If you’re looking for a hardy plant to see you through the year, consider the beautiful Christmas cactus. The perfect plant for both summer and winter, with a little know-how, it’s relatively easy to take care of and can last for years.

Of course we appreciate that gardening may not be top of anyone’s tasks this winter, but indoor plants can still thrive indoors – making Christmas cactus care easy to maintain.

While it has absolutely nothing to do with the nativity or the festivities, the Christmas Cactus is perfect for this time of year as it can handle the warmer indoor temperatures. As with most other cacti it’s a particularly good option if you have the tendency to kill off anything green in your home.

Christmas Cactus care guide

The Christmas Cactus takes its name from the fact that it usually flowers in wintertime, giving your home a splash of colour when most plants are without. They also add a touch of greenery to your indoor decor, mirroring any similar festive outdoor Christmas decorating ideas that you may have introduced to your garden or patio.

Image credit : Alamy Stock Photo

Just as you might want to know how to care for a poinsettia at this time of year, Christmas cacti have a few specific must-haves to ensure that they thrive.

Firstly, it’s worth knowing that Christmas cacti love the warmth. As they originally hail from rainforests, they naturally thrive in humid environments like bathrooms and kitchens. So while they need to be protected from frost in winter, they can be moved outdoors during the summer months.

Chris Bonnett from GardeningExpress.co.uk says: ‘There are some fantastically festive plants and flowers which are easy to care for during the chillier months and will add the spirit of Christmas to any room.’ He is of course talking about  on-trend Christmas cacti.

‘Many of these blooms also make for beautiful presents, so are worth bearing in mind when buying for green-fingered friends or family members.’

Also called Schlumbergera, the Christmas Cactus tends to flower between late November and January with blooms varying from white to pink to red. Its leaves are rounded with a scalloped appearance, visually similar to that of holly, but thicker and smoother like those of a succulent plant.

Where to put your Christmas Cactus

Image credit : Alamy Stock Photo

They love bright spots, but not in direct light as the leaves can get scorched and shrivel up. They are happiest living in temperatures between 18-20°C, so in wintertime they’re best indoors in snug plant pots.

‘Whilst these varieties are easy to care for, they can be pretty picky with heat and light,’ warns Chris Bonnett from GardeningExpress.co.uk. ‘A windowsill might seem like a good idea, but the temperature really fluctuates in front of the glass in the winter, especially if there’s a radiator underneath.’

‘Avoid draughts and hot spots near radiators or fires too. Instead, display them somewhere that’s bright yet maintains a steady temperature.’

Or if you’re looking for some alternative indoor Christmas hanging basket ideas, you could have it cascading from a suspended planter. As mentioned, it’s a good idea to move them outdoors in the summertime as this is when the plant does most of its growing.

Christmas cactus – common problems and how to fix them

Image credit : Alamy Stock Photo

• Shrivelling or scorching – This usually happens when you’ve placed your plant in direct light. A Christmas cactus prefers a bright, shaded spot. Shrivelling can also happen if you have over (or underwatered) your plant. To ensure you don’t overwater, check that drainage holes are open and try changing the soil to a grittier mix to help the water drain through easily.
• Dropping buds  – If you tend to be in and out of the house often in wintertime, turning your heating on and off often, this can sometimes affect the flower buds on a Christmas cactus. Repeated fluctuations in temperature can result in them dropping off before they reach their full potential. Keep the plant in a warm spot to avoid this occurring.
• Lack of growth – Christmas cacti are fast growers. If your plant is stalling and isn’t producing any new leaves or buds, it could be that it’s in the wrong pot. These plants don’t like large pots and planters, they prefer a more snug fit.

Where to buy a Christmas cactus

Image credit : Future Plc

Head to your nearest garden centre to find Christmas cacti at this time of year, or try a super pretty pre-potted version from Waitrose or a pot-free white flowering cactus from Crocus.

Make a Christmas cacti feel all the more festive by carefully decorating with a set of miniature baubles.

The post Christmas Cactus care – guide to caring for Schlumbergera plants appeared first on Ideal Home.

Switching on the Christmas lights is the signal that the festive season is finally here. Whether you go big with full-on ‘Blackpool-style’ illuminations or keep it subtle with just a few twinkling fairy lights on the porch, decking your house and garden with lights is a wonderful way to make it look magical

Give the outside of your home a magical festive glow with our festive lighting ideas, for decorating outdoor trees, porches and more. From simple candle clusters to festoons of twinkling fairy lights lights can make an impact for all outdoor Christmas decor ideas.

Outdoor Christmas lighting ideas

‘Getting creative with Christmas lights has become a big thing,’ says Jason Billings-Gray, Christmas Buyer at John Lewis. ‘Often many months in the planning, the best of these lightfests become destinations in their own right – somewhere to visit when you’ve ticked Santa’s Grotto off the list!’

‘Most modern outdoor lighting uses LED bulbs which are super-efficient and long-lasting,’ adds Jason. ‘Strings and ropes of outdoor lights come supplied with a transformer that plugs into an indoor or outdoor socket so you can safely use them indoors and out.’

‘Smaller decorations such as wreaths and mini trees are battery-powered, making them suitable for sheltered locations only but still perfect for adding a little twinkle and festive cheer to a porch or doorway.’

1. Make an entrance

Image credit: John Lewis

Go all-out with festive lighting to make the exterior of your house look magical. Festoon the porch with swags of twinkling fairy lights and floor-standing lanterns clustered in groups. Then get into the spirit of Christmas with a fun, statement piece. A majestic Stag stood proudly on the porch or a pair of deer nestled by the door will look suitably festive without being too kitsch.

‘Outdoor lights will add a warm welcome glow to any outdoor space but you can also use them to benefit your interior too, particularly rooms with big windows or glass doors,’ says Jason.

‘Large expanses of glass tend to turn into black holes by night, losing that wonderful sense of space enjoyed during the day. Lighting up the garden extends that view with a little extra magic from the sparkle.’

2. Light the way inside

Image credit: Dunelm

Set the scene with a thoughtful Christmas door decor idea. The entrance of the house is a key area to focus on, with the front door as your focal point. Hanging festoon lights above a porch or wiring twinkling fairy lights into greenery is a lovely way of framing a door and will make sure the area is fully visible at night.

Bring in extra floor-standing lights and lanterns clustered either side of the door to provide an extra layer of lighting at ground level, which will help you navigate safely inside on dark and frosty evenings. Put lights on timers so that they will go off automatically at a chosen time.

3. Make the door sparkle

Image credit: Future PLC/ Rachel Whiting

Upgrade a regular festive door wreath for a light-up version that will make the door look extra magical. Create a similar effect with an existing or DIY homemade Christmas wreath by wiring in your own set of micro lights.

Mini LED bulbs easily thread into the greenery so that the wreath will twinkle brightly after dark.Just tuck them into the greenery, making sure that none of the wire is visible, and hide the battery pack at the back.

4. Double up with festoon strings

Image credit: Garden Trading

Classic festoon lights are always a winner, either front of house or strung from trees in the back garden. For ease, attach lights around door frames, windows and guttering using adhesive hooks and gutter clips rather than drilling into brickwork and masonry.

For outdoor Christmas lights, choose between mains-powered (if you have an outdoor power supply or weatherproof extension lead) or battery-powered if you don’t have access to a power source and want to avoid trailing cables.

5. Try an all-in-one tree

Image credit: Cox & Cox

Forget fiddly cables and invest in a pre-lit outdoor tree to save yourself the hassle of untangling lights and struggling with the spacing. Mini trees are perfectly-sized for a porch or look smart either side of a doorway and won’t obstruct the way in if space is tight.

Most mini pre-lit trees are battery operated and come with LED bulbs as standard. A timer function allows you to set the lights to come on at the same time each evening, usually for six hours.

6. Create a cosy social space outside

Image credit: The White Company

Outdoor gatherings were the norm last Christmas, so make sure your outdoor space is prepped this year with a cosily-lit seating area. Twinkling fairy lights wired into fir trees and greenery will provide a sociable background ambience.

Then bring in extra lanterns and candle votives for more focused lighting, positioned on table tops and at floor level to create a warm, inviting glow. Go one step further for festive entertaining by creating a Santa’s Grotto in your garden – with lighting, decorations and fun games.

7. Illuminate an outdoor dining area

Image credit: Cotswold Co

Add extra sparkle when partying outdoors by positioning a large mirror to act as a backdrop. Outdoor mirrors help to bounce light around, so will reflect the glow from fairy lights and candle lanterns, doubling-up the effect and creating a relaxed and cosy atmosphere.

8. Light up trees and foliage

Image credit: Dobbies

Bring the back garden to life so you have a magical view to look out over on dark winter evenings. Use lights to showcase garden buildings such as summerhouses, pergolas and arches or make a decorative feature of trees, shrubs and bushes.

Choose a tree that will create a natural focal point in your outdoor space, one with an interesting form or an elegant arrangement of branches. Use rope lights or fairy strings to wrap around the trunk of the tree, continuing onto the most prominent branches. Space strings evenly for a uniform look.

9. Give windows extra sparkle

Image credit: Lights4fun

Co-ordinate indoor and outdoor lighting for a cohesive Christmas scheme. A set of window lights is a great way of supplementing exterior lighting, especially if you match the colouring for both, such as all warm white bulbs or all cool white.

Use window curtain lights for super-easy fixing. They can be attached to the interior window frame with trailing strings of lights that hang down to illuminate the window both indoors and out.

10. Lead the way with path lighting

Image credit: Sparkle Lighting

While outdoor lighting looks wonderfully festive at Christmas time, use it to serve a purpose by making sure pathways and steps are safely lit at night time.

Solar-powered lighting is the easiest option and won’t require any specialist installation. Try staking individual lights into the ground to illuminate a path or add directional spots to highlight key planting.

11. Create a DIY light installation

Image credit: Poundland

Make an easy upcycled lighting feature for a front porch or sheltered area in the garden. Try repurposing an old stepladder or use a large twiggy branch from the garden if it’s large enough to decorate. Simply prop against a wall and coil sets of fairy lights around the rungs or branches.

12. Bring some festive magic

Image credit: Poundland

Give your outdoor space the ‘ahh’ factor with a few whimsical woodland figures dotted around garden pathways or nestled in amongst the greenery. Woven wirework animals and rattan figures pre-lit with fairy lights will add a rustic flavour and create a magical mood lit up in the garden after dark.

13. Light up potted bay trees by the front door

Image credits: Future PLC

Use the foliage beside the front door to welcome a simple solution. Decorate a bay tree by your front door with simple fairy lights for a pretty front garden and a warm welcome.

How can I make my outdoor Christmas lights look professional?

‘For a more contemporary approach to roof lighting, a super quick choice are festoon lights,’ says Amy Mason, Director of Product, Lights4fun. ‘With extendable lengths you can easily estimate how many you’ll need by pacing the ground below the roof line.’

‘Opt for a larger bulb spacing (gap between each light) as they’re easy to hang and give an inviting glow to your home without being too crowded. Best suited hung above eye level, they’re the ideal on-trend Christmas light that you can leave up all year round too.’

How do I light up my house for Christmas?

‘The house can also be included in your Christmas lighting scheme,’ adds Amy Mason, Director of Product, Lights4fun. ‘Single story rooflines with Christmas icicle lights can be framed perfectly with a festive window lighting display to make an enchanting approach to your home.’

‘Clustering freestanding festive figures with a similar tone to your roof lights allows you to take your lighting display further onto the ground itself and prevents disconnection between lights on your house and those already in your garden.’

Whether you want to set the scene for an intimate atmosphere, light the way for your guests, or simply to create a starry silhouette to twinkle in the nights skies, we have all your lighting needs sorted.

The post Outdoor Christmas lighting ideas to illuminate your garden appeared first on Ideal Home.

Kitchens are the hub of the home for many of us, but the tricky thing when it comes to kitchen shelving, is that we want it to look amazing, but it needs to be practical too.

Kitchen storage ideas can come in many more forms other than your traditional wall cupboards and cabinets, and sometimes it just takes a bit of imagination to spark a great idea or solution.

Open shelving is a great option if you are the proud owner of an impressive crockery collection, or are a keen cook who appreciates having ingredients close at hand. Having everything on display, however, is not for the faint-hearted as it requires a certain amount of dedication to keep shelves looking smart.

Kitchen shelving ideas to inspire

While traditional base and wall cupboards provide a clean and classic look, open shelving gives an opportunity to add character to the room and display things than mean something to you and your family.

But think about different ways to execute this look and work out which style will best fit your home and how you use your kitchen.

Be inspired by these kitchen shelving ideas, for some seriously stylish storage…

1.  Create a bespoke design with copper piping

Image credit: Future PLC

This clever homeowner has combined their wooden kitchen shelves with some bespoke lighting using just a length of humble copper piping. Rather than hide the fact they’ve used a fairly basic building material to support their open shelving, they’ve embraced the look to make a feature, even wiring in light fittings to create some wow factor on their walls.

Although you’d need an electrician to help with the lighting, making copper pipe shelving is a top tip for any industrial-style kitchen.

2. Keep dried goods out in the open

Image credit: Garden Trading

If you’re a keen baker or chef and love nothing more than whipping up a showstopper for family and friends, then opt to keep your cooking and baking ingredients in glass jars and canisters. Displayed these on open shelving creates a stylish kitchen pantry idea.

Not only do they look much more pleasing than when in their packaging, it means they are all easily at hand for when you need them, plus you can keep on top of what you might be running low on, so you’re never caught short mid bake.

3. Add mirrored panels to boost the sense of space

Image credit: Future PLC

These glass shelves have been hung over a mirrored panel backing, which makes the kitchen space seem huge. Using just a simple baton of wood to support each shelf gives a fuss-free look and allows the items on each shelf to really do the talking.

Displaying mostly glassware is a clever trick too as more natural light is able to pass through them adding to the light and airy feel of the kitchen. The coastal feel is enhanced with the use of aqua blue accessories and seaside signs.

4. Make it monochrome

Image credit: Future PLC

Keeping to a cohesive colour palette is one way to ensure your kitchen stays stylish and doesn’t look too chaotic. With simple grey walls, black wire shelving for cook books and cookery magazines and white shelving with black brackets, this homeowner has then chosen all her crockery and storage tins in the same monochrome palette too.

The patterned tiles add interest but don’t become too overbearing as they are still within the same two colours and allows the herb pot to really pop against them.

5. Work in some Japandi style

Image credit: Cult Furniture

Combining both Japanese and Scandinavian styles, the Japandi trend is one that is still big on the interiors scene. With its simple lines and shapes, plus strong use of black, opting for a smaller sized kitchen shelf, makes for a more considered display of your most treasured or most-used items.

Making the most of the wall height rather than width is also a savvy idea if you’re short on space in your own kitchen, and ribbed glass storage jars play perfectly to the Japandi style.

6. Use shelving to trim a splashback

Image credit: Future PLC

Butting up a wooden shelf against the top of this marble splashback has created a clean divide along the wall of the minimally dressed kitchen. The long floating-style shelf perfectly trims the hard marble and creates a place to display art work, plants and neatly stacked dinnerware.

Although there is space for another shelf above it, the homeowner has decided to keep things simple and let the simplicity of the design become a feature. It has also meant a wall light can be hung which will create a cosy glow above the worktop come evening.

7. Get organised

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Brittain

Decanting your cooking supplies into neat matching jars yields a certain amount of satisfaction, and makes it easy to spot if you are running low of any ingredients.

As well as keeping your shelves looking tidy, your dry goods will also be kept airtight. This type of shelving does require some dusting, but we think the styling benefits are worth the extra bit of effort.

8. Team with your worktops

Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Bradbury

If you’ve chosen a beautiful timber for your worktops (and wall tiles that complement them), use the same timber for your shelves as it will create a balanced look.

Chocolate brown and duck egg blue is always a winning combo. If you’re opting for coloured tiles, think about what you’ll want to put on the shelves. Here the crockery and other items have been carefully selected to echo the tones of the timber and tiles.

9. Ditch the doors

Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

Rather than open shelves, an open wall cabinet has a smarter appeal, as the joinery will be in the same style as the rest of your kitchen, but it still allows you to have your finest mugs, tea pot or whatever else you use most to hand.

10. Use every nook and cranny

Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

Be imaginative with small spaces. A shallow wall or narrow gap is an opportunity for some clever storage. It may mean a bespoke option rather than an ‘off-the-shelf’ number but any carpenter or handy-person worth their salt should be able to make shelves to fit.

11. Go with wall-to-wall shelving

Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

Turn storage into a stylish feature with a wall-to-wall shelving system. In this instance the timber has subtle grey tones in the grain that tie in perfectly with the cabinetry.

12. Consider the island for storage

Image credit: Future PLC

Shelving isn’t just for walls. Filling one side of an island with open shelves in the same material as wall cabinets is a great way to bring colour and interest to your kitchen scheme.

13. Use reclaimed wood

Image credit: Future PLC/Lizzie Orme

For a country-style kitchen, modern shelving may look out of place. Why not have a shelf built from reclaimed wood to add instant character and provide the perfect ledge for your rustic bowls and utensils? This country kitchen idea suits both rural and urban settings.

14. Keep it simple

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles

Break up a bank of units with simple shelving in the same colour as your cabinets. Brackets in the same material as your flooring and kitchen worktops will create a calm feel that’s easy on the eye.

15. Go modular

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles

A vintage work bench makes a great alternative for kitchen storage. To keep it looking neat, use a row of boxes to store different things, like baking utensils and equipment, so you can easily find them when you need them.

16. The finishing touch

Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore

Storage isn’t an issue in this kitchen but the wire wall rack provides the perfect finishing touch. Its dark metal tones pick up with the slate flooring and grey patterned wall tiles, as well as offering a space for tea and coffee storage.

17. Blend with your cabinetry

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles

Shelves in the same shade as your cabinets have a uniformity that will appeal to those who like things to look smart and ship shape. The subtle grey backdrop shown here offers endless opportunities for arranging shelfies (if that’s how you like to spend your time – no judgement).

18. Create a collector’s corner

Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

If you love collecting things such as vintage jars, pretty vases or colourful crockery, why hide them away in a cupboard? Make a space where you can enjoy seeing them every day.

19. Choose a dresser

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Brittain

If you love the look of a traditional welsh dresser, but don’t have the room, why not wall-mount just the top section of a unit? Paint the dresser top in the same colour as your kitchen cabinets, and use it to display mugs, glasses, and plates.

20. Create a display

Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

Add a high shelf above a splashback to display artwork, as well as attractive tins, jars, and food packaging. Shelf space doesn’t have to be purely practical; here kitchen-themed framed prints add personality to the room. Re-use pretty tins as utensil holders, and old glass bottles as bud vases.

21. Make the most of an unused corner

Image credit: Future PLC/ Lizzie Orme

Corners in kitchens should never be ignored. They provide a sneaky space for storage and are a great place to display cookbooks, enamel crockery and copper accents, as seen here. Make use of even the slimmest spaces by installing shelves that fit snug between two walls.

22. Have it made to measure

Image credit: Future PLC/ Jason Ingram

Make use of the width of a whole wall with bespoke shelves like this design, which mixes display shelves with cubbies, so you can show off decorative items and hide away everyday mess, too. Plus, with a bespoke design, it’s easy to coordinate it to the style of the room with small details such as wood coving or trims, or help it blend into the wall by using a uniform colour.

23. Factor in standalone shelving

Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore

A bookcase or storage unit can now come in an assortment of sizes, materials and colours or even be customised to fit with your own decoration. It is an invaluable piece of furniture and it can be used in any room of the house. To create a little more interest on your wall look for asymmetrical designs and for trickier spaces there are many narrower options available, perfect for popping between two windows. Don’t feel compelled to just use them for books, they make the perfect display cabinet too.

Is open shelving in a kitchen a good idea?

Open shelving in a kitchen is highly effective,  in more ways than one. As Tom Howley, Design Director of Tom Howley kitchens explains: ‘Having items that you use every day on display is a great time saver. You go straight to the things you need’.

‘It also deters the clutter that might build if you keep your items closed away behind cupboard doors. It’s sometimes too easy to stack paperwork in the same space as your breakfast bowls. You won’t do that if the world can see what you’re up to so it does promote a level of organisation too. Organised kitchen cabinets make meal planning and grocery shopping easier because everything has a place and you can see at a glance what you need to use up, or stock up on.’

Open shelving is a great option if you are the proud owner of an impressive crockery collection, or are a keen cook who appreciates having ingredients close at hand. Having everything on display, however, is not for the faint-hearted as it requires a certain amount of dedication to keep shelves looking smart.

Kitchens with rows of base and wall cabinets provide the ample storage that most of us need but it’s the open shelving that gives our kitchens character.

Those shelves are where we display the items we use most often or the pieces we love the most, like the dog-eared cookbooks with our favourite recipes or a cherished casserole dish passed down from a grandparent. The items we have on display gives a glimpse into our habits and our lives, so it’s worth giving some thought to what to we keep out and what we put away.

The post Kitchen shelving ideas – for imaginative display and storage space appeared first on Ideal Home.

Black Friday sofa deals are landing early this year, with many big-name retailers already launching their Black Friday sofa sales and offering some hefty discounts on sofa beds and seating, which is great news if you’re in the market for one of these big-ticket items of furniture.

To save you some legwork, we’ve rounded up the best Black Friday sofa sales on the Ideal Home team’s radar, along with keeping a running tally of all the interior decor sales worth knowing about in our Black Friday deals and Black Friday furniture deals hub.

Of course, a deal is only good value if it really works for you, so before we all get too starry-eyed over big discounts and swoon-worthy upholstery, we’d recommend checking out our guides to the best sofas and best sofa beds for a round-up of our tried and tested favourites, plus, some buying advice. After all, when it comes to seating, comfort is as big a consideration as price.

Once you’re ready to shop, come back on here to find the best sofa deals available this month.

Black Friday sofa deals 2021: the sofa sales live now

Our A-Z of the Black Friday sofa deals and Black Friday sofa bed deals you’ll want on your radar.

Barker and Stonehouse | SALE NOW LIVE
There’s up to 20% off Barker and Stonehouse’s wide selection of sofa and sofa beds right now, including savings on leather Chesterfields, stylish velvet seating, and contemporary fabric 2 and 3-seaters.

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Darlings of Chelsea | SALE NOW LIVE
One of the first sofa specialists to go big on Black Friday discounting, Darlings of Chelsea has up to 70% off sofas, sofa beds, and seating from the 10th to the 30th of November 2021.

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Furniture Choice | SALE NOW LIVE
Home to a wide range of furniture styles at relatively affordable price points, Furniture Choice’s prices have just got even better with the start of the brand’s up to 40% off Black Friday sale.

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Furniture Village | SALE NOW LIVE
The brand’s official Black Friday sale has now launched, with up to 50% off selected sofas and sofa beds creating some deals that are well worth shopping.

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Furniture123 | SALE NOW LIVE
The brand’s Black Friday sale is already live with up to 40% off sofas and sofa beds, including 2-seater, 3-seater, chaise, and corner sofa options.

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Oak furnitureland | SALE NOW LIVE
Getting in on the sale action early, Oak furnitureland has already launched its Black Friday sales, with up to 20% off living room furniture – much of which can also be delivered well before Christmas – including a wide selection of sofas.

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OnBuy.com | SALE NOW LIVE
OnBuy offers products from thousands of retailers under one online roof, and November will see a different selection of deals hit down each week. This week it’s home and lifestyle, which means selected furniture at up to 30% off, including some extremely cheap sofas and sofa beds from as little as £95.99.

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ScS | SALE NOW LIVE
Sofa prices are always low over at ScS, but at the moment you can nab even more of a bargain with up to 50% off a wide selection of sofa styles, from crushed velvet 3-seaters to leather recliners.

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Sofa.com | SALE NOW LIVE
The Holly sofa from Sofa.com is one of our top picks for both style, comfort, and affordability (read more in our guide to the best sofas), and it now has a saving of £150 in Sofa.com’s up to 15% off Black Friday sale. Race you to the checkout.

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Wayfair | SALE NOW LIVE
You can pretty much be guaranteed to find some kind of sale action happening on Wayfair, and this month is no exception with some big discounts on sofas and sofa beds, along with all other types of indoor (and outdoor) furniture.

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The best Black Friday sofa deals: the Ideal Home edit

Looking to update your living room? You can be sitting pretty for less with our edit of the best Black Friday sofa deals.

Prices from low to high:

Joni 3-seater sofa | £599 £395 at ScS
If affordable is the name of the game then you can’t get a lot cheaper than this sofa offering from ScS. The versatile design will work in a classic or contemporary home and it’s available in 4 neutral colourways.

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Nebraska sofa | From £849 £649 at oak Furnitureland
Small but perfectly formed the 2-seater Nebraska sofa is also available in a whole host of larger options, from classic 3-seater to chaise sofa, corner sofa, and even a sofa bed. Plus, it’s currently part of Oak Furnitureland’s up to 20% off sale.

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Jack sofa | £1119 £599 at Sofa.com
A part of Sofa.com’s collaboration with British fashion brand Jack Wills, the Jack sofa is a stylish mix of mid-Century modern and contemporary design, and – with up to 50% off in the brand’s Black Friday sale – it’s currently a very good deal.

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Holly sofa | From £1000 £850 at Sofa.com
One of the top buys in our guide to the best sofas, the Holly sofa is comfortable, stylish and affordable, and even more so with 15% off in Sofa.com’s Black Friday sale. The compact design also comes in a huge range of sizes and colour options, with multiple grey fabric options alongside colour-popping velvets.

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Brondby corner sofa | £1469 £1099 at Furniture Village
Available in fabric or leather upholstery, the compact Brondby corner sofa is ideal for smaller homes, offering spacious seating without taking up too much floor space. Match with the coordinating footstool to gain some useful hidden storage, plus extra seating.

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Odyssey large split sofa | £1945 £1649 at Barker and Stonehouse
Deep feather and foam-filled cushions make this spacious sofa the ideal place to snuggle up. Choose from ten shades, including the sea-green Atlantic, dusky Rose or neutral Marble and Latte.

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The best Black Friday sofa bed deals: the Ideal Home edit

Want multifunctional? Host guests without the need for a dedicated guest bedroom with our top picks from the Black Friday sofa bed sales.

Prices from low to high:

Mimi 3-seater sofa bed | From £899 £849 at Furniture Village
The Mimi 3-seater sofa bed from Furniture Village was already a good price, and now even better in the Black Friday sale. Available in 3 neutral shades of fabric upholstery, the 6cm pull-out mattress may not be the deepest we’ve come across, but if budget is key then this is an affordable option to consider.

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Weymouth sofa bed | From £1552 £1009 at Darlings of Chelsea
Now with over £500 worth of savings and available in loveseat, 2-seater or 3-seater sofa bed, along with matching non-sleeper sofas of the same size, the Weymouth’s curved scrollback arms add refined elegance to an interior. A 12cm deep pull-out mattress offers enhanced comfort for your guests.

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Esprit chaise sofa bed with storage | £1299 £1099 at Furniture Village
Chaise sofa beds can be hard to track down, but if you want a little extra legroom (plus the useful hidden storage that often comes in the chaise section) then they make a multifunctional solution for the living room. This pull-out option from Furniture Village has a 6cm deep mattress and is available in 3 neutral fabrics.

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Bluebell sofa bed | From £1535 £1305 at Sofa.com
If you’re looking for classic design then Sofa.com offers elegant sofa beds in a whole range of timeless upholstery options, from woven neutrals to colour-popping velvets. The Bluebell sofa bed is a bestseller for a reason, read more in our round-up of the best sofa beds you can buy.

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Nicoletti Alcova leather sofa bed | From £2605 £1895
Looking for a leather sofa bed? This Italian-made sofa bed from Furniture Village with its contemporary slim arms and 13cm deep pull-out mattress could well fit the bill. Available in stone, black, white, and chocolate brown, all with some very decent discounts, it’s a smart solution for the lounge or home office.

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A-Z of Black Friday sofa sales we predict will launch soon

There are no sales live yet, but based on previous years we think these stores are likely to offer some good Black Friday sofa discounts.

We’ll be keeping this page updated as more sales go live, so if you have your eye on a particular piece you might want to bookmark this page to stay in the know.

Argos | Predicted start date: Friday 26th November
Already home to all types of affordable furniture, Argos’ Black Friday deals usually see some extra good prices on both sofas and sofa beds. This year the retailer is also home to the super-stylish Habitat furniture collection, so we should see some contemporary seating added to the mix.

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Dreams | Predicted start date: Friday 26th November
Although it specialised in all things bedroom, Dreams also offers a good selection of reasonably priced sofa beds, including our favourite, the Galway sofa bed for a RRP of £899. Will it go in the Black Friday sale? We’re hoping so.

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Dunelm | Predicted start date: Friday 26th November
Dunelm is always a good place to find low-priced yet on-trend furniture, and the brand usually delivers some good offers come sale time. We’re keeping our eyes peeled to see when Black Friday deals might hit down…

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John Lewis | Predicted start date: Friday 26th November
John Lewis doesn’t always take part in Black Friday discounting, however, it does offer a price matching service if you find a product it stocks cheaper elsewhere. Will this be the year the high street favourite joins in the Black Friday price-slashing? Watch this space.

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MADE | Predicted start date: Friday 26th November
Offering designer look furniture at high street prices, MADE is a good option for contemporary sofas and sofa beds that won’t break the bank. There’s no Black Friday sale yet, but we’re pretty confident there’ll be one in the pipeline. In the meantime the brand’s clearance sale is a good place to shop for a bargain.

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Snug | Predicted start date: Friday 26th November
If you’re hoping to score a Black Friday sofa bargain and get delivery in time for Christmas, then one of the sofa-in-a-box brands is likely your best bet. Snug offers next-day delivery on all of its sofas and sofa beds, so it’s just a matter of holding our nerve until the sales start…

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What is Black Friday?

Often hailed as the biggest shopping day of the year, Black Friday happens on the last Friday of November, which this year means Black Friday falls on Friday 26th November 2021.

The term Black Friday originated in the US to denote the first day following Thanksgiving when retailers would cut prices to draw holidaymakers to shop their store’s sales. Driven by global brands, the price-slashing event soon crossed the pond, and now Black Friday – closely followed by Cyber Monday – has become one of the UK’s biggest sale extravaganzas.

The event has also spread to encompass more than one day, with many retailers starting their ‘Black Friday’ events earlier and earlier to try to get ahead of the competition.

Although it’s always wise not to be too influenced by sale marketing – after all, it’s not really a bargain if you don’t need it, however good the reduction is! – Black Friday can still offer a great opportunity to snap up some big-ticket items for the house.

As well as keeping an eye on the best Black Friday sofa deals here, you might also want to browse our guides to the best Black Friday furniture deals and Black Friday bedding deals to save some more hard-earned cash whilst investing in your home.

Want a sofa in a hurry? If getting a sofa delivered before the festivities kick-off is more important than a discount, here’s where to buy a sofa in time for Christmas

 

The post Black Friday sofa deals live now: the top sofa and sofa bed sales appeared first on Ideal Home.