Style advice

Three simple tricks to try in your own home

DO IT YOURSELF

‘We struggled to find a good tiler during lockdown but I’m game to give anything a go. I got advice from a friend who’s a tiler, who gave me some good tips and tricks, and then I just got on with it myself. It’s an important job, as it’s so visible, but I really enjoyed it and it was way easier than I thought, and actually only took me two days in the end.’

USE A PLANNING SERVICE

‘We used an architect to plan the space but then we used B&Q’s design service to fine-tune the kitchen layout. The architect suggested putting units along the wall to create a horseshoe shape, but when I saw the 3D layout, I realised it would be too snug and cramped, so we installed a floor-to-ceiling cabinet instead, which allowed us to include a small wine cooler that I love.’

REUSE AND UPCYCLE

‘I love retro designs, though normally I think it’s sacrilege to paint mid-century modern furniture. But this unit was covered in gloss black paint that couldn’t be removed, and I wanted to give it a new lease of life, so I picked this Citrine colour by Little Greene to complement the wallpaper and then used small pots of neon paint to highlight the handles. Now it houses my wonderful collection of trinkets and accessories.’

‘I absolutely love the finished result. If I was going to do it again, I wouldn’t change a thing!’

‘ Though we had to take the legs off and it took three of us to lift it into the house, I love that this multi-functional kitchen table, a second-hand Habitat buy, is the kids’ breakfast table in the morning, my office during the day, and our dinner table in the evening’

‘I love colour and try and add it in where I can. The yellow De’Longhi toaster and kettle adds a bit of fun to the functional kitchen space’