After converting the loft to create more space and renovating the family bathroom, the owner of this three-bedroom apartment in North London turned her attention to the kitchen. She wanted to to improve the kitchen and dining spaces to accommodate a growing family.

‘The original layout of our kitchen didn’t work for a couple of reasons,’ says the owner. ‘It was originally two rooms – the kitchen had a doorway leading through to a separate, small annexe by the garden. Which we called the summer room as it was just too cold to use during the winter.’

‘This small annexe space was pretty redundant as we only used it for drying the laundry and for access to the garden.

The kitchen itself was far too cramped for all five of us to sit and eat together. There was barely enough room for a table, and having friends over was a fiasco!’

She wanted to create one kitchen and dining area by combining the two rooms. Extending the property wasn’t an option, so she had to make the most of the space she already had, which meant a lot of thought went into the new kitchen idea.

Family-friendly kitchen makeover

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles

The owner toyed with the idea of two-tone Shaker-style units, before deciding that a more clean, contemporary line would be better for the space. She chose Beckermann units from the Estrada range in two shades of grey gloss laminate.

Speaking of her grey kitchen idea the owner explains, ‘The bank of light grey units helps make the room feel lighter and larger, and separates the storage zone from the cooking hub.’

Grey kitchen units

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles

One of the last decisions before ordering the kitchen was to include a kitchen island idea in the new design. ‘We felt that the room would look too empty without one, but the kitchen supplier didn’t think that there was enough space.’

‘We decided to reduce the size of the island so it wouldn’t impact the room too much. We’re so pleased that we opted for this simple solution – it has made the kitchen very practical and has given us extra storage space.’

Streamlined kitchen storage

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles

The owner saved money by reusing some of the original kitchen appliances such as the oven, fridge freezer and even the pull-out tap.

Colourful kitchen splashback

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles

This kitchen mixes rustic textures like brick and wood to soften the look of a modern kitchen. Exposed areas of brick wall add texture, colour and interest. A colourful glass kitchen splashback idea adds a fun touch.

Family dining space

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles

The owner wanted a bright and spacious eating area so that the family of five could sit and enjoy mealtimes all together. She also wanted a garden view.

‘We’re ecstatic with what we’ve achieved. The kitchen has now become the heart of our home, and it’s wonderful having the view of the garden from the dining table. There really isn’t anything at all that we’d change!’

The post Before and after: reworking the layout creates a kitchen-diner fit for family life appeared first on Ideal Home.

A walk-in wardrobe may be desirable, but let’s face it, these bespoke storage spaces don’t always come cheap. There’s a reason why they’re a celebrity favourite. However, with a trip to IKEA and a little hard work you can save a fortune building one.

That is just what Megan Righelato from Essex did when she updated her bedroom and wardrobe area. If you’re short of bedroom ideas or have been stuck on wardrobe storage ideas, then this makeover is a lesson in great planning and creative thinking.

Having moved into the house she shares with her boyfriend in October 2020, Megan was keen to turn her bedroom into a soothing sleep space with the walk-in wardrobe of her dreams.

IKEA Pax walk-in wardrobe makeover

Bedroom before

Image credit: @megsathome

Beige walls and carpet, curtain-free windows and lots of scuff marks meant the bedroom in Megan’s new home was in desperate need of a makeover.

‘We’re having to budget as we’re renovating the whole house and adding an extension downstairs next year,’ Megan told online retailer MattressNextDay.

‘We spent approximately £1,000 building our walk-in wardrobe and renovating the bedroom. Keeping costs low by doing everything ourselves, as paying for labour is usually the biggest expense.’

Image credit: @megsathome

On the other side of the room, a small mirrored wardrobe just didn’t live up to Megan’s dream of a large clothing closet. She began to think about how she could use the space better. With the average cost of a labourer around £200 per day, it would likely have cost Megan about £800 in labour. However, she was determined to do the work herself.

‘As we both work full-time we could only dedicate our weekends to working on it,’ she says. ‘It took about six weekends in total.’

Glam bedroom after

Image credit: @megsathome

Fast forward to now and you wouldn’t recognise it as the same room. Gone are the plain walls and dreary decor. Now a smart bed, wall panelling and beautiful lighting combine to create a stylish hotel feel.

‘We wanted to go for a calming vibe, so we kept the tones neutral,’ Megan explains. ‘However, we used black accents to add more modern touches throughout the room, such as the black sockets and the statement chandelier overhead.’

Image credit: @megsathome

On to the walk-in wardrobe idea, which Megan made after watching YouTube videos. Large enough to store all her clothes and shoes neatly, the wardrobe area looks much more expensive than it is.

The bespoke space is filled with plenty of drawers and rails, a small dressing table area and vinyl herringbone-effect flooring.

‘It was a bit of a nightmare to get our heads around, but with the help of YouTube we ended up mastering it,’ she says.

‘By the end, I realised that it’s important not to be afraid to make mistakes and realise that it always gets worse before it gets better. We got to a point where it felt like it was never-ending, but we are so pleased with the result.’

Image credit: @megsathome

Another way that Megan saved money was by buying cheaper (but good quality) wardrobes and finding ways to make them look more bespoke.

‘We purchased IKEA’s Pax wardrobe units for around £600, but added beading to the drawers to match the more traditional style of our bedroom, such as the panelling,’ she says. ‘We then painted them in Crown’s Satin White and added cup-shaped handles to the wardrobes to make them look more expensive.’

Megan’s done an amazing job and it’s a space to be proud of. You can see more of Megan’s home on her Instagram account @megsathome.

Has this inspired you to create your own walk-in wardrobe?

The post DIY-er saved £800 on glamorous bedroom makeover with a smart IKEA Pax walk-in wardrobe appeared first on Ideal Home.

Conservatories offer that sweet spot between indoors and outdoors, a glass extension that fills a room with natural light. But what happens once the sun goes down and you want to use the extra living space? You look for smart conservatory lighting ideas to be able to use the space at any time of the day, that’s what.

For a room that is naturally filled with light during the day it can be difficult to get the right balance for lighting to make the glass space useable for all hours throughout the day, no matter the season.

Conservatory lighting ideas

‘The beauty of a glazed extension is the natural light that permeates the room below’ says Karen Bell, Creative Director at David Salisbury. ‘A glass roof will of course illuminate a space and significantly reduce the need for artificial lighting during daylight hours, but come evening time you’ll want to think about additional lighting options which complement your room.’

‘Essentially, there are a number of possibilities, and combinations when it comes to lighting your conservatory. The key is to consider this early on in your plans, and talk it through with your designer – if not you’ll be left with cumbersome wires and plug sockets that will hamper the aesthetics of your new extension.’

Consider these lighting ideas for your conservatory idea.

1. Create a focal point

Image credit: Future PLC

‘If your conservatory is simply somewhere to relax and unwind with friends or family, then you may consider a statement feature light such as a chandelier or pendant lighting’ suggests says Karen Bell, Creative Director at David Salisbury. The statement overhead light, ‘can create a warm glow and real focal point to your room.’

2. Utilise walls for light placement

Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

A foundation wall provides the most practical solution to run electrics to power conservatory lighting ideas, installing wall light around the outer edge to frame the room from within.

These wall sconce lights are the perfect way to filter light up and down the exterior brick walls, reflecting just enough of a warm glow from the glass ceiling above. Choosing down-lighters, instead of shaded wall lights, helps gain the light but avoids any reflections from surrounding glass.

3. Make a statement in a porch

Image credit: Vale Garden Houses

Whether your conservatory and orangery extension is the front or back porch make a statement with the lighting to make a good impression on entry to the house. An elegant central light fitting commands such attention, striking the perfect balance of functional and fantastically decorative. A central overhead light floods the floor below with light to make a focal point of the entrance.

Add to the lighting scheme with wall lights on the exterior walls that support the glass structure,  especially for larger rooms that would benefit from extra lighting.

4. Evenly distribute lighting throughout the room

Image credit: David Salisbury

‘LED spotlight strips are a great way to provide ambient lighting that’s well distributed around your extension and can actually highlight some of the roof’s features and create interesting shadow effects’ says Karen. ‘These are usually used in combination with other sources of direct light for when specific tasks require a more localised or brighter option.’

5. Create cosy corners with spotlights

Image credit: Future PLC/ Brent Darby

Use directional spotlight lamps to create cosy corners to curl with with a good book or a glass of wine after dinner. Lamps of all sizes are a gift in a conservatory interior idea, where you may have less options for wired in electrics – due to the glass structure. You can balance the light levels with a mix of floor lamps in corners and table lamps on top of key furniture pieces.

Concealing extension leads means you can have lamps in any corner, you’re not restricted by the electric socket layout within the room.

6. Place pendants over a dining table

Image credit: Iconic Lamps

Determine a conservatory dining room idea around where the lights are placed. Suspend pendants over a dining table to set the scene for the rooms purpose. Drop the pendants lower to create a more intimate dining arrangement, using the light to illuminate the table as the focal point of the space.

7. Sink spotlights into the framework

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles

Ceiling spotlights are a great way to add a balanced level of lighting to any room. Trickier in a conservatory because of the nature of a glass roof, but manageable in more of an orangery design idea where a secondary roof panel can be built to accommodate sunken spotlights.

Given the structure of any glass room this option will purely be to light the edges of the room, framing the space with down lighting. Go one step further and make the

8. Add low level lighting

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles

‘Clever lighting can create dramatic effects and give the room different ‘moods’’ explains Lisa Morton at Vale Garden Houses. ‘At night, consideration needs to take into account ‘reflection’, as without blinds, any light inside will be mirrored back into the room. Low-level lighting minimises this problem. Also down-lights can be installed around the outer edge to frame the room from within.’

9. Balance lighting solutions

Image credit: Future PLC

Mix mediums to ensure you have the right light to suit the purpose of the room as you choose to use it. Seek a floor lamp to create a reading nook in a corner for some quiet time. Sink spotlights around the perimeter to illuminate the doorways and frame the space. Choose a lower level lamp to create am ambient low light when using the room for hosting dinner parties.

10. Zone different areas in an open-plan layout

Image credit: Vivafolio

The right lighting can help to dedicate zones within an open-plan kitchen idea, such as this example from Viva Folio. Hang pendant light directly over a dining table within an open-plan layout to zone a dedicated area set aside for eating and socialising.

‘The type of lighting you need will be largely dictated by what you use your conservatory for’ Karen advises. ‘For example, if you’re planning a kitchen extension, functionality may sway decision-making more than design alone.’

11. Cast directional lighting on a desk area

Image credit: Future PLC/ Spike Powell

In addition to overhead lights be sure to place low level lights to highlight areas of dedicated work space. This small home office idea in the conservatory is fie by day, but by night a task light is required to ensure the darkness doesn’t take over and impair the job at hand.

12. Consider task lighting in a kitchen conservatory

Image credit: Resi

If your conservatory is an extension of your kitchen space apply the same kitchen lighting ideas that make the most of its function. Opt for lighting concealed beneath units to provide task lighting while using the worktops, opt for over head pendants for more ambient lighting – where the roof structure allows.

13. Add a functional fan light

Image credit: Future PLC

”Adding in a conservatory fan light can have an impact’ says Karen. ‘And is also a good way to tackle air flow and lighting at the same time. Plus it’s a creative way to work around the restrictions of a glass roof.’

14. Ensure the lighting scheme is level

Image credit: Hampton Conservatories

When planning your conservatory lighting idea be sure to take into consideration the different height levels at which light is required. Light the overall room form a centrally place ceiling light, chandelier or pendant, then think about different heights to cascade light to different levels. For secondary lighting consider a taller floor lamp to illuminate a corner or place behind an armchair to add a highlight. Or a table lamp to

What is the best lighting for a conservatory?

‘The right lighting can transform your conservatory into a space to be enjoyed from day through to night’ says Niki Wright, founder of Lightsandlamps.com. ‘Mood lighting is imperative for creating the perfect ambience. Instead of relying on one ceiling light, to occupy the whole space, incorporating a mixture of table and floor lamps will allow you to create different levels of light. Softly illuminating the space and adding warmth and atmosphere to the conservatory.’

‘As a space which generally doesn’t need lighting in the day, turning your attention to trend-driven pieces will add design features when your lights are off’ He adds. ‘Lightsandlamps.com has an extended offering of table and floor lamps, from the classic Penn to the more contemporary Feya. Meanwhile, try a floor lamp such as the Circo, which makes a brilliant reading light.

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