Update an open-plan space with flat-pack solutions, cosy up your home with new heating options and upgrade your decorating kit…
DIY & home
BREAK THE plan
Bring a broken-plan aesthetic to an open-plan layout with flat-pack glazed partitions from Patishon. They cost half as much as traditional alternatives, and you can install them yourself. We love the way these two 600mm wide panels frame the dining space while letting light through, and the slender black design is oh-so chic. There are lots of size options, including single panels just over 2 metres in width – fab for sectioning off a home-office space from a larger room. The partitions come with screws, a small hacksaw, a spanner and a tutorial plus all the required parts.
LET IT GLOW
You can’t beat the roar of a real log fire on a chilly autumn evening… or can you? This realistic electric model boasts both convincing flames and wood, but with none of the prep or the clean-up the next morning! You can simply switch on the cosiness at the press of a button. Thanks to Gazco’s innovations in efficiency, this model costs just £1.26 for an evening’s worth of heating, too (based on electricity prices at time of press).
The right tools for the job
If you’re new to decorating or your kit has seen better days, this bundle of products from Harris could be just the thing. The Home Maker set is a comprehensive ‘starter kit’ with everything you need for painting walls, ceilings and woodwork using emulsion, gloss, satin, or eggshell paints, and for prepping properly.
It also includes a how-to guide.
STAY COSY
Keep the smallest room in the house snug with a streamlined towel rail. This sleek design comes in lots of dimensions, with the smallest at just 600mm x 350mm – modest enough for the most bijou bathrooms! Choose curved or straight to suit your space.
Aston stainless steel towel rail, curved, from £136, UK Radiators
CREATE A PRACTICAL UTILITY SPACE
Make laundry less of a chore with our guide to adding a utility space, big or small
There’s a very good reason why virtually all new-build homes incorporate dedicated utility spaces – because people want them. A recent report from B&Q found that 40 per cent of Brits with a utility room describe it as the most useful part of the house, and according to Rated People, alongside a downstairs WC and an en suite, it tops home buyers’ wish
