Home ideas

If you’ve read my regular seasonal candle round-ups and my recent small business Christmas gift guide , you’ll have seen the name Sincerely Lumière pop up several times. And with good reason. Based in London, this independent studio handcrafts candles, wax melts and more, all designed to encourage self-care and nurture wellbeing. There’s something special about the scents, and I’ve loved them from the very first moment I tried them – they have a depth and sophistication that I’ve rarely found elsewhere and they’re wonderfully evocative, conjuring up coastal breezes, Sicilian summer nights and more. What’s more, they come in gorgeous minimalist packaging and are made using sustainable CocoSoy wax and natural essential oils, with no toxins, paraffin, palm oil or other harmful ingredients.  Keen to find out more, I chatted to founder Adelaide Awuku about the story behind Sincerely Lumière, what inspires her, how she creates her scents, and the power of fragrance to alter our moo...

As the temperature drops, the indoor heat gets cranked up. While this keeps everyone comfortable, it also leads to dry, damaging air.  One of the main reasons we experience the dry air phenomena in the winter is that cool air has difficulty retaining moisture. Then, when the heat is turned on to combat the frigid temps, even more moisture is drawn out of the air, exacerbating problems.  A humidifier works by putting moisture back into the air. If you’re experiencing any of these signs it’s time to place a humidifier (or two) in your home. Your Hardwood Floors Look Dry or Are Cracking When your hardwood floors look or feel dry to the touch, dry winter air may be the culprit. Low humidity levels in the home can draw moisture from wood floors and furniture, causing shrinkage. You may notice large gaps between your floorboards , splintering or cracking, or low luster looking hardwoods. Most of the time, you can remedy this problem by installing a humidifier. Once the proper ...

[Advertisement – this post is based on a press stay, but all words and opinions are my own] There’s always something magical about spending time in woodland: the dappled light filtering through the branches, the rustling leaves underfoot, the birdsong up above, the sense of being hidden away in an enchanted fairytale world… It’s particularly special in autumn and winter , and I knew Chris and I were in for a treat last week when we were invited to review a cluster of woodland hideaways set on the historic Cowdray Estate in the South Downs National Park, West Sussex. Opened in 2023, TreeHouse Retreats consists of four separate cabins, all designed by treehouse specialists Blue Forest and handcrafted from larch and cedar. They’re quietly luxurious, with a rustic-contemporary style that blends seamlessly into their surroundings, and importantly they were built with sustainability in mind. The timber was sourced from the estate itself, the walls are lined with eco-friendly insulatio...

Even if you’re redecorating a small room and want it to have a cozy vibe, cramped probably isn’t the look you’re after. Yet, it’s common for homeowners to make furniture, styling, and rug mistakes that dwarf their homes.  If you want your room to look put together and a bit bigger, avoid these decorating mistakes that will make your room look tiny. Using the Wrong Size Furniture Scale compares the size of one item to another. The scale of items in a room and relative to the room’s size can make it look put together or off. (For example, an overstuffed couch would look silly with two miniature-sized accent chairs next to it since they are entirely different scales.) Choose furniture that fits the size of the room, ensuring that there’s still an easy path for family members to travel in and out. When you’re working with a smaller room, extra small furniture can make it look even tinier. On the opposite end, oversized furniture will create a crowded, cluttered look. Placing an O...