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Exterior Updates That Can Give Your Home a Fresh New Look

Exterior Updates That Can Give Your Home a Fresh New Look

by | Oct 23, 2026 | Design Inspiration

The outside of your home sets the tone for everything beyond the front door. Peeling paint, an awkward entrance or an untidy driveway can leave a property looking a little neglected, even when the rooms inside are beautifully maintained.

Fortunately, creating a more attractive exterior doesn’t always require a major renovation. Cleaning, repairs and a carefully chosen colour scheme can make a noticeable difference. Larger improvements may be worthwhile too, particularly when they solve practical problems as well as refreshing the appearance.

Whether you’re settling into a new home, preparing to sell or simply ready for a change, here’s how to give your exterior a more modern, welcoming feel.

Table of Contents

Start With Simple Changes to Boost Kerb Appeal

Colour coordinated front door and garage boosts kerb appeal

Some of the most effective changes don’t involve modifying your home at all, but simply cleaning and tidying it. Wash accessible windows and frames, sweep the entrance path, remove weeds from paving joints and clear away broken pots or unused accessories. Choose cleaning methods that are suitable for the materials, particularly around older brickwork and mortar.

Small repairs can also make a noticeable difference. Touching up peeling paint, fixing a loose gate handle or replacing a damaged fence panel can help the whole frontage feel better maintained.

Once the basics are looking their best, consider your colour scheme. Choosing a complementary paint colour for your front door can help to bring the property together around a single focal point. Look at the tones in your brickwork, roof tiles and window frames, then test paint samples outdoors before deciding. If your roller garage doors are of the same colour, then the effect might be even more striking. However, matching isn’t essential: a quieter shade on a large garage door can allow a more colourful front door to take centre stage.

Give Your Front Entrance a More Modern Feel

Clean, bright and inviting front door of a terraced house

Your home’s entrance is often the first thing that new visitors, including would-be buyers, will notice. Small upgrades here can therefore make a worthwhile difference.

Walk towards the door as a visitor would. Is the house number easy to spot? Is the path clear? Does the lighting help you see the step and find the lock after dark? Look closely at the door itself for peeling paint, worn hardware or other signs that it needs attention.

Once you know what needs improving, you can decide how to tackle it. If the door is sound, a fresh finish and new hardware may be enough to give it a lift. Choose handles, letterboxes and other fittings that complement the style of the property.

A simple wall light, clearly visible house numbers and a fresh doormat can complete the update. If there’s space, add a substantial planter beside the entrance, keeping it clear of the walking route and the door’s opening.

Updating Functional Features for a Cleaner Exterior Finish

Modern dusty blue front door

As well as thinking about aesthetics, you might also consider the way you actually interact with the exterior of your home, and what changes, small and large, might help you to have a more pleasant experience. You might decide that replacing an old garage door is necessary, or that re-paving the driveway might help you to deal with weeds and other problems.

Remember that any major changes you make should be in keeping with the rest of the home, and the area. For example, new fences should match your front door and your garage door. In rare cases, planning permission rules might tie your hands, but this tends only to apply to major changes to older buildings.

Consider Bigger Changes for a Complete Transformation

White rendered walls on a renovotated British house exterior

You can do a surprising amount with a series of small tweaks. But if you want to make a real difference, it’s often necessary to make big changes. For example, you might render the walls in order to conceal older brickwork and give the property a cleaner overall look.

Before choosing a finish, ask a suitable professional to assess the walls and any underlying problems. Compare quotations carefully, including preparation, repairs, access and finishing work, so you understand what’s covered.

While bigger projects can be more expensive and disruptive, thoughtful planning can help them deliver a worthwhile improvement. Start with essential maintenance, focus on the features that need attention and choose colours and materials that suit the house. The result should feel welcoming, practical and comfortably in keeping with your home’s character.

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I got my hands on Aldi’s £25 scented candle advent calendar – this is why it’s one of the best value-for-money calendars

I got my hands on Aldi’s £25 scented candle advent calendar – this is why it’s one of the best value-for-money calendars

by | Oct 23, 2026 | Design Inspiration




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This week, Aldi’s scented candle advent calendar is landing in stores. First introduced last year, Aldi’s bringing back the £24.99 calendar – with the price point staying the same as last year – set to launch this Sunday 25th October. But I got my hands on the calendar ahead of the release and got to try and assess its contents, value for money and more.

I got a first look at the best advent calendar on a budget at the Aldi Christmas Specialbuys preview earlier this month. But that only left me wanting an up-close look and hands-on try of the calendar – and I was lucky enough to be granted this wish. And after getting my hands on it, I really believe it’s one of the best value-for-money advent calendars I’ve seen and tried this year.

Aldi's scented candle advent calendar displayed at the retailer's Christmas press preview for 2026

(Image credit: Future/Sara Hesikova)

I was most impressed with the presentation, look and the feel of the actual calendar which comes across as more expensive than its £24.99 price tag. It features a gingerbread house design made from thick card – Aldi describes it as a reusable calendar which I fully get behind. You could definitely keep the box and fill it with your choice of little treats next Christmas.

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Once you open the calendar, you’re greeted with 25 whimsically illustrated little drawers, each containing a 40g mini candle. There are five different seasonal scented candles which repeat throughout the calendar – my favourite Iced Berries, Hot Cocoa, Frosted Fir, White Christmas and Cinnamon Spice – but on the 25th, you’ll be treated to something a little different in the form of the only Warm Gingerbread candle which is pretty delicious.

The Aldi scented candle advent calendar on a styled bookshelf

(Image credit: Future/Sara Hesikova)

If you were to compare this scented candle advent calendar to some of the pricier alternatives like the hugely popular John Lewis scented candle advent calendar, you do get what you pay for when it comes to the actual candles and their scents. In other words, the scented candles in other advent calendars with higher price points smell nicer and look more expensive (since they are).

But if you’re after an affordable but pretty candle advent calendar, whether it’s a gift or as a little treat for yourself, I couldn’t recommend this Aldi one enough.

Just like all of Aldi’s Specialbuys, this advent calendar, too, is reserved only for the supermarket’s physical stores. So I wish you luck on Sunday and hopefully you’ll get to snap one up from the middle aisle.

But just in case your mission is unsuccessful, here are a few similarly priced alternatives from other brands and retailers you can get instead.

Alternatives

Which one is your favourite?

How To Choose The Right Stove Or Fireplace This Autumn (And Check What You Can Burn First)

How To Choose The Right Stove Or Fireplace This Autumn (And Check What You Can Burn First)

by | Oct 23, 2026 | Design Inspiration

There’s a moment every autumn when the evenings draw in, the radiators can’t quite take the edge off, and a real fire stops feeling like an indulgence and starts feeling essential. It’s also the time of year when plenty of us finally decide to do something about the empty chimney breast, the tired gas fire or the open grate that has never really been used.

Choosing a stove or fireplace is part interiors decision and part practical one. Get both halves right and it becomes the piece the whole room is arranged around. Get one wrong and you can end up with something beautiful that you can’t legally use, or something efficient that never quite suits the space. Here’s how to approach it, starting with the question most people forget to ask.

Table of Contents

Start with where you live, not what you like

Before you fall for a particular stove, it’s worth finding out whether your home sits inside a Smoke Control Area. These are areas, set by local councils, where you can’t let smoke escape from a chimney unless you’re burning an authorised fuel or using an appliance that’s been approved for that area. Much of London and a great many other towns and cities are covered, and the boundaries don’t always follow the lines you’d expect. Two streets a short walk apart can fall under different rules.

If you are inside one, you can still have a real fire. It simply narrows your choices. A wood burning stove would need to be a DEFRA exempt model, meaning it has been tested and approved to burn wood cleanly enough for a Smoke Control Area. An open fire would generally be limited to authorised smokeless fuels. Ignore the rules and the council can issue a fixed penalty, starting at £300 in England.

The easiest way to find out where you stand is to use Chesneys’ free Smoke Control Area Checker. You type in your postcode and it tells you whether the address falls within a Smoke Control Area, along with what that means for the stoves and fuels you can use. It’s intended as a quick first check rather than a legal ruling, so if your result is borderline, a call to your local council will confirm it. Scotland and Wales have their own legislation, so it’s worth checking locally there too.

Doing this first saves a surprising amount of wasted browsing, because it tells you whether you’re shopping from the full range or a shorter list.

Decide what you want the fire to do

Next, be honest about how you’ll use it. A fire that’s mostly about atmosphere on a Friday night is a different proposition from one you’re relying on to take the chill off a draughty period house every evening from October to March.

For warmth you’ll lean on regularly, a closed wood burning or multi fuel stove is hard to beat. It burns far more efficiently than an open fire, with more of the heat coming into the room rather than disappearing up the chimney. Every new stove sold in the UK since January 2022 has to meet Ecodesign emission limits, so a modern model is considerably cleaner than one bought even a decade ago.

For a focal point first, a traditional fireplace with a surround in stone, marble or cast iron gives a room an architectural anchor that a freestanding stove doesn’t. You can pair a surround with a stove fitted into the opening, which gives you the look of a classic fireplace with the efficiency of a closed appliance.

For homes without a chimney, gas, electric and bioethanol options have come a long way and avoid the need for a flue, although they’re a different experience from a log fire.

Size it to the room

One of the most common mistakes is buying a stove that’s too powerful. An oversized stove either cooks you out of the room or gets run slowly with the air turned down, which is exactly how you end up with sooty glass and a dirty flue.

As a rough guide, measure your room’s length, width and height in metres, multiply them together, and divide by 14. The result is an approximate heat output in kilowatts. A living room of five metres by four with a 2.5 metre ceiling comes out at around 3.5kW. Older, draughtier houses may need a little more, and a well insulated new build less. A good installer will survey the room properly, but the sum gives you a sensible starting point.

Let the style follow the house

Here’s where the interiors side comes in. In a Georgian or Victorian home, a surround that reflects the period, whether a simple reeded design or something more ornate, tends to look as though it has always been there. In a contemporary space, a clean lined stove or a minimal stone surround keeps things calm. And in a mixed or eclectic home, a classical fireplace can be a lovely counterpoint to modern furniture.

Think about the hearth and the surrounding wall too. The fire becomes the natural place for the eye to settle, so the mantel, any alcove shelving and even the log store are part of the overall look.

The practical bits before installation

A few things to plan for:

• Installation and paperwork. A solid fuel stove needs to meet building regulations, including the right flue and a suitable hearth. A HETAS registered installer can certify the work for you. Otherwise it needs to go through building control.

• A carbon monoxide alarm. In England this is a legal requirement in the room where a new solid fuel appliance is installed, and it’s sensible everywhere.

• The chimney. Have it swept before first use, and at least once a year after that.

• The fuel. Burn wood with a moisture content of 20% or below. Look for the Ready to Burn logo on smaller bags of logs, which certifies that they’re dry enough. Wet wood gives off more smoke, less heat and more soot.

The first fire of the season

Warm and cosy living room with stove fire in autumn

Once it’s in, the first proper fire of autumn is worth the planning. Start small and hot rather than packing the firebox, give it enough air to burn cleanly, and enjoy the way the whole room settles around it.

Do the groundwork in the right order (where you live, how you’ll use it, the size, then the style) and you’ll end up with a fire that looks right, heats well and keeps you on the right side of the rules for years to come.

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I think Next’s Gingerbread hot chocolate serving set is the upgrade you need this hosting season

I think Next’s Gingerbread hot chocolate serving set is the upgrade you need this hosting season

by | Oct 23, 2026 | Design Inspiration




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It may still be too early for Christmas cheer for many, but I just spotted what I think is about to be a must-have for the cosiest time of the year: Next’s new Gingerbread Hot Chocolate Station (£45).

This year’s Christmas decor trends have all embraced a return to the traditional motifs of the festive season that we all know and love from our childhood – gingerbread included. And seeing as Next has already had a huge hit with its sellout gingerbread Christmas tree skirt, it seems plausible that this adorable hot chocolate station kit could go the same way.

Here’s a closer look at this set which is sure to delight the whole family once December rolls around if you want to put a charming hot chocolate station idea into practice in your own home.

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If Google Trends are anything to go by, there’s a growing appetite for DIY hot chocolate stations in the UK – the term is reportedly up 12% to +18% year on year. If you want to stage your own sweet treat display, then this set feels like something that you’d be able to pull out of storage year after year to make use of.

Dedicated hot chocolate makers, which might have prompted the surge in at-home stations, have been hugely popular since the launch of The Velvetiser by Hotel Chocolat back in 2018. With a jug design that carefully whisks all kinds of chocolate (including your favourite high street bars) into a silky hot drink, these frothers can also double up for use alongside the best coffee machines if you’re a latte lover.

Next's Gingerbread Hot Chocolate set

Our Content Editor Sara got a sneak peek of the set at Next’s Christmas press show.

(Image credit: Future)

Or, Salter’s The Chocolatier is an alternative kind of appliance that’s been a huge hit with those looking for a more affordable version – I loved it when I tried it out at home. Whichever hot chocolate maker you opt for (or if you’re a purist for the hob method!), a serveware set made for the occasion is always going to be a hit when you’re hosting or just entertaining your own family.

There’s certainly one customer, who has awarded the set a five-star review already, who’s impressed by its quality. ‘It really is lovely and very well made’ said the reviewer. ‘I think the mugs could also be used to hold dipping sauces, hummus, etc. I really am delighted with my purchase and can’t wait to use it over the festive period’.

Given that the nights are well and truly drawing in now, a hot chocolate station might be just the thing to brighten your spirits as we make our way towards Christmas. Can you see the appeal in this whimsical set?

This space-saving minimalist Christmas tree from George Home is made for tiny homes looking for a festive touch

This space-saving minimalist Christmas tree from George Home is made for tiny homes looking for a festive touch

by | Oct 23, 2026 | Design Inspiration




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Whether this is the year that you need to invest in a second Christmas tree or you’re looking for a space-saving option to squeeze in a little festive spirit to a small room or a tiny flat, I’ve found the perfect affordable alternative to pine needles and sap in this Gold Christmas Tree Ornament from George Home at Asda.

Gorgeous in gold and priced at £40, what caught my eye about this alternative to one of the best artificial Christmas trees is that it’s perfectly minimalist — even when styled with mini baubles.

Made from metal and sprayed gold for an elegant look, this mini tree stands out from others because you can customise it with your own festive tree decorations so it feels unique to you.

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You can keep it simple with an elegant gold and white bauble pairing, or you could even use this tree to house any homemade decorations from the kids over the years. I also like the idea of using it to exclusively hold chocolate tree decorations, that is, if you have the willpower not to eat them all in one day.

My only word of warning is to not hang anything too heavy on the tree as it could tip over. Style it with some real or faux presents nearby and some candles, and you’ve got yourself a simple yet elegant Christmassy corner.

Christmas tree gold decoration branches with mini white baubles

(Image credit: George at Asda)

If you’re on the hunt for more Christmas tree alternatives, we’ve spotted a few extra options at George Home. Whether for the kids’ bedroom or playroom, or even for a corner of a dining room that feels otherwise empty during the festive period, these designs will prove to be game-changing when it comes to your Christmas decor.

Alternatives

Are you already thinking about your festive decor for 2026?

Planning A Kitchen Renovation in An Older Brisbane Home

Planning A Kitchen Renovation in An Older Brisbane Home

by | Oct 22, 2026 | Design Inspiration

Planning a kitchen renovation in Brisbane? Whether you live in a timber Queenslander in Paddington or a 1980s brick lowset in Carindale, the house you’ve got decides a lot about the kitchen you can build. The climate matters too. Cabinets that would last for decades in a drier city can swell at the edges after a few Brisbane summers if the board and finish are wrong.

So where do you start? Before you look at door colours, look at the floor and walls you’re building against.

Table of Contents

1. Brisbane house types bring different problems

Queenslanders and workers’ cottages built before the 1940s are timber framed and usually sit on stumps. Many have VJ board walls. After a century of settling, floors often slope and walls are rarely square. The original kitchen was often at the back of the house or in an enclosed verandah, so the room tends to be long and narrow.

Post-war homes in suburbs like Holland Park and Stafford are smaller timber or fibro houses on low stumps. Brick lowsets from the 1970s and 80s, common around Mansfield and Capalaba, are squarer but often have closed galley kitchens with bulkheads over the cabinets.

Before you design anything, check these:

  • Is the floor level along the full run of cabinets? A Queenslander floor can fall noticeably from one end of the room to the other.
  • Do the stumps or bearers under the kitchen need work before a heavy stone benchtop goes in?
  • Does the house have fibro sheeting or other materials from before 1990 that might contain asbestos? In Queensland, removing more than 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos needs a licensed removalist, so get samples tested before demolition.
  • Is the property in a Brisbane City Council character overlay? Work inside the kitchen usually isn’t affected, but moving an external window or extending the room can be.

Before settling on a layout, it’s worth exploring different kitchen design ideas to see how storage, preparation areas and appliances can work within the available space.

2. Cabinet materials for humid conditions

Brisbane summers are hot and humid, and many older homes have timber floors and open eaves that let damp air in. The kitchen adds steam from the cooktop and dishwasher. Most cabinet failures start at an exposed edge, where moisture gets into the particleboard and it swells.

Ask for moisture-resistant board for the carcasses. It’s often sold as HMR and has a green-tinted core. At minimum it should go under the sink and beside the dishwasher, where leaks happen. Every edge should be sealed with edge banding, including the backs and undersides no one sees.

Each door finish has a trade-off:

  • Polyurethane (2-pac) doors are sealed on every face and handle humidity well, but they cost more and can chip if knocked.
  • Laminate is hard-wearing and tolerates moisture at a lower price, with a smaller range of profiles.
  • Vinyl wrap is cheap and looks good new, but it can lift near ovens and in a hot west-facing kitchen.
  • Solid timber and timber veneer suit a Queenslander. Timber moves with the seasons, so it needs a full seal and a maker who allows for that movement.

Fit a ducted rangehood vented outside rather than a recirculating unit. It takes steam out of the house instead of pushing it into the overhead cupboards. Stainless or coated hinges and drawer runners are worth the small extra cost in a humid kitchen.

3. Why made-to-measure suits older homes

Flat-pack cabinets come in fixed widths and assume a level floor and square walls. In a Queenslander neither is likely, so the installer closes gaps with filler panels and packs the legs to level the run. The result can be uneven gaps at the wall or a benchtop that sits away from the splashback.

Custom cabinets are built to the room you have. A maker can scribe an end panel to follow a wavy VJ wall and set the kickboard height to take up a fall in the floor. Cabinet widths are set to the space, so a narrow galley doesn’t lose storage to fillers at each end.

Flat-pack isn’t always the wrong choice. In a square, newer brick lowset on a tight budget it can work well, especially if you upgrade to moisture-resistant carcasses. Some owners pair flat-pack carcasses with custom doors and a stone benchtop to keep costs down.

4. Choosing a Brisbane kitchen renovator

Ask any renovator whether the people who measure and design your kitchen are the same people who build and install it. When one team carries the job through, measurements taken on site go straight to the workshop, and out-of-square walls or uneven floors in an older Brisbane home get dealt with in the cabinet design rather than on installation day.

On the southside, Capalaba-based Action Kitchens has been handling kitchen renovations in Brisbane since 1985. One carpentry-led team takes each job from the first sketch to the final fit. The company builds every cabinet to measure rather than using flat-pack, and it can work with appliances and sinks the homeowner supplies. Whoever you choose, check their QBCC licence and ask who will coordinate the plumber and electrician before you sign.

In Queensland, a contractor needs a QBCC licence for building work worth more than $3,300, and you can search a licence on the QBCC website in a minute. Work over that amount also needs a written contract, and residential work is covered by the QBCC Home Warranty Scheme. Match the licence number to the name on the quote.

Ask when the final measure happens. Walls and floors in an older home can change once the old kitchen comes out, so a careful renovator does a check measure after demolition, before cabinets go into production. It adds time, but it’s cheaper than cabinets that don’t fit.

A kitchen needs a licensed plumber and a licensed electrician. Many jobs also need a tiler or plasterer. Ask who books these trades and what happens to the schedule if one runs late. If the answer is that you book them yourself, factor that into your time and the price comparison.

5. Before you sign: a checklist

  • Search the renovator’s QBCC licence and confirm the name matches the quote.
  • Get a written contract that names the cabinet board and door finish.
  • Confirm a check measure after demolition, before production starts.
  • Ask whether the quote includes plumbing and electrical work.
  • Arrange asbestos testing if the house was built before 1990.
  • Settle who supplies the appliances and sink, and have the cabinets built around the exact models.

This article is general information for Queensland homeowners. Check current licensing and warranty rules with the QBCC before work starts.

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Sorry microwave meals, Tefal is revolutionising solo dining with the UK’s first ‘personal cooker’

Sorry microwave meals, Tefal is revolutionising solo dining with the UK’s first ‘personal cooker’

by | Oct 22, 2026 | Design Inspiration




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In the height of summer, I was introduced to Tefal’s latest innovation, the ‘YumMeal ’. At that point in time, the clever appliance was so new (and revolutionary) that it didn’t even have a name. However, it had a clear USP that intrigued me: a ‘personal cooker’ that aimed to make cooking for one easier, and dare I say, more exciting?

The new YumMeal from Tefal combines air frying and induction cooking into one relatively small appliance (23cm x 26cm x 36cm) that looks a little like a waffle maker. It has a built-in enamel bowl that you not only prep and cook food in, but also eat directly out of. It’s designed to be the perfect kitchen-to-sofa appliance, whipping up meals in just 15 minutes- a game-changer for anyone cooking for one.

I currently live with a partner, but before that, I spent a good 10 years cooking for one. Over that time, I grew frustrated that nearly every recipe involved cooking for two, so I’d have to eat it over two nights or force dinner on one of my hungry flatmates. So I was delighted to find that Tefal were finally going the extra mile to make one-person dinners feel celebratory.

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While I’m impressed by the YumMeal concept, I do have questions about how likely it is to transform solo dining. It has a RRP of £199.99, which feels steep when you can pick up a compact Ninja air fryer for £109 at John Lewis, the best air fryers are the speedy appliance I usually turn to when cooking a quick dinner for one these days.

However, the cost of Tefal’s new gadget is justified when you consider it’s two appliances in one: an air fryer that can crisp, and an induction hob that can cook and simmer. It essentially replaces a full kitchen ecosystem, with the added perk that the two functions can be used together at the touch of a button.

YumMeal one pot cooker from Tefal

(Image credit: Future / Rebecca Knight)

The YumMeal is not quite as easy as shoving a ready meal in the microwave, something I do also turn to when my partner is out for the evening, which is why I can’t see this product replacing them in my small kitchen. But I think where this appliance shines is as an investment for students who are trying to claim space in a shared kitchen or anyone who lives alone and hates reheating leftovers/enjoys being more creative with dinner.

If I still lived alone, I can see myself batch-prepping ingredients at the start of the week, and then using the YumMeal to make cooking from scratch as quick, easy and cost-effective as possible. Tefal also included the recipe for a one-person lemon drizzle cake as part of the launch, which piqued my interest for those days when you’re craving a single-portion sweet treat.

I haven’t personally tested the YumMeal, but from what I saw when it was being demoed at the Tefal showcase, it has alot of potential. I can’t wait to put it to the test and see if it really could replace the microwave meal for kitchens across the UK.

Alternatives

Panels Or Tiles? An Honest Comparison

Panels Or Tiles? An Honest Comparison

by | Oct 22, 2026 | Design Inspiration

Wall panelling has gone from budget alternative to mainstream choice in UK bathrooms, and the marketing around it is one-sided. Panels are better at some things and worse at others.

Table of Contents

Know what you’re buying

“Waterproof panel” covers three products. PVC is fully waterproof, light and cheap, but feels like plastic. SPC uses a stone-polymer core — heavier, more convincing underhand, more expensive. Moisture-resistant MDF is the decorative stuff: fluted, ribbed, tongue and groove. It handles humidity and splashes, not direct shower spray. That distinction causes more problems than anything else in bathroom wall panels.

Time

Panels win decisively. Tiling means prepare, tank, set out, cut, fix, cure, grout, cure, seal — three to five days with the room unusable. Panelling is usually one day. If you have one bathroom, that’s the whole argument.

Cost

Panels cost more per square metre as a material but far less to fit, with less waste. The simpler and squarer the room, the better they look. Lots of corners, reveals and cuts around fittings erodes the labour saving.

Where tiles still win

Crack a tile and you replace a tile; damage a panel and you may be removing several boards. Good porcelain also won’t date the way a printed marble effect can.

Where panels win

No grout to discolour or harbour mould. A continuous surface wipes clean in minutes. And panels on battens run straight over a wall that isn’t true, which can save a replastering job in an older house.

Before you order

Ask whether the product is rated for inside a shower enclosure — “water-resistant” is not the same answer as “waterproof”. Check how the boards join, check there’s no existing damp behind them, since panelling traps it rather than fixing it, and see a sample in your own bathroom light rather than under showroom lighting.

For most bathrooms being refreshed rather than rebuilt, panels make sense in the wet areas and wherever speed matters. Specify the zone first, then choose the look. Suppliers including Panels by Sofia publish zone suitability per range, which makes that first question easy to answer before ordering.

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This rustic material is quietly taking over Christmas this year – interior design experts say it’s perfect for creating a relaxed, cosy home

This rustic material is quietly taking over Christmas this year – interior design experts say it’s perfect for creating a relaxed, cosy home

by | Oct 22, 2026 | Design Inspiration




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If there is one type of material I’m seeing in every Christmas shop this year, it’s natural, woven material – and if you’re looking to create a Nancy Meyers-esque Christmas this year, interior design experts have revealed how to embrace the trend.

Considering last year was all about going as bold as you possibly can, it is perhaps a little surprising that this year’s Christmas trends have followed a more traditional route. This autumn we’ve already seen wicker lamps emerge as a surprise star, and this is now continuing into the festive season.

Woven decor is a nostalgic material that is wonderful for creating a lived-in, cosy look. Here’s how you can use it as a Christmas decorating idea.

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Why are woven materials trending?

Perhaps it is Olivia Coleman’s offbeat new film, Wicker, about to hit cinemas, or simply natural materials have been a big home decor trend this year, but wicker, rattan and other woven decor have been inescapable recently. For example, the first to catch my eye was M&S’s Scallop Rattan Tree Skirt (£35), followed by the brand’s collection of rattan Christmas Tree decorations ( my favourite being the 2ft Rattan Tree, £30).

Hallway and staircase with a basket of wrapped presents, rattan rug, chairs and small decorated Christmas Tree with small table with lit candles.

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Maxwell Attenborough)

‘There’s a growing desire to create homes that feel relaxed, cosy and connected to nature – and Christmas décor is an extension of that. Natural materials such as wicker, wood and woven fibres bring texture and a sense of warmth that can sometimes be missing from more traditional, glitter-heavy decorations,’ says Jess Power, interior design blogger at MFI.

‘The rise in popularity of natural Christmas décor ties in with the wider trend for rustic, nature-inspired interiors. We want our homes to feel timeless, calming and lived-in, so natural materials like wicker and wood are an obvious choice. It makes sense that this would then carry over to festive décor.’

How to style woven material

I’d say that woven materials like rattan and wicker work best paired with stripped-back styles such as a neutral colour scheme.

Christmas tree with woven skirt, white baubles and gold fairy lights.

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Brown)

‘I’d let the natural texture do most of the work and add a little bit of contrast. So on your tree you could mix woven stars or bells with deep red velvet ribbon and a few glass or brass ornaments so the wicker stands out,’ says Stuart Murray, founder of Retrovintage.

‘A large woven star can also work above a mantel or leaning on a shelf with a simple garland and warm white lights. Then I’d also recommend varying the scale too. One oversized wicker decoration will usually have more impact than covering every surface with lots of tiny woven pieces.

‘If the room already has rattan baskets or timber furniture, don’t worry about matching the exact tone. Slight differences in colour make natural materials feel much richer. I’d keep the overall arrangement fairly loose, because wicker looks best when it feels relaxed and tactile rather than arranged too perfectly.’

Shope the trend

If you want your home to feel effortlessly festive and cosy, woven Christmas decor is the way forward.

Luxury Sectionals You’ll Actually Want to Sit On

Luxury Sectionals You’ll Actually Want to Sit On

by | Oct 22, 2026 | Design Inspiration

Luxury furniture usually arrives with a warning label only the rich can read, the price that promises comfort and delivers a stiff bench you fear sitting on, yet luxury sectionals and loveseats flip that deal by pairing real materials with a seat you can actually live on through a long evening.

I have watched readers of this blog buy the pretty thing and regret the hard thing within a month of delivery. Luxury should mean the piece feels as good as it looks when the lights go down and the family lands on it. A sectional that wraps the room and a loveseat that tucks into the corner can both be indulgent and usable at once. That balance is what I look for when I spec pieces for a real home rather than a showroom floor. The goal is a room that feels generous without performing for anyone who walks in through the door.

Table of Contents

Luxury Is a Feeling, Not a Price Tag

Luxury is a feeling you get when you sink in, not a number on a receipt you hide from your partner. I define it as comfort that holds up after the new wears off and the ordinary days begin to stack. A truly luxurious sofa invites you to stay, then rewards the stay with support that does not quit by the late hour. The market confuses expense with indulgence, and the result is a room that looks rich and feels like a waiting room you cannot relax in. I push clients toward pieces that feel hand made even when they are not, because the touch of the material tells the truth faster than the label does. Real luxury is a frame that does not creak, a cushion that returns, and a fabric that ages instead of failing by spring.

Sectionals That Wrap Without Swallowing

A sectional should wrap the room without swallowing it, and that line is where most buyers go wrong in the plan. I like an L that claims the corner and frees the middle for the path the family walks through the day. The long arm becomes the lounge, the short arm becomes the lean, and the room keeps its open center for the dog or the kid. A monolithic sectional that stretches wall to wall closes the space and makes even a large room feel boxed by the furniture in it. I measure the walkway first and the seating second, because traffic decides whether the piece feels generous or greedy in the corner. Pick a depth that lets people stretch without crowding the coffee table across the rug.

The Loveseat Still Earns Its Corner

The loveseat still earns its corner, even in a room that already has a big piece doing the heavy lifting by the window. I tuck it under a reading light or angle it toward the fire so it becomes a second conversation zone the main sofa cannot offer on its own. A matching pair reads as a set you bought on a deal, while a contrasting loveseat reads as a choice you made with intent for the room. I use it to fill a niche the sectional leaves empty, turning dead floor into a seat two people actually use. The scale keeps it from competing with the larger piece for attention across the space. Either way, give it a job and a light, and it stops being the spare you apologise for when friends arrive to sit and stay for the evening meal you cooked.

Material Quality You Can Feel

Material quality is something you can feel the moment you press the cushion with your hand on the showroom floor. I look for a frame of kiln dried hardwood that does not shift when you lift one end to test it for weight. The suspension should spring back, not sag into a hammock by the third month of use in the home. Foam that is too soft feels like a deal and acts like a mistake once the family settles in for a film. I prefer a dense core wrapped in a softer layer, because that blend supports the body and still welcomes the sprawl you want on a lazy Sunday. The fabric should read as rich and clean without a plastic sheen under the lamp. Real materials cost more up front and pay you back every evening you sit without thinking about the frame beneath the seat.

Color and Texture for a Warm Room

Color and texture set the warmth of the room, and together they decide whether luxury reads as inviting or as a museum you cannot touch. I lean into tactile fabrics, a velvet that catches the light, a boucle that begs a hand, a leather that tells the story of the years. These materials feel expensive because they are honest about the touch they offer through the day. I keep the palette warm rather than showy, because a calm room feels richer than a loud one when the sun goes down. A textured neutral with one deep accent pillow does more than a full set of matched prints ever will. The goal is a space that wraps you the moment you sit, not one that impresses you from the door and forgets you by the couch.

Scale That Fits the Floor Plan

Scale fits the floor plan, and no amount of taste survives a piece that breaks the room it sits in. I map the sofa and loveseat against the rug before I buy, because the rug is the frame the eye reads first when it enters. A sectional that overruns the rug looks lost, while one that floats just inside the edge looks placed with care by someone who measured. The loveseat should sit in proportion to the wall behind it, not dwarf the art or the window above on the same plane. I leave a clear path of at least a foot around the seats so the room stays walkable through the busiest part of the day. Good scale is forgiving, it lets the other decor stay simple because the furniture is already doing the talking.

Shop for the Evenings, Not the Photos

Shop for the evenings you actually live, not the photos you wish you could post on a weekend you host. A luxury piece earns its keep at eight at night, when the room is dim and the family is spread across the seats with nowhere else to be. I ask clients to imagine the Tuesday, the regular night, the long one after work that asks too much of everyone at once. Will the sectional still feel like a reward then, or a thing you dust and resent by the door. The loveseat should be the spot you read in, not the spot you stack the laundry on through the week. Buy for the life that repeats, and the pretty shot takes care of itself when the light is right for it.

Luxury that you can actually sit on is the only kind worth the money, because the room should reward you at the end of the day and not just impress a guest at the door. Choose the feel first, the look second, and the piece will earn its place every evening you come home to it after the long commute.

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