Get your home ready for autumn
Sarah Beeny offers her tips for the cooler months ahead
Q With the shorter days coming in, what’s the most attractive way to light your home?
AFor best effect, go for a mixture of directional lamps, floor lamps and table lamps. Avoid trendy multicoloured lamps as they can end up looking like a school disco. The key to good lighting? If you notice it, you’ve failed. So keep it simple. There are some really nice lamps and lampshades in Ikea right now.
Q What’s the best way to look after my potted plants?
ASome pots can stay outside all winter and some can’t. If in doubt, assume they can’t. When it comes to the plants surviving outdoors, then you’ll need to cover them in bubble wrap in severe frosts. Alternatively, stick bubble wrap around the inside of a pot, before adding compost and the plant itself. Different parts of the country vary temperature-wise – built-up areas are a bit warmer and if you keep pots next to a wall of your home, they benefit from ambient heat. Also, it’s a good idea to keep your pots close together for added protection in cold weather.
Q
What can I do to protect my garden furniture over the wetter winter months?
AIf you don’t have a shed or other storage, at least make sure your furniture is covered – a piece of tarpaulin or heavy plastic will do.
But ensure it’s securely fastened so the wind can’t get underneath it and blow it away. It’s also worth investing in weatherproof furniture (try Akula) that you can leave outside all year round. It’s worth the extra money.
‘Create a year-round oasis with potted plants’
QWhat are some quick ways to make sure everything’s tip-top with your heating system?
AThere are a few simple things you can do. Add antifreeze protection into the system and insulate exposed pipework. Also, make sure there are plenty of places you can easily turn off your water so, just in case you have a leak, it’s quick and straightforward to stop any more water seeping out.
QWith guest season soon approaching, is now the time to think about replacing mattresses, duvets and pillows?
AYou should give your guests a sleeping experience that is better than what they have at home – this can be tricky, but you don’t have to spend a fortune to have super-comfy beds. Here are my rules to give guests a blissful night’s sleep… ● Opt for a hard mattress – it doesn’t have to be expensive. ● Put on a really good, thick mattress topper.
● Use 100% cotton (non-brushed) sheets. ● Only use feather pillows, duvets and mattress toppers – most people are not allergic to feather and they’ll shout if they are and bring their own. ● Have two pillows per person. ● Do all of this and you won’t need added throws and cushions.
QAny great tips when it comes to DIY projects?
AAs the longer nights draw in, try to resist the urge to sit glued to a screen all evening and instead take on a project you can do in the evenings. You’d be amazed at how rewarding it is to reupholster an old chair, pop a new veneer on to something or repaint a piece of furniture that has seen better days. Once you start, it’s much easier than you would believe.