Image from my home tour of @s.l.f_home

You may only have noticed it subconsciously, but wood wall panelling has been quietly staging a full-blown comeback over the past few years. This isn’t a return to dusty studies or a 1970s throwback, though; Today, panelling is turning up in the smartest of places, from boutique hotels to pared-back period townhouses …and it’s looking sharper than ever.

Of course, there’s a reason it’s back on the radar of interior designers. As homes, offices and spaces of all nature get more sleek and more minimalist, people are reaching for materials to soften the edges, both literally and visually.

Wood – perhaps the most natural of materials – does this in spades, adding warmth, bringing in a sense of tactility, and making a space feel considered, rather than just filled.

When looking for inspiration for my own interior, I’ve been seeing lots of examples of wood panelling throughout the past century and my favourite is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the sleek panelling of the Mid-Century Modern era.

So, of course, I wanted to find out more about this trending decor technique, including how I can DIY it myself to save money in my own home. Here’s what I found out…

What Is Wall Panelling, Really?

Let’s not assume everyone knows what we’re talking about when we speak about wood wall panelling. In the simplest of terms, it’s the process of adding wood or wood-look panels to your walls – but this makes it sound far more mundane than it actually is.

When it’s done right, panelling can change the entire feel of a room, giving depth to blank spaces, masking wonky plaster, and hushing the echoes you get in open-plan flats. Part finish, part feature, all intention.

Why It’s Everywhere Again

It looks good. That’s a given, but panelling also earns its place with a few unexpected perks. It can help insulate walls, cut down on noise, and shrug off the scuffs of daily life far better than a lick of emulsion. As you might imagine, this is useful if you’ve got busy hallways, wild kids, or a particularly clumsy vacuum.

There’s something else going on too – a kind of design nostalgia. We’re surrounded by glass, gloss and smart tech, but still crave the grounding feel of natural materials. Panelling brings a touch of calm – even soul – to a room. It feels permanent in a way that’s rare these days.

The real beauty here is that it’s wildly versatile. Want a Scandi-style escape? Go for light oak slats. For something more dramatic, deep green board-and-batten has your back. Wall panelling isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, and there are options abound to get the right look and feel for the vibe you want to craft. Which, for me, is a mid-century look like my recent home tour of Maynard Pearlstine’s 1957 design below.

Choosing Your Materials

Here’s where the practical bit kicks in. If you’re splashing out and want that high-end, natural finish, go for solid timber – oak or walnut are both timeless. Oak is warm and golden, while walnut leans darker, moodier. You can really get a beautiful natural grain finish if you blow the budget with wood but…

If you’re planning to paint your panelling or are watching your budget, moisture-resistant MDF is a safe bet – it’s smooth and easy to work with. You can line walls to dado or picture-rail height and add moldings, then colour-drench the walls to create a period-inspired interior.

This allows you to cut the cost of materials significantly and you can certainly DIY the project yourself. Plus, there are also clever in-betweens that’ll allow you to do a DIY install and get a great look – wood veneers bonded to stable boards give you the real-wood look without the price tag. Plenty of suppliers now offer FSC-certified or recycled options if you’re keeping it green.

Gbeke’s light and airy interior – check out my tour of her home.

Which Style Works Where?

There are no hard rules, but there are some general guidelines to consider:

Fluted or slatted panels, which offer clean, evenly spaced vertical lines, are having a serious moment. Modern, elegant, and brilliant for sound absorption, you’ll find them in bedrooms, living rooms, even home offices – anywhere a little peace and quiet is needed!

If you’re after something with more of a classic lean, shiplap and tongue-and-groove styles work beautifully in kitchens and bathrooms (yes, that’s right…we’ll get to this in a moment) or any space that needs a bit of heritage character. If you’re going for high-impact drama, board and batten delivers a bold, architectural look that makes a staircase or feature wall really stand out.

In truth, the best style is the one that feels right in your space. Pick something you’ll still love five years from now – not just what’s trending on Pinterest this week.

Bamaluz Home uses panelling to add gorgeous detail in the kitchen

Kitchens & Bathrooms

It’s easy to assume wood doesn’t belong in steamy rooms like a bathroom or kitchen, but with the right prep and materials, it can absolutely hold its own. The trick is moisture resistance – sealed panels, good ventilation and proper installation.

There are even purpose-built panels on the market now that are waterproof, mimicking the look of timber without any of the stress. What this means is that if you’re redesigning a bathroom and fancy something a little warmer in tone than white tiles, you’ve got options.

Sarah Fletcher elevated her bathroom with half-height panelling

Paint, Stain or Keep It Bare?

This choice really depends on the vibe you’re going for. Real wood looks beautiful oiled or stained – it brings out the grain and gives you that soft, tactile finish. Painted panelling is more playful and versatile. Rich greens, navy blues, and smoky greys are still going strong, but neutrals and chalky whites have their place too, especially in light-starved spaces.

Raw or barely finished wood, meanwhile, is a go-to for minimalist or Scandi schemes. It’s quiet, calming, and has that lovely undone quality.

Can You DIY Wall Panelling?

The short answer here is “yes”. The longer answer is that some panelling kits are specifically designed with DIYers in mind – especially tongue-and-groove styles or pre-made slatted boards.

For more complex layouts or polished, made-to-measure looks, getting a joiner in is money well spent. If your walls are straight and you’ve got a steady hand (and a decent level), it’s very achievable.

Plus, you can get a similar look to panelling like Nicola has in her bedroom below. She using old picture frames mounted on the wall and all painted the same colour to create a unique budget version of period panelling. What do you think of this thrifty idea?

What Will It Cost Me?

Costs vary wildly, as they always do with interiors. MDF and pre-primed panels are wallet-friendly, while bespoke timber joinery, on the other hand, can stretch into the thousands. 

Here’s the thing: panelling is one of those details that adds instant perceived value to a space. It wears well, hides dings, and doesn’t date in the same way trends often do. It’s more of an investment into a timeless, classic style and it’ll add saleability to your home in the long run by making your interior look elevated, put-together and professionally designed.

Is It Sustainable?

If you care about the footprint your home leaves behind, the good news is there’s a growing choice of sustainable panels. Look out for FSC-certified woods, fast-growing species like bamboo or poplar, or products made from recycled fibres. Panelling also reduces the need to redecorate constantly – and that’s a sustainability win in itself.

Kim’s interior is full of tongue and groove panelling – check out her home tour.

I hope this article has inspired you to include some wood detailing in your own home this year. Wall panelling isn’t a trend that’s likely to fade any time soon. We’re seeing a return to texture, to craftsmanship, to spaces that feel good. Whether it’s a full feature wall or just a few slats behind the bed, it can turn something functional into something beautiful. What more could you ask for?

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It’s no secret that my preferred decor style is mid-century modern. Over the years I’ve shared countless articles about the interior of my own 1950s home, which is packed with original furniture and retro reproductions. So, when I first saw lawyer Sarah Nielsen’s house in Columbia, I was blown away.

I loved every single view – from the sleek single-storey exterior to the impressive vaulted ceiling – and every single detail – from the restored built-in cabinetry to the Prescolite light fittings. It was my dream home.

And then I was lucky enough to write about it. I chatted with Sarah on Instagram and she agreed that I could write a feature article on her home for issue 84 of Reclaim magazine. So, I got to deep-dive into the story of her home, from it’s 1950s beginnings to the latest (original) additions she has brought into the interior.

The building was designed in 1955 by architect Maynard Pearlstine, and was built for the family of Edwin and Shirly Coplan, the couple who owned the grocery store in the local town. Construction was completed in 1957 and much of the interior has been untouched ever since.

In fact, the property has been recognised by the American Institute of Architects and is an AIA Merit winner. Not surprising really – it’s a perfect example of a Southern single-storey property from the mid-century modern era. Just look at the original terrazzo flooring in the entryway and gorgeous wood panelling.

Harbouring the same passion for mid-century modern as I have, when Sarah Nielsen bought the property, she was determined to repair and restore every element, describing herself as ‘a mid-century purist’. She jokes that she bought the house for the Prescolite chandalier in the breakfast room but, if that was the case, I totally see why – it is outstanding.

The transition between the spaces, both within the open-plan interior and from the exterior to indoors, with the floor-to-ceiling glazing and large entryway doors, is seamless. The dimensions of the rooms give the furniture space to breathe and makes the space more functional.

Sarah’s most treasured piece of retro furniture is the 1950s Drexel Declaration dining set by Kipp Stewart and Stewart McDougall, the first vintage piece she’d ever bought, which kick-started her love of all things MCM. Her second dining set in the breakfast nook is the Tulip set from Knoll, designed Eero Saarinen in 1957, making it perfectly era-appropriate for the property.

The way Sarah has furnished the home ensures it feel lived-in, not just like a museum or film set. I personally love the long linen curtains – a look I’d love to recreate in my own interior – and the hallway divider is a thing of beauty.

If I ever get to build or renovate a single-storey home of my own, I’ll be steating this idea, along with all the other authentic mid-century modern design details from this home. In fact, I’ll just move into this house… good plan.

Let me know what your favourite part of Sarah’s house is in the comments below and if you’ve got a similar MCM property I’d love to see it so please drop me a message on Instagram @Cassiefairy. And don’t forget to follow Sarah @1957housedownsouth to see her latest projects and more design details of this epic 1950s home.

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We could all do with some additional storage in our homes, couldn’t we? With more belongings coming into our homes than are leaving, it’s inevitable that we end up with a fuller-than-manageable interior.

This can sometimes lead to feelings of overwhelm and stress, especially if your possessions fill every available surface or have transformed from collections into clutter. And it’s natural to feel anxious in an untidy home – evolution has wired our brains to be stressed by mess.

But don’t despair – even the smallest home has the potential to deliver extra storage space if you know where to look for it.

I’ve personally made the most of every nook in my own home, so I’m here to share some ideas for expanding the storage capacity of your home to accommodate your favourite items, valuables and essentials.

Clothing clutter

This is a category of belongings that tends to get out of hand quite easily. Simply adding a few new pieces to your wardrobe every month can soon make it feel very full.

And if you’re a bargain hunter who loves a rummage in a charity store or a browse on Vinted, your wardrobe may already be filled to bursting.

If you regularly find clothes spilling out onto a chair or maybe you even have a ‘floordrobe’, it’s time to ensure you’ve got enough storage for all your clothing.

I’ve found that a freestanding wardrobe is still a magnet for clutter as you’re likely to push shoes underneath it and pile boxes or baskets on top of it, gathering dust.

So what I’ve done is get a built-in wardrobe from floor to ceiling, which has drawers and rails inside it to offer ample space for everything. You can get a bespoke wardrobe company to supply a built-in closet that fills the available space perfectly, so that every inch is used.

Home office mess

If you’re working from home like me, you’ll know how easily the mess from your work can spill over into your living spaces. This is especially true if you’re working at a dining table or in the kitchen rather than at a dedicated work station.

So, how about fitting a desk, shelves and cabinetry on the landing if you’ve got space, in an alcove or even into the angled eaves of your loft?

Putting cupboard doors on the front of the workspace allows you to shut it away at the end of the working day to keep clutter out of sight – and to prevent you from becoming stressed by your work to-do list outside of office hours.

Entryway excess

I’ve found that a common dumping ground is around any entrance to your home – the hallway, porch, back door and so on. That’s where we throw down bags, pile up papers and kick off our shoes when we get home.

Let’s face it, we just want to relax when we get in and not have to worry about tidying up the things that accumulate around our doorways. So this is a key spot to add some storage.

If you’ve got space in the hallway, a console table with a built-in drawer can house those letters and on-the-way-out essentials. Even the smallest space can hang a key box and shelf on the wall, or you could create a ‘Command Centre’ to keep those items organised, like I did.

Could you create a ‘boot room’ in a porch or utility room, perhaps? Or even under the staircase? Built-in cupboards can keep everything out of sight, from wellie boots and coats to picnic blankets and bags-for-life.

Other secret storage

If you’ve already got those storage options in place, now’s the time to walk around your house and look for every possible space you could use to stow some stuff to keep it out of your eyeliner and lower those clutter-caused stress levels.

An often-overlooked space is above doorways. There’s probably a small strip of wall that you’re not using for anything else, so you could consider adding a bookshelf (with a barrier at the front to keep the books safely stowed) or a small cupboard, like a kitchen wall cabinet.

Do you have bay windows in your home? That’s the ideal spot for a built-in banquette, which could provide seating as well as storage space inside the ottoman.

And that brings us nicely onto adding ottomans at the foot of the bed or some sliding underbed drawers like my DIY ones. In the living room, you could choose a coffee table with a drawer or an upholstered footstool with storage inside it.

It’s possible to get opening side panels for a bath, which has storage inside for cleaning products or toiletries. You can add cabinets and shelves around sinks, or you could cover a whole bathroom wall with a shallow mirrored cupboard that keeps everything tucked out of sight and reflects the light to create a more airy, spacious feel.

I hope these ideas will help you to find some extra storage space in your home so that you can stow your possessions out of sight, thereby creating a tidier and more relaxing interior. Please share your own storage hacks in the comments below, I’d love to hear your DIY storage solutions.

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I personally love a tidy home. In fact, I always feel very calm in a room that’s clear and clutter-free.

I think that’s because a neat space means there are no tasks to do, so I can fully relax. If there’s mess everywhere (or even just too many objects around) my brain zooms in on it and adds ‘tidying up’ to my mental to-do list, preventing me from just enjoying my home.

That’s why I prefer a minimalistic aesthetic with clean lines and stealth storage. Even though you wouldn’t think I had any minimalistic tendencies if you visited my home – it’s still perfectly comfy and full of things I love – you might notice that my interior is pretty well organised and is subtly decorated with unfussy decor.

Living in a clutter-free space helps me to feel less on-edge during my downtime and is one of the benefits of a minimalist lifestyle that I wouldn’t want to be without. I wonder if getting organised or redesigning your decor in a more minimalist style will help you feel the same?

If so, here are some tips to help you achieve just that…

Clever cabinetry

I’ve found that the key to having a clutter-free home isn’t necessarily having less stuff. Of course, it will be easier to keep your home looking neat if you have fewer possessions in the first place. BUT, if you don’t want to declutter, simply organising what you have can help.

That’s where clever cabinetry comes in. Try to avoid multiple storage boxes filled with your belongings, because then you’re just storing storage haha! Instead, choose furniture that has storage options built-in so that the look becomes a seamless part of your interior, not just lots of boxes piled up.

There are a few benefits of choosing top-quality wholesale cabinets and built-in storage options when you’re planning your interior:

Firstly, everything you own will ‘have a home’. That means, if you get something out of the cupboard to use it, there will be a space available to tidy it away afterwards. So, there’s no chance that clutter will accumulate on your surfaces or under furniture because it can be put straight back in its designated cupboard or drawer.

Secondly, you’ll always know where everything is so you’ll save time whenever you want to find something. You’ll never need to rummage under the bed or shuffle piles of papers wondering where an item has gone. You’ll just be able to go straight to the shelf and find it immediately.

Thirdly, if you have the correct amount of storage for the items you already have, that means you won’t be able to add more to your home. Therefore, you’ll naturally end up with a one-in, one-out policy. For example, if you have a full wardrobe, you’ll have to donate a t-shirt to free up a hanger and make space in your closet before you can buy a new top. Which might end up being another money-saving bonus of having clever storage solutions!

Seamless style

Another benefit of a clutter-free life is the seamless aesthetic you’ll achieve by having built-in storage and clear surfaces. Not only will you feel calmer without an endless ‘to-do’ list of tidying up, but you’ll also be able to relax when your senses aren’t bombarded with clutter.

The trouble with a room being visually ‘too much’ is that it can raise anxiety levels without you realising it. In fact, our brains are all programmed to scan our environment for danger – a throwback to the cave days when humans needed to be on the lookout for predators.

When we are overloaded with visual inputs, it can be stressful for our modern brains, which is why I like to make my interior peaceful – with as few items attracting attention as possible.

This doesn’t just apply to clutter, the way you decorate can also be relaxing or distracting. Although I love the look of a maximalist home – and I know that some people are very comfortable in an exciting interior – I personally prefer a less-is-more vibe.

So, that’s where clever interior design solutions come into play. You don’t have to live in an all-white home to help it appear clutter-free, but some minimalist decor details such as frameless doors, seamless built-in storage and recessed blinds can all help to keep the lines of your room clean and simple.

Painting the doors the same colour as your walls can help to conceal them. Likewise, I love a colour-drenched room that uses the same paint palette from ceiling to floor, including skirting and woodwork.

This doesn’t have to be a bland colour – you can go dark for a cocooning feel or choose a colour from nature to keep the space calm. The key is that it looks seamless to minimise visual clutter and therefore reduce stress.

I hope today’s article has given you some inspiration if you want to make your home feel more calm or live a more organised life. If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of minimalism I’ve previously written about the ways that living a minimalist lifestyle can help you save money so be sure to check out that article too.

Let me know in the comments below if you too get stressed out by clutter and if you’ve got any interesting ideas for decorating in a calming way please share them in the comments below, along with practical storage hacks – I can always use more tips for keeping my belongings organised!

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At this time of year, I always start looking around my home and considering what decor projects I want to achieve during the coming year. The loft, the living room and a new conservatory are all on the list. And then I look at my budget and see what’s actually possible!

But having a budget to stick to doesn’t mean you can’t tackle those decorating projects: you just have to find a way to get the look you want for less. Don’t worry – this CAN be done!

Take my living room for example, I’m planning a revamp of the whole room, which hasn’t been decorated since we moved in 8 years ago. So here are some of the things I’m hoping to achieve this year and the ways in which I intend to save some money along the way…

Parquet wooden flooring

I love the idea of solid oak floors or gorgeous parquet flooring but it’s just not feasible in our living room. The square footage would make it really expensive to install and it’s a high-traffic area so I’m worried about the floor getting damaged.

When we moved in, we had to completely strip the room and start again. At the time, we had almost-zero budget for renovations so we just used cheap laminate flooring to get the room finished quickly so that we could move in. It was just whatever flooring was on sale in the DIY shop at the time.

To be honest, I didn’t care about the quality, I cared about the cost. And, after 8 years of using it, you can really tell it was cheap! It urgently needs replacing and I don’t want to make the same mistake again so that’s where affordable engineered wood flooring comes in.

It’s the way to get the same look and feel as real wood flooring but at a much more pocket-friendly price. I can even get the silky oak parquet effect that I truly adore. It’ll add an authentic mid-century modern vibe to my 1950s home and will look like it was always there – a real wow-factor floor!

The other good thing is that it’s easy to install so we’ll be able to lay the flooring ourselves, without needing to hire any professionals, which will save even more money. The floors can be ‘floating’ so there’s no need for nails or adhesive, which makes the job even easier and quicker.

Plus, it’s suitable for use with under-floor heating so that’s another possible project for my living room renovation. I’m going to research the options for under-floor heating so watch this space!

Mid-century wallpaper

When we moved in, we painted all the walls white, just to get a quick covering so that we could move into the property. While I do like a minimalist vibe sometimes, the white walls are just a bit plain compared to our mid-century modern furniture.

We’ve got Ladderax storage, Ercol sofas and a Jentique sideboard – all in gorgeous teak wood and over half a century old. As our house was built in 1950, the furniture from the era is the only furniture that really ‘fits’ into our home, both physically and design-wise.

So, our furniture deserves a suitable vintage-style backdrop and I’m thinking that green geometric wallpaper will be the perfect mid-century match. Plus, it will make the room more homely compared to the existing stark white walls.

We’ve used wallpaper in most of the other rooms of the house – my office, the guest room, our bedroom, so I think it’s about time to add a splash of pattern to the living space. And to make it even quicker and easier to install, it’s possible to get wallpaper that is peel and stick so you don’t need to deal with messy paste while hanging it.

This is really appealing to me because I don’t want to go back to the days of endless decorating, where everything takes ages to do – I just want an impressive result, really quickly! I think a feature wall behind the sideboard will do the trick in the living room and will make a big impact without me having to decorate every wall.

Design-led radiators

Again, going back to when we first renovated the house, we just got basic radiators for the whole house – all the same plain white – and updated the heating system so that we could be cosy in our new property. However, since decorating the walls and adding colour, they seem to really stand out and I’d prefer to have something more subtle.

Of course, we might go down the route of underfloor heating, in which case the radiators wouldn’t be necessary. BUT I also really like the idea of adding a radiator as a design feature. There are so many statement radiator options out there nowadays – tall, wide, vintage, antique and so on. Imagine a retro radiator in a vibrant contrasting colour. Love it.

I also like the idea of painting the existing radiators in a colour to match the walls – in which case I’d need to make sure that whatever wall paint I chose was also available in a formula that’s suitable for radiators. That would enable the radiators to fade into the background for a barely-there look. This would be a super low-cost option because I wouldn’t be buying anything new, just a small pot of paint.

Anyway, I hope my ideas for my living room makeover will inspire you to tackle a decorating project of your own, and perhaps save some money by getting the same look for less with these thrifty options available, whether that’s engineered wood flooring, peel and stick wallpaper or painting your existing radiators. Please share your decorating plans for this year in the comments below.

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I’ve rented homes for most of my adult life and I know how important it is to keep the property in good condition in order to get your deposit back when you choose to move. In fact, I’ve basically repainted the house each time that we’ve moved.

But there’s one thing you can’t easily refresh – the flooring. Whether carpets, laminate or lino, its always a big and expensive job when you have to replace it so I think prevention is the best method here, which is why I’ve come up with a quick and easy DIY project to make your own runner rug.

This can help to protect flooring from wear and tear in high-traffic areas – think hallways, walk-thru living rooms and at the back door in the kitchen. If you’ve covered up the flooring, the rug will take all the impact of walking through these areas and keep your deposit safe!

Plus, it’s a great way to add a dash of personality to your rented home. Alongside curtains, cushions and bedding, adding a rug lets you add a pop of colour or some pattern to the otherwise neutral interior. So you can feel like your home reflects your own style of decor, even without decorating any walls.

I’ve shared this full renter-friendly DIY project on the Do It With Cans tutorial website, where you can find lots more inspiration for upcycling and decorating. All the projects use craft and DIY materials that can be bought in cans, as metal is endlessly recyclable and therefore a more sustainable way of upcycling.

Be sure to check out my step-by-step guide on How to DIY a Custom Runner Rug to Protect Flooring if you want to create this project yourself. All you need is a jute or signal rug that you’d like to upcycle – the best part is that you can use an old secondhand rug and paint over any marks to cover up stains.

By the way, in the photos of my living room above, you can see another of my projects – how to upholster a padded topper to convert a coffee table into a footstool. Another added bonus is that if the design you stencil onto your rug becomes scuffed in the future, you can easily bring it back to new with a quick refresh with spray paint – or completely change the colourway to match when you get new soft furnishings or move house.

Please let me know in the comments below if you have a go at making this runner rug for yourself, and I’d love to hear what shapes or designs you decide to go for (there are many ideas in my Do It With Cans tutorial). Also, I’d love to see photos of your creations so please do tag me in your snaps on Instagram @Cassiefairy.

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Have you got small windows in your home? Do you wish they would allow in more light, or appear more grand within the space? If so, strategic curtain placement and selection can help you to dramatically transform the appearance of your windows, enhancing both the aesthetics and functionality of your living areas.

There are some easy visual tricks you can use to not only brighten your room but also add a touch of elegance and sophistication. Choosing certain styles of fabrics, quality curtain lining materials and hanging them properly can make small windows appear up to twice their actual size.

In fact, selecting the right materials can enhance the drape and fullness of your curtains, creating a luxurious look that visually enhances the appearance of smaller windows. If you combine this with strategic choices in hardware, fabric and design elements, these techniques can create the illusion of larger, more impactful windows.

1. Choosing the Right Curtain Rod

Did you know that, by extending curtain rods beyond the window frame and hanging them closer to the ceiling, you create vertical lines that draw the eye upward, making the room feel taller and more spacious?

Select a curtain rod that extends 3-6 inches beyond each side of the window frame. This allows curtains to be drawn fully open beyond the edges of the window, maximizing light and creating the impression of a wider window. Installing the rod 4-6 inches above the window frame also helps to add perceived height.

For a polished look, choose a rod finish that complements other room elements. Sleek, thin rods in metallic tones often work well for modern spaces. Thicker, decorative rods can add character to traditional decor, and you’ll want to ensure that the rod diameter can support the weight of your chosen curtains.

Also – consider double rods for layering sheer and opaque curtains. Or add blinds within the recess underneath curtains. This provides flexibility in light control and privacy while adding visual depth. But we’ll talk about that next…

2. Selecting Curtains for Small Windows

Light-coloured or sheer fabrics can really help to enhance your interior by allowing more natural light to filter through, further brightening the space and making it feel more open. So be sure to opt for lightweight fabrics when you shop for curtains.

Sheer voiles or semi-sheer curtains create an airy feel and help small spaces appear larger. For rooms requiring more privacy or light control, you can layer sheer curtains with blackout panels using those double curtain rods I mentioned above.

Always choose curtains that reach from the rod to the floor, even if the window is shorter. Long curtains create vertical lines that elongate the wall and make ceilings appear higher. Avoid short curtains that can make windows look stunted.

Also, consider how your curtain hooks and curtain rings will impact how the fabric hangs and move. S-shaped hooks create soft folds, while pinch pleats offer a more tailored look. This style adds texture and visual interest while maintaining a clean line that draw the eye up and down the curtains for a trompe-l’oeil effect of taller windows.

3. Incorporating Vertical Patterns and Colours

Likewise, if you want to further enhance the trompe-l’oeil effect, you can use curtain fabrics in vertical stripes or vertical blinds to draw the eye upward and create the illusion of taller windows. Subtle, tone-on-tone stripes offer a sophisticated option that won’t overwhelm the space.

Select colours for curtains and blinds that blend with the wall colour for a seamless look that expands the perceived size of the window. Alternatively, make curtains a focal point with a bold, contrasting colour to draw attention away from the window’s actual dimensions.

For a cohesive aesthetic, choose curtain colours that complement other textiles in the room, such as throw pillows or rugs. This creates a harmonious flow and prevents the window treatment from feeling disconnected from the overall design.

That said, window treatments serve multiple purposes beyond just aesthetics. They provide privacy, control light and impact the overall functionality of a space. The right choices can enhance both form and function in small rooms so…

4. Ensuring Privacy and Light Control

Curtains and blinds offer varying degrees of privacy and light filtration. Sheer curtains allow natural light while providing minimal privacy. Blackout liners block light completely, ideal for bedrooms. Woven blinds or semi-sheer curtains offer a middle ground, filtering light while maintaining privacy.

For versatility, consider layering your curtains. Pair sheer curtains with blackout panels or combine roman blinds within the window with sheer drapery. This allows adjustment throughout the day as light and privacy needs change.

Bamboo blinds or wooden slats also add texture and filter light effectively as you can adjust the angle to allow more or less light into the room. They can be fitted inside the recess of the window to visually take up less space within the room and can be then paired with curtains beside the windows for additional coverage when needed – and to make the windows appear wider.

5. Choosing Recess or Outside Mounts

So you can see how the mount location affects both the appearance and function of blinds. Inside recessed mounts fit within the window frame, creating a clean look. They work well for roman blinds and shutters within windows with deep sills.

Outside mounts attach above and beyond the window frame so they can also make windows appear larger. Plus, they’re ideal for rooms with shallow window frames. Outside mounts also allow the blinds to to stack completely clear of the window, maximizing light when fully open.

When you think about it, clever curtain placement not only makes windows seem bigger but also improves the overall aesthetics of the room. With these simple yet effective tips, anyone can elevate their home’s interior and make rooms feel more spacious and inviting. Let me know in the comments below if you’ve got any other hacks to make your windows feel bigger and brighter, I’d love to get your tips!

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I’ve had a water ring on one of my most precious pieces of furniture for a while now and I’ve been meaning to tackle it but was scared to try out different techniques in case I damaged it further.

It’s a vintage piece so I certainly didn’t want to ruin it forever but, in all honesty, when we first got the chest of drawers from an auction, the wooden surface was in a horrible state anyway and needed refinishing.

So it was doubly sad that the water ring had happened after the drawers had been so carefully restored. I didn’t know what to do to solve the situation so I just left it – for months.

However, it had got to the stage that I just wanted it fixed so I spent a hour one morning trying out some water-ring repair hacks to see what worked.

You can find all kinds of hacks online including toothpaste, vinegar, olive oil and so on. In fact, I’ve previously used a mixture of kitchen ingredients to DIY my own scratch-remover, which worked really well on my mid-century furniture.

This time, I thought the baking soda idea might work so I gave that a go first. I say ‘first’ because it didn’t work. The ring remained. Look at my photos below to see why I DON’T recommend this hack.

I mixed up the baking soda mixture and rubbed it onto the water ring. After wiping off the paste, the area looked great while the wooden surface was damp…

I thought I’d solved the problem so easily BUT after a few hours of drying out, the white water ring returned. PLUS, where I’d rubbed the abrasive baking powder paste into the wood, it had faded the area a little too. So now I had a bigger mark to repair!

The next hack I tried was mayonnaise. You simply put a layer of mayo onto the white water ring and leave it for an hour or so. Apparently, the oil in the mayonnaise draws out the moisture from the wood. I was sceptical, but I gave it a go.

To be completely honest with you, I then carried on with my day and forgot all about it. It must have been about six hours later that I went back into the room and spotted the melted mayonnaise. Oops!

I used a soft cloth to wipe it off and couldn’t believe it – I couldn’t even see where the ring had been. Plus, while rubbing the mayo into the surface, it must have oiled it up a bit because the faded patch where the baking powder had been rubbed wasn’t as bad.

So, that was the end of my water-ring hack experiment, because it worked! The only thing now is that the rest of the unit looks scuffed and less glossy in comparison so perhaps I’ll have to go over other areas with the mayo too!

Also, in the photo below, you can still see that the patch is a little faded from the baking powder hack so it will need retreating or staining – so I’d say definitely DON’T use the baking powder option, it created more of a problem for me!

Also, watch out for your walls – I didn’t realise at the time but when I was wiping off the mayonnaise, the cloth must have touched the wall a little because there’s now a shiny smear on the matt-painted wall. Urgh, it’s like chasing your tail!

I hope this hack experiment helps you if you’re trying to repair your own scuffed or water-damaged furniture. Let me know if you have any other successful wood-restoring recipes in the comments below, I’d love to get your tips.

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Like many home maintenance things you need to pay for, there are certain times of the year when it’ll be cheaper and easier to tackle them. Your heating system is no exception. If you want to amp up your comfort levels for winter, now is the perfect time to tackle the task.

Why should you update your heating system in the summer? The benefits are two-fold: if you start sorting out your system in the spring or summer, it’ll definitely be done in time for the cold winter plus it’ll probably cost you a lot less to do your updates when the weather is warm.

Here are some things to consider when you’re planning to upgrade your home heating:

Seasonal prices in spring and summer

When we’re not thinking about a product, the suppliers tend to offer discounts in order to encourage us to shop out of season. For example, you can get bargain swimwear in the winter compared to during the summer holidays. And this seasonality is no different for radiators – they’ll be cheaper when we don’t need heating during the hot days of summer.

Wondering when is the best time to buy radiators? If you’re planning to revamp your whole heating system, look around for the spring and summer sales to get discounts of up to 50% off. Perhaps you want to change all your old radiators for some lovely heritage-style column radiators to up the elegance in your home? Or do you simply want to stay warmer next winter by upping the output of the system?

If so, you can use a BTU Calculator to find the ideal radiator for the size of each room in terms of watts. This allows you to choose radiators that aren’t too small to keep you warm but crucially aren’t too big either – that way you won’t be using more energy to power the system than needed, saving you on your winter fuel bills too. Once you know what you need, snap up those modern designer radiators for a fraction of the usual cost via seasonal sales.

Better availability of specialists

In the summer, it’s likely that there will be more heating engineers available to work on your system. Often, they can become very busy in the autumn and winter so you won’t be able to book an engineer as easily, and certainly not for a long job such as renewing your whole system.

Engineers become more busy at the end of the year because, when we switch our heating back on when the temperature drops in the autumn, that’s when we’re more likely to notice a problem with the system and will need to call out a specialist to put it right.

Plus, many of us like to get our boilers and heating system serviced before we turn it all back on in the winter, so many engineer appointments will be taken up with these annual checks. If you want to get a head-start on your heating, book your service now so that you can take advantage of the less busy summer months and it’ll all be done and dusted before the cold weather comes.

Add a little extra comfort

In the winter, I find that there’s nothing nicer than having a warm, fluffy towel to wrap yourself in when you get out of the bath. So, if you want that level of luxury during those cold, dark days, now is the time to install a heated towel rail in your bathroom.

This might sound like a bit of a project but actually it can be quite a simple upgrade. You can switch out an existing radiator and add a bathroom towel rail within the loop of your heating system – just make sure the width of the new rail is a good match for the old radiator and the pipes should fit easily without too much adjustment.

Or, you could add an electric heated rail, which won’t need plumbing into your system, it just needs installing with the correct bathroom-proof writing and fixings. Alternatively, there are freestanding towel-warming rails available that you can move into any room of the house. Again, when the sun is shining, sales of electric heaters drop so you might find a good price for this type of heating product too.

It’s a good time

The way I see it, there’s never a good time to be without heating in the winter. Shivering while your system is shut down for maintenance or replacement is not ideal so, if you know you want to make some upgrades to your system, do it in the summer when you don’t really need it.

This also helps you to spread the cost – in the winter your monthly budget for heating will be eaten up by the cost of powering your system and will all be spent on your bills. But, in the summer, you might find that you have extra money in your budget that you’re not currently spending on fuel, so you can allocate it towards a new radiator or an annual service instead.

I hope that these hacks have given you some inspiration to tackle your heating upgrades now if you’re planning to refresh your heating system ready for winter. Let me know in the comments below if you manage to get a great deal on your radiators or installation, I’d love to hear all about your bargains!

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When there’s a budget to stick to some may argue that home improvements will have to wait. While that’s often true, there are some things you could do today that will instantly elevate the way your home looks, without breaking the bank. How can you elevate your home without spending any money? From cleaning to lighting, let’s check out the list of improvements you can make now:

1. Declutter and clean

Anyone who has ever had to do their own housework will agree that things just look and feel so much better when they’re clean and tidy, so why not take it a step further? Take some time to declutter and clean from top to bottom.

You’ll soon notice that areas that were previously cluttered suddenly help give your room a new lease of life. Plus, there’s nothing quite like a good declutter every now and then to reset things around your home.

2. Think about the senses

One thing that often goes overlooked when it comes to home improvement is how your home smells, but think about it; when you first enter your home you use three main senses:

• Sight
• Smell
• Hearing

Are all of these senses satisfied when entering your home? There’s a good chance you can’t do much about the sounds you can hear, but you certainly can when it comes to smells. Whether you choose to plug in an air freshener or want to try out a simmer pot is completely up to you.

Why is scent important in a home? A lovely smell will make a world of difference to how your home feels to you and your guests, as will gentle sounds such as calming music. Choose cleaning products in your favourite scents and include room fragrances to make sure your home smells welcoming to you.

Plants and flowers are another easy way to bring lovely fresh fragrances into your home in a natural way. You can either choose houseplants that will purify the air or you can arrange a beautiful scented bouquet in a vase. It doesn’t have to cost a lot to do this – even supermarket blooms have a lovely scent – and it’s possible to buy ceramic vases wholesale to save money. Plus, if you have flowers growing in the garden, you can cut a few stems each week and put a vase in every room of the house to create natural fragrances around the whole house.

3. Let in more light

What is light important in interior design? Having enough light in each room can also change the way the room comes across. While blinds are great for privacy, they can also block out valuable light from your home. Consider switching to Roman Blinds made in the UK so that you can easily pull them back from your window.

Even drawing back your current curtains and adjusting your shutter blinds will let in more light. Your rooms will instantly look bigger and brighter – and it doesn’t mean you can’t close your blinds as it gets darker for the privacy you want.

4. Rearrange your furniture

Another option to try would be to rearrange your furniture. People naturally push their furniture against the wall in an attempt to make the room look bigger in the middle. However, this blocks out valuable light from moving around the room, and can actually make it look cramped and dark. Consider arranging your furniture slightly away from your wall to create the illusion of more space.

5. Add personal touches

Finally, while show homes do look great, you’ve still got to live in yours. So, if you’re looking to make your home feel more personal and welcoming, then add those personal touches! Add framed pictures and display that beautiful pot your child made you at school. Personal belongings can be the difference between having a house and a home.

Let me know what other ideas you have for elevating your interior without spending any money in the comments below. I’d love to hear your hacks for creating more space, light and a lovely atmosphere in your home.

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