Ideal Home |
- Best soundbar – boost your TV's sound for game days and film nights
- Christmas door decor ideas to dress entranceways with festive cheer
- Christmas Eve box ideas – to make Christmas even more magical
- WIN a Traeger grill worth over £1000 for cooking all year round
- Man returned home to find his entire house had been 'stolen'
- Fireplace ideas – from modern designs to rustic hearths for living rooms and more
| Best soundbar – boost your TV's sound for game days and film nights Posted: 03 Nov 2021 05:37 AM PDT It’s not an exaggeration to say that the best soundbars can revolutionise your viewing experience, whether that’s afternoons on the sofa watching sports, movie nights or just your next Netflix binge. If you can’t hear the action, then you’re in danger of missing out on key details. Most modern smart TVs are designed to be as thin as possible, and so it’s pretty impossible to include good speakers within their minimised interiors. A soundbar, then, is a worthy investment that compensates for this with fantastic bass, clarity and more. And soundbars also come in a variety of shapes and sizes, taking into account the fact that most people don’t have the space for a large, cumbersome speaker system. Ordinarily, a single speaker bar can sit snugly under the TV, and the subwoofer accompanying some models are usually wireless for easier placement. That makes these ‘2.1 systems’ easy to install and incorporate into your existing setup. We’ve taken a look at some of the best soundbars available right now, ranking them on their design, sound quality and more to make your choice a little easier. And if you’re in the market for a new TV to match your upgraded sound, check out our ranking of the best TVs. The best soundbars 20211. PANASONIC SC-HTB900EBK 3.1 Wireless Sound BarBest soundbar overall  Credit: Panasonic Type: Soundbar with subwoofer If you want Dolby Atmos with deep powerful bass, but don't have the space or budget for a Sennheiser Ambeo, Panasonic's SC-HTB900 is our preferred affordable alternative. Compact and versatile, this 3.1 system can be expanded into a fully-fledged surround sound system with optional additional rear speakers, if the whim takes you. And its bass performance is profound. The good news is it looks terrific too, with a smart curved grille and touch controls for power, volume and input selection. Panasonic sometimes forgets to add style to its substance, but that's certainly not the case here. Adding extra confidence is a 'Tuned by Technics' badge, which hints that this soundbar can satisfy audiophiles. Connections include two HDMIs and optical digital audio. Naturally, there's Wi-Fi and Bluetooth too. The SC-HTB900 uses a front-facing left, centre, right driver array, with a pair of woofers and dome tweeter for the left/right stereo channels, plus matching twin woofers to handle the centre channel. The wireless subwoofer sits on a moulded plastic base, so it'll sound equally good on the carpet as a wooden floor. Measuring just over a metre wide, the SC-HTB900 bar is best partnered with TVs 55-inches and larger. Unusually for a Dolby Atmos bar, there are no up-firing speakers built-in. Instead, a 3D Surround effect creates an illusion of height. However, what really impressed us was the width of Panasonic's soundstage and the musicality of its presentation. Total power output is rated at 505W, which breaks down to 3 x 85w across the front, and 250W driving the sub. This Panasonic is exciting when it needs to be, but can hold a tune, too. And that wireless sub adds a huge amount of depth to the mix. Ideal Home rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 2. Bose Smart Soundbar 300Best soundbar under £500  Credit: Bose Type: Soundbar A great example of a smart home soundbar, the Bose Soundbar 300 is the more compact stablemate to the Bose SB700. This home theatre all-in-one offers voice control courtesy of an eight-microphone array, optimised for both near-field and far-field voice pickup. It's compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple Airplay 2 and Google Assistant, so there’s plenty of smart home options. As we've come to expect from Bose, design and cosmetic finish are high. Standing just 5.6cm tall, and 67.5cm wide, this compact soundbar sports a subtle matte finish and has a smart aluminium grille that wraps around the sides. Connections comprise a single HDMI and optical digital audio. There are touch-sensitive buttons up top for power and microphone control. Behind the grille, you'll find three forward-facing drivers, supported by side-firing cones to each side. Despite its relatively high price, this isn't a Dolby Atmos compatible soundbar. The Soundbar 300 ships with a tidy remote control, but can also be driven with a matching Bose app. Should you want multi-room audio, you can easily link the soundbar with other Bose speakers around the home. If you find the SB300 light on bass, it's upgradeable with the Bose Bass Module 500 wireless subwoofer and, if you're really feeling flush, you can even add dedicated Bose rear speakers, creating a fully cinematic 5.1 experience. Ideal Home rating: 4 out of 5 stars 3. Sony HTZ9F 3.1-Channel SoundbarBest soundbar with subwoofer (runner up)  Credit: Sony Type: Soundbar and subwoofer This ultra-slim bar and partnering wireless subwoofer offer Dolby Atmos sound and High-Resolution audio, making it a fine choice for home cinema and Hi-Fi enthusiasts. A metre wide, the HT-ZF9 suits 55- to 65-inch screens. Connections include three HDMIs, a 3.5 mm minijack and optical digital audio input. In addition to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, there's Google Chromecast built-in so it can connect your Google phone or smart-home device This is another Dolby Atmos bar that doesn't employ up-firing speakers, instead, it boasts Sony's Vertical Sound Engine to fool our ears into thinking sounds are coming from up high. It works a treat, engulfing the listener in various sound effects. Auditioned with Dolby Atmos soundtracks from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, we were thrilled by its cinematic performance. Dolby Atmos movies play with exaggerated height and width, while the subwoofer has a welcome kick. If you want to go full surround, you can also upgrade with Sony's optional rear speakers. Its high-res drivers are crisp and smooth too, perfectly in tune with the latest generation of HD music streaming services from the likes of Amazon, Tidal and Deezer. Ideal Home rating: 4 out of 5 stars 4. MAJORITY K2 2.1 Wireless Sound BarBest budget soundbar  Credit: Majority Type: Soundbar and subwoofer A sleek-looking product with great sound output and an eco-conscious message behind it, the Majority K2 Soundbar comes in the form of a slim speaker and wireless subwoofer, significantly boosting your TV’s sound for a budget price. While the bass from the subwoofer can’t quite measure up to that of some competitors, the convenience of a basic wireless surround sound-esque set-up and the affordable price tag will more than makes up for this lack for many. The soundbar also comes with a pleasing amount of features. From Bluetooth and USB media playback to expanded bass, treble and EQ options, the offering from Majority lets you get the audio just how you like it. Connect the soundbar to your television via HDMI ARC, Optical Audio or RCA if your set-up is on the older side, and you’ll immediately notice the enhanced sound quality. You can also mount the speaker to the wall if you don’t have a TV stand, but it looks great either way. And along with the planet (and expenses) friendly power consumption, Majority plans to plant a tree for every customer, so that’s a nice little bonus! Ideal Home rating: 4 out of 5 stars 5. SONY HT-SF150 2.0 Sound Bar Credit: Sony Type: Soundbar From the standard, cinema and music modes you might expect to find on a soundbar, the Sony HT-SF150 soundbar also offers a convenient auto mode that differentiates between what you’re watching without manually switching, enhanced dialogue for when you want to concentrate on the words, and a night mode for reduced bass and dynamic range. Connect the bar with the optical cable provided or bypass the need for a separate remote by hooking it up with an HDMI ARC cable. Despite being on the lower end of the price scale, the HT-SF150 looks quite lovely with a wrap-around grille, and the audio is decent too with added Dolby Digital boosting your audio experience. Be aware that the Sony soundbar can be wall-mounted, but the fixings that you’ll need aren’t included so plan ahead if you don’t have space on your TV stand. Why do I need a soundbar? Image Credit: Sony Star Wars director George Lucas says ‘sound is 50 per cent of the movie-going experience’. He probably had his movies in mind when he said this, but we reckon the same applies to repeats of Love Actually… Thanks to new display technologies like OLED and edge-lit LED, the average TV is now wafer-thin. But while they look stylish and their image quality is often breathtakingly good, there's a high price paid when it comes to audio performance. With no room to accommodate even modestly-sized speakers, today's TVs can sound thin and feeble. While some high-end TVs come with quite advanced sound systems, the vast majority of sets are lacking, and these are well worth upgrading with a soundbar. Even the cheapest soundbar will give you better clarity and greater volume than a standard TV speaker system. And the best will transform your viewing completely. Furthermore, most soundbars also offer Bluetooth, so you can get the best sound when streaming shows to your TV from your phone or tablet. What size soundbar do I need?It makes sense to buy a soundbar that pairs up nicely with the size of your TV. Parking a compact bar in front of a 65-inch giant telly doesn't just look odd, it won’t generate the kind of sound required. Ideally, the soundbar should be slightly smaller in width than the screen it's going to be partnered with. Can you use a soundbar on any TV?Essentially, yes. There are two ways to connect a soundbar to a TV, through the HDMI slot and via digital optical audio. All new TVs have HDMI inputs. This single connection sends the sound from the TV to the soundbar with ease. If your set is an older model that lacks an HDMI slot, then the digital optical audio cable will do the same job. The entire set-up process shouldn't take more than 15 minutes – and that includes brewing a cuppa and making a token attempt to read any instructions in the box. What are the differences between each soundbar?Typical soundbars will be either stereo or multichannel. If a bar is stereophonic and comes with a subwoofer then it's called a 2.1 system – the .1 always refers to the subwoofer. If it's a home cinema-style soundbar, with multiple drivers used to emulate various channels of sound, it'll be described as 3.1 or 5.1. Of course, the beauty of a soundbar is that it's more or less an all-in-one solution. So a multichannel capable soundbar will look much like a stereo one. In practical terms, a stereo soundbar will fire audio towards the listener, while a multichannel bar magically creates the illusion that sounds are coming from all around the room. How we test the best soundbarsOur featured soundbars have been tried and tested for both technical performance and how they complement the sound and aesthetic of the TVs we watched them with. We put our ears to the ground (metaphorically, not literally) and listened out for high sound quality, echoes and reverb and for whether the soundbars can handle films, TV and music at loud volumes. How the soundbar looks with your TV is important, too, so we found out whether certain soundbars blend well with ultra-wide, super-thin TVs and whether they look good besides, above or underneath the telly. Also, we rate the soundbars on ease of installation, compatibility and little added extras, like Bluetooth and connect to phones and smart-home devices, like the Amazon Alexa. Additional words by Amy Cutmore; Caroline Preece The post Best soundbar – boost your TV's sound for game days and film nights appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
| Christmas door decor ideas to dress entranceways with festive cheer Posted: 03 Nov 2021 04:50 AM PDT Welcome guests in style with a thoughtful Christmas door decor idea. From traditional door wreaths to on-trend balloon arches, there’s a seasonal decorating idea to suit all homes. Making a festive first impression is a great way to set the tone for the rest of your Christmas decorating scheme. Decorating the exterior of a house also extends festive cheer to neighbours and those who passing-by, an ideal way to offer season’s greetings to the wider community. Christmas door decor ideasChristmas ideas to dress the outside of your home will offer festive cheer for all who see it. Door provide a blank canvas to add festive floral wreaths, twinkling fairy lights and characterful Christmas characters to welcome happy Christmas spirits to the everyone who crosses the threshold. 1. Set the scene Image credit: Future/ Dominic Blackmore Create a festive showcase at your front to fully embrace seasonal decorating. Add lanterns to window ledges and steps to add ambience after dark. Dress the front door itself with a generous Christmas wreath, in a colour that coordinates with the rest of your chosen decorations. Decorate the windows either side of the front door with stickers or faux snow to add a whimsical touch to the setting. Hang simple yet captivating paper ball decorations beside the front door to add an element of fun to the festivities. 2. Get creative with a balloon arch Image credit: Ginger Ray The mighty balloon arch has become THE must-have detail for any well-dressed party. It may look like a lot of effort, but it’s actually a fairly simple thing to make – all your require is a balloon pump and a whole lot of patience. This quirky kits comes with 240 balloons in total, plus everything you need to make your front door balloon arch. Top tip: probably best saved for the days when you know you have guests arriving, less chance of deflating balloons ruining the look. Buy now: Christmas Door Balloon Arch Kit, £24.99, Ginger Ray 3. Add ornaments to a seasonal wreath Image credit: Future/ Simon Whitmore Cement the feeling of Christmas decorating by adding quirky ornaments and baubles to your front door wreath. Choose to brighten up a plain foliage wreath with decorations of your choosing – providing a great opportunity to add bold accent colours. It also allows homeowners to tie a decorating scheme together, from inside to out. Simply coordinate the decorations with those inside on the Christmas tree to create a flow for your decorating scheme. 4. Wrap the door with a bow Image credit: Future A growing trend is the vision of the front door wrapped in a giant bow, as if being finished in the style of a perfectly wrapped present. It started as a popular celebrity trend but has now swept the nation as one of the most on-trend decorating practices for festive front doors. All you need to wrap your own front door is two wide lengths of fabric, which you attach securely on the bottom and top, then both sides of the door – drawing pins should do the trick, or a staple gun. Bring the ends together in the middle on the front of the door and tie a bow. 5. Go oversized to add impact Image credit: Future/ Rachel Whiting It tis but once a year, so why keep it tame?! Go for a dramatically oversized wreath to fill the front door to really make a statement with your decorations this year. The only thing to consider if you’re going bigger with the wreath, especially if it’s real, it will weigh more – so ensure your source of hanging it can take the weight. 6. Wrap and top with a wreath Image credit: Max Attenborough Wrap the door but in a more understated way than a giant ribbon and bow, adding a wreath as a ‘present’ topper. Make the bow less of a main attraction and opt for a simple wide ribbon to dress the door from top to bottom, left to right. Place a beautifully made wreath on top, adding streams of ribbon to it to coordinate with the door ribbon. 7. Adorn the door with alternative foliage Image credit: Future/ David Parmiter There’s nothing quite like the look of a fresh foliage wreath, starring as the main attraction on a front door. This seasonal wreath filled with hearty hydrangeas and artichoke flowers shows how impactful real foliage can be – even when it’s not your typical spray of seasonal flowers. Be aware that a fresh foliage wreath will be heavier than a faux design, because the foam will need to be damp in order to keep the flowers looking fresh for the duration it’s. on the door. We recommend spritzing the flower heads with a light water spray throughout the duration of Christmas, to keep it moist. 8. Welcome Christmas characters to the doorstep image credit: Light4fun.co.uk You can’t go wrong when you welcome cheerful Christmas characters to dress doorsteps. Although not technically a door decor detail, a light up figure will enhance the front door from by illuminating the doorstep or path leading to it. ‘Add festive figures such as show-stopping light up reindeers or sliding penguins! Perfectly on trend this season and are sure to take centre stage in your display’ says Amy Mason. director of product at Lights4fun.co.uk ‘New for Christmas 2021, our reindeer family features an exclusive functionality, illuminating in 3 different shades of white. Dress your enchanting display for a Christmas to remember.’ Buy now: Harewood Reindeer Family, £359.99, Lights4fun.co.uk 9. Coordinate a colour scheme Image credit: Annie Sloan For a sophisticated approach to seasonal decorating stick to one colour palette, matching the colour of your Christmas door decor with that of the front door. This elegant green front door is painted in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Amsterdam Green. The green colour is then echoed within a simple yet stunning rustic Christmas wreath. The subtle decorating approach suits the house, showing that you can still create a stunning Christmas door decor idea without going OTT. 10. Decorate the porch with lights Image credit: Lights4fun.co.uk Shine a light above your front door by dressing the porch with a net of fairy lights, to offer full coverage. The smart web-like wire is easy to hang on the underside of a porch to create a blanket of lights, like stars, above to beautifully illuminate the front door. Buy now: Essential Connect 280 Warm white Connectable Net Lights, £38.99, Lights4fun.co.uk 11. Wrap garlands to frame the front door Image credit: Future/ Debi Treloar Create a sense of symmetry to balance your decorating scheme for the front door. Drape or wrap garlands either side of the front door to frame it with seasonal foliage. Copy this homeowner by attaching bundles of tied cinnamon sticks to add aroma to the garland – this can be done whether real or faux. The use of a seasonal scent will alert the scenes as it gently wafts in the air as you pass by. 12. Dress both sides of the door Image credit: Future/ Colin Poole Don’t leave Christmas out in the cold, decorate the inside of the door as well as outside. Whether you choose to hang wreaths on either side to mirror the look, or bring the wreath inside and stick to lights outdoors – ensuring both sides are covered will offer festive cheer to guests as they arrive and leave during the festive period. 13. Stick with tradition for a classic look Image credit: The Real Flower Company Fresh foliage is simply stunning for front door wreaths, offering colour and fragrance to greet guests. Choose traditional red roses to celebrate the classic colour of the season and to welcome a beautifully sweet scent. Fresh wreaths are an investment but a professionally made design will last for weeks if cared for properly – with a gentle water spritz every few days to revive the flowers. 14. Redecorate with a splash of colour Image credit: Sadolin It’s commitment, but perhaps you’ve been toying with the idea of repainting the front door for a while – Christmas might just be the perfect time! ‘When picking a shade for your door, consider the existing surrounds. If you a simple porch, why not consider going for a bolder colour,’ suggests Matthew Brown, Sandtex Technical Consultant. ‘Yet it if your door is surrounded by foliage or rustic stone opt for a subtler hue to blend in with the space.’ ‘At Christmas Sadolin’s natural wood stains are perfect for creating a timeless backdrop for the greens and reds in your wreath.’ 15. Keep it in character Image credit: Future/ Polly Eltes The pretty painted rubble and cob cottage has a pretty pink front door dressed with a rustic Christmas wreath to add to the element of country charm. A natural wreath of firs and eucalyptus is a subtle way to welcome a classic touch of Christmas to a front door when you want to keep the scheme understatedly chic. How do you decorate a Christmas door?You can decorate a Christmas door in a number of ways. Firstly with a simple festive wreath, the icon of festive door decor. Lights are a brilliant way to add festive sparkle to front doors, to extend a warm welcome to guests. Balloon arches are the decorating trend of the moment, adding wow factor to front doors in an instant. How do you hang Christmas decorations on the front door?The best way to hang Christmas decorations on a front is firstly by doing so without marking or damaging the paint or door itself, because after they come down the door still needs to look good. A wreath door hanger is the best way to hang a wreath without causing damage. The design clips over the top of the door frame and provides a sturdy metal hook. I personally fix mine with doubled up garden twine, to reinforce the strength to take the weight, then secure a drawing pin into the top of the wooden door frame. Push it in enough to be secure but lease enough pin exposed so you can wrap the twine around the pin head – to hold the wreath in place. 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| Christmas Eve box ideas – to make Christmas even more magical Posted: 03 Nov 2021 03:30 AM PDT We all have our own little family traditions on Christmas Eve, from watching festive movies and hanging stockings to leaving out mince pies, carrots and a tipple of sherry for Santa. In recent years the joy of Christmas Eve box ideas have become one of the most popular night before Christmas traditions. It’s all of these traditions that add a touch of extra magic to Christmas. Christmas Eve boxes are the latest craze to find their way to our shores in recent years. With everyone from the big supermarkets to independent retailers stocking Christmas Eve gifts boxes, it’s never been easier to embrace this growing trend. Christmas Eve box ideas – new family traditions Image credit: Wilko The idea behind the Christmas Eve box is to create a gift set of all the things required to ensure the perfect family night before Christmas. You simply buy one of the specially design boxes and fill them with treats – from matching pyjamas sets, drinking chocolate, a festive DVD, Christmas story book, bath time treats and seasonal crockery for Santa’s treats. The newest trend among parents is to give the children their Christmas Eve boxes on the first day of advent, going against what the name would suggest. But the first day of advent ties in with the arrival of the Elf on the Shelf and also gives little ones a whole month to enjoy the treats inside. Where to buy: Budget Christmas Eve box Marry Xmas Eve Box, £2.50, Wilko Keepsake wooden Christmas Eve box Personalised Christmas Eve Wooden Box, £38.99, Not on the High Street What to put in a Christmas Eve box for 20211. New pyjamas Image credit: Matalan; Family Christmas PJS, from £17 A set of pyjamas for the Christmas Eve box is a classic choice, to ensure the last sleep in done in style. For those looking to fully embrace the fun of the festivities family Christmas pyjamas have been trending in recent years! With matching sets there’s a festive PJ for the whole family – to make it all the more magical!  Kid’s Checked Family Pyjamas set (1-16 years), £13-15. Marks and Spencer 2. Plate for Santa’s treatsGet little ones excited about the arrival of Santa with a dedicated treat plate to leave the traditional offers of a mince pie, carrot and a glass of milk.  Kid’s Countdown to Christmas Melamine Set, £15, Marks & Spencer  Christmas Eve Santa Treat Plate, £2, Dunelm  Wooden Santa’s Coming Christmas Eve Kit, £7.49, Ginger Ray at Not on the High Street 3. A cookie making kitEnjoy some family bonding time over an afternoon of baking festive tasty treats, with a simple cake or cookie kit will do the job. You can pick up easy-to-make kits that you simply add eggs and water and then bake – quite literally a piece of cake! You could even bake in the morning and deliver your sweet treats to friends, family and neighbours – to spread the joy.  Christmas Snowflake Cookie Mix baking Kit, £8.50, Katie Bakes at Not on the High Street  Elf on the Shelf Christmas Eve Cookie Making Kit, £7.50, Not on the High Street 4. Hot chocolate making kit Image credit: Polly Eltes Warm your cockles and get cosy with a steaming hot mug of drinking chocolate. Buy them a new mug, then pick up a sachet or a jar of Hot Chocolate and some mini marshmallows. Add them to the box for an easy way to make everyone’s favourite bedtime drink.  Twin Pack Nordic Hot Choc and Marshmallow Stirrers, £4, Dunelm  Reindeer Hot Chocolate Stencil, £9.95, Sophia Victoria Joy at Not on The High Street A trend for last year’s boxes was to make adorable hot chocolate reindeer cones… Fill a food bag with hot chocolate mix, topped with chocolate sprinkles and mini marshmallows. Tie them up with a pretty ribbon, add a pipe cleaner as antlers and some eyes and you’ve got yourself a reindeer hot chocolate treat. 5. Magical snow globe Image credit: Future/ Simon Whitmore The mesmerising snow globe is a Christmas favourite. Shake things up this year with a wonderful Christmas scene to capture little imaginations. You could make an afternoon of it and make your own snow globe, simply adding the things you need to your box. Alternatively of course there are a wealth of brilliant designs to buy online…  Mini Christmas Snow Globes, £15.99 set of 4, Amazon 6. Santa’s good list certificate Image credit: The Laser Studio/lanapalmerphotography.com A lovely idea to get the kids even more excited for the morning, a certificate to say they made the good list! What better night to give little ones a nice list certificate, so they know Santa will be arriving in a matter of hours with presents. It doesn’t get much more exciting than that really, plus they get to keep it and be proud of being good all year. Buy now: Vintage Press Nice List Certificate in Gold Foil, £18, The Laser Studio at Notonthehighstreet.com 7. Christmas storybooksBuild the excitement of Christmas each night by reading the children festive stories, filled with Christmas characters and seasonal joy.  Personalised Christmas Eve Children’s Book, £22.95, Not on the High Street  The Snowman Personalised Book, £24, Not on the High Street 8. Bath time treatsWhether you’re opening the box early or saving for the night before Christmas, you’ll need to ensure little ones are fresh and ready for the big day. Keep some bath time treat to one side to run a bubble bath of fun before the last sleep.  Elf on the Shelf Bath Bomb, £3.50, Boots 9. Festive movies Image credit: Future/ Paul Raeside Sit as a family and enjoy a feel-good Christmas movie. Whether you’re watching the most loveable Elf of all time find his way around New York city or Kevin causing chaos in Home Alone, laughter and feel-good vibes are guaranteed in equal measure with a much-loved movie. With online searches reaching higher than ever before, this year is expected to be the year we all think outside (or should that be inside) the box for the Christmas countdown. We’re throwing everything at making Christmas 2021 as enjoyable as possible, to make up for last year. Before you know it Christmas will be here, meaning it’s time to start thinking about the goodies to fill these popular gift boxes. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas already. The post Christmas Eve box ideas – to make Christmas even more magical appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
| WIN a Traeger grill worth over £1000 for cooking all year round Posted: 03 Nov 2021 02:00 AM PDT It’s competition time! We’ve teamed up with Traeger Grills to give away a Traeger Ironwood 650 – one of the best BBQs out there – and a selection of extras for one lucky reader. Win a Traeger Ironwood 650 grillIdeal for cooking up a storm all year round, the Traeger Ironwood 650 makes cooking even Christmas dinner faster, easier and more flavoursome. You can grill everything from turkey, goose or ham to roast potatoes, veggies (including sprouts!) and homemade gravy. Even smoked mulled wine or cookies can be whipped up in this bad boy. The Traeger Ironwood 650 features WiFIRE® technology so you can control the grill from anywhere. The grill has a temperature range of 75ºC to 260ºC and a D2® Controller with Turbo Temp to heat the grill faster. Plus, its digital meat probe will ensure precise readings, while the double sidewall insulation keeps the temperature consistent in any weather.  Image credit: Traeger Grills You can choose Super smoke mode and the Downdraft Exhaust® to maximise smoky flavour. And the smoke/sear setting means you can adjust the grill grate position to make cooking a breeze. The winner will also receive a limited edition turkey wood pellet and brining kit, perfect for cooking your Christmas dinner. The wood pellets feature a mix of maple, hickory, and a hint of Rosemary. And the blend will infuse your bird with bold, savoury flavour and with Traeger's Orange Brine & Turkey Rub Kit, you’ll cook the juiciest, tastiest turkey you've ever had. There’s also a handy XXL spatula with a strong teak wood handle that’ll make moving larger items like turkeys easier. And the stainless steel tongs with serrated edges will give you a reliable grip to flip, rotate and move food. Most importantly, the winner will receive a full length, heavy duty cover to protect the grill from all weather conditions. Plus, a pack of drip trays to make light work of cleaning the grill.  Image credit: Traeger Grills Enter the competitionFor your chance to win a Traeger Ironwood 650 grill and accessories, available at stockists like Riverside Garden Centre, all you need to do is answer the question and fill in the form below. Entries close at midnight on 17th November, so good luck!
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| Man returned home to find his entire house had been 'stolen' Posted: 03 Nov 2021 12:00 AM PDT You would imagine that stealing an entire house would be a pretty tricky thing to carry off. However, a man from Luton was shocked to return to his house and find it had been sold to a new owner without his knowledge. The Reverend Mike Hall returned home from a work trip in North Wales to find his home of 30 years had been ‘stolen’ by fraudsters and sold for £131,000 to a new owner. The first he knew of the transaction was when his front door key wouldn’t work. According to a BBC report, Mike Hall returned to his home in Luton when his neighbours called saying someone was in the house. When he arrived his key wouldn’t work and a stranger answered the front door.  Image credit: Getty / VictorHuang The property had been stripped of all his belongings and furniture. The stranger said he was a builder hired by the new owners of the property Mike phoned the police, but the builder returned with the new owner’s father who said he had bought the terraced house in July. To settle the dispute Mike Hall looked up the Land Registry documentation but found that the name had been changed in August. ‘At that point the police said, ‘Well, there’s nothing further we can do here. This is a civil matter; you need to leave the house and contact your solicitors,’ Mike told BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours. ‘I was shocked – having seen the house in the state it was, I was in a bit of a state of shock anyway – but then to be told by the police they didn’t believe a criminal offence had been committed here was just unbelievable,’ he added.  Image credit: Getty / Altaf Shah The BBC allege that a duplicate driving licence and bank account were set up in the name of Mike Hall and used to sell the house. When the house was sold to the new owner by the person impersonating Mr Hall, they now legally owned it. After being contacted by the BBC, the Bedfordshire Police’s fraud squad has begun an investigation into the case, but no arrests have been made. How common are fraudulent house transactions?This isn’t an isolated case of fraud being used to try and steal a whole house. Last year the Land Registry paid out a total of £3.5 million in compensation for fraud. However, the Land Registry told Ideal Home that fraudulent transactions are still relatively rare accounting for 0.001 per cent of applications. ‘Combatting fraud is a key priority for us and over the last 5 years we have prevented fraud on properties worth over £100m,’ says the Land Registry. ‘Our specialist counter fraud teams focus on detection, prevention and education. They work with professional conveyancers, such as solicitors, who are required to make checks to prevent fraud and money laundering. ‘We are actively encouraging conveyancers to use digital cryptographic ID checking as a more secure means of identifying people.’ What can you do to prevent your house from being stolen?While investing in the best home security system, can help prevent a burglary. Avoiding your entire house from being stolen via fraud requires you to be vigilant with paperwork. ‘Some homeowners are more at risk than others,’ Angela Kerr, Director at HomeOwners Alliance told Ideal Home. ‘Your property is more vulnerable to fraud if it is empty, rented out, does not have a mortgage against it or is not registered with the Land Registry.’ Angela advises that the first thing you should do is check your property is registered with the Land Registry. If it is you should then set up a Land Registry Property Alert. ‘Alerts are sent to you via email when official searches and applications are received against the property you want to be monitored,’ explains Angela. ‘It won't automatically block any changes to the register but it will tell you what is happening so you can take appropriate action if necessary.’ The post Man returned home to find his entire house had been 'stolen' appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
| Fireplace ideas – from modern designs to rustic hearths for living rooms and more Posted: 02 Nov 2021 05:00 AM PDT  What is more cosy and inviting than a warming living room fireplace idea; the flickering flames of an open fire? Whether it’s real or artificial, an ambient glow will give your room a warming and appealing atmosphere. But even if you don’t have a working fireplace, you can make a focal point of a fireplace that’s purely decorative. Our fireplace ideas can be incorporated into both contemporary and more traditional room scheme. And though most apply to living room ideas, there’s no reason they can’t inspire other spaces like bedrooms, hallways or open-plan dining areas. Fireplace ideasLooking to add a fireplace in a house that’s lost its originals? Owen Pacey of fireplace restoration specialist Renaissance London has some top tips on how to choose one. "I'd always recommend sticking to the period of the house when looking to purchase a fireplace,’ says Owen. ‘This ensures that the styles align, and the fireplace will look like it's always been there.’ ‘The ground floor of Victorian properties always used to have a marble or slate fireplace and later on in the Edwardian era, slate became much more popular. My go-to material would always be marble, however, as it is generally very durable.’ ‘If you're thinking of inserting something functional or decorative inside your fireplace, I generally like to stick to original cast iron inserts or a freestanding basket.’ 1. Style a mantel like a pro image credit: Future PLC We ask a leading interiors stylist for tips on styling a mantel piece like a pro. 'Style it up with your favourite vases, family memories and seasonal foliage, and arrange your furniture so it embraces the fireplace rather than avoiding it,' says Sally Denning, Interiors stylist, @Blackshorestyle on instagram. 'Flowers and foliage, a huge mirror and your favourite ceramics always work,' says Sally. 'But don't be tempted to overfill. Be considered and paired back. Groupings of three always work well, as do different heights and textures. Saying that, work in plenty of candles and even a string of fairy lights for cosy nights.' Ambient light is essential for cosy living room idea. 2. Make a feature of a chimney breast wall Image credit:Future PLC/ Sussie Bell Ruth Mottershead, Creative director, Little Greene loves to see contrast, 'Try painting the fireplace in a contrasting colour to walls, wallpapering all walls or alcoves except the chimney breast.’ ‘Or opting for floor-to-ceiling colour, enveloping the fire surround and chimney breast just leaving the dark fireplace or decorative tiles to become a room's feature highlight.' 3. Keep it simple for a contemporary design Image credit: Dulux; Walls painted in Romney Wool Velvet Matt emulsion, Dulux Heritage 'An inset stove gives the illusion of a "window of fire",' says Declan Kingsley-Walsh, Managing Director Morsø UK. ‘So keep things minimal to let the fire remain centre stage.’ ‘Try either a single or grouping of larger vases positioned on the floor.' Sally would bring in a few statement pieces of foliage to create a focal point above – or even a few branches, leant against the wall on one side. 4. Make a modern fireplace the focal point Image credit: Future PLC/ Rachael Smith In a contemporary layout embrace the freedom to upsize. Make a big impact, quite literally, with an oversized fireplace design. 'Glass panels on stoves are now bigger and wider, so you can really enjoy the beauty of a log fire, compared to more trad designs,' says Declan. 'Stoves can be placed almost anywhere as long as the requirements of the stove are met and there's a flue, which means focal points are moving away from the traditional fireplace.' 5. Welcome wallpaper to frame a fireplace Image credit: Future Publishing Plc/ Simon Whitmore Draw attention to the fire within the fireplace by framing the surround with a decorative paper. Ruth loves a wallpaper idea; 'Adding wallpaper to the chimney breast in an otherwise muted scheme highlights it and create an element of surprise.' 6. Give an original fireplace a makeover Image credit: Little Greene With the right materials you can upcycle anything. 'Most fireplaces are made from varnished wood, cast iron, tiles or stone, so if you are looking to paint it – and a contrasting colour always helps highlight this architectural feature – then use a coat of an all-surface primer’ advises Ruth Mottershead, Creative director, Little Greene. ‘If you have a highly sculptural or cast-iron fireplace, then paint the walls and the fireplace itself the same colour – this reduces the powerful nature of the ironwork or shape but allows the detail to show through by the highlights and shadows that are displayed as light falls on it.' 7. Style a fireplace seasonally Image credit: Future/Joanna Henderson 'Style with the season,' says Sally. 'For spring and summer, pop candles into the grate or add seasonal foliage. As you head into autumn, stack with logs – they are great for adding texture and can be moved to a log basket to one side come winter.' 8. Don’t overpower the wood-burner Image credit: Morso 'For a contemporary stove, try to keep the area around minimal with a neutral palette. This allows the stove's warm, dancing flames to be the focal point. For more traditional stoves, expose the original brick or go for decorative tiles to create a warm, homely look,' says Declan. 9. Make your mantel pop Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore Not sure what to do with that tired old wooden fireplace surround? If you are feeling brave, painting it a bright colour will make it sing. Try to pick out your chosen colour in accents such as cushions and rugs, and smaller pieces of upcycled furniture for a more cohesive look. Think carefully about your colour choice. If you have a cool neutral like grey on the walls, pick a strong sunshine yellow, teal blue or fuchsia pink. If you are working with a warmer neutral, try an on-trend brick or terracotta red, a sage or olive green or even plum. 10. Go grey all over Image credit: Future PLC/Joanna Henderson One way to make a fireplace feel less old fashioned or obtrusive is to paint it in an on-trend, colour, and to also us that colour on the wall behind. This cocooning grey living room idea is on trend, and makes this mantel feel smart. It’s also light enough that you don’t lose the fine details of any carved details. 11. Make sure it’s to scale Image credit: Future PLC/David Giles This is important if you are choosing a replacement mantelpiece, or installing a new fireplace where one didn’t previously exist. ‘If you have lots of space and high ceilings, you may wish to opt for a tall fireplace with an overhanging mantel, an ornate overmantel and a wide hearth extension,’ advises Owen Pacey. ‘If your space is smaller, such as in a bathroom or guest bedroom, you may wish to opt for something more flush to the wall. Focus the detail on ornate jambs or tiles around the grate.’ 12. Turn a chimney breast into a home office Image credit: Future PLC/Anna Stathaki Here’s a very smart solution for a defunct upstairs fireplace – turn it into a desk or dressing table. Deeper wardrobes sit in the alcoves created by the flue, while attaching a shelf to the chimney breast makes an instant workspace or beauty bar. And the hearth becomes a place to tuck in a stool – it’s the home office you’ve always wanted, but takes up barely any space. 13. Pare back a disused fireplace Image credit: Future PLC/Joanna Henderson Turn a simple hole in the wall into a stunning feature that reflects the style of your property. This house is located by the sea, so rustic materials – a raw concrete cavity and a stone base are complemented by the mix of textured ceramics and woven rattan inside. A small jar of coral is another nod to the surroundings. 14. Use reclaimed wood for authenticity Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole A big open hearth and flue might look authentic, but they are also rather impractical. In this cosy cottage, the flue is sealed off so there are no draughts, and an efficient wood burner does a far better job of emitting heat directly into the room that an open fire wood. A simple reclaimed beam is a rustic alternative to a traditional mantelpiece, while still nodding to the age of the house. See more of this stunning home: Have a wander through this 400-year-old thatched cottage in the Cornwall countryside 15. Create a dramatic bathroom feature Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole Ok, so chances are you won’t naturally have a chimney breast in your bathroom, unless you have repurposed a bedroom or done some serious reconfiguring downstairs. But if you do, it can be a very useful feature and the focal point of your space. Use it as a home for laundry baskets and fill it with plants for a fresh look. It’s also the natural home for a mirror. If you don’t have a chimney breast in the bathroom, you could fake one. It might be a handy addition, particularly if you are trying to box around and hide pipework. Just add a wooden mantel and no one will know it’s not authentic. 16. Fake it in a new build with this instant fix Image credit: Next Though it’s not true of all new builds, some can feel a little bereft of features. So if you are looking for a focal point to replace the TV, a fireplace surround like this one from Next could be the retro-fit solution you’ve been looking for. It will fit against a flat wall for an instant feature, and you you can add your choice of electric stove or hearth to complete the look. Buy now: Jefferson fireplace surround, £475, Next 17. Keep things elegant with marble Image credit: Future PLC/ Paul Craig Marble is the perfect choice for a fireplace. It is resistant to heat and fire, meaning you can light the fire all winter long without worrying about any damage. Marble is perfect for creating a sleek modern look. It can be expensive, but the versatility and longevity of marble makes it is a great investment. 18. Add character with exposed brick Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles If you have inherited a fireplace already fitted with a heating element, rather than tearing it out immediately check to see if it is still safe to use and work with it. This old heating element and exposed brick fireplace add character to this otherwise modern living room. It is a lovely focal point that offers a nod to the history of the house. 19. Create a modern, industrial look Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore Has your original fireplace been ripped out? It’s relatively affordable to commission your own in cast concrete, for a surround that has all the character or marble or stone without the expense. Pops of orange fire up the neutral living room background when the stove itself isn’t flickering. 20. Match your fireplace to your walls Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore Fireplaces can sometimes stand out for all the wrong reasons. So if you want yours to blend in, paint it to match the walls around it. This is particularly effective if you go for a deep colour rather than a pale neutral. Pick out the tone in soft furnishings but make sure there’s enough ‘light’ to contrast with the shad to avoid overkill. Here, a grey stove and grey sofa with metallic furniture do the job brilliantly in a blue living room idea. 21. Work in a wood-burning stove Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore Fireplace alcove not in use? Install a log burning stove. It will create wonderfully cosy centrepiece and will heat the whole area. Be sure to enlist the help of a trained contractor who will make sure the structure is safe and built to the latest regulations. The results as seen here in this quaint country living room are stunning and can be enjoyed from all angles of the room. 'Whether your living room is big or small, a wood-burning stove always makes it cosy’ says Declan Kingsley-Walsh, Managing Director Morsø UK. 22. Dress an inglenook Image credit: Future PLC/ Polly Eltes Large open fireplaces or Inglenooks as they are often known are the ultimate indulgence for cottage, country living room ideas. They were originally used in houses to cook, and for people to gather in for extra warmth but these days they are purely decorative and atmospheric. Their grand appearance is the epitome of rustic cosiness and looks the part amongst beamed ceilings and comfortable sofas. You need to have sufficient permanent ventilation into the room to ensure that the fire can work safely with a good draught up the flue. Be sure to clean and maintain your chimney and heating stove in time for winter. 23. Decorate the mantel Image credit: Future PLC/ Brett Charles Ever wondered where the living room furniture pointed before the days of the TV? Although many have been neglected or ripped out completely, the fireplace is gaining gravitas once more thanks to our current love of all things heritage. Whether offering a place for your wine glass at a party to perching a family portrait, the mantel itself has long reflected each era of design. Use a bare mantel to display your favourite objects – a sure fire (get it?!) way to cheer you up on a dull, dreary day. Select specific items to make more of a statement – oversized letters to spell out kid's names looks great, or use the wall above to position a large scale print and leave the mantle free. 24. Fill your fireplace with shelving Image credit: Future PLC/ Heather Hobhouse If you have a small fireplace that no longer houses a fire or has been blocked up and plastered over, why not use it as an alcove for shelving to fill an unwelcome gap? This works particularly well in bedrooms for storing books, and also in kitchens by creating extra space for pretty displays. 25. Pop storage into the niche Image credit: Future PLC/ Nikki Crisp If you're lucky enough to have a big fireplace that is no longer in use, take advantage of the tailor-made niche in which to house a freestanding cupboard. Rather than have a built-in design, which can be an expensive project, ready- made furniture is a great alternative. Especially effective if you paint it the same colour as the alcove and the surrounding walls, blending the whole look together. 26. Fill in the gaps with logs Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles Fill an unused fireplace with logs for an eye-catching display. Fire wood is making a rustic style statement this season. Stacked and styled with an interior designer's eye, the storage of this humble heat source is also the 'hot' new way to bring a textural element into the winter home. We’ve got plenty more log storage ideas where that came from, to make a display of firewood. 27. Light up your fire Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles An exposed brick chimney breast is a popular decorative fireplace style right now. It demands attention, adds texture and lends itself well to not only rustic but modern schemes as it gives a nod to the industrial trend. It particularly looks the part in this relaxed living room as creates a focal point and balances the eclectic scheme. If your fireplace is not in use, light up the hearth with a quirky novelty LED letter light as an extra highlight. 28. Adorn your fireplace with foraged foliage Image credit: Future PLC/ Polly Eltes Give those Sunday afternoon walks extra purpose by taking the opportunity to forage in the hedgerows for pretty foliage to adorn your fireplace. Slip your secateurs in your pocket and be on the look-out for ivy, rose hips, eucalyptus, yew and box cuttings. As well as looking pretty, they’ll double as kindling. The time honoured and traditional fireplace was once a necessity to heat a room, but in today’s world they can be seen as more of a comforting indulgence and delight. From artificial gas and electric fires to rustic wood burners and roaring open inglenooks, there is certainly a style and type to suit every style of living room, bedroom, kitchen or even bathroom. Should I buy a restored fireplace or reproduction fireplace?A beautiful fireplace might be a must-have now, but it’s a sad fact that in the 1970s and 1980s, homeowners couldn’t rip them out fast enough. That’s left many older homes lacking their original fireplaces. So if you want to reinstate them, is it best to seek out an old fireplace, salvaged from a property of a similar age, or to buy new? ‘Restoration can be a hugely gratifying and challenging process, from sourcing to installation, but the result is a true piece of history amongst the fabric of your home,’ says Owen Pacey of Renaissance London. ‘Alternatively, specifying a reproduction fireplace gives you the freedom to create something entirely new. It can be made to look old while incorporating all the detail and personalisation you could wish for.’ How do I make my fireplace a year-round feature? Image credit: Brent Darby Declan says to acknowledge rather than disguise; 'During the summer, a stove or fire remains a functional design element that boosts the aesthetics of any space, even though it's not in regular use. Keep logs and fireside tools close by – whatever the season – they add interest and make the stove feel homely all year round.' Do fireplaces cause pollution?While we love the cosy element that a wood-burning stove brings to a room, we also acknowledge the Clean Air Strategy 2019, which sets about the reduction of emissions at home. Burning wood and coal in open fires and stoves makes up 38% of the UK's primary emissions of fine particulate matter2. The Clean Air Strategy 2019 set out plans to legislate to prohibit the sale of the most polluting fuels, with only the cleanest stoves available for sale by 2022. Additional words by Jennifer Morgan. The post Fireplace ideas – from modern designs to rustic hearths for living rooms and more appeared first on Ideal Home.  |
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