‘Tis almost the season to start dreaming about your homemade pumpkin spice lattes. And while most of us are still on iced coffees, after the last heatwave of 2026 (fingers crossed!) passes us by, we can all start thinking of better and cosier things: autumn! Warm coffees, fluffy blankets, double layers and… did I say warm coffee?

If you’ve been holding out for Black Friday to invest in the best coffee machine, then you needn’t wait any longer. Just head to your local Lidl and take a browse down the Middle Aisle for yourself. Come the 16th of August, it’ll be bursting with pastel-coloured boxes. Yes: the pastel appliances are back! Think toasters, kettles, and even coffee machines, all in pretty shades of mint green and pale pink.

A simple solution for kitchen worktops that need some colour, the retro-inspired pastel coffee machine is definitely the best bargain of all, at only £49.99. Available in your choice of pink or green, this ground coffee maker also boasts a steam wand for frothing milk. Plus, it has a sizeable 1L water tank for when you’re serving multiple coffees at once.

Landing in stores very soon, be quick to snap up yours, as when they’re gone, they won’t return for quite a while. And don’t forget: it’s never too early to think of Christmas presents…

The coffee machine comes with a 3-year guarantee. It includes a 2-in-1 coffee scoop and tamper, both coming in the box, and with only 3 buttons, it looks to be pretty intuitive and easy to clean, with a removable drip tray and water tank.

This Silvercrest coffee maker is not too dissimilar from Smeg’s Espresso Coffee Machine. Except the Smeg one is a mere £450 more expensive, of course.

The Smeg one does come with a host of perks for that price tag, including a cold-brew function. It is one of Smeg’s most affordable coffee machines, with the retro-style bean-to-cup Smeg Coffee costing from £599.95.

Another comparable retro-inspired coffee machine is the Swan Retro Espresso Maker, at £109.99, available in green, black, cream, or grey. Its tank is the same size as the Silvercrest model, and has a steam wand for milk frothing. You can also control its brewing temperature. The best part about it? You can use it with ground coffee or espresso (ESE) pods.

Love Your Garden’s Frances Tophill just shared a controversial gardening opinion, and it isn’t about plants – it’s about shed and fence colours. More specifically, the colours she likes and dislikes the most.

There’s always going to be a mix of opinions when it comes to fence colours you should avoid, but the British horticulturist, author and television presenter thinks pastel colours are out – and a surprisingly bold colour is in: black.

Well, surprising to some people. Personally, I (and my mum) love a black fence – and I think it can completely transform the look of a garden.

Bold shed colours are said to boost a home’s value, but black is one of those paint colours that people tend to sit on the fence about. Frances Tophill thinks it’s a wiser choice than pastel colours, though.

Pastel fence colours can attract bees to your garden, of course, so there are merits to painting your shed and fence a lighter shade – but soft greens, in particular, are the ones that Frances highlighted as a no-no.

‘I don’t like when fences and sheds are painted soft greens and pastel colours,’ Frances said in a recent Instagram reel. ‘I like it when they’re painted black.’

That was music to my ears, because I’ve been obsessed with my mum’s shed and fence ever since she painted both black. Protek Royal Exterior Wood Finish, which you can order from Robert Dyas, is a water-repelling timber treatment that contains a mould inhibitor, so it protects and paints the wood at the same time.

Some gardeners believe that black-painted fences can make a garden feel smaller, but Frances thinks it’s the perfect background for our plants.

‘It seems controversial – a lot of people love it, some people hate it – but actually, what it does is it creates a really beautiful backdrop for the plants to become the main thing that you see, whereas a bright colour can sometimes make a space feel smaller and make the plants disappear against the colour,’ she said in the video.

‘It’s just my opinion – not everyone needs to do it – but, for me, sheds should always be black.’

Other experts agree that dark paint colours have their place in the garden, too.

‘Dark colours such as charcoal, black and deep brown give a premium feel, create a cosy glow and make warm white lighting appear richer and more golden,’ says Jon Saeed, managing director of LightingLegends.com.

‘They’re also great for allowing plants to stand out and making their colours appear richer. This is why you’ll often find that dark fences are used in high-end outdoor spaces such as restaurant terraces, because they let the lighting and plants become the feature.’

Of course, a really tiny garden with minimal planting might benefit more from a lighter shade of paint to make your garden feel bigger than it really is.

‘Lighter colours like soft sage, off-white and light grey will make gardens feel bigger and more open,’ says Jon. ‘They reflect light around the space and are a good option for those with smaller gardens.’

It’s worth adjusting your planting scheme in favour of deeper tones, though. Heuchera ‘Plum Pudding from Crocus, for example, looks striking against a lighter fence or shed.

‘Lighter fences are great for areas that have plants with darker or more pastel foliage,’ says Jon.

Where to buy black garden paint

Would you take a leaf out of Frances’ book and paint your shed and fence black?

Yes, I know, it’s summer, and depending on where you live in the UK, you may be recovering from yet another heatwave.

However, bedding trends wait for no man, woman, or well-dressed bedroom, and pumpkin bedding is already having a moment.

Plus, Next has just quietly dropped a pumpkin bedding set that I think will soon be an instant sell-out, so if you want to get your hands on this autumn-themed duvet set before it disappears, you may need to move fast.

As Ideal Home’s Sleep Editor, I’ve spent the past five years immersed in the world of bedrooms, and when it comes to where to buy bedding, Next is always one of my top recommendations.

Plus, in recent years, the brand has absolutely nailed the most sought-after bedding trends.

Last Christmas, Next launched its Robin Fleece Duvet Cover and Pillowcase Set, which quickly went viral and became one of the most-shopped bedding collections of the year.

That winter-themed bedding set featured robins leaving footsteps on a snowy fleece duvet cover, and I predict the brand’s new pumpkin-themed bedding is going to follow its lead and become an instant autumn bestseller.

In fact, with ‘pumpkin bedding’ searches already spiking on Google, I don’t think it will be long before this trending bedding set starts selling out.

Not least because Next has nailed the double autumnal whammy with this design.

There are smiley-faced pumpkins embroidered onto the duvet cover, but to up the cuteness factor even further, the brand has also stitched that autumnal favourite – the now iconic pumpkin-spiced latte – to the surface.

And did I mention this duvet set also features a gingham background (still one of the biggest bedding trends of the year) *and* is made from super snuggly and cosy brushed cotton?

To my mind, this duvet cover and pillowcase set nails everything you might want in an autumn bedding set, and what’s more, there’s a whole collection of coordinating items available.

Personally, I think the £125 pumpkin-spiced latte-shaped side table may be a step too far, but the rest of the collection is *far* more stylish! And it means you can choose whether your nod to the cosy season is subtle or as OTT as you like.

I’m generally not a Halloween lover, but I have to admit, even I’m tempted by this autumn-themed collection and its understated Halloween-ish vibes.

After all, considering how long and hot it feels like this summer has been, for the first time in a long time, I’m actually looking forward to the change in season.

Some cooler weather, cosy bedding, and a pumpkin-spiced latte sounds like something I could definitely get behind right now!