral hanging Christmas tree, £39, Ella James 8. Get artistic with a set of fairy lights Image credit: George Home Fashion your own festive arrangement with just a set of lights, some ribbon and a few sparkly baubles. A dark backdrop will set off a display like this to dramatic effect, so is ideal if walls are painted a dark colour. Or alternatively, try painting a narrow panel of black or navy in a living room alcove. Start by marking your wall with pencil at the point you want to be the peak of your tree and hammer in a small tack. Find the middle of your lights and drape over the tack, so there is an equal amount of light string on both sides. Secure at the bottom with invisible tape, arranged so that the lights create a triangle. Decorate with long lengths of ribbon and silver and glass baubles to finish. Buy now: Silver-tone mixed bauble set, £2 for 12, George Home 9. Get festive with a Christmas banner Image credit: Notonthehighstreet.com Christmas trees are often the focal point of the festive decorations, but if you’ve absolutely no free floor space or are worried about children and pets breaking the baubles, then this is the ultimate fuss-free option. Simply remove one of your regular non-Christmassy pictures and replace with this chic canvas wall-hanging for the holidays. Featuring a tree silhouette with space for the family name to be added underneath, it looks chic and stylish and there’ll be no annoying pine needles that need sweeping up. Buy now: Personalised Alternative Christmas tree wall hanging by Fira Studio, £23.90, Notonthehighstreet.com 10. Downsize with a twig tree Image credit: Poundland Swap a full-sized tree for a twiggy tabletop arrangement using large branches foraged from outdoors. Stand the twigs in a sturdy vase, weighted down with sand so it won’t topple, adding a layer of dishwasher salt at the top to create a snowy effect. Then simply decorate the branches with mini baubles and hanging icicles. 11. Fill wall space with a Christmas collage Image credit: John Lewis & Partners Instead of using up shelf space to display Christmas cards, create a collage of your favourites and display on the wall. Arrange in a pyramid effect to mimic the look of a fir tree, starting with one card at the top and adding extras on both sides as you work your way down. Use Blu tack to secure cards at the back, overlapping them in places to create more of a relaxed, randomly-placed look. Add a string of micro lights as a sparkly finishing flourish. Buy now: Snow Mountain charity Christmas cards, £5 for a pack of 10, John Lewis 12. Chalk up an easy instant tree Image credit: Homesense Here’s one that little ones will love and it makes a cute idea for decorating a play room or family den. You’ll need a chalk board panel as your backdrop – if you don’t already have one, you can buy tester pots of chalk paint for under £10 at most DIY stores. Once your backdrop is set, simply draw on a Christmas tree shape using white chalk. Position a few thumb tacks here and there on alternate branches and let the children hook on their favourite tree ornaments to decorate. 13. Go big with beautiful baubles Image credit: Rockett St George Break with tradition and swap the festive fir tree for a contemporary hanging arrangement with supersized baubles. You’ll need a couple of sturdy branches to hang your baubles from, suspended on a hook from the ceiling. Try spray painting the branches gold for a majestic touch, wiring in a set of micro lights so that they’ll look more dramatic after dark. Then simply add your baubles – keeping to gold and just a few key colours for a more eye-catching look. Buy now: Large Gold Stripe baubles, £12 each, Rockett St George 14. Create an alternative family tree Image credit: Notonthehighstreet.com Reusable stickers are the modern solution for Christmas wall decor ideas as a way to make a seasonal style statement. More than just an alternative tree, this is a family tree too adding even more value to the fun factor. Buy now: Personalised Christmas Tree Wall Sticker, £30, Not on the High Street 15. Go multicoloured outdoors Image credit: Wilko If you’re looking for an alternative Christmas tree for an outdoor decorating idea consider lights to make a real statement. This simple but effect string of tube lighting coils down and around a central pole to create a contemporary tree shape. Am illuminated outdoor tree is just the thing to brightening up the exterior and add a contemporary element to your decorating scheme. 16. Deck a branch with favourite baubles Image credit: Habitat No room for a full sized Christmas tree? Be creative with an entirely alternative Christmas tree idea by adorning a single tree branch with decorations. Suspend the lightweight branch on decorative ribbons to add colour. Use hooks secured into the ceiling, being sure not to create holes too big to fill after the decorations come down. 17. Pretty-up a nursery with a sparkly tree Image credit: Cox & Cox Save space with a simple light up tree in a child’s room. This magical colour changing rainbow ‘tree’ light is crafted with shaped metal boughs, topped with a star. It’s easy to hang from wall hooks to create a striking effect. If you can’t afford the real thing you could try making your own budget version. Simply zigzag a set of white corded fairy lights from 13 small wall hooks to drape a set of lights from side to side. Add shatterproof baubles along the lights to give the design a more traditional tree feel. Pre-order now: Rainbow String Light Tree, £145, Cox & Cox 18. Craft twiggy tabletop trees Image credit: Future/ Tim Young Christmas trees made from reclaimed wood are becoming increasingly popular, for all styles of decor – from rustic country to contemporary chic. 19. Bring your room into bloom Image credit: Plants4Presents Choose a real foliage alternative with a Christmas tree shaped Azalea plant. The potted indoor plant is grown into a pyramid shape to resemble a traditional festive tree. The seasonal blooms are available in this snowy white variety as well as jolly red – both ideal for a Christmas theme. The 60cm tall potted plant is big enough to make a statement without taking up too much space. If your dining table is large enough it would make a captivating Christmas table centrepiece idea. 20. Pile on the pom poms Image credit: Homesense Paper pom poms are a great way to decorate a wall, creating a 3-D Christmas tree shape without taking up any floor surface – ideal for any room where space is limited. You can choose to make your own, or buy affordable packets of honeycomb-style paper pom pom decorations. Instead of fully opening out the design you leave them folded in half, providing one flat edge to white tack to the wall. There will be hardly any weight to the paper decorations, meaning a light tack should keep them in place no problem. Form the shape of a free with the larger pom poms, using small pom poms to act as the baubles to decorate the ‘tree’. What can I do instead of a Christmas tree?Instead of a Christmas tree you can explore a number of alternative ideas, from Christmas tree shaped light displays on walls to baubles hanging from twigs in a vase. Any form of decoration that welcomes a sense of instant festive feeling to a room is a great way to dress the room – without having to have a tree. In terms of wanting a tree silhouette you can buy alternative design to that of traditional fir trees – both artificial or real. The most popular alternative in previous years has been the metal framed trees, that provide a sturdy structure to decorate but which are slim enough to stand up against a wall. taking up next to no room How do you make it feel like Christmas without a tree?You can make it feel like Christmas without a tree by being thoughtful with decorations. Twinkling fairy lights are a great way to instantly evoke a sense of Christmas. Without a tree you just need to be imaginative – drape lights over picture frames, window frames and mantelpieces; or just about anywhere you can think of! To compensate for not having a tree it’s best to choose one decoration to stand out, taking on the role of the tree to anchor the room around it. Whether that be an alternative tree idea or a statement wall decor idea, it needs to become the focal festive point. The post Alternative Christmas tree ideas to make a statement appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Revealed: the simplest way to improve your home Posted: 22 Nov 2021 01:00 AM PST Decorating our homes can be a satisfying task, but if you're struggling to give it a personalised touch, then we've got just the answer. Shop smart. eBay's home and garden pages have a wide range of home goods, with everything from furniture and bedding to decorations and accessories, and you'll even discover those one-off items that you won't find anywhere else. Looking to give an extra flair of style to your interior? eBay ensures it doesn't have to be a costly affair to create a home that looks magazine-worthy. Whether you're moving or improving, refreshing or redressing, you'll get speedy delivery, low prices and everything you need all on one site – see, we told you it was simple! How To Shop SmartNo need to be daunted by the wide range of choice, either – eBay's home pages are all broken down into categories. So whether you're searching for a new fridge-freezer, crockery to create the perfect tablescape, or soft furnishings to kit out your bedroom, it's easy to go to exactly what it is you're after.  Image credit: Future Do you have guests coming over for the Christmas season? Invest in those extra furniture pieces – you'll find a huge choice of styles and colours, whether you're a neutral-lover, pattern-splasher or prefer a more traditional design. Plus, by shopping on eBay it saves you trawling the high street, and items get delivered straight to your door! Delve Into DIYDecorating materials aren't always budget-friendly, but you can be sure that on eBay you'll find the tools you need at the lowest prices. From generators to fireplaces, wallpaper to power tools and kitchen taps, improving your home is easy when you search on this one-stop shop. Don't Forget the Small Stuff Image credit: Future It's not only the bigger pieces you'll find on eBay either. There's a huge range of cushions, artwork, vases, mirrors and even faux flowers on offer – literally everything you could ask for. Whether you want new or vintage items, the choice is yours, so scroll away to your heart's content, load up your basket and shop happy. Discover Hidden GemsLove a bargain? Then head over to eBay's offers page here where you'll find lots of discounted and overstock items ready to be snapped up. Or, visit the homes page, and indulge your interiors craving with the entire selection – happy shopping! The post Revealed: the simplest way to improve your home appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Black Friday furniture deals 2021: furniture sales live now Posted: 22 Nov 2021 12:00 AM PST Black Friday furniture deals are already hitting down, with many retailers launching their Black Friday sales earlier than ever before. Good news if you’re on the hunt for a big-ticket item for the bedroom, living room, or dining room. But, which Black Friday furniture sales have the best discounts, and which are a damp squib? We’ve rounded up the best furniture sales on the Ideal Home team’s radar, as well as the Black Friday furniture sales that aren’t live just yet, but promise to be worth the wait. Of course, a deal is only good value if it truly works for you. So before we get too starry-eyed over hefty discounts and swoon-worthy savings, we'd recommend checking out our furniture guides – to the best sofas, best sofa beds, and best beds for example – for a round-up of our tried and tested favourite furniture, plus some buying advice. After all, when it comes to furniture, comfort, practicality, and style is as big a consideration as price. We'll be keeping this page updated with all the best Black Friday furniture deals as they drop, as well as the best buys for your interior as a whole in the Ideal Home Black Friday deals hub. Black Friday furniture deals live nowOur A-Z of the Black Friday furniture sales you’ll want on your radar. Barker and Stonehouse | SALE NOW LIVE  Cuckooland | SALE NOW LIVE Darlings of Chelsea | SALE NOW LIVE Furniture Choice | SALE NOW LIVE Furniture Village | SALE NOW LIVE Furniture123 | SALE NOW LIVE  John Lewis | SALE NOW LIVE La Redoute | SALE NOW LIVE MADE | SALE NOW LIVE Oak furnitureland | SALE NOW LIVE OnBuy.com | SALE NOW LIVE  QVC | SALE NOW LIVE  Rockett St George | SALE NOW LIVE ScS | SALE NOW LIVE Snug | SALE NOW LIVE Sofa.com | SALE NOW LIVE Black Friday furniture sales: our predictions for those launching soonThese stores don't have Black Friday bedding deals live yet, but based on previous years we think these stores are likely to offer some good discounts nearer the time. We'll be keeping this page updated as more sales go live, so bookmark this page to stay in the know.  Argos | Predicted start date: Friday 26th November  Dunelm | Predicted start date: Friday 26th November  Homebase | Predicted start date: Friday 26th November  Marks & Spencer | Predicted start date: Friday 26th November What is Black Friday?Often hailed as the biggest shopping day of the year, this year Black Friday falls on Friday 26th November 2021. The term Black Friday originated in the US to denote the first day following Thanksgiving when retailers would cut prices to draw holidaymakers to shop their store's sales. Driven by global brands, the price-slashing event soon crossed the pond, and now Black Friday – closely followed by Cyber Monday – has become one of the UK's biggest sale extravaganzas. The event has also spread to encompass more than one day, with many retailers starting their 'Black Friday' events earlier and earlier to try to get ahead of the competition, and it can mean some great savings on big-ticket purchases for the home, like furniture. As well as keeping your eye on this guide for all the latest Black Friday deals as they land, it’s also well worth checking out our more specific round-ups of Black Friday sofa deals and Black Friday bedding deals to make the most of all the November offers. Furniture sale shopping: top tipsThe golden rule of sale shopping is to only buy pieces you really want or need. It’s all too easy to get seduced by hefty savings and urgent marketing messages imploring us not to miss out, but a bargain is only a bargain if it’s a saving on an item you will truly appreciate day in and day out. It’s well worth looking to pay for more expensive items, like furniture, using a credit card. Anything you buy with a credit card that costs between £100 and £30,000 is protected under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, this makes your card provider as liable as the retailer if something should go wrong with your purchase. For example, if an item arrives faulty, or perhaps even never arrives, you’ll be able to claim a refund through your credit card company. This also applies if you pay a proportion on your credit card (say, a deposit) but the rest in cash or on a debit card. It’s also well worth knowing your rights should you end up with a big-ticket item that doesn’t perform. Have a read of your consumer rights when buying a sofa, which can equally apply to most furniture investments. The post Black Friday furniture deals 2021: furniture sales live now appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| The exact date Escape to the Chateau's Dick and Angel Strawbridge put up their Christmas tree Posted: 21 Nov 2021 11:00 PM PST Escape to the Chateau’s Dick and Angel Strawbridge have revealed when to put up a Christmas tree if you’re a fan of tradition like they are. Speaking exclusively to Ideal Home Dick and Angel Strawbridge revealed they will be putting up the Christmas tree and filling the Chateau with Christmas ideas on the 1st December like they do every year. Dick and Angel Strawbridge rose to fame in the hit Channel 4 TV show Escape to the Chateau. The TV show followed the lives of the Strawbridge family as they renovated and restored a 45-bedroom, 19th-century Chateau in the Pays de la Loire.  Image credit: The Chateau In each series the Strawbridge’s offer a glimpse into their family Christmas in the Escape to the Chateau Christmas special in December. However, despite the preparation for the episode they put the tree up at the same time each year. ‘Our Christmas tree goes up on the 1st December and is down by the traditional twelfth night ‘We always start with the tree, because there is nothing better to get you in the festive spirit!’ Angel isn’t the only stickler for tradition, a Twitter poll we ran revealed that 33.8 per cent of respondents also decorated their tree on 1st December.  Image credit: The Chateau Despite the festive excitement starting early this year with both the John Lewis Christmas advert and Marks and Spencers advert launching two weeks early, only 23.2 per cent said that they would be putting up their decorations in November. 31.7 per cent said that they usually decorate the house in mid-December, while a small 7.3 per cent waited until Christmas eve to crack out the tinsel. The reason so many choose to put their decorations up on the 1st of December is because it is usually the day most of us are cracking open our best advent calendars. However, strictly speaking, the first day of advent is the fourth Sunday before Christmas, which falls on the 28th of November this year.  Image credit: The Chateau Tradition is incredibly important to the festive celebrations at the Chateau. ‘We have a family tradition where three generations go foraging together,’ says Angel. ‘We love keeping traditions going because it's so important to the whole family and for making memories! ‘We gather lots of wild, fresh foliage for the fireplace in the Salon and the staircase which we The Escape to the Chateau Christmas Special is on Sunday 19th December on Channel 4 The post The exact date Escape to the Chateau's Dick and Angel Strawbridge put up their Christmas tree appeared first on Ideal Home. |
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’ one writes. ‘Love the silver one,’ says another.
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