Property & Home with Martin Roberts: Spring 2022 by Magazine

PROPERTY & HOME WITH MARTIN ROBERTS

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WELCOME

Welcome to Property & Home with Martin Roberts

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i! It’s Martin Roberts – him off the telly! – welcoming you to this issue of Property & Home, your essential guide to buying, renovating, decorating, and selling property. During the pandemic we heard some gloomy predictions for the property market, but now we are (hopefully!) emerging from it, we can see that a lot of this pessimism was unjustified. I’ve always had faith in the property market as an investment, and I always say that the best time to buy, is today! Travelling around the country filming for Homes Under the Hammer became a challenge, but with the help of virtual auctions, the property market remained as lively as ever – in some ways more so. There’s still plenty of personal

and financial reward to be had from taking on a property and doing it up! So, this issue we have lots of advice on dealing with the mortgage market, on the best ways to present your property for sale, and the top tips for making your home more sustainable and carbon-neutral. I’m hope you enjoy this issue, and that you will learn a lot from it – there’s always something new and exciting in the world of property, and once you get into it, I’m sure you will love it as much as I do! Cheers, Martin

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CONTENTS

Contents 10

10 30

Accounting for MTD What is MTD and how could it affect your landlord business? Philip Gambrill FCCA explains

PROPERTY 16 Property Trends All the news about new products, services and issues affecting the property market

Flying Freeholds Charles Knapper LLB discusses some of the legal complexities of property transactions

The Mortgage Minefield Why do mortgages often seem like the most complicated part of buying a property?

Protecting Your Assets If you’re a landlord, ordinary domestic insurance won’t do the job, so what do you need?

Cross That Bridge What is a bridging loan, why might you need one, and how do you go about getting one?

Lovely But Listed Nick Cryer from Berkeley Place explains some of the challenges of renovating listed buildings

Kitchens of Dreams The kitchen is no longer just a food preparation area, sometimes it’s the hub of the house

Online Auction Insights The property auction world has gone online - Martin explains why his basic rules still apply

Property Predictions It’s impossible to predict the future of the property market - so of course, we try to do it

DIY In Style You can’t Do It Yourself without the right tools – but how do you start filling your toolbox?

Interview Martin Roberts tells Chris Jenkins about his lockdown adventures and his thoughts on the state of the property market

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HOME 44 Home Trends All the news about new products, services and issues affecting the home market

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CONTENTS

When Is A Screw Not a Screw? ...When it’s a bolt. What else is there to know about these DIY essentials?

Woodn’t It Be Nice? It is possible to heat your house with a wood-burning stove, but you have to know the regs

Foam on the Range Why one of the most popular methods for home insulation is spray foam roof treatment

Softening the Blow Hard water is a problem which can affect your property, appliances and energy bills

Breathing Better Air We all know about outdoor pollution, but do you think about air quality in your home?

Staging a Success Want your property to look at its best when you sell? ‘Staging’ is a popular solution

Rooms to Relax In In these troubled times, we all need a room to relax in - how do you design for leisure?

Bedrooms Beyond A great bedroom is more than somewhere to sleep, it should be a place to soothe your soul

Security Blanket How smart technology can help you know that your home is safe and secure at all times

Get The Royal Look With the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee coming up, red, white and blue will be in style

The Smell of Success Is there any truth to the cliché that a pleasant aroma can help sell your property?

IMAGES: Bob Coyne/Black Tie Portraits, Dreamstime, Danetti, Cuckooland

The Panel Game Are you bored with paint, and find wallpaper too fiddly? Try the latest retro trend for wall panelling Wet and Wild How do you keep your bathroom efficient while making it achingly on-trend? Brush With Success If the thought of painting your house fills you with horror, take note of our simple tips Upcycle to Save Claire Manton demonstrates how upcycling quality furniture is a great way to save money, and to save the planet

100 Pump It Up What are heat pumps and why are we going to be hearing a lot more about them? 103 Tanks for The Memories Fed up with watching the television? What about an aquarium for entertainment? 104 Living Like Mad Men How do you capture the Mad Men vibe of Don Draper’s elegant Manhattan apartment?

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Just the Lift You Need When you need help getting upstairs, don’t think chairlift, think home elevator

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CONTENTS

PUBLISHER & CEO Kevin Harrington EDITOR Chris Jenkins

115 Room With a View If you need more living space, turn your eyes outside with an affordable garden room

GARDEN 108 Garden Trends All the news about new products, services and issues affecting the garden market

116 Shelf Life Your shed needn’t be a chaotic junkyard with a little planning, fitting and shelving

110 Garden POWER! New generation garden power tools make work easier and more environmentally friendly 112 The Joys of Spring What do you need to do to make sure that everything comes up looking lovely this Spring?

121 Lock Up Your Lupins! With theft s on the rise, garden security is no joke - so how do you secure your sheds? 124 Control With Compassion There are far more eco-friendly alternatives to gardening with harmful pesticides

115

127 Slabs of Sense Might paving your garden be bad for the environment? We look at some sensible solutions ENDPIECE 128 A Place to Stay Martin Roberts delivers his thoughts on life, property, and his mercy mission to Ukraine

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CONTRIBUTORS Dick Benson Thomas J Roberts Patricia Savage PRODUCTION Delicia Tasinda DESIGN Joanna Harrington Friyan Mehta ADMINISTRATOR Shyla Thompson PUBLISHED BY COPYRIGHT © 2022, CELEBRITY ANGELS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED COVER IMAGE Martin Roberts

Property & Home with Martin Roberts Celebrity Angels 143 Caledonian Road London N1 0SL Tel: 020 7871 1000 For sales enquiries call: 020 7871 1000 All material in Property & Home with Martin Roberts is wholly copyright and reproduction without the written permission of the publisher is strictly forbidden. Products and services included in this publication do not imply endorsement by Martin Roberts. The views expressed in this publication are entirely those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of Celebrity Angels. The information in this publication is carefully researched and produced in good faith, however, neither the Publisher nor the Editors accept responsibility for any errors. The Celebrity Angels Series is published in the UK under licence by Damson Media Limited. Damson Media Limited is registered in England and Wales under registration no. 07869300.

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INTERVIEW

The

Best Time to Buy Is Today

he name of Martin Roberts is closely associated with the property market through his 19 years on the BBC’s Homes Under the Hammer and his popular property market seminars. No-one has used up more shoe-leather going all around the country looking at properties, from the dilapidated to the luxurious. So, Martin is the ideal choice as guest editor for Property & Home, the only magazine to give you advice about buying, renovating and selling property, as well as decorating and beautifying it. As we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic, which presented such challenges for the property market, we’re more than ever in need of advice on how to make wise investments in property. So, over to the man himself, Martin Roberts… We’re coming out of the coronavirus pandemic, but how is the property market reacting? There are so many other things going on, how do I know whether it’s a good time to buy or sell? MR Cast your mind back to March 2020 and the start of the first lockdown. There was

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general panic in the property market, with high profile and supposedly very learned commentators predicting general carnage. Talk of drops in price of 20%, 30% even 40% were commonplace, and such was the sense of foreboding that the Chancellor took the fairly unprecedented step of significantly slashing Stamp Duty in order to buffer the impending Armageddon. Fast-forward to Spring 2022 and newspaper headlines are filled with reports of continued record breaking rises in property prices. You’ll know this yourself if you’ve been looking to buy or sell property in the last 12 months. I view this as the ultimate indication that, whatever happens in the world, property has an enduring nature and seems to weather all storms. That’s not to say there won’t be ups and downs, periods of acceleration and retraction, but in the medium- to lon- term, I believe there is no better or safer place to invest your money. Regarding timings, the best time to buy is today. And the worse time to buy is tomorrow, because ‘tomorrow never comes’. If you wait for the perfect »

IMAGES: Martin Roberts

Martin Roberts, celebrity guest Editor of Property & Home, talks to Chris Jenkins about the current state of the property market, and tells us why he still has faith in it despite all the ups and downs of the last couple of years

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INTERVIEW

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INTERVIEW

moment when all the possible ducks are aligned, you will be waiting forever. I think if you ask most people if they wished they’d invested 5, 10, or 20 years ago, they would say ‘Of course,’ as they would have doubled or tripled the value of their investment. So what are you waiting for? If you’re selling, don’t try to secondguess what will happen in the coming weeks or months. Accept a fair price, count your chickens and re-invest your money wisely- or just SKI (Spend the Kids Inheritance!)

much money you had to invest to get that money, and it’s usually described in percentages – so in simplistic terms, if a property costs you £100,000 and generates you £10,000 in revenue each year, that equates to a 10% yield. So, if we focus on yield, the price of the property really doesn’t matter. If our goal is 8% yield, then we are looking for properties where the purchase price to rental potential allows that. By focusing in this way, things such as inflation and price rises or drops become largely irrelevant. So long as you’re generating your 8%, who cares?

Is buy-to-let still a good investment, or has inflation taken the heat out of the market? MR A lot of people get hung up on property prices, and certainly if you are buying for own use or for capital growth, then buying at the most attractive price is probably high on your agenda. However, if you are entering the Buy-to-Let market, then a whole different set of criteria come into play and you need to de-focus your attention from property prices and focus on potential yield. To remind you, Yield is the amount of money you get back compared to how

How has the auction market changed in the last couple of years? MR You can only imagine the chaos it caused to the production of Homes Under the Hammer when all physical auctions suddenly stopped at the start of lockdown. We relied on filming the auctions and meeting the people who had bought at the auctions to provide all the contributors to the show. I imagine our issues were small in comparison to the auction houses themselves, who suddenly found their traditional modus operandi banned. Acting in the unprecedented quick way

that many businesses did, auction houses changed to an online-only model. This has been contemplated for many years but there has always been a nervousness as to whether auction purchasers and sellers would be happy without a physical auction. To the delight of auctioneers and auction houses up and down the country, it’s actually proved to be a huge success, with the sales volumes and prices being achieved even better than pre-pandemic days. The fact that bidders all over the UK and in fact worldwide, can attend an auction virtually has meant that there’s more potential interest in every lot. The disadvantage for purchasers is that the more people in the auction, the more likely it is you’ll end up in a bidding war with someone on a property you’re interested in. But the advantage is that on one day you might be able to virtually attend three, four, five or six auctions spread across the country. The basic rules of buying have not changed. You still need to try and see the property if you can. You still need to read the Legal Pack. You still need to do your due diligence on the property and set realistic bidding limits and you still need to have your finances in place before you bid. But the change to the online model has certainly opened up auctions to more people than ever before, so if you haven’t tried it, take a look. Is demand for new homes being met by supply? MR There continues to be a huge lack of housing in this country. Demand, without doubt, outstrips supply. New house builders like everyone were affected by the pandemic and construction has slowed exacerbating the situation. ‘Help to Buy’ provided a welcome financial encouragement to purchasers and there is still the desire for some people to live in a new house. The incredible increase in the prices of raw materials and labour must have a big effect on the prices of new homes so it will be interesting to see what the next 12 months have in store for the new homes market.

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INTERVIEW

IMAGES: Dreamstime

What are your tips to make it easier to get a good mortgage deal and get on the property ladder? MR The most important thing is to engage the services of an independent mortgage broker, ideally one who has access to the ‘whole of market’. This means that they will be able to see all the best current deals that are available and be able to match those with your personal requirements. There are many ways that you can get on the property ladder including thinking about a shared purchase in the first instance. Think about buying a cheaper property away from where your ideal location might be. You can then do this up and use the capital growth to start building equity to eventually get you to where you want to be. What should you watch out for when buying a doer-upper property? MR There’s no problem that a property has that should stop you buying it, so long as you are buying it at a price that reflects any issues and adequately compensates for the costs of putting them right. Some issues such as dry rot, subsidence, infestation, asbestos and Japanese knotweed will

require the services of a specialist, but a general builder or enthusiastic amateur should be able to resolve most property problems given enough time and a healthy enough budget. It’s vital that you do the numbers and work backwards from the anticipated value of the property (using similar properties as comparables) then take off realistic costings for all the work required and the cost of your time, to give you the number that you should not pay more than. What are the easiest and most affordable things you can do to make your property more saleable? MR The old adage of ‘kitchens and bathrooms’ absolutely stands true. Replacing or renovating either will have a massive effect on the saleability of your property. To keep costs down you can just replace cupboard doors and work surfaces in the kitchen, and in the bathroom, new tiling and painting might be all that’s required to give it a jazzed-up feel. However, for the extra costs involved it’s probably worth going the whole hog if you can afford it. Much lower down the investment scale,

and something which most people will be able to have a go themselves, at is simple redecoration. A new lick of paint in modern, trendy colours will freshen everything up a treat. Remember kerb appeal, so a tidy and well-kept garden should not be undervalued. For a relatively small investment of a few thousand pounds, you could consider having the kerb dropped to provide off-street parking if there isn’t any. Replacing thread-bare carpets and general de-cluttering and de-personalisation will go a long way to creating the impression that this is somewhere a prospective buyer could make their own. Are energy-saving measures like solar panels and roof insulation worth the investment? MR Given the massive increase in energy prices, any energy-saving measures need to be given serious consideration. Some are an easy fix, which will reap immediate and huge rewards. These include loft insulation and lagging of hot water cylinders and pipes. You should obviously replace all bulbs and fluorescent fittings with low-energy alternatives. More expensive options such as solar panels, ground »

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INTERVIEW

and air source heat pumps become increasingly attractive as energy prices soar, and over the medium to long term will pay for themselves. In the meantime, an energy-efficient boiler will provide significant savings and help to keep bills in check. Is the “work from home” trend still affecting people’s choices of property? MR During and post lockdown, the shift to home working has been phenomenal. Having had it forced upon us, many people have discovered the benefits of switching to this way of working longer term. As a result, properties which offer flexible accommodation or even specific separate workspace have become hugely desirable and attract a price premium. I don’t think that the change back to how things were pre-pandemic will happen quickly, if at all, so for personal benefit and as a way to add value to your property you should still be looking at creative ways of creating workfrom-home space.

How has Homes Under the Hammer been getting by during the pandemic? MR Obviously, the disruption to the auctions caused massive problems for the production team on Homes Under the Hammer, and it took about six months to find a way of making it work. Not only did we have to change the way we find contributors to the show due to the change from physical to online auctions, but social distancing requirements also meant that the filming team had to be reduced to just me and a cameraman, with all interviews done at a safe distance. However, unlike many TV shows which even now haven’t restarted production, I’m proud of the team and the way we have managed to get

back to at least filming new shows, albeit at a lower volume than previously. What else can you tell us about your activities since the last issue of Property & Home, and your plans for the rest of the year? MR One of the most significant things I’ve done in the last few months is personally get involved in delivering humanitarian aid to Ukraine. It’s led onto an exciting new initiative where I am trying to repurpose old care homes and hotels to provide short- to medium-term accommodation for displaced people from Ukraine and other war zones, and also our own homeless. You can read more about this in my end column on page 128. I’m also delighted that as well as the ongoing property training I provide through my team under the Making Money From Property brand alongside Asset Academy, I’ve started a new venture in personal property mentorship with property entrepreneur and ‘Dummies’ author, Nicholas Wallwork. This will give the opportunity for 1:1 mentoring of the highest possible calibre. You can find out more at nicholaswallwork.com/mentorship/. ■

IMAGES: Martin Roberts

How do you see the property market developing in the next couple of years? MR There is no indication of a slow-down

in the property market. Obviously inflation and the rise in the cost of living will affect people’s finances negatively, but we live on an island where there aren’t enough houses to meet the demand. Global events will always threaten to derail growth, but as I’ve already said, the fact that house prices did not fall off a cliff as a result of the biggest world instability that we’ve seen in recent times (the pandemic!) gives me confidence in the market moving forward.

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PROPERTY

Property Trends

From the latest in the dangerous cladding saga, to news of a planning nightmare, the latest in the ups and downs of the property market

HOUSE PRICES SKYROCKET House prices in the UK grew at the fastest annual pace for more than 17 years in March despite the rising costs of living, according to figures released by the Nationwide building society. The Nationwide monthly house price index revealed that annual growth in house prices hit 14.3% to March, the biggest increase since November 2004, when the UK experienced its last major house price boom. Additionally, prices are up by 1.1% on the previous month, with statistics showing that prices have risen for the past eight months. The cost of a typical UK home reached a new record high of £265,312, increasing by £33,000 in the past year, and has been pushed higher due to robust demand, limited supply, and a strong jobs market, the report said. Nationwide stated that the housing market had “a surprising amount of momentum given the mounting pressure on household budgets and the steady rise in borrowing costs”. Chief economist at Nationwide, Robert Gardner, said: “The housing market has retained a surprising amount of momentum given the mounting pressure on household budgets and the steady rise in borrowing costs. “The number of mortgages approved for house purchase remained high in February at around 71,000, nearly 10% above pre-pandemic levels. A combination of robust demand and limited stock of homes on the market has kept upward pressure on prices.”

MAN CAVE MADNESS

Planning laws are usually a pretty dry subject, but over the last few months the newspapers have found endless entertainment in the saga of Graham Wildin, a 69-year-old Gloucestershire accountant who built himself a massive leisure complex – in his back garden. The millionaire’s 10,000 sq.ft. monstrosity includes a cinema, squash court and bowling alley, and he recently added a swimming pool. Trouble is, he didn’t apply for planning permission for any of it, and his neighbours and the council have been locked in an eight-year legal battle with Mr Wildin, which ended in him being ordered to tear the whole thing down – which he refused to do on the grounds that it would cost too much. Demolition is now being blocked because Mr Wildin has transferred ownership of adjoining properties to his family. The saga continues…

IT PAYS THE RENT Property sales and letting specialist Knight Frank says that there will be a four per cent rise in rent on average in the next year, and, over the next five years, a substantial 17.1 per cent increase. A report says: “At a national level, the rental market is being shaped by a deepening supply and demand imbalance... tenant demand rose to its highest level since 1999 in January.” The number of properties available to rent during Q1 2022 was more than a third lower than the five-year average pre-pandemic. At the same time, demand from tenants has continued to rise. The RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) residential survey reported that tenant demand rose to its highest level since 1999 in January, while new landlord instructions remained in decline.

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PROPERTY

CLADDING DEVELOPERS FACE THE BOOT House builders and developers could face the risk of being booted off the housing market by the government if they do not help fix cladding safety issues, after the housing secretary unveiled new plans for the housing industry. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, headed by Michael Gove, revealed new plans that include giving leaseholders powers to sue cladding companies that will stretch back 30 years and giving fines to those that provide products that are insufficient. The courts will also be given powers to prevent developers using “shadowy shell companies”, the government said, “which make them difficult to trace or identify who they are run by, so they can avoid taking responsibility for their actions”.

PROPERTY LAW CHANGES COMING The new Residential Property Developer Tax (RPDT) will apply from 1st April 2022. However, it won’t affect the small developer, as it will only apply to residential developers’ annual profits exceeding £25 million, at a rate of four percent. Certain developers will also be exempt from RPDT, such as non-profit registered providers of affordable housing, purpose built student accommodation providers and providers of care homes for the elderly and children. The government says that RPDT is not a longterm tax, but is only intended to raise £2bn over the next 10 years. See www.gov.uk/government/publications/residential-property-developertax-draft-legislation.

IMAGES: Dreamstime/Google Earth

The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 comes into effect on 15th July 2022. The law aims to increase protection for renters and make it easier to rent a home in Wales. Changes include the replacement of assured shorthold and assured and secure tenancies with new occupation contracts, as well as the dual categorisation of landlords: community landlords (council and housing association) and private landlords (any other landlord). There will also be new rules for serving notice. See www.legislation.gov.uk/anaw/2016/1/contents/enacted.

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PROPERTY

The Mortgage Minefield Mortgages often seem like the most complicated part of buying a property – but they needn’t be, with our top tips

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PROPERTY

hen you are looking for a property to buy, most of us will first be looking for a mortgage – a loan to buy to property, secured against the property itself. In cases where you have a property to sell, or some other form of finance, a mortgage may not be necessary, but when it is, you must make a range of decisions based on the type of mortgage and the rate of repayment. Over the term of the mortgage, usually 25 years but possibly as much as 35 or even 40 years, the amount you have to pay can vary enormously, so it pays to do your research before committing.

hence your interest rate. If you have a poor credit score, your access to favourable interest rate loans may be limited. Before even applying for a mortgage, you should check your situation with a credit score agency, and do what you can to improve your credit score. The five major factors taken into account when calculating your credit rating are: h Payment history – how consistently you have made loan repayments h Amounts owed – any outstanding debts h Length of your credit history h New credit applications h Types of credit you use (bank loans, credit cards etc)

Tip – It is possible to remortgage a property, paying off the original loan and getting a new one on better terms, either with the same lender or a different one. This is often done when a fixed or reduced rate ends, to avoid a more expensive variable rates or release funds.

The third factor in making lending decisions is the affordability of your repayments - in effect, how much income you have. Lenders normally multiply your annual income by x4 or x4.5 to come to an acceptable value for a loan – so if your income is £25,000pa, you may get a mortgage loan of £100,000 or £112,500. But your income will be offset against your expenses, and the possibility of changes in life situation, such as losing a job or starting a family. A common form of mortgage these days is the Buy-To-Let Mortgage, intended for use in buying a property to rent out for gain. In most cases the rent from the property is used to pay off the mortgage and to provide a profit for the landlord. Because buy-to-let arrangements have associated risks, a mortgage in this market will usually require a larger deposit and come with a higher interest rate. There are usually other requirements to be met, including an upper age limit and the requirement to already own a property. There are also different conditions depending on whether you are taking out the mortgage as an individual or as a limited company.

IMAGES: Dreamstime

So, before you even start your homehunting, you have to get your mortgage plans in place. This will help you to set the value of the property you are looking for. There are three main factors to consider in applying for a mortgage: h The loan-to-value ratio (LTV) h Your credit score h Affordability The LTV is defined as the size of the deposit required for the mortgage compared to the size of your requested loan. Bear in mind that the deposit is often 10 percent of the value of the property. So the LTV is the amount that you need to borrow, divided by the value of the property and multiplied by 100. The higher the LTV, the higher the risk of the lender, so the higher the typical interest rate of the mortgage. This is why buyers often spend years saving a deposit – the higher the deposit you can put down, the lower the LTV, the interest rate of the mortgage and the monthly repayment rates. CREDIT SCORE Your credit score is another way lenders calculate the risk of lending to you, and

LIFETIMES Another form of mortgage is the Lifetime Mortgage, a sort of equity release which allows you to secure finance without having to make regular repayment. This loan is secured against your existing property, and is repaid only when you die or go into long-term care. At this point

Martin’s Tips “We might have seen the end of the era of historically low mortgage rates, the Stamp Duty holiday is over and property prices are on a high, but you mustn’t give up hope of getting on the property ladder. Sometimes it’s just a matter of thinking laterally, maybe going in with a friend or relative to help with the finances, or looking for a little doer-upper or a buy-to-let property as an additional source of income. So long as you do it professionally and ethically it’s a great market to get into, and the National Residential Landlords Association is seeing a big increase in the number of people joining and wanting their help.”

your home is sold, and the money used to pay off the loan. Anything left over can go to your beneficiaries, but bear in mind that if the sale does not cover the loan, it’s your beneficiaries who have to find the difference! However, most lifetime mortgages have a “no-negative-equity” guarantee, promising that you or your beneficiaries will never have to pay back more than the value of your home when the mortgage is taken out. In most cases there’s a minimum age limit for this sort of mortgage, usually 55-60 years, but the older you are, the more you will be able to borrow. Decisions on lifetime mortages are particularly sensitive, so you must make sure you get professional advice before taking one out. ■

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Cross That Bridge What is a bridging loan, why might you need one, and how do you get one? It’s not as complicated as it might sound once you understand the basics

bridging loan is one which tides you over for a short period, as opposed to a long-term loan like a mortgage. The common circumstance in which a bridging loan is needed is when you are buying a property, but haven’t yet sold another property or asset on which you are relying for funds. So the bridging loan may be for a large amount, but it will be for a short term. Once you have realised the value of your other assets, you repay the bridging loan.

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Of course, this facility is not going to be much help unless it can be organised quickly, so a bridging loan should be capable of being put in place much faster than a mortgage. In this way problems caused by property ‘chains’ can often be avoided. There are two main types of bridging loans, regulated and unregulated. The regulated type is monitored by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) and is usually extended to homeowners. The unregulated type is normally used by intermediaries,

SECOND CHARGE A second charge loan normally applies when there is already a loan or a mortgage against the property, and second charge lenders usually need the permission of the first charge lender before they can be added – though there’s no limit on how many charges can be added on a property.

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property investors and property developers to secure an investment or buy-to-let property or commercial real estate, and as such is not covered by the FCA, so you will need to consult an experienced specialist to find a suitable lender for this sort of bridging loan. In addition, you often have the choice of an open bridge loan or a closed bridge loan. With an open bridge loan, you have no set end date. This means they can be repaid whenever your funds become available. They usually last for up to a year, but sometimes even longer. In contrast a closed bridge loan has a fixed end date, usually based on when you know you’ll have funds available to pay back what you owe. These are usually short-term bridging loans, lasting for just a few weeks or months.

IMAGES: Dreamstime

EXIT STRATEGY Unsurprisingly, open bridging loans are usually more expensive than closed bridging loans because they’re more flexible. Whichever kind you choose, you need an ‘exit route’ – a way to repay your bridging finance. In either case a specialist bridging lender will be used to the idea of having to work quickly, and will normally be able to complete an arrangement within a few days. For most clients, speed will be the essential element, but the other main consideration will of course be cost. Make sure that the bridging loan lender you are considering is transparent as regards repayment structure, costs and the time involved. A major consideration will of course be the cost of the loan. Before you start applying, consider how much you want to borrow, the value of your property, which will affect how much you can borrow and the bridge loan rates you’ll get, how long you need to borrow for, usually from a month to two years, and whether you have a mortgage on your property. This will affect how much you can borrow through a bridging loan, and whether you can look at “first charge” or “second charge” loans. FINANCE When you apply for bridging finance, the lender will adds a charge to the property you’re using as security. These charges set

the priority of debts if you can’t repay your loan. For instance if a property were to be seized and sold to pay off your outstanding loans, a “first charge” loan would have to be paid first, before a “second charge”. A first charge loan applies where the bridge loan is the first or only borrowing secured against your property. A mortgage is typically a first charge loan, but if you have no mortgage on the property, a bridge loan could be your first charge loan. So it’s essential that you know before you go into a bridging loan arrangement, when you will be able to pay it off, but from there it should be just a short hop to your dream property! ■ celebrityangels.co.uk

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FEES APPLY Bridging loans are normally priced monthly rather than annually, because people tend to take them out for a short period, and of course they are relatively expensive; typical fees could be around 0.5 percent and 1.5 percent per month, or 6.1 percent and 19.6 percent APR – much more than a conventional mortgage. There will also be a setup fee to take into consideration, usually around two percent of the loan you want to take out.

PROPERTY & HOME WITH MARTIN ROBERTS

21/04/2022 15:24

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Auctions In Lockdown

With Martin Roberts

During lockdown the auction room became a virtual space, but still the best place to find a property bargain. So what are the new rules? Martin Roberts advises

espite the fact that lockdown changed the way auctions work, buying property at auction can still be a great way to find a property, whether it’s to live in yourself, to renovate and ‘flip’ at a profit, or for buy-torent. All that’s really changed is that in the virtual auction world, you have more sales to choose from, but you’re also facing more competition. And it’s still easy to make a mistake if you don’t do your research and know the

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tricks! In fact, if you’re tempted to buy a property sight unseen, virtual auctions can make it temptingly easy to do. Our celebrity guest editor Martin Roberts passes on some of his essential insights. “As a property buyer there are all sorts of tips you need to know – for instance there are some great incentives and tax breaks available when converting commercial property into residential, and you should Investigate the flat conversion allowance, as well as whether you can

claim VAT back on conversion costs. “Looking for a sale structured as a “Transfer of Going Concern” (a property that is being sold with a sitting tenant in place) can help reduce VAT costs, too.” “You’ll find lots of essential tips in my Making Money From Property masterclasses and seminars. You’ll learn about:  Buy-to-let, social housing, HMO, Airbnb and more  Investing remotely if you’re self-isolating

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or the best investment properties aren’t close to home  Creative ways to finance properties  Improving your credit rating  Marketing, negotiation & spotting the best deals  Creating a power team  Mastering the mindset to achieve success Find out more at martinrobertspropertyeducation.com.” VIRTUAL WORLDS There are plenty of pitfalls in property auctions if you don’t know your onions. You should always read the legal pack with the property in great detail; it can conceal some nasty surprises such as outstanding bills you may inherit, planned works (which should be detailed in Section 20 notices), and short leases. Make sure that the lease is longer than 80 years, and that you have at least a month to complete the deal. Have your lawyer look over the legal pack too, and make sure you do it in plenty of time before the auction – pressure on sale day can be enough to push you into an ill-advised buy. It’s also essential to visit the property, even more so if the auction itself is virtual – there are things you’ll find out in person that might not be revealed in the legal pack and the floorplan, such as:  Poor condition such as damp or dilapidation  Illegal conversion into separate units  Outdate electrical wiring which will need expensive replacement

Stick with your budget Have a top figure in mind and don’t go over it. It’s often wise to ignore the first few auctions, which will go over list price as the over-enthusiastic amateurs jump in! Guide prices can often turn out to be lower than final sales – this is often done to promote interest. Be prepared to walk You don’t have to buy at the first auction you go to – be prepared to leave without buying. There will always be another auction. Around 28 percent of properties don’t sell at auction, so this could work to your advantage if you go back the following day and make an offer. Arrange your finance You should have visited your mortgage lender before you buy, to discuss the property and arrange your finance. If you don’t have funds immediately you can arrange a bridging loan after you buy, but this is expensive and you will often have to pay a deposit of around 10 percent immediately, so make sure you have funds

to pay immediately, perhaps by bank transfer. Online bidding often requires you to register a deposit in advance. Know the rules Remember that once you have put in a winning bid at an auction you are obliged to buy. You will be required to sign a contract immediately after your bid, but the hammer falling is as legally binding as a traditional ‘exchange’ of contracts. If you back out, you may lose a deposit, and the seller may sue you for any losses, particularly if they are then forced to sell for a lower amount. Observe the field Property auctions are no longer exclusively the province of small-timers. The popularity of TV shows such as Homes Under the Hammer has made them a stamping ground for experienced developers. In live auctions you’ll see familiar faces and can learn from their techniques - in the virtual world you don’t have that advantage, so tread even more carefully! ■

IMAGES: Martin Roberts; Shutterstock

All these are factors which would eat into your potential profits, as will auction expenses such as:  A percentage payment to the vendor  A fee payable to the auctioneers  Stamp Duty  Property insurance, and if you are letting, landlord insurance So here are my top tips for ruling the auction room, real or virtual: celebrityangels.co.uk

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22/04/2022 11:21

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Accounting for MTD What is MTD and how could it affect your landlord business? Philip Gambrill FCCA of accountancy specialist PG Lemon adds it all up ABOUT THE AUTHOR Philip Gambrill FCCA is a senior partner at PG Lemon LLP Chartered Certified Accountants in London and Kent. The practice advises many landlords on all aspects of property related tax. Call 020 7247 1922, email philip@pglemon.co.uk or visit www.pglemon.co.uk.

aking Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax is part of an initiative developed by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to modernise the process of tax collection in the UK. From 6th April 2024, all businesses (excluding Limited Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships for now, BUT including property landlords with gross income over £10,000 before expenses) will be required to do the following: h Keep records of their income and expenses digitally using an MTD compatible software; h Submit updates of their business information at least quarterly to HMRC via software within one month from the end of the quarter; and h Submit an annual declaration to HMRC through their digital tax accounts by 31 January after the end of their accounting period.

party software. Common providers of these are QuickBooks, Xero and Sage. At present, the current Payment On Account process and timings are to remain unchanged. You won’t be surprised to hear that HMRC are looking at introducing a new penalty point system which will initially cover Self-Assessment Income Tax and VAT late submission and payment penalties. WHAT TO DO Although the changes do not come into effect until accounting periods commencing 6th April 2024, your accountant will encourage you to begin preparing for the new rules as soon as possible, as there will be immediate benefits, the first of which is that getting

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IMAGES: Dreamstime, PG Lemon

So what does this mean for you if you are a landlord who falls into the income category? You will be required to submit income and expenses figures digitally five times throughout the tax year. These submissions flow into HMRC’s tax calculation, and will be viewable by the business via their business tax account. You will need to make such submissions through MTD enabled third-

MTD ready early means you digitise your business for the modern age. With so many changes in the world of business and technology, using software allows you to track your business day to day. Clients who use software to manage their business have access to streamlined and professional invoices, statements and reports which are easy to process. Clients are able to view up to date figures rather than looking at their business retrospectively, allowing them to plan for the future. PG Lemon can support you through the whole process and offers training sessions for clients on the three main software package options - this allows clients more time to focus on more profitable activities such as growing their businesses! ■

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For more Property, Interiors and Garden advice, visit us online at

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Flying Freeholds and Low-Hanging Fruit Charles Knapper LLB answers our questions about the legal complexities of property transactions ABOUT THE AUTHOR Charles Knapper has 23 years of legal experience and is the senior partner and solicitor of Fursdon Knapper solicitors, a niche law firm in the South West covering all aspects of law including property, disputes, family and children’s law, wills and probate. Call 01752 309090 or see the website at www.fklaw.co.uk

Why should the expression ‘flying freehold’ strike fear into a solicitor and in turn the buyer? CK A flying freehold is where a section of a freehold property that is structurally above another person’s property and not contiguous with ground level. Flying freeholds arise when part of one property is built on top of part of another property, so the upper property owner does not own the building or land underneath the “flying” part. Put simply, you own the freehold of your building but there is a section above the ground floor that you do not own, often a room or part of a room that juts into your building. The problem with flying freeholds is that they can present legal obstacles over financial responsibility regarding the overlapping areas. The law regarding flying freeholds is old and complicated, making it hard to interpret in many cases. Some of the more common reasons for a flying freehold include: h Semi-detached or terraced houses where the dividing line between the two adjacent properties is not straight down the middle from top to bottom. h Balconies overhanging next door’s property. 30

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IMAGES: Dreamstime

h Basements or cellars that go underneath neighbouring properties. h Rooms above shared passageways that lie directly beneath. The main reason for concern is the lack of a “positive covenant” to regulate the rights one freeholder may have over another. The Law Commission called for simplification and updates in 2011, but Whitehall has yet to react. It can only be a matter of time before this archaic system is updated but, until such time, flying freeholds will still give solicitors, their clients and lenders the jitters. In the eyes of the solicitor, and of course the lender, a number of things can go wrong. Renovation work is the most often cited problem, where the concern would be that both parties cannot agree over work that needs to be carried out. Refusal of access, costs, protests, all of these problems have arisen in the past, which means that solicitors can be reluctant to sign off on such properties. Often lenders will simply refuse to lend any money where there is going to be a flying freehold mortgage. So what can you do apart from buying something else? When buying a property with a flying freehold, you will probably need specialist cover usually referred to as “flying freehold indemnity insurance”. In the grand scheme of things, this isn’t going to break the bank (usually costing as little as a few hundred pounds), and could prove to be invaluable. Having flying freehold indemnity insurance in place will protect you should you run into difficulties with your neighbours, and covers both loss and directly related expense. It doesn’t, however, rectify the deeds and allow you to force your neighbour to carry out work pre-emptively to protect your property. So, if you are considering buying a property with a flying freehold, make all of the enquiries you can, even including speaking to the neighbour to see what they think about repairs and maintenance for the part that will be over your freehold. Whatever you do, you must proceed with care.

What are my rights if my neighbour’s tree overhangs my property? CK The question is often, if my neighbour’s tree branches hang over my boundary, can I trim them? You have the right to trim branches and limbs that extend past the boundary. However, the law only allows tree trimming and tree cutting up to the boundary - you may not go onto the neighbour’s property or destroy the tree. Interestingly, the bits you cut off do not belong to you they belong to your neighbour, even though they overhang your boundary. You should therefore ask your neighbour if they want the bits you chop off, or get agreement that you can dispose of them. If the neighbour does not want the cuttings, then you are responsible for disposing of them. You must not whatever happens cut back into your neighbour’s land, only up to the boundary, and tree roots are classified in the same manner as the branches. A word of warning around things like apples or other fruit. They are classified in the same manner as the tree branches, so if a branch laden with apples falls over the boundary onto your land, the apples (and

the branch) belong to your neighbour. This means that even though there are tasty apples overhanging the boundary your children are not allowed to pick and eat them, and if they do it is actually theft! Your neighbour is responsible for the overhanging tree, and you can therefore ask your neighbour to take action to trim the tree back. Where problems arise is when the tree spans the boundary, and therefore you are both responsible for maintaining the tree. ■

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Protecting

Your Assets

f you are a landlord, renting out a property to tenants, you can’t assume that conventional domestic property and contents insurance will cover you. It’s certain that as your rental property is a commercial asset, whether you have one or more properties, you will need specialist policies, and advice from a specialist insurer. One of the reasons is that landlord insurance, apart from covering your buildings and contents, also covers your

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liability as a landlord, and the possibility of loss of rental income; so you are covering not just the value of the building and contents, but also the chance that any damage or loss could make you liable for costs, or could reduce your income. Assuming that you start off with a single property to insure, a landlord insurance specialist will find you a policy suitable for your needs. But it’s wise to ask whether the policy can be adjusted to cope if your portfolio grows. You should be able

to adjust the policy when you add new properties, or to consolidate your existing arrangements into one ‘block policy’. Not only does this make it easier for you to manage, but it tends to work out cheaper and ensures that your insurance company are aware of any material disclosures such as claims on other properties. You should be able to get landlord insurance on pretty much any kind of property, even when it is empty. Your landlord insurance consultant will work with

IMAGES: Dreamstime

If you’re a landlord, ordinary domestic insurance won’t do the job. What do you need to know to make sure that your coverage is adequate?

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TEN QUESTIONS Here are some of the questions you should be asking about your landlord insurance policy: ◆ ◆

◆

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

What cover is included and what is excluded? Are there any additional fees such as charges for paying monthly or cancellation fees? What is the excess (the amount you pay towards the cost of any claim)? What is the permitted unoccupancy period? What security measures will I be required to install? Will the number of claims affect the premium? Will the type of tenant affect the premium? If I complete tenant checks, will that reduce the premium? Does the policy feature 24-hour service? Does the policy have a Defaqto star rating?

a panel of insurance companies to ensure that cover is tailored to your needs. This can include single flats, blocks of flats, single houses, HMO’s, commercial properties and unoccupied properties including properties undergoing refurbishment. LIABILITIES Another way in which landlord insurance is different to conventional domestic cover is that Loss of Rent or Alternative Accommodation costs should be included on a standard Landlord Policy. If your property suffers a claim resulting in your tenants having to move out of the property, this will provide cover for the lost rent or the provision of alternative accommodation. Rent Guarantee insurance provides cover if your tenants simply stop paying their rent. Landlord insurance will also include a factor of ‘Landlord’s Liability’ or ‘Public Liability’, which will provide cover if a third party (including your tenants) suffers injury or

loss on the premises. An example would be if a tenant tripped over a loose carpet. This is an important cover to have, considering the claims culture that is often encouraged by ‘no win no fee’ companies. An example of accidental damage would be if your tenants went in the loft and accidentally put their foot through the ceiling below. Fire is usually covered as a separate insured peril, so even if your standard policy excludes accidental or malicious damage, you would still be protected in the event of a fire. In addition to the standard coverage in a landlord policy, you can also purchase a policy to cover you for Legal Expenses and Rent Guarantee. This would provide legal assistance should you need to evict a tenant, whilst claiming back unpaid rent. COSTS The question of course is, how much will this cost? One possible source of confusion

here is that when obtaining quotes for your landlord insurance you are likely to be asked for the rebuild/reinstatement sum insured for the property. This shouldn’t be confused with the market value, as the rebuild sum insured should include costs to rebuild your property in a scenario of total loss, such as a fire. This should include debris removal, legal fees, and materials and labour. You may find your rebuild sum insured in a survey report of the property, or you can hire a surveyor to establish it. You can go direct to an insurer for landlord insurance, but a good broker will probably have exclusive deals with wholesale insurers that cannot be accessed by the general public, so cutting out the middle-man doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll make any savings. A good Insurance Broker will also act in your best interests when you need to make a claim. They are experts in their field, so you don't have to be! ■

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BUSINESS BUILT ON SOLID FOUNDATIONS You’ve worked hard to build your business so it’s important to understand the best ways to protect it. You have liability insurances, premises, tools, equipment insured but what about protecting what’s at the heart of it, you and your key employers. Are your insurances tax eﬃcient? Do you pay life insurance through your personal pocket or through your business ? If not, act now. Don’t wait for it to happen to you for it to matter to you. Make sure if you get sick you have a business to go back to

YOUR FINAL LOVE LETTER TO YOUR FAMILY We put your protection policies in Trust to make sure the right money goes to the right people at the right time. Many people don’t realise that if their policy isn’t in a protective wrapper of a Trust then HMRC can become a beneﬁciary. You want your money to go to your loved ones, so make sure your last love letters are putting your policy in Trust alongside a written Will. This makes sure your family get 100% of the money with no tax ever due.

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RUN A BUSINESS? WE HAVE YOU COVERED BUY TO LET LTD COMPANY MORTGAGE LANDLORD INSURANCE BUSINESS CRITICAL COVER BUSINESS LIFE INSURANCE BUSINESS INCOME COVER KEY PERSON COVER PROTECT YOUR WORLD, INSURE YOUR HEART WWW.VMIS.CO.UK

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22/03/2022 18:31

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Lovely

But Listed

IMAGES: Berkeley Place

What do you do when you want to renovate a property, but it has listed building status? Nick Cryer from Berkeley Place explains some of the challenges

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erkeley Place is a traditional English construction and project management company based in Bath and Bristol. During the pandemic, the team has been inundated with work, as everyone escaped the cities and left Nick and his colleagues to get on with restoration of older properties. Of course, restoration of historic buildings, particularly when they are listed, throws up all sort of additional challenges, from how to heat them, to how to install efficient windows without compromising the style of the building. We asked Nick how Berkeley Place approaches the work. Find out more at berkeleyplace.co.uk. What do you like to know from a client before beginning a design brief? What is important to you to find out in your first meeting? NC We always try to establish how far a client has developed their own thinking in terms of what they feel they would like visually and practically. We listen very hard and take lots of notes, and we challenge and test what a client says just to be sure they mean what they say. We can tell a lot from the language and references they use, it provides clues around how informed they are, and how broad and established their thinking has been to date. It’s good to try and gauge what is ‘fixed’ and where the gaps are in their thinking.

NC Listed properties ooze character and history and we are always excited to know more about each property’s previous custodians, and how the changing needs of family living over the past 200 years or more, evidenced in the current fabric. Usually, there is a catalogue of features and scars which hint at each property’s ‘story so far’. We love the challenge signs within the historic fabric.

How does location affect the design decisions you make? NC External scenery plays a big part since this impacts the internal format and layout. External noise levels impact potential sleeping spaces in particular. The sun path around a property is also a key influencing factor, particularly in regard to the optimum position for dining and socialising internally and externally.

What are the biggest challenges you face today when designing listed properties? NC Overcoming the challenges is part of the fun. It is illegal to change the character and/or remove historic fabric from a listed building without first securing the appropriate consent. Many of our clients have often been poorly informed about what this means, and the extent to which their intentions might be restricted. We find we can usually help them navigate through the process and get somewhere towards a desired outcome albeit, there is most often some degree of compromise. The earlier clients engage with us the better. Having a pre-existing sound reputation and a track record of dealing with the local conservation officer is essential. You have to choose your battles, and remain realistic but, it is surprising what we have achieved over the years.

How are you, as a designer, innovating with regards to creating new and engaging spaces? NC Most of our work involves restoring and remodelling listed properties, where the biggest challenge involves integrating historical detailing with contemporary fittings. Distribution of mechanical and electrical systems around a listed property is challenging, especially when it comes to forced ventilation and comfort cooling. Old buildings were not designed to accommodate bathrooms and kitchens in the form of spaces we expect them today, so as well as establishing suitable accommodation, owners can often overlook the need to reinforce and upgrade the structural capacity of spaces that were never designed to accommodate the weight of heavy baths and wall-to-floor tiling, for instance. »

What is so compelling to you as a designer about listed properties? celebrityangels.co.uk

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How have client expectations changed and how does this affect what you do as a designer? NC Clients have much more access to design ideas now, through social media channels and images found on the likes of Instagram, Houzz and Pinterest. We find our clients usually arrive armed with a pre-existing palette of ideas in the form of 38

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photos, which is very useful – especially if they are taken from our website! Often clients have watched the design and project delivery programmes on TV, so they also have a view on time and cost, and sometimes the issues and events which can arise, although, much of this can be misleading if digested out of context. Seldom are clients complete virgins to property enhancement. Communication channels are plenty so, we can find clients communicating with us via multiple channels, which can be a challenge. What does a great interior space look and feel like to you? NC We find well designed space captures the purpose of the space. It should create a feeling of wellbeing and visual interest. A space designed to make an occupant feel relaxed should do exactly that whereas, a task-oriented space should facilitate

the task. Furniture and fittings should complement this. Have you experienced changes in budgets and the way people are spending and how have you responded to this as a designer? NC We are fortunate to regularly work with clients who can afford substantial budgets but, that said, every client we work with will have a limit to the sum they wish to invest in an asset so, we always need to exercise robust systems to control expenditure and deliver best value. We find most clients want to see tangible evidence of value being delivered. There is an underline concern at present about inflation, and this is causing some decision inertia. Which countries and other designers do you look to for inspiration? NC Everywhere we look there are amazing

IMAGES: Berkeley Place

“What shall we do with the AGA?” is a regular dilemma for our clients. Berkeley Place clients regularly find one in their period homes. AGA ovens have become an iconic fixture in kitchens around the world since they were invested in 1922. They are extremely versatile and simple to use and they are robust – the oldest working model dates back to 1932. While some say they are expensive to run, take into account that they can eliminate the need for toasters, microwaves and radiators.

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examples of fabulous creativity, and the UK is not short of talent in this area. I have always been a fan of Tara Bernard and Shalini Misra, who have some of the most incredible residential design projects among their global portfolio. Some of the vision we see from China, Japan and South America are also terrific sources of inspiration. What do you see as being the biggest design ideas/trends for 2022? NC Integrating home working remains a prevalent trend, while the world recovers from the pandemic. Emphasis on organic, natural and sustainable solutions with recycled vintage and retro furniture. Minimal and decluttered spaces with reduced creature comforts. Lots more glass and a lot less plastic. Smart furniture with integrated technology is likely to fast become a common feature. ■ celebrityangels.co.uk

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Seeing the Future Predicting the future is always difficult - particularly in the property market. But that’s what the professionals have to try to do. We look at some long views from the experts

aking predictions about the property market is never easy. Even the most skilled economists are often caught out by worldwide financial circumstances which can have unpredictable effects on the market. No-one predicted the financial crash of 2008, and no-one predicted the coronavirus pandemic - yet these are the sort of factors that can play havoc with the stability of the property market. Back in May 2020, the Bank of England was warning that house prices could fall by as much as 16 percent as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and homeowners, many of whom also faced uncertainty about their employment, braced themselves for the worst - were we going to fall back into a period of negative equity, where properties were worth less

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than the value of the mortgages? But it’s typical of the unpredictability of the property market that the gloomiest of predictions don’t seem to have come true, despite the fact that the pandemic has lasted a lot longer than most of us anticipated. According to the latest figures from the Halifax House Price Index, the UK housing market is defying expectations - in fact despite the impact the pandemic has had on the UK economy as a whole, average property prices were up 9.8 percent in 2021. This represents an increase in the value of the average home of over £24,500, the largest annual cash rise since March 2003. Of course, the question is whether this growth can be sustained, or whether the bubble will burst. At the time of writing, although coronavirus infections are still at a high level, and more infectious

strains have been growing, most social restrictions have been removed. Estate agents who had become used to virtual viewings are looking forward to a resurgence in doing business face to face. But uncertainty still lingers - what will happen if a surge in an infectious variant means that social restrictions have to be imposed again? This could have disastrous consequences for areas such as hospitality, the economy in general and the housing market specifically. SPENDING Lloyds notes that spending habits have changed during lockdown; with the help of government support such as the furlough scheme, prospective home buyers have been able to save more money towards deposits. the larger the deposit, the more favourable the

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PROPERTY

conditions for mortgages, and the more expensive the property the buyer can afford. If these conditions are maintained, the property market could continue to boom - but are there challenges still ahead? One possible challenge is the rise in inflation, which has been blamed variously on Brexit, the end of lockdown, the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Coupled with and energy cost crisis, inflation seems likely to knock many households into hard ties. though interest rates remain at historically low levels, the Bank of England’s main weapon to combat inflation is interest rate rises. We have had one at the time of writing, and economists predict more throughout 2022. These factors may well reduce house price growth in the next year. Lloyds Banking Group is now predicting that house prices will maintain their current strong levels over the next year, but that price growth will be much flatter in 2022, at around one percent good news for buyers, if not for sellers.

MORTGAGES Of course, the cost of houses is a major factor in the property market, but affordability is a greater one - in other words, if wages rises are higher than inflation, then property remains affordable, whereas if it’s the other way around, first-time buyers may find that

they have to save for longer and longer in order to get on the property ladder. A major factor will be the attitude of the mortgage lenders - when they are confident, life tends to be easier for borrowers, and indeed we have seen the return of fairly easily available 95 percent mortgages for first time buyers. The rates

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GROWTH So what has been driving house price growth? Andrew Asaam, Mortgage Director, Lloyds Banking Group, says: “Over the last 24 months or so, the UK Government has brought in a number of initiatives to help curb the devastating effects of the pandemic and support the economy. “For the housing market, the most significant has been the Chancellor’s introduction of the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) holiday – whereby buyers completing a property purchase for less than £500,000 on or before July 1, 2021, would no longer need to pay for the cost of stamp duty. Those buying homes with a value above the threshold, on the other hand, would only pay tax on amounts above £500,0003. “These measures, combined with pent-up demand created by periods of lockdown, would have undoubtedly helped to drive activity during 2020 and into 2021. We also saw a significant number of transactions driven by the ‘race for space’, as homeworking and long periods at home in general prompted buyers to look for bigger properties with more space. We expect these kinds of pandemic-driven shifts in housing preferences to continue well into 2022.”

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on these mortgages remains at a record low, despite the news on inflation and interest rates. This doesn’t help people in all parts of the country; rural areas are facing a housing crisis, with protestors against second home ownership in west Wales demanding action by the Welsh government. They say that second-home ownership in the county is pricing local people out of the property market. Protesters in the popular holiday town of Parrog in Pembrokeshire say the price of a three-bedroom house is now more than £400,000, while the average property price across the county is said to be £227,000. The Welsh government says that Wales is the only UK nation where local authorities have the power to double council tax rates on such properties, and second-home owners

in Pembrokeshire will pay double the normal rate of council tax from next year. But Pembrokeshire is by no means the only area where locals say they are being priced out of the market by holiday homes and rental properties. BUILDING Of course the debate about housing supply goes on eternally, with everyone agreeing that the UK needs more housing, but no-one seemingly able to put in place the economic conditions to allow the mass building of affordable housing. There’s as always a degree of ‘nimbyism’ involved - everyone wanting more housing, but ‘not in my back yard’. The House of Lords Built Environment Committee has called for barriers to housebuilding, particularly for small and medium sized businesses, to be

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IMAGES: Dreamstime

removed in order to help improve the housing supply. It will probably take a joint initiative between national government, local government, planners and developers to solve this problem in the long term. Meanwhile there are continuing issues around sustainability,

with protestors such as Insulate Britain calling for a national programme to ensure homes are insulated to be low energy by 2030. For developers, building energy efficient homes will become not just a ‘would like’ but a ‘must have’ in the face of consumer demand and government legislation. A recent Samsung Electronics UK led research study revealed that almost three quarters (74%) of UK consumers look at their homes differently now than they did pre-pandemic, with technology and sustainability being two of the areas that matter most to them. The report says; “As the nation enters a new era of hybrid living, we are experiencing a gear change in lifestyles which is fuelling a shift in consumer attitudes towards what they want from their homes, with over two thirds of UK residents wanting a digitally connected property to save them time and effort and even more people (77%) stating that having a sustainable home should be a priority for everyone.” The demand for sustainability is such that even mortgage lenders are beginning to pay attention, realising that properties with the best energy ratings tend to be worth up to £40,000 more on average than those that are less sustainable. Of course these properties are also more attractive to buyers since they promise an energy cost saving. Perhaps the last word should belong to the government's Office for Budget Responsibility, which predicts continuing price rises this year, followed by a slowdown in 2023. ■

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Martin’s Tips Martin answered questions about house prices in a recent call-in programme on GBN. He said: “No, we’re not building enough houses - there is an over-demand and an undersupply. So, what does that do in any sphere of economics? - it drives up prices. Prices are going up in Wales, the north, places like Derby, Manchester, Yorkshire and Humberside bear in mind that’s starting from a lower point, with prices in those areas traditionally lower than London. You are seeing people who can’t afford to live in London and the big cities moving out. In this day and age when we can often work from home, does it matter if I’m working from a farmhouse in the middle of Wales, so long as it has broadband? A lot of people are moving out from the cities and saying, ‘I’m going to take the £200,000 I can get for my flat, and buy something with a bit of garden and a bit more space’. I think a lot of people have decided life is too short, you never know what’s around the corner, so I’m going to live my dreams now. So, you are seeing a big growth in countryside properties, rural properties, properties by the coast.”

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Home Trends

From plants in design, to some amazing bedroom concepts for kids, here’s the latest in news and products for homes and interiors

IS YOUR HOME BIOPHILIC? Tipped by trend-setters as the latest style in home decoration, biophilic (‘nature-loving’) interior design incorporates natural elements into indoor environments. With the current emphasis on sustainability and ecological awareness, it’s a trend we should all embrace. Biophilic interior design can be seen through adding wooden features, natural materials and greenery into the design of a space.

“This approach to interior design is extremely beneficial when it comes to creating a healthy living and working environment, so our spaces can still serve as a sanctuary, particularly needed if you find yourself living in a metropolis”.

LOST IN BOOKS To celebrate World Book Day in March, Home Essentials chose five memorable children’s books, and with the help of 3D rendering, allowed these extraordinary worlds to come to life in children’s bedrooms. Titles including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach (seen here), The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and The Gruffalo were among the designs. You can see them all on the website at www.homeessentials.co.uk.

ENERGY SAVING TIPS

We’re in the middle of an energy cost crisis, and unlike some energy companies, whose idea of good advice is to cuddle your pets, the Energy Savings Trust (https://energysavingtrust.org.uk) has come up with some practical ideas for making savings. They range from switching off electronic devices completely instead of leaving them in standby mode, to moving furniture to improve heat flow, and improving your draughtproofing. Find out more on the website, where you can also read about lowering your carbon footprint by insulating your home and changing your travel habits.

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IMAGES: Champalimaud, Home Essentials, Dreamstime, Flooring Supeerstore

Alexandra Champalimaud, Founder & President of Champalimaud Design (www.champalimaud.design), says “We must be mindful of a material’s origins and make the effort to use natural and sustainable materials that are locally sourced and recyclable. Natural materials are always preferred – organic & natural materials contribute to a healthy environment and good night’s sleep.”

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DESIGN FLOORS Top flooring design trends for 2022 have been listed by interior designers Jojo Bradley and Marc Epstein for Flooring Superstore. Their hot picks are: h Neutrals & naturals – beiges and natural earth colours for carpets and prints h Parquet flooring – an Instagram favourite, with affordable parquet laminate topping the list h Ethical sourcing – such as carpets made from recycled ocean waste h Monochrome – black-and-white squares, stripes and weaves on vinyl h Accent layering – with velvets on chairs, headboards and cushions to add flair h Colourful patterns - stripes, chevrons, checks, tartan, and tweed carpets h Black – yes, it’s back! In accent furniture, or dark flooring, such as black carpet or dark oak-effect vinyl. “We’ve noticed that customers are getting braver with the colours and patterns of their home interiors in general, and that sustainability is having a big influence on our choices in particular – both of these are set to continue to grow into 2022” said the designers.

Hot Property

Painter’s Pack

The ‘go to’ ranges for painters and decorators. Rapidly earning a reputation for consistent quality and great value for money, the ranges are used in all paints, varnishes, and stains both interior and exterior use. Handcrafted synthetic filament brushes with traditional wooden handles, and stainless steel ferrules. ajsystemseurope.co.uk

Netatmo Smart Thermostat, compatible with Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant, helps reduce energy consumption, in particular thanks to its heating schedule feature, which enables users to heat their home optimally and only when necessary, while maintaining their comfort levels. www.netatmo.com

Beauty and Elegance

The Finest Finish

Deceuninck’s Heritage Flush Window combines the beauty and elegance of traditional timber with all the benefits of PVC-U. With excellent energy ratings, fantastic security features as well as a wide range of 30+ colourways, the Flush Sash makes a stunning addition to both traditional and contemporary properties. For a full suite of Deceuninck products visit www.deceuninck.co.uk

Generations of brush-making excellence were put into making the Momentum range, for professionals seeking the finest painting tools. The eco movement to waterborne paints has created change, and Corona quality ensures smooth and even finishes, and fast coverage, time and time again. coronabrushes.co.uk

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Kitchens of Dreams The kitchen is no longer just a food preparation area, sometimes it’s the hub of the house. How do you make yours a warm and friendly environment?

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OLIVE & BARR DOUBLE LARDER Olive & Barr Olive & Barr’s Shaker-style kitchens are simple and elegant in design and are crafted from natural materials. They make the optimum use of space to keep your kitchen feeling uncluttered, with clean lines and functional spaces. Simple cabinet design characterises Shaker kitchens, with no excessive ornamentation or decoration. Shaker style kitchens combine the best of classic heritage and modern convenience. The Double Larder (left) costs from £4,500. www.oliveandbarr.com

IMAGES: Danetti, Olive & Barr

t’s a bit of a cliche to say that throughout lockdown many of us discovered the joys of baking bread or cakes, but it’s true that the kitchen has become more of a hub of home activity. In fact, some of us have had to make the kitchen double up as a home office, and while that isn’t ideal (particularly if you keep having biscuit breaks), it’s something we may have to get used to. The kitchen is also becoming a centre of energy efficiency and smart technology, with everything from eco-friendly cookers to intelligent fridges - it’s also very often a prime attraction for prospective purchasers of your property. So how do you keep your kitchen up to date and pleasant to live in? Let’s take a look at some of the latest kitchen ideas...

PALM OUTDOOR GARDEN BAR SET Danetti An outside bar is the pinnacle of summer entertaining, where you can gather friends for a lazy afternoon or enjoy an evening sundowner with a loved one. The Palm Outdoor Garden Bar and Bar Stool Set (left) is a sleek and stylish bar table that works wonders on its own or teamed with other modules from the Palm range so you can create an indulgent outdoor kitchen setup. The Palm garden range is delivered in easyto-assemble packs. www.danetti.com

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home design and will compliment a range of colours, tones, and textures. With a supportive backing the stool provides not only a modern edge to design but also comfort, safety and durability. www.thelifeofply.co.uk

IMAGES: Aura Kitchens, Life of Ply, Quince & Cook

EVERHOT WHITE 120I ELECTRIC HEAT STORAGE RANGE COOKER Quince & Cook The Everhot 120+ (below) lets you enjoy the luxury of four ovens and four cast

iron hotplates (each being independently adjustable for maximum versatility), so you can have cakes in one oven, roast vegetables in another, a joint in the third and plates warming in the fourth - all at different temperatures. Each of the large top ovens has an integral grill. The control boxes are external and can be conveniently situated in adjacent kitchen units (or on the worktop). This is the ideal cooker for those who require more heat in their kitchen! www.quinceandcook.co.uk »

ZAGEN GLOSS KITCHEN Aura Kitchens A stunning example of what sleekness and serenity can really mean, the combined features of the Zagen Gloss kitchen (top) with Tainton doors bring beauty and functionality together effortlessly. A sense of balance is achieved with contrasting colours and finishes and an open plan room design allows for plenty of free movement around the kitchen. Here a handleless rail system painted Dust Grey is used for a clutter-free look. The worktop is Silestone Marengo Quartz. https://aurakitchens.co.uk HEWITSON KITCHEN STOOL The Life of Ply Available in a white laminate and birch finish, the Hewitson Kitchen Stool (above left) offers an elegant and distinct feature within kitchen and home design. Made to meet your functional needs the stool is the perfect addition to any kitchen and celebrityangels.co.uk

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STUDIO LUCIE UPCYCLING ART Studio Lucie Lucie Vassiliou is the founder and designer at Studio Lucie, a furniture upcycling business since 2010. Lucie prides herself on creating beautiful professionally painted and refinished furniture - the bulk of her work is based on client commissions. She runs an environmentally friendly and sustainable business, where old and unwanted furniture gets a new lease of life instead of ending up in a landfill! “Re-love and re-use” is Lucie’s motto, and her aim is to make people appreciate the value of good-quality, wellmade old furniture, such as the sideboard decorated with gold leaf abstract art seen at left. www.studiolucie.co.uk ■

IMAGES: Kutchenhaus, Studio Lucie

EASYTOUCH GRAPHITE BLACK KITCHEN Kutchenhaus Matt, supermatt or ultra matt? Tactile surfaces play a central role in kitchen design, which is why Kutchenhaus offers varying degrees of matt in its Easytouch ranges (below). Supermatt not only looks aesthetically pleasing but also has qualities that stand up to everyday life. The ultra-matt fronts with popular anti-fingerprint coating are available in popular shades including Alpine White, Graphite, Rust Red and Sand. Square edge modern detail and colour coordinated interior faces add to the style effect. https://uk.kutchenhaus.com/

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You can’t Do It Yourself without the right tools – but how do you start filling your DIY toolbox? Look here for beginners’ tips

t may be true that a bad workman always blames his tools, but the lesson we should learn from this is that it’s important to get the right tools in the first place – and to learn to use them. Cheap tools, though they may be a good way to make a start in the Do-It-Yourself world, may not outlast the first task you put them to – so if you want to get the best from your investment, go for quality name brands. So, what’s the first thing you need for your toolbox? – Well, that would be a toolbox!

TAPES A good tape measure is an essential for every job from decorating to fence-building. Choose one with an auto lock and a retracting mechanism, maybe a 3m one for indoor jobs and 10m or more for outdoors. Or go hi-tech with a laser measure.

TOOLBOXES A quality toolbox will protect your tools from accidental damage (and protect you from damaging yourself on sharp tools), and will make it easier to transport tools from job to job, and to tidy up at the end of the day. Toolboxes come in all shapes and sizes from heavy rigid cases to lightweight open or closed bags. Choose what you feel you can manage to carry comfortably, and keep power tools separately in their own equipment cases. Some toolboxes have compartments for small items like screws, but you may want a separate case for these.

HAMMERS Oh, the joy of a good hammer! For indoor jobs you’ll want a claw hammer which will help you to pull old nails as well as banging new ones in. Choose one in a good material such as a quality wood handle, or all-steel construction with a shock-absorbing grip. For specialist jobs you may need different types such as a ball pein hammer for woodwork, a mallet for joinery or a sledge for breaking slabs.

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SCREWDRIVERS You can never have too many screwdrivers. Buy a set with a range of handles and interchangeable heads in straight and crosshead (‘Phillips’) types. You may need specialist security heads such as Torx or Hex, or sockets, particularly for automotive applications. For repetitive work, such as assembling flatpack furniture, a power screwdriver is a boon.

SAWS You’ll want a small hacksaw with interchangeable blades for indoor work, and for outdoors, a folding garden saw with a toothed blade makes short work of annoying overhanging branches and tangled undergrowth. For major forestry work a bow saw or a power reciprocating saw does the trick, and for serious joinery you may want to step up to a circular power saw.

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SPIRIT LEVEL If you’re fitting a shelf, assembling furniture, hanging a picture, fitting a floor or building a fence, you’ll need a spirit level – a toolboxsized one for indoor jobs, and a builder’s one for outdoors. Look for one with a highvisibility bubble, and for outdoors, shockabsorbing end-caps. PLIERS No one design of pliers is suitable for every job; you may well need cross-cutting pliers for jobs such as cutting wiring, needle-nosed for twisting wires, and combination types for other gripping and cutting tasks. Again, they come in all sizes for different scales of job.

IMAGES: Dreamstime

DRILLS One of the most essential tools for general household tasks is a cordless, rechargeable combination drill/driver. These can be set to different speeds and fitted with different bits for a huge range of tasks from making starter holes to driving screws, tightening nuts and (with a cutting head) cutting light materials. For heavy-duty tasks such as drilling into concrete, you will probably need a more powerful, mains-powered drill.

UTILITY KNIFE You can’t beat the old-fashioned Stanleytype retractable metal-handle utility knife for general cutting jobs such as packaging, carpeting and wiring, but don’t neglect the cheap plastic snap-off blade types, which are handy to have around when you don’t need the full monty.

Martin’s Tips WRENCH One day you’ll need an adjustable wrench, and nothing else will do. You can have a whole set of wrenches for different sized nuts and bolts, but an adjustable wrench will get you out of all sorts of fixes. For plumbing work, a plumber’s wrench will help you to reach behind baths.

PPE Personal Protective Equipment is designed to keep you safe while you are DIYing, but appropriate work clothes will also keep you warm, dry, and paint-free. For anything involving drilling or cutting, use heavy safety gloves, eye goggles and a face mask. For work involving fumes such as from paint or cleaning fluids, a proper respirator mask is required. For use of power tools, ear defenders are essential. Heavy building work requires head protection and work boots, and a sturdy set of overalls always makes you look more professional! That’s just a taste of the world of DIY tools – we could go on about chisels, axes, scrapers, files, trowels, punches and the like, but you’ll learn what you need as each job comes up. Remember the safety gear too – gloves, goggle and ear defenders – and you’ll come out of every DIY job with a smile! ■ celebrityangels.co.uk

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“My dad was a DIY enthusiast so he would be constantly working on our house. I was surrounded by tools and plasterboard and that, for me, was just life growing up. So when I got my first house I followed what I’d seen when I was young. I attempted to put in a new kitchen and bathroom. At the time I was working on BBC radio in Manchester and Merseyside and earning very little from that. And in the time I’d been in that house and done all those things that I’d taken for granted I doubled the value of the house. “So that is what kickstarted my interest in property development, and I sort of went on from there. At the same time I had this parallel career in journalism which led to me doing a travel show on ITV called Wish You Were Here, and when that finished Homes Under The Hammer came along. “The person who was putting the idea together knew I did DIY and was into property. I was selected to present it along with Lucy Alexander, and the rest is television history!”

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When Is a Screw Not a Screw? The answer is, when it’s a bolt – but there’s lots more to learn about these essential bits of DIY kit

IMAGES: Dreamstime

f you think about how much more difficult life would be if we didn’t have screws to help with DIY jobs, you will soon realise how essential these little helpers are. What’s often overlooked is the huge variety of types available, and the importance of getting the right screw for the job. Like bolts and nails, a screw is a form of fastener, usually designed so that it can be removed if necessary. Essentially it incorporates two engineering principles; the inclined plane, and the wedge. The inclined plane or thread is wrapped around a cylinder which acts as a wedge; pressure applied by the correct tool forces the screw through two substrates to join them together. Screws have four main parts: the head, the shank below the head, the thread, and the point. The head is designed to fit a driver, the point to penetrate a material, and the thread to hold the screw in place. Some threads are “self-tapping”, which means that they will cut their own way down, while others like machine screws or bolts require that your hole be pre-tapped, or already have its matching thread cut into the hole.

HEADS There are many different types of screw head, mostly designed in an attempt to make the driver less likely to slip, and some for special applications. The first and most basic type is the slotted head; increasingly popular are the cruciform type, sometimes called a Phillips head, and security types such as Torx. (Pozidriv is a cruciform type but has an extra set of flanges so ideally requires the correct driver). In addition to the driver type, you will also find many types of head design including flat, round, cap and button. When selecting a screw you will see references to the TPI, or Threads Per Inch, and the pitch, which defines how steep the incline of the thread is. Wood screws, for instance, are usually a single threaded screw type with a flat or oval head, a smaller TPI and a more aggressive pitch. Machine screws are used in pre-tapped or predrilled holes, and have a higher TPI and a less aggressive pitch, while coarse, sharply angled threads with round shanks are used in plastics such as polypropylene and ABS to provide maximum holding strength with minimal stress. For plasterboard, a twin-fast (double-

helix) type screw with a medium TPI and an aggressive pitch is common. Screws can be made of materials from weather-resistant stainless steel, to galvanised iron, or decorative materials like brass; obviously for outdoor work you need to select a weather-resistant type. Together with the importance of selecting the right screw for the job, you must select the right driver; manual, torque, ratchet or power. Only then will you have mastered the potential of the screw, the most essential of DIY devices! ■

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ECO DESIGN READY

MULTI FUEL

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SALES@CAPITALFIREPLACES.CO.UK 01462 813138 CAPITALFIREPLACES CAPITAL_FIREPLACES

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Woodn’t it Be Nice? It is possible to have a wood fire to heat your home within green regulations - but you have to know what you’re looking for

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SIA DEFRA’s Clean Air Strategy relates to emission limits of Particulate Matter (PM), Organic Gaseous Compounds (OGC), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), and carbon dioxide (CO2). Read about the response of the Stove Industry Alliance here: https://stoveindustryalliance.com/ ecodesign-regulation/clean-air-strategy/

n January 2022, it became law that all solid fuel appliances sold will be Eco Design Compliant, meaning that they will need to significantly improve emissions when compared to current stoves on the market, or to open fires. Though changes in emission regulations have made it a bit diff icult to keep track of the requirements for wood-burning appliances, Eco 2022 Ready Stoves have already been available for some years. Eco 2022 stoves are compliant with DEFRA’s Clean Air Strategy, so look out for the Eco 2022 badge when you are buying. Certainly the crackle of a real fire can be pleasant in a living room or kitchen, but can a wood fire be a viable way of heating a house? With the current price increases, wood burning can work out cheaper than gas, oil or electricity, but a single wood burning stove will be unlikely to be able to heat a whole house. PARTICULATES Traditionally, though, the main problem with wood burning stoves has been they emit a celebrityangels.co.uk

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lot of particulates. This can be partially solved by burning only dry seasoned logs with a moisture content of less than 20 percent, which results in better fuel eff iciency and fewer particulates. An Eco 2022 stove will produce a tenth of the particulates of an open fire and will be more fuel eff icient. The fuel, of course, is renewable and sustainable as it all comes from sustainable, commercially replanted forests. As of May 2022, wood sold in volumes of less than two cubic meters must be certified as “Ready to Burn”, confirming it has a moisture content of less than 20 percent, while larger loads should be provided with a notice on how to dry, store and check moisture content before use. There’s plenty of design choice when it comes to wood-burning Eco 2022 stoves, from traditional to contemporary designs in cast iron or steel, as well as inset stoves which can be fitted above a fireplace, so there should be something to suit everyone who enjoys the crackle of a real flame. ■

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ADVERTORIAL

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And by keeping the heating on low or even turned off, you will cut your bills and help the environment! Cisco Homes whole ethos is to protect the planet and look after the customer.

SPRAY FOAM CREATES A PERFECT SEAL TO STOP HEAT ESCAPING, IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR POCKET & GOOD FOR THE PLANET! The spray foam they use to completely insulate uses an eco-friendly blowing agent that won’t harm the environment or accelerate climate change. It’s good for your pocket, good for the planet. It’s a win-win!

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Foam on the Range One of the most popular methods for insulating your home is spray foam roof treatment. So, is it the best option, and are there any disadvantages?

IMAGES: Dreamstime

e all know the importance of saving energy, and most of us will realise that the roof of the average house is the part that loses the most heat (around 25 percent of the total) – as hot air rises, and roofs tend to be thinner than walls. So, what’s the best way to insulate your roof, saving on your heating bills and helping to reduce global warming? One of the most popular methods is foam insulation. It’s not really a DIY job - specialist equipment and protective clothing is required – but it can be done quickly and inexpensively, and represents an enormous energy saving, along with other benefits which we’ll get to. The foam used is a chemical concoction similar to the type you can buy in spray cans for small DIY jobs. SPF (Spray Polyurethane Foam) is nasty stuff when it comes out of the can, hence the need for protective clothing; but when applied by skilled technicians it goes

quickly and easily onto most dry, dustfree substrates including brick concrete, metal and wood, covering large areas of roof space and conforming to any contour or space. It expands to around 100 times its volume to fill gaps, and hardens rapidly. Look for types using HFO (Hydrofluoro Olefin) propellants rather than HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) which are ozone depleting. The result when applied properly is a rigid layer with almost zero air permeability and a claimed u-value (insulation rating) of around 0.11 W/ m2k (thousand watts per square metre) compared to around 2.5 W/m2k for an uninsulated roof. PLUSSES An argument some roofers raise against spray foam insulation is that it can create ‘interstitial condensation’ where the difference in temperature between inside and outside the building causes damp

which can affect timbers. But Building Research Establishment research on this in 2009 concluded that though condensation can occur in some cases, it should not significantly affect roof timbers. Another benefit of spray foam insulation is that it locks in place the existing roof tiles and timbers, making them much less prone to weather damage, but this sometimes prompts roofers to complain that foam makes it more difficult to repair roofs - but perhaps this is just because it is putting them out of work! Certainly, though, it’s important before you get your roof sprayed to have it checked over and to repair any missing, damaged or misaligned slates. If you have a listed property, be aware that foam treatment may not be suitable, depending on the roof construction method used. Otherwise, you should find that having spray foam feels, as one customer described it, like “having a wooly hat on top of the house”! ■

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ADVERTORIAL

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Softening the Blow

Hard water is a problem which can affect your property, your appliances and your energy consumption. What are the signs and what can you do about it?

ard water is defined as water with a high additional mineral content, usually calcium, magnesium and iron compounds picked up when the water filters through geological layers of limestone, chalk or gypsum. In a perfect world, the water you get out of your taps would be pure H2O, but of course the molecules we actually get are mixed up with all sorts of contaminants from the water system. Much of it is perfectly harmless, in fact many of these minerals have useful dietary functions, but some can affect both our homes and our health.

What you often can’t see is the harm hard water is doing to your pipes and appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, boilers and heating systems, where deposits of limescale can cause serious problems with efficiency and lifespan. Each 1mm of deposits can add around 7-10

percent to energy consumption, increasing your running costs and carbon footprint. SOLUTIONS Once the hard water problem is identified, there are solutions. The most common one is to fit a water softening system. Often these contain salt in a filter unit installed under a sink, which removes the minerals from the incoming water supply, resulting in the entire supply for the house becoming softened. The catch is that the salt has to be replaced regularly, so there is a continuing expense, and you may need a separate water supply for drinking. An alternative cost-effective measure is a low-maintenance water ‘conditioner’ using a polyalloy filter which changes the ionic composition of the water using a principle called epitaxial nucleation. This won’t remove minerals and doesn’t truly ‘soften’ the water, but it should reduce the effects of water hardness by lowering surface tension and decreasing deposits. ■

IMAGES: Dreamstime

CONTENT It’s when drinking water is contaminated with elements like manganese or aluminium that problems can start, particularly since hard water also encourages the development of bacteria. Hard water is a geographical problem, and your water supplier will be able to

tell you how your supply rates in terms of mineral content - a soft water area would have under 60 parts per million, while a very hard water area would register more than 180ppm. Around 16m households in the UK are in a hard water area, yet only around one percent of UK homes have any sort of hard water treatment system. You can buy home test kits to measure water hardness, but it’s easy to spot the symptoms, which include:  Limescale deposits in kettles and taps  Shampoo not lathering and soap residue left in the bath and shower  Skin dryness due to soap deposits, and possible eczema

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Breathing Better Air We all know about outdoor pollution, but do you spend enough time thinking about the quality of air in your home?

veryone knows that outdoor air pollution, mainly caused by petrol fumes, affects our health, and there are regular campaigns to improve the quality of air, particularly in areas where it affects children such as near schools. But we spend about 90 percent of our time not in the open air, but indoors, and there, you might be surprised to learn, air quality can be just as bad as in the polluted outdoor environment - in fact worse, because the air doesn’t necessarily circulate indoors, so the pollutants may become concentrated. Few people seem to be aware of the causes, results or solutions regarding indoor air pollution, yet poor indoor air quality is linked to lung diseases such as asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) and lung cancer. Children are particularly susceptible to indoor air pollution as their lungs are still developing, and their airways are narrower. “Most of the things that cause problems are odourless,” says Dr. Nicholas BuSaba,

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associate professor of otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School. “So, in many cases there’s nothing to alert you to the problem” - that is, nothing other than the symptoms these allergens can trigger, such as respiratory problems (including asthma flare-ups), fatigue and sleepiness, or even digestive issues. And indoor air quality tends to be worse in the winter months because there is often no flow of fresh air from the outside, meaning allergens stay trapped inside. CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS The main causes of indoor air pollution are:  Chemicals used in cleaning and decorating  Building materials such as asbestos (in old buildings, it shouldn’t be present in any new buildings)  Tobacco smoke  Mould spores resulting from damp and poor ventilation  Pet hair and dust mites which can trigger allergies  Outdoor pollution getting indoors

Particularly worrying are VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, such as acetone, xylene and formaldehyde, commonly used in household cleaning and decorating materials. Bleach and ammonia used in cleaning compounds are also threats to health. The majority of buildings in the UK have not been designed and built with adequate indoor air quality considerations; even when there is an air conditioning system, this is often not an air filtration system. While the health and wellbeing of employees is a legal standard required by companies, and the provision of clean indoor air is required under the general clause of health regulations, this doesn’t apply to the home! In offices, HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filtration systems are recommended by authorities such as the Centre for Disease Control, WHO and SAGE in the United Kingdom and the HSE in Ireland as part of the solution for improving indoor air quality. A typical HEPA systems draws in air through the room using a powerful fan; the air travels through a pre-filter to remove larger particles, then through an Active Carbon Filter which removes VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). This also has the welcome effect of deodorising the air.

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IMAGES: Dreamstime

The pre-filtered air is then pushed through the HEPA 14 Filter, which captures at least 99.995% of particles, including the viruses responsible for coronavirus and influenza. In some HEPA systems, an ultraviolet light source further breaks down pathogens that have passed through the HEPA Filter. The clean filtered air is then pushed out via a powerful fan, and spread through the entire area of the room. SOLUTIONS So, if you don’t have an off ice-type HEPA air filter in your home, is there anything you can do to improve air quality? Fortunately there is plenty we can all do to reduce dangerous exposure to indoor air pollution.  Get a pollution monitor which will give you a readout of air temperature, humidity, levels of particulates and other pollutants  Use allergy-free cleaning compounds,

and use liquids rather than sprays. Make sure your home is well ventilated when you clean  Make sure cookers and heaters are well ventilated and that flues and extractor fans are cleaned and serviced regularly  As well as smoke alarms, fit carbon monoxide alarms  Don’t burn wood or coal on open fires  Stop smoking, or smoke only outdoors with a door shut  Clean bedding and furniture regularly to remove dust mites and pet dander  Don’t let pets sleep on beds  Don’t overdo it with incense or scented candles in confined areas  Make sure your home is well ventilated and check for leaks, damp and mould  If yours is an old building, have a professional check it for asbestos  Check on www.ukradon.org to see if you are in an area with a risk of the natural gas radon

Remember, breathing polluted indoor air can lead to respiratory infections, with symptoms such as runny noses, dry throats, sore eyes and sinuses, to shortness of breath, wheeziness, and in the long term to increased risk of pneumonia, COPD, lung cancer, heart disease and stroke – so pay as much attention to indoor air quality as you do outdoors. ■

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MULTI AWARDWINNING PROPERTY STAGING

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We make a financial difference to every project We work with every property type from occupied to vacant and new build Most of the properties we stage sell for significantly over the asking price, attracting competing offers Properties we stage achieve sales, on average, four times faster than comparable homes Every staging is bespoke to the property and to the client We operate nationwide

t: 01332 987740 e: hello@lemonandlimeinteriors.co.uk w: lemonandlimeinteriors.co.uk

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Staging a Success Want your property to look at its best when you sell? There’s a solution that is becoming more popular – ‘staging’ with makeovers and furniture rental

IMAGES: Dreamstime

hen you are selling a property, we are told that there are some essentials to make it more immediately attractive; tidy the front garden for improved ‘kerb appeal’, lock away annoying pets (and children), redecorate in neutral colours, improve lighting – even to fill the house with the smell of fresh coffee or baking bread! A completely empty property may be easier to sell in some cases, but when you want to make your home look more immediately liveable, an empty shell probably isn’t the best idea. So, what do you do if your furniture consists of worn-out sofas, wobbly tables and rickety chairs? You need a bit of professional ‘staging’ to present your home in the most appealing light. Professional staging companies claim that properties using their services will typically sell for 10 percent more, so the investment is well worth it. According to a

report by the Home Staging Association, estate agents also agree that a ‘staged’ presentation makes it easier for buyers to visualise the property as their future home, and makes it more likely to attract multiple bids. PRESENTATION The first step is to address what sort of potential buyers or renters will be interested in the property; the staging company will then match the presentation of the property to appeal to the appropriate audience. The Home Staging Association reports that 100 percent of vendors who used a home staging service found it a useful marketing tool, and 75 percent said that it had helped to increase the value of offers. Our home staging consultant will want to visit your property for an assessment, and will advise you on what work you can usefully do yourself, and what expenses will be involved in

further work to present the property. This can involve anything from simple decluttering, gardening, decorating and maintenance work, to furniture rental and professional photography. Staging can work particularly well for remote or virtual presentations, which of course became very popular during lockdown. Staging needn’t be a complicated aff air; many professional companies offer a ‘speed staging’ service with a walkthrough consultation done in a few hours. Whether you choose this or a full service, staging should present your property in the best possible light, and offer a good return on your investment. ■

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SELL HIGH, SELL FAST Read the book Sell High, Sell Fast by Elaine Penhaul for essential tips on the art of staging. It’s available in paperback or as an e-book from Amazon.

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Rooms to Relax In

In these troubled times, we all need a room to relax in - what can you do to dedicate your surroundings to leisure?

reating a space within the home that you can relax in is something that many of us long for in our busy, stressful lives. Home libraries and bespoke bookshelves are becoming a popular interior trend this year, with many of us enjoying quiet pastimes, such as reading or listening to vinyl records, after a long and hard day’s work. Bookshelves provide our favourite novels with a special, designated place to rest within our living spaces. Books can also add a splash of colour and provide a sense of personality to the home. Similarly, vinyl rooms offer music lovers the chance to showcase their treasured

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record collections, creating the perfect environment in which to unwind and listen to music. Premium fitted furniture brand, Neville Johnson has a variety of home libraries and vinyl rooms that will impart instant opulence into the home. MUSIC ROOMS Listening to your favourite records in a dedicated music room provides the perfect environment in which you can relax and unwind in the evening. Bespoke vinyl storage enables record lovers to organise their records exactly as they wish, ensuring they stay clean and damage-free for years to come. Neville Johnson’s design features

a combination of open shelving, which provides a dedicated storage space for your best collections, as well as closed cabinetry, which is ideal for concealing technology. Painted in the calming grey-blue shade of Dewberry, the colour has been perfectly paired with a rustic Oxford Oak finish, creating a sophisticated aesthetic. The Bright and Spacious Library is the perfect option for those looking to incorporate a calming reading space into their living room space. Alongside decorative ornaments and vases, display your books on bespoke shelving to enjoy a view of your favourite collections while you sit and relax in a bright and airy space. The

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Left and above: A built-in ladder makes access a piece of cake Left and above: Vinyl and book shelves have a sophisticated aesthetic

IMAGES: Neville Johnson

white shelving compliments the amount of natural light in the room and ensures that the room remains spacious and uplifting. This bespoke design choice shows how you can make books look stylish at home, while ensuring that they are easy to access with the help of a useful, built-in ladder. BOUTIQUE STYLE The Dark Green Library is an ideal choice for those looking to display their books in a luxurious and elegant setting within the home. This modern design option provides the perfect opportunity for book lovers to make an exclusive collection of novels part of the room’s stylish aesthetic. The library features shaker-style bespoke cabinetry for stylish storage, alongside open shelving to display more decorative items. An optimal choice for smaller rooms, this handcrafted bookcase creates a warm and cosy sanctuary that offers homeowners the

chance to browse their collections in an attractive and enchanting environment. LOFTY CEILINGS This impressive modern library enables readers to design their bookshelves to meet their individual storage needs, while incorporating a splash of colour in the room. This design is painted in ibis teal, making the room more vibrant and playful. The extensive library space enables avid readers to store a generous range of novels and collections that are easily accessible thanks to a built-in stylish ladder. The wall-to-wall ceiling storage creates a stunning backdrop to the bright and welcoming library, enabling homeowners to appreciate the grand design while curling up with their favourite book. Channel at-home escapism with this large library, which will make your home feel uncluttered and relaxed.

Senior Designer at Neville Johnson, Simon Tcherniak, says: “It’s a good idea to ensure that you choose your best and most beautiful books to display in key areas of your home, such as in the living room or the library. Your living room book collection, for instance, should give you joy and inspire you to choose a book and settle down in a comfy chair. “There are several stylish ways you can arrange your books on the shelves. One interior designer trick is to turn attractive books sideways on the shelves so that they face out like pictures. Another way is to organise your books according to colour, which can look quite striking if you have an extensive collection to choose your colours from. You can also, of course, group books according to size, and it is usually possible to order similar-sized books by subject or author if you want to make your books easier to find.” ■

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Bedrooms Beyond A great bedroom is more than somewhere to sleep, it should be a place to soothe your soul. We look at some of the most pleasing bedroom trends

WINDSOR ROYALCORE PERSONALISED WALLPAPER BY ELIZABETH OCKFORD The French Bedroom Co Inspired by Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee and popular period dramas such as Bridgerton and Downton Abbey, this regal wallpaper (above) can be personalised with either a sentimental date or your family name. The personalised lettering 72

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is purposefully subtle and discreet, standing at less than 10mm in size, a fun and tasteful way to make your interiors personal to you, and to create a family heirloom. Capturing the resurgence of Royalcore styling, the design depicts an elegant, delicate damask from the early 19th Century, adorned with pretty garlands of roses, lilies and cornflowers, together with ornate scrolls; the fine detail gives it a distinctly feminine feel. The wallpaper is strippable and washable and has good lightfastness, so won’t fade over time. www.frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk

AVA INNES SUSTAINABLE BEDROOM Ava Innes Ava Innes is a new Scottish luxury brand, offering a patented sustainable duvet filled with a blend of cashmere guard hair and Scottish wool. Ava Innes’s unique cashmere and wool duvets (above) are a natural alternative to feather or synthetic products, and are encased in 100 percent certified organic cotton for a balance of warmth, weight and breathability. Accessories, from lavender bags to bed throws, are made from cashmere woven in the finest Scottish mills. www.avainnes.com

IMAGES: The French Bedroom Company, Ava Innes

ccording to the ancient Chinese practice of feng shui, the bedroom is the most important part of the home - as we spend a third of our lives there, it is particularly important to keep our bedrooms free of harmful, pathogenic or disturbing influences. The body needs to be able to recover, so the mind can also come to rest. Feng shui has something to say about the positioning of beds, colours, wall decorations, even the importance of headboards - but whether you believe in it or not, it’s safe to say that a relaxing and calming bedroom has to be good for us. We present some design ideas to make your boudoir a refuge of relaxation...

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IMAGES: Headboard Workshop, Shimu, MY Furniture

SUPER KING KERRERA BED The Headboard Workshop This fully upholstered bed (above) has a curved and piped headend, featuring an inset nailed braid to mirror the grand profile. The headboard’s inset 15mm braid is available in Ivory or Natural, with either Chrome, Brushed Black, Gold or Vintage 11mm nails. The headend edge piping can be self-piped or contrast-piped to match braid, or you can provide your own fabric for piping. Choose from eight leg styles in either hardwood or solid oak. The base has a solid mattress platform supported by three sturdy steel cross beams with a central foot for superior strength and stability. www.theheadboardworkshop.co.uk DISTRESSED CREAM LACQUER LADIES CABINET Shimu In a classic Chinese style, this delightful cabinet (above right) has been refinished in a lovely distressed cream lacquer. Cabinets like this were used in ladies’ sleeping quarters during the Qing dynasty as dressing tables and so are referred to as ‘ladies’ cabinets’. The central cabinet and doors and drawers either side provide useful storage space for personal effects. Elongated legs that end in horse-hoof feet add an elegance to the overall look, making this an attractive accent piece

as a dressing table in a bedroom or as a console in the living area. www.shimu.co.uk

luxurious as well as practical piece of mirrored furniture. www.my-furniture.com

INGA CORNER MIRRORED FLOATING BEDSIDE/SHELF My Furniture The Inga mirrored floating storage corner unit (top right) is one of the most versatile mirrored pieces of furniture. Fully mirrored and bevelled, it features a spacious drawer and a hidden handle underneath the unit. Combine two or three units in a vertical arrangement to create a glamourous floating storage unit. This is a simple

ILLUSION STORAGE BED FURL Illusion is a beautiful storage bed on legs that does not compromise on storage. Standing on elegant oak, walnut or black solid wooden feet, the Illusion storage bed features a wood storage tray within the bed which gives you an amazing 33cm of storage depth reaching right to the floor. The Illusion storage bed offers an exceptional amount of »

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mattresses

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free next working day delivery www.mattressman.co.uk 0333 577 5773

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storage in a stunning bed design (right) that gives no hint of what could be hidden inside. www.furl.co.uk KESYA DOOR PULLS PullCast Inspired by the uneven texture of tree bark, the Kesya door pull (middle left) enables you to create a sculptural scheme in your furniture designs. Made of polished brass, the pull is also available in aged and brushed finishes. Dimensions are Height 40mm/1,57 in, Length: 150 mm/5.91 in, Depth : 35 mm/1,38 in. https://pullcast.eu

IMAGES: Furl, Pullcast, Rockett St George, Cuckooland

MID-CENTURY NATURAL OAK CABINET Rockett St George The Mid-Century Natural Oak Cabinet (middle right) is an investment piece that never goes out of style. Showcasing beautiful curves, this solid oak wood sideboard cabinet exudes a natural wooden colourway, with glamorous gold legs that climb up the sides of the cabinet creating ultra eye-catching details which add to the divine mid-century charm of the piece. This wooden cabinet features two cupboards, each with two shelves inside that can be moved up or down to suit your needs. Showcasing alluring charm, this oak cabinet is an extraordinary showpiece that will also fulfil all of your storage and display needs. This storage cabinet measures 180cm in height, 111.5cm in width and 40cm in depth. www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk WOOOD KINGSIZE BLACK METAL FOUR POSTER BED Cuckooland The Woood Kingsize Black Metal Four Poster Bed is a smart modern approach to a classic. The black powder-coated finish helps it to fit in with every style, and you can keep it simple or get creative by draping over some textured fabric and fairy lights. Length: 205cm, Width: 165cm, Height: 190cm, Leg height: 23cm, Mattress size required: 160 x 200cm. www.cuckooland.com ■ celebrityangels.co.uk

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Security Blanket

There’s nothing so reassuring as knowing that your home is safe and secure – so how can the latest technologies help to give you that safety blanket feeling?

he idea of the ‘smart home’ has been around for decades, but it’s only really with the universal reach of the internet, the common use of personal digital devices such as mobile phones, and the development of common connection standards for the ‘Internet of things’ (IoT) that we’ve approached the 1950s dream of a home that does everything for you with a word or a gesture. It’s now possible to control your heating, lighting, utilities, communication and security with a simple app on a mobile device, or with a speech-activated ‘personal assistant’ such as Amazon’s Alexa. While all these features are handy, none perhaps has a more comforting ring to it than the idea of smart home security. REMOTE CONTROL It’s always been a worry that our property and possessions are at risk, either when we’re out of the house, or even when we’re tucked up safely in bed – thoughts of

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intrusion, fire, flooding or breakdown can play on the nerves. Thankfully, modern smart security systems can do a lot to alleviate these worries. Alarms There’s nothing new about the idea of a burglar alarm, but modern systems put a great deal more flexibility in the hands of the householder. For intrusion detection, vibration sensors can be fitted to doors and windows, connected to a siren and/or smartphone app. Face recognition cameras can ignore known faces while triggering an alarm when a stranger is detected. You don’t even have to fiddle with the alarm system when you leave home – it can be set to activate when you leave, and deactivate automatically when you arrive home. Of course if there is a false alarm in the day, you can spare the neighbours by deactivating it from your app. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms can alert you to fires, triggering audible alarms and/or alerts to your smartphone.

Smart alarms will monitor their own battery state and Wi-Fi connection to alert you if there is any system problem. Locks One of the problems with conventional locks is that it’s easy to lose keys, or for

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HOME measures wherever they may be, such as calling the police or setting off an alarm to dissuade a presumptive burglar. All the features of the Netatmo Smart Cameras are available without subscription. It is quick and easy to install, fully customisable, designed to look elegant and weather resistant. Plus the camera is fully compatible with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

someone to copy them. With keyless locks operated by a code number, you never have to take the risk of hiding a spare key under a flower-pot.

IMAGES: Dreamstime

Monitors As part of a smart security system, an appconnected video doorbell allows you to see and speak to whoever is approaching your property, even when you’re not at home. They’re easy to install, particularly if you already have a wired doorbell with chime, and you can download and replay video clips from any time of the day (even in the dark using night vision functions). Cameras Closed-Circuit TeleVision (CCTV) has been around for years, but modern security cameras take the idea a step further. Easy to install and less expensive than a complete CCTV security system, smart cameras from Netatmo (www.netatmo.com) enable the user to keep an eye on their home using their smartphone, tablet or computer, even if they are thousands of miles away from home. Netatmo smart cameras use Artificial Intelligence algorithms, enabling them to distinguish between important and unimportant events. The Netatmo Outdoor Smart Camera with Siren alerts the user in real-time if there is a break-in and deters burglars. Straight away, users can remotely trigger the 105dB alarm to scare away intruders. It can distinguish between a person, an animal or a vehicle, while the Indoor Camera is equipped with a facial recognition feature. They can therefore detect unusual situations and immediately alert the user. This enables the householders to quickly take appropriate

ENVIRONMENT A smart modulating thermostat can set up a heating schedule for your household that is tailored to your lifestyle, and can adapt to environmental conditions. You can even change the temperature of your hot water supply remotely using your smartphone app, so for instance if you have been away, you have hot water ready as soon as you get home. Smart environment systems can monitor factors such as room temperature, CO 2 levels, humidity, and noise levels, to make sure that you get a good night’s sleep and can practise good habits to improve your well-being. It’s been a long time coming, but so far as smart home and security systems are concerned, the future is already here! ■

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Martin’s Tips “I’m all for CCTV recording equipment to enhance your home security, but beware of data protection laws – if your cameras record your neighbours, you may be find yourself breaking the code of practice of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Read up on the General Data Protection laws at https://gdpr.eu.”

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Get the Royal Look

With the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations coming up this Summer, you can be sure that red, white and blue will be in style. How can you capture the royal look for your home or street party?

ROYAL CREST BOLSTER CUSHION Auburn Fox Auburn Fox has a collection of Union Flag cushions and bunting (right) designed to inject a regal touch into interior schemes ahead of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Suitable as much for the family sofa as they are the most regal of thrones, the sixstrong collection has a vintage touch and is resplendent in the classic red, white and blue of the flag of the United Kingdom. The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom in gold braiding is also featured on a selection of the cushions. Made from hard-wearing duck fabric with a polyester insert, the cushions are robust enough for every day use offering a practical, yet stylish scatter cushion. Prices from £22.99. www.auburnfox.co.uk

Commonwealth including the Tudor rose (England), thistle (Scotland), leek (Wales), shamrock (Ireland), and wattle (Australia). Handmade in Britain, 100% cotton with a contrasting plain red material reverse, the 30 x 30cm cushions are machine washable, and zip on one side to add your own inner. www.victoriaeggs.com

PLATINUM JUBILEE CUSHION COVER Victoria Eggs The intricately hand-drawn design (right) was inspired by the magnificent dress worn by The Queen during her Coronation in 1952. The dress featured embroidered flowers from every country in the

LIMITED EDITION PIN UP QUEEN GARDEN ART YardArt UK Bringing real street art outdoors with Yardart’s wonderful range of Limited Edition garden art, all designs are digitally printed using UV protected weatherproof colour fast inks and applied to high quality

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IMAGES: Auburn Fox, Victoria Eggs

his Summer is going to be one of national celebration as Queen Elizabeth celebrates her Platinum Jubilee. As well of the inevitable flood of commemorative memorabilia, plenty of designers are using the patriotic red, white and blue colours or the inspiration of 1950s design in their offerings. So, whether you are planning in indoor party, a garden event or a street celebration, let’s look at some of the Platinum Jubileeinspired products you can use to wave the flag this summer.

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outdoor grade acrylic. Install onto fences, brick walls or concrete using architectural bolts to suit the design (above). https://yardartuk.co.uk

IMAGES: Yard Art, Firepits UK, Logi, Annabel James, Nessa Foye Designs

JUBILEE FIREPIT CROWN FirepitsUK Fitting the majority of the company’s 60cm, 70cm and 80cm designs, the Jubilee Crown adds to the dignity and nobility of its British made firepits. Made from British steel and manufactured in Monmouthshire, this limited edition fire pit addition (top right) is the crowning glory to your own Jubilee garden gatherings and royal revelries. www.firepitsuk.co.uk QUEEN’S PLATINUM JUBILEE 2022 GARDEN ORNAMENTS LOGI Firepits The collection (middle left) is made in the form of chess pieces: a Queen, a Knight signifying the Queen’s love of horses, and a Rook taking the form of Windsor Castle. Laser cut, high quality thick steel, designed to be fixed easily and to have a long service life, this is the perfect set of decorations for your garden party. www.logifirepits.com UNION JACK LUXURY MERINO JUBILEE THROW/PICNIC BLANKET Annabel James This supersoft Merino lambswool Union Jack throw with deep fringe (middle right)

is perfect for throwing over the back of the sofa, on the bed, or even in the car to add extra warmth. With the addition of luxury leather straps it becomes a picnic blanket - perfect for the Jubilee celebrations. This patriotic Merino throw celebrates Britain in its classic red, white and blue colours. British design, British made, and British quality from one of this country’s last remaining vertical woollen mills. Approximate size 200 x 135 cm including fringe. www.annabeljames.co.uk PLATINUM JUBILEE BUNTING Nessa Foye Designs This patriotic bunting has the most adorable London print featuring loads of instanty recognisable London icons: Tower Bridge, St Pauls, Big Ben, red buses, red phone boxes and loads more, matched with

jolly red and white polka dots, Union Jacks and a lovely red, white and blue stripe. Bunting consists of 10 flags, measuring 19cm wide x 21cm tall. The flag part measures 225cm long, with an additional 40cm on each end to enable you to tie it up. Each flag is double sided so it can be hung across the middle of a room and enjoyed from all angles. www.nessafoyedesigns.etsy.com »

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JUBILEE TURNER COUNTER STOOL Gabriella James To mark the Platinum Jubilee, Gabriella James, Chairmakers has designed a Special Edition Jubilee Turner Counter Stool upholstered in a traditionally woven Union Flag (below). For every one sold during 2022, Gabriella James will ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee’ in association with The Queen’s Green Canopy, a charity that has been established for this special occasion. Slim enough to tuck under any counter or in any kitchen corner, the Turner Counter Stool is a winning combination of practical comfort and style. The traditional button-shaped seat is handmade from 100% natural stuffing materials including natural latex, coconut coir and pure merino wool, making it uncompromisingly comfortable to sit on, and the solid wood frame is hand carved with traditionally turned legs in sustainably sourced English Ash and finished with a natural wax oil, enhancing the beautifully warm grain. www.gabriellajames.co.uk PLATINUM JUBILEE LION AND UNICORN CUSHION Jan Constantine The Lion and the Unicorn are synonymous with the British monarchy and they are appliquéd and hand embroidered with great skill onto this luxurious regal purple wool felt cushion (right). The Queen’s beasts flank a red heart embroidered with the Queen’s insignia and adorned with a crown. The dates of the Queen’s reign 1952 - 2022 are inscribed upon a banner below. Touches of antique gold thread add to the majestic beauty of this limited edition collectors’ item, measuring 18x18 inches. www.janconstantine.com 82

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CORONATION CHAIR DECORATION Westminster Abbey Shop Exclusively made for Westminster Abbey, this highly detailed decoration (left) is a replica of the of the Coronation Chair, housed in Westminster Abbey. The Coronation Chair was made for King Edward I to enclose the famous Stone of Scone, which he brought from Scotland to the Abbey in 1296, where he placed it in the care of the Abbot of Westminster. This decoration has been hand-made in India by St Nicolas using the traditional rare and respected method of zardozi, a highly skilled embroidery technique that traditionally used gold wires and jewels to embellish courtly robes. shop.westminster-abbey.org ■

IMAGES: Wallsauce, Gabriella James, Jan Constantie, Westmister Abbey Shop

VINTAGE FLAG WALLPAPER MURAL Wallsauce This made-to-measure wallpaper mural (right) available at Wallsauce.com is available to order onto a variety of wallpapers, including paste-the-wall, and peel-and-stick that’s great for rented accommodation. Prices start from: UK £30/m2, Europe - €40/m2, USA - $5.83/sq ft, Australia - $65/m2. www.wallsauce.com

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The Smell of Success It’s a bit of a cliché that a pleasant aroma can help sell your property – but is there any truth to it?

only three months, yet humans can recall smells with 65 percent accuracy after an entire year. The idea was backed up by a survey by mortgage comparison site Bankrate UK, which questioned 2,000 people to discover their favourite smell in five age groups. In three groups, the smell voted ‘most comforting’ was, wait for it, baking bread. So, if you’re expecting house-hunters, reach for the breadmaker. WELCOMING ‘The strategic use of scent in a home can create a warm and welcoming environment, immediately putting potential buyers at ease,’ says Nisha Vaidya, Mortgage Expert at Bankrate UK. ‘Fragrances that not only appeal to individual buyers, but also draw upon emotions can help prospective buyers to picture themselves living there.’ The full rundown of popular scents goes like this: 1. Freshly baked bread (38.6 percent ) 2. Fresh linen (32.8) 3. Coffee (28.7) 4. Vanilla (18.8)

5. Lavender (17.5) 6. Fresh cut grass (15.7) 7. Cinnamon (11.7) 8. Chocolate (7.7) 9. Blossom (6.8) 10. Sandalwood (6.7) But there’s more! The survey was also able to break down popular selling scents by individual rooms:  Living room: woody oriental  Dining room: sweet  Kitchen: citrus  Bedroom: aromatic  Home office/study: woody oriental  Bathroom: citrus  Hallway: floral oriental It’s worth bearing in mind the age of your prospective buyers when arranging your aromatic welcome: the average age of a UK first-time buyer is 34, and although fresh bread did come in the top three for all age groups, the survey revealed that Generation Z is more attracted to sweeter scents than older generations, with 16-24 year olds most drawn to the sweet scent of vanilla. ■

IMAGES: Dreamstime

f the many tips that we are given on how to increase the sales appeal of your property, from decluttering the garden to repainting to woodwork, one of the most commonly repeated is that a pleasant smell can help you sell. But is there any real research behind this factoid? Shopify recently reported on ‘scent marketing’, the practice of diffusing strategically chosen scents at different locations in stores; the goal is to create a memorable, pleasant shopping experience and increase sales, and it seems to work. An experiment by Nike showed that customers were 84 percent more likely to buy shoes in a scented environment versus a nonscented environment, and were willing to pay 10 percent to 20 percent more in scented environments for products they wanted. Studies show that visual recall of images sinks to about 50 percent after

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The power of fragrance Transform your space and ambience with the perfect lasting aroma to calm, uplift or energise. Whether you want to refresh and invigorate with zesty citrus notes or calm and relax with soothing herbal accords, create an immediate positive influence when guests enter any room by utilising the power of fragrance.

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The Panel Game Bored with paint and find wallpaper too fiddly? Try the latest decorative trend, wall panelling

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aybe it’s the influence of period dramas like Bridgerton and Sanditon, but the trend for wall panelling seems to be taking over everywhere. Either that, or it’s just that people are fed up with plain painted walls, or the fiddliness of sticking up wallpaper. Wall panelling, or moulding, isn’t a new idea - from the late 15th century, wall panelling was developed to make the rooms in stone building warmer and less draughty. The Gothic and Tudor periods saw more intricate detailing appear on the wall panels, mostly made of either oak or pine, and in the 17th and 18th centuries, socalled ‘bolection’ moulding transformed the look of affluent homes, with wood or plaster carved mouldings used to enhanced door frames, window lintels, fireplace mantels and staircases. Frenchstyle carved mouldings or boiseries gave rise to an entire panelling industry, while

Victorian walls were typically panelled up to the mid area of the wall and then capped off with a dado rail. But what goes around comes around, and wall panelling is back in style, a decorative feature that fits particularly well with period houses featuring moulding, coving and ceiling roses in plaster or wood. It’s easy to fit, with tongue-and-groove joints, simply glued over plaster, wallpaper or tiles, and usually manufactured from a moisture-resistant MDF which is not prone to shrinkage or cracking associated with softwoods. You can finish panels how you like, with paint, varnish, lime waxing or a distressed effect. STYLES There are several styles of panelling available, including slat styles, which work well for boho, Nordic or mid-century interiors; and moulding panels, essentially wood trim cut with various grooves and detail used to accentuate and add

structure to plain walls. One common style is a rectangle frame moulding at the top and bottom of a wall, divided by a dado rail in the centre or below centre, while wainscoting is a similar style to moulding panels, fitted to the lower half of the wall. “Board and batten” panelling using wider thin woods or MDF can be installed vertically or horizontally, and works well with farmhouse, traditional or rusticthemed rooms. More complicated geometric panelling is a popular option for a statement wall. You can get it pre-cut or, if you have the skills and a mitre saw, you can DIY it. If you want to go crazy, think about asymmetric panelling; this is less demanding of precise cuts and angles, and certainly creates a unique result. Bear in mind, though, that while one panelled room may be a joy, you don’t want to go overboard and panel the whole house – when the time comes to sell, it may not be to everyone’s taste! ■

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he bathroom is one of the areas of the house where the most design changes have taken place in the last few years. The requirement for saving water and energy, along with changing tastes in design style and concept, has made the bathroom fertile ground for styling ideas. It’s easy to make mistakes; the notorious ‘avocado bathroom suite’ of the 1970s is the first thing most buyers would want to rip out (though you watch it coming back into fashion as soon as there’s a popular TV series set in the ‘70s). So, where do you go for bathroom ideas that will turn your utility into a haven of hygiene and an ocean of opulence? We have some of the most satisfying here...

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BIG BATHROOM SHOP MILANO BARQ WET ROOM SHOWER Big Bathroom Shop The Barqwet room shower enclosure (bottom right) comes in a range of sizes to ensure a perfect fit, while the stainless steel shower drain comes in a choice of styles. Measuring 1950mm in height to contain more shower splashes, the wet room shower features a black grid pattern design, printed onto the outside of the glass, which makes cleaning easier. The screen uses 8mm toughened safety glass to ensure superb strength and durability. Complete the look and enjoy a luxurious showering experience with one of the stylish Milano Nero black shower systems. www.bigbathroomshop.co.uk

Wild

The bathroom is the part of the house where practicality runs straight into design requirements. How can you keep it efficient yet attractive?

IMAGES: Quick-Step, The Big Bathroom Shop, Sanctuary Bathrooms

Wet and

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and base, such as white ceramic top and nickel metal base, or pink ceramic top and matt nickel metal base. Viadurini can supply coordinated bathroom furniture such as bidet, sink, and taps. www.viadurini.co.uk

IMAGES: English Blinds, ChunkyFramhouse, Viadurini, Hyperion Tiles

OYSTER CONCRETE VINYL FLOORING Quick-Step From the Quick-Step Illume Collection, Oyster Concrete vinyl flooring (opposite left) costs from £43.49 per m2. The brand, known for its patented glueless Uniclic installation system, has evolved from being an affordable alternative to wood to a category in its own right, bringing a wide variety of design floors that are easy to install and maintain. The water-resistant flooring is compatible with floor heating. www.quick-step.co.uk DOUBLE VANITY UNIT ChunkyFarmhouse Manufactured in its West Yorkshire factory from distressed railway sleepers, this unit (top right) does not come with sinks, however sinks are available if required. These vanity units can also be supplied in single units with or without sinks and taps. They come designer distressed and over time they age in a unique way allowing ‘shakes’ or separation of the grain to appear as they mature. www.chunkyfarmhouse.com BC DESIGNS 1500MM COPPER FREESTANDING BOAT BATH Sanctuary Bathrooms Handmade using traditional techniques combined with a classic, roll-top design, this beautiful copper freestanding bath with white enamel inner (opposite, top right) will create a statement in all traditional

bathroom settings. This distinctive work of art is unique to you and will feature gentle undulations and colour variations - bringing character and authenticity to your bathroom. You can decide to maintain the beautiful shine or leave it to age and weather, or BC Designs can paint this bath exterior in any Farrow & Ball or Little Greene eggshell finish. www.sanctuary-bathrooms.co.uk

MEMPHIS PORCELAIN LEAD TILES Hyperion Tiles Ca’Pietra Memphis Porcelain Lead Tiles (bottom) feature a decorative star print and are available in six on-trend colours including Denim and Khaki. You can use them both inside and out, on walls and floors, and the unrefined edges give the tiles a handmade encaustic feel. The tiles measure 20x20cm and are sold in boxes of 25. www.hyperiontiles.co.uk ■

REEF MARINE BLUE PATTERNED ROLLER BLINDS English Blinds Prices start from just £17.59 for a made to measure blind measuring W30cm X D30cm. Price for an average sized UK window W120cm X D120cm is £57.71. Compliant with EU13120 child safety directive, supplied with fitting and care instructions and made with high quality British components, the blinds (top left) come with a three-year guarantee. www.englishblinds.co.uk MARWA STYLE CERAMIC BATHROOM CONSOLE Viadurini.it The style of this console (above right) can be defined as neoclassical: retro lines blend with more modern materials, such as metal. Marwa is entirely handmade in Italy in ceramics, so it is durable, wear resistant, easy to clean and hypoallergenic. The washbasin top is equipped with an upstand, and with one or three tap holes, and different finishes are available for top celebrityangels.co.uk

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Brush With Success If the thought of painting your house fills you with horror, take note of our simple tips to make the whole process smooth and satisfying

CHOOSING COLOUR The range of paints available is staggering, and they’re not cheap, so your first task is to make sure that you have the 90

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right type for the job. Start with the colours you love. If you’re redecorating to sell a property, the common advice is to go for a neutral colour. If not, the world is your oyster; you can scan through decorating interiors magazines looking for inspiration, or even take colour cues from internet mood boards, social media sites, fabric patterns, natural spaces, artwork, movies or TV. Once you have settled on a base colour, use a colour wheel (usually available free at paint stores) to choose

complementary colour ranges. Watch out for undertones in paint colours – a beige shade may, for instance, have a green undertone which becomes overwhelming on large areas. Always get a tester pot and paint a small area before committing. TIP – Combine a neutral wall shade with a pastel ceiling to add a bit of character without losing the soothing vibe. There are also, of course, different types of paint, the main types being oil-based and water-based.

IMAGES: Dreamstime

ousehold painting jobs can, in truth, be messy, tiring and unsatisfactory – if you don’t use the right tools and techniques. But follow our top tips and you’ll soon be admiring smooth and professional-looking results in just the colour and finish you dreamed of – and with no unpleasant overspill.

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TIP – Use your tester pot to paint a board which you can more to different positions in the room. Most wall paint is water-based, as it is easier to use and to clean up after. Waterbased paint doesn’t normally require a primer coat, is quick-drying, low on VOCs (potentially harmful Volatile Organic Compounds), and gives a colour-stable, flexible finish, but it can be less vivid and herd-wearing than oil-based paint. Oil-based paint is durable, versatile and gives a rich, smooth, durable finish, but can be tricky to apply and clean up (particularly if you’re sensitive to VOCs).

TIP – If your surface is painted with an oilbased paint, water-based paint may not take over it. Wash the surface first then roughen it with a medium grit sandpaper to make sure it’s a good surface for the water-based paint to stick to. Finally, of course, there’s your choice of tools. Economising with cheap brushes that shed bristles, or worn, dried out paint rollers, will never give you satisfactory results. When using a paintbrush or roller:

TIP – If you want a water-based paint with an oil paint effect, look for “waterborne enamels” or “waterborne alkyds” which look and behave much like oil-based options. Within these main types of paint there are variations of finish types such as flat, satin, eggshell, semi-gloss and gloss. Gloss is usually used on woodwork.

✔ Make sure you have the right brush for the job. There are different sizes, shapes and bristle types for walls, trims, etc. ✘ Don’t dip the brush all the way to the handle. Any more than half-way up the bristles and you risk messy drips and wasted paint. ✔ Paint in long strokes of around 12 inches for a smoother finish. ✘ Don’t leave brushes or rollers wet during a break. If you don’t have time to clean them thoroughly, wrap them in plastic bags and put them in the fridge overnight. ■

Martin’s Tips “The best decorating advice I ever had was about stripping doors – get someone else to do it! Just take it off and for about £40 you can get it dipped it in a tank of chemicals, and brought back when it’s beautiful. All the doors in my house were stripped this way. They look much better, and it’s saved me so much pain!”

h Matte paint is the least reflective finish, and good at hiding imperfections, but can be difficult to clean. h Eggshell or satin paint have some reflectivity and improved durability, and are suitable for kitchens and bathrooms. h Semi-gloss and gloss paint are best for kitchens, doors, window frames, skirting boards, accent walls, and bathrooms, are highly reflective, durable and cleanable, though unforgiving of imperfections.

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IMAGES: Dreamstime

PREPARATION Any professional would tell you that the most important part of a painting job the preparation. You will never get a good finish if the surface you are working on is not clean, dry, smooth and level. Depending on the quality of the surface you may spend a lot longer on the preparation than on the painting. Old wallpaper must be removed thoroughly, damp and mould treated and sealed, and cracks filled and levelled. celebrityangels.co.uk

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Upcycle to Save

pcycling is the latest trend in furniture - it’s not only a relaxing creative pastime, it’s also good for the planet. But where do

you start? It was the stunning shape of a tired chest of drawers, not the distracting orange varnish, that caught the attention of Claire Manton, furniture artist and founder of Claire’s CraftHouse. The quality piece was originally manufactured by Younger, a British furniture

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manufacturer known for contemporary style and design in the ‘50s to the ‘70s. It looked tired, but Claire was determined to give it a second chance. She said: “I hate the thought of wellbuilt, carefully crafted furniture going to landfill. From an aesthetic point of view they might have seen better days, but there’s plenty of life left in these old pieces. “With the interiors market looking to become more sustainable, upcycling is a great way to reuse pre-loved pieces, while

unleashing your own creativity.” In completing this project, Claire used: h Fusion TSP Organic Degreaser h Fusion Homestead Blue and ‘Brushed Steel’ Metallic h Black Glaze (Fusion Clear Glaze mixed with ‘Coal Black’) h Fusion Tough Coat sealer h Handle holes filled with Dixie Belle Mud All products are available to buy from www.clairescrafthouse.co.uk.

IMAGES: Dreamstime, Claire’s CraftHouse

Upcycling furniture is a great way to extend its life and reduce waste. We bring you some tips from expert Claire Manton and an example of what you could achieve

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 “To start, I removed the hardware and gave the piece a thorough clean using an organic degreaser – the first step in any upcycling project – followed by a good scuff sand. Next, I wiped off any cleaner residue and sanding debris. I then filled the handle holes since the handles were being replaced with a different style.”  “Taking inspiration from the classic style of this chest of drawers I chose Fusion Homestead Blue, with its grey and muted teal undertones, as the perfect base. However, I wanted to add depth and definition, to ensure the colour didn’t look flat and one dimensional, and this was achieved using a black glaze over the top, and a dark brushed steel blended into the painted top section. Because glaze sits in natural grooves, it highlights these natural features and gives an appealing multi-tonal effect.”  “The finishing touches were achieved using some stunning pewter effect drop handles, and the piece was sealed to protect the glaze finish and provide durability against day-to-day wear and tear.” A scuff-sand is enough to key a surface so that paint has something to bond to. When

scuff-sanding a varnished piece, there is no need to remove all of the varnish, in fact sometimes this can be counter-productive and cause bleed-through issues. Using a medium grit sandpaper (approximately 120-180 grit), rub over the surface to de-gloss any shine. Always clean before scuff sanding to prevent surface grease from clogging up your sandpaper. HOW TO GLAZE 1. “Ensure your painted base is sealed. This makes it easier to move the glaze around and achieve the effect you’re looking for. Mineral paints such as Fusion have a built-in sealer so are ideal for using with glaze.” 2. “Choose your glaze – I used a glaze medium that can be mixed with any paint colour. Pre-mixed glazes are also available and make the process even more simple.” 3. “Apply your glaze using a chip brush and then wipe off using a lint-free microfibre pad to create your preferred effect.” 4. “Glazes are slow-drying so allow your piece to sit overnight and then seal to protect your finish.” ■

TOP TIPS FOR UPCYCLING 1. Look for used items in charity shops, antique shops or even the local recycling yard. Look for solid, quality furniture that just needs a bit of attention to restore it. 2. Work on covering sheets and protect yourself with gloves, goggles and mask. 3. Remove old paint and varnish with sandpaper, paint stripper or a hand-held sander. Be careful to remove only the covering, don’t damage the wood. 4. Once you have an even surface, prime it with suitable wood paint. 5. Finish off with a top-coat of gloss, silk or matte paint, or add stencilling effects or decoupage (paper cut-outs). Coat with varnish to seal and decorate with new handles or other fittings.

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Taking your home to the next level Pollock Homelifts is an independently owned British business that for the past 38 years has been successfully designing, manufacturing and installing lifts in the UK. One of the key ingredients to our success has been our ability to offer a top quality collection of products which ranges from home lifts, home elevators, through to floor lifts and platform lifts. This extensive range of lift products allows us to provide our customers with the best advice and value for money products on the market. Our priority is safety and product reliability, as demonstrated by our certifications and accreditations. All our lifts conform fully to British Safety Standards. Delivering On Every Level We have been designing and manufacturing home lifts in the UK for 38 years. Our home lifts are unique, innovative and can be fitted in almost any residential environment to enhance your life. Unlike other conventional lifts that require hydraulics, our home lifts use a smart electric motor that is whisper-quiet and requires less power to run. All our home lifts have a compact footprint and a self-supporting structure that allows the lift to easily move through the floor. Luxury To Suit Your Lifestyle Our Residential Elevator provides smooth and quiet through-floor travel and is an impressive addition to any home. Designed to be easily installed in a wide range of homes, the Residential Elevator is available in a range of sizes and with travel distance up to 4.2 metres. It travels on elegant vertical elevator rails that mean when the lift is not in the room you can enjoy all of your living space. Manufactured to the highest safety standards and with a range of optional extras, our Residential Elevator is the ultimate choice for adding value to your lifestyle at home.

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Homelift specialists since 1983

Benefits of a Pollock Homelift Quick Installation Typically installing your Homelift takes 1- 2 days and there should be no requirement to redecorate once your home lift is installed. Full Warranty Pollock Homelifts come with a full 12-month warranty to cover all parts and labour.

Create The Lift Of Your Dreams Our Bespoke Home Lifts integrate seamlessly with your home, without the need for extensive building work associated with conventional lifts. We’ve combined the advantages of platform lift technology with the comfort of a fully enclosed cabin. This creates an experience that gives you the same sense of luxury as a conventional lift but at a fraction of the cost. You can personalise every part of our lifts to fit with your home – choose from market leading options to build the lift of your dreams. We have a range of homelifts, through to floor lifts and platform lifts to suit you and your home. Designed to be whisper-quiet and fit seamlessly with your home, our homelifts can be customised with a variety of optional extras including mood lighting, bespoke colour options and display screens. Installation is quick and easy, only taking one or two days. • Market leading technology. • Smallest lift on the market. • Quick and easy to install. • 12-month warranty. • Certified to the British Standard 5900:2012.

A Perfect Fit Pollock Homelifts come in a range of sizes to suit individual needs as well as the available space in your home. Back-Up Power Pollock Homelifts have a dedicated battery back-up that will take over in the event of a power cut. Service Agreement Service agreements are available post installation to ensure your lift is serviced and operating safely for years to come. Expert Design Pollock Homelifts have been created to suit different needs and budgets using knowledge gleaned from users, healthcare professionals and our own experience.

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Just the Lift You Need When you need help getting upstairs, your first thought might be a chairlift; but there’s an attractive alternative in the form of a home elevator

lifts, can actually enhance the appearance and appeal of your house. A typical “residential elevator” travels smoothly and quietly on vertical rails through a hatch in the floor above. Travel distance is typically around four metres, but bespoke models can offer distances of as much as 13m, with a number of stops. DESIGNS Home lifts come in a number of different designs including partially or fully enclosed cabinets. One big advantage over chairlifts is that lifts can be big enough to take more than one person, or a wheelchair. They will be fitted with backup battery power so in the event of a power cut they can be returned to the ground floor and the door opened manually, and optional extras sometimes include a built-in phone,

adjustable lighting, a tip-up seat and so on. It takes a couple of days to fit a home elevator, and it can usually be done without planning permission or much disruption to existing decoration. Because the rails are usually against the wall, the lift mechanism isn’t in your way when the cabinet is on the other floor; they can take up less than a square metre in space. Common options include fitting them from a downstairs living room straight up into the master bedroom, in a stairwell void to the upstairs landing, or even in a cupboard. They are usually self-supporting so need no load-bearing walls, and some designs can be fitted to the outside of buildings, and also have applications in cases such as underground car parking. Though the cost of a home elevator will vary according to the requirements and the

IMAGES: Pollock Homelifts

obility problems in later life, particularly for people who live alone, can mean that their homes become difficult to navigate; particularly if they are on two floors, and the stairs are difficult. There just aren’t enough bungalows to satisfy demand, and in any case, you may not want to move out of your familiar home. So what can you do if one or more of the occupants of your home has difficulty with the stairs? A common solution is a chairlift; easily fitted and customised to the shape of your stairs, chairlifts are a great solution for many. But is there a better one? You could contemplate putting in a home lift. Dismiss thoughts of huge clanky cabinets with manually operated scissor gates; modern home lifts are advanced in technology and design, and unlike chair

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technology used, to give a rough idea of cost, a one-floor lift can be manufactured to order within a few weeks, may take only a day to install, and might cost from around £12,000. You will of course pay extra for additional features and customisation. For a few thousands extra, you may get a better choice of finishes and colours, and additional floor capabilities, perhaps up to six floors. Of course the number of floors very much affects the cost because of the fittings needed on each floor. TYPES A pneumatic, or vacuum, elevator moves the cabinet using changes in air pressure. It does not require construction of a pit, shaft, or machine room. A pneumatic elevator can be attached to a balcony or travel through a hole in the floor. A vacuum elevator designed to carry a single passenger up to three stops will

be suitable for most homes, requiring as little as under one square metre of space. Vacuum elevators are an environmentally conscious option requiring minimal floor space and no pit below, and run completely on the power of air, offering a quiet, ecofriendly accessibility solution. Vacuum elevators though do have some disadvantages; they tend to be slower and smaller than hydraulic elevators, will carry less weight and must be circular in shape. They cannot be concealed so they will always be a visible feature of the home. If there is a power cut, they will automatically descend to the lowest floor, which is a good safety feature unless, of course, there is a fire on the lowest floor. A hydraulic elevator lifts the cab using a hydraulic ram, a piston inside a cylinder that is driven by a hydraulic fluid, typically oil. A pump forces fluid from a tank into a pipe that leads to the cylinder. If the valve is closed, the fluid is forced into the cylinder,

which pushes a piston up and raises the elevator cab. When the valve is opened, the hydraulic fluid flows back into the reservoir and the cab descends. COSTS Hydraulic elevators consume oil and need more frequent maintenance than other types of elevators. While they are more expensive than other types, hydraulic elevators offer quieter and smoother operation. Some hydraulic elevators require a pit and machine room. Hydraulic elevators are more expensive than vacuum elevators, and may take longer to install. However they have advantages in terms of size, weight carried, and speed. Hydraulic elevators also have more options for shape than vacuum elevators, and are quieter in operation, though they may cost more to run. So, could a home elevator give your life just the lift you need? ■

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Pump It Up

What are heat pumps and why are we going to be hearing a lot more about them? The answer is all to do with saving the planet

TECHNOLOGY For start, what are heat pumps and how do they work? There are several different types: air, ground, water and biomass. Heat pumps are electrically powered devices that absorb heat from the air, ground or water around a building. An air-source heat pump, for instance, sucks in outdoor air and passes it over tubes containing refrigerant fluids to produce heat. The unit itself, the size of a filing cabinet, stands outside the property to draw in air. It should be about a metre from any neighbouring property so it can’t be heard, though it shouldn’t make much more noise than a refrigerator. Inside the house will be a pump unit about half the size of a current gas boiler, and a hot water cylinder, the size of which will depend on your heating needs. A ground source heat pump is a much larger proposition, requiring a bore-hole dug as deep as 100m, or a substantial horizontal system dug into the ground. 100

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GAS SWITCH-OFF By 2025, new homes will be banned from installing gas and oil boilers and will be heated by low-carbon alternatives. The ban is part of a UK action plan to reach carbon net zero by 2050, but as yet, there’s no set date to phase out gas boilers altogether.

Water source heat pumps (WSHPs) work by extracting heat from a body of water and converting it into useful energy to heat your home. They use a series of submerged pipes containing a working fluid to absorb the heat from a river, lake, large pond or borehole. Biomass boilers use renewable fuels such as wood pellets, and are most suitable for use in rural areas.

IMAGES: Dreamstime

s announced in the Chancellor’s Spring Statement, the government is offering people in England and Wales £5,000 towards the costs of replacing gas boilers with heat pumps. VAT will also be removed from heat pumps for the next five years. But what is heat pump technology, and why is it being pushed on us? The reason is that heat pumps are a more environmentally friendly source of heating than gas - they don’t burn fossil fuels and they don’t waste heat. Of course, in the current energy price crisis, we are also all concerned about the price of gas. So, are heat pumps the solution to all our problems? It’s certainly not as straightforward as it sounds.

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THE SCHEME The boiler upgrade scheme was announced in 2021 to help reduce the cost of these more environmentally-friendly heating systems, and grants will be available for systems up to 45kW in capacity (though the average home in the UK requires only a 4kW system). To qualify for a grant, the property must have an eligible Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) issued in the last 10 years, and loft or cavity wall insulation. Grants are not available for social housing or a new-build property, though private rented accommodation is eligible if the decision is taken by the landlord. Grants can amount to £5,000 for air source heat pumps (ASHPs), about 75% to 50% of the cost; and £6,000 for the less commonly used ground source heat pump (GSHP) or water-source heat pump (WSHP), which would cover between 50% and 30% of the cost of the unit, though there would be additional costs for installation.

The government has set aside £450m for a voucher scheme run by OFGEM which will cover a maximum of 90,000 boilers hardly sufficient when there are around 23m homes in the UK with gas boilers. No-one knows what the other 22,910,000 households are supposed to do! COSTS So, will it be cheaper to run a heat pump than a gas boiler? Heat pumps are said to be three times more efficient than gas boilers, so in theory you should save money. But they use electricity to run, and electricity is expensive in itself (though you could power a heat pump using solar panels). Despite installation costs, given the current high price of gas, heat pumps could still work out cheaper in the long run, and the government says it will work on ways to make them no more expensive to run than gas heaters. But to make them practical for most households, installation costs will first have to come down a lot. ■

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Martin’s Tips “Like many property investors I must confess that I have properties that aren’t as energy efficient as they should be. Yep, hands up I have generally favoured gas boilers to provide heating and hot water – which is also true for 20 million (85% of) UK homes. But, like others I am becoming increasingly aware of the environmental impact of heating these homes in this way and when I hear statistics like “around 20% of all UK carbon emissions come from home heating”, I start to think I could be doing my bit – both as a homeowner and a landlord. I dare say the days of the traditional gas boiler are numbered - but even having a swanky new, more efficient boiler won’t solve the problem by itself – the property also needs to be well insulated.”

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Model shown shown biOrb biOrb LIFE LIFE 30 30 MCR. MCR. Choose your your favourite favourite design design at at biorb.com biorb.com

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Tanks for the Memories

Fed up with watching the television? What about a more contemplative form of entertainment, like an aquarium?

IMAGES: Dreamstime

here’s nothing more relaxing and meditative than watching live fish flitting around in a home aquarium – but aren’t fishtanks nasty, smelly, intrusive things that require endless cleaning and maintenance? Not any more – a modern aquarium can fit beautifully into a contemporary home design, and the technology has advanced to the stage where care and maintenance is a breeze. Gone are the days of foggy glass tanks lined with mossy deposits – modern aquaria come with crystal clear glass panels with mitred edges giving a brilliant view, and feature minimalist, integrated cabinets in a choice of colours, which can be built into wall units as flush designs. Decorative trims which look stunning and help to hide limescale and dirt deposits, while the cabinets, with push-to-open doors, conceal all the heating and pumping technology. Lighting is often configurable to create the look you want, and concealed feeding flaps make it easy to keep your fish content.

enough to act as room dividers. Typically, the cabinet beneath the aquarium will house the pumping, filtering and heating equipment, as well as providing storage space for supplies and equipment, and tubes and cables will be discreetly incorporated into the design. Usually, the lid of the aquarium incorporates LED lighting set to output at the optimal wavelength of 6500 Kelvin, to ensure good plant growth and to showcase the inhabitants of your aquarium. On some units the lighting settings can be controlled by an app. On smaller units, a filter can be incorporated into the corner of the tank, keeping the water clean without

obstructing the view. The filter can be removed for easy cleaning, so service requirements are minimal. You may choose to start off with a basic aquarium tank, but the temptation will be there to start building an underwater landscape which will look good as well as keeping your aquatic inhabitants entertained. With more sophisticated systems you can also use apps to set a pump controller to create natural currents, and program lighting effects for different moods and times of day. Then all that’s left is to choose your fish – you can find out all you need to know from the Federation of British Aquatic Societies at www.fbas.co.uk. ■

DESIGN One of your first choices when selecting an aquarium is the size – typically available in sizes from around 75-300 litres, some are compact designs suitable for the smallest living areas, while others are large celebrityangels.co.uk

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Living Like Mad Men Mid-century style is in - but how do you capture the Mad Men vibe of Don Draper’s elegant Manhattan apartment?

here’s no doubt that the fashions and styles of the ‘50s and ‘60s, some of which had gone completely out of vogue, received a heft y revival at the hands of Mad Men, the cable TV series which ran for seven series from 2007 to 2015. Based on the adventures of enigmatic New York Madison Avenue advertising guru Don Draper, played by John Hamm, the series revived interest in the interior design of the period through wonderfully accurate interior set designs created by talented set decorator Claudette Didul-Mann, that acted as a time capsule from the world of 1960’s advertising in New York. Her attention to detail and need for authentic set design saw Claudette meticulously studying vintage issues of magazines such as Interior Design and House Beautiful to ensure attention to every element was accurate on the show. “My father worked in advertising for over 40 years and there was Herman

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Miller and Knoll furniture everywhere you went” Didul-Mann says, referencing her authentic source material and authentic pieces like the Eames conference table used in the Mad Men off ice boardroom scenes. She also used Knoll’s minimalist furniture to dress the sets, because of the clean lines and contemporary feel which can be seen throughout Sterling Cooper’s off ices and in Don and Megan’s stylish Manhattan apartment in Season 5. She references two design books from the mid 60’s book by Betty Pepis, inspiration for the glamorous sunken living room, built-in sofas and for its other mid-60’s detail seen in the Drapers’ vibrant apartment. Long after its end, the series continues to have an influence on contemporary design. In Wembley Park, London, rental management company Quintain Living has launched 381 mid-century inspired new homes at its latest building, the appropriately named Madison.

MADISON The mid-century modern inspired apartments deliver a stylish, uncluttered vibe that feels sophisticated and simple, with the elegance of 1950s/60s New York. Furnished by John Lewis & Partners, Madison’s apartments have a timeless, classic feel, with plenty of natural materials. Cool, calming tones of rich cream and pale green are counterbalanced by darker shades of brown or grey and warm orange. Retro-influenced sofas come with heavily textured grey fabrics and wooden legs, with dark-toned woods featuring heavily in dining table chairs, accent chairs with dark green or navy plush fabric seats and backs, consoles and more. Harlequin rugs and cushions add warmth and contrast. “Madison is inspired by modern mid-century design with a laid back and mature feel, the curated furniture selection reflects this. You’ll find deep wood tones, sleek lines and vintage inspired bespoke

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palette that incorporates greys and greens and an elegant dark one that’s all about dark wood tones and classic curves. The light palette features light sage and beige tones, with light blue tiled bathrooms, light brown wardrobe doors and worn ash effect wood flooring. The dark palette features rich blues and browns with dark blue tiled bathrooms, rustic barn wood effect flooring and dark brown wardrobe doors. CONTEMPORARY The result is a range of apartments that feel warm and inviting – these are homes to relax and unwind in, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of London. Large windows fill the apartments with light and make the most of the exceptional views over the leafy Union Park – one of London’s first new large public parks in decades.

All apartments have been designed around contemporary life. They include 36 adaptable apartments for wheelchair users and disabled residents, while all two-bedroom apartments have two bathrooms, making them ideal for sharers. “Each of our Wembley Park buildings has its own distinctive character and that’s certainly the case at Madison. The apartments offer a sophisticated, calming home – a haven for residents to retreat from the world and take time to focus on family life or winding down from work” says Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer of Quintain Living. It may be a world away from the chainsmoking, hard-drinking world of Don Draper, but in Madison, the mid-century style of Mad Men lives on. Find out more about Madison at www.quintainliving.com. ■

IMAGES: AMC/Lionsgate Television, Quintain Living

artwork, when brought together they achieve a classic timeless look” says Joseph Bradley of John Lewis & Partners. The furnishings are all about sleek lines and luxury fabrics, with pieces chosen to suit the apartments’ two-colour palette options. In the bedrooms, a mix of a blend of upholstered, rattan and metal beds change up the look of each bedroom and continue the mid-century elegance that flows throughout the homes. Madison’s apartments feature artworks inspired by the mid-century modern feel, some of which were painted by local artist Laura Ashby, who has been a Quintain Living resident since 2017. Laura worked together with John Lewis & Partners and their supply chain to produce bespoke artwork prints for Madison. Residents can choose between the light and dark colour palettes, a fresh light

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GET YOUR GARDEN READY FOR SUMMER

Getting your garden back in shape after a long cold winter can seem like a huge task but having the right tools for the job is half the battle in achieving an outdoor living space to be proud of. Throughout winter, it’s easy to hibernate and neglect the garden but with the summer months fast approaching, the Greenworks cordless range of products takes the hard work out of gardening. From mowing your lawn, pruning hedges, cutting back branches, collecting leaves, mending fences, or just cleaning the patio, Greenworks offers world-leading cordless products with Lithium cell batteries that feature the very best electronics and cell technology. Light to use and easy to store, the range emits no fumes or odours and offers an environmentally friendly option, suitable for any size garden. Greenworks cordless gardening equipment gives you the freedom to get the job done all whilst avoiding any mishaps from trailing cords! Greenworks has power levels for every type of garden: a 24V battery for your small garden needs, 40V for medium to large gardens, 48V for tougher jobs (two 24V batteries used on a selection of tools) and finally, there’s the 60V battery; the real powerhouse. With enough power to tackle anything from large plots of land or jobs requiring the strength of bigger machines it really does replace almost all big petrol-powered tools.

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Cutting out the hard work A healthy lawn is the heart of many gardens but mowing the grass can be a mundane chore. To speed things up, why not invest in a lightweight cordless lawn mower? It removes the need to navigate cables, allowing you to move freely and easily around the lawn. To reclaim any rampant hedges that may be getting out of hand, a cordless hedge trimmer will get the job done easier making gardening more enjoyable. For taller trees and those harderto-reach areas, you might want to think about a long-reach battery-powered hedge trimmer. Designed to suit both smaller gardens and long large hedgerows, it gets the job done with half the effort, which can help to reduce some of the unwanted side-effects caused by holding heavy equipment for long periods of time. And, to get your shrubs looking healthy and lush again, a cordless chainsaw or pruner could be the answer. Offering a quieter alternative to their petrol counterparts, you’ll keep the neighbours happy as an added bonus!

Get decked out for summer With the gardening taken care of, it’s time to start thinking about entertaining but after a year of not being used, patios are probably looking a bit grubby and worse for wear. Serving as a perfect place to entertain this summer, Greenwork’s range of electric pressure washers can be used to keep patios and decking looking as good as new. These pressure washers can also be used to give barbecues and garden furniture a quick clean, leaving you ready to enjoy balmy summer days with friends and family in the garden.

Power up your productivity

Finally, whilst a rake is a perfectly good option to sweep up any fallen leaves and small branches, which could start to rot and make pathways dangerous, a cordless garden leaf blower and vacuum will provide you with the freedom to move around the garden, so you can get the job quicker with less physical effort.

Say goodbye to hours wasted waiting for power tools to charge or having cords trailing across your work area. With Greenworks power tools, you can quickly and easily complete tasks anywhere. Whether it’s a quick repair or building a new decking area, Greenworks have a range of easy-to-use power tools at hand.

10% Discount for Property & Home Readers Voucher Code: Garden To discover more about the Greenworks Tools product range and to purchase direct, head to www.greenworkstools.co.uk

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GARDEN

Gardens

From the latest on the Chelsea Flower Show to top tips for refreshing garden structures, here’s all the news and launches for making the most of your outdoor space TOP TRENDS FOR GARDENS IN 2022 Gardening trends for 2022 will be all about sustainability, according to Dobbies’ Horticultural Director, Marcus Eyles. Dobbies now only sells 100% peat-free bagged compost, with other sustainable products such as recycled and recyclable propagation kits also available for customers. Marcus says that blurring the lines between indoor and out will be strong in 2022, not just in terms of our furniture, but in the plants we use to enhance our space. Having plants in pots that can be brought indoors in the winter will be a key trend, with houseplants outside in the warmer months and enhancing our homes in the winter. Dried flowers also suit this theme, with top outdoor plants including Cordyline ‘Torbay Dazzler’; Stipa tenussima; Festuca ‘Azurit’; and for indoor Ficus lyrata, Howea forsteriana, and Sansevieria zeylanica.

CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW RETURNS FOR 2022 This year the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show returns to its more familiar May dates, after last year’s show was postponed until September for the first time in its 108-year history due to the coronavirus pandemic. This year’s Show takes place from Tuesday 24th to Saturday 28th May 2022 at The Royal Hospital, Chelsea. This year, garden designers have been encouraged to “embrace the wild” and “bring nature back”. Small-space gardening will return following the success of last year’s Balcony and Container Garden categories, and the Sanctuary Gardens will also make a return this year, with lots of moodboosting spaces to look forward to. There will be a new garden category this year, All About Plants, which will celebrate the powers of plants. The first garden category to feature inside the Great Pavilion, All About Plants gardens will see growers and nurseries showing how plants can positively influence mental health, community, and industry. “We can’t wait to see the return of a spring RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2022 and welcome our visitors back after a two year wait,” Helena Pettit, RHS Director of Gardens & Shows, says. “The show is jam-packed with stunning gardens and inspirational displays and with an abundance of wildlifefriendly planting, we won’t be the only ones buzzing!” Tickets are available from the website at www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-chelsea-flower-show.

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SPROUTL MAKES GARDENING EASIER Online gardening startup Sproutl has launched Sproutl Collections in response to research showing that 71 percent of people new to gardening say they find the hobby confusing. The curated collections offer solutions to the most common gardening problems, with exclusive, trend-led ranges covering everything from framing your front door with the perfect trees and pots to nailing the latest houseplant look. Sproutl Collections draws from thousands of plants and pots on the site to offer customers a simple choice to pick and mix from. Behind-the-scenes filters then help create bespoke solutions to help gardeners quickly select the perfect plant and pot combination for any location within seconds. Prices start at £30 and Sproutl has also created a “compost calculator” to ensure shoppers order just the right amount of peat-free soil for their pots. Find out more at www.sproutl.com.

PAINT YOUR LIFE BRIGHTER Eco-paint specialist Thorndown has introduced a range aimed at refurbishing worn garden structures. Thorndown’s Wood Paint is £20 for a 750ml tin and comes in 72 colours and a UV Clear, while the Peelable Glass Paint is available in 24 opaque colours and 14 translucents. Colour matching is also available along with over 1800 RAL Classic and Design colours. Founded on the principles of creating the best possible products with leading ingredients that both respect and work with the natural environment, Thorndown has taken time to source the best raw materials to create cutting-edge water-based eco paints with virtually no VOCs. Thorndown’s co-founder Ben thornborough says: “Horizontal surfaces on garden furniture take a real beating from the sun, rain, backsides and prosecco, so give extra attention here and maybe an extra coat of paint for good measure. Additional coats will give it extra strength and it will be even longer before a maintenance coat is required.” Find out more at thorndown.co.uk.

IMAGES: RHS, Dobbies, Sproutl, Thonndown

Spray Away

Amtech’s car wash and garden sprayer fits any ½ inch garden hose connector and has eight spray patterns: shower, mist, cone, rinse, stream, flat, centre and jet. Its 100ml capacity dispenser can be used for either soap or garden feed. https://amtechdiy.com

Cordless Cutting The Greenworks G24LT28 Grass Trimmer is perfect for trimming those edges of your lawn that are otherwise difficult to reach. It’s a powerful machine weighing only 4.6lbs with an adjustable cutting height of up to 3 inches and a rotating head, so you can cut in any direction. This cordless trimmer runs off of a 24V lithium-ion battery, which means no cords! www.greenworkstools.co.uk/ product/24v-28cm-linetrimmer

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Gardening for Wildlife Grazers helps gardeners grow their desired plants, whilst also protecting wildlife. The ‘plant mediated effect’ of Grazers gives photosynthesising plants the ability to dissuade herbivores from eating their leaves, harming neither, thereby getting garden ecosystems back into a natural balance. www.grazers.co.uk

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Garden POWER! A new generation of garden power tools makes the work easier while offering more environmentally friendly performance. What’s the secret to this new garden power?

dvances in battery technology mean that lightweight, portable, rechargeable garden tools are capable of doing the jobs for which we used to have to rely on environmentally unfriendly petrol-powered equipment. But which jobs need which tools, and how do you know you are choosing a reliable and green product? For every garden job there’s a power tool to help –

 Tillers and Rotovators to get your soil ready for sowing  Hedge trimmers, pole pruners and chainsaws to tackle garden hedges, trees and bushes  Multi-mate / multi-tools – a wide range from handy compacts perfect for box hedging and pruning to larger multi-tools with several attachments to tackle most garden jobs such as tree cutting  Strimmers/Brushcutters – the perfect tools to tackle wild lawn areas, nettles, undergrowth and lawn edges  Chainsaws - for tackling heavy undergrowth and tree surgery, chainsaws come in all sizes from cordless handhelds to petrol moels with low emission engines  Lawnmowers/Ride-Ons – from walkbehind push and self-propelled mowers to lawn riders and tractors you can cut the lawn, collect, mulch or side discharge  Pressure Washers – to clean your patio, deck, terrace, drives and pathways  Blowers – machines to collect and tidy leaves and other garden debris to keep pathways and lawn areas clear. Battery powered garden tools have revolutionised gardening in recent years with the help of advances in Lithium battery technology. They are available in varying wattage and amperage power specifications to cover a range of usage from smaller gardens to much larger areas and heavy-duty professional use. Many gardeners are now moving away from petrol models and choosing battery products which are lightweight, efficient, environmentally friendly and easier to use.

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CORDLESS Greenworks Tools offers world-leading cordless products with lithium-ion cell batteries that feature the very best electronics and cell technology. Light to use and easy to store, the range emits no fumes or odours and offers an environmentally friendly option, suitable for any size garden. Greenworks cordless gardening equipment gives you the freedom to get the job done all whilst avoiding any mishaps from trailing cords! Greenworks’ Lawn Starter Kit costs only £259.99 and consists of the Greenworks 48V 36cm Lawn Mower and 24V 25cm Line Trimmer. Perfect for small to medium gardens, the 48V lawn mower has a 36cm cutting width, a 40-litre grass collector and a single lever five-position height adjustment. It’s easy to transport and compact to store. Greenworks’ 24V cordless string trimmer allows you to carry out jobs around the garden without being constrained by the location of the nearest electrical socket. You can find out more on the website at www.greenworkstools.co.uk. BIG JOBS Hand tools and pushalong mowers are one thing, but what if your garden is so big you need a rider? Lawn riders are suitable for lawns from 0.75 – 1 acre in size. For even larger lawns there are garden tractors, of increasing sizes suitable for gardens from two acres through to five acres.

Lawn riders are a great economical alternative and a step up from a walkbehind mower. They are compact, fitting through a standard garden gate, as well as being easy to manoeuvre. But for larger areas of an acre or more a garden tractor is a must. There is the option to choose from collecting models with the grass collector fitted to the back of the machine, or a dedicated side-discharge mower, perfect for longer grass. These garden tracors often feature a mid-mounted cutter deck, with either a twin- or triple-blade cutter depending on the desired width of cut. Front-cut mowers offer great cutting and mulching performance and have a tight turning circle, making them the perfect choice for larger more complex lawns. With the cutting deck situated at the front of the mower to give an unimpeded view of the cutting path, these mowers are fast and convenient, and some can even fertilise the lawn as you cut. So once you have the right power tools for you garden, nothing can stop you! ■ celebrityangels.co.uk

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WEEE IN THE GARDEN WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) regulations cover electrical or electronic equipment that has come to the end of its ‘user life’. Each year in the UK we generate two million tonnes of electrical waste. Items that are discarded contain a variety of materials, including metal, glass, plastics, ceramics and precious metals, and without specialised waste processes this complex mix of materials can create several health risks. Under WEEE regulations when you buy a new electrical product you should be able to return your old one for disposal in a legal and environmentally friendly way. Talk to your retailer about their WEEE compliance scheme and enquire with your local authority to get details of electrical product recycling.

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The Joys of

Spring The joy of Spring in the garden is that it’s a season of growth what do you need to do to make sure that everything comes up looking lovely?

weeding, so dig your soil to create a fine tilth, remove weeds at the same time, and then you’re ready to decide on your planting plans.

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The National Trust maintains some of the country’s most spectacular gardens, and its experts Rebecca Bevan and Pam Smith have contributed their spring gardening plans to a book, The National Trust School of Gardening. So how do they suggest you approach spring in your garden? SPRINGWATCH The first task is to prepare your soil for germination and early growth. Weeding is a necessity so seedlings don’t have to compete with unwanted plants for water and other natural resources. There’s no substitute for hard graft when you’re

TREE TIPS Some suggestions for Spring tree planting include: h Manchurian Siberian crab apple (Malus baccata var. mandshurica)

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ne of the pleasures of gardening is that each season brings about a change in mood. Spring is arguably the most uplifting, because the signs of life appearing give us a great boost and something to look forward to. With blossoms providing spectacular views and longer, warmer, brighter days giving us plenty of time to work on our outdoor spaces, the garden becomes a source of joy and relaxation. Sowing seeds, tidying borders and planting vegetable patches gives us plenty to look forward to in the summer, and the dreary months of winter seem far behind us.

h In April, you should be thinking about sowing wildflower seeds, herbs and hardy annuals, such as poppies, sunflowers, dill, cornflowers and pot marigolds. h In the vegetable plot, plant early potatoes, asparagus crowns and onions. Other crops can be sown under covers, such as chillies, aubergines, tomatoes, courgettes and leeks. h Now is the time to do your pruning, including checking for pests and diseases. Make sure your plantlings are protected from slugs and snails. h Display of spring blossoms can look lovely in any size of garden, but trees are best planted in the dormant season between November and March; in the Spring, best to buy container-grown plants.

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A small to medium-sized apple tree which flowers from late April into May, known for its fragrant white blossom and delicious autumn fruits, it requires only basic care. h Dwarf Russian almond (Prunus tenella ‘Fire Hill’) This hardy, low-growing shrub is suitable for even the smallest gardens and growing spaces, and has bright rose-pink blossom in April. Its Siberian origin also makes it very hardy in even the coldest areas. h Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum) A large shrub or small tree with a big reputation for bountiful, pink pea-like flowers, this is the perfect choice for a small garden h Kanzan cherry (Prunus ‘Kanzan’) The most popular and readily available of the Japanese flowering cherries, this vigorous and wide-spreading tree grows quickly to over 10m in height. h Discovery apple (Malus domestica ‘Discovery’) Best known for its rosy-red apples, this small tree has the added benefit of lovely pure white blossom from late April.

Perennials such as polygala, hydrangea, lavatera, alstroemeria and clematis are ideal for pot planting, and you can even try small shrubs and trees such as skimmia japonica, viburnum tinus, roses and hydrangeas. LAWNS AND HEDGES You should start trimming hedges only after the chicks of nesting birds have fledged. This is a good time to check

hedges for signs of pests and disease such as aphids, beetles and grubs. The good news is that you don’t have to mow the lawn yet! If you join the growing movement of leaving it to grow wild through May, and even planting plugs of wildflowers, you will create a colourful and attractive space for bees and other pollinators, and provide food which they will thank you for by keeping your spring garden blooming. ■

CONTAINERS If you like your plants to be manageable, the National Trust’s tip is to go for container gardening. This works equally well whether you have a small garden, a patio or a terrace. Container plants need a lot of care and attention, particularly feeding and watering, and you can’t afford to neglect them if you go away, so ask a neighbour to pop in and keep them topped up. Make sure you have the right soil or compost in containers; this will vary according to the plant, but most perennials thrive in a peat-free compost mixed with grit or sand to improve drainage. Spring bulbs such as crocus, daffodil, tulip, hyacinth and lily-of-the-valley are ideal for growing in containers, and can be replanted each year with different colour schemes. You can also experiment with herbs such as parsley, basil and thyme, placed near the kitchen so they are handy for you to use in your cooking. celebrityangels.co.uk

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GARDEN ROOMS BUILD TO THE HIGHEST STANDARD IN LONDON & THE SOUTH EAST VISIT: WWW. EGARDENROOMS.CO.UK CALL : 01304 275093

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Room With a View If you need more living space, turn your eyes outside – a garden room could fit the bill without breaking the bank

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e all sometimes feel we need more space to live in, but extending the house up or out can be an expensive and disruptive project. If you have some unused garden space though, a garden room can be an affordable and flexible alternative. The idea of having an outbuilding which is a bit more useful than a shed has taken root with the recent lockdown and the growth of the idea of working from home. Rather than balancing a laptop on a kitchen table and hunching under a desk-lamp, wouldn’t it be nice to have your own spacious, comfortable workspace, where all your business can be shut away at the end of the day? Garden rooms can in fact have all sorts of applications, from a gym to a bar; they can even be fitted out as guest rooms, granny annexes or studios. Once you start thinking about it, the potential is endless.

COMFORT The killer aspect of a garden room is that it’s not a draughty, damp shed, but a freestanding building with all the comforts of any other room in your house, but with a little convenient separation. Construction typically uses a concrete base with a dampproof membrane, then timber framing, flooring and exterior panelling rather than brick and concrete construction. Usually a material such as Celotex is used for insulation, with windows and doors in either UPVC or aluminium, and the interior can be plastered for a smart finish. What else you have added to your garden room a largely determined by your application; for instance you will almost certainly want a basic electrical supply, normally connected from the house via an armoured cable, and this may be adequate for some uses; but you might need something more heavy duty if you go for options such as underfloor heating or air conditioning. If you opt for a home gym celebrityangels.co.uk

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you might need a full plumbing system, so make sure you budget properly before starting your project. A garden room is no minor project, though it’s often more affordable than, say, a loft conversion or a kitchen extension. ■

PLANNING PERMISSION It is possible to construct a garden room without planning permission, but within strict conditions. For instance, your property must not be a listed building, and the outbuilding has to be of one storey, under 2.5m to the eaves, and located behind your property, not to the side. The garden room can’t cover over 50 percent of the total area around the original property, and must not be used as self-contained accommodation. There’s more – consult your building supplier for all the facts!

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Shelf Life Your shed needn’t be a chaotic junkyard – with a little planning and fitting you can turn it into an efficient and useful storage area

of them, you can’t find it. Your first step should be a good clear-out – hire a skip or a Hippo bag if necessary to make yourself some space to work in. Then consider what you could do with your shed, and look at the fittings you’ll need to achieve your aims. For instance a shed could make a good garage for bicycles or motorbikes, a workshop for hobbyists or a potting area for gardeners; but you’ll need to think about your

requirements for security, lighting, heating and power. STORAGE One of the main uses for a shed is as a storage are for overflow from the house. So long as the building is waterproof, there’s little you can’t keep in a shed (particularly if it’s all sealed in airtight containers). But it’s no good just piling things in willy-nilly, you need to think about fittings such as

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ith competitions such as Shed of the Year showing us how some people have created ingenious, charming and efficient sheds, perhaps it’s time for you to look at your outbuilding and put some time and effort into doing it up. The main problem with sheds is often that they are used as junkyards for things which may never be needed or can’t be fixed, then when you want something out

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storing heavy tools etc, fix the shelving unit back to the shed wall or add some diagonal bracing for extra stability. h Shelves don’t need treating if they are inside, but painting or staining them will help to stop them gathering ingrained dirt. Fixed shelves don’t give you much flexibility afterwards; maybe better to buy freestanding shelves which can be adjusted or even moved as your plans change. LOOKS You may be familiar with commercial shelving brands such as Dexion, a slotted steel system developed in the 1940s and still around today. Dexion isn’t known for its looks though, and you might want something a bit more aesthetic for your outbuildings. The chrome wire shelving sold under various manufacturers’ names is very common, and is widely available in both light-duty and heavy-duty gauges. It has the advantage of being easy to put together and to modify, and has all sorts of accessories available from hooks to castors. Beware though that some similar looking products are not in fact compatible as they use different pole diameters, shelf

widths and plastic connectors. For something a bit sturdier, though, look to shelves from BigDug (www.bigdug/ co/uk). Robust enough to hold 200kg per shelf, prices for the MD4B range seen below start at around £113.99 for three (including VAT), and of course you can specify more shelves or larger sizes. The powder-coated European steel frames support MDF shelves, and the boltless design is easy to assemble and adjust – BigDug will even give you a rubber mallet to knock things into shape! You can add bay connectors to fix bays in a run or back-to-back, and wall fixings for extra stability. The units are easy to maintain, though it’s worth varnishing or sealing the MDF shelves if they are in a humid environment; or go for the versions with galvanised steel shelving. BigDug also supplies some useful niche products such as a garage corner shelf kit – this makes sure you don’t waste any precious space between right-angled shelving – and shelving sets with storage boxes from Really Useful boxes, which are airtight, or economy Wham boxes. These are the best way to make good use of your shelf space and make it easier to empty a whole shelf or unit quickly when you want to move things around. You can also get systems with open boxes or bins for parts picking.

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shelves and benches. If you have a wooden structure, it’s fairly easy to build DIY shelves by attaching them to the upright battens. h Cut the shelf size you require from 12mm (1/2 inch) plywood and nail a piece of 2x4 to the underneath of the front, back and sides. h Use vertical 2x4s for the supports at the front and back to form the support frame. Maximum span should be about 450mm (18inches) back to front. Maximum spacing of the vertical supports along the run of the shelves should be 1.2m (4 feet). h If you are storing relatively light items on these shelves then they will be stable using the screws/nails that you have used to fix the members together. If

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Martin’s Tips

EXTRAS Another element of BigDug’s range is the selection of workbenches, ranging from a two-level workbench with chipboard shelves, to a garage drawer cabinet workbench, or a workstation with vertical tool storage. A half depth lower shelf is an option when you want to slide a chair underneath. Steel cupboards are available with parts bins, or fitted with tambour (roller) doors to save space. To finish the job, look for Perfo Panels, available in a range of sizes, and customised using hook accessories so you can hang larger items on the walls. And for the floors, modular floor mats made from recycled PVC are easy to cut to shape, lay, maintain and replace, have a non-slip surface and are resistant to moisture, oils, solvents and chemicals. They can be left loose or fixed in place with adhesive. Once you have your shed fitted out, you’ll find it a joy to use, and an invaluable asset to your home and garden. 118

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HANGING AROUND GearHooks (https://gearhooks.com) has the solution to saving floor space by hanging large items like bicycles from the walls (seen above). The company manufactures everything from a single bike hook to a wall bike rack for up to 6 bikes. All of them will take any bike frame size, from a child’s bike to an XL adult bike and even tandems. The hooks hold the bike by the front wheel, and will accommodate any wheel size from 20” on commuter bikes to 29” on road bikes and mountain bikes. GearHooks individual hooks and racks are designed so that bikes can be hung vertically on the wall - but you don’t have to lift them. You simply push the bike towards the wall, hold the brakes and step backwards, which pulls the bike up onto its back wheel. You then release the brakes and roll the bike forwards until it hits the wall, and you can then hook the front wheel. Just one more way to make the most of your shed! ■

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“Much to my wife’s annoyance, I’m a great hoarder, I can’t throw anything away, not a nut or a screw! I’ve got eight sheds full of things that might come in useful – and during lockdown they did come in useful, I managed to make all sorts of things. We all need shelves, stuff to put stuff on – have a look around and see what you have to make them from. I’m a huge fan of reclaimed wood, such as pine floorboards – sand it off, oil it, and you’ll see the beauty that’s under the surface!”

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dining sets corner sofa groups fire pit sets daybeds sun loungers pergolas bar sets casual sofa sets parasols barbecues garden accessories

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12/04/2022 11:49

Take a fresh look at your home security this Spring It’s that time of year for homeowners when we get busy Spring cleaning, gardening, doing DIY and outdoor maintenance. And it’s the perfect time to review your outdoor security and any weak points. A few quick and easy security measures can help to keep your outdoor areas, garage, garden and shed secure for the rest of the year. These days a typical shed can house a wealth of expensive items bicycles, tools, a valuable barbeque or lawnmower full of petrol. And with the popularity of outdoor living and alfresco dining, homeowners are storing more and more expensive patio furniture. So here are 6 simple ways to keep your outdoor valuables safe from opportunistic thieves.

Secure fences and boundaries. Be sure they are in good condition, and secure gates and access with heavy duty, weatherproof key or combination padlocks.

Lock items like expensive cycles to floors or walls and prevent them from being taken easily. Use ground and wall anchors combined with the toughest lock and chain sets.

Items inside your shed - like tools and ladders - can be used by thieves to break into your home. Always choose a high quality padlock and hasp, hasp and staple set or combination locking bolt to secure your shed.

Don’t forget the ‘hinge’ side of the door, burglars may prize a door from the hinge side if the lock side is the stronger. Use non-return/security screws where necessary.

Secure ‘up and over’ garage doors using garage door defenders. Or fit padlocks through the inside runners or a hasp and staple with a padlock either side of the door.

Look for security products that carry the Sold Secure quality mark of approval, this means they’ve passed rigorous attack tests by a recognised independent testing and certification body.

Everest Ground Anchor, Immense Padlock & Chain Set

The iconic Squire name has been at the forefront of lock making since 1780 with a great British history carried down through eight generations. Today, we’re recognised for making the toughest locks in the world, for home, work, cycles and motorcycles. Toughness guaranteed.

GA5 Garage Door Defender

SS50S padlock and STH3 hasp and staple

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Lock Up Your Lupins! Garden and outdoor security is no laughing matter – 11 percent of insurance claims involve thefts ‘in the open’. So how can we secure our sheds?

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ccording to insurance company Aviva, theft ‘in the open’, in other words mainly from gardens, is on the increase, shooting up from 3 percent of reported crimes to 11 percent in 2021. Of course, it’s also a very seasonal problem, with most incidents taking place in the Spring when items are brought out of storage. The most stolen items are garden furniture, ladders, garden tools and toys, though some people keep very expensive items such as ride-on lawnmowers, bicycles or motorbikes in garden outbuildings, so these are also at risk. So here are our top tips for securing your sheds and locking up your lawnmowers, at all times of year, not just in the Spring! 1. Put locks on all doors and windows of your house and outbuildings. The police say that households with no

proper home security in place are five times more likely to be burgled. Don’t forget to fit hinge bolts, which will prevent doors from being levered off their hinges. Don’t leave items such as ladders or wheelie-bins in the open as these can help thieves to gain access. If you have been working at home from an office outbuilding, prioritise security if it contains computers and other electronic equipment. Your insurance may require you to fit an alarm. Consider fitting CCTV or webcams, perhaps with an app which runs on your mobile phone alerting you to any intrusion. Fit sturdy gates and side-passage doors with heavy duty, weatherproof key or combination padlocks. Lock items like expensive cycles or motorbikes to floors or walls with ground and wall anchors combined celebrityangels.co.uk

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with tough lock and chain sets. Fit brake disc locks to motorbikes. 7. Secure sheds with a high-quality padlock and hasp or combination locking bolt. 8. Secure ‘up and over’ garage doors using garage door protectors. 9. Remember that a big, solid padlock is a good visible deterrent. Look for quality locks made of solid brass, laminated steel, armoured steel, or hardened steel, with a thick shackle. For outdoor locks, look for weather resistant material like rustproof stainless steel or electrophoretic finish. 10. Keep your outdoor padlocks maintained with regular cleaning and oiling and a monthly spraying with a silicone-based lubricant. Take note of these simple security precautions, and soon your garden will be as safe as houses! ■ PROPERTY & HOME WITH MARTIN ROBERTS

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Control

With Compassion

f you are a grower, you will often feel the need to remove pests which damage your plants – but in this eco-friendly age, most of us know that the indiscriminate application of pesticides, fungicides and other potentially harmful chemicals can be bad for the environment in the long term. The problem is that pesticides and other chemicals can have the immediate effect of destroying the pests you want to eradicate, but this can have unintended long-term consequences. For instance, it’s now widely believed that bee populations are being decimated by pesticide use, and we cannot afford to lose these precious pollinators. Pesticides can also kill ladybirds, which are valuable garden

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predators as they eat aphids, which probably cause more plant damage than any other pest. Pesticides can also accumulate in the environment, getting into the water table and the human food chain, with adverse effects on the neurological, reproductive and cardiorespiratory systems. ALTERNATIVES So what are the alternatives to conventional chemical pest treatments? One method is “companion planting” of plants that attract beneficial insects that act as natural predators to common pests. Good insectary plants include mint, rosemary, thyme, and marigold as

they produce nectar and therefore attract honeybees. Other natural alternatives include salt sprays. A simple mix of salt and water can deter slugs, spiders, and mites. Mix a cup of natural salt with a gallon of warm water and spray around affected areas – not directly on your plants. Some gardeners swear by coffee grounds, dug into the earth in affected areas. You can also fork in diatomaceous earth, a compound with crushed shell which will deter or kill pests without harming larger animals. Another alternative is a calcium-based treatment, which has applications for all sorts of pests ranging from caterpillars and butterflies, slugs, snails and beetles, to larger grazers such as pigeons, geese, rabbits and deer. Liquid spray treatments containing the plant nutrient calcium in its CaCl form, combined with a natural plant extract to improve its plant interaction, can be formulated to address pests’ grazing methods and plant type. Applied to photosynthesising leaves, stems or ﬂowers of any plant, the calcium is absorbed into plant cells, effectively giving it a ‘bitter’ taste which makes it unappealing for the pests to eat. The best part is that the effect of this natural plant nutrient eventually dissipates within the plant, so you give it the best chance to thrive, without upsetting the ecological balance of your garden. ■

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Controlling garden pests needn’t be done with harmful pesticides – there are far more eco-friendly alternatives

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The new option for garden paving An eco-friendly garden is top of everyone’s wish list. A few simple changes can make a big difference to your garden’s impact on the environment. But while it’s easy to plant for the bees, ditch chemicals and make your own compost, the sustainable credentials of hard landscaping often get overlooked. If you’re planning a hard landscaping project such as a new patio or driveway it’s important to think about the eco credentials from the get-go. Choose a product from the new ECO range by garden hard landscaping manufacturer, Bradstone, and you can be sure you’re getting an eco-paving solution that lowers your carbon footprint. This means you can do more for the environment while also improving the design aesthetic of your garden. A complete range of low carbon products for patios and driveways, Bradstone ECO offers a 20% reduction in carbon footprint compared to previous versions of the products. You get complete reassurance too, as products have undergone rigorous testing to offer the same quality, durability and aesthetics as before but with the added benefit of being kinder to the planet.

Old Town ECO Evolve, which offers an even higher carbon reduction. Bradstone MD Simon Marriott explains the science behind it: “Using Bradstone ECO products, a typical patio measuring 30m2 will generate a CO2 saving equivalent to three mature trees. We have achieved this through improvements in manufacturing and the design mix to help reduce the carbon footprint of each paver.” The concrete paving collection replicates the look and finish of natural stone. Choose from Old Town ECO, Old Riven ECO, Aged Riven ECO, Ashbourne ECO and Edale ECO paving, as well as BradDrive Cobblestone ECO for driveways. All are available in a range of colours and pack sizes. To check out how the different products in the ECO range would look in your garden, try out Bradstone’s Pave My Space visualiser. The online tool allows you to design your new garden from the comfort of your sofa, by uploading an image of your outdoor space and dropping in Bradstone products to see what they’d look like in situ. To find out more, visit bradstone.com

The design mix of Bradstone’s concrete paving products has been updated and now uses more sustainable materials. Choose either Bradstone ECO or the newly introduced

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PROPERTY

Slabs of Sense Paving might beautify your garden, but might it be bad for the environment? We look at some sensible solutions

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hile paving of various types can add beauty and utility to your outdoor spaces, it’s not always good for the environment – thoughtlessly slabbing over large areas can reduce biodiversity, create water drainage problems, and create unwanted carbon emissions in the manufacturing process. Fortunately, there are now lots more eco-friendly approaches you can take to hard landscaping. One of the most important requirements when choosing surfaces is the approach to managing surface water, taking account of water quantity (flooding), water quality (pollution) biodiversity (wildlife and plants) and amenity - collectively referred to as Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). RECYCLING Flexible materials made of recycled tyres, resin and stone can create SuDS-compliant, maintenance-free surfaces with high porosity, meaning that rainwater drains quickly into the ground below, even with heavy clay soils. The use of recycled tyres reduces environmental impact, and the permeability allows surrounding trees and plants to thrive.

You might also consider a gravel grid, again a SuDS compliant system consisting of recycled plastic grids which are filled with naturally permeable products allowing water drainage. The grids are strong enough to support heavy foot or vehicle traffic and are durable and low-maintenance. These grids can also be made of concrete, with spaces for greenery to grow through them, and porous concrete made with little or no sand and large pea gravel is another alternative. PERMEABLE Permeable pavers allow water through holes in the paver itself, while still offering excellent load-bearing capability, and even if you go for conventional paving slabs, there are eco-friendly choices you can make, such as avoiding imports from developing countries. Slabs can be made from mixed materials with a reduced carbon footprint, but moulded in such a way that they look like authentic reclaimed stone. Using a slab with a reduced carbon footprint of, say, 20 percent on a typical 30m2 patio can offer a carbon saving equivalent to that generated by three mature trees over a year. ■ celebrityangels.co.uk

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DRIVE SENSIBLY Since 2008, if a garden surface to be covered is more than five square metres, you need planning permission for laying traditional, impermeable driveways that do not control rainwater running off onto roads. You will not need planning permission if the surface to be covered is less than five square metres, the new surface is permeable or porous, or if rainwater is directed to drain naturally via a drainage channel.

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A Place to Stay Martin Roberts delivers his thoughts and musings on the property market, and on life in general.

ike many people, I have been appalled by the situation I’ve seen developing in Ukraine. And after a tearful moment one Saturday morning in a Costco car park, when they wouldn’t allow me to buy multiple bottles of Calpol for refugee children, I ended up setting off in my VW transporter van to drive the 1260 miles to the Polish/Ukrainian border to personally deliver medical and other humanitarian supplies. Over half a million people followed my journey on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook,

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which demonstrated how horrified we’ve all been by what we’ve seen on our TV screens and how we all want to do what we can to help. You can follow some of my journey on these pages. I hope by the time our next issue is published, the terrible situation in Ukraine will be resolved, but in the meantime we all need to carry on doing our bit, no matter how small, because I’ve seen at first-hand what a huge difference it makes to these poor people. Not only does it provide actual much needed food,

medicines, baby supplies, sanitary products and clothing but it also shows them that the world hasn’t forgotten them and is doing what it can to help. PROPERTY SKILLS Since returning, I’ve decided to use my property skills to try to create short and medium term housing for not only displaced Ukrainians, but also those who’ve suffered as a result of other wars, and the UK’s own homeless. I’m approached all the time by people offering old care homes, hotels and similar

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invest safely and profitably in the world of property. You can find out more at nicholaswallwork.com/mentorship. I look forward to seeing you in the next issue of Property & Home, by which time I hope we will have some happier news to report, and we can look forward to more settled and prosperous times! ■ IMAGES FROM MARTIN ROBERTS: TOP ROW 5th March: “I’m at a loss in terms of what I can do to help the Ukraine…there are such good people out there and everyone’s trying to do their bit.” 12th March: “This is the scale of the operation… loading my van next! 12th March: “All that I need to do now is get this precious and much needed cargo to Medyka on the Polish/Ukraine border.” 14th March: “I’m lost for words – the scenes are unbelievable. I’ve just had the chance to put toys into the hands of children who have lost everything. This picture breaks my heart in to tiny pieces, but I wanted to share it to reassure you that from what I’ve seen today, all the donations and kindness IS making it to those who need it.” 14th March: “1260 miles. 25 hours driving. Five

countries. 427 wine gums. Eight large cans of red bull. An entire Spotify play list. An unbelievably kind and supportive mountain of encouragement from you and the main part of my mission is done. Just heading to the border with sleeping bags.” BOTTOM ROW 14th March: “Time for me to sign off after three extraordinary days. Thank you with all my heart for all your kind words. Support in any way you can, big or small. It matters. The group I helped are fundraising at https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/ bournemouth-to-ukraine. 14th March: ”To end, a magical moment that’s just taken my breath away….” – a spontaneous performance of John Lennon’s Imagine at the Medyka border encampment. 17th March: A message from Medyka: “Hello Martin, most of the goods that you have delivered are already dispatched and the rest is leaving tomorrow morning. We had some amazing medical equipment that is so in demand and working well. Take care and stay in touch!” 3rd April: “It’s been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster… Thank you so much for all your kindness and support on my journey. Much love.“ 3rd April: Karol, one of the founders of Help from Bournemouth to Ukraine, shows Martin’s social media followers how donations are being received and what a difference they are making.

IMAGES: Martin Roberts

properties for sale, and it occurs to me that these could be quickly and easily repurposed to provide significant numbers of families a place to stay. I imagine mini communities forming in the places we find, and having everyone in the same place means that the provision of health and social services can be a lot more streamlined. All I need to do is source suitable properties that can be either leased, purchased or donated for humanitarian use. I’ve started a Crowdfunding page to provide seed capital for the project and you can find out more at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/martinroberts-ukraine-housing but if you know of any suitable opportunities, please do get in touch. I’m working on the project with my good friend and colleague, Nicholas Wallwork, and at the same time we’ve started a joint mentorship programme offering invaluable advice to people wanting to

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