March 2020 Edition

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IN THIS ISSUE The Home Breakover When to Splurge and When to save on home pieces How to paint your front door Get the look - the little black chair Travel with us to the colourful city of Singapore.

letterbox MEET THE

TEAM FOR OUR MARCH ISSUE

CHARLOTTE

BECCA

NICHOLE

COLLIER-COOK

Editor

Writer

TO JOIN THE TEAM AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE NEXT EDITION, EMAIL OUR EDITOR ON : CHARLOTTE-NICHOLE@OUTLOOK.COM

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IN THIS ISSUE OF

FEATURES what to spend and what to save on with your new home Dear Letterbox - We answer your home woes The home breakover - and why I needed it so much

TRENDS the little black chair - shop the look how to paint your front door yankee candle easter fragrances

TRAVEL

Aldi's kids furniture range perfect for home schooling

A COLOURFUL GUIDE TO SINGAPORE

the stunning special buy velvet chair!

come with us to the beautiful, vibrant city of singapore in our frist travel piece.

OTHER how to get rid of dog smells in your home

FOOD

cleaning products that destroy coronavirus

SWEET EGGY BREAD IN CUSTARD Even eggier eggy bread! Butterhoney drenched French toast served in a bowl of egg custard, topped with caramelised oranges.

CHARLOTTE-NICHOLE@OUTLOOK.COM

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KEEPING SAFE DURING THIS UNPRECEDENTED TIME

I don't think anyone believed 2020 had this on the agenda for most of us. As I sit here at my dining table, working from home indefinitely, I am, as well as others, anxious and nervous about what is to come and what to expect in the coming days, weeks and even months. However, if there is anything we can learn in this weird and wacky time, its how we should all pull together, as only we can get through ourselves and others through this difficult time.

This edition has been delayed but I'm so so proud to pull through and give you something to enjoy and embrace whether you're confined to your home, looking after others, or working front line to keep us all safe, well and healthy.

There's no denying, we had to shoehorn in some pretty helpful advice during the Coronavirus outbreak, but we do have lots of other amazing pieces to keep your spirits and inspiration flowing.

Keep safe and look after one another.

charlotte

NEW HOME INTERIORS :

by Charlotte Nichole

WHAT TO SPEND AND WHAT TO SAVE ON First and foremost – congratulations. You have, or at least are about to, buy a new home. Yayyy. Now the fun begins of course.

You may find that you have no idea where to begin, or you are in fact starting a fresh in your next home, so want to know what to spend and what to save on?

Well, you’ve certainly come to the right place.

With so much to consider when it comes to a new abode, it can feel like you have a lot of expense upcoming that you can’t avoid. It’s not unusual for me to purchase something for the home at least once a week – oops.But there is some hope when it comes to purchasing and being ready for your new / next home – you really don’t have to splurge on everything, especially not right away.

Lighting – Splurge I cannot explain how important good lighting is in any home. Whether you install under counter lighting, or up the pendant lighting in every home, it so important to make sure every room is carefully considered in the light department. This is certainly an area worth splurging on, yet it can be delayed. Living in your new home for a little while to establish natural light and how you use the space can save you on spending in areas not needed.

Under counter lighting, cosy lamps, low-level hanging shades, and chandeliers with ornate beading. Don’t underestimate how a stunning shade or light can transform your home.

Appliances – Splurge This is a area you really can’t compromise on.

Spending decent money on your appliances – whether it be washing machine, dishwasher or fridge freezer will be money well spent in the long run. Choosing reputable, reliable brands may cost more, but can last longer and save you on new parts and replacing the product earlier than expected. These are items that will be under excessive use – its well worth spending the money on them.

Bedding – Save your pennies Many of our good ‘old supermarkets have a lovely home section featuring gorgeous bedspreads, covers, and cushions. Be sure to check there before you splurge on home stores for their over-expensive similar designs.

Furniture – Save the pennies and look to up cycle By no means am I saying to buy cheap and tacky, never going to last a month, furniture. But there are ways to furnish your home, without spending the earth.

If you like the shabby chic look, be sure to explore up

Mattress – Splurge all day everyday!

cycling and re-using old furniture from charity shops or even your parents loft.

Check out antique stores for gorgeous, retro and classic pieces, which will add character and charm to

One place you will notice scrimping back the spends will

your home. If you like all things modern, make sure you

be your mattress. We spend a huge amount of our life in

head to firm fav Ikea. Explore, purchase and eat

bed, so it’s only right you spend good money on being

meatballs. Their quality can’t be beaten, and whilst you

comfortable and supported whilst sleeping. You can

regret your purchases when building one of twenty

purchase mattress’ on finance too, so there’s no reason

items, you love it because ahh you have your clean line,

to have a shoddy, low quality mattress.

pinterest worthy home for an amazing price.

#letterbox home explore the hashtag

HOW TO : PAINT YOUR FRONT DOOR

By Charlotte - Nichole

Part of acing the look of your home from the outside is your front door. Freshly painted front doors are a instant uplift and one of the easiest things you can do to improve the look of your home. Choosing a accent colour to compliment the exterior, or opting for a classic tone has never been easier. Here's our quick guide on how you can paint your front door this Spring.

1

Remove your accessories Get those handles, letterboxes, etc off before doing anything

3

Fill Cracks and Holes Using a exterior multipurpose filler to fill any cracks or holes on

else. Now is also a great

the door’s surface. Once

time to give the door a

dry, sand with fine paper

good clean using diluted

and then wipe the door

detergent. Rinse with

down with a damp cloth

clean water.

to remove dirt and dust.

2

Prepare your door Using a flat scraper, remove any blistered or flaking paint. Sand the

4

Paint Using an exterior wood gloss or eggshell paint.

Try and use a one-coat

whole door with medium

gloss as it can save some

grade sandpaper, then

of the work. Be sure to

repeat with fine

paint any raised door

sandpaper. Paint any areas

panels first, and then

of exposed wood with an

paint the rest of the door.

exterior wood primer.

Once dry, refit the door accessories.

THE DISCOVER

s s a a m m o o r r a a g g n n ti ti a a v v apptiti cca OF YOUR FAVOURITE PERFUMES IN OUR PURE HOME LINE FM FM Fragrance Fragrance Sussex Sussex

Yankee Candles New Easter Fragrances And they sound egg-celent!!

FROM £23.9 9

Yankee Candle are making it easier than ever to indulge in your favourite Easter treats, without compromising your diet!

The Egg-celent news of their NEW, Limited

Both equally and perfectly re-creating reminiscent scents of Spring baking and Easter Sunday Delights.

Both scents are available in their huge 623g

edition Easter Scents landed this month and we

jars, they will burn for approximately 110-150

are already predicting them to

hours. As always, they are made with premium

be stella hits. So whether you are a chocoholic

quality ingredients and natural essentials oils to

or sweet treat enthusiast, Yankee have made two

create the distinctive true-to-life scents. Huge

perfectly Spring scents to strike a match to this

green points too as the glass jars are also 100 per

Easter.

cent recyclable!

Chocolate Eggs & Bunny treats are the two scents bouncing onto shelves this Easter, both promising indulgent scents of vanilla-scented candy shells and notes of cake batter, buttercream and allspice.

Shop the Chocolate Eggs and Bunny Treats Candles for just £23.99.

THE ALDI KIDS RANGE YOU CAN SHOP ENTIRELY ONLINE AND AT THE PERFECT TIME TOO

In a unprecedented move, schools closed just last week, leaving many children home bound and being educated via online resources and parents.

And almost at the perfect time, Aldi have launched a collection of gorgeous and cute Kids furntire pieces, including tables, chairs and bookcases - the perfect set to aid home schooling over the coming weeks!

What's even better, they can be shopped entirely online! The collection is available in two designs; choose from woodland friends or magical unicorns.

Buy online today for a opportunity for next day delivery! Prices start from just ÂŁ29.99. Whilst stocks last.

ONLY A T ALDI

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DEAR LETTERBOX, We take a look at some of your home problems and offer you the best advice.

IM WORRIED ABOUT PROTECTING MY HOME FROM CORONA - WHAT SHOULD I BE USING IN MY HOME? Firstly, there's really no need to panic. Chances are you are using the correct products in your home to combat the spread of corona and germs in general. Use any household cleaners that contains over 70 per cent alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Clean often and make sure you dry your surfaces after cleaning too.

I WANT TO PAINT MY BATHROOM, WHAT SHOULD I GO FOR OTHER THAN THE USUAL BLUE? There's no denying blue is a favorite choice to paint a bathroom, so I can understand why you want to avoid. Any colour can really be used in a bathroom, but I would say keep it bright if you have no windows, and serine if you want it to be a place to relax. Create a moodboard of tones and colour palettes that take your fancy.

HELP - I KILL PLANTS AND NEED SOME GOOD FAKE ONES, WHERE SHOULD I BUY FROM? Who doesn't kill a plant or two? The great thing is, there are lots of places to buy good looking and deceiving fake plants from. Hit Ikea for inexpensive fake plants, as well as next, who often have gorgeous fake blooms in decorative and on trend pots like baskets.

Be Green In 2020 WITH

s s ' ' y y e e c c r r a a D D SOY BASED ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY CRUELTY FREE SAFE TO USE AROUND LUNG CONDITIONS SUCH AS ASTHMA

Make Make The The Switch Switch Today Today

10% OFF

YOUR FIRST ORDER WHEN - JUST QUOTE LETTERBOX

D D aa rr cc ee yy '' ss

Candles and Wax Melts C rr aa w w ll ee yy C

3 THINGS TO WATCH ON NOW love is blind Unless you have been

THE STUNNING VELVET CHAIR TO NAB DOWN THE SPECIAL BUY AISLE

By Charlotte - Nichole

under a rock for the last 2 weeks, the Netflix world has been rocked by the slightly cringey, highly addictive TV show - Love is Blind. Whether you love a good romance reality tv show or not, this one isn't to be missed purely for the sheer ridiculous nature of proposing to someone you have never seen before.

F1: drive to survive This is certainly one to stick with, since it can get a lil complex with so many characters and

AVAL IABLE AT AL DI

story lines, but it's one you can easily watch and get involved in.

We hugely recommend the watch, especially if you liked Netflix's other English drama, Safe.

We know too well how a Velvet plush occasional chair is the perfect staple for any home in 2020, so when your local Aldi offers it for a fraction of the cost, we couldn’t not tell you.

na If you like Planet Earth, this is certainly one for you. This series explores the earth at night - who knew?! With amazing cameras, you get almost a hidden look into what some of the most amazing creatures get up

Yep, Aldi’s Kirkton House range now features the gorgeous Velvet Scallop Chair in either Pink or Grey and its due to be a killer seller.

With a price point of just

£79.99, the supermarket alternative £315.00 saving, compared to other

offers customers a whopping similar designs!

But since it’s going to be a huge hit, and let’s be honest it’s not a

to, in the dark. This makes a easy watch and

checkout friendly purchase, the plush occasional chair is an online

one to get your kids into too!

exclusive.

Get in quick to grab the latest home trend, at the super affordable price. Buy here, if it’s not already sold out!

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The Little Black Chair get the look

The Dining Room tends to stay pretty firm in terms of trends and staple pieces. And whilst mismatched chairs and bench seating has been the goto style for a fair while, the Dining space is set to get a shake up with a new style icon : The Little Black Chair.

Easy to adopt into you current Dining Room, we’ve collated some of the most gorgeous LBC’s for you include in your dining space this Spring.

SHOP IT

£64.00

£199.99

£75.00

£69.99

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BY ANDREA BINKS

THE HOME ‘BREAKOVER’ AND HOW I NEEDED ONE TO HELP ME HEAL

Like many young girls growing up I dreamt of meeting my handsome prince and living happily ever after and for a while I really felt like I had accomplished that and so much more. I was 35 and had a charming husband, lovely house, two healthy and intelligent young boys and a job that fitted in with mum life perfectly.All that came crashing down when I discovered my husband was having an affair.

After deciding to separate officially it took two years before my ex moved out of the family home. My beautiful family home- where I had brought both my children home to when they were born, where my ex and I had shared so many happy (or so I thought happy) memories and where my entire life was based.

As soon as he moved out, I felt such a strong sense of wanting change. After all- he had had the affair and I had to stay living under the same roof, within the same walls, looking at the same ceiling that I had when I was happily married and also when I was devastated, and divorce was looming.

My ex got out- he had the change but for me I was just stuck. I also needed to buy new things as my ex had taken the sofas and the TV.

Right that was the decision made.

I could have just bought a new sofa and TV, but I wanted to change the whole lounge- no I ‘needed’ to change the whole lounge.

From what I thought had been a beautiful home I realised it didn’t serve me anymore, so I went from bright orange floral wallpaper in my lounge to a more calming cream and beige stripe and from a brown and dark green floral in the bedroom to a lovely light aqua.

Truth be told I wanted to change the entire house, but finances wouldn’t allow that just yet.

Moving out wasn’t an option either as my children loved their home and I felt like they had had enough upheaval already from their innocent young lives.

I had the ceilings made flat- something I’d always wanted to have done but was forever told ‘it’s a waste of money’ well I can now tell you that that was money most definitely well spent. It’s strange really how just by having the ceilings made smooth how much bigger and calmer the rooms looked.

So, I looked at the priorities first. The lounge as my boys and I spent most of our time there and my bedroom- which is self-explanatory.

That’s when I started to get excited about my new home, my new life- I spent hours scrolling images, searching for new wallpaper, colour schemes.

I spent days dragging my boyfriend Matt to various furniture stores searching for the perfect sofa and new bed. I had had a leather sofa previously so naturally I now wanted fabric and again I wanted something cosy that again portrayed the calm feeling I wanted to create around my home.

Next was the carpet, once again I chose a beautiful plush grey carpet but as soon as my eyes turned to carpet, I knew I needed to get all of the carpet in my house replaced. I didn’t want the ‘old’ carpet. Too many footsteps had walked over it, too many memories for it to stay.

It’s amazing how cathartic changing your home after a divorce can be.

I totally fell in love with the process of looking at designs that were for ‘me’ I had complete control of what I changed, how much I spent and what overall feeling I wanted to create.

I also felt so proud of what I had achieved. I involved my children in the decorating process and whilst they were reluctant to change anything at first, they absolutely loved the new look of their home.

I did come upagainst some resistance from my ex due to the fact our divorce wasn’t finalised and legally he still owned the house too but I sought legal advice and as all I was doing was bettering the house, he didn’t have a leg to stand on.

It’s been four years since my ex has moved out and my home isn’t completely where I want it to be yet but it’s a journey and I am loving the process. Especially how good it has been for my mental health.

Coming home to a home that is just ‘my boys and I’s’ and has no memories of when we were a family of four has made such a huge difference to my inner peace and happiness.

I can’t quite explain the feelings I had when I finally sat in my lounge and it looked completely different, but I guess it felt like freedom.

Freedom from the pain of separation.

Freedom from the pain of a life no longer recognisable. Freedom to be me.

If you have been though a similar experience to me then I whole heartedly recommend the ‘home breakover’ the home makeover with a difference. The difference to give yourself permission to live again, to smile again and to know that everything’s going to be alright.

#letterbox home explore the hashtag

PETS

Wet dog smells getting you down?

Here’s how to get rid of those pesky Dog smells from your home

by Charlotte Nichole

It’s all dog owners worst nightmare – the smell of dog when someone pops round for a cup of tea.

And whilst you can spritz and spray to your hearts delight, sometimes even the best odor remover doesn’t quite get rid of the smell.

So what’s the best way to get rid of the pesky smells?

Here’s our quick guide on banishing those odors just in time for spring.

1

Clean their bed regularly Just like our own bed, it can harbour smells and bacteria too.

Giving it a quick hoover once a week, and washing every 2 will help keep bad odours at bay.

2

Hoover and Mop often Our four-legged friends can create quiet a mess on our floors, whether they be carpet or

4

Cover up soft furniture Drape a blanket over their favourite snooze spot to help maintain dirt and protect your

hardwood. Be sure to keep them

furniture too. Wash the throws

clean, with sweeping and

and blankets weekly and pop

mopping every week, and using

tumble dryer sheets into your

strong, pet friendly cleaning

cushion covers them smelling

solutions. Vacuuming twice a

fresh.

week and steam cleaning your carpets once a month, will also help bust the dust, hair and unwanted odours from your tailwagging pal.

3

Keep the air circulating Odours often get trapped, and when the weather is colder, we tend to keep doors and windows shut, keeping bad smells and bacteria in our homes. If you can, regularly open windows and doors for short periods of time to allow fresh air to circulate your home.

5

Home Fragrance Fill your home fragrance including reed diffusers, candles and wax melts. To be pet friendly, choose soy-based wax melts and candles.

GET DAILY MOOD-BOARDS OVER ON OUR INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT!

costal hues

By Charlotte - Nichole

CLEANING PRODUCTS THAT DESTROY CORONAVIRUS Undoubtedly lots of us are concerned and worried about corona virus and combating it in our own homes. With many confused on what can actually kill the virus bacteria, we have put together a quick guide on what cleaners can be used in your home to destroy the Coronavirus.

Soap and Water We've been hearing a lot about how soap and water alone can break down the coronavirus and that's correct in your home too.

Scrubbing surfaces using just soap and water, and creating a lot of friction whilst doing so can really help break down coronavirus on surfaces.

Bleach Diluted bleach is sufficient in virus disinfection. Always use gloves and never mix with anything other than water. Once mixed, don't keep the solution for longer than a day because bleach will degrade certain plastic containers.

Isopropyl Alcohol Alcohol solutions with at least 70 percent alcohol are effective against coronavirus on hard surfaces. First, clean the surface with water and detergent. Apply the alcohol solution (do not dilute it) and let it sit on the surface for at least 30 seconds to disinfect. Alcohol is generally safe for all surfaces but can discolor some plastics.

Hydrogen Peroxide 3% hydrogen peroxide is effective in deactivating rhinovirus, the virus that causes the common cold, within 6 to 8 minutes of exposure. Rhinovirus is more difficult to destroy than coronaviruses, so hydrogen peroxide should be able to break down coronavirus in less time.

Use undiluted via a spray bottle and let it sit on the surface for at least 1 minute. Hydrogen peroxide is not corrosive, so it’s okay to use it on metal surfaces. But similar to bleach, it can discolor fabrics if you accidentally get in on your clothes.

#letterbox home explore the hashtag

PRIMARK LAUNCH SUPER SUSTAINABLE COTTON LUXE BEDDING SETS TO RIVAL THE WHITE COMPANY!

Primark are at it again, bringing customers and the Highstreet affordable homewares to rival high end brands, and delivering on sustainability too!

The new range of Primark bedding is made using sustainable cotton, in a bid to use more and more sustainable materials.

The bedlinen is also part of Primark’s Sustainable Cotton Programme ; a huge new programme by the Highstreet giant to teach farmers more sustainable farming methods that use less water and less chemicals and improve their livelihoods.

Aside from being super sustainable, the gorgeous new range delivers on Hotelesqu design including a waffle white, and Seersucker stripe, to name but a few.

Essentially, there’s a design for everyone to update their bedroom in time for Spring, and deliver a comfortable, snuggy nights sleep.

Grab any of these sets from your local Primark Store today, starting from as little as £15!!!

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letterbox THE

RECIPE STATION MONTHLY, EASY RECIPES TO ADD TO YOUR RECIPE COLLECTION

oks letterbox co PREP & COOKING TIME : 30MINS SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MEAT Chateaubriand steak 500g

Spring Rosemary

Salt and pepper to taste

PEPPERCORN SAUCE 3tbsp peppercorn (in the pestle and mortar)

1 shallot

1tsp Worcestershire sauce

60g butter

125ml beef stock

100ml double cream

CHATEAUBRIAND, WITH A PEPPERCORN SAUCE

DIRECTIONS FOR THE MEAT

Pre-heat oven on gas mark 5 Heat your pan (no oil needed) Sear the outside of the meat, all sidesRare: 15mins Medium rare: 18 minsMedium: 20minsWell done: 25mins

PEPPERCORN SAUCE Melt the butter and add the shallot, cook till golden brown Add the Worcestershire sauce and cook for 1minute Add the peppercorns and the stock, cook for 5minutes on a medium heat Add the cream and bring to a boil, let it then simmer on a low heat for 10-15mins.

Then serve in a heated gravy boat We served this with tender stem broccoli (steamed, then fried with oil and garlic), chips from the local chippy, and my very own peppercorn sauce above! Perfection!

PREP TIME: LESS THAN 30 MINS COOK TIME: LESS THAN 10 MINS MAKES 2

SWEET EGGY BREAD IN CUSTARD letterbox bakes DIRECTIONS

INGREDIENTS 2 medium oranges

2–3 tbsp icing sugar

½ x 400ml/14fl oz tin ready-made custard

Place the orange on a board and using a sharp knife, carefully cut off all the peel. Segment the orange and place the pieces on a baking tray. Sprinkle with sifted icing sugar and toast with a chefs’ blow torch until the sugar caramelises. Alternatively, you can heat a grill to very hot and place the orange under it until caramelised. Set aside.

Warm the custard in a medium pan over a low heat with 5 tablespoons cold water, stirring regularly.

½oz butter

40g/1

2 tsp sunflower oil

Whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla extract together well in a bowl.

2 free-range eggs

½fl oz milk

75ml/2

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 slices white fluffy bread, crusts removed and cut in half

Melt half the butter with the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. One at a time, dip the bread triangles in the egg mixture for a few seconds. Fry for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden-brown.

½oz per slice before removing the

diagonally (around 45g/1

crusts)

2 tbsp runny honey

Pour the custard into two warmed bowls and layer the eggy bread and caramelised orange segments on top. Add the remaining butter and the honey to the hot pan and stir until melted. Spoon the honey-butter over the eggy bread and serve.

h t i w l e v tra letterbox

You don't need a silver fork to eat good food.

Paul Prudhomme

o t e d i u g l u f r a colou Singapore

by Becca Collier-Cook

Singapore is unlike anywhere in Asia. A truly modern country that is also often referred to as the garden of Asia. Singapore is full of immense colours, and as a colour enthusiast I thought it was only fitting to put together a colourful guide to Singapore.

Peranakan Houses in Katong Katong is a residential area with colourful shop houses and quirky colonial buildings.

colourful hidden gems

Live like a local by walking through

Haji Lane

colourful buildings, sample food, like spicy

From quirky cafes, to independent

laksa noodles and explore all the quirky

boutiques, Haji Lane is AMAZING. With so

local houses and shops. If you want to visit

many eateries to choose from, you will be

the Peranakan Houses specifically, then

spoilt for lunch options. There are so many

head to Joo Chiat Road. Please note that

murals in the lane and all the shops have

these are actually people’s houses!

quirky themes.

Gardens By The Bay

Little India

This awe inspired garden is THE GREEN

Possibly my favourite place from our whole

PLACE to visit. With three gardens, a

Singaporean trip, immerse yourself in this

rooftop walkway, two domes and more

vibrant district with traditional eateries,

plants than you could ever conceive, the

temples, flower garland vendors and spice

Gardens by the Bay is not to be missed.

shops. Don’t miss the House of Tan Teng

Don’t miss the night-time light show!

Niah, the colourful insta-worthy building.

typical singapore must-do’s Want some more ideas on places to visit in Singapore? Why not check out the places below: Singapore Zoo & Night Safari Try a Singapore Sling at Raffles Bar Marina Bay Sands China Town Visit the Merlio

Home Tour

letterbox MARCH

2020

|Â ISSUE

NO.8

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