Tabla de contenidos para February 2023 en Real Homes

How does the start of the year make you feel? January and February have gotten themselves a bit of a bad reputation as the bleak winter months that we wish away in the hope of spring. There’s even a day dubbed Blue Monday for its gloomy combination of post-Christmas malaise, dark nights and failed resolutions. But we think it’s high time that we claim back the joy of this period. Once all the expensive and busy celebrations of the festive season are over, the new year brings with it a sense of peace and also of possibility. With less demands on your time, and bank account, now’s the perfect moment to turn your attention inwards and focus on the fresh start the year ahead can offer. Stay home, grab a…

JANA STARCEVIC, THE COMPLETIST Like cushions, candles and plants, you can never have enough beautiful stationery. There are few things more satisfying than sending a handwritten note on a well-chosen card; cracking open a fresh notepad, or filling in a brand new diary full of anticipation for the year ahead. With this in mind, rather than buy functional-yet-boring office-style paper goods, it’s so much nicer to invest in something a little more special. Thanks to a wave of new independent brands and designers, it’s now possible to get handmade, artist-led or small batch stationery with beautiful, colourful patterns and prints that will bring joy to your desk and brighten your WFH day. We’re not just talking diaries, these clever creators now make everything from gift cards and wrap to calendars,…

It’s the colour for you if: 1 You want fun and vibrancy2 You’d like a mood-boosting space3 You want to add warmth Raspberry is a colour that comes in many guises. From deep and intense raspberry red, to a bright and powerful raspberry pink, the spectrum of shades varies from cool to warm. So if raspberry is the colour for your home, you should consider the specific version you choose carefully. ‘Raspberry is rich and sensuous,’ says colour psychologist Lee Chambers (leechambers.org). ‘It can give us a feeling of vitality and make us feel energised. It also has the ability to generate excitement, boost our optimism and make us feel more social.’ All in all, raspberry is an uplifting colour. Closely related to the heat of red and the comfort…

Ah, the start of a new year, a time of planning, decluttering… and enormous self- inflicted pressure to improve our homes. A time when we look to implement those changes we’ve been putting off in the run up to Christmas. But if life post-pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that best laid plans don’t always turn out the way we’d like. Lisa Marconi of DesignLed (designled.io) believes that in the face of a cost of living crisis, we should consider scaling back a little in 2023. ‘There is so much making big renovations difficult, including delays in lead times and supply issues. Work is more expensive than normal, and that’s not even taking into the account that we'll all have less disposable income,’ she says. 'One thing I would say…

DIY speckled bowl Whether you keep them for yourself or give away as a gift, things always seem to mean a little more when they’re handmade. We are loving this decorative bowl — it’s the perfect coffee table centrepiece. Here’s how to make your own in five easy steps, You will need: ■ White porcelain cereal bowl ■ Small white bowl ■ Blu Tack ■ Masking tape ■ Stone Grey satin spray paint from Rust-Oleum ■ Pewter Plate paint by Dulux ■ Rich Black matt emulsion paint by Dulux ■ Superglue What to do: 1 Roll the Blu Tack into long, thin strips and position along the middle part of the bowl, pressing down gently so it sticks to the surface. This will create an outline when the spray paint…

Sleep easy For that feel-good feeling when you rest your head at night, luxury bedding brand, Secret Linen Store has partnered with charity Choose Love on an exclusive collection. They will donate all of their profits to the charity, who help provide refugees and displaced people with lifesaving aid, rescue boats, food, and legal advice. The collection features their bestselling daisy print using the Choose Love colour palette of bright pastels. Plus, there are two embroidered cushions to complement the range, in natural or white — perfect for Valentine’s day. Play with paint When it comes to imaginative wall paint ideas, the design team at Benjamin Moore have done the creative legwork for you. ‘An effective yet unusual way to add a pop of colour to a room is by…

£80 & UNDER £130 & UNDER £200 & UNDER…

FIONA WILLIAMS, CREATIVE STATIONERY LONDON @creativestationerylondon ‘I used to work as a risk and compliance assistant in a law firm – as uncreative as it gets! However, my mum is a clothes designer, so I’ve loved design from a very young age, and I started making calligraphy prints with inspirational quotes on during lockdown, to sell on Etsy as a hobby. Then, last year, when balancing my youngest child’s health issues and full-time work became too much, I decided to take a leap, quit my job, and give stationery a go. ‘After teaching myself how to make spiral-bound notebooks, I answered an Instagram call-out and landed an eight-day pop-up slot at a creative market in John Lewis & Partners. It was a surprising success and lit a spark in me…

When Emma and Martin bought their forever home — a converted farmhouse in Derbyshire — the master bedroom was one of a long list of rooms they needed to tackle to get the property up to scratch. ‘The room was really tired and run down,’ Emma says. ‘It had magnolia walls, peeling wallpaper, a threadbare, faded salmon pink carpet — oh, and woodlice emerging from the walls. ‘There was an en suite, too, big enough for a bath, shower and toilet. One day Martin took a shower in there and water started dripping into the living room. I poked the hole and released a waterfall!’ Emma’s proved she has a real eye for design with her transformation of the farmhouse’s main bathroom, which was a worthy winner in the Real…

Black absorbs light, white reflects it — used in tandem, they form a formidable team. In bathrooms, monochrome décor is consistently popular, and not just with those who lack colour confidence. For decades, monochrome bathrooms have been the go-to for anyone seeking timelessness, sophistication and plenty of punch. And a black and white colour scheme makes sense budget-wise, too. The most affordable sanitaryware is crisp white, while black fittings are widely available at great prices. When shopping for black brassware and accessories, committing to one finish, either matt or gloss, will offer cohesion. Perhaps the main benefit of a monochrome scheme is that planning it is very black and white, literally. With just a few simple choices to make, you won’t need professional design skills or experience to achieve a…

BEST FOR ENERGY-EFFICIENCY Get the most out of your washing machine by choosing one that has an energy efficient A rating, like the Haier I-Pro Series 3 washing machines. Compared to a D-rated machine of a similar size, it will be 33 per cent more efficient – saving energy and money. The Haier guarantees clothes are hygienically cleaned with an anti-bacterial treatment. Need clean clothes in a hurry? There is a Quick 15 program, which does a wash in 15 minutes, or try the Steam Refresh program, which removes odours, dust and allergens, and delivers professionally sanitised clothes in just 15 to 30 minutes. The I-Pro Series 3 costs from £499, Haier BEST FOR BIG LOADS With a big or active family, a full laundry basket is inevitable. A machine…

MISSED OUT THIS YEAR? Look out for details on how to enter our 2023 awards in a future issue Here at Real Homes, we’re lucky enough to see the very best homes in the country every single day. Since the launch of our awards, we’ve been inundated with photos of your beautiful renovations and redecorations, and the stories that have crafted them. Reading through each and every entry has been an honour, and we are so thankful to you all for opening up your homes and gardens to us. That said, the quality of the entries made it incredibly hard to pick not only the category winners — who all receive a £1,000 prize — but which transformation would earn the ultimate accolade of our Home of the Year award.…

ON ANOTHER LEVEL Furniture with more than one purpose will always have a place in our hearts, and this modular wall shelving doubles up as a desk and display piece. It sits against the wall, taking up next to no floor space — ideal for a home office area or small room. HIDDEN DEPTHS Low-level storage is perfect for keeping things tucked away. Bench seating does just that. With a deep inner space, they can hold all manner of bulky items, making these masters in multifunctional design. UTILITY DESIGN Practical and attractive, this arrangement of open shelving and closed storage puts select items out on view, and makes them easy to find when you need them. Putting your most attractive canisters and jars on display will create a striking feature,…

Need our help? Got a DIY dilemma? Want to settle a domestic style dispute? Send us your questions on social media or email us at rhsubmissions@futurenet.com At your service Meet the people ready to help with your dilemmas Alison The go-to for all things DIY, with tons of wisdom to impart Amelia Has her finger on the pulse of all things style, kitchen and bathroom Anna C Bringing you practical tips and renting advice to help make life simpler Louise Our sleep space guru, Louise also has an eye for design on a budget Lindsey Is in the know about all the products — from fridges to soft furnishings Christina Loves the high street. Our port of call for statement pieces and design ideas DIY ADVICE Q Can I panel…

1 LANDSCAPE THE GARDEN Give your front garden a touch of style — even if it’s tiny. Think evergreens for year-round interest, choose long-flowering plants such as rudbeckia, nepeta, dahlias and hardy geraniums for colour, and bring in climbers for walls and fences, as well as a small tree, such as a crab apple or ornamental cherry, if you have space. Edging keeps things looking neat and can be decorative, too. Go traditional in wood or stone or modern in metal. If the front garden’s all parking and you don’t need that much space, consider keeping the car on one side and landscaping in front of a window. 2 Change the door The front door is the focal point your home’s exterior so replacing an out-of-character or dull door can…

Top tip MAXIMISE STORAGE Straight flights of stairs located against a wall provide handy space below. To optimise its usefulness, consider pull-out units that will prevent items getting lost at the back, especially under the lower steps. Alternatively, use the space for a home office with a built-in desk, calling in an electrician to fit the necessary sockets. The staircase can feel as if it’s a part of your home that’s hard to change. And if you don’t live in a property with grand proportions, you might not see its potential as a fabulous feature, rather than just a way of moving between floors. The good news is there are plenty of ways to transform a staircase by replacing it entirely, renovating, or revamping it. Replacing a staircase could be…

Proscenic M7 Pro The Proscenic M7 Pro was the best smart home helper for us, impressing with its ease of set up and its manoeuvrability. It just needed a Wi-Fi connection and a space to dock, and it was ready to start work. There are 24 sensors to help it detect corners and obstacles, so it glides past them without damaging furniture. It can also memorise the room spaces on the app – so we could specify the zones that needed extra attention or areas to avoid. There is a useful self-cleaning option, which means the vacuum will empty itself into a pillar after use, rather than having to be emptied into the dustbin each time – but this is extra on top of the mid-tier price. SPECIFICATIONS Best for:…