Of course, it’s important to regularly wipe the stove top clean, but understanding how to get to grips with what accumulates on the burners should also be part of the cleaning tips with which you’re familiar. No matter what type of stove top you have – gas electric, induction or glass – we’ve put together the vital knowhow on how to clean the burners, along with guidance from the experts....
Regarded as a ‘superfood’, this highly-nutritious vegetable is high in fiber and packed with vitamins. Beets, or beetroot, contain more iron than most other vegetables, including spinach. So, keep yourself fighting fit and learn how to grow beets as part of your vegetable garden ideas. How to grow beets – where and when to grow them Beets are a root vegetable that hail from the same family as chard and spinach....
Also known as antirrhinum, dog or lion’s mouth, these distinctive hinged blooms have long been popular cottage garden plants. Prolific flowerers they will bloom happily from early summer through to late fall. How to grow snapdragons Snapdragons are pretty undemanding flowers, making them perfect as flower bed ideas. Either grown as annuals or perennials they love full sun and well-drained, fertile soil. There are plenty of different varieties to choose from and the variation in scale is wide too....
Though you may know where to hang your bird feeder and the best type of food for the beloved creature – the question of keeping bees away from hummingbird feeders may remain a problem. However, you can find the solution by taking a cue from a wholly natural source of inspiration: your flowers. How to keep bees away from hummingbird feeders The most effective wildlife garden ideas are those that stem directly from nature – so it’s unsurprising that this bee-prevention method is backed by experts....
Added to this, organizing a kitchen so that it functions seamlessly is vital to our sanity and its aesthetics in a busy home. ‘Kitchen drawers are essential when planning kitchen storage ideas, particularly a small kitchen, as they often offer maximum use of space,’ explains Tom Howley, design director at Tom Howley (opens in new tab). ‘They can be tailored to your exact specifications, allowing easy access to kitchen essentials rather than delving into the back of bulging kitchen cupboards....
Painting a stairwell is not as simple as painting a room. Your staircase ideas and stairwells are often double height – or rather the full height of a property excluding the loft. If you have the budget for a professional decorator to do just one project for you, we recommend you invest it here! Properties with particularly complex or high stairwells, and any spanning more than two storeys, should have professionally installed scaffolding before you, or your decorator, begins painting....
This is a vital part of orchid care; these beautiful but delicate indoor plants are very choosy about where they are positioned, room temperature and humidity – plus you’ll need to know exactly how to water orchids so as not to kill them off before their time. So, how do you prune orchids, and which orchids do and don’t need trimming? Experts offer their advice below. How to prune orchids Phalaenopsis orchids (also known as moth orchids) bloom for up to three months; Dendrobium orchids flower for up to six weeks....
Of course, you might spot clean curtains and drapes throughout the year, but how do you wash them without damaging or shrinking the fabrics? Sadly, there isn’t a single answer to this question, because different fabrics require different treatments. Here, we explain how to wash and care for both curtains and drapes, what you should and shouldn’t do, as well as advice on the regular care you should undertake. We also explain the supplies you might need to make room for in your laundry room....
Two weeks on and I’d already slipped back into bad habits, gathering clutter in all the usual places. So I searched the quote online again, and – surprise, surprise – the five-minute tidying challenge popped up on numerous professional organizers’ websites. It was (possibly) the solution I’d been looking for to effectively tackle those ‘doom piles’, as clutter hotspots have been neatly coined. And I want everyone else to know about it too....
In this space, practicalities still take precedence, so when it comes to designing a laundry room, thinking like the most organized version of yourself is always a great place to start. A combination of space-enhancing storage solutions and carefully considering how you will move within the space (particularly when it’s full of laundry, as opposed to when everything is neatly folded and tidied into cupboards) are key to creating a space that’s efficient and ergonomic....
But, just because your correspondence has gone digital, doesn’t mean your mailbox needs to take a backseat. Not only can beautiful mailbox landscaping offer the perfect finishing touch to any front yard landscaping ideas, but it can also set the tone for the entrance to your home. Mailbox landscsaping ideas We’ve curated our favorite mailbox landscaping ideas that will add an extra beautiful touch to any front yard. Whether you’re looking for a standalone setup or one that’s affixed to your home’s facade, one thing’s for sure: Snail mail has never looked so good....
For all their sentimental value, cards can be hard to slot into our homes, with many of us opting to showcase them on our already decoration packed mantelpieces, or out of the way on refrigerators or living room doors. However, Martha Stewart has shared a solution that allows you to showcase your favorite cards while elevating your home. And the trick involves using things you (likely) have in your cupboards....
This month, we spoke to interior designer Naomi Astley Clarke. With nearly three decades in the industry, Naomi shares her essential bathroom ideas to help you get started on your latest remodel project, Redesigning a bathroom can seem like a daunting prospect – you need to ensure that all the essentials work together harmoniously, that the floorplan isn’t cramped, that your lighting is on point, and that the color palette evokes the atmosphere that you want to achieve....
These bedroom ideas show the possibilities of neutrals in a bedroom. They can add warmth, visually expand the room, create a rustic feel, make it crisp and fresh, and more. Crucial to success with bedroom color ideas is selecting the right hues and materials for the room, and these neutral bedroom ideas are the ideal starting point. Neutral bedroom ideas Combining tones and textures is key to success with neutral bedroom ideas....
Read on for home office ideas design tips from interiors experts on making your home office wall decor as attractive as the rest of your home – and perfectly functional, too. Office wall decor ideas Over the past year or two, those of us lucky enough to have a dedicated room in which to shut ourselves away have gratefully recognized the peaceful retreat they provide. However, now working from home is likely to be the new norm for many of us, we are thinking about the aesthetics of our office walls....
Ideas for organizing a desk are all about allocating a place for everything so that it’s easy to maintain order. But a neatly organized desk is also about adopting best practices, like daily tidying, monthly clear-outs and going paperless wherever possible. Working in a restricted space isn’t necessarily a bad thing as it forces you to be more organized with your home office ideas – if you don’t take control of clutter, it will quickly take over your desk making it hard to focus!...
By keeping your dresser drawers in an orderly state, you’re organizing your bedroom to great effect, and ensuring your morning routine runs as smoothly as possible. Putting in the effort now will see your drawers go from chaos to clutter-free (saving you from wasted time and unnecessary stress, not to mention extra ironing) and with a little care and upkeep, they’ll stay that way, too. We’ve compiled our own step-by-step guide – including tips from the experts, to ensure you’re organizing a dresser in the easiest, most effective way possible....
Incorporating effective storage ideas into your organization system will enable you to take full advantage of the room’s storage potential, which has the added benefit of freeing up space elsewhere in the home. ‘It’s important to keep a garage organized, not just because it looks nice, but because of the impact it can have on your ease of living – no longer will you run the risk of tripping over bikes, helmets, and loose footballs as you walk through your hallway, for example!...
Beyond just installing the best grill or best gas grill on the patio, a grill station offers added conveniences that uplevel the entire barbecue experience. Think outdoor kitchen ideas, but purely dedicated to grilling: food prep areas, built-in sinks, extra electrical outlets to plug in small appliances, and even shelter from sun and rain. Outdoor grill station ideas From planning an outdoor kitchen dedicated to grilling to shopping for souped-up standalone barbecues, these grilling stations span a range of price points, styles and backyard sizes....
Peace lilies should be grown indoors unless you live in a warm, humid climate – such as zones 10 and 11. Get peace lily care right and the typical house plant cultivar can reach up to 16 inches tall indoors. Growing peace lilies is pretty easy, but you do need to care for them in a particular way for them to stay healthy. Below, we take you through everything you need to know about peace lily care so that your winter house plants look good right through to summer....
