Ideal Home |
- Ideal Home Kitchen Award Winners 2022 – what we're loving for kitchens this year
- Small bathroom tile ideas: 10 stylish and effective ways to tile small spaces
- This grand Victorian farmhouse is one of Rightmove's most viewed properties in March
- Best air fryer 2022: for tasty low-fat cooking
- Brilliant budget garden ideas – 45 ways to update your outdoor space
- Living wall ideas to create a stylish vertical garden
- Downstairs toilet wallpaper ideas: create a cloakroom with character
- Kevin McCloud shares his prediction on how we'll be powering our homes in the future
- What happens when you pay off your mortgage?
| Ideal Home Kitchen Award Winners 2022 – what we're loving for kitchens this year Posted: 05 Apr 2022 01:00 AM PDT Drum roll please, as we can reveal the winners of the Ideal Home Kitchen Awards 2022. With categories covering everything you could possibly need for your kitchen makeover – large or small – the entries included a wealth of brilliant kitchen ideas from some of our favourite kitchen brands. stay tuned to find out the brands that should firmly be on your radar for 2021. This year’s awards was judged by a panel of Ideal Home’s expert editors – Heather Young, Ideal Home Editor, Thea Babington-Stitt, Content Editor and Millie Fender, Ecommerce Editor. Ideal Home’s resident renovation expert and architectural designer Charlie Luxton also stepped up as guest judge for the One Small Step Award for Sustainable, given his expert knowledge and interest in sustainability in homes. The Ideal Home Kitchen Award Winners 2022Our panel of expert judges picked the deserving winners from a host of amazing entries in 12 categories, from worktop ideas to small appliances, kitchen storage ideas to best taps. The wealth of entries really showcases the best of the best when it comes to all things kitchen. Read on to find out what’s hot in kitchens for 2022. Award: Ideal Home’s Kitchen of the Year |
| Small bathroom tile ideas: 10 stylish and effective ways to tile small spaces Posted: 05 Apr 2022 01:00 AM PDT When you don't have much room to work with but you want your bathroom to make an impact, small bathroom tile ideas are the perfect solution. There's a huge array of shapes, styles and colours to choose from to add interest to your small bathroom, and clever use of tiles can even help to create the illusion of space. The important thing to remember when considering tiling is that you want the final finish to be eye-catching, but not overwhelming. Especially important when the space in question is on the small size. Small bathroom tile ideasWhether you prefer large format tiles or small, intricate designs, there's a style to suit you, and we've compiled 10 of our most inspirational small bathroom tile ideas to help you choose the perfect option. 1. Stick with a neutral palette Image credit: Bathroom Mountain A go-to decorating trick in any small room, opting for a neutral colour palette will make a room feel bigger than it is. Stick to white bathroom tile ideas, and keep the rest of the room neutral too. That's not to say that your options are limited though. Neutral needn’t be boring, as this bathroom, tiled all over with large-format marble-effect tiles demonstrates. 2. Make a statement with a feature wall Image credit: Tile Mountain If all-neutral-everything isn't for you, then fear not, as you can add colour by way of a feature wall. An accent wall will draw your eye to one part of the room – ideally the back wall to give your bathroom added depth. You might also choose to emphasise the emptier part of the room, as this will draw attention to the most spacious-looking area. Create a feeling of space throughout any small bathroom layout. 3. Go half and half to create the illusion of height Image credit: Hyperion Tiles If your bathroom has a low ceiling, then tiling the lower half of the wall and painting the upper half will create the impression of a taller room. This will also make it easier to hang artwork, shelves and mirrors. The half-and-half tiled wall effect lends itself well to both traditional and contemporary bathrooms. Strike the perfect balance between the two with a traditional clawfoot tub contrasted against contemporary patterned flooring. 4. Choose large format tiles for an uncluttered look Image credit: Future PLC/David Giles It's a common misconception that small bathrooms can only be decorated with small tiles. In fact, the labyrinth of grout lines between small-format tiles can in fact make a small space feel cluttered. Large format tiles have the opposite effect, with fewer grout lines helping to make the room feel more streamlined and spacious. 5. Go for glossy tiles for bouncing light Image credit: Angel Gloss pink metro tiles, £20.95 per sq m, Walls and floors When your bathroom is on the small side, the key is to inject as much light into the room as possible to brighten it up and make it feel larger than it is. The reflective quality of glossy tiles means that they work wonders in bouncing light around the room. Patrick Stoner from the Trimline Group says that this is one of their top tips for decorating small bathrooms: ‘A polished tile will help to reflect light and give the room a brighter look.’ And you needn't stick to white. This en-suite idea demonstrates how glossy pink tiles can have the same reflective effect. In this small bathroom, the glossy tiles are used in moderation – behind the vanity unit. If you do choose coloured tiles try keeping the rest of the room painted neutral to keep the space feeling light and bright. 6. Use small-format mosaic tiles in moderation Image credit: Future PLC/David Giles Too many grout lines can make a small bathroom feel cluttered, but that's not to say that small-format mosaic tiles can't be used in moderation! Pick a small area – perhaps a border, an alcove, the wall behind your vanity unit or an area in the shower – and make this the focal point. Whether you choose to use small squares, rectangles or hexagons, this cloakroom tile idea is a surefire way to add impact to the room. 7. Be bold with patterned floor tiles Image credit: Future PLC One trick to make your small bathroom feel bigger is to cover your floor with patterned tiles, like the Victorian-style tiles used in this bathroom. If you choose a patterned floor tile, then opt for simple white wall tiles to create the perfect balance and to avoid overwhelming the space. 8. Use tiles to create zones Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles Another trick to make a small bathroom feel bigger is using tiles and to create zones. Tile behind your toilet or vanity unit, in an alcove, or in your shower. This small bathroom is proof that less isn't always more, with a decorative tiled shower enclosure and floor working together harmoniously in a way that is fun and playful without overwhelming the space. 9. Create an optical illusion Image credit: Sanctuary Bathrooms This bathroom may be small, but it certainly packs a punch! Pretty pink and white geometric tiles are taken from the floor up on to the wall, creating an optical illusion by giving the impression that the floor continues far beyond where it really ends. This same effect also works in a bathroom where the bath is directly opposite the door – try running your floor tiles up the side of the bath to lengthen the room. 10. Play with interesting shapes for visual appeal Image credit: Drench Using tiles in interesting shapes is a great way to add visual interest to the room, especially if you don't want to experiment with colour. The white chevron tiles in this bathroom are visually striking, and their pattern also elongates the walls and adds a sense of height and space. The neutral colour of the tiles works beautifully alongside the natural wooden furniture and the large mirror, with the whole look coming together in a way that feels light, bright and airy. What colour tiles are best for small bathrooms?In general, lighter coloured tiles are best in small bathrooms as they help to brighten the room and make the space feel bigger. That said, bright and dark colours can certainly be used in moderation, such as on a feature wall, as an accent or even on the floor. Patrick Stoner from the Trimline Group agrees, saying that ‘we generally recommend using lighter pastel colour tiles for small bathrooms, and you can then add bolder colours in the form of accessories, like towels and bath mats’. What size tiles should be used in a small bathroom?Contrary to what you might think, large format tiles are generally better suited to small bathrooms, as larger tiles mean fewer grout lines. Too many busy grout lines can make your bathroom feel cluttered. That's not to say that small tiles can't be used too, they should just be used in moderation. Which way should you lay tiles in a small bathroom?In a small bathroom how you lay tiles is as an important factor as the design aesthetic. ‘The best way to lay tiles in a small bathroom is horizontally, as this will help to elongate the room,’ says Patrick. ‘A vertical tile, on the other hand, will make the room look taller.’ The post Small bathroom tile ideas: 10 stylish and effective ways to tile small spaces appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| This grand Victorian farmhouse is one of Rightmove's most viewed properties in March Posted: 04 Apr 2022 11:00 PM PDT This former Victorian farmhouse stands proud in a Nottinghamshire Village and is the most viewed property on Rightmove in March. Accepting offers in above £750,000, and we must admit we can see why it has made it onto Rightmove’s current hotlist. This time of year is estates agents’ busy period, as spring is the best time to sell a house. People have recovered from Christmas, the new year creates motivation and as the weather improves warmer climates and natural sunlight helps homes look their best. With house prices soaring it’s no wonder this charming six-bedroom house has stood out. Its value is almost double that of one of the most viewed properties in January, the charming Halfton Cottage, on the banks of Loch Lomond. West View Farm HouseWest View Farm House, is located within rolling green fields on the outskirts of the small village on Besthorpe in North-East Nottinghamshire. The double-fronted house offers exquisite period features set within a modern living room arrangement. We can see why it’s an attractive package. ‘The house is a beautiful Victorian farmhouse and is believed to have been built around 1890 and used to be the main residence for the farm next door. It has a colourful history of many different uses including as a vet's practice!’ say the current owners. Exterior Image credit: Rightmove The Victorian former farmhouse, with a decorative brick facade, is set back from a practical main road that leads directly to the picturesque village of Collingham on the banks of the River Trent. Hence its name, the property is nestled within an acre of stunning grounds and provides glorious views of the surrounding Nottinghamshire countryside. Retaining historical charm on the outside, the inside has been completely remodelled and refurbished inside, while remaining sympathetic to its era. Kitchen Image credit: Rightmove On the ground floor, the entire west wing is dedicated to a large kitchen with a modern island, a walk-in store and a spacious dining area. Cream shaker-style cabinets allow the large range cooker set within a disused fireplace. The focal point with a blue-tiled backdrop makes an ideal rustic kitchen idea. Living room Image credit: Rightmove Across the tiled entrance hall, the huge triple aspect living room retains all its original characteristics that make the house a historical gem. It includes not one but two working fireplaces, high ceilings with dado rails, sash windows and beautiful ceiling roses. BathroomsOn the ground floor, the cloakroom is decorated authentically with a tasteful Victorian style tiled statement floor and grey wood panelling. A practical walk-in shower adds a contemporary touch and makes the most of a small bathroom layout.  Image credit: Rightmove Upstairs the main bathroom boasts a curvaceous stand-alone bath set beneath a cream-framed window, offering far-reaching views of farmland to the horizon. Bedrooms Image credit: Rightmove With three floors, another advantage point to West View Farm House is the fact that it provides six double bedrooms, four of which house feature fireplaces.  Image credit: Rightmove Two huge bedrooms on the 2nd floor are flooded with natural light from attractive arched windows and functional skylights. The large quiet spaces make them ideal to use as a quiet home office, craft room or second reception room. GardenOutside the property is surrounded by approximately 1 acre of land that includes a pretty courtyard that’s perfect for alfresco dining. Further on along a shingle path, the carefully planned traditional garden is a delightful surprise.  Image credit: Rightmove ‘We also created the beautiful formal, Victorian-inspired garden at the rear of the property – when we moved in it was simply an overgrown paddock! We have also planted a selection of apple and pear trees within the quadrants formed by the decorative pathways,’ explain the current owners. The property also comes with its own separate summerhouse (ideal for entertaining) and potting shed. With extensive structural and cosmetic updates, we can understand why this property has caught so many admirers’ clicks on Rightmove. You certainly get a lot for its value! The post This grand Victorian farmhouse is one of Rightmove's most viewed properties in March appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Best air fryer 2022: for tasty low-fat cooking Posted: 04 Apr 2022 09:02 AM PDT The best air fryers have developed a bit of a cult following in recent years, with the ability to cook deliciously crispy foods in a fraction of the time that your regular oven would take. Our top 10 air fryer picks from Ninja, Philips, Instant, Cosori and Tower have all been tried hands-on by the Ideal Home team, so we have been able to directly compare cooking times and results, design quality, and ease of cleaning for each air fryer in our roundup. Most of the best air fryers in our guide have a drawer-style design that will allow you to pull out the basket as your food is cooking and give it a little shake to make sure your dish is cooked evenly. These baskets also make it super easy to check in on your food as it’s cooking, and recent launches like our top pick from Instant even have see-through drawer designs that will offer a direct peek into the drawer while your food is cooking. While not all foods you can cook in an air fryer will deliver the low-fat results you’re looking for, they do present a brilliant alternative to deep-frying all sorts of foods. Homemade potato chips are delicious and so much easier when made in an air fryer, and a homemade breaded chicken fillet is a lot better for you than your local takeaway. For appliances that can air fry as well as slow and pressure cook, take a look at the best multi-cookers. 1. Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer with ClearCookBest air fryer overall
Size: 33 x 30 x 37.9cm • Viewing window with internal light Reasons to avoid: • Touch control marks easily The Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer with ClearCook got a rare five-star from Helen McCue, one of our expert appliance reviewers. She loved its generous capacity and found that it browned food evenly and quickly. When making chips she was able to get an even crisp in just 25 minutes, and even with the tray full of vegetables, it was able to roast in just 20 minutes and leave well cooked veggies without any of the sogginess that can come from leaving them sitting on an oven tray. Most impressive of all, frozen chicken goujons took just 8 minutes to cook as opposed to the suggested 20 – yes, we used a temperature probe to check! This air fryer has a touch screen with a dial to adjust timings and temperatures. The control panel has a bar that shows the cooking progress, and we like that this air fryer pre-heats, which can make your cooking timings a lot more specific. The pre-heat is a setting you won’t find in an alternative from Ninja or Cosori. You can choose from air fry, roast, bake, reheat, grill, and dehydrate modes and although they are adjustable you’ll be met with suggested temperatures and timings, which can be helpful if you’re in a hurry. Because the touch-screen panel slopes towards you this is a great air fryer to place under kitchen cabinets. A really innovative touch is the see-through air fryer drawer, which allows you to simply turn on the internal light to check on your food as it cooks. It has a dishwasher-safe basket and non-stick insert that lifts away easily. Our only real gripe is the control panel, which has shiny plastic that can mark easily if you’re cooking with greasy finger prints. Ideal Home rating: 5 out of 5 stars Read our full Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer with ClearCook review 2. Ninja AF100UK Air FryerBest air fryer for first-timers
Size: 36 x 25 x 32cm • Dishwasher-safe inserts Reasons to avoid: • No pre-heat setting The Ninja AF100UK Air Fryer is Ninja’s cheapest air fryer, and it’s also the smallest. With a cooking capacity of 3.8 litres, this air fryer could be perfect for smaller households or cooking side dishes of chips or veggies. The basket is circular, which will be fine with most meals but could struggle if you’re cooking bacon rashers or chicken breasts. The air fryer was fast, easy to use, and comes with four pre-sets that won’t be too overwhelming for first-time air fryer users. You can choose to air fry, roast, reheat and dehydrate in this air fryer, and because the basket insert can be removed, you can also reheat or cook food that has a bit more sauce or moisture without having to worry about it dripping through the grates. The exterior is simple, small, and grey, which may not be the most attractive addition to your kitchen but it will be very easy to store if you want to put it in a cupboard. Cooking times with this air fryer were brilliant, with some of the speediest chips we’ve made. It’s a simple model that seems reasonably priced for a sub-£100 price point, and we were impressed by the cooking times: 23 minutes for homemade chips, and just five minutes for back bacon. When it comes to quality air frying, look no further. Ideal Home rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars Read our full Ninja AF100UK Air Fryer review 3. Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer L501Best air fryer for under £100
Size: 27.2 x 27.4 x 30.2 centimetres • Air fries to perfection Reasons to avoid: • The preset timings are a little off, but can be adjusted Amazon’s best-selling air fryer held up well under our tests, too. The Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer L501 has a smart look and a range of custom presets that will come in handy for low-effort cooking. It’s also adjustable, just press to increase or decrease the temperature or timer to achieve your perfect result. We enjoyed the fries this air fryer produced on the chip setting. They were crisp and evenly cooked, and the cooking time was well below average which is a winner for hungry homes! That did mean we had to turn it down from 20 minutes to 30, but this was easy enough to do. You’ll get a reminder to shake your food halfway through on some settings. If you’re in the middle of a particularly riveting piece of telly then it may be a distraction, but you can simply press a button to switch off the reminder for no interruptions. Included with the air fryer was a recipe book with loads of great tips. We made the buffalo cauliflower, chicken wings and more recipes from the book and found it a great help for those getting started with air frying. The large capacity makes this a top choice for families. We also loved that the insert means you can easily clean the drawer and basket in the Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer L501, simply put them in the dishwasher. The insert lifts out simply to allow you to reheat dishes with sauce. Ideal Home rating: 5 out of 5 stars Read our full Cosori Pro LE Air Fryer L501 review 4. Tefal YV970840 Actifry Genius XL 2in1Best air fryer for homemade chips  Image credit: Tefal Size: 48.9 x 38 x 29.5 centimetres • Paddle included to stir your food Reasons to avoid: • Not the best for low-fat This machine has a huge footprint, so if you're after a compact air fryer you can pop in a cupboard when you're not using it then you might want to think again. That said, it's so technologically advanced, we probably wouldn't hide its considerable light under a bushel. It has several things that separate it out from the rest of the air fryer crowd, including nine intelligent cooking modes and a My ActiFry app that features around 300 recipes. However, it's the integral paddle with dual-motion technology, which stirs the food giving it an even, crisp coating that we think is the game-changer. Not only does it mean you can just leave the ActiFry alone to do its magic, it also allows you to cook dishes such as stir-fries and curries in it, too, using one of the two 1-meal-in-1-go programmes. It hands-down produced the best chips we tried, with just half a teaspoon of oil and the chicken was well-cooked and juicy inside, although still dryer on the outside than normal frying would produce. It's a generous size, too, producing main meals for up to five and starter portions for eight. Because it doesn’t have a classic basket design, you can cook anything from stir-fried rice to fajita-spiced veggies without anything falling out of the slots in the basket. This does also mean that fat won’t drip away from your chips or chicken, so while it’s certainly a tasty pick, it’s not quite as low-fat as some of our other options. Ideal Home rating: 4 out of 5 stars Read our full Tefal YV970840 Actifry Genius XL 2in1 review 5. Ninja AF300UK Foodi Dual Zone Air FryerBest air fryer for multi-drawer cooking
Size: 35 x 37.5 x 31.5cm • Superior air frying Reasons to avoid: • A large option for most kitchens What’s better than one air fryer? Two, in one. The Ninja AF300UK Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer comes with two distinct air frying zones that allow you to air fry your fish and chips individually, or bake a side dish such as mac and cheese while you air fry chicken. You can match or sync these two drawers to make sure all elements of your meal are complete at the same time. The Ninja Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer also comes settings to reheat, dehydrate, roast, and bake. Its Max Crisp setting is designed for frozen food and we found that it gave us next-level frozen chips, fish fingers, and other freezer staples. It also cooks food in record time, because there’s no preheat time and its temperature can be easily adjusted. This air fryer gave us crispy chips and wedges every time, and always cooked our meat through completely. We even used it to make cauliflower wings, which were an unexpected triumph. The trays can be a little deep to reach into, so make sure you use non-stick cookware to take your food out when it’s done. The exterior stays cool though, even when it’s cooking at 240 degrees. The instructions come with a recipe test with fun hints and tips for ideas to try in your air fryer. This included ideas we’d never considered before, such as brownies or fajitas. It is on the large side at 35 x 37.5 x 31.5cm, but if you can spare the space, it’s a game-changer. Ideal Home rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 6. Instant Vortex Mini Air FryerBest air fryer for 2 people
Size:35.2 x 35.1 x 30.1 cm • Seriously good value Reasons to avoid: • The small capacity isn’t ideal for everyone Instant Brands is known for creating amazing air fryers and smart countertop appliances in the US, so we were first in line to review this new model when it launched in the UK. The Instant Vortex Mini Air Fryer not only wowed us with its value-for-money, but it also impressed us in testing. Despite the limited capacity, it was able to air fry our (somewhat crammed-in) chips evenly with just a shake or two from us halfway through. This air fryer is perfect for small kitchens. It has a removable basket liner that can drain away fat from bacon and juices from chicken, but take it out and suddenly you can bake, roast and even reheat in this beauty. You can pick up the Instant Vortex Mini Air Fryer in a range of fun colours. We tried it in red, but the blue option is quite fetching. There is also a white for clean kitchens, and a failsafe matte black. The display is very intuitive, and can be controlled with touchscreen settings and a tactile dial. The only con? It’s not great for families. Ideal Home rating: 5 out of 5 stars Read our full Instant Vortex Mini Air Fryer review 7. Breville Halo Rotisserie Air FryerBest rotisserie air fryer
Size:44.2 x 41.6 x 39.4 cm • Sleek controls • It’s a little fiddly The Breville Halo Rotisserie Air Fryer offers an alternative take on air frying, with a rotisserie attachment that allows you to cook a whole chicken with crispy delicious skin and juicy meat, in just one hour. It also comes with a rotisserie mesh basket, which is what we used to cook our chips. It keeps them spinning as it cooks, meaning that every single crisp was evenly cooked. Because it’s more of a mini convection oven thanks to the removable mesh wire trays, the Breville Halo Rotisserie Air Fryer doesn’t quite speed up your cooking time as much as a drawer air fryer with single-function design. However, it can be used to bake, rotisserie, air fry, and even dehydrate, and it’s also a well-sized machine to fit in as much capability as you like onto one kitchen counter. We enjoyed the smart controls, which show the temperature as it preheats, and how easy it is to choose your mode and even illuminate the inside of the oven to watch your food as it cooks. Cleaning is easy too, but our main drawback is that it’s a bit tricky to take out the drawers because they get very hot. Oven gloves are a must! Ideal Home rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars Read our full Breville Halo Rotiserrie Air Fryer review 8. Philips Essential Air FryerBest air fryer for small kitchens
Size: 47.6 x 32.8 x 26.3cm • It’s perfect for smaller homes and kitchens Reasons to avoid: • It’s more expensive than some other small options If you want the best air fryer for a small kitchen or two-person household, the Philips Essential Air Fryer is the one for you. In terms of the cooking quality, it was pretty much on par with some of the larger and more premium brands in this guide. There’s plenty of cooking modes, including fish, meat, frozen food and reheat, and you can choose your temperature manually too. The basket and drawer can both be washed in the dishwasher, which makes cleaning that much easier. We found the controls a little confusing at first but they’re fine once you’re used to which button indicates which cooking mode. One complaint we had was the price, which was pretty high when compared to other small air fryers. It is clearly designed for smaller kitchens and homes though, with grooves that make it easy to carry and store, and a lightweight design. Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars Read our full Philips Essential Air Fryer review 9. Swan Retro Air FryerBest-looking air fryer  Image credit: Swan Size: 34.8 x 24 x 33.7cm • Looks lovely Reasons to avoid: • Less smart settings Unlike pretty much all the other air fryers we tested, which, to paraphrase Henry Ford ‘you can have in any colour as long as it's black’, this 5 litre machine was a pleasingly cheerful bright cherry red. It also comes in cream and black so would work well in pretty much any scheme if you wanted to leave it out on the worktop. If you want something a little easier to operate than some of the more high-tech options, the Swan Retro has a simple temperature dial and a twist-timer at the top. It feels sturdy and has a large interior capacity of 6 litres. At 34.8 x 24 x 33.7cm it's larger than some options but will work well in family-size kitchens. We were very impressed by how this air fryer cooked bacon and other meats, but when it came to chips we found that it took longer than most air fryers. The timings were comparable to a regular oven. The tray and non-stick basket can both be popped in the dishwasher, too. Ideal Home rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars Read our full Swan Retro Air Fryer review 10. Tower Vortex 5-in-1 Digital Air Fryer OvenBest air fryer for chicken
Size:44.2 x 38.4 x 36.2 cm • It’s a real multi-tasker Reasons to avoid: • You lose some of the convenience of a classic air fryer The Tower Vortex 5-in-1 Digital Air Fryer is more of an American-style air fryer. It’s designed to look like an oven and comes with a drip tray and multiple shelves to cook your food as you would in a regular oven. There are some perks to this design though. Our favourite was the rotisserie function which made some of the most delicious chicken we’ve ever made. A game-changer for roast dinners. The shelves need to be taken out and switched around mid-cook if you want to achieve an even crisp, which is not ideal and can be a little fiddly. The oven did a great job of creating crispy food though, especially when it came to the frying setting. It can also bake and roast like you’d expect in a regular oven. A nice touch is the door, which you can see straight through. There is a button to illuminate the fryer as it cooks which allows you to look in and check on your food without opening it. It’s a large option, but a versatile one too. Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars Read our full Tower Vortex 5-in-1 Digital Air Fryer review What is the best air fryer in 2022?We loved the Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer with ClearCook because it’s reasonably priced and allows you to cook large portions at once. For an option that will cook multiple elements of a meal all in one go, the Ninja AF300UK Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer was also a firm favourite. How we chose the best air fryers
Every air fryer in our top 10 roundup has been tested hands-on by the Ideal Home team for a minimum of two weeks, or four thorough recipes. This allowed us to compare air fryers directly when compiling our top 10 list, and it also helped us when deciding which air fryers will be the right pick for different living situations. Because all air fryers claim to do very similar things, it’s important to us that we put them through their paces before recommending any air fryer to our readers. We used a standard recipe for air fried homemade chips across all air fryers, recording the cooking timings and considering how evenly the crisps came out, and how well cooked they were. Another test we replicated across different air fryers was cooking bacon. Bacon cooks brilliantly in air fryers, allowing fat to drip away and leaving crispy rashers in the basket. We used the speed and evenness of cooking as a way of measuring how well an air fryer distributed heat and how fast it circulated hot hair. Based on our findings, we gave every air fryer a rating out of five and then sorted them into a top ten list (some did not make the list!) to recommend to our readers. How do air fryers work?Air fryers work like a convection oven to circulate air around your food and cook it evenly from every angle. That means any fat you add to the air fryer will circulate around your fries, chicken or fish as it cooks, making it crisp and crunchy. Air fryers typically come with an in-built basket that has space for air to get underneath your food, as well as cooking it from above and the side. In the Ninja Dual Zone for example, you can remove this and use the tray like a regular oven tray to add a crisp cheesy top to a pasta bake or roast vegetables and potatoes for convenient mealtimes. Check out the best microwaves for more easy meal prep appliances. How to buy the best air fryer for youCheck the air fryer features and programmes
Look for easy-to-use controls for both temperature and time, as these are the most important features on any air fryer. Auto-stop and keep warm functions can be useful but chips, if left for any amount of time will soon lose their crispness. More expensive machines will feature touch screens rather than dial controls, which will help with accuracy. What else should I look for?The bigger the basket capacity, the more people you'll be able to cook for. So if you've got a family, then a 5 litre machine (which usually provides a chip capacity of around 800g to 1kg) is probably a must. A loud beep to signal the end of cooking time is a good idea if you're using the time to wander off and do something else. Most air-fryers will only cook one food group at a time (ie meat or veg) but some will cook a whole meal in one go if you're after a one-pot solution. Are air fryers healthy?Air fryers are as healthy as the food you cook in them, but one thing you can be confident in is that they’re healthier than deep fat fryers. If you want to cut back on the amount of oil and fat in your food, air fryers are also excellent for crisping up your meal while not submerging it in fat. Bacon is not particularly healthy, but cooking it in an air fryer means that the fat will drip away from the meat and into the basket, while still rendering and crisping for that perfect bacon sarnie. Air frying is also a way of adding more veggies to your diet. Some of the best things to cook in an air fryer are cauliflower “wings”, which is simply florets of cauliflower tossed in whatever sauce you wish to pair it with. How much oil do I need to use in my air fryer?
While most recipes call for a teaspoon or half a teaspoon of oil. We found we got a more even coating on some foods by decanting our choice of oil into a small spray bottle and using that. Never use one-calorie oil spray, which is a step too far in the diet stakes we found, producing nasty, chewy fries. Most of the machines we tested couldn't be used with fattier meats such as sausages or chicken or duck with the skin on. This sometimes results in meats being drier on the outside. This was where a spray oil came in handy and definitely improved results if not making them as good as if they'd been fried.
How to make perfect chips in an air fryerIf you're making fresh chipped potatoes, leave the cut chips immersed in cold water for about half an hour then rinse well to get rid of starch as this will improve the texture once cooked. Place chips in your air fryer and start to cook as soon as you've coated them in the half-teaspoon or so of oil for best results and don't leave to sit in the fryer once cooked. The post Best air fryer 2022: for tasty low-fat cooking appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Brilliant budget garden ideas – 45 ways to update your outdoor space Posted: 04 Apr 2022 08:15 AM PDT The weather might have got us all in a spin, but that doesn’t mean our gardens have to look that way! We’ve got plenty of great budget garden ideas to give yours a seasonal refresh, ready for hosting family and friends, come rain or shine. Whether you’re looking to make beds beautiful, planters perfect or even seating stunning, follow our top tips to transform your garden space in just a few hours. Start by checking what needs your attention first. If your garden fencing is in need of repairing or painting, or your garden edging seems overly messy it can impact upon the whole space. Breathing new life into your back garden, or front garden, for that matter, doesn’t always require a landscape gardener and huge costs– as these brilliant budget garden ideas prove. Budget garden ideasThere are plenty of simple updates that can be achieved on a budget, and which make a huge difference to the appearance of your outdoor space. Whether it’s a small garden, a patio or a balcony garden, there are plenty of budget garden ideas (or even DIY tricks) to boost your space. From simple garden lighting to inexpensive outdoor furniture ideas, pretty planting to statement outdoor styling for summer garden parties, there are a multitude of smart ways to make your garden great without breaking the bank. All it takes is a little planning and a few clever tricks, and you can turn any garden into a tranquil haven, country retreat or al fresco dining area – even on the smallest budget, as these garden ideas show. 1. Use old guttering to plant up strawberries Image credit: Future Plc/Howard Walker Don’t just chuck out old plastic guttering once it needs replacing, but use it as a cheap container for growing strawberry plants instead. Attach the guttering to the wall of your house or garage and arrange in lengths sat on top of each other. Not only will this make an attractive display, it will also save you from having to bend over low flower beds, and makes the plants more accessible to pick once ripe. 2. Make a planter with built-in drainage Image credit: Future Plc/Howard Walker Another great way save cash on a planter is to use an old metal colander, and attach four lengths of chain to it to make a hanging basket. The beauty of a colander is that it has ready-made drainage holes already built in, so you don’t need to worry about your roots becoming water logged. Plant it up with a mixture of flowering plants and trailing plants to make a beautiful display. 3. Bring your inside furniture, out! Image credit: Future Plc/David Giles Save money and space, by bringing out your indoor chairs and side tables, and setting them up in a sunny spot in the garden. Ok so this isn’t ideal if you live in a high-rise flat, but if you can save on doubling up on seating that spends the majority of it’s life tucked away in a shed, you’re winning right? Think wicker chairs on your balcony, rattan numbers on the patio and cool cane armchairs nestled among the flora. 4. Make vegetable tags from corks Image credit: Future Plc/Tim Young Save the corks from bottles of wine enjoyed with friends and upcycle them into vegetable tags. Carefully slice one fifth of the cork off to reveal a flat surface, then use a permanant marker to write each vegetable name on. Use a wooden skewer pushed into the bottom of the cork to give your tag height, then pop into the ground when you’re growing your veg to remind you what’s what. 5. Make a pallet planter Image credit: My Thrifty Life/Cassie Fairy for Mano Mano Make a planter which can also double as a privacy screen, using a few old pallets (and a bit of DIY knowledge). A planter is super versatile and can be filled with flowers to add colour to the garden, herbs for those looking to ‘grow your own’, and if you add some taller plants, it can also act as a privacy screen to zone spaces or divert prying eyes. Check out Mano Mano for the step-by-step guide. 6. Create a candle centrepiece Image credit: Future Plc/Dominic Blackmore Use vintage terracotta pots to make a simple patio display. Fill the pots with sand and push in a selection of dinner candles. Odd numbers feel visually balanced, so use three standard sized candles or seven to nine skinny tapered ones. Place on the table as a rustic centrepiece or along walkways to cast light and create a relaxed ambience. To repel insects use candle that contain citronella essential to deter pesky mosquitoes. 7. Make a plant marker Image credit: Future Plc/Tim Young Prettify your pots with slate labels. Never confuse your chives with your chervil again by creating handy labels to pop in your herb pots. Use a white marker pen or piece of chalk (if you want to rub them out) to write the plant names on mini slate tiles. Bend wire using pliers to make rods with curled hooks to hang them on. Write how often plants need watering on the back of the marker. 8. Beachcomb for garden materials Image credit: Future Plc/Lizzie Orme Repurposing is always a winning way to cut down costs when it comes to seeking out garden materials. In this landscaped garden the planting is highlighted by recycled whelk shells, lighting up the ground underneath the Acer tree at the back of the garden. The intention is to make a feature of the hero tree, and to hide the dark soil beneath. 9. Create a free vegetable garden with kitchen scraps Image credit: Future Plc/Tim Young If you want to make your garden a bit more about sustainability, but don’t really have space (or the funds) to plant a full-scale veggie patch, why not try a neat vegetable trug instead? Marcus Eyles, Horticultural Director, Dobbies Garden Centres suggests ways to grow vegetables from kitchen scraps! ‘Spring onions and celery are two kitchen staples that are easy to regrow from their root base with a couple of inches of stem attached’ he explains. ‘Slice across the stems, then stand them root down in a shallow glass of water. When new roots appear, plant them out in the garden to grow on.’ ‘For chillies and sweet peppers, collect their seeds and plant them directly into fresh compost. Then leave them to grow on a warm sunny windowsill, watering regularly.’ 10. Preserve planting with 1p coin trick Image credit: Future Plc Do garden tips get much better than this 1p wonder from celebrity gardener David Domoney?! Appearing on This Morning he explains, ‘I’m often asked ‘How do you tell if a plants alive or dead at this time of year if it hasn’t come into leaf?’. His response, ‘All your need is an expensive bit of equipment’ he jests, as he goes on to explain, ‘it costs a penny, it is a penny!’ He goes on to demonstrate how you use the 1p coin to scrape away a small patch of the bark on a branch, to determine the health of the plant. If it’s brown, it’s dead and if it’s green or white (depending on the branches) it’s still alive and well. This simple garden hack instantly tells you which plants are alive or dead. 11. Upcycle to make brilliant budget furniture Image credit: Cuprinol If you’re on a budget, buying new garden furniture can sometimes feel so far out of reach. If you are looking for a savvy solution while you save for the dream furniture set try upcycling old wooden pallets. Above is a fine example of how a disused wooden pallet can make a fabulous garden table, thanks to a splash of vibrant colour and simple castor feet it takes on a whole new purpose. 12. Build a budget corner sofa Image credit: Future Plc/Dominic Blackmore Making your own furniture is always going to prove more budget-friendly, plus you get exactly what your heart desires. Visit your local DIY retailer and buy some basic sheets of MDF to construct a seat for your corner sofa, fashioning a back with scatter cushions for comfort. Ensuring the base is securely fastened to the walls and well-supported beneath to take the weight when garden gatherings ensue. To add an extra touch of style, and make it feel less budget, paint the seating area in the latest on-trend colours. Add a coffee table and outdoor lighting to welcome a touch of ambience to the sociable space. 13. Paint the patio Image credit: Dobbies If you want to make your grassless garden ideas a little bolder, perk up an old patio with a splash of paint and a stylish stencil pattern. A striking floor will enable your furniture and outdoor accessories shine brighter as a result of the backdrop. The trend became uber popular last summer, as cost-effective garden makeovers reached fever pitch. 14. Carve out a gravel path Image credit: Future Plc/Colin Poole Navigate your garden with a path paved with gravel and concrete slabs. This garden path idea is a great budget solution for those who want to do it themselves, rather than having to source a professional to do the job – which would substantially add to the costs. 15. Open a DIY garden bar Image credit: Future Plc/Tim Young After a long day of work in the garden, a cheeky G&T may be just the thing you need. Fashion your own DIY garden bar with an upcycled wooden pallet mounted to the wall with a chain to drop down when required. Cheap to make, plus it’ll save you a fortune from not spending at the local. Plus you can make your own DIY pallet bar – for as little as £35! 16. Invigorate with a simple splash of colour image credit: Dobbies Adding a splash of bright colour behind your existing plants will help to breathe new life into your garden. Painting a feature wall in a bright colour, such as this sunshine yellow, will deliver huge impact without much budget or effort. Be sure to paint with a specialist exterior paint to ensure it’s suitable for the space. Choose a coordinating colour palette for pots and garden accessories, to create a cohesive look. 17. Organise garden twine Image credit: Future Plc/Simon Whitmore Upcycle unused kitchen funnels to organise your garden twines. Simply attached the surplus kitchen accessories onto the wall in the shed, using a hook or a picture fastening. Ensure it’s secure enough to take the weight of the twine and withstand the pulling motion as the string is dispensed. 18. Use old wine corks to elevate plant pots Image credit: Future Plc/Tim Young We’ve picked this tip up via Love Your Garden's celebrity gardener David Domoney. On his Instagram David writes, 'Use wine corks, instead of buying pot feet for containers. By elevating your pot you're creating a gap between the container and the patio allowing the pot to drain effectively and preventing the soil from getting waterlogged'. Drinking wine to help the garden, it’s a win win. 19. Make your own free plant food Image credit: Future Plc On Gardening Together with Diarmuid Gavin on BBC2, a must-watch for any keen gardener, Diarmud showed fans how to use nettles for a greater good in the garden – by making nettle soup for plants. ‘The idea is to make a wonderful plant food. All you do is pop a handful of nettles into a bucket of water (preferably collected rain water) and pop on the lid for 2 weeks. 20. Upturn crates to fashion garden shelving Image credit: Future Plc/Spike Powell Use old wooden crates imaginatively to create bespoke garden storage. Upturned crates can be stacked to fashion shelving for displaying plants or simply storing pots and accessories – even garden shoes. To ensure safety we recommend attached the wooden crates securely to the fence behind, where possible. If being used as a freestanding storage unit, say in a shed, simply attached the crates to one another and ensure they are positioned safely – so not to topple over. 21. Transform old shelves into a vertical herb garden Image credit: Future Plc/Colin Poole If you have an old set of shelves mount them to a fence and fill with terracotta pots to create your own vertical herb garden. You can also convert an old pallet or ladder if you don’t have any old shelves lying around. 22. Repurpose peg rails Image credit: Future Plc/Jamie Mason Repurpose old peg rails into a striking outdoor lighting fixtures. Attach any hooks or peg rails you have lying around the house to a fence or wall to create the perfect spot to hang solar powered lights or tea light holders. This is the perfect tip for adding interest to a small garden. 23. Make a shed multipurpose Image credit: Future Plc/Joanna Henderson Create the perfect place to entertain by making a your garden shed a multi-purpose solution. It can house garden furniture in the winter, then open out into a bar for garden parties and alfresco sundowners in the summer months. Hang herbs from the roof to utilise during cocktail hour. 24. Reuse old pans as planters Image credit: Future Plc Before throwing out old pots and pans, think about whether they could be used as alternative planters instead. Their hard-wearing shells make them ideal for the outdoors. Simply punch a couple of drainage holes in the bottom before re-potting your plants. 25. Dress the garden with indoor accessories Image credit: Future Plc/Joanna Henderson Why double up the expenses of buying beautiful home accessories? Dress your deck with attractive textural accessories that can be easily popped inside should the great British weather do its worst. Doubling up also makes the outdoor an extension of out stylish indoor spaces, a rising trend we’re seeing right now for gardens. 26. Paint your house number on plant pots Image credit: Future Plc/Colin Poole The ideal front garden idea, painting your house number onto plant pots is a thoroughly charming way to make your house instantly identifiable. It costs next to nothing, especially if you already have a plant pot in mind and a test pot of paint. Get creative and paint the design of your choice – here simple flowers are created with freehand brush daps. To paint the numbers neatly we recommend using either a wraparound stencil or marking them precisely with masking table. 27. Fashion a plant display using old ladders Image credit: Future Plc/Colin Poole Step up your garden features with the help of decorative ladder shelving. These ladder shelves are formed by tying two ladders together at the top. Wooden planks laid across the runs provide the shelves on which to display potted plants, lanterns and decorative accessories. Super easy to make and totally cost effective. A step in the right direction for budget gardens! 28. Power up solar lights for ambience Image credit: Future Plc/Colin Poole Fairy lights in the garden help to add ambience. This clever fairy light idea is made using a kitchen staple, the Kilner jar, and a set of solar-powered lights. Powered by all day by the sun these dainty lights will cast a pretty glow over gardens after dark. They are a great solution that doesn’t cost a lot at all. 29. Add interest to walls with framed plants Image credit: Sandtex Simple but hugely effective, this easy make costs just a few pounds but is a smart way to bring colour to a dull wall. It’s a great Bank Holiday project – you’ll need some frames, chicken wire, paints, and succulents and moss to fill them out. 30. Upcycle an old cabinet into a potting table Image credit: Future Plc/Jamie Mason Here, an old freestanding kitchen unit has been transformed into a place to repot plants with a few easy modifications. Start with a lick of paint, and maybe look to changing the worktop – here, a surface with a lip stops soil dropping all over the floor. Add hooks to the side so you can hang trowels and other tools for easy access. Inside, you can stash compost, pots, seeds and more, freeing up space in your shed. 31. Lay a path made from old bricks Image credit: Future Plc Put that pile of leftover bricks to good use and make a path that mirrors the shape of your flowerbeds. Lay them long and sideways in a bed of gravel to create a patterned curve. 32. Add instant colour with bedding plants Image credit: Future Plc/Val Corbett A tray of Tagetes or Antirrhinum (snapdragons) will add instant colour to your front garden and bloom throughout the summer. Be sure to feed them weekly with tomato food in the summer keep them well watered in the heat – snip off any dead flower heads to keep them looking top notch. With the right care they should be packed with flowers until early autumn. 33. Perk up a patio with a rug Image credit: Weaver Green An outdoor rug and some oversize floor cushions laid over faded decking or a grubby patio will instantly lift your outdoor space and ensure an entertaining area just as stylish as your interior. Go for designs that are patterned on both sides, so you can flip them over if they start to discolour in the sun. 34. Impress guests with an outdoor bar Image credit: Future Plc/Simon Whitmore Rather than disappear into the house every time another drink is needed set up a bar outside and make cocktail hour an alfresco affair. You can pick up the materials needed to knock up your own Tiki-style serving area cheaply at your local DIY store. Or you could keep it really simple and upcycle and old wooden bar cart, making sure to treat the wood against the elements. Keeping drinks cool is as simple as filling a bucket with ice. 35. Use plastic bottles as containers Image credit: Amy Cutmore It’s only when you look closely that you notice this potted display is actually contained in used drinks bottles. We spotted this trick at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, and isn’t it genius? Try it yourself by carefully cutting off the top of each bottle, then adding gravel for drainage, followed by soil and the plants of your choice. 36. Hang baskets filled with blooms Image credit: Future Plc/Polly Eltes Hanging baskets are easy to make and look stunning. Make sure you use multi-purpose compost and feed regularly with tomato food. For a sunny spot use sun loving Surfinias and Bacopa and for a more shady corner try Lobelia and trailing Fuchsia. 37. Turn your shed into a summerhouse Image credit: Future Plc/Dan Duchars If you have a garden shed, but you’re not really using it for anything beyond storing a toolbox and housing some cobwebs, don’t waste the extra space. You can spruce it up pretty easily and turn it into a bright and airy potting shed (if you’re green-fingered) a sunny summerhouse, a neat studio or even a garden playhouse for the kids. 38. Create a bird feeder Image credit: Future Plc/David Giles It’s not always big things that change the feel of a garden – it can simply amount to the sounds you hear. Boost your garden’s atmosphere by encouraging birds in with a DIY bird feeder their song will instantly create a more positive feel. Talk about an idea on the ‘cheep’! 39. Paint the fence Image credit: Future Plc/David Giles Garden fences need more care and attention than we usually care to think about. How come the paint job it needs never lasts as long as we hope it will? So, if you’re looking for garden fence ideas, why not treat it a bit differently next time you give it a coat of wood paint. Use paint specially designed for outdoor use to add new life to your garden as this will help preserve the wood, meaning the colour won't fade. Instead of your usual shades of golden or ashy brown, consider a fresh, playful colour instead. Create a bold statement with your trellis or shed by using bright oranges for a hot Mediterranean feel. 40. Upcycle drawers to create a unique planter Image credit: Future Plc/Colin Poole If you have an old, unused chest of drawers knocking about the house, give it a new lease of life by turning it into a unique colourful garden planter! This four-drawer unit is well-balanced with two staggered tiers of plants, that bring a playful touch to your back garden design. 41. Create an inexpensive awning Image credit: Future Plc If you have a compact patio garden that’s a bit of a sun trap, consider hanging a simple sail-like canopy. It won’t take up the valuable space that a parasol would, but still gives you a little bit of safe shade. You can buy shades like this at B&Q, or get creative and make your own garden shade ideas out of an old sail or sheet. 42. Opt for a one-colour wonder Image credit: Future Plc Paint everyone in one colour, save buying more than one tin. In a balcony garden, don’t overcomplicate things; choose slender planters in a rich, summery colour and match your furniture. A lick of metal paint can update an old iron garden chair quite easily and is a cheap update, too. This beautiful blue has a real Mediterranean feel and, together with the slender lines of the plant pots and the chair, the small garden area feels comfortable rather than cluttered. 43. Repurpose old food tins Image credit: Future Plc/Lizzie Orme Turn kitchen waste in garden wonders. For the planters, make drainage holes in the base of each can with a bradawl and a single hole 1.5cm from the top edge. Spray with 2 coats of paint (we used Plasti-kote spray paints) and, once dry, thread wire through the top hole as a hanger. Fill with plants of your choice. As lanterns, draw a pattern on the can using a Sharpie pen then punch along the lines with a bradawl. Punch two holes near the top edge at opposite sides for the hanger. Spray with two coats of paint and loop the wire through the top holes as a hanger. 44. Transform a plain wall with a mural Image credit: Future Plc/Simon Whitmore Here, and old brick garage has been magically reinvented as a mystical pathway through the woods. And all it took was some tins of paint, applied by an expert wall artist. Commission your own work of art, or have a go yourself if you’re really counting the pennies and fancy yourself as the next Banksy. 45. Boost seating with colourful cushions Image credit: Future Plc/Simon Bevan Give your old garden sofa a boost by layering it up with new-season accessories for a modern, budget-conscious look. Keep a feeling of warmth, even in a shady corner with bright cushions and matching planting. How can I make my backyard beautiful on a low budget?Try all these ideas to make your backyard beautiful on a low budget. From upcycling to make your own furniture to painting the stone tiles to add some much-needed colour – there are so many ways to make the garden beautiful on a budget. where you can try your hand at DIY to ensure whatever you are updating is cost-effective. Try dressing the garden with accessories such as outdoor rugs and shower-resistant cushions to instantly make the space feel more premium and well-dressed. All of these things can be a cheap fix to enliven outdoor spaces of all shapes and sizes. How can I landscape my yard cheaply?DIY garden landscaping ideas are how you do it cheaply. Put a pile of leftover bricks to good use by fashioning a cheap garden path that mirrors the shape of your flowerbeds. Lay them length and sideways in a bed of gravel to create a patterned curve that looks professionally done, rather than DIY. Use pots of low maintenance plants to frame patios and pathways, while building raised beds using reclaimed wood to create depth for your border planting will also help save on garden landscaping costs. Additional words: Holly Walsh The post Brilliant budget garden ideas – 45 ways to update your outdoor space appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Living wall ideas to create a stylish vertical garden Posted: 04 Apr 2022 05:38 AM PDT We’re always looking for ways to make the most of our outdoor spaces. Living wall ideas allow you to embrace greenery on your vertical exterior spaces to create a lush wall of foliage. As well as adding a personal, unique touch to your space, this planting style can fit in nearly anywhere. Whatever type of garden ideas you have – from a small courtyard to large lawn, living walls will make the most of your space. ‘A living wall is a great way to introduce greenery into your home or garden and refresh a space, creating a modern and sophisticated look that will add interest and colour’ says Marcus Eyles, Head of Horticulture at Dobbies. Living wall ideas for gardensLiving walls are one of the hottest gardening trends to emerge in recent years, increasingly making their way into residential gardens. Systems can range from something as simple as plant pots hung on the vertical frame, to highly sophisticated modular, hydroponic panels from which water and nutrients are delivered and electronically monitored. 1. Frame your foliage Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore While many living wall ideas take up large swathes of space – a framing technique will help even the smallest amount of greenery have impact. This is a great solution for smaller spaces, but also wrks well to help break up larger walls. Pick a frame which contrasts with the wall behind to make sure the plants pop against the colour contrast, 2. Switch it up with ease Image credit: Future PLC If you tend to change your mind easily, or like to keep things easy, consider an ad hoc solution like a trellis. Instead of a living wall structure, simply place large plants below and hang pots of foliage and flowers from the brackets for a great example of easy garden ideas. This is an especially good idea if you tend to prefer flowers over foliage. In this case you can switch out the pots with seasonal flowers as and when required. 3. Add delicate flowers for colour and texture Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole While most living wall ideas heavily lean into foliage, a few floral details won’t go amiss. Choose delicate blooms to add interest, texture and even colour, without overly distracting the eye. Look to flowers like Vinca minor (lesser periwinkle) and Saxifraga x urbium (London pride). These lighter, more rambling flowers will also cope with the vertical planting method better than other types. 4. Cheat it with a tiled mural Image credit: Baked Tile Co. If you love the look of a living wall, but don’t have the time to keep up maintenance, choose another option. Create a mural using botanical tiles to evoke the illusion of plants and foliage on your exterior walls. Add some climbing plants to your outdoor wall decor ideas and you’ll even create a 3-D effect without fully committing to a true living wall. 5. Create continuity with raised beds Image credit: Dobbies If you choose to have a small section of living wall, consider how to plan a garden to make sure the rest of the space ties in. Raised beds can be planted with similar or complementary foliage to the walls. The line will be slightly blurred between where the living wall ends and the beds begin, helping to create a sense of cohesion. 6. Choose a different kind of living wall Image credit: Future PLC/Howard Walker Plants aren’t, of course, the only thing living in a garden. Support bees and bugs by including a vertical insect hotel to provide them with places to live. Your garden will thank you, too, as your flowers will be prime pollination targets from our buzzy friends. 7. Surround a courtyard with a vertical garden Image credit: Future PLC/Robert Sanderson Eve the smallest of outdoor spaces can accommodate a living wall. In fact for some small garden ideas it can help to make the space feel more ambient, with a feeling of being surrounded by nature. Vertical planting is favourable for concealing brick walls or enclosing fences that make an already compact space feel all the more oppressive. The softness of planting helps to make a limited outdoor space feel enrich and closer to nature. Even a tiny balcony garden idea can feel more like a lush plot with a thriving living wall. 8. Welcome wild planting Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole Keep the look loose and on-trend for wild meadow planting by using unexpected plant species. Use an abundance of long grasses to add depth, while embracing climbing ivy to provide a thorough coverage. Foliage plants such as heucheras and ferns should be tidied up by snipping off tatty leaves, as needed. Annuals, in particular, benefit from a liquid feed every couple of weeks in summer, although any display that's in place for any length of time will need feeding to keep it looking its best. 9. Create a colourful planting scheme
Incorporate colourful bedding plants to ensure your living wall is bursting with colour. When choosing flowering plants, as always, you'll need to deadhead flowers to encourage new blooms later in the season and to keep the wall looking its best. If you're attaching your green wall to the side of a house, Dobbies recommend attaching a waterproof membrane to the wall before you begin, to prevent damp issues. 10. Take the hard work out with ready-made panels Image credit: Dobbies This planting trend can be brought to life in our own homes with a helping hand of pre-planted modular panels. This easy gardening idea allows walls to look blooming lovely with minimal effort. ‘The Living Wall Planters can be easily fitted onto any solid area’ explains Marcus from Dobbies. ‘The walls can be built indoors or out, can be as large or small as you like, meaning it can be tailored to suit the size of your space.’ 11. Keep it leafy with ferns and evergreen foliage Image credit: Future PLC Soften hard landscaping and exterior walls with a richly planted vertical garden. Pre-planted modular panels covered with assorted greenery including fern and other leaf based plants. The living plant wall needs watering around every two- three days depending on climate (unless you've chosen to add an automatic irrigation system), more in summer – check by sticking a finger into the soil to see if the compost is dry. 12. Plant a living gallery wall Image credit: Future PLC/Tim Young Break with tradition and create a gallery wall outside by hanging plants in pots and frames – a brilliant budget garden idea to boost an outdoor space without breaking the bank!. This quirky approach to a living wall idea involves less gardening expertise and therefore requires less maintenance. To recreate the look simply hang an assortment of planters, securely to one wall, to elevate your planting. 13. Encourage climbing plants to get the look Image credit: Future PLC Faux the look with a climbing plant idea to provide the lush coverage of walls without the need to put in an irrigation system. You simply need one well supported climber to establish itself and take over a whole. ‘Supports for the climber will need to be placed before planting’ advises Chris Bonnett from Gardening Express. ‘Planting near a wall or fence can create a 'rain shadow', which means that rain does not reach plants' roots.’ So be sure to water thoroughly, as you would any living wall. 14. Take the look indoors Image credit: Future PLC/Georgia Burns Scaled down but still as stylish for indoors this characterful grey living room idea features a spectacular living wall of sorts. A striking gold frame is used to encapsulate two planters overflowing with lush ferns, to add a touch of nature beauty to the decor. Get creative and make your own by attaching wall planters to a MDF backboard then framing it. You can create a living wall using a range of different systems, including wall planters where irrigated troughs are attached to walls; a live panel modular system where plants placed in small cups root into a mat behind or a panel of planting pockets, that is hung on a wall and simply topped up with water once a month. How to make a living plant wall1. Choose your spaceYou can build a living plant wall on any solid wall or fence – build straight on to the side of your house, a garden fence or even a sturdy shed. For indoors a custom made wooden wall allows you the freedom to move it from room to room. Once you’ve chosen a structurally sound wall or fence, simply screw in rows of 2in BY 1in treated battens 38cm apart to fill the space. Checking with a spirit level as you go, to make sure they're straight.  Image credit: Dobbies 2. Screw in the plantersUsing an electric screwdriver and working from the bottom up, attach the plastic planters to the battens. Click and lock the planters into each other and build up your wall in staggered rows. 3. Get wateringStarting at the top, water your wall with a hose or watering can. The reservoir system is designed to keep plants watered for up to two weeks. 4. Green up your wallFill the planters with your chosen plants using 12-13cm pots. Either remove the plants from their pots and plant them straight into the planters. Alternatively to make changing the scheme really easy, place the pot directly into each planter – making sure the pot touches the reservoir base. What plants should I choose for a living wall?A range of herbaceous perennials, grasses, small shrubs, herbs and even fruit and vegetables can be used. Try including scented plants, seasonal flowers and bulbs. Seek advice from your local garden nursery about plants that will suit the aspect and microclimate of the wall on which they will be grown. Plants to create a living wall:
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| Downstairs toilet wallpaper ideas: create a cloakroom with character Posted: 04 Apr 2022 04:00 AM PDT The downstairs toilet may be one of the most compact rooms in your home, but it also offers a chance for you to unleash your creativity and impress the many guests it will no doubt see. It’s a room where you can play around with colour and pattern, opting for something you might not be brave enough to choose in a larger living space. Meaning creative downstairs toilet wallpaper ideas are always welcome! Small bathroom ideas often show wallpaper as a key ingredient if you want to add impact and drama, and there’s no better spot than your downstairs toilet – but should you wallpaper it all or just a portion of the room? Go for a bold print or something more playful? Downstairs toilet wallpaper ideas‘Wallpaper in a downstairs toilet is a great way to add an instant pop of pattern and colour,’ explains Lucy St George, co-founder of Rockett St George. ‘While wallpaper in the bathroom is often approached with caution, it shouldn't be ruled out. The downstairs toilet is the perfect place to play around with more adventurous design decisions. As a smaller space, downstairs toilets can pull off bolder patterns and brighter colour palettes than other parts of the home.’ Whether you’re looking for subtle or after something much more dramatic, we’ve found cloakroom ideas to suit all tastes. Ready to see some decorating magic? Read on for downstairs toilet wallpaper ideas… 1. Team wallpaper with tiles Image credit: Future PLC/ Lizzie Orme If an entire room of wallpaper feels like it might be too much, why not add some wall tiles in too? Having been built out here to box in all the pipework behind the toilet, the tiled area also offers a display shelf, along with a splashback behind the sink. Using plain white metro tiles as your cloakroom tile idea helps the wallpaper become the focus, with its fabulous flamingo print very much taking centre stage. Despite its bold print, the wallpaper’s soft grey colour tone keeps it feeling light and far from overpowering, and the small hints of pink add a feminine feel. 2. Make it bold Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore Not for the fainthearted, this fun photographic wallpaper will almost certainly appeal to the colour splashers among you. The fun collage of iconic front covers gives you something to look at and it’s easy to pick out a colour from the design to echo elsewhere in the room, as has been done here with the blue tiled splashback over the sink. You could always make your own wallcovering, with your own choice of book (or magazine) covers, of course. 3. Don’t forget the ceiling Image credit: Graham & Brown Decorating the ceiling isn’t only for living rooms and bedrooms – it can make your downstairs toilet really stand out. A creative bathroom wallpaper idea takes this small space from drab to fab, giving it the ultimate wow factor. Here, a busy jungle print has been used on all walls, and you’ll see that by taking it onto the ceiling it helps draw the eye upwards and emphasise the room’s height. Buy now: Kingdom Lion wallpaper, £65 a roll, Graham & Brown 4. Fill it with florals Image credit: Future PLC/ Kristy Noble Give your downstairs toilet an uplifting floral or botanical theme with a wallpaper that fills it with blooms and leafy prints. This summery design has had its nature theme echoed with the use of wood (on the toilet seat and door), and a rustic terracotta pot and plant on top. All that’s needed is a floral-scented candle or diffuser to really set the mood. ‘Botanical wallpapers are always a winner, bringing a sense of calm through the connection to nature,’ says Lucy St George. ‘From leafy palm prints to oversized florals and colourful tropical landscapes, botanical wallpapers have a timeless appeal and balance natural calm with luxury.’ 5. Create an illusion Image credit: Future PLC/ Lizzie Orme Trompe l’oeil is a technique often applied to wallpaper to give it a 3D, optical effect, and you can see an example of that here with this one wall that looks as though it’s a cabinet of drawers. What we particularly like about this room, is that if you look closely at the wallpaper you’ll see that some of the printed knobs have had real knobs screwed into the wall on top (with a set of keys hanging off of one of them), to make the drawers appear even more realistic. Clever! 6. Pair it with panelling Image credit: Paint & Paper Library When you can’t decide between paper and paint, why not have both? Here, panelling at the bottom half of the wall has been painted a light blue, with the same colour picked out in the wallpaper pattern above. This half-and-half design is also good if you think wallpaper might not work in a wet area behind the sink, and gives you the chance to put your creative skills to good use mixing and matching colours and prints. Buy now: Hardy Palm wallpaper, £118 per roll, from the Botany collection, Paint & Paper Library 7. Go for animal print Image credit: Homebase Animal print never seems to go out of fashion, whether you’re opting for leopard spots, snakeskin scales or wavy zebra stripes, like these. Ramp up the impact by using it on all walls for maximum effect, letting the print do the talking. There’s no need for lots of accessories here – keep it simple, with neutral fittings and one statement piece, such as this large gold mirror. Not confident enough to go so big and bold? Try using your animal print wallpaper on just one wall – or above some panelling, instead. ‘For a beautifully bold look, dark and dramatic colours from bold black to graphite grey and midnight are perfect for statement bathroom schemes,’ says Lucy St George. ‘These colours create cosiness and the illusion of space, so are also ideal for smaller cloakrooms and downstairs bathrooms.’ Buy now: Arthouse Serengeti zebra print textured black and white wallpaper, £14 a roll, Homebase 8. Set the scene Image credit: Future PLC/ Rachael Smith Escape to foreign climes with a wallpaper that depicts a country or landscape of your choice. Whether it’s a city scape, beach scene or architectural landmark, it’s a great way to turn your toilet into an exotic room that guests won’t be expecting. 9. Stay tonal Image credit: 1838 Wallcoverings If you’re more about texture and neutral colours, pick a wallpaper that adds interest without overpowering the room. Here, a subtle print echoes the textures and colours used in the accessories by the sink, adding to the scheme without becoming the focal point. Buy now: Mineral marble grey luxury geometric wallpaper, £70 per roll, 1838 Wallcoverings 10. Keep it classy Image credit: Future PLC/ Paul Raeside Ornate detailing, traditional fittings and high ceilings all cry out for a wallpaper that is just as classy in style, so consider not only your pattern but your choice of colour too. Here, the wallpaper features a delicate woodland print, while the colour is the perfect match for the paintwork, creating a beautifully blended wall. Can you wallpaper a downstairs toilet?‘Certainly! Any space can be wallpapered,’ says Claire Greenfield, lead designer at Harlequin. ‘Using wallpaper in a cloakroom can be incredibly effective, adding interest and personality to a space. Key considerations for a cloakroom to keep in mind will be the dimensions of the space – in particular cloakrooms under stairs which can have tricky angles, so ensuring you have properly measured the space is crucial.’ How can I make my downstairs toilet look nice?Firstly, think about how you want your downstairs toilet to look. Would you like something bright and bold, or luxurious? Perhaps you’d like a theme, or something a bit more quirky? ‘Due to the size and secluded nature of a downstairs toilet, this is a brilliant space to add a touch of fun,’ says Claire Greenfield. ‘The cloakroom is perfect to deviate from a home's overall scheme, acting almost as a retreat from the everyday, and thus creating a more personal space. Dark patterns, like our “Enigmatic” or “Paeonia” prints would look far richer, creating a secluded sanctuary from the home. Bright patterns like our recently launched “Dahlia” can brighten a space that lacks lots of natural light, which can make a bathroom feel far more warm and homely.’ How do you revamp a downstairs toilet?Start by seeing what needs replacing – is it the whole scheme, complete with fittings, or could you get away with just freshening up the walls and accessories? Next, decide where you’d like your wallpaper to go. ‘It's important to avoid wallpapering areas that will be regularly splashed with water and instead choose tiles for these spots,’ says Lucy St George. ‘However, other than that, there really are no rules!’ Lucy continues. ‘One of our favourite choices for bathroom wallpaper at Rockett St George has to be chinoiserie. Featuring majestic birds, blossom trees and extraordinary garden scenes, chinoiserie designs also celebrate the beauty of the natural world. Long associated with luxury, introducing these patterns to your bathroom creates a display with instant impact and is guaranteed to impress any guest.’ The post Downstairs toilet wallpaper ideas: create a cloakroom with character appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Kevin McCloud shares his prediction on how we'll be powering our homes in the future Posted: 03 Apr 2022 11:00 PM PDT Kevin McCloud has shared his predictions on how we’ll be powering our homes in the future. Following the April energy price cap rise, we are all increasingly concerned about how to save energy at home, and how to make our homes more eco-friendly. But the Grand Designs host sees huge, positive changes taking place over the next 30 years.  Image credit: Alamy Kevin McCloud home energy predictionGrand Designs Live, the UK's premier event for home building, renovation and improvement, is back this May for the first time since 2019. Ahead of the nine-day exhibition, we spoke to Kevin McCloud about energy-efficient options for the home. He sees heat pumps and solar panels entering the mainstream. Self-adhesive olar panels for windows‘Things like stick-on solar panels, self-adhesive transparent solar panels that can go onto your windows are going to hit the market big time in the next five years,’ begins Kevin. We know that the removal of VAT on solar panels in this year’s spring statement prompted more homeowners to consider whether the reduced cost of solar panels could make them a viable option for their home. But the availability of self-adhesive panels that can be placed on windows will open up solar energy to more and more people, including those living in apartments. As for how we heat our homes, Kevin says heat pumps are the future.  Image credit: Alamy Heat pumps to replace the gas boilerThe gas boiler ban coming in 2025 will mean traditional boilers will be phased out and replaced by energy-efficient heat pumps. ‘Social housing projects are already putting them in, and we're going to see sales of those increase exponentially,’ Kevin comments. The designer and writer says that last year, 60,000 heat pumps were sold. This year, 100,000 will have been sold, and by 2035 we'll have retrofitted the whole country. Also, given the technological advances taking place, the Grand Designs presenter believes that there is no reason why the UK can’t reach its target of being carbon neutral by 2050. ‘There's no excuse because we can do it, and it's all technologically and financially available now,’ he says.  Image credit: Getty images / Leoniek Van Der Vliet / EyeEm At Grand Designs Live you’ll be able to discover more ways to make your home more eco-friendly at the Eco Theatre and Advice Hub, with sustainable products like eco-building materials, insulation, heating and renewable systems, furnishings, and electric car-charging equipment. The post Kevin McCloud shares his prediction on how we'll be powering our homes in the future appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| What happens when you pay off your mortgage? Posted: 03 Apr 2022 08:00 AM PDT Settling your mortgage once and for all is an exciting prospect. But aside from throwing a party to celebrate that release, in reality what happens when you pay off your mortgage? You've probably dreamt of the day when you'll be free from shopping around for the best mortgage rates and the burden of large monthly repayments. Here, we take a look at how to tie up loose ends and plan for the future. What happens when you pay off your mortgage? Image credit: Future PLC/David Giles You now own 100 per cent of your home, assuming no other parties or lenders have a stake in it. If you had a repayment mortgage, you will have paid off the capital borrowed and interest charges on it over the lifetime of the loan. With an interest-only mortgage, you will have made all interest payments during the loan's lifetime, and then repaid the original capital at the end of the agreement. The good news is that means no more monthly mortgage payments to make. But there are still a few boxes to tick and some paperwork to complete.
Rachel Springall, a finance expert at comparison service Moneyfacts.co.uk, says: 'Homeowners need to ensure they have their title deeds back if they were held by a lender or solicitor. Plus, it's wise to check the deeds to see if the property is registered with the Land Registry.' Visit HM Land Registry to find out more. There is a small fee if you want an official copy of the deeds. If you instruct a solicitor, they can help you finalise the arrangements, update the Land Registry, and obtain a copy of the title deeds. What are my options when the mortgage is paid off? Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole If you plan to live in your home mortgage-free, you might want to put the extra cash you'll now have towards renovation or retirement plans. Brian Murphy, head of lending at broker network the Mortgage Advice Bureau, says: 'Some may prefer enjoying luxury items or experiences, or paying for a home renovation. Others may want to reduce their income and hours to restore a better work-life balance.' He adds: 'It's important to keep a decent cash buffer to accommodate for rising costs too.' Experts encourage you to make your pension a priority once you've paid off your mortgage. Rosie Hooper, a chartered financial planner at advice and wealth management company Quilter, says: 'It's wise to plough this extra money into a pension. Not only is it tax efficient, but with a healthy pension and a mortgage-free property, you're well on your way to achieving the retirement you have dreamed of.' What if I need money tied up in the house? Image credit: Future PLC/Ryan Wicks There's the option of downsizing, which frees up capital from a house sale, assuming the one you buy next is cheaper. This might not appeal if there's a limited supply of properties for sale in the area you want to live. There's no guarantee of finding a buyer for your home either. Equity release is another option. You take the cash value of a chunk of your home. This sum is repaid, with interest, when the property is sold – either after you die or move into long-term care. You can make interest repayments while you're alive. This preserves the portion of property you own for inheritance purposes. Hooper adds: 'It's very important that anyone looking to do this sees a financial adviser. 'Equity release is complicated, and is not the right course for everyone. Having saved for years to pay off your mortgage, it's critical that you take these next steps very carefully.' Can I re-mortgage if I have paid off my mortgage in full?Yes – but its technical name at this stage is an unencumbered mortgage. Hooper says: 'This is a very advantageous position to be in, and lenders will give you favourable deals as a result.' You still need to pass affordability checks and repay the loan over a period of time, just like a regular mortgage. The loan is secured against your property, so failing to keep up with repayments puts your home at risk of repossession. 'Once again, getting financial advice is critical,' adds Hooper.
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