This former pet food factory is now a cool, loft-style home – take a look inside on page 30
Want to make a statement in your living room? Head to page 74 for serious house envy
Warm up any room with this elegant copper pendant, which you’ll find on page 86
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This time last year, I was gearing up to host my whole family for Christmas dinner. Preparation was like a military operation. I’d cooked up batches of red cabbage, baked my own ham, splashed out on new bedding, and made sure there was enough food and board games to occupy a small army. I thought everything was going to plan...until we came to sit down for dinner, and I realised I’d forgotten to count my sister in the number of guests! Luckily, there was plenty of food to go around, but we were a dining chair short, which meant my better half tucked into his turkey perched on a wooden side table. It was this blunder that inspired our ‘Get your home ready for guests’ feature, which starts on page 95. Take a look at the best sofa beds, extending dining tables (with chairs), and super-sized appliances, all of which will make entertaining a breeze. You’ll also find tips on using technology to take the stress out of hosting, and projects you might want to consider during 2018 to make your home even better suited to guests. This year, we’re heading to my sister’s, so I’ll be taking her a copy. Although, if I do end up sat on a side table, I can’t really complain – happy entertaining!
For proof that sofa beds can be stylish AND practical, flick to page 103 now
Like us on Facebook for the latest news, quizzes and advice from the team
Laura Crombie Editor @Laura_Crombie realhomes.co.uk DECEMBER 2017
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CASE STUDIES 18
68 Room to grow
92 Ask the designer
30 Project with pedigree
74 Into the blue
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46 A touch of drama
82 Simply stylish
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56 Industrial evolution
88 Pushing the limits
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62 Raising the bar
90 Space to entertain
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ON THE COVER
Bold & beautiful
See how interior designer Caroline Firth has introduced personality to a once-bland family home, plus shop the latest botanical wallpapers Take a look inside Aldo and Elisabeth Ciarrocchi’s loft in a former pet food factory, plus shop industrial storage Discover how Donna Caira has mixed old and new to create a fun-filled look in her family’s coastal home Be inspired by Lisa Noble and Alex Bramwell, who extended to create a super-stylish open-plan kitchen
The Butterfields’ extended kitchen is designed for entertaining, plus shop statement pendant lights
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DESIGN IDEAS
DECEMBER 2017 realhomes.co.uk
Kiki and Ben Van Der Gucht doubled the size of their kitchen by building out into their side-return, plus our round up of decorative tiles
Vaz Choose a bold look in your living room, like Vanessa and Andy Roberts, who went for a striking blue wallpaper Working with an interior designer helped Jenner Sturges create a Scandi look for her converted loft See how a 1930s terraced house was extended on two levels without the need for planning permission A dark, dated kitchen extension has been replaced with a modern, lightfilled one that is the ideal social space
Architect Jon Wendzina on how to successfully convert a reader’s garage into a useful part of the home, plus send us your problem projects ON THE COVER
Be our guest
Discover 22 simple ways to get your home ready for entertaining – from giant appliances to extending tables ON THE COVER
Underfloor heating
Our experts answer your burning questions on costs, installation, insulation and more ON THE COVER
Timber flooring
Find the perfect flooring product for every room and at a price to suit your budget ON THE COVER
Make a statement
Be daring with colour, pattern and texture to create impact, say the founders of Rockett St George
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EVERY MONTH 11
Hotlist
The latest product news and reviews
107 Sneak preview
Your first look at the January issue
137 Your chance to win
A £5,000 range cooker up for grabs
139 Save on elegant radiators
Claim 25 per cent off Radox heating at Real Stone & Tile
153 Stockists
Find all the suppliers from this issue
162 Take five
Content Producer Amelia Smith’s favourite festive decorating themes December 2017
HALF-PRICE DEAL
when you subscribe to the new-look Real Homes this month
REALHOMES.CO.UK
AMAZING
BEFORE +AFTERS
54
PAGES OF HOMES TRANSFORME D
Wow-factor bathroom ideas BE BOLD WITH COLOUR
UNDERFLOO HEATING R Your questions answered
How to introduce dark shades
BEAUTIFUL TIMBER FLOORING The best products for every budget
EXPER ANSWETRS What’s the £3.90
best way to insulate my home? Should I repair replace my old or floorboards? How can I tackle damp in my rooms this winter?
The latest expert advice for your home transformation dilemmas
&
Real Homes QA
161
140 WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO INSULATE MY HOME AND CUT MY ENERGY BILLS?
Insulation expert Paddy Leighton on creating a more energy efficient property
145 WHEN’S THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO EXTEND? Experienced self-builder Jason Orme on picking the right time to start your project
147 CAN I CREATE A DRIVE OR OFF-ROAD PARKING SPACE FOR MY HOME? Designer Matt James on using part of your garden for a new parking space
149 HOW CAN I RESTORE MY OLD WOODEN FLOORBOARDS?
Home improver Sian Astley on how to bring out the beauty of your boards
151 WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO TACKLE DAMP IN MY HOUSE THIS WINTER? Experienced renovator Michael Homes on getting rid of dreaded damp patches
Be
our guest PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR ENTERTAINING
realhomes.co.uk DECEMBER 2017
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READYMADE COLLECTION www.studiog.uk.com
STY T R TA
Editorial Editor Laura Crombie Assistant Editor Alison Jones Homes Editor Anna Morley Content Producer Amelia Smith ART Head of Art Billy Peel Senior Art Editor Emily Smith Designer Karen Lawson With thanks to Sarah Overs
MARKETING AND SUBSCRIPTIONS Head of Marketing Melanie Kay 01527 834452 Group Marketing Manager Eve Mulvaney 01527 834445 Group Marketing Manager Santosh Sahota 01527 834493 Senior Marketing Executive Helen Troth 01527 834483 Marketing Executive Vicki Lees 01527 834409 Marketing Executive Alicia Maragh 01527 834402 Subscriptions Manager Alex Worthington 01527 834435 Customer Services Jayne Everton 01527 834484
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All I want for Christmas is...
‘Who doesn’t love chocolate? Especially when it’s handmade and decorated, as well as delicious’ Enchanted forest gift box, £40, Betty’s
‘This is going to be the perfect finishing touch to my bedroom’ Luxury Tibetan sheepskin rug, W55xL100cm, £136, Audenza
‘I bought a Tiffany 1837 necklace in New York, and the ring in California, so I’d like to complete the set with a narrow cuff bracelet, and a plane ticket to get it while I’m on holiday (again)’ Tiffany 1837 sterling silver cuff, £295
‘I love bold, quirky prints and this punchy portrait will look great in my dark blue living room’ Holiday print, A3, £34.99, Nickie Kelly
G AT FO RE
ADVERTISING AND EXHIBITIONS SALES Print & Digital Sales DirectorJackie Sanders 01527 834426 jackie.sanders@futurenet.com Print & Digital Sales Manager Rebecca Vincze 01527 834415 rebecca.vincze@futurenet.com Key Account Manager Debra Greer 01527 834424 debra.greer@futurenet.com Key Account Manager Lucinda Clarke 01527 834404 lucinda.clarke@futurenet.com Key Account Manager Helen Fox 01527 834491 helen.fox@futurenet.com Account Manager Elena Gill 01527 834494 elena.gill@centaurmedia.com Account Manager Kelly James 01527 834471 kelly.james@futurenet.com Exhibitions Sales Director Hellen Roche 01527 834418 hellen.roche@futurenet.com
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GUESTS
‘Cooking Christmas dinner will be a breeze with this’ Rangemaster professional deluxe 110 dual-fuel range cooker, £1,717, John Lewis
MAGAZINE AND DIGITAL PRODUCTION Head of Production Bill Griffiths Digital Manager Tom Burbridge Email Production Manager David Lloyd PRINT & DIGITAL Production Executive Alice Sullivan Digital Production Executive Nicholas Robertson Production Assistant Aimee Bradley-Davies REALHOMES.CO.UK Email Delivery Manager Alison Nash Web Operations Manager Laura Sturgess Senior Web Editor Lindsey Davis Video Producer Matt Gibbs Social Media Editor Sarah Handley
‘I love this star light so much that I might just keep it up all year round’ Vintage star light, H60xW66xD10cm, £265, Alexander & Pearl
‘I want to take up photography in the New Year, so I’d really love a hightech camera’ Pentax K-70 all-weather digital DSLR camera, £949.99, Amazon
PUBLISHING AND EXHIBITIONS MANAGEMENT Deputy Managing Director Nick Noble Director of Content & Product Development Michael Holmes Editorial Director Jason Orme Executive Assistant Zoe Beeston 01527 834477
‘I spend so much time on my phone for work, I’d like the iPhone 8, which is waterproof and has handy wireless charging’ Gold iPhone 8, £699, Apple
DISCLAIMER All contents © 2017 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material and/or have the necessary rights/permissions to supply the material and you automatically grant Future and its licensees a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in any/ all issues and/or editions of publications, in any format published worldwide and on associated websites, social media channels and associated products. Any material you submit is sent at your own risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents, subcontractors or licensees shall be liable for loss or damage. We assume all unsolicited material is for publication unless otherwise stated, and reserve the right to edit, amend, adapt all submissions. ISSN 1464 - 4061
realhomes.co.uk DECEMBER 2017
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Real Homes
HOTLIST Your one-stop guide to the latest design ideas, product launches and decorating trends
Voronoi II warmtinted bulb with curved filament, from the Design collection of sculptural bulbs, £125, Tala
collection ,£ ure at
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BRAND TO WATCH Buy a bulb from young British lighting brand Tala and help plant a forest. Founded less than two years’ ago, the company’s mission is to create lighting that’s stylish and thoughtfully designed with low-energy LEDs. And for every 200 units sold, Tala plants 10 trees as part of an eco-friendly reforestation programme.
FEATURE RACHEL OGDEN
Luxury upholstery Plain fabric doesn’t have to be dull, as Clarke & Clarke’s sumptuous new Allure collection proves. The lustrous velvets have an opulent, dense pile, and come in 40 colours, from calm naturals through to vibrant brights. Perfect for curtains or reupholstering furniture, it costs £31 per metre. ➤ Above Sofa in Chartreuse with cushions in Claret, Magenta and Peacock, all from the Allure collection, £31 per m, Clarke & Clarke
Oblo in matt white, from the Feature collection of focalpoint bulbs, £80, Tala
SIMPLY STYLISH SCANDI SCANDINAVIAN MODERN BY MAGNUS ENGLUND AND CHRISTINA SCHMIDT £19.99, Ryland Peters & Small
Magnus and Christina, co-founders of furniture and homeware store Skandium, journey into the heart of the modern Scandi look. Their exploration of Swedish, Nordic, Danish and Finnish homes that embrace functional design, light, and the use of wood, glass, textiles and ceramics, will inspire you to adopt the look yourself.
realhomes.co.uk DECEMBER 2017
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