100 years of Ideal Home
We’ve been delving into the archives to find out what we were looking at in the March issues of the last century
In 1953 we were... GOING TO BUTLIN’S
The 1950s were a time of full employment and we were busy shopping for houses, cars, the latest labour-saving appliances and holidays. It was the heyday for Butlin’s in a time just before Brits fell in love with package holidays abroad. Its famous founder, Billy Butlin, even opened two resorts in the Bahamas. Hi-de-hi, campers!
In 1941 we were... DIGGING FOR VICTORY
As part of the war effort, the Ministry of Agriculture encouraged us to grow our own food, so gardens and public parks were turned into allotments.
Ideal Home did its bit with these handy planting plans for the beginner.
In 1945 we were... POWDERED COOKING WITH EGGS
A shortage of fresh eggs led the government to boost rations with dried egg powder from the USA. The Ministry of Food took out this ad in Ideal Home with a recipe to tempt the sceptical British public.…
In we 1939 were... BUYING DESIGN CLASSICS
Readers of this advert for Alvar Aalto’s functional pieces from Finland would never have guessed that the iconic Paimio armchair and Stool 60 would still be produced today.
In 1958 we were... DECORATING IN FULL COLOUR
With new technologies available, from plastics to paints in bright, true colours, as well as the invention of the paint roller, it became easy and affordable to give your home a bright new look. Of course, Ideal Home was on hand to make sure its readers didn’t put a foot wrong when pairing colours together…
In 1971 we were... BAKING MARY BERRY WITH
Mary was the food editor at Housewife magazine when it merged with Ideal Home in 1968. Mary Berry’s Beginner’s Guide became a series, including this one for 1970s classic lemon meringue pie.
In 1968 we were... AROUND GETTING FLATPACK OUR HEADS
Ikea didn’t reach the UK until 1987, but Ideal Home reported on an early pioneer of self-assembly furniture designed for the contract market direct to the public and challenged one of its journos to put it to the test.
In 1994 we were... LOVING A SWAG
If the 1990s issues are anything to go by, it was the Age of the Curtain – flounces, frills and pelmets abounded. Basically, if it could gather dust, we were doing it! You have to admit, though, those humbug stripes are both fierce and fabulous.
In 1963 we were... WASHING IN A ‘BINK’
IH reported on the latest innovations designed to fit a bathroom anywhere, including a portable bath, a dual bath-and-sink (‘the bink’) and a cube bath.
In 1979 we were... BEING PERFECT THE HOSTESSES
In less emancipated times, one of life’s biggest problems was keeping hot the three-course meal you slaved over every day. ‘Most people use their Hostess for dinner parties,’ says this ad for the iconic heated trolley. ‘But the everyday uses are enormous. For your husband’s meal, when friends drop round, or when the family come in at different times. For the extra freedom the Hostess gives you, you’ll wonder how you managed without one!’
In 1980 we were... AT HOME WITH JOAN COLLINS
Ideal Home featured Joan’s Mayfair house the year before she accepted the part of the deliciously bitchy Alexis Carrington in a struggling US soap opera called Dynasty and made it a global smash hit. She is pictured here with her third husband, American businessman Ron Kass, and their daughter, Katyana.