Lifestyle

According to interior designer Abigail Ahern, every room in the home needs nine sources of light. While nine may be a bit excessive, there are valuable lessons to be learnt from the interior design world.

Books have long been used to display how cultured, educated and well-read someone is but have you given much thought to how your reading material may impress home buyers?

If you have grand plans but a more modest budget, purchasing a property with improvement potential is a great idea. According to Rightmove, ‘doer-up’ properties are 12% cheaper than homes on the market that don’t need renovating. 

Pattern drenching is the trend interior experts can’t stop talking about. It takes the colour drenching movement and adds motifs into the mix for a heady dose of maximalism. 

Have you heard about biophilic decluttering? You take a love of natural materials and houseplants, and combine it with the desire to achieve a clean, neat home. The result? A nature-inspired, harmonious home that looks just perfect for property viewings.

Creamy and indulgent, fresh and energising or calming and clear – what shade of green will you choose this season? Helpfully, the interior design community has spoken and it has cherry-picked two themes for homeowners to follow: pistachio and matcha.

When Samsung surveyed more than 1,000 consumers looking to buy or rent a home in the next five years, it found people were prepared to pay a healthy premium for a smart home. 

When it comes to cooking, many of us grab a pan, listen for the familiar click of the ignition firing and watch as a blue flame instantly provides heat. In fact, Good Housekeeping says 54% of UK households have a gas hob.

Have you ever heard of the 5th wall? Unless you’re an avid fan of interior programmes and design magazines, the phrase may be unfamiliar to you. The 5th wall refers to a room’s ceiling, suggesting it is an extra surface that’s available to decorate.

Does your wind-down ritual include a hot bath, soothing music and a scented candle? Are you perfuming the air ahead of viewings with a luxury number from Jo Malone or Diptyque? If you are, you may be releasing harmful particles every time you light the wick.

The Pantone Colour of the Year for 2025 is Mocha Mousse. This silky shade of brown conjures up images of Galaxy chocolate and cups of coffee – rich yet tempered with a gentle softness.

You can’t see it or touch it, you never see it delivered and although it all looks the same, it's a must have. We’re talking about energy.