You know when you have an idea of your perfect home in your mind – go on, picture yours now… You’d hope to one day be able to buy that house and move in with a perfect blush pink sofa and two fluffy cats, right? Or maybe that’s just me.
How many hours are you working each week? Whatever your answer is I’m going to say that’s too many hours. When the sun is shining and you’re overlooking people playing in the park it’s tempting to quit your office job there and then. But you really don’t need to do that
One of the things that I’m trying to achieve in my home is a feeling of brightness and airiness. I’ve been painting dark walls in fresh white paint, and have positioned mirrors at suitable points around the house to reflect the light. But I’m sure that there’s more I can
Starting the new year with the intention of keeping my home clean and organised has been very motivating goal for 2017 so far. A jolly good tidy-up at the start of January really helped, as did finding a home for all the lovely gifts I received over Christmas. However, I’ve found
Do you look with envy at the interior of other people’s homes and think why isn’t mine like that? Style is a question of confidence – the confidence to choose the right things for the right places, without compromising on practicality. With these five interior design tips, you can have
If you are living on a tight budget, each season brings its own challenges and I think that winter might be one of the most difficult. During this season one of the biggest issues homeowners face is finding the money to pay for higher-than-usual power bills. We all know that
What do you get for your niece and nephew when you’re the coolest aunt in the world? Why, handmade teddy bears, of course! It’s a project that has been six months in the making and now the bears are finally wrapped up and flying across the sea to reach the
Taking on a home DIY project tends to sound like a lot of fun. There’s certainly a level of satisfaction that you can gain by rolling up your sleeves and getting to work around the house. And if you’re the sort of person who enjoys being productive, you’ll get a
It’s that time of year again. The clocks have gone back an hour to remind us that winter is almost here and Christmas is very much around the corner. For many people, this means rushing around the shops trying to find the perfect Christmas gifts, but for others it means
I don’t know why, but autumn always makes me want to start nesting. My thoughts turn to cosy farmhouses and blazing fireplaces in country homes. It’s in complete contrast to my usual love of bright airy spaces and colourful mid-century modern accessories, but I love it nonetheless and start pinning tartan blankets
Brr, it’s cold out there this morning! I’ve already loaded up the fireplace with coal and eaten a bowl of porridge to warm myself up. And we’re not even in winter yet! Ooh, it’s making me shiver just thinking about the chilly days to come. If you’re looking for ways to save money
Welcome to the weekend everyone! It’s time for me to remind you about work on Monday morning and let you know what you can do right now to help you achieve your career goals. After all (I’ve seen this quote literally everywhere last month) ‘dreams don’t work unless you do’.
Over the years I’ve done a lot of studying online. I’ve studied branding, community journalism, IT and marketing, to name just a few. And, no surprise, I’ve completed a course in Personal Development via distance learning too. I studied the course, completed assessments and gained a qualification without ever meeting
Today I’m pleased to be sharing a sneaky peek inside the home of top interiors blogger Anna from Don’t Cramp My Style. Her award-winning blog is all about putting your own stamp on a home – even if it’s a rented apartment – and how to get the look for less.
If you’re thinking about selling your home but are worried about being stuck on the market without any offers, there are many things you can do TODAY to make your home more attractive to potential buyers. With only a few hours work and a little bit of effort, you can
Do you want to give a note of freshness to your home but you don’t have the necessary budget? Don’t worry! With a bit of creativity, some skills, and a bit of guidance you can make some amazing DIY projects that will completely change your home’s interior. And, let’s face
He popped the question, she said yes, and then she popped the question to you – will you be my bridesmaid?! Weddings are a wonderful time of celebration, and it is an honour to be asked to be the bride’s right-hand lady during such a joyous occasion. However, before you
Pieces of Lego are strewn; shoes are littered; food spilled; furniture stained. Clothing is scattered. Pens, pen lids, crayons and felt-tip pens sprinkle surfaces. Toys are disassembled; old batteries discarded; former favourite toys abandoned. Combs and hair clips accumulate in corners and on staircases; footprints mark shiny floors; scribbles, notes and doodles gather on
Even though we all like our homes to reflect a little of our own style and personality, it can be difficult to make your house feel like a ‘home’ when you’re renting. Of course you can add your own furniture, pop some photos on the mantlepiece and throw down some
When renovating or updating our homes, many of us tend to focus mainly on the interiors. Interior design is very important, as your home needs to be welcoming, homely and suited to you. One aspect of the home that is often overlooked however, is the part that people see every
It may be wet and snowing outside this morning but no amount of bad weather can dampen my mood. And that’s because I’ve been enjoying reading a particularly sunny book this weekend – Happy Home Outside by Charlotte Hedeman Guéniau.
When your home is stylish and comfortable it’s great to come back from a hard day at the office, kick your shoes off and relax. You can chill on the sofa and feel a sense of harmony when you look around. But what happens if you have dogs, cats, or
If you’re anything like me, the chances are you want your home to look as perfect as possible but you also have to be mindful of your budget. If you’ve been reading my blog recently, you’ll have seen that I’ve shared a couple of very low-budget room makeovers in my
Whether you’re hoping to make your house more saleable for an imminent move, or simply wish add value to your home for the future, today’s blog post will hopefully give you some ideas for ways to improve your home whilst increasing its value. As you may already know, I’ve been
It’s easy to swoon over the beautiful rooms in interior design magazines, dribble over perfectly styled images by designers on Instagram, and fall in love with professional decorating projects on Pinterest. However, recreating even the most simple interior design project can be difficult to achieve in your own home…
I spent most of yesterday working in the garden. After a week away, followed by a week of poor weather (when I didn’t really fancy working outdoors) the veggie patch had started to look quite neglected. Weeds were sprouting, the runner beans were looking a little too long, and three courgettes had turned into
I really enjoy finding a new use for things, so when a friend of mine was getting rid of an old sofa it was too tempting. Even though the sofa itself was broken, the fabric on the back and sides of the sofa were as good as new so I
I often wish that my house was bigger. It doesn’t take much clutter to fill up the small rooms in my home and storage always seems to be in short supply even though practically every wall is covered with shelving and cupboards. In truth, I think I’m just trying to
January can be a particularly stressful time of year and I often find that I get a little over-whelmed. I think it’s a combination of being back at work after a long Christmas break, dull weather and shorter days, and it makes me feel like I’m running out of time
This time of year is always special for me. Not only is it the month of my birthday, Christmas and New Year, but it is also the time of year that I met my husband all those years ago. Our first dates were Christmas shopping, festive coffee breaks and romantic seasonal meals. We
I loved bourbon biscuits as a child but I’ve realised that I haven’t eaten one for about 5 years now! I don’t know why, I just don’t really buy biscuits and if I’m going to have a naughty treat I’ll probably choose a slice of cake, haha! So when I read a
If you’re someone who likes to take care of their property, the first sight of moss and algae around the garden and outside of the house is often the catalyst for a call to action…
With talk of another royal baby on the way, I’ve come over all patriotic. Just like the Olympics and the Diamond Jubiliee before it, this has made me realise how great it is to be living in Britain! We are a multi-cultural nation with so many traditions, wonderful tourism in
I’ve been living in my home for 2 years last month and I’m still referring to it as my ‘new’ house! It’s a particularly nice period of time when you first move into your home and start unpacking, putting your stamp on the house and getting used to your new surroundings. But
Do you sometimes find your mind wandering off to a place far away where it settles down on a comfy sofa to take in the stunning coastal view from your seafront property? When I’m daydreaming about my dream home, that’s exactly where my brain takes me and sometimes I can
Whether you have a large or a small home, it’s likely that at some point, you’ll bemoan your property’s lack of space. The size of your home matters to some degree, but it’s what you choose to do with the space available that really makes a difference. If you’ve lived
Are you sitting the bathtub, trying to relax with that bright white fluorescent light? Not very calming, is it? I’ve often just turned the light off and left the door ajar with the hallway light diffusing into the bathroom so that I can enjoy a little ambience while I bathe!
I went as far East as possible yesterday. That IS what Easter means, right? 😉 I headed to the East coast in East Anglia and braved the coastal winds to enjoy a walk along the seafront with my family. I enjoyed a traditional fish and chips lunch and a cup
This week I’ve had a problem. It started on Sunday and has carried on all week with little or no let up. I’ve had headaches as a result and even had to have mid-day a lie down at times. I’m taking about back pain and it is naffing me off.
Ever since I framed up a selection Christmas quotes and hung them on my living room walls during the festive period, I’ve been thinking ahead to the new year and what I could replace these seasonal posters for the rest of the year. I’ve already made the holes in my
Today, I’m back to normal. After all the festivities of Christmas and new year, an after a month of having a poorly hubby at home recovering from an operation, we are finally heading back to work and back into our normal routine. I know many people went back to work last
I’ve spotted a trend for festive interior decor this year – framed Christmas prints. I’ve seen them popping up in interior design magazines and DIY hacks are all over Pinterest so I’m certainly going to be following this trend and creating my own festive artwork this year. I love this idea for Christmas decorating because it
It’s the dream of all young couples isn’t it? Up there with getting married and having children, buying your own home is at the top of a lot of my friends’ and family’s wish lists. I’ve been adding ‘dream home’ pins to my Pinterest board all year, so even though I
When the leaves begin changing and the pumpkins start arriving in the stores it can only mean one thing: it’s time to start decorating your home for Autumn – or at least that’s the case according to Pinterest ha! It’s certainly a new trend here in the UK to start
I had a plan to get lots of work done today – admin, tax returns, y’know the important stuff. HOWEVER, my new sewing machine has just arrived! And we all know what that means – work goes right out of the window while I play around for hours with my new toy! You
I think I can safely say that one of my favourite Christmas films of all time is Elf. If you’ve not seen it, please do! I’ve watched it twice last weekend alone, and it often comes out during the year too to cheer me up. I know there’s plenty of
Now that I am at the stage of adding the finishing touches to my retro living room, my attention has turned to lighting and I wanted to get a couple of lamps and shades that would compliment the 50s and 60s style that I’ve used throughout the room so far.
I was lucky enough to find this set of vintage RSPB placemats and coasters in almost brand-new condition at the Shakespeare Hospice Furniture Shop in Stratford Upon Avon and although I loved the autumnal bird design straight away, I wasn’t sure what I would do with them. I don’t often need placemats and I already
I saw this funky retro-inspired photograph when I was recently browsing on artist Mable Tan’s website Happee Monkee and instantly knew it would be perfect for my 50s, 60s & 70s interior design project (here’s my mood board). You may remember that I shared an interview with Mable Tan on my blog recently and
From stress-busting to getting physical, there are so many ways that gardening is beneficial for your mind and body. So, if you’re thinking of taking up a new hobby this year, how about heading out into the garden and growing something…
It can be an exciting time when you’re starting up a small, independent business however, there are certain things you’ll need to consider from the off, such as paperwork, finance and operating factors. Here’s a handy list of the things you should look at when you set up your own
If you long to create the home office of your dreams but have been shocked by the price of office storage furniture, today’s DIY project could be the solution. Here’s how to upcycle a rusty old filing cabinet so that you can add castors for a flexible office configuration, or
After visiting the Ideal Home Show and Grand Designs Live back in the Spring, I found myself coveting a garden room. Why? Because the amazing designs of garden ‘pods’, chill out spaces, offices and outdoor rooms were the only things that really held my attention while I visited these design
When searching for a property, it’s important to consider the future. I’ve learnt this after viewing countless properties and each of them being just not quite right for us. Sure, plenty of the houses we’ve seen have been fine, more than fine, and would work perfectly well for us right now.
If, like many homeowners, you have been looking for great new ways that you can make the most of your property and expand it rather than moving to a larger home, you might want to take a look in your loft space. If it is still only used as a
Entertain children and teens over the school holidays with these handy ideas for indoor and outdoor activities: they’re affordable, easy to organise and, most importantly, fun for all ages. Here are 10 adventures to enjoy with your family…
With plethora of music festivals taking place throughout the summer, I thought it would be a good idea to write a blog post about how to pre-prepare your hair to keep it looking great during the festival season…
Keeping kitchen appliances in good condition saves money – with simple habits like cleaning cycles, replacing filters and tackling limescale you can prevent breakdowns, boost efficiency and reduce the need for costly repairs or replacements. Here’s how…
If you love the look of luxury fashion but not the price tag, I’m sharing my favourite tricks for getting that high‑end aesthetic on a budget – from styling swaps to secondhand treasure‑hunting – all while keeping your wardrobe uniquely you…
Travelling for work or jetting off on holiday can mean hours of waiting & watching the clock. Here are a handful of low-cost (or free!) activities that will keep you happily occupied en route to your next big adventure…
From the little treats that brighten your day to the big comforts worth investing in, let’s chat about where to splurge, when to save and how to make everyday life feel just a little more special with some affordable luxuries…
Show your mum how much you care on Mother’s Day with some of these lovely present ideas. From handmade gifts and special experiences to beautiful books and fun prezzies, there’s sure to be something here your mother will love…
I’ve been growing fruit and veg in my garden and allotment for many years and I’ve finally got an idea of what I can grow, what’s easy to maintain and, importantly, what’s NOT worth planting. Here are some tips for your spring sowing…
Outdoor spaces needn’t be summer‑only areas. With durable structures, protective shelters & comfort features, gardens & patios can become year‑round extensions of the home. Here’s how thoughtful design helps you enjoy nature in every season…
With the first school half-term of the year approaching, I thought it would be helpful to put together a guide to fun activities you can enjoy together as a family, including some experiences I’ve enjoyed myself…
If you’ve got a rug that you love but that has seen better days, don’t bin it – you CAN bring it back to life with the right maintenance and care. Here’s what you can do to make sure your rug lasts even longer…
If you’re looking for some lush ideas for Valentine’s Day that are a little different, here are some things you can do and treats you can choose to make your loved one feel special this February..
When we’ve already got work, family & household chores to tackle, adding healthcare to our to-do list is just one more thing getting in the way of our relaxation. Here are some handy ways you can automate tasks that’ll boost your health & wellbeing…
When money worries start creeping into everyday life, it’s tempting to bury your head in the sand but taking small steps can make all the difference. Here are some practical ways to tackle those debts & improve your finances today…
There’s something about finding your signature scent that’s so exciting. If you’re on the hunt for a lush fragrance but you’re on a budget, there are a few little-known tricks you can use to get the price down…
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