Home & Garden

5 October 2012

Garage conversions: ideas for getting more space

Whilst a lot of people do use their garage for its true purpose, storing their car, there are many who treat it as an extra spare room, and fill with ...
4 October 2012

How will young people get on the property ladder with student loan debt?

Those who have graduated from university this time will be thinking about their next steps: getting a job, and finding a place to live. But how hard can it be ...
3 October 2012

Decorating tips: Inventive ideas for your attic

If you've got children, or maybe just if you're a child at heart, you might want to turn it into a games room. This is a great idea if you ...
27 September 2012

Gardening tips: what to do after the rain storms

This week, much of the UK has been affected by the sudden downpours - the worst September rain storms in 30 years. If the deluge has affected your garden, here's ...
26 September 2012

Decorating tips: making small rooms look bigger

If you live in a house or flat with small rooms, or have recently moved to a smaller place, you'll know it can be a nightmare to decorate, without making ...
25 September 2012

Only 14 percent of Brits think their home is very clean

A new survey has revealed that more than one in ten Brits consider their home to be dirty, with only around the same amount thinking their house is spotless.  More than ...
24 September 2012

10 things you can 'upcycle' in your home

You've probably heard a lot about the concept of 'upcycling' over the past year. Upcycling is the process of turning something broken or useless into something practical or useful.  It's been ...
20 September 2012

Brits are rubbish at flat pack furniture

Almost half of British adults admitted that they can't build flat pack furniture, and one in ten revealed that they need to set a whole day aside just to build ...
20 September 2012

One in ten convert their child's bedroom within a month of them leaving

Over seven in ten parents say they worried about how they would cope when their kids left for university or a job, though perhaps they didn't fret for too long. A ...
18 September 2012

New home trend: How to do silver in your house

The go-to colours for home decorating have always been magnolia, or varying shades of beige, but now a new style is making waves: silver.  Silver is a colour that perfectly brings ...
17 September 2012

Brits improve - rather than move - home

New research has shown that more than three quarters of Brits are happy in their current home, and almost a third see it as their home for life.  Due to the ...
6 September 2012

Kids' perfect house would be next to the beach

When children were asked to draw their perfect home, as part of a competition, it seemed obvious that many of them would opt for a house made of sweets, or ...
6 September 2012

The Green Deal: how you could benefit?

The plan of The Green Deal is basically to lend money to home and business owners, so that they can undertake improvements on their properties to make them more energy ...
4 September 2012

Declutter and downsize - you'll feel better!

Pretty much everyone is guilty of having more stuff in their house than they need to. You might kid yourself that having twenty extra towels in your home makes you ...
3 September 2012

How to improve your home (and save money)

Rising solicitors' fees and the fact that mortgages have become harder to secure means that many people are staying put, and instead looking at home improvement options. These don't have ...
31 August 2012

Kelly Hoppen MBE launches new Smallbone furniture collaboration

Kelly Hoppen MBE has created a contemporary kitchen collection iconic British luxury furniture maker, in monochrome colours, but with a stylish twist. Kelly's famous 'East-meets-West' mentality can be seen in ...
31 August 2012

Anna Dodonova's top ten tips: How to make a room look more glamorous

Anna Dodonova is an interior designer who has been described as “the leading candidate for the most glamorous woman in interior design”. She was born in Kiev, but has spent ...
30 August 2012

How to compost: a basic guide

Making your own compost heap for your garden is a great way to save money, as well as being a good educational exercise for your kids. Composting is often thought ...
24 August 2012

Bank holiday is the most popular time to move

However, though 45 per cent of those polled said they thought moving home was a good time to clear out unwanted possessions, 24 per cent said they wouldn't be looking ...
24 August 2012

Tommy Walsh's DIY tips for bank holiday Monday

With the bank holiday this weekend (27.08.12), many people will be thinking about tackling those DIY projects they've had at the back of their minds for months. Female First caught ...
23 August 2012

Home is where the heart is: falling in love with your new abode

The poll, which was commissioned by online department store Very.co.uk, found that Brits undertake a series of 'rituals' to get acquainted with their house. These include buying new furniture, being ...
22 August 2012

Neighbourly spirit: eight out ten would help if their neighbour was being burgled

Perhaps it is due to the community spirit that was widely felt during the Olympics, but a new survey has revealed that eight out of ten of us would personally ...
22 August 2012

Hot tub and walk-in wardrobe are ultimate status symbols for 2012

Coffee machines and 3D televisions also made the list of items that people own when they've made it.  The idea of a status symbol is nothing new: in the 1980s, people ...
21 August 2012

Turn your bathroom into a boudoir

No proper lady should be without a boudoir - the place where she gets herself ready and beautiful. Boudoirs aren't included in many houses anymore, and most of their functions ...