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Remember as a child how much fun it was to climb trees and how a tree house was pretty special? Well, you can experience all that and more with a stay in this luxury treehouse, which sleeps two and comes with its own roll-top bath, private hot tub and fire pit.
Set in Worcestershire, in the grounds of a picturesque working farm, Eathelin is the kind of place we’d never want to leave. Handmade by the owner entirely from wood as part of a 10-year project (alongside a second treehouse), it makes the perfect new-year escape.
Want to know how to sleep better? We think you’ll find the answer here in this peaceful setting.
Let’s take a look around…
Image credit: Sugar & Loaf
From one side, the only nod to this being a treehouse is that you can see the wood structure is wrapped around the trunk of a mature ash tree, but on the other side is where you’ll see it’s on stilts above the ground.
We love its hand-crafted wooden balcony that circles the house. Check out that picturesque thatch roof and pretty arched windows.
Image credit: Sugar & Loaf
It isn’t just the outside where the treehouse shines, however. Looking for fireplace ideas? Step into the living room and you’ll find a comfy sofa set in front of a fire, a log-effect dining table and a spiral staircase that swirls around the trunk of the tree.
Everything has been thought of here – from the sash windows which circle all the way around and show off the breathtaking woodland views, to the lighting, which at night brings the treehouse to life.
Image credit: Sugar & Loaf
Were you expecting such a beautiful and fully functioning kitchen in a treehouse? We were pleasantly surprisedly by the decorative yew wood cabinetry and hardy worktops.
We can imagine making a warming stew in here to enjoy after a walk by the nearby lake and meadows. And is it us, or is that a tiny wine fridge tucked into the corner?
Image credit: Sugar & Loaf
Upstairs, the bedroom is open plan and there’s no better reminder that you’re sleeping in a treehouse than that imposing trunk that stretches up above you.
Our favourite part has to be that copper tub though, placed under a slanting window so you can gaze up at the stars at night.
Noteworthy features are the cluster of scalloped light fittings that hang over the stairs, and that yew-tree panelling at the top of the stairs – just beautiful!
Image credit: Sugar & Loaf
We’re not sure what we love more about this bathroom – that standout door, or the striking, carved basin. Either way, we’re sold – this place is a real gem.
Image credit: Sugar & Loaf
After a day exploring, why not take a dip in your private hot tub, with a glass of wine and the local wildlife for company?
Ready to spend a few nights rejuvenating here? Eathelin costs from £700 per person for a seven-night stay and you can book it at Sugar & Loaf here. You’re welcome!
The post This luxury treehouse is the perfect staycation for big kids appeared first on Ideal Home.
Mortgage interest rates have sunk so low that some banks and building societies are offering homeowners rates of less than 1%. But to get your hands on the cheapest mortgage deals you need to be an attractive financial candidate. This means you may need to improve your credit score.
If you are thinking about buying a house and you want the best mortgage rates, you’ll need an A-star credit score to be considered. A credit score is a number that lets lenders know how good you are at managing your personal finances, debts and bills. Your score will fall within one of five categories: poor, fair, good, very good and excellent or exceptional.
The main credit agencies, Experian and Equifax, use different scoring systems so there’s no magic number that indicates what a good or excellent credit score is. Equifax has recently updated its scoring range from 0 to 700 to 0 to 1,000. To land an excellent score you’ll need 811 or more. Experian is in the process of changing its scoring system. Currently its score goes from 0 to 999. If you score between 961 and 999 you’ll rank excellent.
Having a bad or fair credit score not only means you’ll be offered a higher rate of interest, but may also result in you being asked to stump up a bigger deposit. That’s because the lender thinks you pose a higher risk of not paying your mortgage back.
There’s lots of ways you can give your credit score a boost to get the best mortgage deals.
Finding out your current score is a good place to start. Sign up to a credit reference agency to receive your report so you can see exactly what a mortgage lender sees. Some agencies offer a free trial so you can download your report and then cancel any future payments. Or you might want to subscribe to receive your report monthly so you can see what impact your improvements are making to your score.
As well as finding out your credit score, you’ll be shown your address history, credit history and any instances of credit problems. Defaults, County Court Judgements (CCJs) and bankruptcies stay on your credit report for six years.
Image credit: Future PLC
Are you registered on the electoral roll? If not, sign up on the gov.uk website. When you sign up to the electoral register it’s recorded on your credit file which provides lenders with your name and address history and adds points to your score.
Not enough or too much credit? You might think not having any credit at all is a good thing. Actually, having no credit leads to a low credit score because there’s no evidence that you are a prompt and responsible repayer.
Try using a credit card with a low spending limit to buy your weekly food shop or petrol and then pay off the balance straight away. Or, use a no-interest credit card deal to buy your bedroom furniture and pay it off in full before the offer ends.
Relying too heavily on credit is also damaging. Having one or two high loan balances that you’re paying off is not the end of the world. But having lots of credit cards or overdrafts that are either maxed-out or close to their limit can knock points off your score.
Using less than 30% of a card’s limit can lift your Experian score by around 90 points.
Paying all your bills on time is essential if you want to improve your credit score. If you’re a sloppy payer your score will reflect this. And it’s not just loans that must be paid on time. It’s utility bills such as energy, phone and council tax too. Don’t forget any buy-now-pay-later arrangements you’ve taken out.
You can even receive a black mark on your credit file for the non-payment of a parking fine. If you don’t pay on time you’ll lose points and if you wind up receiving a default or a CCJ your credit score will take an even bigger hit. The more recent your poor payment history is, the more damaging it will be to your score.
Still, if you’ve had problems in the past, don’t panic. There’s no time like the present to clean up your credit file.
When you apply for a mortgage, loan, or credit card the lender will carry out a credit check on you which is registered on your report. Multiple credit checks can lower your credit score because it means you’ve been declined by other lenders. It then looks like you’re desperate for cash.
Not all credit checks show up on your report, however. Ask the lender if it’s a soft or hard credit check. Soft checks aren’t visible to other lenders.
Image credit: Dominic Blackmore
With your credit score sorted, you might think an ultra-low mortgage rate is in the bag. Almost, but not quite.
Mortgage lenders may look at other areas of your financial life too such as how you manage your bank account.
Image credit: Future PLC/ David Merewether
Tell-tale signs of bad financial management include using your overdraft for non-emergency transactions such as socialising, exceeding your overdraft limit and evidence of bounced direct debits.
Frequent gambling transactions, including bingo and online gaming, particularly if you’re in your overdraft, will raise questions from your lender.
Gambling doesn’t mean you’ll be turned down for a mortgage. But if the transactions add up to a consistently high amount each month the bank will consider them a regular expense and it will reduce the amount you can borrow. And guess what, your winnings won’t count as earnings. Visit GamCare if you need gambling support.
Lenders are also on the look out for how much debt you have compared to the level of your income. If you’ve got a high level of debt relative to your salary you may not be offered the mortgage you need to buy your dream pad. Visit Gov.uk for more advise on paying off debt.
Stable income and a good employment track record are also important. Newly self-employed borrowers must wait around two years before they’ll be offered a low mortgage rate. Likewise, if you’ve started a new job you’ll need to finish your probation period first.
Finally, most lenders offer cheaper rates to homebuyers able to put up a chunky deposit. If you’re applying for a 60% “loan-to-value” mortgage where you’re putting up a deposit of 40% of the price, you’ll have more options for cheap deals than on, say, a 90% LTV mortgage.
The post How to improve your credit score for a mortgage appeared first on Ideal Home.
What’s on the top of your Christmas tree? Whether you stick to tradition with angels and stars or go for modern and novelty options, no tree is complete without a fabulous finishing touch.
There are truly no limits when it comes to Christmas tree topper ideas — in fact, we’ve seen some weird and wonderful ones lately. But, we can reveal that the star has officially been crowned the best.
Image credit: Dobbies
Christmas trends come and go, but the star of Bethlehem is a classic decoration. When Ideal Home readers were asked what the ultimate Christmas tree topper was, an overwhelming majority (75%) said ‘star.’
Angel fans, fear not. 21% voted ‘angel’, and around 4% said that they thought a bow was the best option. Interestingly, Squires Garden Centres had a similar response when it ran its own survey on the most popular item to put on top of the tree.
Almost half (46%) voted for the star in the Squires survey, and the second most popular topper was the angel (27%). In third place was a fairy, chosen by 18% of people.
Image credit: Gisela Graham London
A small number of people broke with tradition and went with something entirely different. Hearts, unicorns, animals, and feathers are among the more unconventional Christmas tree ideas out there.
Over the past week, people have been googling everything from Star Wars tree toppers to Santa toppers. Others are looking for lightweight options that won’t weigh things down or cause any accidents if they were to fall.
That said, star Christmas tree toppers have a much higher level of search on Google year after year, compared with angels.
Image credit: Cox & Cox
We’re loving this snowflake option from Cox & Cox, with its classic and elegant design. Nowadays there are endless Christmas tree topper options on Amazon. You can get funny Christmas toppers, gonks, dinosaurs… And ones that light up.
Putting the star upon the tree is a special moment that signals that Christmas has begun, and it seems that despite the fact you can get anything and everything, this is one festive tradition we’ll be sticking to every year.
The post The most popular Christmas tree topper has been revealed appeared first on Ideal Home.
