Author: News Room

Come autumn every year, the demand for all things ‘cosy’ goes up. But this year, cosy took on a life of its own, it became a buzzword and a major pop culture moment – one with no signs of slowing down as we head into the new year. And the cosy living room trend is getting a new look for 2025 according to experts and trend forecasters.So what will cosy living room ideas look like next year? Comfort will still be prioritised above all else – but the living room colour schemes, shapes and textures that make up the ‘cosy…

It’s a quieter month for gardeners, but if, like me, you’re a fan of houseplants, you’ll know there’s plenty to keep you busy indoors during the colder months.Besides learning how to care for houseplants over winter, it’s a great time to expand your collection. My local garden centre was bursting with indoor plants at the weekend, from flowering Christmas houseplants to tropical favourites.If you’re looking for houseplant ideas, I’ve rounded up five of my most favourite indoor plants to give you a little inspiration.1. TradescantiaMy favourite colour is purple, so it’s a given that Tradescantia is one of my go-to…

Is your sofa the right size for your living room? George Clarke has revealed that when a sofa is the wrong size and shape for your living room, it can come as a detriment to your living room.Choosing the right size sofa, or sofa scaling, is incredibly important for achieving a harmonious living room. Having invested in one of the best sofas, you don’t want it to come as a detriment to your space.Speaking to Ideal Home about his work as an ambassador for Sofology, The Amazing Spaces presenter, George Clarke says ‘You need to get one [a sofa] that’s…

If you have ever stopped to wonder exactly how a barista keeps their coffee machine up to scratch you’d be correct in thinking there are certain things they do every week to keep their machine in tip-top shape.If you’ve invested in one of the best coffee machines, one can assume it’s because you love quality coffee at home (don’t we all). But are you giving it barista-level care to ensure it stays in the best working order?Of course, we all know the importance of cleaning a coffee machine, but coffee machine experts have revealed these are the three things baristas…

Choosing a new mattress is a big decision. There are loads of different factors to consider, and one of them is certainly your budget.Yes, finding the best mattress for you is the priority, and you might be wondering: is an expensive mattress really worth it? And while we can all dream – you may have a budget that doesn’t afford you the full bells and whistles mattress that costs £1000s.A double mattress can cost anything from around £150 to £1000s. Our top-rated mattress – the Simba Hybrid Original – costs £799 for a double.But fear not if your budget doesn’t…

We moved back to Belfast from London two years ago and found a Victorian home with such good bones we could live there comfortably, taking our time to put our stamp on it.Our vision was always to plan a kitchen extension and make the most of the space to the back of the house and let lots more light in.Now our big kitchen extension idea is becoming a reality with planning permission granted and contractors on site, we chose to get the project off to a good start sooner rather than later to keep to our renovation budget.Even though it’s…

This steam air fryer from Philips aims to tick all the boxes, offering two drawers, various functions including steaming, and all sorts of presents to cover various foods – as well as meals incorporating different ingredients you can cook at the same time.On top of that it has a few extra functions, from alerts to remind you to shake food to a steam clean function, and is pretty quiet compared to some gadgets. But on the down side it’s not a cheap bit of kit, neither is it small. It will take up a fair bit of space on your…

It won’t have escaped your attention that green has been absolutely everywhere this past year. Rather than waning in popularity the green reign is expected to continue and green kitchenware is the latest iteration of this colour trend blowing up in 2025.Green kitchen ideas will always have a timeless appeal, but, from the new year cookware, crockery and accessories in various shades of green will all be making an appearance in our kitchens. But why is green kitchenware trending?Why is green kitchenware trending?‘Dark earthy greens are timeless shades that effortlessly inject a gorgeous biophilic element into your design, meaning they…

My Nectar Hybrid mattress review puts the brand’s combination of springs and memory foam through its paces to see how it compares to the best mattresses Ideal Home has tested so far.In a nutshellOverall, I found the Nectar Hybrid mattress comfortable and supportive. Nectar suggests it’s a medium-firm mattress, and I found it quite firm to begin with, but it soon softened up a little and I adjusted to its mix of memory foam cushioning with a micro-spring support layer.I’m usually a front sleeper, but I found it comfortable for back and side sleeping too. And, although I don’t consider…

Knowing how to clean cat pee from carpet is essential for those with feline family members. And you’ll be glad to hear that this can be dealt with, swiftly and effectively.Knowing how to clean carpet is one thing, but dealing with cat urine requires a whole new method. Though it’s not as simple as grabbing one of the best carpet cleaners and hoping for the best, with the right equipment and the know-how, you can get your carpet looking and smelling fresh once more.We’ve asked the experts how to clean cat pee from carpet, and fortunately, there’s just six simple…