This month we love Discover our

We love to hear what you’ve been up to, so send us your letters, tips, projects and photos. This month’s prizes are provided by Mermaid Gin.

CUT-OUT COUTURE

Lockdown brought out the paint and brushes in my home, and I thought I would be adventurous and try stencilling. The front door area was my first effort followed by our tiny hall... not too bad for a pensioner with two knee replacements. Linda Allred, by email

Your Home says What a transformation, Linda! Your intricate stencilling looks incredible – an entranceway that’ll be the envy of all your neighbours.

★ Linda’s letter has won her a bottle

of Mermaid Gin worth £40!

Letter of the month Organisation station After seeing the beautiful kitchen islands in your December issue, I thought I’d send a photograph of my budget baking bundle! We already had the piece of marble for the top of the island as well as the wood. The shelves hold my trays, boards and bowls, while the drawer holds all the small baking items that get lost elsewhere. We got the food mixer from eBay, the scales from a charity shop and my husband made the wooden trug to hold the large kitchen tools. Tucked underneath is a duckboard for me to use when I need extra height, as I’m only 5 foot. The most expensive part of this project was to have the marble cut to size and polished, which cost £40. Jacquie Parker, by email

Drink up

I was looking for a place to store all my drinks bottles. I stumbled across this trolley; however, the original gold shade was not in keeping with my copper and grey kitchen. With a little bit of paint and a mirror base, it is now the perfect addition to the kitchen! Jade Smith-Sykes, by email

Your Home says Jade, this is a gorgeous drinks trolley! The copper paint looks so glamorous with your glassware.

Staycation in style

I decided to brighten up the breeze block planting trough around our patio with some Mediterranean-style tiles. I’m delighted with them! As winter approached, I also replaced the tired carpet in our sun room with artificial grass to complement the forest mural. Even though I’m in Scotland, my Mediterranean patio has me dreaming of holidays abroad! Sue Houston, by email

Your Home says We love your new floor, Sue – it’s so vibrant! Your garden room is the perfect relaxation spot. Your Home says This is such a lovely idea, Jacquie! We love how you’ve utilised the space.

Ge t Online

Tweet us your pictures and comments @your_home or like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/yourhomemag

EMAIL YOUR TIPS, PHOTOS AND LETTER TO:

yourhome@immediate.co.uk. Letters can be posted

Courtesy of Mermaid Gin, the writer of this issue’s letter of the month will receive to Your Letters, Your Home magazine, Immediate Media Co, a bottle of Mermaid Gin worth £40. Eagle House, Colston Avenue, Bristol BS1 4ST, but we may not The three runners-up will each receive a Mermaid Gin miniature gift set worth see them for some time as we are currently working remotely. £15.99. Find out more about Mermaid Gin Letters may be edited. We apologise but photos cannot at isleofwightdistillery.com. 8 be returned. yourhomestyle.uk

Household H I NTS

Freshen up your home with our handy tips and trick s Regularly dust the window area to prevent build-up

HOW TO... wash your curtain s

It might seem like a tiresome job, but do you know when you last cleaned your curtains? Dust and odours build up over time, so an annual (or more frequent) wash is a good idea. Follow these easy steps that’ll have your curtains looking good as new in no time…

• Before you begin, check the washing label to see if your curtains are fully machine washable. Lightweight fabrics, such as cotton, usually are. If that’s the case, continue with the following steps. If not, or you have any concerns about home washing, a dry cleaner might be a better option.

• To start, remove all hooks and shake off any dust. Then, pop your curtains in the washing machine with your usual laundry detergent. Set the machine to a ‘delicates’ cycle or a cool wash with a slower spin. If your curtains are particularly delicate and you’re worried about damaging them in the machine, opt for a hand wash (probably in the bath due to their size).

• Now that your curtains are clean, it’s time to dry them. To avoid mould or musty odours, it’s important that you allow them to dry thoroughly. If it’s a warm, dry day, hang your curtains on the line until they’re 95 per cent dry. Alternatively, hang them up to dry inside or tumble dry if the wash label permits. Iron when they’re still slightly damp, working lengthways on the inside of the material, then hang immediately to avoid any creases.

• If you don’t already, incorporate a weekly curtain vacuum into your cleaning schedule. This will get rid of any residual dust or cobwebs and keep them in tip-top shape after a deep clean.

Buy it once

If you’re in need of a new toaster that’s going to last a lifetime, look no further than Dualit. Handbuilt in the UK, the 4 Slice Newgen Toaster is an ideal size for families. It boasts defrost and bagel settings and the controls allow you to heat one, two, three or all four of the slots.

It’s also a planet-friendly purchase as Dualit offers fully repairable or replaceable parts, so there’s no need to ever throw it away. There are over 20 colours, too! Priced at £199.15 from Dualit.

HACK

Limescale can be a real nuisance. To descale your showerhead, white vinegar is your saviour. If your showerhead is removable, place it in a large container, cover with vinegar and leave to soak for 30 minutes to an hour. Then, rinse with water and use a toothbrush to scrub away any remaining limescale. If your showerhead is fixed, don’t fret. The process is the same as above but uses a plastic bag instead of a container. Simply half fill the plastic bag with vinegar, place over your showerhead and secure with a string. Soak and then rinse as above.