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TARTAN & TWEED Cuddle up with stylish autumn checks

LET US ENTERTAIN YOU

The latest trends with party space kitchens

“USE COLOUR THERE’S NO EXCUSE NOT TO” Laurence LlewelynBowen talks to us about his love for patterns and purple

...is where your home is

LOVING YOUR HOME

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Welcome

Contents

Welcome to the latest issue of Loving Your Home, the magazine from haart estate agents. We’re so excited to share this season’s trends. There’s so many amazing new autumn products and styles out at the moment that we’ve tried to cram as many into this issue as possible.

Jenna Gregory, Editor

I always fall in love with autumn. It’s the underrated season which has so much going for it. If we’re lucky we should get another beautiful Indian summer and, as the clocks go back, and the sun sets a little earlier and lower in the sky, on a clear day the sunsets can be spectacular. I noticed this all last year as I had a new puppy who needed walking, and I ventured out for woodland treks. The leaves begin to change and the colours are so vibrant, which comes through in all of this season’s trends: burnt oranges, deep russets, maroons, burgundies and copper are all big at the moment - take a look at the products we love in this issue.

Whilst out walking, I’ve also come across lots of wild berries which have inspired me to get picking and make my own jam; blackberries, raspberries, apples, plums and elderberries are now all ripe for harvesting.

See our kitchen page for our yummy apple and berry jam recipe.

And whilst on the woodland theme, the forest animals are back: deer, stags, foxes and rabbits - see page 7 for our pick of the furry friend trend.

We’ve also found a hedgehog house to keep the little creatures safe in hibernation this winter - see this on our garden page which also introduces our new green fingered experts, the Skinny Jean Gardeners. They give their autumn advice on what’s best to do in our backyards now.

Talking of experts, the font of all interior design knowledge, Mr Changing Rooms himself, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, spared some time in his busy schedule to talk to us about what styles we should be trying in our homes. See his interview and tips on page 8. But if it’s more changing your home, than changing your rooms, then you need to take a look at some of our properties to buy and rent from page 26 onwards. Plus don’t forget to use our handy check list on the back page if you’re selling and on the move.

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04. Love to share 05. Home and lifestyle news 06. We love: Autumn trends

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07. Animal trend 08. The interview Laurence Llewelyn Bowen 11. Ask the experts

16

12. Tartan and Tweed 14. Love your property 16. Entertaining kitchens 20. Loving your kitchen

20 21. Loving your garden 22. Apps and gadgets 24. Loving your life

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Buying, selling or renting with haart couldn’t be easier. If you see a property that takes your fancy, just call your local haart office, which is available from 8am to 10pm seven days a week. Or for more properties and information visit haart.co.uk.

25. Loving your area 26. Moving on out 27. Local area spotlight 78. Selling checklist

Love to share If you try any of the ideas from this issue, or your own, and would like to share them, please email, tweet or Facebook us your pics editor@lovingyourhomemag.co.uk

twitter.com/haart_uk

facebook.com/haart.estate.agents

pinterest.com/LovingYourHome

Our chosen tweet, photo or email will win £250 of John Lewis vouchers! So get sharing! See the next page for our latest winner. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and our Loving Your Home Pinterest board where we post all entries and our favourite items. #LovingYourHome

Competition rules We apologise but not all photos and letters can be published. Entries should be made by 1 November, 2014. The winning question, email, letter, status or tweet will be picked by the editor and will receive £250 of John Lewis/Waitrose vouchers. The winner will be sent confirmation by email, post, social media or telephone call. If a reply by the winner to confirm postal address is not received within five days of being selected, a new winner will be picked. Prizes are non-transferable and there are no cash alternatives. Only one entry per person. Entrants must be aged 18 or over. No entries can be made by employees or family of those that work with the Spicerhaart group. The editor’s decision is final and no correspondence can be entered into.

Loving Your Home Published by Mosaic Publicity on behalf of: Spicerhaart Estate Agents Ltd (04430726) Colwyn House, Sheepen Place, Colchester C03 3LD W: mosaicpublicity.co.uk T: 01206 841933 Editor Jenna Gregory News Editor Ruth Aggiss Writer Philippa Green Designer Chris Douglas Chief Executive Karen Ainley With thanks to: Martin Evans, Lucy Halliday, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Jane Rockett, Lakeland, Skinny Jean Gardeners - Lee and Dale Connelly. ©2014 Spicerhaart Estate Agents Limited (“haart”). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying or recording, without permission. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and the publisher can take no responsibility for omissions or errors. Information contained within is for general purposes only and we will not be liable for any loss or damage arising. Please note that although the property information contained in this magazine is believed to be correct at the time of publication, the nature of the property market means that both the availability of the properties and the relevant asking prices may well change following the date of publication and no responsibility can be taken for any loss or damage arising from action taken as a result of the information in this publication. Readers should take specific steps to confirm with their local haart branch the continued accuracy of any information on which they wish to specifically rely. All details correct at time of printing.

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LOVING YOUR HOME

Home and lifestyle news

Reader letter

Love to share

fordshire:

Barbara Montero from Bed

We love to hear what you’ve been up to so please share with us your photos, tips, DIY projects, letters and questions. Plus each issue our chosen tweet, photo or email will win £250 of John Lewis vouchers!* So get sharing!

Here’s what some of you have been up to over the past few months…

Winner

This fab upcycled sofa by Annabelle @yumcoconut on Twitter, was our chosen photo.

Clearly a lot of time, effort and creativity went in to this and we think Annabelle is a deserving winner. We love the orange and grey 1970s look, plus the detail on the arm rest covers.

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the Spring 201 “I pickededbyupthe it. quality of the articles within delight

of tips, trends and There was such a good mix tbulb’ vron stripes has sparked a ‘ligh features. The article on che Missoni of e I have earmarked a piec moment of inspiration for me. neglected to re cover a much loved but Chevron fabric from Liberty ng the ever pieces’ whilst incorporati antique chair. Upcycling ‘for . latest trend. Fab! Thank you the chair er, please send us a picture of Thank you Barbara for your lett to see. r new material, we would love once you have covered it in you . o.uk rty.c ple above, visit Libe For Missoni fabric, like the sam

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@Racheyra on Twitter has been getting very hands-on with her woodwork. She tweeted us these two impressive pictures, one of a cushioned chair made out of old pallets and a cushioned seat/toy box made from her old bed slats. The pallet and crate trend is still big at the moment, so this is certainly on our crafty to-do list.

Upcycled mirror frame used to hang photos

by Edita on Twitter. We love this idea it would also work well for displaying a table plan at a wedding.

Boo Spurgeon from Sheffield has been getting crafty. We love this painted pink chair with stencilled hearts and stool with a wallpapered seat.

Don’t fork out on new hooks! Instead take an old fork, bend it and turn it into a hook, like @Happyhooe on Twitter did. Perfect for hanging those kitchen tea towels.

Jo Orr emailed us these pictures of jam jars she’s customed into tealight holders.

Jo said she coloured old jam jars by using Mod Podge and food colourings. Each jar was left upside down to fully coat the inside with the mixture, then baked. Jo said: “I found the instructions on Pinterest a while ago, and thought I’d have a go! The only thing I did find out was that they are not waterproof after I left a couple outside by mistake!” Mod Podge is a waterbased sealer glue that can be used on all surfaces and is fantastic if you want to decoupage furniture. It’s available in a matt, gloss, glitter or silver finish. Available from £4, Hobbycraft.co.uk

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and our Loving Your Home Pinterest board where we post all of our favourite items. #LovingYourHome Email editor@lovingyourhomemag.co.uk Twitter.com/haart_uk

*We apologise but not all photos and letters can be published, Readers’ letters (Love to Share): Submissions should be made by 1 November, 2014. Full competition entry details on page 3.

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Facebook.com/haart.estate.agents Pinterest.com/LovingYourHome

Home and lifestyle news

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News DIY incompetence If you’re under 35 and you know how to change a fuse or bleed a radiator, you’re in the minority. Research from PlumberNow.co.uk, revealed that a “DIY intelligence” gap has opened up between young adults and their parents’ generation, with more than one in three under 35s admitting that they ‘call dad’ before trying to fix a problem themselves.

Seven in 10 adults under 35 said they would need to call in assistance to turn off their water supply in the event of a flood, compared to only 20% of over 55s.

More alarmingly though is that younger adults are more likely to be ripped off by rogue tradespeople, which may be due to them having less knowledge around the home and the jargon language used by workmen. Unlucky Brits have squandered more than £185 million at the hands of rogue traders in the past 12 months so it’s important to make sure you’re using a reputable tradesperson. To find genuine tradespeople in your local area, visit CheckaTrade.com.

To test your DIY intelligence, go to PlumberNow.co.uk/HIQ and get your score. If you need to brush up on your DIY skills pop into B&Q who run workshops at their stores around the country. Visit DIY.com/youcandoit to book.

Broadband speeds Property search website Rightmove has now added a broadband speed checker to its listings. Slow broadband speeds can knock as much as 20% off the value of properties and lack of superfast connectivity in an area can be a deal breaker in house sales. With growing numbers of people going online to work from home or to stream entertainment, good broadband has become critical.

Estate agents at haart said broadband speed is so vital that buyers are walking away from a purchase if they discover that superfast speeds are not available in that area. Rightmove said that research conducted among 3,000 people found that broadband details were ranked as a more important feature when searching for property than information on transport links or nearby schools. The new broadband speed information on listings is a speedometer-style display showing the average speed, and lets people know if they can upgrade to superfast broadband and the providers who offer the service in their area.

A fifth of parents want a bigger home According to Royal Mail’s Home Movers Study, a fifth of parents interviewed want a bigger home in the expectation that their children will be living with them into their late 20s. This supports figures from the Office for National Statistics, which revealed over 3.3 million adults in the UK aged between 20 and 34 were living with mum and dad - that’s over a quarter of this age group. This figure has increased by 669,000 (or 25%) in almost 20 years.

Until families manage to move into a bigger home, according to IronmongeryDirect, tradespeople are seeing a significant rise in products designed to save space for the live-at-home generation of young adults. The most popular of which are sliding doors to save space for bedrooms, which wouldn’t have normally had a double bed, and mini en-suite shower rooms to avoid the morning rush.

Royal Mail’s survey also revealed almost half of home owners interviewed, who have moved home, said they waited longer than they wanted for the move. The biggest factor chosen from a list was a shortage of properties to meet their needs.

Are You a ‘Home Cloner’?

One in ten have taken secret images of homes A study conducted by online furniture retailer Sengtai.com has revealed that over half of us are guilty of ‘home cloning’, basing the design of a room on that of a friend or family member’s. What’s more, one tenth confessed to capturing images on their cameras or smartphones of decorated rooms they particularly admired, without the knowledge or permission of the home owner. The study highlighted the pressure there is on homeowners

to decorate and design their abode as stylishly as possible.

The top most copied rooms were bathrooms, living rooms and kitchens.

Even though they say imitation is the biggest form of flattery, we would suggest flicking through a few more interior magazines instead, including this issue. Having confidence in your choices and making your own space unique to you. If you want to see what others are doing though take a look at our properties in the back pages.

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LOVING YOUR HOME

Home and lifestyle news

We love: Autumn trends Hema — You may have heard people talking about Hema - not quite sure what it is? Well it’s the new kid on the department store block and Holland’s answer to IKEA and Primark, combined, and it’s come to the UK. With its no fuss cheap pricing (nice round low numbers, no 99p’s), easy to navigate store, eco-friendly products, and distinctive designs, it’s no wonder people want a piece of this Dutch retail therapy. Expect to leave the store with bags filled with an array of kitchen utensils, quirky stationery, cushions, Christmas decorations and kids’ clothing - the latter is probably the best thing about the store. Apparently the popularity of the store in the Netherlands has resulted in half of all Dutch babies owning a Hema babygrow. Hema’s first UK store opened in Victoria, London, in June, with two more set to open its doors by the end of this year in Kingston and Bromley. Visit HemaShop.com.

Pumpkin pot — Serve up your leftover Halloween pumpkins in this Staub Cocotte Dutch oven. As it holds 3.5 litres that’s a lot of pumpkin soup or stew you’ll need to get cooking. Available Amazon.co.uk for £132.

Loveseat — We’re obviously loving products from Holland at the moment as this is our third Dutch item on this page (Hema and the Staub Dutch oven), plus all the orange everywhere, but we can’t get enough of this Dutchtub Loveseat by Bigfire. This award-winning hot tub is pure luxury and is surprisingly simple: wood-fire with natural circulation. Unlike most hot tubs which often require a crane to position them in your garden, this Loveseat is portable and even fits on the roof rack of a car so you can take it to the beach after an ice cold swim in the sea (maybe a bit excessive but it sounds fun). It needs no installation and is even supplied with a wok for cooking while the water heats. We want one – now! Prices on request from BigFire.co.uk.

A is for autumn …and this letter A book shelf. With a discreet pull-out table this contemporary shelving unit doubles up as a desk. It is part of the Next Carter range for children’s bedrooms but we’d rather like it for ourselves. We think it would make a great addition to a room as a statement bookcase with its sloping shelves, or for a home office.

Available from Next for £225.

Barking mad — We love wood-effect wallpaper at the moment. Whether it’s distressed planks and panels, or twigs and bark for a woodland feel, you need to revamp your walls with these. Make a feature wall with a few rolls and pair with fake furs for a Scandi-style log cabin vibe. They still look good in summer, just theme them with nautical accessories instead. Mr Perswall bark wallpaper, from RockettStGeorge.co.uk and Muriva Bluff Wood Panel Wallpaper, £14.99 from iWantWallpaper.co.uk.

Chalet chic — Add a ski chalet feel to your living room with this reclaimed wood and leather sofa. This bespoke furniture is made from durable reclaimed antique oak beams by London based designers and craftsmen, Old Soul. The company aim to create high-quality eco-friendly furniture, and we love it. Pair with a cowhide covered footstall for a really rustic, country feel. Available from OldSoulFurniture.co.uk with prices starting at £540 for chairs and £2680 for sofas.

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Home and lifestyle news

Animal trend

www.haart.co.uk

Deer duvet cover £50 - ByNord.com

Stag cushion plum £45 AntheasHomestore.co.uk

Stag head £25 - Bouf.com

Pouffe fox £95 ClareLoves.co.uk

Rutting stags cushion £41.50 ClareLoves.co.uk

The Love Birds tray £55 - Liberty.co.uk

Dictionary prints £12 FabFunky.com

Owl cushion £8 - George Home at Asda Rabbit magnetic wallpaper from £55 RockettStGeorge.co.uk

Fox cushion £32 - WhinberryAntler.com

Horse table lamp £24 - Next

Stag Ornament £24 - Dunelm Mill

Bear side table,£129 www.ILoveRetro.co.uk

Rex table lamp £35 - Next

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Working with everyone from Graham and Brown to Matalan and Littlewoods and in the public eye with his own BBC shows, television appearances and radio, he’s become a household name in British interior design. We caught up with him while he was Interiors Ambassador at the Ideal Home Show, in London’s Earls Court.

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen pictured with his wife Jackie

LOVING YOUR HOME

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The interview

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen

By Jenna Gregory

Laurence’s Venitian range with Littlewoods

JG: You were the ambassador of interiors at the Ideal Home show this year. What did that involve and what was the show like?

LLB: I’m actually the Glam-bassador. I’ve asked them to change my title for it. Yes, it was really exciting and there was lots more colour than we’ve seen over the last few years.

JG: What other exciting projects are you working on?

LLB: I’m still working on lots in Asia, currently filming the third series of The Apartment, which is a mix of Changing Rooms and X Factor, and as head judge I get to deliver some dry Simon Cowell-esque comments. For some reason they love me out there, and it’s receiving over 120 million viewers per episode, so it’s huge. And I get to travel the world with it.

Soon I’ll be filming in Thailand, then off to South America, then the Middle East so it’s great fun.

I finally get to be Laurence of Arabia! It’s also

my 25th wedding anniversary with my wife Jackie, so there will be big celebrations and event planning to look forward to.

JG: We unfortunately don’t get The Apartment on TV in the UK, so will you be coming back to our screens again soon?

LLB: I would love to and I don’t want to feel like I’m deserting Britain, but only if the show is right. I would never do this celebrity jungle thing and eat bugs. Ghastly. But I think there’s a real hunger for Changing Rooms again, or a similar show. We’re in the same economic time as when it was last on the TV and people love their homes. I quite like the idea of doing that again, I’d never say never. But I also think it’s important to find new talent. Back in the 90s when myself, Linda Barker and Anna Ryder Richardson started we were unheard of and it’s changed our lives.

JG: You’ve done ‘LLB’ ranges for Littlewoods and Matalan and wallpaper design for Graham and Brown, is this still on-going? And can we still purchase your designs?

LLB: Yes I’m still doing a range with Littlewoods and wallpaper for Graham and Brown. There’s so much going on. My new designs for Littlewoods make a very evocative collection. It’s all very Venetian, but rather than being all neoclassical with masks and glamour, it’s more about what it’s like to live in Venice.

JG: Talking of Venice and travelling the world, is this where you get your design inspiration from?

LLB: No, I get it from gin! Ha! No, travel is great for design inspiration. Sometimes I’ve even taken inspiration from the plane I was travelling on. I was sitting there and looking at the sleek lines and thinking this is exactly what I am after.

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LOVING YOUR HOME

The interview

But in general, inspiration will always come from where you are. You just absorb it as you go along. I like to say you need a ‘sticky brain’ and anything you see gets stuck to it, absorbs ideas.

JG: Do you draw inspiration for interior design from different eras and if so what was your favourite?

LLB: It changes a lot. At the moment there’s a big renaissance for the late 60s and 70s, and not just Austin Powers and glam rock. It’s more about how stylish people lived then.

They were easy going, laid back, but they were wholesome. They grew up in a nice way. It was my era. We had to use a lot of imagination to be creative. We had to talk. I worry about my daughters and their generation. They fill all their time, they don’t just relax, and their brains are always in neutral, always doing something on social media or watching TV. They’re not imagining like we used to. I think people need to be more respectful of boredom.

JG: You originally trained as a fine artist so how did interior design come about?

LLB: After 4 years studying fine art I wanted to do something different. I was lucky enough to have some exhibitions and sell some work but I wanted to get into interiors. I started work with a flooring company and even managed to assist on projects at Buckingham Palace, Lords cricket ground and with the London Underground. But I wanted something more creative so started as a freelancer and began by painting cherubs on ceilings for the ladies of Knightsbridge in their boudoirs.

Laurence’s kitchen and dining room

JG: Most challenging project?

LLB: Actually Changing Rooms was, it was on a weekly basis. We were thrown into the middle of chaos. And despite my trademark red walls and zebra floors I actually really wanted people to like what I did. And of course decorating in leather trousers was challenging enough!

JG: Do you put the same time and passion into styling your own rooms at home?

LLB: What we do at home is a reflection of the business and my new designs. I always design with home in mind and test with rooms in the house. Our living room is several inches smaller with all the wallpaper I have added to it over the years. The style we have is a reflection of our family personality and that’s how interiors should be, not something bought off the shelf.

JG: Are there any key trends for this year we should be looking out for?

LLB: A lot more colour – thank the lord! There’s a strong sense of gutsy pastels. Very 50s.

It works well with wood. And we are seeing colour solidifying a relationship with intricate

Part of his range for Littlewoods

“Use colour – there’s no excuse not to” pattern making – Indian, African prints, paisley.

It’s eclectic with patterns all together. Talking of patterns, tartan is a big trend for A/W14.

Tweed was a bit too beige for me but tartan is rich and vibrant. Pair it with velvet.

But what’s great about tartan is it can also be used in spring/summer.

That’s the thing with trends now, they are getting longer term, with less updates between the seasons.

It’s all about intellectual interiors and having confidence in decorating. Plus it’s good to spend your money wisely rather than on disposable fashion which will date.

JG: Do you have any simple tips for bringing a tired room back to life?

LLB: Use colour – there’s no excuse not to.

Paint doesn’t cost anything and it’s quick.

And lose the feature wall nonsense. It’s like half

baking a cake. If you do it, at least do pattern on one wall and colour on the rest. Or, better still, use patterned wallpaper on every wall. It disguises the corners, confuses the eye and actually makes the room appear bigger.

JG: And lastly, a hypothetical question, if you were forced to design in only shades or a tone of one colour, what would that colour be?

LLB: Purple. It’s going to become a big colour in interior design. There’s so many shades of it, lavender to violet, it can be warm or bold and outrageous. It’s constantly interesting.

Also grey. It’s the new beige. It’s the carbohydrate, it’s the mashed potato on the plate. But better than beige it’s more confident, brighter and lighter, and a melting transition to more colour. A pale grey will bounce the light and is the perfect background for colour.

Home and lifestyle news

www.haart.co.uk

Ask the experts Q

I have a lovely mantelpiece, but have always struggled to find a nice collection of objects to sit on it. Could you suggest a mantelpiece display? I like Danish-design inspired pieces and would love to see something that perhaps included candles, glass, pottery and photos.

Best wishes, Fiona Creese

A

Mantelpieces and shelves are the perfect place to express yourself, display treasures collected throughout the years and tell a story. Mix up your dimensions.

A row of the same size objects is boring, so use large and tiny ones to create drama, layers and interest. Collect and display items that tell the story of your life and remind you of special times, such as a stone from the beach on holiday or a beautiful postcard. My next tip would be candles, candles, candles... tapered, pillar and tea lights are perfect for creating atmosphere, height and a lovely smell. Flowers and plants also add life to a display. Use rich colours with dark walls, or fresh greens with white.

Remember you can always change your mantelpiece, add to it and mix it up. Be daring and let yourself create.

Answer by Jane Rockett, director of RockettStGeorge.co.uk. Jane also teaches interior design courses, available in the design school section of the website. Products in the shelf image (above) and the gold frames (right) from RockettStGeorge.co.uk. Also the products collected together from John Lewis work well on a mantelpiece (top right). We especially like the twigs and feathers for an autumn feel: (from left to right) ceramic vases from £10; Design House Stockholm cord table lamp £170.

Q A

Hi, could you recommend a good paint for using on wooden furniture? I want to upcycle a couple of older pieces but I’m nervous about doing it and getting it wrong. Have you got any tips?

Many thanks, Susan, Maidenhead We’ve just upcycled this dresser and bench seat by doing a two-colour paint effect using white pepper and candle eggshell paint from Marston & Langinger.

For a cleaner, plainer look you just need one paint colour. Before you start, check for woodworm, especially if you’ve got the pieces from reclamation yards or Freecycle. Then you will need to prepare the furniture by cleaning it with sugar soap and rub down with sandpaper. Apply a primer, sand again, and paint on two layers of colour. Once dry finish with acrylic varnish. For a more ‘shabby chic’ look, you’ll need two complementary colours: a principal colour and the base coat. The latter will show through on the parts you scruff and sand down at the end. Once the undercoat is dry, paint on your second, principal colour. Wait to dry and apply a clear wax with a soft cloth to seal and protect. After this, it’s the fun distressing part. Gently rub the areas you want to expose, with sandpaper, revealing the colour underneath. Rub the corners and edges, where scuffing would naturally occur. Once you’re happy you’ve achieved your vintage, aged look, apply more clear wax and leave to dry overnight. Buff the next day for a lovely finish. If you want your piece to look really aged you can add a darker wax to some areas. Marston & Langinger chalk paint prices start from £23 for a litre, available from DesignerPaint.com.

Email us your questions to editor@lovingyourhomemag.co.uk

*See page 3 for competition rules.

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LOVING YOUR HOME

Home and lifestyle

Tartan & Tweed

Mill wool tub check chair £149.99 - Dun elm Mill

Red tartan table lamp £95 - NotOnTheHighstreet.com

A

s the nights begin to get colder and darker, stay warm and wrapped up with autumn’s biggest trends – tartan and tweed – just in time for the Scottish vote on independence and the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. The famous Scottish check and English wool are back and here to stay, but both patterns have taken different shades to last year and designers are using the two together.

Last year designers opted for more subdued colours such as burnt oranges, mulberries and raspberries, but this season the vibrant traditional reds, greens and blues, that we usually associate with the Highland check, are back. Create a cosy and contemporary feel that still has an element of tradition by pairing the two patterns with wooden furniture, animal accessories (see page 7), exposed brickwork and, as Laurence LlewelynBowen said on the previous page, velvet.

Winslow Plaid wa llpaper £67 per roll - Wallp aperDirect.com

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cushion Chatsworth com onAtHome. £39.50 - Alis

Ryder cup blanket £88 - RyderCup.com

pshade Harris Tweed lam ghstreet.com Hi he nT £60 - NotO

Lennox roun d pouffe £24.99 - Dun elm Mill

throw Patchwork k Loves.co.u re la C 85 £1

Moliere C hair in C ello Adm £2176 - J iral Blue ohnSank ey.co.uk

www.haart.co.uk

r inatra chai sofa and S ll Canterbury o n K r - Parke From £1,835

Tartan storages boxes £35 - BHS

Sherlock wing ch air £949 - Furniture Villa

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Dublin brow n tweed cush ion £12 - Housi ngUnits.co. uk

Vivienn e Westw ood wall £70 per pa roll - Jo hn Lewis per

Storyteller chair om £1219 - SofaWorkshop.c

Lambswool check blanke t £45 - Next

Harris Tweed cl ock £49.95 - MadeFromScotland.com

Oxford tartan ottoman £395 - AlisonAtHome.com

£329 board, from Tartan head p.co.uk ho rdWorks TheHeadboa

p k Door sto bons.co.u sAndRib in P £32

Ralph Lauren wallpaper, £8 5 per roll WallpapersO fDistinction .co.uk

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Daisy ‘PS MASKROS’ lamp, £90, Ikea

esign

LOVING YOUR HOME

k a t l e v o an

5 bedroom Victorian mid-terrace townhouse Location: Ramsgate, Kent Who lives here: Victoria Mosley, novelist and poet Selling for: £350,000 The area: Located just a stone’s throw away from the Kent coast, this four storey town house sits on the East Cliff of Ramsgate with sea views and the beach on its doorstep. With a new high-speed rail service, trains to London St Pancreas now take just over an hour from Ramsgate station.

The look: An eclectic mix of contemporary and exotic furniture and design, with key pieces collected from travels abroad. Victoria has used colourful fabrics and art throughout the house with a modern grey paint for the base colour for the walls.

T

Key features: 4 bedrooms, loft room, two bathrooms and a toilet, newly fitted, modern open-plan kitchen, roll top bath en-suite with double shower and original treated wood flooring.

Built by a Viscount in the early 1900s, Victoria has refurbished the house to designer standard, yet carefully kept all the magnificent original features this house boasts, including marble fireplaces, ceiling cornice and covings, original doors and tiles and warm wooden floorboards.

his large period property is lived in by Victoria, a novelist and a poet, who has used her colourful imagination with her interior design so the house tells a story in itself.

Colour is used throughout the house through fabrics, art and beautiful pieces of ornate wooden carved furniture which Victoria has collected over the years from her travels. She said: “I grew up in Singapore and Hong Kong which I think influences my style. I am a traveller and have so far visited 35 countries and have always tried to collect pieces for my home whilst abroad.”

Victoria went on to say that she always wanted a cosy home to return to from travelling and somewhere she could relax and spend time writing.

“Writing is my passion and I am so lucky to be able to do what I love. Being so close to the sea is perfect for creative writing, but I also wanted a colourful home to bring life into the house.”

Since living in the property Victoria has refurbished large parts of the house including the kitchen extension re-designed into an open plan space with a centre island including a ceramic hob and breakfast bar, and two ovens fitted into the modern beech units. Floor to ceiling windows and double doors lead into the secluded garden with pretty climbers and laid with York tiles.

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Love your property

www.haart.co.uk

Get the look: Victoria’s style is personal and unique but for similar pieces of Asian furniture visit…

- OrchidFurniture.co.uk - Indigo-uk.com - Asiadragon.co.uk

Pieces:

Grande Dame chesterfield sofa in brushed cotton fuchsia £1,895 SofaWorkshop.com

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Victoria said: “I love cooking and entertaining so I wanted a space where friends and family could come and relax and, if the weather’s nice, then move outside for al-fresco dining.”

Another piece of exceptional design in the house is the en-suite with French doors that open to the master bedroom. The Edwardian roll top bath sits in the centre of the bathroom next to an original marble fireplace and a double shower cubicle decorated in teal tiles.

Daisy ‘PS MASKROS’ lamp, £90, Ikea

Ornate carved headboard, £1100, Etsy.com

Art Nouveau pine fireplace surround, £1200, OldFireplaces.co.uk

“Unfortunately I have to leave this beautiful home, but without sounding cliché, I’m starting an exciting new chapter in my life.”

Frosted glass door number, price on request, AbodeWindowFilms.co.uk Burnt orange traditional rug, from £85, RugStoreNe.co.uk

Dragonfly sculpture, £84.95, NotOnTheHighstreet.com For more information about Victoria and her books, follow her blog VictoriaMosley.com

For more information call Daniel Townsend at haart Thanet on 01843 860180 until 10pm weekdays or email Daniel.Townsend@haart.co.uk 1 5

LOVING YOUR HOME

Kitchens

Let me entertain you By: Ruth Aggiss

With the festive season only a few months away, it’s time to get your kitchen prepared for wow factor entertaining

Main picture: This inspiring kitchen design from Trend Interiors has clean sweeping curves. The stark contrasting black gloss painted finish creates a stunning look. Shown here with internal and external curves, matching plinth and integrated handles. Kitchens from around £7,000, for stockists visit trendinteriors.co.uk.

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Top tips When designing a welcoming, open-plan “kitchen that is perfect for entertaining, heating is essential for creating a comfortable space.

Firstly, speak to a radiator specialist who will help you choose a radiator with an appropriate heat output and use thermostatic valves which automatically regulate the room’s temperature ensuring it never gets too hot or too cold.

”

Helena Gerwitz, Head of Marketing, Feature Radiators

A large table projecting at right angles “from the island unit is a good way of keeping everyone engaged in a cook’s kitchen. You are close enough for conversation, everyone gets good eye contact and it offers a properly sized area for tucking into the gourmet meal that’s been prepared.

”

Gerd Meier, Designer, Pronorm The key to transforming your kitchen into a “fantastic open-plan entertaining space lies in creating a smooth transition from the cooking zone to dining. Large islands with designated eating areas and in-built wine coolers prove very popular with guests.

”

Adrian Stoneham, Managing Director, Stoneham Kitchens

Kitchens

T

www.haart.co.uk

he party season will be upon us before we know it and it’s never too early to get your kitchen ready, especially if you want a revamp. An open-plan kitchen is the perfect space for entertaining family and friends and, as the heart of the home, is not only the work horse but a multifunctional space for all of the family to enjoy.

more preparation space for creating your dinner party masterpieces, as well as offering a sociable spot for guests to sit at and chat to whoever has the task of cooking. If you have children and are worrying about stools being climbed upon and falling, choose a design that’s fixed to the floor.

With an open-plan kitchen you need to ensure the space is well designed so it is sociable as well as functional. Therefore it is important to create different zones for cooking, preparation, storage and socialising.

As far as furniture such as tables, storage and shelving, is concerned, it is important that it is not overly ‘kitcheny’ so that the space resembles a multi-functional room rather than a huge kitchen. You want the transition between kitchen and social zones to be smooth, and some kitchen companies also make furniture such as multi-media cabinets and shelving which will complement your cabinetry.

If you regularly throw parties or have a big family it is useful to have a large fridge freezer. This will ensure you have plenty of space to store food and drink – and for busy mums you can batch cook and freeze plenty of delicious dinners.

Island life is the way to go in a spacious kitchen – and no we don’t mean a trip to the Bahamas, although wouldn’t that be nice? An island offers

Most of all it is important to make sure your kitchen is a room you can enjoy all year round, so include soft furnishings and a comfy sofa to relax on once the party season is over.

 Gala is the latest addition to the Lifestyle range by Crown Imperial.

Timeless and elegant, this kitchen in Oyster finish is perfect for modern lifestyles and has the addition of a curved, central island for added preparation space. Available in 11 different colours. From £167 for a 600mm base unit. For stockists visit lifestyle-kitchens.biz.

 Kitchen islands don’t need to be huge. To create a sociable area near to the main kitchen run include a smaller island, such as here. It is a great place to have breakfast. Nolte’s handle-less MatrixArt kitchen with Manhattan doors in Kansas Oak and White. Kitchens from £13,800, for stockists visit nolte-kuechen.de.

 Two-tone cabinetry is a big trend and the clean lines and colourways create a stunning look in this open-plan kitchen. The dark Lava finish is highlighted by Porcelain and Aubergine along with wood shelving.

Inzo is the new contemporary offering from Second Nature, available in 15 colours, matt or gloss. Kitchens from £12,000, for stockists visit sncollection.co.uk.

 The Real Shaker Kitchen by deVOL offers classic style. With ample space this kitchen has room for a dining table – why not invest in an extendable version? It’s the perfect addition if you entertain for a number of people regularly but don’t want to take up lots of room throughout the rest of the year. Kitchen from £8,000, devolkitchens.co.uk.

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LOVING YOUR HOME

Loving your kitchen

Loving your kitchen

Jam making I

t’s harvest time and now is a great time to use up any ripe fruit and make some homemade jam, jellies, pickles and preserves.

Blackberry & Apple Jam Ingredients 1kg blackberries 375g cooking apples, peeled and sliced

360ml water 1.3kg granulated sugar

Makes sufficient for 4 x 500ml Kilner Jars Method 1 Prepare the jars by washing in soapy water and rinsing well.

2 Put the blackberries and 180ml of the water in a pan, bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer until soft.

3 Put the apples and the remaining water into another large pan, bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer until soft.

4 Add the sugar and blackberries to the pan of apples and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has completely dissolved.

5 Increase the heat and boil rapidly for 25 minutes, taking care not to allow the mixture to boil over.

6 Reduce the heat and test by placing half a teaspoon of mixture onto a very cold saucer (put in the fridge beforehand), let it cool (back in the fridge) and then push with your finger. If the surface crinkles it is ready. If not, boil for a further 5 minutes and test again.

7 Sterilise the jars (not the lids) in boiling water, and fill with jam before they cool down. Leave 1-2cm of space at the top, and immediately place on the wax-seal disc. Position the outer metal band over the disc and tighten. Store in a cool, dry, dark place.

Top Tips Cooking apples could be substituted with eating apples or windfall apples if you have some to use up

Redcurrants, blueberries and blackberries are the best of the berries for harvest in autumn

Freeze extra fruit so you can make more jam in the winter

If the jam hasn’t set after cooling and potting, tip it all back into the pan and boil again

Wait for the jam to cool before dressing the jars otherwise labels won’t stick

Make sure you leave your jam filled jars undisturbed for 24 hours as the cooling process will create a partial vacuum that will keep your jam fresh

If mould develops on the surface of jam in a jar, remove it with a spoon, along with 1cm of the jam underneath. The rest of the jam will not be affected. Place a waxed disc dipped in brandy on top.

What you need Jam jars, old or new, flip lid or screw lid, it doesn’t matter just make sure they’re sterilised before adding jam

Waxed disc circles, pack of 200, £2.79, Lakeland

Homemade labels, pack of 24, £2.50, Lakeland

Recipe from Lakeland

Jam making products we love Making homemade jam is easy with Harrod Horticultural’s Jam Making Bundle which includes all the essential equipment for perfect jam making, £60.30, HarrodHorticultural.com 2 0

This cute jam making kit is the perfect pantry addition and is a must-have. Complete with pretty polka dot vintage jars, lids, labels and recipe book, £4.99, DotComGiftShop.com

Funnel for easy pouring Kilner 3-Piece Funnel Set £19, Isme.com

Loving your garden

Loving your garden Skinny Jean Gardeners give their advice on what green– fingered fun you can be doing this autumn

Gardening in autumn G

Away from the allotment and back in the garden we’re getting ready for winter too.

The carrots are coming up too, ready to go straight on the plate. The marrows can also be harvested as you don’t want to leave them outside at the risk of frost, and like the potatoes, they can be stored to eat in the upcoming months.

If like us you want to shift around any trees or shrubs, then autumn is one of the best times to do so, as the soil is just right and it gives the tree time to settle in before spring. Emptying those old hanging baskets and removing fallen leaves from the ground can be just as boring as weeding in the summer sun, but has to be done to give way to the fun side of gardening life. To keep those plants flowering a little longer remember to keep dead heading whenever possible.

As the weather (and us in our skinny jeans) gets colder, so do our plants. Cover up salads with cloches before the weather gets too cool and taking off the shades (in the greenhouse) will let plenty of light get to plants during the winter months.

Finally, and with any spare time left, our top autumn tip is to sit back with a drink and look back at the gardening year and chat about what went well, and what didn’t quite work out – if you have a gardening diary, make some notes of what to do next year.

ardening is continuous. You really can’t chill out for too long before more little jobs crop up (pun intended). Down at the allotment we’re digging up our spuds, cleaning them up and storing them now before they’re attacked by slugs or damaged by disease.

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Getting diggy with it in skinny jeans are Lee and Dale Connelly, two twenty something brothers who love a mix of gardening, fashion, food and music. They’ve collaborated and created garden projects with Blue Peter, the Kew Gardens, Suffolk– based farmer Jimmy Doherty at Jimmy’s Farm and Thompson & Morgan, to name but a few. They share their garden adventures and unusual projects via social media with videos, photos and tips, encouraging and giving a voice to the green–fingered movement. Find them at: Twitter: @Skinnyjeangard Facebook: skinnyjeangardeners Hello@skinnyjeangardeners.co.uk

ting n la p n m u t Au awesome wards of an

the re es, hile tomato As you reap year, and w is th f o m o st fr la harvest en in the eetcorn rip sw d st an ju s er to pepp s no time sun, there’ ur sow the summer e to get yo m ti ow is the in the t ge to kick back. N ur top five O . ar ye , xt on for ne agus, onions w are aspar no t gh ri d d. groun Swiss char ubarb and radishes, rh

Gardening products we love Do what the skinny jean bros suggest and write your notes in this handy gardener’s diary, £14.80 - FabrianoBoutique.com

Help protect the little spikey fellas with their hibernation over winter with this hedgehog house, £30 – GardenTrading.co.uk

Personalise a crate to keep different plants and herbs together, also perfect for a unique gift, from £16.99 – PlantaBox.co.uk

Cosy up around these bespoke Fireball pits, perfect for Fireworks night. We love the wilderness range which casts shadows of woodland creatures. Prices on request – TheFirePitCompany.co.uk

Cheat what you sow with this handy autumn seed box, £30 – NotOnTheHighstreet.com 2 1

LOVING YOUR HOME

Best apps & gadgets

Gadgets WiFi WeMO Plug - Belkin.com, £40 - £70

Holî Lamp - Firebox.com, £179

Now, don’t turn the page or yawn when we say this gadget is a plug – because it’s not just any old plug - no, this plug socket is WiFi enabled with WeMo technology. Basically, it allows you to plug in and power any electronic device, but with the added benefit of being able to connect it to your smartphone. The WeMo Switch uses your WiFi network to provide wireless control of TVs, lamps, heaters and more, which you can then control from your phone. It also enables you to put your devices on a schedule so they turn on/off when you want. There’s also an additional extra; the WeMo motion sensor, which detects movement up to 10 feet away and signals the device on or off. Great for those who are security conscious: set lights or cameras to come on for any intruders, or if you’re feeling super swish set it to turn appliances on as you walk past – 7am walk to shower, cue lights, radio, coffee machine and toaster. We’ve added five to our Christmas list already.

As the clocks go back and the mornings get darker, waking up to that dreaded alarm can be nothing less than, well, alarming. That’s where the Holî Lamp comes in, which has reinvented the normal alarm clock by waking up gently with the colourful dawn simulator, designed to imitate sunrise to gently prepare the body to wake up. Underneath its hollow, slim aluminium frame (only 3cm thick and 20cm wide), Holî boasts 18 LED high-power lights which project multi-coloured lighting across a room; perfect for bringing tired, dull walls back to life. Aptly named after the Hindu festival of colours, the lamp can transform interior decors and sync with songs on your smartphone, making a light show to match the music. Our favourite feature: watching in awe as Holî brings photographs to life, by using images on your smartphone to create complex lighting scenes. Now you can lay back and re-live that tranquil beach holiday sunset all over again. Holî has more than 50 exclusive themes, produced by professional light designers, to match every moment and mood.

Once the app, that goes with it, has been installed on an iPhone or iPad, Holî connects via Bluetooth and is easy to use.

Kangaroo Light - StudioBananaThings.com, expected to cost £45 The creators of the Ostrich Pillow (below) have obviously spent a lot of time trying to solve our commuter woes, as the creative bunch from the same company have also invented the Kangaroo Light. This little gadget isn’t quite as cozy as the pillow, and it doesn’t allow you to cuddle up in a kangaroo pouch, but it does bounce light into those hard-to-see dark corners. The inventors have created this touch-sensitive, portable light with the intention for it to stay in your bag so when your train ticket or keys have fallen into the dark depths of oblivion of your handbag, the Kangaroo Light provides a soft glow to locate everything. The white silicone material means it’s squidgy, bendy, light-weight and splash-proof making it perfect for camping, bedtime reading, the bathroom or for a kid’s nightlight. As this is still in the making (available from end of October 2014) the full functions of it haven’t been released yet, but the makers say it will allow you to completely customise it by programming it to your mood with different glow settings, plus a whole range of gaming opportunities. Its Lithium-Ion battery offers 2.5 hours of non-stop light and is rechargeable via a USB Port.

Ostrich Pillow - StudioBananaThings.com, £29 - £65 If you’re a train or bus commuter you’ll know how awful it is in the mornings when all you want to do is go back to sleep and drown out the bustling sounds around you. But now, no longer will you have to fall asleep on the passenger next to you. Cue the Ostrich Pillow. Similar to the bird, you almost feel like you’re burying your head in the sand when you slip your head into this snug, cocoon pillow. It engulfs your weary head and hands, but with a spacious opening for your nose and mouth, and a comfortable loose fit, providing the perfect conditions for a power-nap. At your desk, on a plane, wherever you are, escape your surroundings for some peaceful shut eye in this sound-proof one-head den. Worth noting, you can’t see or hear anything once inside so if you fall into a deep sleep and wake with a fright, don’t start screaming – you will look like a crazed alien. There’s also no way around the fact it will ruin your hairdo.

If you are a little self-conscious of what you look like when you sleep, or when you wake, perhaps opt for the light version, which is quite subtle in comparison and also doubles up as a thick scarf.

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Best apps & gadgets Remodelista – Free for ‘Lite’ version or £1.99 for full version Sourcing ideas for a room re-design and tracking down furniture sounds fun, but it can be time-consuming.

Cue Remodelista, loved by celebs, this interior design app offers endless inspirational interiors by room and unique design ideas. We particularly love the ‘steal this look’, 10 easy pieces and 5 quick fixes pages. This app works better on iPad for the full visual effect or, alternatively, view on the web.

Best apps

Dulux Trade Colour Concept – Free This app is a colour matcher and more. You can import your own pictures to match items with Dulux paint colours or use the suggestions, created by professional designers and architects, to find colours that work well together. Create moodboards, or room layouts, or see how your own furniture would look against different coloured walls. Watch tutorial videos, flick through the inspiration ideas or create a new paint colour. And you can even order samples, too.

www.haart.co.uk

Brit + Co – Free If you’re looking for inspiration to keep the kids entertained this half term, download Brit + Co for all your crafty parenting needs. This app is a treasure trove of handy, DIY and crafty projects made by former Google employee Brit Morin. Hit the events tab and browse instructions for Halloween decorations, paper pompoms, and free printables. There’s also a kids, pet, DIY, style, and food section.

Press the star button to favourite and store ideas for later use.

Cell Phone Coverage Map – Free If, like us, your smartphone is nearly always attached to your hand, then whether your area has signal coverage or not can be the make or break of a good day. If you’ve found yourself waving your phone around to try and get that one bar of signal, try downloading this useful app instead, with maps of where the network providers’ services reach.

You can also test an area which will give results on call performance and data speeds. Extremely useful if you’re looking to move to a new area or about to sign a new mobile contract.

Moving House - £0.69

Typic + – Free The latest version of this creative app lets you add fonts, logos, borders, arrows, filters and effects to your photos before publishing them to social media, or simply saving them to your phone. Use it to annotate designs, sketches or favourite parts of pictures including your interior design ideas. There’s also a cute kid version with stickers and doodles to let them edit their own pics. Also available on iPad.

If the chaos of moving is getting a bit too much, download this Moving House check list. This handy app provides the essential to-do’s that help you tick off the things you need to complete in three categories: before the move, during the move and also after the move.

It comes pre-populated with most activities that you need to do but is also fully editable so that you can add your own. The only thing it can’t help with is all that packing.

haart - Free for iPhone and iPad Our fantastic haart app will help you view properties for sale or let while you’re on the move. Search from our extensive database of properties and save your favourites. There is also a handy list of local property facts as well as a map highlighting the locations of each property.

To download the app go to www.haart.co.uk/apps

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LOVING YOUR HOME

Loving your life

Loving your life

Get fit

Get On Yer Bike

Tour of Britain After the men in Lycra sped through our streets this summer for the Tour de France, cycle fever certainly caught on. Now, this September, it’s the UK’s turn to host its own free-to-spectate cycling event, the Tour of Britain. The two wheeler speedsters, hopefully including our favourites Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome and Mark Cavendish (if he’s recovered), will start in Liverpool and pass through Wales, Worcester, Bristol, Exeter, Bath, Bedford and Brighton. The eight-day tour concludes on Sunday September 14 with a spectacular finale in central London, with an 8.8km time trial and circuit race. To find out more about the route, the exact towns it passes through, and what you can see on each day, go to TourofBritain.co.uk.

Cycling in London Join in London bicycle tours, hire tandems and normal two-wheelers and meet other like-minded cycling fans around the city by visiting Londonbicycle.com. You can also find upcoming events, safety tips, routes and maps for commuting and leisure to suit all levels and abilities at TFL.gov.uk/cycling.

Films & DVDs New cinema releases The Boxtrolls (PG) (in cinemas 12 September) An orphaned boy, raised by the delightful underground rubbish-collecting “boxtrolls” (think cute goblin-like Borrowers), must come to the aid of his adopted family when their existence is threatened by an evil exterminator.

Featuring the voices of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Ben Kingsley, this charming stop motion animation will captivate and entertain viewers of all ages.

Gone Girl (15) (in cinemas 3 October) This mystery thriller, based on the best-selling book by Gillian Flynn, concerns a man, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), whose wife vanishes on their fifth wedding anniversary. This adaptation, directed by David Fincher (“The Social Network” and “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) looks to be a dark and gripping film as Affleck leads the search for his missing wife, but does he know more than he is letting on? This one will leave viewers guessing until the very end.

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The Transport for London have also set up The London Cycle Challenge to encourage people to get cycling with a fun free online app-based challenge open to all. Create a team with friends, family, or work colleagues and see how many people you can get cycling. Sign up and start logging your cycle trips for a chance to win great prizes. Register for free at TFL.gov.uk/cyclechallenge

Guided rides & social cycling British Cycling run guided rides across the country and throughout the year for all abilities.

You can find a route that suits you and each ride will have support from trained leaders. If you’re after something a bit more challenging they also host big bike events, which are

traffic-free rides, for all ages. If you can’t find an event that’s happening in your area soon you can click on the ‘Ride Social’ tab which allows you to enter your postcode and buddy up with a partner or a group so you haven’t got to ride solo. Go to Goskyride.com to find a ride or a group that suits you and book online. The website also has handy tips and ideas, plus guest blogs from pro cyclists.

Track cycling If the wind and rain puts you off, unleash your inner Chris Hoy and try some track cycling instead. Since the Commonwealth Games this summer, the velodrome in Glasgow is now open for cyclists of all abilities. If you want to try and make the GB team for Rio 2016 coaching sessions are also available from as little as £30. For more info go to Emiratesarena. co.uk. If you fancy a spin around the Olympic velodrome, the Lee Valley cycling centre in Stratford is now open from as little as £2 a session (Visitleevalley. org.uk). Velodrome cycling experiences are also available at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester (Nationalcyclingcentre. com), Newport (Newport. gov.uk) and, opening its doors by the end of this year, the new multisports arena in Derby (Cyclederby. co.uk).

New DVD/Blu-Ray releases

300: Rise of an Empire (15)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (PG-13)

(released 29 September)

(released 18 August) This exciting box office smash comes to DVD and combines superheroes and conspiracy thrillers to terrific effect. Captain America (Chris Evans) is back to fight a face from the past with allies Black Widow & Nick Fury (Scarlett Johannson & Samuel L. Jackson).

Explosive action and witty writing makes for a suspenseful rollercoaster ride.

Epic action and ripped physiques are back in this stylish sequel. Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton) leads his men against the outnumbering forces of Artemisia (Eva Green) and her Persian navy. Spectacular sea bound battle sequences take centre stage but it’s Eva Green who steals the show with her full blooded villainous performance.

Reviews by Martin Evans and Lucy Halliday Martymcfly88.wordpress.com

Loving your area

Loving your area

www.haart.co.uk

London Cocktail Week London Cocktail Week is a unique celebration of the capital’s unrivalled cocktail culture.

Through a host of seminars, pop-up bars, tastings, parties and master-classes, aimed at both novices and experienced professionals, the alcohol fuelled festival will inspire and unite cocktail lovers. The backdrop of the week is Covent Garden and surrounding areas.

6-12 October.

Visit: LondonCocktailWeek.com

Leytonstone Big Weekender

BBC Good Food Show For the ultimate foodies day out, tantalise your taste buds with one of the BBC’s Good Food shows. There will be free tastings, hundreds of independent, artisan food and drink producers, and celebrity chefs a plenty from the likes of MasterChef, The Great British Bake Off and Saturday Kitchen. Swot up on new skills in the Supertheatre and watch your favourite shows live. After the success of previous year’s the show has now been split into three – a separate show designated to cakes and baking (for those with a sweet tooth) the main event at London’s Olympia and then a winter and Christmas special at NEC Birmingham at the end of November.

BBC Good Food Bake and Cake Show, BDC Islington.

25-27 October. Visit: BbcGoodFoodBakesAndCakesShow.com BBC Good Food Show, London Olympia.

14-16 November. Visit: BbcGoodFoodShowLondon.com BBC Good Food Show Winter, Birmingham NEC. 25-30 November. Visit: BbcGoodFoodShowWinter.com

This two day themed arts and street festival is a fun event for all of the family. Day one will showcase art installations and family fun day activities while day two sees the return of the annual ‘Car Free Day’ where you can enjoy music, entertainment and food around the streets of Leytonstone’s town centre.

6-7 September. Visit: WalthamForest.gov.uk

Vegfest UK Taking place at London Olympia’s West Halls, this veggie festival offers visitors an absolute feast of mouth-watering organic and meatfree food. Health enthusiasts will not want to miss the dozens of talks, cookery demos and workshops. There’s also animal friendly body care and fashion retailers.

27-28 September.

Visit: London.Vegfest.co.uk

Open House London

London Design Festival The London Design Festival is an annual event, held to celebrate and promote London as the design capital of the world and as the gateway to the international creative community. A number of design exhibitions will run across London, each offering a mix of designers, products, talks and innovations.

13-21 September.

Visit: LondonDesignFestival.com

Created by the independent non-profit organisation Open-City, Open House provides free and open access to more than 800 outstanding historic and contemporary buildings, on-site projects and public spaces. The festival is a powerful medium for engaging everyone in a better appreciation of their city.

20-21 September.

Visit: LondonOpenHouse.org

Suburban Studio, Enfield © Ashton Porter Architects

The Invictus Games Based on the theme of survival in the face of adversity and the strength of the human spirit, the Invictus Games sees over 400 competitors from 14 nations take part in this international sporting event for the wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women. The event, which is championed by Prince Harry, will be held in various venues in the Olympic Park with events such as athletics, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby and road cycling.

10-14 September. Visit: InvictusGames.org 2 5

LOVING YOUR HOME

Intelligent advice from haart

Moving on out Find your dream home in the country

I

f you love the buzz of a fast-paced life then transient city living is a must, but you’d better have deep pockets. With prices for city living continuing to go skywards, you could live like kings and queens if you released the cash and moved out to the country.

Many people decide that paying the extra to commute from their new rural location is well worth the trade for a better standard of living, lower crime rates, and fresh air for their families and, in some cases, better schooling.

The same goes for renters. A three bedroom modest home in central London will set you back, on average, anything from £2,000 to £3,000 a month. But the equivalent in East Anglia is £800.

If you live in a hectic city, long for the tranquillity of the countryside and are seriously thinking of moving, then we could help you find your perfect rural home. It can be notoriously difficult to undertake a long-distance house-hunt, but that’s where we come in.

With these higher rates, and as suburbia continues to sprawl across towns and cities, many of us are looking to move out of busy areas to fulfil that rural dream.

With high-speed rail options, plus new high-speed broadband, moving outside of cities to the country now means you don’t have to be cut off.

With nearly 200 branches nationwide, we can help you find your idyllic countryside property.

If you are looking to move out of your local area, but need some help or inspiration with your property search, call us on 0845 899 9999.

Here are our pick of dream homes across the country…

Surrey

Area: Addington Village, Surrey

Wales

Area: Leys Hill, Kerne Bridge, Monmouthshire

Guide price: £1,850,000 - £1,900,000 The Grade II listed 15th century medieval property comprises of six bedrooms, six reception rooms with wine cellar, bakery, office, games room, three bathrooms and more. This large detached manor house comes with the additional lifestyle benefits of a swimming pool set within 1.25 acres of land and neighbours a local golf course.

Call: Ricky Bashford at haart Croydon on 020 8681 0700 for details.

Guide price: £635,000 This four bedroom, four reception detached cottage nestled into the hillside, located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. With stunning elevated views, this unique 19th century property also benefits from a pool and paddock and recently featured on the BBC1’s Escape to the Country.

Call: Gemma Povey at haart Monmouth on 01600 772413 for details.

Yorkshire

South West

Area: Harthill

Guide price: £625,000 This Yorkshire Grade II listed old rectory re-built in 1700 would make a beautiful family home. The property has seven bedrooms and six reception rooms over three floors and cellars, and is set within a vast enclosed garden with woodlands. There are original features throughout, including a large oak staircase but the house is in need of renovation. Perfect for a family ready for a project.

Call: Annette Kerrigan at Haybrook Sheffield on 01142 511710

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Area: Donyatt, near Ilminster, Somerset

Guide price: £750,000 This huge barn conversion is ideal for those who are in search of an extended family home or looking for a new business venture with holiday lets in the Somerset countryside. This beautifully presented home is ready to move into, well planned, and could easily be used as house with annex and offices or just as a family house with income from renting The Old Dairy. Plenty of parking and garages.

Call: Steven Hawthorne at haart Taunton on 01823 326444 for details.

Intelligent advice from haart

Local area spotlight

London East

Map shows average price for all property styles in May 2014 in all areas covered by haart, Darlows and Haybrook branches*.

Chadwell Heath haart branch

Walthamstow haart branch Average property price (May 2014)

£342,280

% Average price change (May 2013 v May 2014)

 24.77%

Ratio of buyers registered to number of available properties (May 2014)

www.haart.co.uk

Average property price (May 2014)

£228,376

% Average price change (May 2013 v May 2014)

 18.11%

Ratio of buyers registered to number of available properties (May 2014)

51:1

24:1

Sheffield • •• • • •

Nottingham •••

Derby •••

East Ham haart branch Average property price (May 2014) % Average price change (May 2013 v May 2014)

Wisbech • ••••

Leicester ••

£266,530

Ely ••• Bedford • ••

 25.39%

Ratio of buyers registered to number of available properties (May 2014)

Cambridge • • • ••

Milton Keynes •••

32:1

Welwyn Garden City •••• Swindon • • •

Cardiff • • •

Harrow •••

Bristol •••

Croydon • • • •

•

Fleet • •

Farnborough •••

Norwich ••• • •

Ipswich •• • • Colchester • • •

Chelmsford ••

Ilford •• • •

Basildon ••

East Ham •• • Maidstone ••••

Thanet • • •••

* House price data obtained from the Land Registry, giving May 2014 average property prices for branch postcodes and showing % change compared to May 2013. Buyers registered means applicants who have registered with the branch in the last 6 months and are still looking for a property. Properties available means properties registered with the branch which are either (i) for sale or (ii) sold subject to contract but which the branch is still marketing.

Client testimonials “It is always a pleasure to work with people who not only promise good service but that actually deliver it.”

Barkingside haart branch “It was an absolute pleasure working with haart of Barkingside to help secure my property. They were completely professional from start to finish and naturally kind, helpful and courteous. They worked tirelessly to my tight deadline and I can only say that I am more than happy with the service provided. I would definitely look to work with haart of Barkingside again if the opportunity arose and would and will definitely be recommending them to all of my friends and family.”

– Kamaldeep Singh Mann

Grays haart branch “I have just been informed by Amiti at haart conveyancers that we have now completed on the sale of our property and I wanted to thank you at Grays for the friendly & effective way you conducted the sale and your patience when the previous potential purchaser effectively dropped out. It is always a pleasure to work with people who not only promise good service but that actually deliver it.

Congratulations on your team spirit and also your performance.” – Geoff Brinsden

2 7

BIG AND SPACIOUS

Tenancy setup fees apply to all lettings properties: ÂŁ300 for one tenant. ÂŁ60 for each additional tenant or guarantor, if required. Check-in fee variable. Quoted prices are inclusive of VAT.

Off to pastures new?

No two people move for exactly the same reason, no two moves are identical. So as well as using the experience of more than 25 years in agency, we come to every move with fresh ears, listening carefully to what makes you and your plans di erent.

Because it’s only by treating all of our customers as individuals that we get the right result for them.

For a free valuation or to nd out how we can help you sell your home, give us a call on 0845 899 9999 8am-10pm everyday.

Tenancy setup fees apply to all lettings properties: ÂŁ300 for one tenant. ÂŁ60 for each additional tenant or guarantor, if required. Check-in fee variable. Quoted prices are inclusive of VAT.

Call us now on: 01708 762 384 8am - 10pm everyday

UNIQUE BEAUTY £700,000

THE ULTIMATE Guide Price £675,000 - £725,000

Gidea Park

Call us now on: 01708 378 578 8am - 10pm everyday

FAMILY FRIENDLY £370,000 - £390,000

LOOKS LIKE HOME

£550,000

Harold Wood

Call us now on: 01708 441 717 8am - 10pm everyday

HOME SWEET HOME £375,000

CHAIN FREE £375,000 - £400,000

Hornchurch

Call us now on: 01708 441 717 8am - 10pm everyday

SLEEK AND SOPHISTICATED £350,000 - £370,000

YOU CAN'T TOP THIS £1,995,000

Hornchurch

Call us now on: 01708 441 717 8am - 10pm everyday

IT'S INCREDIBLE

£450,000 - £500,000

CHARMING £350,000 - £370,000

Hornchurch

Tenancy setup fees apply to all lettings properties: ÂŁ300 for one tenant. ÂŁ60 for each additional tenant or guarantor, if required. Check-in fee variable. Quoted prices are inclusive of VAT.

David Millar

Asistant Branch Manager

Tenancy setup fees apply to all lettings properties: ÂŁ300 for one tenant. ÂŁ60 for each additional tenant or guarantor, if required. Check-in fee variable. Quoted prices are inclusive of VAT.

NEWS

Loughton

300

We have people on our books looking for homes in this area*

14:1

We have on average Buyers for every property we have for sale*

If you want my help to sell your home, call in or phone me Christian Preedy Branch Manager

*source: haart data 1st July 2014

13:1

At haart, we have on average Buyers for every property we have for sale*

Tenancy setup fees apply to all lettings properties: ÂŁ300 for one tenant. ÂŁ60 for each additional tenant or guarantor, if required. Check-in fee variable. Quoted prices are inclusive of VAT.

Tenancy setup fees apply to all lettings properties: ÂŁ300 for one tenant. ÂŁ60 for each additional tenant or guarantor, if required. Check-in fee variable. Quoted prices are inclusive of VAT.

Paulino Turone

Tenancy setup fees apply to all lettings properties: ÂŁ300 for one tenant. ÂŁ60 for each additional tenant or guarantor, if required. Check-in fee variable. Quoted prices are inclusive of VAT.

LOVING YOUR HOME

Selling checklist

haart selling checklist Selling your home can be a stressful experience. However, a bit of forward planning, and help from us at haart, can send you down the road to selling success. Use our checklist to make the process easier.

Choosing the right time to sell Your property will sell quicker when the market is strong which tends to be in the spring and then picks up again in the early autumn.

Keep an eye on interest rates. Few people are willing to take out a mortgage if the Bank of England has just voiced intentions of raising interest rates.

Ask your haart estate agent what they are selling in your area so you can gauge the market.

Getting the price right

Make your house their home Most buyers are looking for an inviting home they can move into straight away.

Clear clutter and personalised items, like lots of family photos – the buyer needs to imagine it is their home, not someone else’s.

Buyers need to be able to visualise themselves living in the property which can be difficult if you are at home when they are viewing. Your haart estate agent will be pleased to show people around.

Negotiating power

Have estate agents value your property.

This will assess your home’s true market value so put your house up for sale at a realistic price.

If offers are flooding in you will be able to negotiate as you wish, however if the market is slow you may not have the same negotiating power.

It will be harder to negotiate if your property requires a lot of repairs. We can advise you as to which repairs are necessary.

The tighter your time scale to move, the weaker your position in negotiations is.

Make sure the cost of improvements do not exceed the amount of additional money they will bring in when you sell.

First impressions Many buyers drive past a house before deciding whether or not to look inside, so the outside of your house will have less than a minute to make a good first impression.

Mow the lawn, trim shrubs and trees and weed the garden. Repair gutters and touch up the exterior paint and repair or resurface cracked drives and paths.

Place flowers in pots and hanging baskets at the front of the house near the door.

Reply immediately to an offer. Moods can change and something else can pop up for sale - you don’t want to lose the sale because you stalled in replying.

Choosing the right buyer Buyers who are not involved in a chain are in a better negotiating position. Look out for: firsttime buyers, people who are in between homes, cash buyers and people who are investing.

Buyers whose mortgages are pre-approved will be in a better position than those who have to wait for paper-work to be processed.

To find out about selling with haart call 0845 899 9999 8am-10pm everyday 7 8

Sell your garden. Make a shed load of money.

Contact Aaron Power on 01483 450180 email: aaron.power@spicerhaart.co.uk web: spicerhaartlandandnewhomes.co.uk twitter.com/landandnewhomes Visit us at facebook.com/landandnewhomes

Home sweet home

We know the market inside out, but you know your home better than anyone.

So we’ll ask you what makes it special.

Why? Because getting the best result is all about matching the right person to the right home.

So the more we know about yours, the better.

For a free valuation call us on 0845 899 9999 8am-10pm everyday