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These festive storage baskets will curb clutter and organise your home this Christmas

These festive storage baskets will curb clutter and organise your home this Christmas

by | Oct 15, 2026 | Design Inspiration

Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it can also be incredibly chaotic. And as you add presents, decorations, and guests to the festive fun, clutter can multiply and take over your house. That’s why storage is key.

As Ideal Home’s resident organisation guru and storage obsessive, I’m a big fan of pretty-but-practical storage baskets that help you store (and sometimes hide) those items that you don’t want on show. But I’m also a HUGE fan of whimsical Christmas decor. So, when I spotted new Christmas-themed storage baskets making the rounds, I knew they were made for me.

From storage baskets shaped like Christmas puddings to adorable penguins and trees, these are the magical buys I’m snapping up right now to get ahead of Christmas clutter at home. After all, if my prediction is correct, these will sell like hotcakes… or should I say hot chestnuts?

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While I’m obsessed with these adorable festive storage additions, I also appreciate that other Christmas storage needs to be practical. That’s why I’ve recently snapped up some practical storage for my Christmas tree, wreaths and baubles, too.

Joseph Joseph’s cult laundry basket has just received a clever upgrade that makes it even more efficient – it will make sorting washing faster and easier

Joseph Joseph’s cult laundry basket has just received a clever upgrade that makes it even more efficient – it will make sorting washing faster and easier

by | Oct 15, 2026 | Design Inspiration

Everyone’s favourite laundry basket has had a glow-up this autumn. The Joseph Joseph Tota 2 Laundry Basket (£120, Joseph Joseph) has had a couple of clever design upgrades that make sorting your washing even easier and more efficient – and no, you don’t have to sacrifice the sleek design of the original.

The Joseph Joseph Tota Laundry Basket has been a favourite amongst Ideal Home editors for the past few years now. Its original design won over our hearts, as not only can you separate lights and darks, but each section has handles, making the whole process easier.

Now, the Tota 2 has these key features, but it has also upgraded its lid, fixing perhaps the basket’s only pain point. Here’s everything you need to know.

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This year, we’ve seen the rise of the pretty laundry basket, and the Joseph Joseph model remains one of the best-looking laundry baskets you can buy. Its sleek, compact design and neutral colourways blend seamlessly into your utility room and bedroom ideas. The Tota 2 is no exception.

At first glance, the two models look very similar. The difference is in the material and the new lid design upgrade. The plastic used for the original lid has been swapped for a luxe felt that matches the side of the laundry basket.

The other upgrade is that the lid now cleverly docks onto the side when in use. So instead of floundering around for a spot to perch the lid while you’re lifting the laundry out to take to the washing machine, you just tuck it onto the side where it’s always at hand.

Joseph Joseph tota 2 laundry basket

(Image credit: Joseph Joseph)

‘I’ve had my tota twin laundry basket for 3 years; it was an expensive purchase, but so worth it. It neatly tucks away in the corner of my bedroom and speeds up laundry day as all my colours are pre-sorted. My partner has gone through 2 laundry baskets in the time I’ve had mine, and it still looks as good as the day I bought it,’ says Rebecca Knight, Ideal Home’s Digital Editor.

‘However, if I were to buy it again, I’d opt for the Tota 2 Trio (£130, John Lewis) so I have an extra compartment to separate things that need special washing care. I’m also very jealous of the new lid holder feature on the new and improved model!’

I’ll admit that Tota Laundry Baskets are expensive. Rebecca snapped hers up on sale, but does say it is worth it, genuinely streamlining her laundry routine. To further level up your laundry routine she also recommends pairing it with the Hold-All™ Ecru Collapsible 35L Laundry Basket (£37.50, Joseph Joseph). It is one of the best space-saving laundry baskets as it folds completely flat, making it easy to stash down the side of your washing machine or tuck behind the Tota laundry basket when not in use.

If you’re looking to overhaul your laundry routine, here are a couple of other clever buys to help simplify the process.

If you laundry routine is due a refresh, the Joseph Joseph Tota 2 is a serious contender for a more streamlined experience.

Jerry Hall’s romantic rose archway gives her garden a gorgeous cottage look – garden experts say October is the best time to get started on yours

Jerry Hall’s romantic rose archway gives her garden a gorgeous cottage look – garden experts say October is the best time to get started on yours

by | Oct 15, 2026 | Design Inspiration

Supermodel Jerry Hall’s rose garden is one of the best we’ve seen over at Ideal Home. And particularly impressive are her huge archways of climbing roses – and if you want a similar look, October is the perfect time to start training your climbing roses.

If you’ve been wondering what to do with roses in October, one of the jobs you should be doing is training climbers and ramblers. While this provides extra support, aids growth, and produces more blooms, Gerry’s example shows you can also train your roses to create a striking, structural display in your garden.

Jerry’s beautiful display appeared on her Instagram back in 2020 and is still a brilliant example today. While it may look aspirational, garden experts have spilt the beans on how we can do it too. This is what they said.

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Most gardeners will have planted roses or planted climbing roses. Their fragrant blooms, which come in an array of pretty colourways, make them a striking and often romantic choice for any garden. From Jerry’s Instagram, you can see she loves a pastel pink rose, be that in her beds or in a romantic archway. And given the abundance of her flower garden, experts agree she is a good example to follow.

‘Jerry Hall’s rose archway is a beautiful example of how climbing roses can transform a garden. What makes it particularly impressive is the abundance of flowers and the way the roses have been trained to create a wonderfully romantic, almost tunnel-like effect. It feels established and natural, rather than overly manicured, which is part of its charm,’ says Francesca McEvoy, design expert at Crane Garden Buildings.

‘October is a wonderful time to start planning a rose archway like Jerry’s. With growth beginning to slow, it’s a good opportunity to assess established plants, secure any long, flexible stems against autumn winds and prepare the structure for new roses.

‘It’s also the perfect time to choose your varieties and prepare the soil ahead of the bare-root planting season, which generally runs from November to March. For established climbing roses, I’d recommend leaving the main pruning until winter, while rambling roses are usually best pruned after flowering in late summer.’

How to get the look

‘For anyone hoping to recreate Jerry’s look, I’d recommend choosing a strong, sturdy arch and selecting a vigorous climbing rose suited to the space. Varieties such as ‘New Dawn‘, with its soft pink flowers, or ‘The Generous Gardener’, with its beautifully scented, pale pink blooms, are lovely choices for a romantic garden,’ recommends Francesca.

‘One of the most important tricks is to train the stems diagonally or as horizontally as possible around the structure, rather than allowing them to grow straight upwards. This encourages flowering shoots along the length of the stems, helping to create that lovely, full effect rather than a few flowers at the very top.’

Bear in mind that to achieve a display such as Jerry’s requires an abundance of patience and will. Of course, you also need the right tools and techniques, but don’t expect results overnight.

‘Having several rose arches like this is impressive, as each takes several years to mature and fully cover an arch. They act as a visual focal point in the garden and fill the surrounding area with a strong scent. Even though roses are not evergreen, the visible frame left behind in the colder months is just as striking,’ comments Richard Barker, horticultural expert and commercial director of LBS Horticulture.

‘October is a good time to install the frame and plant the roses needed to make a rose archway. Ensure that the rose arch support is firmly in place first, and anchor it deeply into the ground so that it can handle the weight of mature plants and winds.

‘As the soil is still warm and retaining autumn moisture, plant the container-grown roses that will eventually form the arch now, as their roots will have time to settle before winter. The rose should be slightly positioned away from the arch, and the main stems should be angled towards the support structure. Tie any flexible shoots loosely to the arch frame after planting.’

What you need

Jerry’s garden is so beautiful, and while a rose garden like this requires time and effort, it is not impossible. Would you be willing to give it a try?

My take on Benjamin Moore’s 2027 Colour of the Year – and why I’d use it in my own home as a lover of bold shades that stand the test of time

My take on Benjamin Moore’s 2027 Colour of the Year – and why I’d use it in my own home as a lover of bold shades that stand the test of time

by | Oct 14, 2026 | Design Inspiration

Paint brand Benjamin Moore has announced Webster Green HC-130 – ‘a quintessential green’ – as its colour of the year for 2027. It continues this year’s trend towards earthy and nature-inspired trends.

Webster Green is a confident take on green as an ultimately elegant shade, and comes hot on the heels of the shades other brands have recently named as their year-defining colour selections, including Dulux’s Soulful Sage, Little Greene’s Marle and Graham & Brown’s Rose Earth.

I’m struck by how well these different Colours of the Year complement each other, all offering a classic approach to colour that feels effortless and timeless. ‘Webster Green reflects this appeal by pairing reassuring stability with optimistic energy,’ says Helen Shaw, Director of Marketing (International) at Benjamin Moore.

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Living room wall painted in Benjamin Moore's Webster Green behind a velvet rust-coloured armchair

(Image credit: Benjamin Moore)

To me, green feels like a truly British colour – one that’s woven into the history of home decorating, from the botanical greens of William Morris and the Arts & Crafts movement through to rich olive greens of mid-century modern. And sage green has long been a go-to in any well-designed modern country home. Green is a colour that’s proven itself to be reassuringly trend-proof time and time again.

Psychologically speaking, green has an immediate connection to nature that makes it feel calming and restorative. It’s a safe shade, and I definitely don’t mean that in a negative way! It can sit very comfortably in any home, whether it’s period or modern, small or large – it brings colour confidence and adds character to make any room feel supremely liveable.

Science backs up our love affair with green. Green’s the easiest colour for the human eye to process, and our eyes have evolved to make us able to see a broader range of greens than any other colour. We’re comfortable and feel at home immersed in green, and that’s why it works so brilliantly in our homes.

Green drenched panelled bedroom alcove with dressing table and table lamp

(Image credit: Benjamin Moore)

What I like about Webster Green specifically is that it’s got an intensity to it. It still offers the relaxing qualities green is so renowned for, but it has an added element of drama because it’s more richly pigmented than a classic soft sage. Pick Webster Green, and it’s going to bring energy and make a statement – something I’m always on the hunt for when choosing colours for my own home. Even better, thanks to its enduring style credentials, I won’t need to change it up when the next trend cycle rolls around!

Benjamin Moore has put together a curated palette of accompanying colours to anchor and enhance Webster Green, all of which speak to the same considered approach to grounding colours. Tawny browns (Antique Copper and Townsend Harbor Brown), dusky pastels (Wild Aster, Nelson Blue, gentle off-whites and elegant ochres are the name of the game. My verdict? This is a supremely versatile collection of colours that can be used in ways that will feel fresh and modern in any room – considered but full of character and personality.

I always feel inspired when I look at colours in a new way, and my creative brain is bursting with ideas for my own home. My hallway is crying out for a bold but elegant new look, and this palette could be exactly what I’m looking for.

What to style it with

TOPICS

Salt, Sand And Heritage: Designing A Brighton Garden

Salt, Sand And Heritage: Designing A Brighton Garden

by | Oct 14, 2026 | Design Inspiration

Brighton sits about 11 km south-east of central Melbourne, with Port Phillip Bay on its western edge. Its streets mix Victorian villas, interwar bungalows and crisp new builds. Behind most of them is a garden that has to cope with salt wind and sandy soil. Those two forces decide what thrives here far more than any trend board.

That is why many owners bring in landscape experts in Brighton for walls, decks and planting, rather than copying a design from an inland suburb. Local crews know how sand moves, how fast it dries and which plants shrug off the sea breeze. You can still shape the brief yourself. This guide walks through the choices that matter most on a bayside block.

Table of Contents

What Makes a Brighton Garden Different?

A sheltered garden terrace in a coastal garden in Melbourne

Three things set Brighton apart. The first is wind. Westerly and south-westerly gusts come straight off the bay and carry fine salt spray. Soft leaves scorch, and thirsty exotics struggle within a few streets of the beach.

The second is soil. Much of Brighton sits on sand that drains in minutes and holds few nutrients. Water and nutrients wash through it quickly. The upside is that roots rarely drown, and paths and paving drain well.

The third is setting. The beach at Dendy Street, lined with bathing boxes, joined the Victorian Heritage Register on 2 August 2018. Many inland streets carry heritage controls too. A front garden here is part of a streetscape, not just a private yard.

How Should You Plan the Layout Before Planting?

Good bayside gardens start with a site walk, not a nursery trip. Work through these steps in order:

  1. Map the wind. Note where gusts hit the house and where calm pockets form in the lee of walls.
  2. Test the soil. Dig 30 cm down and watch how fast a bucket of water drains away.
  3. Mark every large tree, including ones just over the back fence.
  4. Plan the hard surfaces first, such as paths, decks, walls and the pool fence.
  5. Group plants by water need, so thirsty beds sit near the house and tough natives sit on the windward edge.
  6. Leave room for a raingarden near a downpipe. A common rule of thumb sizes it at about 2% of the roof area draining to it.

Plans like this age far better than a quick makeover. The same thinking runs through any outdoor space that lasts, and it matters even more beside the sea. Sand also shifts under weight, so retaining walls and raised beds need proper footings and drainage behind them.

Which Trees Can You Keep, Remove or Plant?

Trees shape a Brighton garden more than any other element. They also carry the strictest rules. Under Bayside City Council’s tree protection rules, big trees are protected. Removing one with a trunk circumference over 155 cm, measured 1 m above the ground, generally needs a permit. For trees with several trunks, the four largest circumferences are added together.

Trees on the Significant Tree Register need a permit regardless of size. So do trees planted as a condition of an earlier permit. Palms, ferns and non-woody plants are exempt. Pruning by a qualified arborist to Australian Standard 4373 does not need a permit either.

Replanting is part of the deal. At maturity, replacement planting must deliver at least double the canopy lost. A 50% gain is accepted only with added shrub and groundcover layers. Design around a big tree before you plan to remove it, because the council may say no.

The Local Law behind these rules was last updated in 2021. Council reviews it in full every 10 years, so the 155 cm test is likely to hold for a while. Ask an arborist for a report early if a tree sits where you want a pool or a deck.

Which Plants and Materials Handle Salt Air?

Element Good bayside choice Why it works
Feature tree Coast banksia Native to the bay, salt tolerant, feeds birds
Hedge or screen Coast correa Dense, clips well, grows on exposed cliffs
Silver accent Cushion bush Compact, drought hardy, soft texture
Low shrub Coast saltbush Grey foliage that thrives on foredunes
Groundcover Karkalla Succulent mat that binds loose sand
Decking Hardwood or composite boards Copes with sun and moisture
Fixings and furniture Marine-grade stainless steel Resists salt corrosion

Most of the plants in that table appear on Victoria’s archived list of salt-spray tolerant plants, drawn up for dunes and cliffs. Karkalla is a native succulent with pink flowers and edible fruit. Coast banksia is a small tree that feeds honeyeaters through the cooler months.

A few habits make any of these choices last longer:

  • Dig compost into planting holes, because sand holds little moisture.
  • Mulch beds deeply to keep roots cool and slow evaporation.
  • Rinse outdoor furniture and fixings after storms to clear salt.
  • Water deeply and less often, so roots chase moisture down.

Hotter summers and longer dry spells are already changing how people garden. Those shifts are part of the wider story of climate change on gardening, and they make tough natives the sensible first choice.

Brighton Garden Notes to Keep

  • Salt wind and fast-draining sand set the limits, so design for both from day one.
  • Trees over 155 cm in circumference at 1 m usually need a council permit to remove.
  • Replacement planting must double the lost canopy, or reach 50% with extra layers.
  • Native coastal plants need less water and cope with spray.
  • Hard surfaces, walls and drainage come before planting, never after.

A Garden Made for the Bay

Modern patio dining coastal garden Melbourne

The best Brighton gardens look as if they grew out of the coast. They use local plants, honest materials and the shelter of walls and hedges. They respect the old trees and the heritage streets around them. Even roof runoff can feed the design through a small bed beside a downpipe. Get the bones right, and the planting will look after itself for years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need a Permit to Remove a Tree In Brighton?

Usually, if the trunk circumference is over 155 cm at 1 m above ground. Trees on the Significant Tree Register also need a permit. Palms, ferns and declared noxious weeds do not.

What Plants Grow Well In Brighton’s Sandy Soil?

Coastal natives do best. Coast banksia, coast correa, cushion bush and karkalla all handle sand and salt spray. Add compost and mulch to help them settle in.

How Do You Protect a Garden From Salt Wind?

Plant a tough windward screen of coastal shrubs first. Use walls and hedges to create calm pockets, then place softer plants in their lee.

Is a Raingarden Worth Adding to a Bayside Garden?

Yes, if you have space near a downpipe. A raingarden is a shallow planted bed that soaks up roof runoff. Sandy soil drains quickly, so a raingarden filters roof runoff well and keeps water in the garden.

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