Ideal Home

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• From Wreak to Wow! Step inside this fabulous self-built, eco family home
• Brilliant or bonkers? Dunelm is selling an advent calendar cushion
• Sage The Fast Slow Go review: we tried Sage's latest multi-cooker
• Christmas window decorating ideas to inspire your home this season
• The John Lewis Christmas advert 2021 has landed with an unexpected guest
• Gardening expert Daisy Payne says now is the best time to plant a hedgerow

From Wreak to Wow! Step inside this fabulous self-built, eco family home Posted: 04 Nov 2021 10:23 AM PDT Photography Chris Snook/Future PLC Putri and Ben Mackereth are serial renovators. They moved from New Zealand to the UK nearly 12 years ago and starting out with a small flat renovation in Clapham, South London. Ben has a building firm (www.macbuildingsolutions.co.uk) and Putri an interior design consultancy (www.maehousedesign.com). Their combined skills have seen this dream team complete 11 renovations of their own and over a hundred for clients. This is their first self-build together, and what a dream real home it is. House before Photography: Chris Snook/FuturePLC Ben began trawling online portals looking for the perfect plot and found a dated house in Streatham, South London, in the summer of 2019, on approximately 700m2 of land. They demolished the house in February 2020, just before the pandemic hit. ‘We were lucky that the construction industry was still able to operate, otherwise we would have been left with an empty site,’ says Ben. New house: Exterior Photography: Chris Snook/FuturePLC The build itself was relatively straightforward and quick. Securing planning permission, however, was one of the biggest challenges for the couple. ‘It took a pre-application meeting, three planning applications and numerous Variation of Conditions (VOC's) to get to the design we were happy with.’ Not only was a self-build new to them, but they were hoping to build in a Conservation area. Their architect David Bell from AtelierDB explained that it would be difficult to get planning permission for their contemporary vision and suggested they incorporate architectural forms and characteristics from within the conservation area.  ‘The tile hanging at first floor level and the gable roof were examples of this and really helped us create a house which was sympathetic to the surrounding area,' says Putri. Open plan living area Photography Chris Snook/Future PLC  Open-plan living and impressive design features were top of their list of must haves. 'We wanted a polished concrete floor throughout the ground floor; it's a very Antipodean look, but after doing some research we found out they can be problematic; they can stain and crack and are very difficult to patch in when something goes wrong. So, we opted for large Terrazzo style porcelain tiles and used throughout the ground floor to unify the spaces.' Photography Chris Snook/Future PLC 'The ground floor was designed to make the most of the southerly aspect and capture the sunshine all day. We really liked the look of metal doors, however wanted these to open right up to connect the indoor and outdoor spaces. After much searching we found a company that could create exactly what we had in mind.' The outdoor BBQ is where Ben spends most of his time. ‘We both loved the existing rustic brick wall, so decided to retain but added cedar cladding at the top to tidy it up and create some privacy with our neighbours. For the decking, we chose a composite product called Millboard which looks just like timber but without the upkeep and issues of rotting and warping.' Seating area Photography Chris Snook/Future PLC With a new build, its essential to incorporate eco-efficiency measures where possible. In addition to double glazing and EcoTherm insulation for thermal efficiency, an air source heat pump was installed so no gas is required at the property. This powers the wet underfloor heating throughout the entire house. They also had to pass an air pressure test to ensure the house was well sealed; minimising any heat loss. Kitchen Photography Chris Snook/Future PLC 'The kitchen really is the heart of the home. I spend a lot of time here and the open plan allows me to keep an eye on the kids. It also makes a great space for entertaining,’ says Putri. 'I really liked the idea of having a walk-in pantry to keep everything hidden away, but unfortunately the space didn't allow for it. Instead, we opted for a kitchen design with fold away doors which allowed us to create a larder cupboard with the same functionality. Opened right up it gives easy access to everything but when not in use it can be closed right up.’ Kitchen seating Photography Chris Snook/Future PLC A tan leather sofa makes a stylish yet practical place for the children to hang out while the couple prepare meals. 'Building your dream family home is a lot of fun and creating a space that you know will make your family life easier is very rewarding.’ ‘Not only does our house work well for our young kids now, it can be easily adapted as the kids grow older to work well in the future.' Main bedroom Photography Chris Snook/Future PLC 'Sometimes starting from a blank canvas is easier than refurbishing, and self-building allowed us to make our family home exactly how we wanted it,' says Ben. 'We added a coffered ceiling complete with LED strip lighting as a point of difference in our main bedroom suite. The soft lighting works well in the bedroom and gives the impression of increased ceiling height.' Bathroom ensuite Photography Chris Snook/Future PLC With three young children the couple don't get away as much as they used to and they wanted to create a luxury hotel room feel with an open plan en-suite complete with free standing bath, as a space to unwind after a busy day. Photography Chris Snook/Future PLC Deep green ceramic wall tiles, laid vertically rather than horizontally, add a modern twist that makes the brass towel radiator and bathroom fittings really ping. The post From Wreak to Wow! Step inside this fabulous self-built, eco family home appeared first on Ideal Home.

Brilliant or bonkers? Dunelm is selling an advent calendar cushion Posted: 04 Nov 2021 05:00 AM PDT These days, you can get all kinds of weird and wonderful advent calendars – from face mask calendars to ones filled with Wedgewood ornaments. For Christmas 2021, Dunelm is ringing the changes with an advent calendar cushion. The best advent calendars are, of course, a must this time of year. Starting a daily Christmas countdown is a fundamental step towards finally ‘feeling Christmassy’ even if you’re not that into it. Here’s what the Ideal Home team makes of the Dunelm advent calendar cushion… Image credit: Dunelm Dunelm advent calendar cushion Lindsey Davis, Ecommerce Editor in Chief ‘This would look lovely in a traditional or Scandinavian-inspired scheme… if you can work out where to put it,’ says Lindsey. ‘On the sofa? You would melt any sweets in minutes if you sat on it. ‘On a shelf? That would look weird,’ she adds. Lindsey thinks it would be a brilliant Christmas hallway decorating idea if you have a bench seat – as long as the dog can’t reach it. Image credit: Dunelm Tamara Kelly, Digital Editor ‘As an alternative advent it’s pretty cool,’ says Tamara. ‘It would save having to find anywhere to hang a fabric one! ‘But the present would need to be non-food based because pets and young children would surely empty it in seconds. I like the idea of it being on a child’s bed, filled with mini toy presents sort of like a stocking vibe – they can wake up and open one each morning,’ she says. Image credit: Dunelm Becky Knight, News Editor Becky is a big fan of this Insta-worthy Christmas idea. ‘I really like it, but I’d probably skip the filling it part,’ she says. ‘I’d maybe get a fabric star or a clothes peg to move along the pockets as a tracker rather than something with a treat each day. It’s definitely one for that chair in the corner of the room you never sit on,’ Becky comments. Nordic Nomad Advent Calendar Cushion | £15 The Dunelm advent calendar cushion is available for click and collect – and for £15 we think it’s a lovely festive addition to a hallway or corridor View Deal So, brilliant or bonkers? We’re going to have to say brilliant. It’s a great sustainable option and we like the idea of using it as an advent calendar/stocking hybrid. You’d need to be careful and make sure it didn’t get too warm in a room with heating on, but it would also be lovely to be able to offer guests a candy cane or trinket as they leave. It’s just a question of finding somewhere to put it among our other Christmas decorations. Will you be picking one up? The post Brilliant or bonkers? Dunelm is selling an advent calendar cushion appeared first on Ideal Home.

Sage The Fast Slow Go review: we tried Sage's latest multi-cooker Posted: 04 Nov 2021 05:00 AM PDT In case you've not heard of the brand, Sage is a manufacturer of high-end kitchen appliances, and the Fast Slow Go is their newest multicooker. It's slightly more affordable than their other model, the Fast Slow Pro, but it's still expensive compared to others on the market. Multicookers are useful gadgets that can replace several other kitchen appliances such as the best slow cookers, rice cookers and pressure cookers so they're often worth the investment. The Fast Slow Go is a versatile multicooker that does everything you'd expect, and its main selling feature is the automatic pressure release that takes the stress out of pressure cooking. The six-litre capacity is big enough for six to eight person recipes and I found it easy to get to grips with. Ideal Home rated: 4.5 out of 5 stars Reasons to buy: Automatic pressure release Good capacity 8 pressure settings Controls are easy to use and clearly laid out Handles on the base unit make it easy to move Keep warm function Choose between pressure cook and slow cook for several of the pre-sets Reasons to avoid: Cluttered fascia Expensive Not recommended to wash cooking bowl in dishwasher Hinged lid is fiddly to remove Lid marks easily with fingerprints Sage The Fast Slow Go Specs Power: 1100W Capacity: 6 L Pre-sets: 8 pre-set food programs Cooking functions: Pressure cook, slow cook, steam, sauté/ sear, sous vide, reduce Weight: 6.7kg Size: 33.3 x 31.3 x 34.7 cm (h x w x d) Included: Stainless steel cooking bowl, stainless steel trivet Unboxing the Sage Fast Slow Go The Sage the Fast Slow Go seems bulky compared to some other multicookers I've reviewed but actually the footprint is similar. The large easy-grip handles on both sides mean it's not a struggle to lift it out of the box and move around the kitchen, but at almost seven kilos it's a tad heavy. Disappointingly, there were two big chunks of polystyrene in the box, which isn't readily recycled by UK councils, so will likely end up in landfill and I think Sage could improve this packaging by replacing these with cardboard inserts. On first impressions the front control panel is quite cluttered, this is because each cooking function has its own button. What this does mean though, is that there are no complicated menus to scroll through and it's really clear what the available cooking functions are, and how to adjust them. The lid is hinged, which is unusual for a multicooker, to remove it you have to unscrew a nut on the inside, this isn't difficult but it's more fiddly than I'd like. There's a big knob on the top of the lid that twists to lock it into position for cooking. There's also a steam release valve that can be moved manually, but when pressure cooking you don't need to touch it. You can choose one of the three automatic steam venting methods and allow the multicooker to take control of this stage for you – perfect if you're nervous about pressure cooking. There's a legume and grain cooking chart included in the box and an accompanying recipe book available to download from the Sage website, which is a useful starting point if you're new to multicookers. Cooking in the Fast Slow Go When you first switch on the Fast Slow Go it prompts you to set the altitude which is a bit unusual and after some Googling, I managed to find out the altitude in my area so I could set it and get going. Then it's just a case of choosing one of the following cooking modes: steam, sauté/ sear, reduce, sous vide, pressure cook or slow cook. Alternatively, there are eight different food pre-sets which are: soup, stock, meat, stew, legumes, rice/ grains, risotto, or rice. Every cooking mode and pre-set has adjustable time and temperature options and having all the buttons clearly laid out on the control panel makes it really user-friendly. Some of the food pre-sets like meat and stew can be either pressure cook or slow cook depending on your preference, which is useful and means you can tailor these functions to your recipe. There's a keep warm function that, if activated, will kick in at the end of cooking and keep your food warm for up to six hours, so if the doorbell rings just as your dinner is ready, it'll stay nice and warm. The delay start feature allows you to set cooking functions in advance so it'll start cooking while you're at work and dinner will be ready and waiting when you get home. The pressure cook food pre-sets each have a default steam release method, or for manual pressure cooking you can choose between natural, pulse or auto quick steam release and all are performed automatically, which in my opinion is the greatest selling point of the Fast Slow Go. Cooking Risotto in the Fast Slow Go After browsing the downloadable recipe book on the Sage website, I was intrigued by the Mexican risotto recipe, apologies to all the Italians and Mexicans who might be cringing at this combination of cuisines! The recipe starts by using the sauté/ sear function to cook off the onions and some of the other ingredients. It took five minutes to preheat and then you just use it like a regular frying pan, and it means there's only one pot to wash at the end. After sauteing and adding the rest of the ingredients, I just had to seal the lid and press the risotto button, then start, simple as that. This is a pressure cooking program that took seven minutes to preheat, cooked for eight and a half minutes, then automatically released the pressure which took just under two minutes. So in less than 18 minutes and without the arm ache usually associated with making a risotto, it produced a perfectly cooked, creamy risotto. Having been sceptical about making a risotto without all the stirring, I was pleasantly surprised at the result, it tasted great, and the rice had the perfect texture. Steaming broccoli in the Fast Slow Go The instruction book doesn't give information on cooking times for steaming, so I had to wing it a bit. I added a cup of water to the cooking pot and put the broccoli on the steam rack. But I had to leave the florets quite large so they didn't fall through the rack into the water below. I turned the steam setting on, made sure the pressure valve was open and guessed at three minutes. It took nine and a half minutes to preheat and as luck would have it, after steaming for three minutes the broccoli was perfectly cooked. It was tricky to remove the rack without all of the broccoli falling into the water so if you're planning to do lots of steaming, I'd advise buying a steam basket that fits the pot. The lack of information on cooking times means you'll have to experiment to get the perfect results for different vegetables, but once you've cracked it, this will be a useful function. Cooking with the Legume pre-set in the Fast Slow Go Next, I attempted another recipe from the recipe book, this time I tried the Butter Chickpeas which uses dried chickpeas cooked on the Legume pre-set. I softened the onions, ginger and garlic using the sauté/ sear function, which can be set to one of three temperatures. Once all the ingredients were in the pot, I sealed it up, hit the legume pre-set and adjusted the time to 50 minutes. The default steam release for legumes is natural and at the end of cooking it released the steam slowly over 22 minutes. I rarely cook with dried chickpeas, it always seems like too much faff, but the end result was a delicious curry with a deep flavour and easily enough for six people. The dried chickpeas had cooked beautifully, they were soft but still had a good texture and hadn't broken down or gone mushy. Cooking Rice in the Fast Slow Go To accompany the curry, I just cooked some simple brown basmati rice. A leaflet that comes in the box gives rice and water quantities along with cooking times, so it made sense to follow this. I used the rice pre-set and adjusted the time to 15 minutes. Including the preheat and the pressure release it took around 29 minutes, which is slightly longer than cooking it on the hob, but that's fine by me as it's a completely hands-off process. The finished rice had the perfect texture, so if you struggle to cook rice, this is the way to go. See also: the best rice cookers Cleaning The instruction manual says that the cooking pot is dishwasher safe, but it is advisable to wash it by hand, which feels a bit like they're teasing me with the idea of putting it in the dishwasher whilst also telling me not to. It's easy enough to wash by hand though, as is the steam rack. The lid marks with fingerprints and although it's easy to wipe over, removing it for a thorough clean is a bit of a pain and certainly more effort than other multicookers. But once it's off, cleaning it and disassembling the pressure release valve is pretty standard. Should you buy the Sage the Fast Slow Go?  The Fast Slow Go is more expensive than other multicookers such as the Drew & Cole Cleverchef Pro Multicooker, but what sets it apart is the automatic steam release that really takes the stress out of the sometimes-daunting task of pressure cooking. The cluttered control panel means that it's not the most streamlined or attractive appliance but, that said, having all the buttons clearly laid out makes it easy to use and get to grips with. The recipes I tried from the recipe book were tasty and easy to make and I'd happily try more. My main gripe with this multicooker is that the lid is a pain to remove for cleaning and the cooking pot is recommended to be washed by hand. But aside from these issues, it's a great multicooker and I loved the way it takes care of the steam release for you, making it an absolute must if you're intimidated by pressure cooking or confused by the steam release process. Even if you're a pressure cooking pro, it's nice to set it and walk away, knowing it'll automatically release the steam. About this review, and the reviewer Helen McCue is a freelance contributor who trained as a Home Economist. After starting her career in the food industry, she moved into home appliance reviews, utilising her cooking skills and experience to put all kinds of products to the test, and over the years has reviewed hundreds of home and kitchen appliances for a variety of publications. Having completely renovated her current house, Helen reviews kitchen appliances from her open plan kitchen at home in a beautiful Berkshire village. When she's not working, Helen can be found enjoying the local countryside or dreaming about her next house renovation project. The post Sage The Fast Slow Go review: we tried Sage's latest multi-cooker appeared first on Ideal Home.

Christmas window decorating ideas to inspire your home this season Posted: 04 Nov 2021 02:17 AM PDT Look beyond the interior for this year’s decorations. Christmas window decorating ideas are set to be more popular than ever this year, as homeowners look for ways to add maximum impact to seasonal decorating. While wreaths on doors and lights illuminating front porches gain a lot of attention, window decorations can add even more wow factor to any Christmas ideas. From on-trend chalk painting and stickers to festive bunting, sprucing up your windows for Christmas will make your home look and feel cosy and inviting from the outside in. Christmas window decorating ideas Our windows are our homes connection with the outside world, which has never been more needed than in recent years.  Pinterest reported a 50 per cent increase in searches for 'Christmas window decorations’ last year, set to be even higher this year as the trend really takes off. 1. Welcome Christmas characters with stickers Image credit: Stickers4walls.co.uk Welcome the most popular Christmas characters into your home with these reusable stickers. The Christmas gnome, or Christmas gonk as they are also called, is a must-have for festive decorating right now – as they become the most favoured character in recent years. Ideal to delight children and adults alike, this set of Scandinavian Gnome stickers are made from soft PVC static cling vinyl. The easy to peel and apply stickers are just the tonic to dress windows without making a mess by leaving any residue. They are reposition-able and reusable, so they can be used year after year. Buy now: Reusable Gnome Trio Window Decorations, £36.99, Sticker4walls.co.uk 2. Set the scene with large silhouettes on doors Image credit: Future/ Jo Henderson As the trend for sliding or opening French doors on the back of home extensions soars, there’s all the more window to decorate. Embrace this blank canvas of glass as a way to set the scene with an array of sticks depicting a seasonal winter wonderland story. Advice for using window stickers. Wash your chosen window first to remove any dirt and grease. With the backing paper still in place play around with compositions by laying your stickers out on a flat surface. Once you’re happy with the design remove the backing paper and smooth onto the window. Use a credit card or squeegee to remove any bubbles. 3. Illuminate windows with twinkling lights Image credit: Lights4Fun/ Oliver Perrott Who doesn’t love a set of twinkling fairy lights, whatever the season! Lights hanging in the windows offers a beautiful way to welcome warmth to your decorating scheme – for both inside and out. This delicate light display by Lights4fun is specially designed to frame the window perfectly to cascade floating star lights down the window pane. Buy now: Osby Star Christmas Window Light, £32.99, Light4fun.co.uk 4. Send season’s greetings Image credit: Cox & Cox Keep it simple but to the point with a window sticker which offers the message to wish all a ‘Merry Christmas’. Window stickers are ideal for an easy way to add decoration, without leaving a mess or residue on windows – like snow spray can. Stickers make it far easier to get a perfect finish, and in no time at all. Buy now: Merry Christmas Window Sticker, £6.50, Cox & Cox 5. Hang homemade garlands inside the window frame Image credit: Future Make your own decorative garlands to hang inside window frames to add a decorative touch – whether you choose colour, foliage or sparkle, make your garlands fit with the scheme that suits your home. Tie light weight decorations and sprigs of real foliage to a thin wire to secure to the top and bottom of wooden window frames with a small drawing pin. If you have UPCV windows use a sticky tape that can be easily peeled off, to avoid marking the frames. 6. Frame the front door with window decorations Image credit: Future/ Dominic Blackmore Set the scene at the front door by decorating the window panes either side. Simple snowflake stickers or stencilled snow spray patterns are ideal to add a magical touch to the overall look of your outdoor Christmas decor ideas. 7. Create a blanket of stars Image credit: Lights4fun.co.uk Make your windows shine bright with a curtain of lit up stars. Ideal for upstairs and downstairs windows these charming stars add a warm white sparkle to your home. The simple light up star curtain has discreet white hooks that sit at the top of each of the 5 strings of stars, making it super easy to hang in any window. For indoor use only each string features 8 stars and measure 1m in length, the stars measure 6cm in diameter – with approximately 10cm between each star. The design entirely covers the window with a soft glow when illuminated. Mains powered. Buy now: 40 Warm White LED Star Curtain Lights, £19.99, lights4fun.co.uk 8. Decorate with snowflakes Image credit: Future/ David Brittain You can buy simple stickers, designed specifically for the job – meaning they shouldn’t leave a sticky residue behind once taken down. From snowflakes to forest scenes there’s a captivating sticker to do the job for your window display. Try Etsy or Hobbycraft for stylish seasonal designs. 9. Cascade glowing fairy lights Image credit: Future/ Jon Day Fairy lights never fail to do the job of creating ambience. Suspend strings of simple fairy lights by windows to benefit from the effect both inside and out. They can help to act as outdoor lights to do your bit for the street, without having to hang them out in the cold. From indoor they help to enhance the view, meaning whatever the whether your home will feel festive and cosy. 10. String up seasonal bunting Image credit: Ginger Ray If you're a big fan of a paired back decor then Christmas decorations might feel overwhelming. But fear not because they can be spectacular and subtle in equal measure. A simple string of bunting is enough to welcome a seasonal touch of added style, without adding colour and bling. Placing the bunting infant of a window goes a long way to extend Christmas cheer to the world beyond. Traditional hessian bunting is perfect in a cosy country cottage or paired with neutral interiors and an elegantly-styled Christmas tree. Adding an adorable dog into the mix is never a bad idea either. 11. Cut out paper silhouettes Image credit: Future/ Brent Darby Like childhood crafts, make your own simple but stylish paper cutouts to adorn the windows. Stick with simple White Tack, so the paper cutouts are easy to remove and stuck ‘magically’, unobviously to the eye. 12. Fill window sills with colour Image credit: Future/ Rachel Whiting Create a curated festive display on the window sill, that can be enjoyed both inside and out. From coloured tealight votives to mini decorated trees, set the scene with colour that will cast a warm glow. 13. Get creative with cacti Image credit: Future/ Catherine Gratwicke As the plant of the year, it’s only right that some form of succulent play a pressing role in festive decorating this year. This playful display sees mini cacti arrangements suspended on wires with a window frame, to float above the festive floral arrangements on the window sill. These simple plants are perfect, because they won’t require watering in the time they are up over Christmas. 14. Make a garland of crackers Image credit: Future/ Emma Lee This idea is a little crackers perhaps…but doesn’t it look fabulous! Simply string together two sets of crackers, tying a thread around each send of one cracker to the next. Hang the handmade creation across the window as your would a garland. Using shiny metallic crackers is a good way to catch the light and get them  noticed from the outside too. To save waste you could simply take these down on the big day to use around the table. 15. Invest in a festive blind Image credit: 247 Blinds Looking for a more inclusive way to dress your windows this Christmas? Invest in a festive blind to create the perfect cosy scene for Christmas festivities. ‘A seasonal patterned print with subtle hints of Christmas is perfect if you're looking to add a low maintenance festive touch to your window’ explains Jason Peterkin, director at 247 Blinds. ‘Opt for a pattern that won't look out of place throughout the whole winter period to create an ideal backdrop for your window display.’ Buy now: Mistletoe Berries Roller Blind, from £16.37, 247 Blinds 16. Stage festive accessories at the window Image credit: Future/ Brent Darby It’s amazing how far a simple decoration in the window can go to lift your Christmas living room decorating idea. Because it’s to be enjoyed both inside and out, it’s a great way to get more from your seasonal decorations. Whether a reindeer placed on the window frame or a willow heart or star shaped decoration hanging from the window catch, it’s enough to signify that Christmas has arrived in your home. How do you dress windows for Christmas? Dressing windows for Christmas has become the latest decorating trend to captivate the nation, from reusable stickers offering season’s greetings to curtains of twinkling lights – windows are where it’s at for festive decorating. Pinterest reported a 50 per cent increase in searches for 'Christmas window decorations’. With an increase in searches specifically for 'Christmas window painting' up three times that of last year. While painting windows is an effective method to add decoration it can prove messy and time consuming – stickers are the easy alternative. If painting or spraying with snow take care not to damage the surrounding walls. If hanging decorative trimmings first, consider how you're going to do so. Seasonal decor will be taken down after a month or so and the last thing you want to do is make any permanent damage to your windows. How do you hang ornaments on windows? On how to hang ornaments on windows Adam Pawson, Head of Digital at Safestyle, offers his advice: ‘Clear self-adhesive hooks work well and can be removed without damage. For best results, clean and dry the window first, this will remove any unwanted residue and ensure the hooks stick properly.’ The post Christmas window decorating ideas to inspire your home this season appeared first on Ideal Home.

The John Lewis Christmas advert 2021 has landed with an unexpected guest Posted: 04 Nov 2021 12:18 AM PDT The highly anticipated John Lewis Christmas advert 2021 is out – Christmas has landed. But with an unexpected guest this year. Our Christmas ideas brainstorming doesn’t really begin until the seasonal adverts start hitting our screens. The John Lewis Christmas advert has become the highlight of the Christmas countdown since its first blockbuster advert in 2007 that cost a whopping 6 million pounds to make. Already started decorating for Christmas? See our best artificial Christmas trees guide for inspiration John Lewis Christmas advert 2021 This year the advert has landed a few weeks early this year and stars an unexpected guest – Skye, an Alien who comes to earth and experiences Christmas for the first time. The two-minute advert debuted this morning to John Lewis & Partners customers via email at 6.30am. The John Lewis & Partners Christmas advert is called ‘Unexpected Guest’ and follows a young boy called Nathan and the space traveller, Skye who has landed in the woods beside Nathans home. Countdown to Christmas in style with one of the best Christmas advent calendars for adults The advert celebrates the joy of friendship and the wonder of Christmas as Nathan introduces Skye to his family's festive traditions for the first time. All to the soundtrack of Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder ‘Together in Electric Dreams’ performed by Lola Young, a 20-year old singer-songwriter from South London. Image credit: John Lewis A friendship blossoms as they decorate a tree with fairy lights, he even encourages her to try her first mince pie. At the end, before Skye returns home she receives her first Christmas present, his Christmas jumper, a version of which customers will be able to purchase online and in-store. John Lewis & Partners Christmas advert jumper, £14 A version of the advert jumper will be available in mens, womens and childrens sizes. 10 per cent of the profits of each jumper will be given to John Lewis & Partners Give a Little Love charities FareShare and Home-Start UK. Prices start at £14 for the kid’s version. View Deal ‘There is nothing more magical than discovering the joy of Christmas for the first time and enjoying your favourite festive moments with loved ones,’ says Claire Pointon, Director of Customer. ‘After the last 18 months, we wanted our advert to really celebrate this as we look forward to a brighter future. We know our customers are excited for this festive season more than ever, as they reconnect with family and friends. Through the story of Skye and Nathan we celebrate friendship and are reminded of the joy of experiencing Christmas for the first time.’ Image credit: John Lewis & Partners Lola Young says: ‘I feel super honoured to be a part of this, growing up I always watched the John Lewis Christmas adverts, they're iconic and so it kinda feels surreal getting asked to be in one.’ ‘It also means a lot as an up-and-coming artist to be a part of something this special,’ she adds. ‘Together In Electric Dreams is a very beautiful song. Image credit: John Lewis & Partners ‘I love that era of music and I think Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder are incredible. The lyric and soul within the song is something inspirational, fitting to the story within the ad. I feel so excited to be covering it and working with John Lewis.’ John Lewis & Partners have turned this year’s advert into a fully interactive event creating installations of an apparently crashed spacecraft on the South Bank in London and in Newcastle last week. A Snapchat filter is also available to mark the launch today. For the first time My John Lewis Members will be able to interact with the advert through ‘Unexpected Guest: The Experience’ on the app and website. When will the John Lewis Christmas advert 2021 be released? The department store built up anticipation for the new ad, teasing that an unexpected guest would be landing on the 4th of November at 8 am on social media. As well as debuting online, the advert will air this evening at 8.15pm on ITV, in a special premiere during The Pride of Britain Awards. Image credit: John Lewis & Partners The Christmas adverts have started earlier than ever this year, with Very launching its first festive advert in October. Marks & Spencer also choose the 4th of November to unveil their Christmas advert which featured Percy Pig for the first time ever. The 4th November appears to have officially been marked as the first day of Christmas. John Lewis & Partners released the advert earlier than usual after a rise in searches for Christmas products on it’s website. It is no surprise that with the Christmas tree shortage warnings, and Black Friday almost here, customers are looking to get ahead of the December rush. Last year’s John Lewis Christmas advert Last year John Lewis abandoned its traditional character-led campaigns like 2019’s Edgar the Dragon and 2016’s Buster the boxer. Instead, it opts for a part-animated, part live-action advert that featured animals, snowmen, and all the festive tropes you would expect. Like with most John Lewis and Partner’s adverts it was anchored in a theme of goodwill and charity. However, rather than a break-out star character, it was the heart-shaped umbrella that became a bestseller off the back of the advert. What do you think of this year’s advert? The post The John Lewis Christmas advert 2021 has landed with an unexpected guest appeared first on Ideal Home.

Gardening expert Daisy Payne says now is the best time to plant a hedgerow Posted: 04 Nov 2021 12:00 AM PDT Gardening expert Daisy Payne has explained why now is the ideal time to plant a hedgerow. Appearing on ITV’s This Morning, she shared several eco-friendly gardening tips, from getting a water butt to trying out composting. But Daisy also tells viewers why it’s a great idea to plant a hedgerow before the temperature drops. Here’s why now’s the time to incorporate this wildlife garden idea into your garden at home. Image credit: Daisy Payne Best time to plant a hedgerow ‘If we’re going to get to net-zero by 2050, we in the UK are going to need to plant about 40% more hedgerows,’ says Daisy. Sharing her tips from the This Morning forest, Daisy reveals how much of an impact individual action can make. ‘If you’ve got a front garden that you need a little bit of privacy in, or you’ve got a bit of space in the garden – why not think about planting up a lovely hedgerow?’ She goes on to say that there is a vast array of varieties of plants to choose from. It’s worth researching the best options for your garden if you’re keen to try this garden landscaping idea at home. But hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, wild privet and holly are a few possibilities. Image credit: Polly Eltes As well as creating a natural boundary that adds interest to your garden, they’re amazing for wildlife. Some birds depend on hedgerows as a habitat, and they also act as ‘corridors’ for lots of different wildlife to travel through. The benefits don’t end there, as some small hedgerows in your garden will help with sound pollution, privacy and absorbing Co2 in the air. ‘Planting up a hedgerow at this time of year is fantastic,’ adds Daisy, who had also been busy planting a tree as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy Initiative. Image credit: Getty She says that the earth is still a really good temperature, making it much easier to plant trees and hedges than later on in autumn. Gardening expert days says it’s really worth giving a go if you’re looking for front garden ideas. Rather than having a wooden fence or no boundary at all, we love the idea of a natural barrier that will also support wildlife. The post Gardening expert Daisy Payne says now is the best time to plant a hedgerow appeared first on Ideal Home.

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