haart Loving Your Home Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire Issue 3

I S S U E

T H R E E

LOVING YO U R

HOME IN MILTON KEYNES & NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

“Everyone has a craft they can do, you just need to find yours” Kirstie Allsopp talks to us about her love of crafts and the Handmade Fair

Man cave Create the perfect space for the guy of the house

All fired up Get cosy with winter warming products we love

Healthy eating with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

...is where your home is

LOVING YOUR HOME

www.haart.co.uk

Welcome

Contents

Welcome to the latest issue of Loving Your Home, the magazine from haart estate agents, which is jam-packed with this season’s trends and full of fantastic ideas to help you sell or rent your home.

No matter how hard we try to be good, most of us end up splurging at Christmas and in the January sales. We need to cut costs and start watching the pennies again, but this doesn’t mean you have to turn the heating and lights off, sitting in the cold and dark at home; we’ve got some warm up tips for winter on page 5, which will keep you cosy without the expense.

Being thrifty in the New Year also doesn’t mean you have to fall out of love with your home. Bring colour into your rooms with affordable art (see page 16) and get crafty by bringing life back to old furniture – like some of you have on page 4. Thank you for sharing your project photos, keep sending them in. We also chatted to the queen of craft herself, Kirstie Allsopp, at her first ever Handmade Fair event in London. She shared with us some of her favourite ways of making affordable pieces and why she thinks it’s so important we all mend and make before buying something new. That’s the same approach London couple Georgina and Milosh took when they embarked on renovating and decorating their first rental property with antiques. Read their landlord journey on page 14.

But it’s not all about old things this season, New Year’s resolutions are probably on many of our to-do lists, whether that be new hobbies (try our favourite suggestion on page 24) or new diets.

If like us you also spent the holiday season over-indulging with too many mince pies, you’ll be interested to read our healthy-eating recipe on our kitchen page from celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, who believes his new dairy and wheat free cooking will cut the calories, yet still taste delicious.

7

05. Home and lifestyle news 07. Create the perfect man cave 8

11. Ask the experts 12. All fired up 12 14. Loving your property 16. Art in the home 17.

Apps and gadgets

20. Spa style bathrooms 22 22. Loving your kitchen 23. Loving your garden 24. Loving your life

26

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 between 8pm and 10pm seven days a week. Or for more properties and information visit haart.co.uk.

&

Love to share

08. Getting crafty with Kirstie Allsopp 10. The handmade fair

The holidays can be a stressful time and we’re all probably in need of a spa break. We look at the rise of the “spathroom” to de-stress at home. You don’t have to break the budget to add a touch of spa-like luxury to your property, and after the hectic holiday season we could all do with relaxing.

Talking of which, grab a cup of tea and put your feet up to flick through this latest issue of Loving Your Home. Once you’re done reading, stay up-to-date with more ideas to help you love your home on our new website – just visit LovingYourHomeMag.co.uk.

04. Love to share

25. Loving your area 26. New year, new you 27. Local spotlight 46. Ask the property expert

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 28 February, 2015. 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 Assistant Editor Ruth Aggiss Writer Gemma Rawlinson Designer Chris Douglas Chief Executive Karen Ainley With thanks to: Martin Evans, Lucy Halliday, Kirstie Allsopp, Jade Blades, Owen Pacey, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Skinny Jean Gardeners - Lee and Dale Connelly, Louisa Fletcher, Mimosa Colchester. ©2015 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.

0 3

LOVING YOUR HOME

Home and lifestyle news

Love to share 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!

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

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

inner W Homemade chandeliers “I’ve had so many compliments for my homemade chandeliers when people visit, that I thought I’d send it in to you. I made them by sticking small silver Christmas baubles to an MDF base using silicone. I then tied clear baubles to the base using fishing line (the fishing supplies shop owner was very entertained to hear about my intended use for the fishing line when I purchased it from him!). Of course the bulbs had to be LEDs so they didn’t get hot and melt the baubles!” Alison Hills, from Tulse Hill, South West London We love this inventive way of using left over baubles after Christmas. And yet it doesn’t look too Christmas-y at all and could work in a room all year round. We like how you’ve used different sized baubles at different heights, which must cast amazing light and shadows around the room. We will definitely be attempting to make one of these and think Alison is a deserving winner for her crafty, creative skills.

Note: Hire a professional electrician to fit your handmade lights to your ceiling.

0 4

Angi Jenn - Upcycled Desk “Brown furniture is not our thing anymore, so I decided to bring an extremely useful desk, which was a second hand present to us from my mum and dad, for our 25th wedding anniversary, up to date.

These days our style has changed all through our home and we are delighted with the modern change. So with no help from my husband, I decided to bring it back to life.

First of all I cleaned it, then used three coats of black stain, allowing a day to dry between each coat. I chose a glam Marilyn Monroe wallpaper in black and white, which complements completely. I didn’t glue it to the leather top in case in the future I fancy another change, I just slightly stuck it at the corners, and then ordered a large piece of glass, taking the glass manufacturer’s recommendation for the thickness, to lay on top. The weight keeps the wallpaper in place. To finish I chose fairly large, glass drawer knobs. And complete - FAB LO S. Hope you agree!”

We do Angi! We love this old school Hollywood glam look which ties in perfectly with the monochrome trend of the Monroe 1950/60s era. We particularly like that you’ve broken up the black and white with some bold blue candlesticks. We would get a lot more of our life admin done at home if we had a desk like this to sit at!

@ruthydarby24 tweeted us this homemade garden gate, saying “#gateDesigned&madeByMe!” Very impressive carpentry skills Ruth! We love the cute little heart and flower pot – making a lovely entrance to your home.

Kelly Cording sent in a photo of her upcycled piano and stool. There wasn’t a before picture but if it’s like most, we prefer this off-white tone with your colour scheme rather than a dark maple wood.

Another upcycled stall was sent in

by Kelly Saks. We particularly like the floral fabric with cute pink pom pom edging.

*We apologise but not all photos and letters can be published. Send in your readers’ letters (Love to Share) before 28 February 2015. Full competition entry details on page 3.

Home and lifestyle news

www.haart.co.uk

News Stay warm without the huge heating bills

F

rom hugging hot-water bottles to consuming countless cups of tea - we Brits will do everything in our power to avoid sky high energy bills while trying to keep warm. As the cold snap hits, a huge 80% of us admit we’re braving the plummeting temperatures and rationing heating all in a bid to keep costs down this winter.

A survey, commissioned by Radflek.com, who specialise in radiator reflectors, showed a massive 83 of us will be wrapping up in winter woollies to take the edge off chilly rooms, and more than a third admitted to sneaking the heating on without their partners’ or housemates’ permission. This results in more than a third of us having regular arguments over the heating.

Surprisingly, only half of those surveyed believe their homes are efficient, which means we’re wasting valuable energy and effectively burning money unnecessarily. Instead of switching off and suffering, make small but effective changes in the home to save money, cut energy use and importantly keep warm at home this winter. We’ve paired up with enith Home, the energy saving experts, and Radflek to offer some simple winter warmer tips:

Top winter warm-up tips to beat the chill and save: Close and line your curtains: 20% of your home’s heat escapes through cracks and gaps around doors and windows. Drawing the curtains every evening can act like a draught excluder. Also line them with thermal materials, such as low-cost fleece. Whilst curtains should be kept shut at night to conserve heat, let the sunlight in during the day, so you benefit from the free natural warmth of the sun.

On when in, off when out: Setting your central heating timer correctly is a simple and an easy way to save on your energy bills. Fix the heating to come on for a couple of hours when you wake up to make those chilly morning showers much more bearable, and then for a couple of hours again in the evening. Check out our techie thermostat on page 7.

Winter warmers: Stock up your winter wardrobe with onesies, woolly jumpers and thick fluffy socks. socks.

Layering up your loungewear will not only keep you warm, but will also save a substantial amount of money on your energy bills. Adding a throw to your while sofa will also give your living room a re-vamp while doubling up as a cosy blanket for nights in with a takeaway.

Fit Radflek Radiator Reflectors: Radflek reflects reflects an impressive 95% of the wasted heat from behind your radiator back into the room. Not only does it make the radiator more efficient so your room heats up quicker, it also stops heat escaping through the wall behind the radiator – reducing wasted warmth by an impressive 45%.

Available from Radflek.com and selected Robert Dyas stores.

Bleed your radiators: As well as fitting radiator reflectors, it’s important to make sure your radiators are working as efficiently as possible. Trapped air or gas prevents hot water from heating your radiator, so make sure you bleed them regularly by turning your heating off and using a radiator key and a damp cloth to cover where the hot steam will come out. For modern radiator designs look at our feature on page 12.

Don’t be daft, avoid the draught: Although doors are designed to shut out the cold, this isn’t always the case as the winter wind always seems to find a way through the smallest of cracks and gaps. The usual reaction to this is to turn up the heating, but Zenith strongly suggest buying draught excluders or cushions to place by the doors to block out any unwelcome breeze. out any unwelcome Love your layers: While out and about, we are always quick to add on an extra layer – but what about layering up the home? External wall insulation (EWI) wall insulation (EWI) is a great way to increase the efficiency of your home as well as giving it a new look. EWI will dramatically reduce the amount of heat that escapes through solid walls, making your property 10 times better at keeping in the heat.

Drink hot drinks, but don’t overfill: Being British, we love nothing more than a warm cup of tea, but we have a terrible tendency to overfill the kettle each time we make a fresh brew. The more water you boil, the more energy you will use, so be sure to only fill the kettle for the amount of cups you need.

For more tips on making your home healthy and more energy efficient, visit MyHealthMyHome.com where you can find tips, expert advice and test to see how you healthy your own home is.

0 5

LOVING YOUR HOME

Home and lifestyle news

Winter products we love You may have had a NY resolution to make more for your home, such as small crafty items or a piece of furniture. Well this is a great starting project for you. Building your own timber furniture is incredibly satisfying, but beautifully crafted joints can be tricky to make. Simply Build It from Simpson Strong Tie is a kit containing everything you need, except the timber, to construct robust furniture at any length or depth. There’s no measuring, cutting, planning or carving - all you need to do is decide on the dimensions of your wood. The how-to kit, which contains all the screws and connectors, costs £45 and even an inexperienced DIYer should be able to make a basic workbench in no more than two hours at a total cost of around £90. Available at Screwfix.com

The copper trend took over winter this year and copper Christmas decorations could be seen everywhere. But we’re not done with this metal yet and think it will work well into spring too. We love this Dynamo floor lamp in a brushed antique copper finish, £130.80 – DarLighting.co.uk

Tiles need not be just for the floor, bathroom or kitchen. Extend a patterned tiled wall to your dining room as well. Not only do they it make it splash–proof from mucky children’s dinner time, but they add texture and a look that wallpaper and paint don’t always give.

We like this Bristol ceramic range, fitted in a random pattern, with a subtle riven texture. £14.96 per sq m from TileMountain.co.uk

Metal wire frame shades give a dramatic lighting effect, casting spectacular shadows. Pair with a filament bulb for a real industrial revolution look, plus the orange tones of these bulbs make the light softer and cosy for winter.

Bluebell cage lamp, £25, and filament bulbs, from £7, both from CultFurniture.com

Mix materials and textures, like this, with metals, wood and ceramics, for an on trend industrial winter look, whilst still keeping it cosy and liveable.

LoveMapsOn map wallpaper – if you’ve ever been into one of our estate agency branches you’ll know we love a personalised wall map.

Now LoveMapsOn can produce these to whatever postcode you choose. We particularly like the vintage versions, which show your street how it used to be. Prices from £120 – LoveMapsOn.com

A farmhouse–style rustic dining table and pews like this are great for a family dining room and fantastic for the kid’s homework, family dinners and parties. We love the simplicity of the planked top of this Grand Bakers Table. From £980 – AuthenticFurniture.co.uk

0 6

Home and lifestyle news

www.haart.co.uk

Create the perfect man cave

Tufted glove occasional chair in shammy leather, £1,090 – AuthenticFurniture.co.uk

Bespoke free standing drinks cabinet, POA – WoodstockFurniture.co.uk

G

ive the guy some space and make a room into a male winter hibernation area. The perfect room for your fella to have a snooze or watch some sport on T with a drink. Combine vintage furniture and industrial metals with a wooden chalet feel, which would work great in a loft, basement or a room such as a converted garage with exposed brickwork - if not brickwork wallpaper. We love the vintage 70s chair from AuthenticFurniture.co.uk and the walnut drinks cabinet from Woodstock Furniture. Continue the vintage look with old ski posters from Art. co.uk and antique sports equipment such as these skis from Colonial Soldier. Alternatively get his sports stuff out the way and hang it on the wall, like with the bull horn bike rack from NotOnTheHighStreet.com. If he’s a history geek he’ll love these ex-military S airfield runway lights from Skinflint too. Complete the look with industrial shelving and soft rugs or cowhide laid over wooden flooring. Just make sure it’s not too nice, otherwise he might not let you in!

Vintage ski prints, prices from £5.99 – AllPosters.co.uk and Art.co.uk

Salvaged ex-military Salvaged ex-military American runway light, £1,880 – SkinFlintDesign.co.uk

Pedal industrial bar stool, £129 – Barak7.co.uk

Man cave sign, £5.50 – Etsy.com

Bricks wallpaper, £15 – Next.co.uk

Antique vintage wooden skis between £100 – £200 a set complete with antique poles – from ColonialSoldier.com

Bull horn bicycle holder, £129 – NotOnTheHighStreet.com 0 7

LOVING YOUR HOME

The interview

TV presenter and queen of craft Kirstie Allsopp spoke about the importance of inspiring a new generation of craft makers when we caught up with her at her first ‘Handmade Fair’, set in the beautiful gardens of Hampton Court Palace.

Kirstie Allso p p 0 8

The interview LYH: This event is amazing - crafty and interior heaven! We can’t wait to explore. Why did you decide to set up your Handmade Fair?

KA: I was excited for everything about it, the thought of doing something so bold and different to other craft fairs that are out there – the Handmade Fair wasn’t just about a whole lot of shops in a tent. It is a gathering of the people you’ve seen with me on screen, answering your questions, teaching you their techniques, and opening up to a live audience. It’s 3-D T without the funny specs! We wanted to put learning at the core and celebrate so many talented people. It was great to be sharing the whole experience with others who love making.

LYH: Who can craft?

KA: Everybody can be into crafts, even if it’s only knitting, it’s good to have something to do with your hands. I mean look at me here, twiddling this piece of thread as I talk to you. Everyone has a craft they can do, you just need to find yours.

LYH: Why should we encourage new generations of craft makers?

KA: We have lost touch with our hands, and lost touch with making and repairing things. Did you know the one major reason for clothes being thrown out is buttons missing? That’s terrible. The idea that there is a generation of young people who throw things out rather than repair them does disturb me. I was at a recent exhibition in Turkey and the title was ‘Skill of The Hand and Light of The Eye’. That really sums it up, being crafty’ is centuries old, and therapeutic too. The benefit of doing something with your hands, the sheer satisfaction it gives, is immense.

LYH: How long have you been crafting?

KA: It has been a lifelong thing… my mum was an interior decorator and my dad was an auctioneer, so making things has been in my family for as long as I can remember. Meadowgate, my house in Devon, was what reinvigorated my passion for the handmade and the homemade, when I wanted to get everyone involved in doing things with their own hands.

I worked with lots of local tradespeople to restore the house.

LYH: What are some of your favourite craft materials to work with?

Crafts can be almost anything. Crafts is about making something, pickling things, baking cakes – all sorts of things. The whole idea of preserving vegetables is great as these could be used for gifts. ‘What can I do with the glut of beans and tomatoes I have now?’ Well, preserves for one. Beans make green jam.

www.haart.co.uk

I’m a sucker for wood and embroidery. Embroidery is something of a lost skill. There is a rug that has been around my house for years, at some point in time someone made it and took care and time over it. You can see where they made mistakes, where they ran out of threads and certain coloured cottons. That’s the maker’s hand visible and that’s so important.

Pompoms are my all-time favourite craft, though. They are fast, simple, and instantly gratifying – plus you can do so much with them; use them as decorations, on cushions, clothes, on your shoes!

LYH: Do you approach craft making seasonally?

KA: Crafts are great throughout the year. Easter crafts, Christmas crafts, summer crafts, Halloween. There are things you can do all through the year. I’m trying to find an idea for conkers, which my children have collected in massive numbers. Conkers are so beautiful. They’re like pieces of mahogany wood, it’s so sad they lose their shine.

LYH: How important is it to encourage mending and restoration when it comes to crafts?

KA: Mending is a big thing of mine but it takes a lot of time – a lot of things I have need to be repaired. Repairing old things keeps tradition alive but people chuck old things out and put in new without thinking what that old thing represents. We can have old and new stuff side by side. Everyone has some piece of furniture in their life that has history, not a valuable antique but something worth repairing and fixing. The word crafts sounds old but crafts can include modern materials like Perspex. You can craft with something as simple as paper and scissors, I did a workshop at the V&A with just that and the atmosphere was incredible. At the end of the afternoon we were stringing up our homemade bunting and it was really nice. Everyone got so much satisfaction from doing it.

LYH: How can we use crafts to engage children in different activities?

KA: I love that loom bands have been so popular with kids, it’s a form of crafting. I know it’s not environmentally friendly but if children are getting off computer games, a few rubber bands are less damaging. Computer games are addictive. I put my foot down at home a few weeks ago and made the kids do something else. It was all complaints at first but after that it went quiet – that’s why we have so many conkers, the kids went out and did something else! I was thrilled by what they brought back, I shall drill and gild them; the hard bit is clamping them in the vice while you drill them!

0 9

LOVING YOUR HOME

Loving your life

The handmade fair Whilst we were at the Handmade Fair we couldn’t help but wander around and shop from some of Britain’s best craft sellers in each of the shopping tents. We also got our craft on in some of the workshop tents and enjoyed talks from some of Kirstie’s experts like Annie Sloan (the chalk paint queen) and upcycling experts Out of the Dark Furniture. See their expert tips on the Q&A page opposite.

EVERYONE HAS A

CRAFT

THEY CAN DO

No-Sew Cushion We also joined Stuart Hillard, one of the stars of the BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee, who talked us through some sewing tips in the textiles skills workshop tent, and got us to make our very own no-sew cushion. With just a metre of beautiful fabric, diagonally folded, tucked in at the edges, and tied in a neat knot, we’d crafted a five-minute-to-make cushion.

Definitely something we will be doing again to re-cover older cushions – especially for seasonal parties and at Christmas.

For more information on Kirstie’s first ever Handmade Fair, which was held in the gardens of Hampton Court, visit TheHandmadeFair.com 1 0

Ask the experts

Home and lifestyle news

www.haart.co.uk

Got a home and interior question? We would love to hear from you! Send us your questions and you could win £250 of John Lewis vouchers*

Q

I’ve got a pair of vintage French provincial chairs which I picked up from an antiques shop. They are gorgeous but the fabric and cushions are really worn and need reupholstering.

I’d love to do these myself in a bold bright fabric but I don’t really know where to start. Could you help? Or do you think I should get them professionally done?

If so, do you have any recommendations where I could go?

Many thanks, Jess – from Norwich

A

If you have not done upholstery before, French provincial chairs are quite tricky to reupholster, as they have traditional spring-based seats, and the cushions are piped with a specific shape. If you would like to do some investigating you could start by stripping the old fabric off the chair to see what is underneath, and if you have some upholstery skills already, see if it might be possible to build the chair back up. If not, we suggest you enjoy sourcing some beautiful fabric; we really like Swaffer and Sanderson fabrics, which you can see selections of in John Lewis, and then find a local upholsterer to take on the job of reupholstery. Or you could ask us to reupholster them!

Answer by Jade Blades, Co-founder & Creative Director of Out of The Dark Furniture. Visit OutOfTheDark.org.uk

Q

We rent a cottage and, although it’s lovely, the kitchen and bathroom are old and get quite damp. The tiles are pretty mouldy and all the stainless steel is marked. Do you know of any tips that could resolve these problems?

Thanks, Heidi – from Bristol

A

Have you tried Johnson’s Baby Oil on stainless steel? It’s a little house-cleaning secret and it works a treat on making steel shine like new. Try it on your kitchen sink and the hob, oven and shower. Use a soft cleaning cloth and washing up liquid to get dirt off first, then use a second cloth with the oil to polish. For optimal shine, polish along the grain of the steel. For tiles we’ve just tried new Grout Shield, which restores old and grotty looking grout without the need to re-grout. It’s an acrylic resin that bonds with the existing grout to form a durable seal, or shield, which protects against future stains and mould. Clean the grout with the pre-cleaner, apply the colour seal, wipe down then buff. You don’t need much, though, a little goes a long way and ours have turned out bright white again. The kit includes the pre cleaner, the colour seal (available in different colours), chamois, scrapper tool and brush for £24.99, available from GroutShield.co.uk or Wilkinson’s.

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

Q

I love the look of a range cooker, but I don’t have the space for one. Can you suggest a cooker in a similar style, which would fit in my average size kitchen

Best wishes, Elizabeth – from London

A

You don’t need to abandon your dream of having a range cooker just because you have a smaller kitchen. Aga has launched a cooker that is just 60cm wide, and is inspired by their world famous ovens. The Aga City60 is perfect for those who want the look and functionality of a cast-iron, heat-storage range cooker but don’t have the space for a full sized version. It has two ovens, one for roasting and baking and the other for simmering, plus a hotplate which can be set to either simmering or boiling mode. Although it is slim, its ovens are deceptively large and a timer can be used so the cooker is always ready to go just when it is needed. Aga has designed two versions of the oven, one in a traditional style complete with the classic Aga logo and a contemporary version which wouldn’t look out of place in a modern home and both are available in a variety of colours. AgaLiving.com

*See page 3 for competition rules.

1 1

LOVING YOUR HOME

N

othing beats getting cosy around a traditional open log fire in the cold of winter. The comforting noise of the wood crackling and the smell of the logs burning are a joy.

Owen Pacey, fireplace expert for 25 years and founder of Renaissance London Fireplaces, travels all over Europe sourcing and installing unique, antique and interesting fireplaces. He shares with us his advice on how fireplaces can add value to your home, reduce bills and explains why you should never rip out an original fireplace.

With fireplaces and original pieces, the general rule of thumb is to match architectural pieces to the period of a property you live in. I’ve been asked to take stunning antique fireplaces out of houses that shouldn’t come out and it breaks my heart. You are just destroying the room and the value of your home.

I think a fireplace brings drama and glamour to a room. I love seeing fireplaces in every room and I’m seeing a returning trend of installing a fireplace in kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms. Fireplaces are the design focus for many rooms. The aesthetic value of choosing an antique or reproduction fireplace for your home is immeasurable.

From a Victorian townhouse to a country cottage, a fireplace can add serious value to your home. Just think if there were two identical properties on the same street, one has a fireplace that complements the period of the home and one doesn’t, which one would you chose? It makes sense to invest in a working fireplace this winter as you can ignite your property’s value by up to five percent, add an

All fired

up

aesthetic glow of a real fire and save on heating bills too.

Many urban homes are challenged with space but it does not matter what type of home you live in, there is a fireplace that will fit the bill. One of my tips would be to never rip out an old fireplace to make way for a replacement without getting expert guidance. If you don’t like what you already have you can often trade it in for another mantelpiece.

Fireplaces come in a range of prices from ictorian grates to 18th-century marble, priced from £750 to £100,000!

Renaissance London are now introducing handmade, professionally aged reproductions with immaculate carving and attention to detail at a much lower price point. This is important as often pairs of period fireplaces are required for a larger room, they typically cost a third of that of an authentic period piece - but can look just the same.

This is all linked to a change in the way we use our rooms. Smaller single living rooms, or separate kitchen, dining and living spaces are now being opened up to make larger, open plan living areas, often revealing two fireplaces that no longer match, or creating space for a bold statement of two striking original fireplaces, with beautiful symmetry.

If you do have a matching pair of original fireplaces, don’t rip them out. The value of pairs of fireplaces have gone through the roof and are much more valuable than singles alone.

For more information on Owen’s original, bespoke or handmade fireplaces visit RenaissanceLondon.com

Original Victorian Corbel Fireplace circa 1860, with reproduction cast insert, £1,800 – RenaissanceLondon.com

1 2

www.haart.co.uk

Let’s get radical Fireside Products N

ot all of us have the space to install an open fireplace, nor is it to everyone’s taste, especially if you live in an urban development. Radiators, aren’t just a secondary alternative to a fireplace, modern options can be the statement centrepiece of a room. Old radiators weren’t always the prettiest of household items but new, slick designs make a sophisticated statement in a room, whilst offering efficient heating. Here’s some we particularly like...

Expert Tips: “Change your radiators – save energy and feel warmer. Many people consider replacing their boiler, but only replace a radiator if it leaks or corrodes. Modern radiators offer much greater energy efficiency than pre-2000 radiators due to better quality manufacture and better waterways, which result in radiators having less water flowing through them and giving out more heat.“

Log basket, £24.98 – GrandIllusions.co.uk

Match box, £5 – GardenTrading.co.uk

Chris Harvey, Product Manager at Stelrad Radiators “Radiators usually fall into groups with regard to design. Ladder designs have built-in space for hanging towels so they are suitable for bathrooms and kitchens. Contemporary wall hung radiators look good in a bedroom or living area and if your home has a minimal design. Bear in mind that radiators can make a statement in a room and if you want this to be the case then choose something that will fit even when the room is re-decorated, you will probably re-decorate before you change the radiator!”

Vintage kindling box, £33 – NotOnTheHighStreet.com

Dave Thornback, UK Sales Manager, Vasco

Firescreen, £155 – GardenTrading.co.uk ehnder Bay Horiz, £555 – Zehnder.co.uk Classic fireside iron tool set, £86 – Morso.co.uk

Tetro Volcanic, £358 – Bisque.co.uk Mansion log basket, £24.99 – Homebase

Bouf loop wood log basket, £365 – Bouf.com

BIT from Antoniolupi, POA – Antoniolupi.it

Bare metal classic, £358 – Bisque.co.uk 1 3

LOVING YOUR HOME

Loving your property

The antiques 3 bedroom apartment in London Victorian terrace Location: Brixton Renting for: £2,150 pcm The area: This 3 bedroom apartment sits in the perfect location on a quiet street, but with the nearby hustle and bustle of Brixton village and Clapham, both just a five minute walk away.

With great nearby pubs and local markets, it doesn’t feel like you need to leave the area very often for some fun and excitement, or day-to-day living. But a quick 12 minute tube from Brixton on the Victoria Line will have you in central London at Oxford Circus if you need a bit of city action.

The look: A spacious flat decorated, in modern grey paints, to a high standard, and furnished with an eclectic mix of antiques and mid-century pieces.

Key features: Brand new high-spec kitchen with Corian worktops and vintage sink, with open-plan dining space for 4 to 6 people.

Separate lounge, 3 bedrooms, bathroom and toilet and original stripped wood flooring and Victorian features throughout, including a beautiful marble fireplace and original banisters.

Who is the landlord? Georgina Townsin, 26, a producer for an advertising agency, with her partner, Milosh Indic, 29, an antique shop owner and collector.

“I’ve put a lot of love into this flat” Images on this page: Inside Potts Antiques.

Photos by Keith Trodd: TheKidTrodd.com

G

eorgina’s creative flair for design and Milosh’s love of antique furniture, and knowledge of architecture, has made them the perfect landlord couple.

It can be hard to put your own mark on a rental property, especially if you are planning to rent it yourself. You need to keep it neutral enough for other people’s tastes, yet still make it feel like a home, and Georgina has managed to do that with her three bedroom flat in Brixton.

Her eclectic mix of interior pieces have made this flat a home, and with her partner Milosh providing antique furniture from his shop, it has become a unique property to rent.

1 4

Georgina, who bought the property in 2012, said: “I’ve put a lot of love into this flat and I did it up with the intention of living in it myself.

But Milosh and I decided to move in together instead and I want to rent it as a lovely home, rather than sell it.”

In two years Georgina and Milosh have transformed what was a run-down, dilapidated flat into a perfect rental for a couple or flatmates.

“Everything was gutted. We re-plastered all the walls, put up new ceilings, repaired the floorboards to their original state and fitted a new kitchen and bathroom.

Loving your property

www.haart.co.uk

Get the look:

home show

19th century two–seater antique church pew, prices start from £250 – Ukaa.com and AntiqueChurchFurniture.co.uk

Pineapple vase, £36 – RockettStGeorge.co.uk

Vintage fringed lamp, approx £50 – from Potts Antiques Metal cuisine sign, £49 – RockettStGeorge.co.uk

Potts Antiques, Brixton Hill: Facebook.com/ PottsAntiques

“With Milosh’s help we then selected paints from Farrow & Ball and key pieces of furniture from the antique shop and my favourite home store, Rockett St George.

“Having lived in some bad rentals in the past, I wanted to put myself in the tenant’s shoes and think where I would want to live. So I’ve done it up to that standard. I also know how difficult it can be moving around different places in London and house-sharing, without your own furniture so I wanted to keep it furnished, to make it more of a home to help find the right people to live here.

“It’s my first time as a landlord, and there’s a lot of legality and paperwork to sort out but I think it will be worth it. I want to be a nice landlord but I think it’s important to retain respect as well. I will keep renting it with the hope of owning more properties in the future.”

Grey wool Sou sofa, from £1,095 – Loaf.com

After studying architecture Milosh set up shop in 2012 and travels around the country and abroad to source antique products. The idea came from his dad who owned a coffee shop and antique shop in Chiswick.

Call haart of Brixton for full details and viewings on 020 7095 1822 today.

intage trunk coffee table or T table, approx £100 – from Potts Antiques 1 5

LOVING YOUR HOME

Affordable art options:

in the • home • Art can really bring your home alive and it need not break the budget.

Ways to decorate with art, tips from Art.co.uk Art and TV in harmony: surround your TV with art for inspired viewing.

Stagger the art to allow your gallery wall to grow over time.

High ceilings? If your TV is not too big, place larger artworks above it a bit higher than normal.

Select strong pieces that hold their own next to the TV. Choose frames that match the look of the monitor. In this case, black ones popped with white mounts hold the arrangements together. ary sizes and shapes by treating the T as just another rectangle and surround with art both small and large to create balance.

Styled stairways: High-traffic spaces are perfect for high impact art.

Choose a theme to begin with to create a cohesive look. In this case, portraits are a fun twist on traditional family photos.

Prints available from Art.co.uk

1 6

Begin at the centre and work your way up and down following the diagonal of the steps. Keep artworks at eye level. For hanging height, place the centre of each artwork about one and half metres above each step.

If your stairs include a landing, hang pieces close together and let the gallery continue on to the next wall.

Art off the wall: Experiment with unexpected placement of your art.

Switch it up by rotating art to suit your mood or occasion, and avoid putting holes in the wall.

• • • •

Add height to statement furniture. Rest art on a dresser for visual impact.

Create depth and dimension by leaning framed artworks against the wall. Mix in your favourite d cor elements to amplify the effect.

Prop up an oversized piece to connect adjacent spaces. Life-sized art is the perfect conversation starter.

•

Art.co.uk for reasonable re-prints of modern and traditional art and photography.

AllPosters.co.uk - online collection of over 500,000 posters and fine art prints, sport posters, vintage posters and film posters.

Ikea for various prints in different sizes and frames.

Art galleries such as NationalGallery.co.uk and museums like the V&A (Vam.ac.uk) offer affordable famous prints from their collections from as little as £20, or buy a collection of postcards for a montage.

LittleCarouselGallery.com for art for children or, for a cheaper personal alternative, frame your own children’s artwork for their room.

Why not frame postcards you have picked up on your travels? If you are a fashionista, Cond Naste sell boxes of 100 postcards of iconic covers from their magazines such as Vogue and Vanity Fair. Mount your favourites in simple black frames for a chic look.

For serious fashion lovers why not frame your favourite shopping bags from your sprees? Individual mounts or a montage of them all will look great in a dressing room or on the inside of a large wardrobe.

Best home apps and gadgets

Gadgets

www.haart.co.uk

Zippo Hand Warmer – Firebox.com, £20

Nest thermostat - Available from Apple Store, Amazon,

The feeling of freezing cold hands on a winter walk may make you want to run to the nearest pub with a log fire and a warm brew. But now you can brace the elements for longer with this handy hand warmer. The ippo Hand Warmer looks like the kind of thing James Bond might have used to warm up after a snow mission. The Zippo radiates serious heat, without a flame, using a catalytic conversion, and lasts for up to 12 hours – unlike hand warmer sachets that run out of steam after a few minutes. Once you have filled up the hand warmer with lighter fluid (with a little filling cup which is provided) you activate the heat with a match or a lighter to light the flint inside – it’s simple and fast to do.

We’ll definitely be getting one of these ready for our trip to the ski slopes.

Available from Zippo.co.uk or Firebox.com

B&Q, John Lewis, and Nest.com for £179, or £249 with professional installation.

MiniSun SAD PAD – IconicLights.co.uk, £35

From the brains behind the iPod and iPhone, comes the Nest Learning Thermostat. Perfect for the safetyconscious money-conscious household, this beautifully designed thermostat helps you save on your winter bills and keep the house at the perfect toasty temperature over winter. It learns your schedule to program itself, learns how long your house takes to heat up, notices when you’re gone and automatically turns down the heat, and can be controlled through your home wi-fi and from your iPhone, iPad or laptop. You’ll see how much heat you use every day and get sent an energy report every month to track and manage your usage.

Those who have trialled the Nest on average save around 20% on their energy bills.

By now we’ve all had enough of winter, and summer sun can’t come soon enough. But if, like us, a hot holiday is just wishful thinking, get yourself one of these MiniSun SAD PADs to combat seasonal affective disorder - (SAD) and help produce those feel–good hormones that daylight and itamin D give. Nearly one in five of us experience the symptoms of SAD, which include depression, trouble sleeping, weight loss and anxiety. Light therapy using a SAD PAD works by providing a summer light, which, when directed onto the body, produces the correct levels of serotonin (the body’s natural feel-good hormone and mood balancer) and minimises the production of melatonin (the sleepy hormone that makes us want to hibernate). The SAD PAD is a similar size to an iPad and is compact and portable, allowing you to use it anywhere, even for a quick pick me up at work.

Apps

UKMortgages – Free, on iPhone, iPad, Windows phone, Windows 8 and Android devices Developed by multi-award winning mortgage technology company, Mortgage Brain, the UKMortgages app is free to download and is the only mortgage search, compare and review mobile app of its kind. It allows home-buyers to conduct detailed mortgage searches and gives instant access to a range of mortgage calculators that help work out the costs associated with a mortgage or re-mortgage.

Wallcoverings – £1.49 for iPhone, iPad This useful “simplified wallpaper estimator” by decorator Barry Bernau lets you calculate the wall space to be covered, then tells you how many rolls you need.

How Your House Works – £1.99, for iPhone, iPad If you’re in the bracket of people that need to call a professional to bleed a radiator or change a fuse, then this app is for you. Subtitled “A Homeowner’s Visual Guide to Home Repair and Maintenance”, it provides plumbing, electrics, heating and maintenance tips.

Family Wall

– Free, iPhone and Android

If your weekday household is as manic as ours you’ll appreciate this app. Designed for families, you can access a shared calendar, schedule after school activities, new hobby classes, create to-do lists, and even assign tasks to family members – such as who’s cooking dinner or walking the dog. You can also locate loved ones on a map and receive alerts when they arrive at places, such as at home or school.

Your kids might not like the app as much as you do, but it’s great for staying on top of everyday family life.

1 7

EDWARDIAN BEAUTY FILGRAVE £1,250,000

MILTON KEYNES

01908 969 129

“I WANTED IT TO BE A COMPLETE CONTRAST TO THE CITY, SOMEWHERE TO RETURN HOME TO AT THE END OF THE DAY, CLOSE THE ELECTRIC GATES AND COMPLETELY SWITCH OFF - AND THIS PLACE WAS PERFECT.”

INSIDE THIS HOME Detached Edwardian Family Home; Sought After Village Location; 6 Bedrooms; 4 Reception Rooms; 4 Bathrooms; Gated Entrance and Stunning Grounds; 2 Converted Barns Offering Separate Living Accommodation or Rental Income; EPC Rating E.

BY DESIGN

NEW BRADWELL £980,000

MILTON KEYNES

01908 969 129

INSIDE THIS HOME Contemporary Detached Family Home; Designed by self builder; 6 Bedrooms; Plot of Approximately 0.5 of an Acre (STMS); Stunning Entrance Hall; Bespoke Contemporary Kitchen; Convenient for commute to London; EPC Rating TBC.

“WE WANTED TO CREATE SOMETHING TOTALLY UNIQUE IN MILTON KEYNES WITH BESPOKE FITTINGS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY.”

Great British Homes in Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire Opening Soon in St.James & Mayfair

8am - 10pm everyday

GARDENS OF JOY STANWICK £750,000

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

01908 969 129

INSIDE THIS HOME Detached Rural Family Home; 4 Bedrooms; 3 Reception Rooms; Kitchen/ Breakfast Room; Family Room/Bedroom 5; Landscaped Gardens; High Level of Privacy; Convenient for Commuters; EPC Rating F.

“THERE IS A BALCONY WHERE I LIKE TO TAKE MY TELESCOPE TO LOOK AT THE STARS IN THE SUMMER, IT IS JUST BEAUTIFUL.”

EMBROIDERED WITH HISTORY YARDLEY GOBION £550,000

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

01908 969 129

“EVERYONE WHO COMES HERE ALWAYS COMMENTS ON WHAT A UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL HOUSE IT IS.”

INSIDE THIS HOME 17th Century Home; 4 Bedrooms; Welcoming Entrance Hall; 3 Reception Rooms; Drawing Room; Dining Room; Double Garage; Stunning Gardens; Detached Annexe Building; EPC Rating D.

* All acreage is estimated. Potential purchasers are advised to have a full survey carried out.

CHEWTONROSE.CO.UK

& LOVING YOUR HOME

and

relax

ave you ever been to a luxury hotel room with a wow factor bathroom, and thought to yourself, ‘I wish I could have this at home’? Well fear not, you don’t have to break the budget to add a touch of spa-like luxury to your own property, and after the hectic holiday season we could all do with relaxing and taking a well-earned break.

You may think that adding a statement bath with a whirlpool function would be costly, but there are many affordable versions on the market now, and they don’t take up a lot of space like a Jacuzzi you would find at a spa. If you need an excuse to buy one, these types of baths have proven health benefits as they help back ache and relieve sore muscles.

When you visit your local health club’s steam room, you may notice the lights changing colour, this isn’t just for visual affect as the changing colours, or chromatheraphy as it is otherwise known, helps to promote relaxation and alter your mood. You don’t have to install a full blown steam room to enjoy this, as there are many showerheads on the market with colour changing lights installed.

A spacious ‘spathroom’ is the dream, but if you don’t have a lot of room there are some handy tricks that give the illusion of more space. Add a large mirror to encourage light to flow, or include a frameless shower or a wetroom, which will help to make the space appear larger.

2 0

If you are really willing to splash out, why not take your spa experience outside? Garden saunas are the perfect way to get away from it all. They come in all different shapes and sizes and at different price points so you will be able to find one to suit your needs. Or create an outside hot tub experience at a fraction of the price with an outside bath, installing a hot tap to an outside wall.

Whatever your budget, you will be able to find a product that adds that little bit of luxury to your bathroom and makes ‘me time’ even more relaxing.

www.haart.co.uk

1. Can’t drag yourself away from your favourite soap? Well now you don’t have to. Soap up and watch your favourite shows from the comfort of your bath on the Videospa white 19 inch HD LED TV. Often found in top hotels, you too can have a slice of luxury at home, £999 - BathStore.com 2. Add chromatheraphy to your bathroom through your shower. The lighting options of the LED Stainless Steel Square Showerhead automatically run through a number of different colours including red, blue, green, yellow and white and create a spa-like ambience, £195 – FrontlineBathrooms.co.uk 3. To make the wall behind your bath pop, use decorative tiles, such as these, to create a feature wall, and for added luxury include a wall-mounted waterfall tap. Aparici Vanguard System Natural Blue and Pop White 20x20cm tiles, £92 per m2 – Aparici.com

1

5

2

3

6

4. A home sauna is a real luxury, but if you don’t have the space inside your property there are many options for in the garden.

The Original Cedar Barrel Sauna will make a statement whilst housing a cosy sauna.

From £3,995 for a two person Barrel.

Available from EliteHotTubs.co.uk 5. A wetroom style shower will give your bathroom a spacious feel. Add to the spa feel further by doubling up your showerheads. The Mira Vision Dual from Mira Showers has a 360 showerhead and a luxury deluge head, which can be used separately or together for a full drench, £873 – MiraShowers.co.uk 6. For the ultimate relaxing experience add aromatherapy oils to a whirlpool bath.

The Haiku bath can be fitted with the C-Lenda whirpool system with a variety of different jet options, which are sure to massage away any aches and pains.

Available from Carron Bathrooms, from £1,615 – CarronBathrooms.com 7 & 8. If a hot tub is out of your budget, install a rustic roll top bath and a hot water tap on the outside wall of your property. Take a trip to your local reclamation yard, and you may come across an affordable treasure. All that will be left to do is sit back, relax and take in the view.

Main photo. For spa style, without breaking the bank, include some jets in your shower area. WaterTile, available from West One Bathrooms, can be tiled into a shower wall or ceiling to create a unique showering experience, £162 – WestOneBathrooms.com

7

4

8

expert tips “Arguably, one the most pleasurable ways to spend quality time is to take a long soak in the bath. Freestanding baths provide a stunning focal point, so are often high on the wish list for a luxury bathroom.”

Albrecht von der Groeben, Chief of International Sales, Duravit

“Showerheads are available that offer a range of spray patterns from invigorating rain to a stress relieving Bokoma spray, designed to suit the user’s needs exactly. Side shower sprays also offer the opportunity for a massaging showering experience.”

Michael Gray, Grohe UK Training Manager 2 1

LOVING YOUR HOME

Loving your kitchen

Healthy eating kitchen products we love:

Healthy eating

Try making Hugh’s soup with the Smeg BLF01 blender.

Their new range of small appliances feature Smeg smooth curves and 50s-style lettering from – £129.99 John Lewis.

With Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

In Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s new healthy book, River Cottage Light & Easy, the organic chef delivers up 170 wholesome delights. From brilliant breakfasts to goodness on the go, from simple roasts to hotpots, and nutrient packed fish dishes to lighter breads, baking and treats (we all need those!). Each recipe is dairy free and wheat free, and all are guaranteed to bring a fresh energy and vitality to your everyday cooking and eating.

© Simon Wheeler

E

ver lack the time or inspiration to cook a nourishing meal after a hectic day? Our New Year’s resolutions of sticking to a new diet are nearly all but lost but delicious, health giving food doesn’t have to be time consuming and complicated.

The Dualit Dual Max Juicer, with double sieve and fast motor, juices the fruit and then the remaining pulp again for maximum juice and vitamin extraction. It makes light work of harderfruit and veg, so perfect for soup making, £99.99 - Dualit.com

Hugh says: “Reducing your dependence on wheat and dairy turns out to be a delicious voyage of discovery. New grains, new oils, new tastes, new combinations: it all adds up to a new zest for life.”

Try his satisfying and filling Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup’:

Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup Serves 4

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.2kg tomatoes

A pinch of sugar

4-5 garlic cloves, chopped

To finish:

3 tablespoons rapeseed or sunflower oil

Extra virgin hempseed or rapeseed oil

75g cashew nuts, plus a few extra to finish

A dusting of paprika

200ml light vegetable stock or water

Preheat the oven to 180 C/Gas 4.

Cut the tomatoes in half and put them in a large roasting tray – they should fit fairly snugly.

Scatter over the chopped garlic, trickle over the oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes, then scatter the cashews over the tomatoes. Return to the oven for a further 20 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and pulpy and perhaps a little charred in places.

Scrape the tomatoes, cashews and all the garlicky pan juices into a blender. Add the stock or water and blitz to a puree. Pass this through a sieve, which will remove any pips, or stubborn bits of tomato skin.

When you’re ready to serve, reheat gently. You can add a little water if the soup seems very thick or the flavour is too intense. Season with more salt and pepper if needed, and add a pinch of sugar if you think the tomatoey acidity needs tempering slightly.

Ladle into warmed bowls and finish with a swirl of extra virgin oil, plus a few chopped cashews and a dusting of paprika if you like, and a generous sprinkling of pepper.

River Cottage Light Easy - Healthy recipes for every day, by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, £25, hardback from Bloomsbury. For more information visit RiverCottage.net.

2 2

Healthy ready-meals Surely not. But the Soulful Food Company have come up with clever OnePots – soups, stews and hotpots, all under 500kcal and containing two of our five a day. The dishes are mixed by hand and slow cooked, literally putting the soul back into ready-made meals. Our favourites are Moroccan Chicken Tagine and Butternut, Lentil & Spinach Hotpot. Individual pots are £3.49 from Ocado and SoulfulFood.com

Get egg-cited about Valentine’s Day and make your loved one a lovely breakfast in bed with eggs on toast with this cute heart shaped egg-press, £4.99 – HandPickedCollection.com

rk wogarden nter your WiLoving

Loving your garden

Gardening in winter The Skinny Jean Gardeners give their advice on what green–fingered fun you can be having this winter.

When the outside doesn’t tempt you, your paws can still be enjoying some greenfingered fun from the comfort of inside.

How does growing, from seed, your own flavoursome foods, 365 days a year, on your windowsill sound? Let us introduce you to super-duper micro greens, here to save us all from the dreaded green fingered withdrawal in the colder, darker months.

Micro greens are sown into compost and grown in light like any normal seedling, but harvested and eaten just a week or so after germination when they’ve produced their first pair of leaves. The seeds you can use are almost endless, we recommend seeds such as: Micro Coriander - vibrant and zingy Micro Radish - spicy and peppery Micro Sunflowers - fresh and nutty Fill some recycled guttering or a jar with good soil, sow the seeds of your choosing followed by a sprinkle of soil, spray with water and leave on the windowsill in the sunshine. Spray daily and before you know it those green shoots and first pair of leaves will pop up ready to eat.

Because they’re harvested so young, the flavours are much more concentrated and intense - go on, create a garden on your windowsill this winter.

Vegalicious Micro Green Growing Kits, £13.95 NotOnTheHighStreet.com

The Official Woodcrete Nest Box, £24.95 - LivingWithBirds.com Woodcrete Nest Box, £24.95 - LivingWithBirds.com

Bird Feed Time in Jersey Cream, £14.95 BurgonAndBall.com

If, like the Skinny Jean Gardeners, you want to take care of the birds in your garden, here are a couple of events related to our feathered friends.

Events Big Garden Birdwatch Between 24-25 January, grab a pair of binoculars, and take part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch.

For one hour, record the types of birds that visit your garden using the survey provided on the RSPB website.

Your twitching research will allow the RSPB to monitor trends and helps them to see how different species of birds are faring, compared year-on-year.

Visit: Rspb.org.uk/Birdwatch

National Nest Box Week Natural nest sites for birds are disappearing fast, so the British Trust for Ornithology is asking you to put up a nest box from 14-21 February 2015.

Taking part allows you to contribute to bird conservation, whilst giving you the pleasure of observing any birds that you attract to your nest box.

Visit: Bto.org/About-Birds/Nnbw for top tips on where to site your nest box and how to make your own.

Bird products we love

Decorated Apex Nest Box with oak leaf detail, £15.99 Rspb.org.uk

www.haart.co.uk find your trowel Dust down your fork and go now in your as there’s plenty to do right re’s no frost and the outdoor space. As long as r soil ready to you ugh snow, dig over and thro ’t forget to Don ths. mon ing sow in the com hungry birds. put food and water out for the best, free and the Look after them as they’re as they are nd, arou r non harmful pest kille h as insect suc d foo for ng rchi constantly sea and weed seeds.

The Official National Nest Box Week Cedar Nest Box, £22.95 LivingWithBirds.com

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

2 3

LOVING YOUR HOME

Loving your life

Wear a helmet!

Keep your noggin protected with a helmet, even if you’re just learning on a nursery slope. A tumble and a slight bump to the head can cause concussion, and can even be fatal.

Snow business When you can’t get to the real snow, indoor snow centres are the next best thing. Aside from being a fun day out for the family, the UK’s vast array of indoor snow centres provide the perfect opportunity for a pre-ski warm up or to sample skiing or snowboarding.

These snow domes, may look and feel like a giant refrigerator, but they are a great way to pick up the basics, and most centres offer courses for beginners, ranging from short introductory courses, to a longer series of intensive lessons. Once you’ve mastered your parallel turns you can even advance to a park session on the rails and kickers or practice some race training tips.

Since last year’s winter Olympics in Sochi, the popularity of these centres has grown massively, with participation up by 23%. This is thanks partly to the success of the British athletes, endearingly known as the ‘Fridge Kids’, those who started learning on artificial snow and made it all the way to the podium, including bronze slope-style medallist Jenny Jones, who learnt at Churchill dry slope in Somerset.

Now a number of facilities and organisations are hoping to keep that momentum going, by introducing new initiatives to keep people skiing on British slopes, as well as trying to encourage the next generation of ‘Fridge Kids’.

New Ski Race Academy In association with the British Alpine Racing Ski Clubs (BARSC), Skiplex, the UK’s only continuous, indoor, revolving ski slopes, have set up a new ski race academy, offering the chance for young children aged 6–10, who are already able to ski in parallel, to train with top British race coaches at their “introduction to ski racing” sessions. These take place every Sunday at all three Skiplex centres – Reading, Basingstoke, and Chiswick in west London.

GoSkiGoBoard The GoSkiGoBoard initiative is designed to make learning to ski or snowboard easy with low, fixed-price beginner or improver sessions offered at centres across England.

The programme, which launched a year ago, sponsored by Austria’s Tirol ski region, has attracted more than 10,000 participants, and new initiatives, “Go Freestyle” and “Go Race”, are being added using the same formula, with a focus on skiing gates, or trying the jumps and rails in the park.

With the K’s everexpanding array of slopes across the country, it’s never been easier to visit your local centre, to get your snow fix, without the hefty price tag of travelling abroad.

Who needs the Alps?

Snow centres The Snow Centre Where those celebrity-types trained before Channel 4’s The Jump, The Snow Centre has a 160m real snow slope including boxes, rails and kickers for freestylers. Lessons for all abilities are also available.

Where? Hemel Hempstead TheSnowCentre.com Snozone A chain of indoor snow centres. Real snow slopes with all the trimmings of freestyle areas, sledging and ski and snowboard lessons.

Where? Milton Keynes and Castleford SnoZoneUk.com Chill Factore The UK’s longest indoor real snow slope at 180m. As well as the usual skiing and snowboarding lessons, the Chill Factore offers

mogul, ski and boardercross sessions. Charity Disability Snowsport UK is based here.

Where? Manchester ChillFactore.com Snow Factor Scotland’s only indoor real snow slope has a 168m long piste. There’s also an ice climbing wall.

Where? Braehead, Glasgow SnowFactor.com Snowdome A leisure complex with learner slope, main slope, ice rink, swimming pool and gym. The main slope features freestyle elements such as boxes, rails and kickers. Lessons for all abilities are available.

Where? Tamworth, Staffordshire SnowDome.co.uk

Latest films & DVDs New cinema releases Into The Woods (PG) (In cinemas 9 January ) An all-singing all-star cast bring fairy tale favourites to life in fantasy musical Into The Woods.

A wicked witch (Meryl Streep), the Big Bad Wolf (Johnny Depp) and others are all brought to life by a star-studded cast including beloved Brit James Corden.

This will undoubtedly be an entertaining watch for audiences of all ages.

2 4

DVD Reviews Foxcatcher (15) (In cinemas 9 January) Foxcatcher tells the incredible true story of a troubled Olympic wrestler (Channing Tatum) taken in by a disturbed eccentric millionaire (Steve Carell). The highly-acclaimed film showcases transformative performances that have been wowing critics well before its release and looks set to be a front runner at this year’s Oscar race.

A Walk Among The Tombstones (15) (Released 26 January) In this tense thriller, a tough ex-cop turned PI (Liam Neeson) investigates a kidnapping in New York, which soon spirals into something far more disturbing than he could’ve ever imagined. isibly inspired by classic film noir, combined with Neeson’s towering performance, ensures that this is a film not to be missed.

What If (PG-13) (Released 9 February) In this indie romantic comedy, heartbroken Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) finds himself falling in love with his new best friend, Chantry ( oe Kazan), but will the fact that she is already taken affect his actions And what if she feels the same This quirky film is a refreshing take on the average rom-com.

Loving your area National Storytelling Week With events running right across the country, National Storytelling Week, organised by the Society for Storytelling, aims to pay tribute to the art of telling stories aloud. Take some time in this week to sit and read a story together with family and friends in the comfort of your own home, or pop along to a local storytelling event near you. Most importantly of all, have fun!

www.haart.co.uk

A reading from Martin Jarvis The much-loved British actor reads two short stories: Just William & Jeeves and Wooster – at Luton Library Theatre with incidental music composed and performed by Richard Sisson at the piano. The programme also includes new settings by Ronald Corp of poetry by P G Wodehouse, performed by the toast of the D’Oyly Carte, Simon Butteriss.

26 January. Visit: LutonMusic.org.uk

Weekend Codability

31 January7 February.

Visit: Sfs.org.uk

National Trust app - free Fancy a day out and wondering where to go?

Want to visit a glorious coastline, wander through wild countryside, relax in exquisite gardens or explore historic houses? Find a National Trust place near you, wherever you are in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland with this handy app. Available on the App Store and Google Play.

If your children love computers then why not give them a challenge to learn more with a free Weekend Codability session at The National Museum of Computing, Milton Keynes? Suitable for anyone aged under 16, the sessions introduce young people to programming. They will learn how to give instructions to computers, change existing instructions in programs and create their own programs. Coders will be given information leaflets to enable them to continue developing their skills afterwards. The sessions, sponsored by Ocado Technology, are flexible and will last for up to an hour. Young people simply need to turn up with an adult.

Until 30 August.

Visit: Tnmoc.org

Soldiers School

Dates to remember Shrove Tuesday

Mother’s Day

Do you like your pancakes sweet or savoury?

On Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day as it’s widely known, take the opportunity to be creative with your pancake fillings. Ham and Gruyère cheese is a tasty savoury option, and for those with a sweet tooth, warm some winter berries in a pan with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice for a spiced winter-berry compote; finish with a dollop of cream for that extra indulgence. Stack them high and enjoy!

Instead of the traditional flowers and chocolates why not treat your mum to a fabulous day out this Mothering Sunday? If you are stuck for inspiration LastMinute.com and VirginExperienceDays.co.uk have fantastic deals on spa retreats, afternoon teas, theatre trips, cookery courses and even days out for the more adventurous mums out there, such as indoor skydiving or rock climbing.

17 February.

Loving your area

15 March.

Attention! Right you ‘orrible lot, it’s training time. Become a Home Front hero and be put through your paces at Wrest Park, Luton. Fall into step and polish your shoes or it’ll be basic rations for you. Discover Wrest's secret wartime past with this hands-on experience of soldiers on the front line. Suitable for families, free for English Heritage Members.

16-20 February.

Visit: English-Heritage.org.uk

ZSL Whipsnade Zoo The zoo’s Jumbo Express train re-opens in February – take a ride on an impressive steam engine and weave your way through the territories of some of the world’s most inspiring animals. Be taken on a safari adventure to see elephants, rhinos, yaks and camels and many more exciting mammals. Once you have hopped off, have a wander to enjoy the rest of the UK’s largest zoo set within 600 acres of beautiful Bedfordshire countryside. As a real treat, why not book to become a Zoo Keeper for the day for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get up close and personal with some of ZSL’s most popular animals.

Daily 10am-4pm. Visit: Zsl.org 2 5

LOVING YOUR HOME

Intelligent advice from haart

New Year, new you Once the festive season is over you may begin to make some changes, whether it’s to start going to the gym more, eating healthier food, or even deciding to move house.

The New Year is a fantastic time to have a fresh start and put your home on the market. Often people put off searching for a property until after the festive season, so you may find there are lots of first time buyers and parents, whose children are back at school, looking for properties. This will mean buyers may be competing to buy your home, which in turn could mean the selling price may go up.

If you are looking to buy, then viewing a home in winter allows you see how it holds up to the colder weather. Ask yourself a few questions: Did you feel cold when you were viewing the home? Are the windows letting in any draughts? Does the heating and hot water work? These may be things that you might not have thought of in the summer months, but may need to be negotiated in the buying price.

It’s said, if you fall in love with a home in the rain, you’re going to love it even more when the sun is shining, so take the plunge and see if your dream home is out there.

If you are looking to make a move but need some help or inspiration with your property search or sale, call us on 0845 899 9999

Here are our pick of dream homes across the country…

Lincolnshire

Area: Welton

Essex

Area: Braintree

Guide price: £495,000

Guide price: £389,995

This attractive four bedroom pantiled cottage boasts a level of accommodation very rarely seen. The spacious home comprises an impressive entrance hallway, generous lounge with feature fireplace, a modern fitted kitchen and utility room, a dining room, study and a superb conservatory. The annex is self contained and accessed via a charming stone staircase and includes a balcony. The gardens enhance the near third of an acre plot, and provide a wonderful backdrop to the home.

This four bedroom property, situated in a quiet and private location, is built to a very high standard, the exposed beams and modern decor throughout offer a welcoming feel to the home. The spacious kitchen/ diner sold the house to the current vendors who have many happy memories of the get-togethers held in it. The best part of the house for them is the garden, as they enjoy many summer evenings sitting on the patio with a glass of wine, watching the hot air balloons go past.

Call: Sarah Hammond at haart Lincoln on 01522 510088 for details

Call: Gary Searle at haart Braintree on 01376 329380 for details

Essex

2 6

Area: Harlow

Lincolnshire

Area: Branston Village, Lincoln

Guide price: £750,000

Guide price: £450,000

This Grade II listed home, dates as far back as the 16th century.

Meadham House has undergone sympathetic refurbishment resulting in high standard accommodation throughout. The property provides spacious family living arranged over three floors plus two cellars. The ground floor has a dining room and an impressive panelled drawing room with double doors overlooking the attractive garden. There is a bespoke solid wood kitchen and this high level of finish continues onto the first and second floors where five bedrooms are located.

Located in the heart of Branston Village this three bedroom property is positioned on a spectacular plot with landscaped gardens plus decked and patio areas, ideal for outside entertaining. One of the more special features is the meandering stream that travels through the gardens, with bridges and viewpoints to enjoy the family of ducks and the trout that have taken up residence in that area of water. The property also boasts an office, gym/workshop double garage and substantial parking.

Call: Shawn Meakins at haart Harlow on 01279 443311 for details

Call: Sarah Hammond at haart Lincoln on 01522 510088 for details

Local area spotlight

Intelligent advice from haart

Milton Keynes & Northamptonshire Map shows average price for all property styles in October 2014 in all areas covered by haart, Darlows and Haybrook branches*.

Client testimonial Northampton haart We were with another estate agent in Northampton for six months “and our property didn’t sell. Sophie from haart called to ask if she could try and sell it so I handed it over to her. She sold the property within 10 days. Rob then took over until completion, he was so helpful. We had a number of problems with solicitors and he would always return my calls knowing we were getting quite anxious and reassure me and keep me updated. He went above and beyond with the solicitors and called them daily to push the sale through. I have dealt with a number of estate agents in the past and he was by the far the only one I would ever recommend. Both Rob and Sophie are a true asset to your business.

”

Rachel Burgess

Rotherham • • • • •• • •

Newark • • • • •• • •

Loughborough • • • • •• • •

Peterborough • • • • •• • •

Dereham • • • ••• • • Wisbech • • • • •• • •

Blaby • • • • •• • •

Milton Keynes & Northamptonshire Average property price (Oct 2014) Average value detached house in Rushden Average price change (compared to last quarter)

£217,841 £180,000  11.63%

Llanishen • • • ••• • •

Swindon • • • • •• • •

www.haart.co.uk

Bury St Edmunds • • • • •• • •

Northampton • • • • •• • • Luton • • • • •• • • Abbots Langley • • • • •• • • Borehamwood • • • • •• • • Slough • • • • •• • •

Weston-super-Mare • • • • •• • •

Sutton • • • • •• • •

Braintree • • • • •• • •

Romford • • • • •• • •

Clacton • • • • •• • •

Benfleet • • • ••• • •

Dartford • • • • •• • • Orpington • • • • •• • •

Dorking • • • • •• • •

Taunton • • • ••• • •

Plymouth • • • • •• • •

*House price data from haart, Darlows and Haybrook, giving October 2014 average property prices.

Don’t hold back – sell now to meet demand If you’re uncertain about selling your home until after the General Election in May, you could miss out on high demand for your property.

Many people are waiting to see what the election will bring before listing their home for sale. But the only certainty, says the Branch Manager of haart Rushden, Debbie Winsor, is there will be a rise in people registering to buy in the first few weeks of 2015.

“This means there’s a much better chance of getting the right price for your property in the best possible time if you don’t hold back,” he said.

According to haart’s Property Index, the average price of all property sold

through its branches in Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire – including Milton Keynes, Northampton and Rushden – was £217,841 for the quarter to the end of October.

For every property for sale in Milton Keynes and Rushden there was an average of eight people looking to buy through haart, and six prospective purchasers for every home for sale in Northampton.

Rushden remains good value for money, with the average detached sold by haart fetching £180,000 – up 11.63% on the previous quarter.

Whilst due to high demand the average price of a detached property in Northampton has increased to £235,000 – up 4.29% on the last quarter.

To sell your home, contact haart on 0845 899 9999, 8am - 10pm, 7 days a week, or visit www.haart.co.uk 2 7

SALES

Call us on 01908 666 888 8am - 10pm everyday

NEWS

Milton Keynes

We have 693 people on our books looking for homes in this area* At haart, we have on average 13:1 buyers for every property we have for sale* If you want my help to sell your home, call in or phone me

Detached House Five Bedrooms Three Reception Rooms

Senior Branch Manager *source: haart data 14th November 2014

Above All The Rest eavers Lane Oa ridge ar Guide Price £280,000 - £290,000

REF: HRT017910472

Located in popu ar Oa ridge ar t is our edroom semi detac ed to n ouse offers e i e ami accommodation arranged over t ree oors a good si e garden a garage and off street par ing Three Floors Off Street ar ing EPC: B

Milton Keynes

REF: HRT017910453

This property has a two storey extension giving three reception rooms downstairs as well as the integral double garage. This home ene ts rom ig t interna updating and is presented as a an canvas.

Tim Burgess

Semi Detached House Four Bedrooms Two Bathrooms

The Dream Home indmi i rive B etc e £380,000

Lovely Living astern ace £375,000

Two En Suites Garage EPC: D

REF: HRT017910501

o ns Barn

is ig desira e our edroom ouse in o ns Barn is presented in a good condition and oasts our spacious edrooms sitting room dining room stud conservator and u tted itc en as e as a dou e garage Detached House Four Bedrooms Two Reception Rooms

Conservatory Double Garage EPC: D

For more properties in your area visit haart.co.uk

SALES

Call us on 01908 666 888 8am - 10pm everyday

The Perfect Home ngaine rive S en e C urc ÂŁ319,950

nd

A tru onder u our edroom e tensive e tended detac ed ome idea situated in S en e C urc nd it eas access to en ig Sc oo and oca amenities eaturing t o reception rooms t o bathrooms and a splendid rear garden.

Detached House Four Bedrooms Two Receptions

Two Bathrooms Utility Room EPC: D

REF: HRT017910456

Make It Yours Cross ands Stanton ur ÂŁ220,000 Located in popu ar Stanton ur t is semi detached house has been modernised to a very high standard. The accommodation inc udes a u ur tted itc en it rea ast ar and decorative ig ting under oor eating a tted at room it po er s o er and at our good si e edrooms a separate shower room and a generous garden ic is not over oo ed

Semi Detached Four Bedrooms Kitchen/Diner

C oa room Private Garden EPC: E

REF: HRT017910484

Milton Keynes

For more properties in your area visit haart.co.uk

SALES

Call us on 01908 666 888 8am - 10pm everyday

Easy Living Arunde Grove B etc e £210,000 is ove e appointed t ree edroom semi detac ed property is situated in a quiet road in Bletchley and has an unusually spacious garden and par ing or numerous cars ent o space or riends and ami a i e to come and visit

Semi Detached Three Bedrooms Kitchen/Diner

Separate WC Off Street ar ing EPC: D

REF: HRT017910500

You Can’t Miss This une am Grove estcro t £365,000 This is a rare opportunity to acquire a well proportioned ami ome in a uiet road in estcro t e ouse as t ree dou e edrooms and a good si e sing e spacious sitting room that opens into a separate dining room and a recently decorated itc en

Detached Home Four Bedrooms Two Receptions

En Suite Garage EPC: D

REF: HRT017910573

Milton Keynes

For more properties in your area visit haart.co.uk

SALES

Call us on 01908 666 888 8am - 10pm everyday

Set Back And Substantial Litt e eado Loug ton ÂŁ700,000 is detac ed ami ome provides a ea t o space and ig t across t o oors and is ocated in t e desira e area o Loug ton sitting on a su stantia private p ot and offers amp e par ing to t e ront

Detached Home Four Bedrooms Four Receptions

Two Bathrooms Double Garage EPC: C

REF: HRT017909986

Sheer Elegance e Brad e i ton e nes ÂŁ500,000 Snap up t is s ice o arc itectura eaven set in t e o d train or ers paris o e Brad e As t e name suggests t is as once t e mi ing arn or t e ad oining ouse and as een taste u converted i e retaining its c aracter eatures Bungalow Three Bedrooms Kitchen/Diner

En Suite Dressing Room EPC: C

REF: HRT017910298

Milton Keynes

For more properties in your area visit haart.co.uk

LETTINGS

Call us on 01908 669 261 8am - 10pm everyday

NEWS

Milton Keynes

We have 197 tenants registered

looking for the right property*

Over the last 3 months, the let prices we agreed reached 99% o t e na asking prices*

If you want my help to let your home, call in or phone me

is top oor e ecutive apartment in t e enn Strat ord area o i ton e nes ene ts rom te ep one entr s stem entrance a itc en rea ast room ounge t o dou e edrooms an en suite and bathroom.

Paul Bushby

Top Floor Apartment Two Bedrooms itc en Brea ast

Branch Manager

*haart data 14th November 2014

REF: HRT047101035

Life At The Top u ouse erriva e e s £1,700 PCM

A super apartment ocated in t e i ion eve opment in centra i ton e nes e propert is a s ort a to t e main ine train station and is idea situated in t e centra area o t e to n Executive Apartment Two Double Bedrooms Open Plan Lounge/Diner

Entry Phone System 24 Hour Concierge EPC: B

enanc setup ees app to a ettings properties

Milton Keynes

REF: HRT047100616

The Good Life Saracens ar B etc e £850 PCM

or one tenant

En Suite

Entry Phone System EPC: D

Fancy A Stroll Around The Lake? ore at Grove ur ton £1,500 PCM

REF: HRT047100757

is our edroom detac ed propert is situated at t e end o a uiet cu de sac c ose to ur ton La e in est i ton e nes offering amp e par ing and a dou e garage Detached Home Four Bedrooms En Suite

Conservatory Double Garage EPC: D

or eac additiona tenant or guarantor i re uired C ec in ee varia e

uoted prices are inc usive o

A

For more properties in your area visit haart.co.uk

LETTINGS

Call us on 01908 669 261 8am - 10pm everyday

Dream Home ou es Court S en e Lodge ÂŁ1,695 PCM Situated in a quiet cul de sac location is t is per ect ami ome e propert is within close reach to primary and secondary schools and other local amenities. To the ac o t e propert is a e maintained wrap around garden with a double garage to ront o t e propert and drive a par ing

Detached Home Four Bedrooms Open Plan Kitchen

Driveway Double Garage EPC: D

REF: HRT047101530

Dream No More Bo ce Crescent O d arm ar ÂŁ1,750 PCM is propert is t e per ect ami ome eaturing an entrance a ounge dining room stud itc en diner uti it room master edroom it en suite and a sout acing rear garden e propert is a so it in a ing distance o Ca decotte La e and c ose proximity to Kingston and other local amenities.

Detached Home Four Bedrooms Kitchen/Diner

En Suite South Facing Garden EPC: C REF: HRT047101482

Milton Keynes

For more properties in your area visit haart.co.uk

SALES

Call us on 01604 620 631 8am - 10pm everyday

NEWS

Northampton

We have 679 people on our books looking for homes in this area* We have on average 15:1 buyers for every property we have for sale* If you want my help to sell your home, call in or phone me

REF: HRT005207893

ort ampton

An impressive and e ecutive ve edroom detac ed ome situated it in a s ort a ing distance to A ington ar is ome is eauti u presented t roug out and ene ts rom t o en suite s o er rooms gated oc paved drive a and a garage

Robert Guy

En Suite Shower Room Garage EPC: D

Detached Home Five Bedrooms Kitchen/Diner

Senior Branch Manager *source: haart data 14th November 2014

Years Of Love And Devotion eoman eado ast uns ur Guide Price £280,000 - £295,000

REF: HRT005207542

is e appointed our edroom detac ed propert ic as een eauti u re ur is ed t roug out to a ig speci cation ene ts rom a dou e garage and drive a set in a cu de sac it in t e desira e area o ast uns ur Detached Home Four Bedrooms Kitchen/Diner

The Lap Of Luxury ar Avenue Sout £520,000

En Suite Double Garage EPC: C

Northampton

Moving On Up rost o o ast uns ur £350,000

REF: HRT005207849

A well presented and extended detached property situated within ast uns ur is ome not on as our rst oor edrooms ut a so ene ts rom t e addition o a ground oor edroom comp ete it an en suite giving e ce ent anne e potentia Detached Home Five Bedrooms Two Reception Rooms

En Suite Double Garage EPC: D

For more properties in your area visit haart.co.uk

SALES

Call us on 01604 620 631 8am - 10pm everyday

Extended And Improved Orc ard i Litt e Bi ing ÂŁ385,000 A eauti u presented our edroom detac ed ami ome in t e popu ar area o Little Billing. This home has been pleasantly e tended and improved and no offers generous living accommodation complete it a de ig t u andscaped rear garden

Detached Home Four Bedrooms Kitchen/Diner

Games Room Garage EPC: C

REF: HRT005207850

Exclusive Development e Street ar s Barton ÂŁ264,995 A eauti u presented t ree edroom detached bungalow situated in an exclusive development within Earls Barton. This propert ene ts rom a sing e garage it amp e off road par ing en suite to master and a itc en rea ast room

Bungalow Three Bedrooms Kitchen/Diner

En Suite Garage EPC: C

REF: HRT005207845

Northampton

For more properties in your area visit haart.co.uk

SALES

Call us on 01604 620 631 8am - 10pm everyday

Popular Location esca ero ingst orpe ÂŁ279,995 A ver e presented ami ome situated in an e c usive deve opment o ust ve properties within the popular Kingsthorpe area is propert ene ts rom our edrooms a uti it room an en suite to master and two reception rooms.

Detached Home Four Bedrooms Two Receptions

En Suite Utility Room EPC: C

REF: HRT005207838

A Happy Home orman Sno a ÂŁ200,000

uston

Semi detached modern home with garage and driveway. Situated in t e ver popu ar ocation o uston Comprising c oa room ounge itc en diner t ree edrooms master edroom it en suite e propert as a u enc osed o maintenance rear garden which is mainly a patio area with a side gate to the garage. e propert a so ene ts rom aving so ar pane s Semi Detached Three Bedrooms Kitchen/Diner

C oa room Garage EPC: B REF: HRT005207577

Northampton

For more properties in your area visit haart.co.uk

SALES

Call us on 01604 620 631 8am - 10pm everyday

Dressed To Impress Arti an oad ort ampton £159,995 An impressive and immaculately presented two bedroom apartment situated it in c ose pro imit o t e to n centre it open p an iving e posed ric eatures and granite or sur aces this property really is dressed to impress.

Apartment Two Bedrooms Entry Phone System

Open Plan Living Communal Entrance EPC: C

REF: HRT005207592

Room To Grow C ic ers rive pton Guide Price £270,000 - £280,000 A ve edroom propert situated in t e popu ar area o pton it accommodation situated over t ree oors and a sing e garage it drive a t is propert ma es an idea ami ome

nd O errace Five Bedrooms Lounge/Diner

En Suite Garage EPC: C

REF: HRT005207214

Northampton

For more properties in your area visit haart.co.uk

LETTINGS

Call us on 01604 620 055 8am - 10pm everyday

NEWS

Northampton

We have 116 tenants registered

looking for the right property*

Over the last 3 months, the let prices we agreed reached 99% o t e na asking prices*

If you want my help to let your home, call in or phone me

A one bedroom cluster home set in Little Billing with easy access to Weston Favell Shopping Centre. The accommodation consists o ounge itc en edroom and a at room and offers good transport in s

Iain Havell

*haart data 14th November 2014

REF: HRT041600276

is apartment is situated on t e ground oor and as eas access to t e train station Si e ds etai and Leisure ar and e Saints Ground.

Apartment One Bedroom Ground Floor

Bathroom Good ransport Lin s EPC: E

Cluster Home One Bedroom Kitchen

Branch Manager

‘Try’ To Find Better ar nd ort ampton £525 PCM

Lounge/Diner A ocated ar ing EPC: B

enanc setup ees app to a ettings properties

Northampton

REF: HRT041600819

Shoppers Paradise m e C ose Litt e Bi ing £475 PCM

or one tenant

REF: HRT041600575

One Level Living eed a ort ampton £575 PCM

is t o edroom semi detac ed unga o as een re ur is ed to a ig standard Comprising an entrance a ounge it eature rep ace itc en at room it s o er eadset over at rear garden and drive a par ing or t o cars Bungalow Two Bedrooms Fitted Kitchen

Feature Fireplace Off Street ar ing EPC: B

or eac additiona tenant or guarantor i re uired C ec in ee varia e

uoted prices are inc usive o

A

For more properties in your area visit haart.co.uk

LETTINGS

Call us on 01604 620 055 8am - 10pm everyday

Ideal Starter Home iverstone a Northampton ÂŁ650 PCM A two bedrooms semi detached house on uns ur eado s e propert itse is situated in an excellent location close to oca amenities suc as Si e ds not to mention t e e ce ent transport in s to t e ere is a garage it t e propert and a driveway.

Semi Detached Two Bedrooms White Goods

Garage Off Street ar ing EPC: C

REF: HRT041601325

Living The High Life eston ouse Gregor Gardens ÂŁ625 PCM A e presented t o edroom second oor apartment t at is nis ed to a ig standard Consists o an entrance a ounge dining room itc en master edroom it en suite one urt er dou e bedroom and bathroom. Within easy reach o eston ave S opping Centre and good road in s to t e A and ettering

Apartment Two Bedrooms Lounge/Diner

En Suite Close To Amenities EPC: C

REF: HRT041600982

Northampton

For more properties in your area visit haart.co.uk

Is that a yes?

Discover your first home 0845 899 9999 haart.co.uk

One simple ‘yes’ has the power to change everything.

It sparks the beginning of a new adventure. A new life together in a new home, full of dreams, laughter and love – and maybe even a growing family.

At haart, we understand that behind every move lies a story.

That’s why we go beyond the home – so we can help you make a move that’s right for you.

Say yes. Live life with haart.

SALES

Call us on 01933 418 444 8am - 10pm everyday

NEWS

Rushden

We have 242 people on our books looking for homes in this area* We have on average 11:1 buyers for every property we have for sale* If you want my help to sell your home, call in or phone me

ou are oo ing or a propert t at as a great si e corner p ot t en oo no urt er is propert as a ounge itc en conservator t o dou e edrooms and a ami at room ere is amp e par ing and a generous rear garden

Debbie Winsor *source: haart data 14th November 2014

REF: HRT005707197

This coach house apartment is bigger than your average two edroom ouse it a ounge dining room itc en t o edrooms en suite to t e master ami at room garage and off road par ing or t o ve ic es Single Garage Off Street ar ing EPC: C

Coach House Two Bedrooms Lounge/Diner

Rushden

Conservatory Off Street ar ing EPC: C

nd O errace Two Bedrooms Corner Plot

Sales Manager

Home Sweet Home emp e Court ig am errers £139,995

REF: HRT005707235

It’s Got The Plot Ar rig t oad rc ester £132,000

REF: HRT005707225

Ready And Waiting For You eed Crescent us den £149,995

is modern Be a omes ui t propert offers accommodation comprising an entrance a open p an ounge diner itc en do nstairs C t ree edrooms en suite to master and a ami at room Outside t e propert as a spacious rear garden off road par ing and a garage nd O errace Three Bedrooms Open Plan Living Area

En Suite Garage EPC: B

For more properties in your area visit haart.co.uk

SALES

Call us on 01933 418 444 8am - 10pm everyday

Popular Location o g ove C ose us den ÂŁ155,000 is propert as ever t ing t e ami needs inc uding ounge do nstairs c oa room e tended itc en dining room and amp e par ing to t e side or approximately three vehicles. The property is located within a cul de sac on the south side o us den

nd O errace Three Bedrooms Kitchen/Diner

C oa room Amp e ar ing EPC: D

REF: HRT005707175

Superb Corner Plot Sovereign Court us den ÂŁ174,995 is great propert offers accommodation comprising entrance a ounge dining room itc en t ree edrooms en suite to master edroom and a ami at room a o t is on a corner p ot

Semi Detached Three Bedrooms Corner Plot

Dining Room En Suite EPC: C

REF: HRT005706994

Rushden

For more properties in your area visit haart.co.uk

LETTINGS

Call us on 01933 312 287 8am - 10pm everyday

NEWS

Rushden

We have 64 tenants registered looking for the right property*

Over the last 3 months, the let prices we agreed reached 98% o t e na asking prices*

If you want my help to let your home, call in or phone me

is propert as recent undergone re ur is ment to ring it to t e ig standard it is no Comprising a ounge itc en it integra app iances to t e second oor is t e edroom it ui t in wardrobe and a modern bathroom.

Tom Marshall Branch Manager

Semi Detached One Bedroom

*haart data 14th November 2014

Lounge/Kitchen

REF: HRT064600111

Good Taste eigate a Cor £550 PCM

e propert consists o entrance a eading to t e do nstairs C and ounge ic eads t roug to t e itc en diner it t e uti it room to t e side o t e rst oor t ere are t ree good si e edrooms ami at room and an e tra storage room Utility Room Garden EPC: D

Detached Home Three Bedrooms Kitchen/Diner

enanc setup ees app to a ettings properties

Rushden

REF: HRT064600116

One Bed Wonder er ins oad rt ing oroug £495 PCM

or one tenant

Off Street ar ing Garage EPC: C

REF: HRT064600106

Space For All e ton oad us den £725 PCM

e spacious itc en and ounge are at t e rear o t e ouse it one t o edrooms at t e ront a urt er t o edrooms are upstairs it attic space ere is off street par ing and to t e rear o t e ome is an enc osed garden Detached Home Four Bedrooms Kitchen/Diner

Off Street ar ing Enclosed Garden EPC: E

or eac additiona tenant or guarantor i re uired C ec in ee varia e

uoted prices are inc usive o

A

For more properties in your area visit haart.co.uk

LETTINGS

Call us on 01933 312 287 8am - 10pm everyday

Room For the Family Bon am Court ettering ÂŁ600 PCM is our edroom terrace spread over t ree oors comprises an entrance a ounge itc en diner ami at room and a s o er room Outside t ere are ront and rear gardens a ong it a drive a and garage access.

Detached Home Four Bedrooms Kitchen/Diner

Shower Room Garage EPC: D

REF: HRT064600104

The Secluded Life e Sap ings ettering ÂŁ1,250 PCM is our edroom propert is per ect or someone anting a uiet i e Set in a peace u cu de sac and it a conservator t at oo s over t e enc osed garden ma es t is ami ome per ect or t e nature lover. Outside is a driveway leading to a double garage at the ront and a garden it patio and a n to t e rear

Conservatory

Detached House Four Bedrooms Kitchen/Diner

Double Garage EPC: C REF: HRT064600115

A

Rushden

For more properties in your area visit haart.co.uk

LOVING YOUR HOME

L

Property expert advice

Ask the property expert... ...Louisa Fletcher

ouisa Fletcher is one of the UK’s leading property experts and a familiar face on our TV screens, where she regularly shares her expertise. Having spent over fifteen years at the coalface of the property industry, Louisa has bought and sold countless houses, undertaken major residential and commercial redevelopment projects and has consulted at board level for leading estate agents, new home builders and property websites.

Louisa answers Sarah from Bristol’s property question this month...

Q

We moved into our rental property last summer and initially everything seemed ok. But since the start of winter the house became damp and it’s causing mould to grow on the furniture.

I bleach everything regularly but it keeps returning. Our landlord has said it’s because we are drying clothes inside, cooking in the kitchen without the windows open and because we don’t have the heating on enough, I don’t believe it is any of these things. The landlord has said we can’t move out early and break our contract but it is making us miserable and I am worried about my son’s health. Our landlord has even said the cost of renting a dehumidifier to help the problem, plus painting over the mould, will have to come from our deposit! Is there any legal action we can take or anything we can do?

Thank you,Sarah – from Bristol

A

OK, the first question I would ask you is, are you correctly heating and ventilating the property? From what you’re describing, it does sound like a case of bad condensation – which is probably the most common cause of damp in residential properties – but can easily be prevented by adequate ventilation and heating.

Do you have extractor fans in the property which you use whenever you’re cooking or in the bathroom And is your central heating on at a constant low heat Also, make sure you have a few windows open (even by just a few centimetres) around the property especially in the kitchen and bathroom to ensure you have adequate airflow, particularly in the winter. Drying washing inside is another condensation culprit – avoid it if you can, but if not, make sure you have your heating on and the windows open in the room where you’re drying damp laundry. If you are renting the property via a letting agent, then I would suggest you ask them to visit you to provide an independent opinion and advice. It may also be worth asking to have your heating

Louisa has condensed her industry knowledge into a new book, Property ncovered, a step-by-step guide filled with solid advice, hints, tips and trade secrets that will tell you everything you wanted to know about property, but were afraid to ask.

Comprising ten easy to follow chapters, including ‘Fantastic flatmates’, Breaking up is hard to do’ and Buying your first home’, the book is easily digestible, allowing readers to dip in and out’ when required. Throughout each section, packed with up to the minute information and guidance, Louisa unpicks daunting new legislation, translates complex jargon and provides the tools you need to make educated, informed decisions about property, whether you are buying or renting.

Twitter: @louisafletcher ouisaFletcher com 4 6

system serviced to ensure it’s running efficiently and also get any extractor fans around the property professionally checked to make they are working correctly as well.

As for your deposit, if the problem does turn out to be condensation because you’re not heating or ventilating the place correctly, it’s likely that you would be responsible for the costs to repair the property. Most tenancy agreements include a clause to say that it’s the tenant’s responsibility to take reasonable care of the property whilst they live in it. If you are renting directly from the landlord and need help understanding your tenancy agreement, it’s worth contacting your local Citizens Advice Bureau. Any damages you need to pay when you leave the property will need to be agreed between yourself and your landlord before your deposit can be released from the Client Money Protection scheme your money is held with. If you can’t agree, then you will need to refer your case to the relevant redress scheme to get it sorted. But first of all, get the problem identified so that you can take adequate steps to stop things getting any worse, which is your first priority.

Do you have a property question you would like answered?

Email us your questions to editor@loving ourhomemag co uk

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

New Year, New Home?

No two people move for exactly the same reason, no two moves are identical. So as well as using the experience of more than 20 years in agency, we come to every move with fresh ears, listening carefully to what makes you and your plans different.

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

Call us for a free valuation.

Live life with haart

8am to 10pm everyday 0845 899 9999 haart.co.uk