When it comes to living room wall decor, playing safe isn’t the only option. While calm neutrals and soft colours have their place, the best living room wall decor ideas bring colour and personality too.

‘Paint is the perfect way to transform a space quickly and easily,  adding personality and character to create an inspired interior,’ says Ruth Mottershead, Creative Director at Little Greene. ‘Add impact to your living space with bands of colour painted as horizontal stripes or use blocks of colour to create a focal point such as the backdrop to a favourite artwork, or perhaps highlight architectural detailing.’

‘Add a sense of adventure to your living room and get creative with colour. Think of paint as an expression of the family who live within its walls,’ adds Ruth.

Living room wall decor ideas

While paint and wallpaper are the most obvious choice for easy and inexpensive living room ideas, there are lots of other creative treatments and clever tricks that can be put together to give living room walls an extra dimension.

Wall art is a super-simple way of livening up too-plain living room wall decor, whether a structured gallery wall or an informal mix of family photographs on simple picture ledges. Or think outside the box, with creative storage, rustic panelling or a wall of greenery, for easy alternative options that won’t cost a fortune.

1. Go for continuous colour to cosy things up

Image credit: Little Greene

Create a calm and cosy living room scheme by painting walls and woodwork to match in a dark, dusky shade. Warmer tones feel enveloping and rich and are ideal for living spaces where we want to relax and cocoon ourselves away.

While more traditional to paint skirtings and woodwork in standard white, this creates a harsh break that jars the eye visually, while continuous colour helps blur the lines and will also save cutting-in time when painting.

‘Painting walls and woodwork in the same colour, or slight tonal variations of the same hue, creates a monochromatic scheme that seamlessly stretches the look of the walls from the floor and ceiling,’ says Ruth Mottershead, Creative Director at Little Greene.

‘Continue the same colour across doors, door frames and cornices to further create an uninterrupted feel to a room. Our Colour Scales collection offers 48 sophisticated neutrals, each organised into 12 families, making it easy to achieve a harmonious look when combined.’

2. Try a half-and-half paint treatment

Image credit: Future PLC/Joanna Henderson

Break up an all-white living room wall decor by introducing a band of warmer colour to run throughout the space. Wrapping the room halfway with a swathe of soft plaster pink will lift harsh white walls and create a more colourful backdrop for showing off furniture and art work.

Paint from the skirting boards up to the middle of the wall and finish with a crisp, straight edge. For a bolder look, choose a darker shade for the bottom colour, but keep the top half of the wall bright white, as well as the ceiling too.

3. Spice up living room walls with wallpaper

Image credit: Little Greene

Give your living room a touch of cabin chic, with a standout wallpaper in a rustic, leafy print. Earthy colours, woody tones and touchable textures like this will give plain rooms extra depth and warmth.

Try wallpapering just one wall, behind a built-in seating area or as a backdrop to your sofa. Living room feature wall ideas are one of the easiest ways of transforming a lacklustre space and will only require a roll or two of wallpaper, so are more cost-effective than wallpapering the entire space.

4. Dare to go dark and dramatic

Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Whitmore

Don’t shy away from using darker paint colours in a small living room. Dark colours on walls can create a receding effect so that walls seem further away, visually enlarging the space.

Dark living room walls also make a great foil for rich colours, plush textures and metallic finishes, so bring in lots of sparkle and shine on accent furniture, soft furnishings and wall art. Make your own art with a length or two of metallic wallpaper on a large panel, an easy way of introducing a touch of pattern without a full-on look.

‘Dark colours might instinctively be colours to avoid if you are looking to create a feeling of space, as people fear making their room look smaller,’ says Ruth. ‘But, conversely, very rich blues, dark greys and fathomless greens have an almost bottomless depth that our eyes find hard to focus on – and thus create a sense of a wall being further away than it actually is. This works especially well on walls at the far end of rectangular living spaces.’

5. Create a living room gallery wall

Image credit: Desenio

Putting up pictures or family photographs is one of the easiest ways of adding personality to empty walls and makes a fabulous focal point for a living room. Any wall will do, but decorating the wall behind the sofa is an ideal way of filling a large expanse of space.

‘A grid arrangement is a great choice if you like keeping things clean and organised,’ say the design team at Desenio. ‘The grid style of a gallery wall allows you to mix and match many different art posters and photo prints while still achieving a clean look.’

‘If you want to keep your wall art streamlined, stick to two or three colours when choosing the art prints. Or maybe go for black-and-white prints all the way, the choice is yours.’

6. Go bold with playful shapes and colours

Image credit: Habitat

Colour is the ultimate mood lifter, so brighten up an uninspiring living room wall decor idea with a punchy, colour block paint treatment on the walls.

Keep to three key colours, using a softer shade for your background and then introducing bolder accent colours in blocks, such as a sunny yellow or bright electric blue. For a playful look, paint curves and arched sections and then echo these with shapely ceramics, prints and art work on display.

‘Colour plays such an important part in our homes as it allows us to create not only style, but increase our mood, our emotions and our feelings,’ says Andrew Tanner, Design Manager at Habitat. ‘After spending more time indoors than ever before we’ve turned to using uplifting palettes and bold and vibrant hues that evoke the senses, paired with sculptural, playful forms that ultimately make you smile.’

7. Think outside the box with chic cubbies

Image credit: IKEA

Combine wall decor with storage for a fun and functional living room display. Living rooms can be home for all manner of items, from books and papers to media kit and toys, so hideaway storage is essential.

Opt for a floating wall-hung unit rather than floorstanding furniture – it won’t block the flow of floor space, so the room will feel bigger. Add cubes arranged artfully above, with a combination of closed storage and open cubbies for display.

8. Run shelving wall to wall

Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore

Create a relaxed, eclectic display area with a longline run of open shelving on the wall area above a sofa. Large expanses of wall like this can be difficult to get right, but shelves or picture ledges are easy to put up and the display can be arranged (and rearranged) seasonally or when new pieces are added. A trailing floral or delicate watercolour wallpaper makes a pretty back-drop for a display area.

9. Target clutter hotspots

Image credit: Future PLC/Joanna Henderson

Take a practical approach with living room wall decor in a family room or play space where toys and clutter tends to accumulate. Designated baskets are great for quick end-of-day tidy-ups for toys, books, magazines, iPads and other stuff that tends to lay about.

Go for rustic willow baskets that will tie in with living room decor more stylishly than bright plastic and arrange on the wall with hooks hung at staggered heights. Have a couple up high for adults to reach and some lower down so that little ones can tidy away easily.

10. Make your own wall art

Image credit: Future PLC/Tim Young

Knowing what to do with the empty wall space above a sofa can be tricky. Hanging wall art is the obvious solution, but a single print can look lost on its own and a mismatched collection can often look messy.

Create a grid arrangement tailored to fit the space perfectly. Aim for an arrangement roughly two thirds the sofa’s length for a balanced look and hang so that there is a gap of around 10-15cm between the bottoms of the lower frames and the top of the sofa.

Use album frames to display fabric, wallpaper or painted card swatches for a colour co-ordinated look. Front-loading frames like these make it super easy to change or rearrange your display

11. Create calm with a lush hanging garden

Image credit: Future PLC/Joanna Henderson

Plants and greenery make a natural choice for wall decor with a living wall display that will just get better and better as time goes on and plants mature.

Combine a hanging arrangement with trailing plants in baskets above a ledge or sideboard lined with tubs and planters so that ample wall space is covered. A simple metal curtain pole fixed to the wall with a row of S-hooks makes the ideal hanging spot with a selection of plants arranged at staggered heights.

12. Put your living room on the map

Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore

For a look that has bags of personality and creates a fabulous focal point, try covering one wall with a full-sized mural. A sepia-toned map makes a great backdrop for a cosy snug or reading nook teamed with a traditional leather Chesterfield and a traveller-themed trunk for a coffee table.

Whatever design you go for, once your mural is in place, let it be the guide for the rest of the room’s colour scheme. Paint adjoining walls in a toning background colour to give the mural extra impact and keep the rest of the decor fairly restrained so that the room doesn’t feel too kitsch.

13. Showcase a statement wallpaper

Image credit: Future PLC/Tim Young

If you’re pattern-shy, try an alternative to traditional living room wallpaper ideas, and go for this simple look that shows off just a hit of pattern rather than all-over pattern wall to wall.

An easy idea to tackle, framing a panel of wallpaper with simple wooden beading creates a striking focal point that has the look of a bespoke piece of art, without the hefty price tag. Try it behind a sofa or sideboard to zone in on or highlight the area. Paint beading to match wall colour for a subtle effect or in a contrast shade to make the panel really pop.

14. Give living room shelves an ombre effect

Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Whitmore

Alcoves and corners often get neglected when it comes to living room wall decor. While a splash of bright paint colour or a panel of wallpaper is an easy option, adding a bespoke piece will take things up a level.

Try a simple shelving idea made using a circle of MDF with a few planks cut to size to create mini shelves – DIY stores will often be able to cut these to size for you. Once assembled, paint your shelf unit white, then once dry, use tester pots in lighter shades than your wall colour to create graduated stripes.

Don’t overload the shelves with books and ornaments. Position a few items here and there to let the ombre-effect colour show through.

15. Create a family gallery

Image credit: Future PLC

Family photographs are always a winner on display in living rooms, but rather than having a random selection shoved on a shelf, create a more structured arrangement with a framed display of family favourites hung together on the wall.

Matching frames and mounts is a great way of adding uniformity to a display, likewise, using all black and white photographs (or all coloured) will make more impact too. Keep the display tight with frames displayed in rows or a grid formation, making sure that spacing is even throughout for a super-smart look.

16. Take wall panelling up a level

Image credit: Sofology

On trend wooden panelling is one of the most searched-for looks on Instagram right now and it’s easy to see why. A great cover-up if your walls are less-than perfect and an easy way of bringing some architectural detail to rooms that are lacking in decorative features.

Smart board and batten panelling like this suits period properties perfectly, adding instant character. Bespoke fully-panelled walls can work out pricey, but it’s easy to create a DIY effect like this using MDF battening and trim, painted one colour to give a fully-panelled effect.

Taking panelling to roughly two-thirds the height of a room creates a relaxed look that’s ideal for living rooms. Paint in a cosy shade and add a shelf trim at the top to give a ledge for displaying pictures and ornaments.

17. Go faux to create a panelled effect

Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Whitmore

If installing timber panelling yourself is too much of a stretch on your DIY skills, then why not fake it with a ‘wood panel effect’ wallpaper? There are lots of convincing designs out there, from rustic, weathered-look timber wallpapers to traditional period-style painted panelling on a roll.

Create a country cabin vibe with a cosy whitewashed-effect wallpaper that mimics the timber’s natural grain. Rather than taking it wall-to-wall, limit the wallpaper to just the alcove areas either side of a chimney breast, with warm, peachy-pink paintwork to draw attention to the fireplace.

18. Create a colourful focal point

Image credit: Future PLC/Tim Young

Living room schemes that work best are those that have a focal point, such as a fireplace, window or decorative feature, that your eyes land on when you walk into the room.

In a room that lacks architectural features, introducing a bold wallpaper at one end will help add focus. Avoid oversized patterns that could overpower the room or too-small prints that could look fussy. Instead, choose a mid-sized motif that will add the right amount of detail in soft, muted colours that tie in with the rest of the room’s colour palette.

19. Draw attention to a fireplace

Image credit: Future PLC/David Brittain

Often chimney breast walls tend to be painted or wallpapered with perhaps a mantel mirror or wall art to create a focal point. Cubbyhole shelving is a quirky alternative positioned on the wall above a mantel and creates a lovely area to display favourite objects and treasured finds.

Paint shelving to match wall colour for an understated look or add a pop of colour by painting inside individual cubbies, using contrast colours to make display items really stand out.

20. Try an eclectic mix using vintage picture frames

Image credit: George Home

Artwork is always a winner when it comes to filling wall space. If structured grids and galleries aren’t for you, create a more informal look with a mix of painted watercolours or oil-painted pieces displayed in vintage picture frames.

Pick pictures that complement each other, such as a similar style or colour palette, and try painting the wall behind in a shade that complements the picture frames so that it will bring out the colour of the art.

What are good living room over the sofa wall decor ideas?

The wall area above a sofa is often quite vast, so it can be a tricky area to get right. Wall art is the obvious choice, but getting picture size and placement right is key to a successful scheme. Pictures that are too small can look lost hanging above a large sofa, and likewise a picture that is too large can overwhelm a sofa instead of enhancing it.

A rule of thumb is that a single picture (or group of pictures) shouldn’t be wider than the actual sofa itself. Aim for something that measures roughly two thirds the length of the sofa – this could be one large picture or an arrangement of several smaller pictures.

Picture height is key too. In a living room, where you are more likely to be sitting down, hang artwork low enough so you can enjoy it while seated, with the centre of your image positioned roughly at eye level.

Does every wall need decor?

Not necessarily. It can be easy to get carried away and try to fill every wall with decor, but if there’s too much going on in one room it can feel a little overpowering. Creating balance is key to any successful decorating scheme. So if you have one area that’s quite busy visually, counteract this by having areas that feel calmer and have less going on.

Some walls will already have architectural elements, such as windows, doors, chimney breasts and alcoves, so these walls may not need much else added. Large empty walls are the key areas to focus on first. Think about furniture placement before you add any kind of decoration. Furniture can be a great space-filler, so decide where key items such as sofas, sideboards and shelving units are going to be positioned before you start decorating.

The post Living room wall decor ideas – 20 easy ways to add style appeared first on Ideal Home.

The heat pumps vs gas boilers conversation is hot on everyone’s lips. Most people want to get their current boiler replaced, like for like, as affordably as possible. What adds confusion to the decision is longer term running costs. There could be a saving made by investing in a heat pump upgrade. The fact that this more modern, electric powered rather than gas powered, system is also more eco-friendly is another great bonus to changing heating source.

Doug Johnson from Mesh Energy says: ‘As of 2022, the building regs are being updated to make it very difficult to make new homes compliant when installing a gas boiler. By the middle of the decade, new homes will have to emit 75% less carbon as part of the Future Homes Standard which supports a gas boiler ban in new homes from 2025. To reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, we will need to change the way we heat our homes so heat pumps will quickly become mainstream.’

This guide aims to clarify all you need to know about the heat pumps vs gas boilers debate so you can decide which is the best option for you.

What is a heat pump?

Image credit: Mint Photography/Alamy Stock Photo

There are two types: air source and ground source. We’re only going to cover air source here as they’re more common, easier to install and maintain, and are generally more efficient. Of the air source heat pumps these fall into two types: air to air and air to water heat pumps. As the names give away, one heats the air and the other heats the water directly.

An air source heat pump uses electricity to run, a bit like an air conditioning unit works, only in reverse, to produce heat. The air to water unit takes heat from the outside air and heats the water in your central heating system directly. These are suited to underfloor heating or larger radiator-toting homes. The air to air heat pump also takes the heat from the outside air, and feed it directly into your home using fans. That means you will need a warm air circulation system to heat your home using one of these units.
For most people the air to water heat pump is the far easier and more affordable way to upgrade their current heating system. As such, these units are the ones which can be eligible for governmental monetary aid in the form of the Renewable Heat Incentive.

What is a gas boiler?

A gas boiler uses natural gas to generate heat. This takes gas, piped into your home directly, ignites it to create flame and uses that to heat water which runs through the boiler. The cold mains water coming in leaves hot to run around your home’s radiators or to go to your taps for showers, baths, washing up and so on, directly in the case of a combi boiler.

A gas boiler, because it uses gas, can never be totally renewable in terms of energy. Gas provided by some energy companies is up to 20% renewable, meaning it will eventually run out as a finite resource.

Heat pumps vs gas boilers: how they match up

We take a look at the pros and cons:

1. Initial cost to buy and install

The difference in cost between the two types of heating unit is pretty apparent up front. A classic gas boiler has been around for a long time meaning the technology has got cheaper and cheaper so now you can pick one up for less. The flip of that is that heat pumps are relatively new tech meaning they are still developing and the upfront cost can be significantly higher.

Across the UK, there are roughly 28 million homes and a gas boiler is used in 85% of these. The majority of the remaining 15% are oil boilers, because they’re not connected to the gas network. Heat pumps, then, are still a relatively new technology. Part of that is due to the prohibitively costly upfront prices.

To replace a boiler like-for-like can mean an easy job with relatively few extra parts needed. To get a heat pump system you may need to do pipe reworking to fit the larger unit. You’ll also need to have the space to fit one, with a pretty sizeable unit needing space to sit outside your property – similar to a large air conditioning unit. The other cost to factor in is insulation and radiators. You will need to have a well insulated home for a heat pump to work and use large radiators or underfloor heating. This is since heat pumps use air for heat meaning it’s less intense than a gas boiler.

2. Efficiency

When it comes to efficient running costs, long term, this is where money can be saved as the heat pump is far more efficient than a gas boiler. It also means you’re able to use just electricity as opposed to relying on finite gas. Theoretically, the reality is that gas is cheaper than electricity but more on that below.

Gas boilers, thanks to condensers, are more efficient than ever but they still burn fuel to heat water. That means at their best you get an efficiency of 94%. Or in other words, for every pound spent six pence is wasted.

Heat pumps are a staggering 300-400% efficient. That means for a single kilowatt of electricity used you’re going to get three to four times more energy.

Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

3. Cost to run

Running costs, despite the efficiency figures, aren’t as clear as you might expect. Yes, you do get a lot more heat per the electricity used by going for a heat pump. However, electricity is more expensive than gas and oil. At time of publishing the price of electricity stands at 16.36 pence per kilowatt. Natural gas is nearly four times cheaper at 4.17 pence per kWh paid.

To give all those numbers a bit of context, the average UK home is using around 12,000 kWh each year to heat the place. For a 4kW heat pump that works out at £654.40 per year. The UK average gas bill, using the same 12,000 kWh, currently sits at around £572 per year.

While it looks like gas is cheaper, marginally, you can actually save money thanks to the Renewable Heat Incentive, which pays homeowners for the heat their renewable system makes. This is due to be replaced by the Clean Heat Grant from April 2022 which helps with the upfront costs. You could also save money using solar power or wind to get free electricity to help heat your home. But of course you need that kit installed too.

Also, Mesh Energy’s Doug Johnson makes the point: ‘Electricity prices are about three times higher than gas prices but the way in which heat pumps efficiently use the electricity and take the majority of warmth from the air and ground is the key here. In a well-insulated home, due to these efficiencies the heating and hot water bill for the home is less than on gas. Electricity prices are also forecast to reduce in the future with the price of gas going up as it is subsidised less and fossil fuel pricing volatility continues.’

If you take into account lifespan, the heat pump looks even more appealing.

4. Lifespan

A heat pump has a lot less strain than a boiler and as such can last twice as long. While a boiler can last a decade, maybe 15 years if well maintained (which costs money), a heat pump can have a lifespan of up to 30 years when well-looked after (which is relatively easy).

There are plenty of boiler engineers that can carry out a Gas Safe Registered service on your gas boiler annually. As such the price of this can be lower. A newer heat pump will have fewer specialists to work on it, but there is less to actually mend in most cases meaning it could end up being more affordable – especially when you consider the longer term saving on not having to buy another. And in most cases you can carry out inspections yourself when it comes to heat pumps.

Essentially, for every one heat pump replacement you carry out, in that time you may have had to pay out for up to three gas boilers.

5. Maintenance

For both gas boilers and heat pumps, it is recommended that you have an inspection carried out annually. If you know what you’re doing this can be done yourself, at no cost. But if you want a professional to come out, this will mean an expense. That said, you can sign-up to some services for longer term deals which cover multiple callouts, so you can pay up front and forget about it longer term.

In air pumps there are filters that can be cleaned or replaced, coils and fans where the same can be done, fan blades to check and proper air flow to be checked. All pretty simple to do for most people, keeping costs down. Since most heat pumps come with up to a 10 year warranty, most costs are covered, should anything need replacing.

For gas boilers, due to the dangerous nature of the unit, it is recommended that any maintenance is carried out by a Gas Safe Registered professional. The average service of a combi gas boiler is £80 and should be done yearly.

Also: ‘Heat pumps are inherently safer than gas boilers’ says Jamie Luck of Baltic Consulting. ‘Due to both the absence of a flammable fuel source and the lack of products of combustion including carbon monoxide.’

Image credit: Radharc Images/Alamy Stock Photo

Heat pumps vs gas boilers: which is best for my home?

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. How much space do you have?

This could decide it for you right away. If you don’t have enough space for a heat pump then a gas boiler could be your only option. A heat pump is installed outside the home on the ground, or affixed to the wall. This takes up an area that varies based on the power output of the unit you go for, larger homes needing more power. A 100 square metre house could be heated using a 5kW heat pump.

One of these units is about two metres long by 600 centimetres high by the same depth. That’s not massive, but you will need to make sure there is plenty of space around the unit so it can draw in air. Also keep in mind anything near will have the cold output air being blown right at it.

A gas boiler is a lot smaller and can be fitted in your home inside a cupboard space. Ideal if you already have a gas boiler and are simply replacing it in the same space. But if you’re going from a water tank boiler to a combi you may find this will be a new installation job – although you save the space of where the old water tank was.

While a heat pump is larger, it lives outside and so could save you on internal space currently taken up by your boiler.

2. Is your home well insulated?

If your home isn’t well insulated then you’re already wasting money and energy by heating it where the heat can escape. In this case a gas boiler, which produces more intense heat quickly, you may be able to keep that home warm. But this is environmentally bad as well as being damaging to your bank balance.

A heat pump is less intense so it requires a well insulated home that will keep the heat in. So this is a good thing in terms of saving you and the environment. Government grants generally cover insulation upgrades to homes. This means you could have cavity wall insulation and your roof insulated without spending anything extra, potentially. Keith Bastian, CEO of renewable home heating provider Fischer Future Heat, says: ‘Professionally insulating your home will significantly reduce your home’s heat loss, so if you can foot the initial outlay charge, you’ll save more on your heating bill in the long run.’

While a well insulated home is required for a heat pump, it should also be done for a gas boiler home to ensure you’re not wasting energy.

The final verdict

If you have a home that has the space for a heat pump, which is also well insulated, then the longer term benefits of this modern home heating device are apparent. Factoring in the upfront costs and grants, you can save money on a heat pump. Especially if upgrading from an older boiler. It also means you’re going to be helping the environment and are no longer reliant on gas, ideal if you have solar panels and want to be less grid reliant in general.

If you want to get the cheapest option up front and use minimal outdoor space, then a combi boiler could suit you well. This will produce powerful heating to keep even a less efficiently insulated home warm. It’s also ideal if you want to heat your home from cold very quickly, as long as you don’t mind the longer term maintenance costs and inherent risks with having gas in your home.

The post Heat pumps vs gas boilers: which is better? appeared first on Ideal Home.

Do you need a larger cooking area, a sociable island to gather around, or maybe just more cupboard space and better organised storage? There are many reasons for wanting a new kitchen and whatever they are, the costs can soon add up. But, there are a number of ways to get finance for kitchens that you may not have considered.

A home improvement loan can be an effective way to pay for any large upfront spending need, including a kitchen. As long as you understand what you’re signing up for and you’re confident you can stay on top of the repayments.

Finance for kitchens – ways to pay for your remodel

John Webb, a credit expert at credit reference agency Experian, says: ‘Failing to meet any of the repayment deadlines could put an unwelcome dent in your credit score. Always make sure you can afford the repayments, and you’re clear on all the terms and conditions.’

As well as going to your bank or building society for a loan, many retailers offer finance options too. In fact, when weighing up which kitchen and where from, it’s worth noting the company’s credit offers and factoring them into your decision. Some ways to pay make more financial sense than others, depending on your circumstances.

Image credit: Future PLC

Finance for kitchens – the options

A similar kitchen idea from two different retailers could end up costing much more from one than the other – despite the actual price – if you don’t choose the finance wisely. Below are the different ways to pay for your kitchen remodel.

1. Personal loans

The cost of a kitchen isn’t just the cabinetry, worktops and appliances; there’s flooring, decoration and installation too. With a personal loan you can usually fund your whole project.

Lenders like to see a good credit score when assessing someone’s eligibility for a personal loan – if you have a good score, you may be eligible for a lower interest rate.

‘Many lenders, including Nationwide, offer a “soft-search”. So, borrowers can see if they will be accepted and what interest rate they will be charged,’ says James Broome, Nationwide. ‘This allows people to shop around without damaging their credit score. It’s also worth checking your credit file first to make sure it’s accurate.’

‘Improve your credit score by registering on the electoral roll, reducing any debt, and keeping credit card balances under 30% of the credit limit,’ adds John Webb of Experian.

• The maximum amount you can borrow is generally £25,000, though some lenders may offer up to £50,000, if you meet their eligibility criteria.
• Most finance for kitchens personal loans are ‘unsecured’.  This means the lender can’t make a claim against your property or another asset if you don’t keep up with repayments.
• Loan terms tend to be one to five years, usually with fixed monthly payments. The advantage of fixed payments is you know what’s due out of your account each month. This will also enable you to work out what the total amount you pay back will be.
• Longer terms of up to 10 years are available from some lenders. This could make the monthly payments lower, but you’ll pay more interest over the term.

Image credit: Future PLC

2. Secured loans

These are loans ‘secured’ against your property, sometimes referred to as a homeowner loan or further advance. Again, you’ll be able to borrow funds for your whole project plan (assuming you meet the lender’s criteria). Then, spread repayments over a longer term than a personal loan.

As the lender has some security on its money, costs may be lower. But crucially, if you default on the repayments, the lender can pursue the debt by asking you to sell your property, or taking possession of it.

‘Before applying for credit, look at how much the monthly repayments will be and ensure you’re confident you can afford this with your other expenditure both now and in the future,’ advises James Broome, Nationwide.

Do your sums carefully. It might make more financial sense to obtain a loan for the installation and decoration. And, then use the finance option from the kitchen retailer, if it’s interest-free. Be aware you’ll have two monthly repayments, so calculate if this works out lower than one larger loan.

• It’s possible to borrow more with a secured loan than with a personal loan.
• You can stretch the payments over a longer term – the same as your mortgage in some instances – making monthly payments more affordable.
• Check what you will be paying back by the end of the term, so you’re clear on the total amount. The monthly payments may seem low, but the total amount you pay back may be higher than some other options.
• Your home is at risk if you can’t meet the repayments.

3. Interest-free credit

For most people, this is the best credit option. You only pay back what you borrow – with no extra interest charges – through payments spread over a fixed number of years. Homebase offers five years interest-free credit, while Ikea offers up to 48-months. Even The Used Kitchen Exchange, where you can buy high-end ex-display and secondhand models offer a year’s interest-free credit.

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles

‘We offer interest-free credit from £99-£15,000, with repayments spread between three months and four years,’ says Donna Moore, Product Manager, IKEA. ‘It’s available on small items like crockery to big home projects. You can even include delivery, collection and installation.’

Most brands have an easy online calculator. They let you see what your finance for kitchens, monthly payments will be on the amount you borrow. As with any credit you will need to meet the eligibility criteria and be confident you can make the repayments.

• Pay back what you borrow and no more, provided you meet your monthly payments
• As with any borrowing, check what the penalties are if you miss a payment, or need to extend the loan.
• This type of credit is generally used for the goods you buy from the retailer. So consider whether you need to borrow money for installation and decoration including items, such as kitchen tile ideas or flooring.

4. Buy now, pay later

This may be a worthwhile finance for kitchens option if you have a savings plan and intend to pay off the lump sum within the ‘holiday period’.

Typically this can be up to a year after the purchase, so you have longer to pay. However, if you’re not able to clear the balance in full before the interest kicks in, it can be an expensive way to buy a new kitchen. We’ve spotted interest rates as high as 16.9%.

‘It’s important to clear the balance before any interest-free period ends, or have a plan to avoid paying high interest rates and other charges,’ says John Webb of Experian.

• Usually you pay a deposit (although not always) and then nothing for up to 12 months (depending on the retailer’s deal).
• After 6-12 months you usually have the option to settle the balance (sometimes for a small fee). Or, take up the finance option and spread it over three-five years.
• It’s important to look at the overall amount you’ll pay back, as well as the interest rate and repayments before signing up. Over time interest can accrue to more than half the cost of the kitchen – on top of the original price!
• The “representative APR” you see advertised is an average interest rate, not necessarily what you will be charged. The interest rate you pay will depend on your credit score.

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Parmiter

5. Finance for kitchens from the retailer

This may seem like a simple solution; buy a kitchen and then pay for it monthly over five years (or less). However, it’s worth shopping around for the lowest interest charges on retailers’ finance plans.

The upside is retailers such as B&Q and Homebase include flooring, tiles, paint and lighting. The cost of most of what you need for your project is spread fixed monthly payments across one-five years.

Others at the premium end, like Harvey Jones, offer a similar arrangement. You pay a deposit and spread the cost of the goods (cabinetry, appliance, flooring etc) over five years but not the installation. You’ll need to find other ways to fund the labour. However, the downside is it can be a pricey way to pay.

• This can be an expensive way to pay for your new kitchen.
• Consider only if the retailer doesn’t offer interest-free credit, and the interest rate is less than a personal loan.
• The “representative APR” you see advertised is an average interest rate, not necessarily what you will be charged. The interest rate you pay will depend on your credit score.
• Check the total amount you’ll pay back, as well as the interest rate and your monthly repayments.

The post Finance for kitchens – ways to pay for your remodel appeared first on Ideal Home.

A picturesque cottage in the village from The Holiday has just landed on the market. Located in Shere, Surrey, the snow-blanketed Rosehill cottage is logged in the minds of many as their dream home in the country.

Unfortunately, this is not THE cottage Cameron Diaz’s character Amanda spontaneously jets over to one Christmas. (We hate to tell you this, but the interiors of the cottage were shot in a studio in the States).

Image credit: Savills

But anyway, it is a Grade II listed Georgian home dating from 1742, and it’s in the vicinity of the real Holiday cottage. This idyllic house is a little bigger than Rosehill cottage, spread over three floors with a family bathroom. It was even let out by Savills previously to a couple who saw The Holiday and decided they wanted to move across the world to the English countryside.

Let’s take a look around.

Gallandes Cottage

Centrally located in the village of Shere, Gallandes is a three-bedroom house with a garden. The quaint red brick home is currently on the market for £1,150,000.

Living room

Image credit: Savills

Cosy living room with a woodburning stove? Check. Classic countryside kitchen? Check.

Just 40 minutes from busy London? Of course not, this is real life.

The classic farmhouse living room with a roaring fire looks like the perfect spot to snuggle up after romantic walks in the countryside.

Kitchen

Image credit: Savills

Unlike Rosehill cottage, this place has a seriously impressive kitchen with high ceilings and wooden beams. There’s also a kitchen island, an AGA, obvs, and French doors that back out to the garden.

Image credit: Savills

Outside, the owner of this property can enjoy views of the South Downs with a steaming cup of cocoa. The paved area is ideal for summer barbecues or planting up some cottage garden ideas.

Bedroom

Image credit: Savills

Upstairs, things have been kept calm and neutral in the bedroom with white bedroom ideas, wardrobes and bedding. There’s certainly more storage than Kate Winslet’s character Iris had in her small but cosy bedroom.

The Surrey village where Gallandes is located was also used in Four Weddings and a Funeral and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.

The post This stunning cottage in the village where The Holiday was filmed is on the market for £1.15m appeared first on Ideal Home.