Lifestyle

A report from UK Finance found that people stay in their homes for an average of 20 years, and selling and buying does tend to take time, money and effort. So, before you set the wheels of change in motion, try to look ten years ahead and think about how your needs might change over that time.

When you invest in a property with the intention of renting it out, you have a decision to make over the type of tenants you want to occupy it.

Some landlords prefer single professionals as it reduces the wear and tear that will occur, while others like the security of having a working couple or a family renting the property, as with two or more incomes it offers more reassurance regarding the rent.

‘Doorscaping’ is the latest design trend to catch the eye, with the forthcoming autumn and winter months the prime time to elevate your home’s entrance.

Using green as a colour in your home has many benefits. Not only is the breadth of shades available dazzling – from mint, apple and lime through to fern, sage and emerald – there are health benefits too. 

While so much emphasis is placed on what a home looks like, those hosting viewings shouldn’t forget what it smells like either. In fact, it was only in May 2021 that a survey found as many as 95% of home buyers could be deterred from purchasing a property due to an unpleasant pong.

Many people buy a smaller property for its potential to extend but the traditional route is to go up – a two-storey extension or a loft conversion, for instance – but how about digging deep? With land at a premium, basements are gaining in popularity as an extension option.

Open plan living has pretty much killed off the dining room, but in the last 17 months, the separate dining area has been brought back from the brink of extinction. Now is a great time to re-evaluate your approach to this most formal of spaces.

Curtains and blinds can often be an afterthought when furnishing a home but considering they play a role in privacy, retaining heat, blocking out light and keeping rooms cool, what you put up at your window deserves greater consideration.

If you love the look of marble, here’s how to incorporate it into your home, from wall-to-wall tiles and small pieces of the real thing to the best faux options and DIY hacks that won’t break the bank.

If you are planning to buy a ‘doer upper’, are remodelling a home for the rental market or want to add value to where you live, what you do with yourself during the project is just as important as what you do to the property.