HomeInspiring |
- 5 Must-Have Accessories to go with a BBQ
- Victorian Homes: How to Highlight Period Features
- How to Make Your Log Cabin Cosy for Autumn and Winter
| 5 Must-Have Accessories to go with a BBQ Posted: 19 Dec 2012 03:06 PM PST If you’ve got a barbecuing enthusiast in your family, Christmas is the perfect time to buy them some new gadgets to go with their cooking equipment. I think you can’t go wrong with type of gift, especially if they are something of a foodie anyway. It can be tricky thinking about what to get someone as a present, but I think snapping up accessories to go with your loved one’s Weber Q is unique and will go down a treat. Below are five must-have gadgets that should be on your shopping list.  BBQ Accessories 1. Tongs OK, I admit tongs don’t sound very glamorous, but it’s amazing how often these utensils are used. For a start, you require a couple of pairs for both raw and cooked food, while if you need to wash some having a clean spare to hand is also useful. Stainless steel is your best option, as the material is durable and long lasting. Invest in some quality tongs, and your friend or family might not need to replace them for quite some time. 2. Woodchip smoker Whether you’re buying accessories to go with a Weber charcoal or gas barbecue, a woodchip smoker can be used with any of these grills. All the budding chef needs to do is place wood dust and woodchips into the box, and the burning material with give food a richer, smokier flavour. It’ll certainly impress guests when they taste the meat and vegetables, and the recipient of your gift will no doubt be thrilled that you thought of them and bought them such an unusual present. 3. Recipe book While there are loads of ways to cook meats and vegetables (and even fruit!) on a barbecue, sometimes it can be tricky to find inspiration. I don’t think you can beat a sausage and a burger, but I also love dishes like spicy chicken and roast pork sandwiches. A recipe book will help the barbecuing fan in your life to come up with new ideas, which will go down well once the temperatures start to rise again and you’re invited to their next garden party. Alternatively, I think a book of cocktail recipes would also work well, especially as such drinks are refreshing when the sun shines. 4. Marinades and sauces A marinade and sauce set is the perfect gift for a foodie who likes to experiment, especially if you push the boat out a bit and invest in some good-quality items. They can really transform meat and veg and create a completely different dish, and your loved one will have endless fun trying out new flavours. 5. Cleaning kit It can be easy to stash away a BBQ once the summer is over, but it’s important to make sure the equipment is properly cleaned to ensure it’s in good condition come next year. Otherwise, when it’s next brought out of the shed or garage, it could be full of dirt, rusty or even broken. A cleaning kit might not be the first gift that springs to mind when deciding what to buy someone, but you can guarantee they probably won’t have thought of buying sprays and brushes themselves. Can you think of any gadgets or accessories that a barbecuing fan would love to receive? Leave your top tips below to help inspire other shoppers this Christmas. |
| Victorian Homes: How to Highlight Period Features Posted: 19 Dec 2012 02:57 PM PST I love everything about Victorian homes – from their antique fireplaces to their sash windows. So, if you are lucky enough to own a house from this period, it is important that you do your best to highlight these features.  Victorian House Here are some tips I’ve put together to help you learn how. Show off your fireplace The fireplace is one of the integral fixtures of a property from the 19th and early 20th centuries, and is one of my favourite features. They are incredibly beautiful, so they are definitely worth showing off. If your fireplace looks quite old and dishevelled, I would spend some money on restoring it. Not only will it look great, but homebuyers are also willing to pay a lot for original features, so if you can keep the authentic fireplace, you might see more interested parties when you come to sell your home. As well as making it look nice, I would also get a specialist to see whether it can be used for fires (as, obviously, was originally intended). If so, I wouldn’t waste any time whatsoever in burning some logs in there and giving the house a real old-fashioned feel. Don’t worry if your fireplace isn’t in the best condition, or if it has been covered up – or you don’t have one at all! You can get it uncovered or you can build an entirely new Victorian-looking fireplace. And I’m sure most people will be none the wiser. Re-stain your wooden floor Wooden floors are characteristic of many Victorian properties, with lots of houses built during this period having hardwood floorboards. With a Victorian home of your own, you’re likely to have these, but if you find your house is covered in carpets, all you have to do is look underneath and you might have some great original wooden floorboards underneath. I think it’s definitely worth making a feature of these, so I would sand them back and stain them with a dark mahogany colour – this was the colour du jour during the Victorian period. Of course, not everyone is blessed with good-quality floorboards and if you find that the wood in your home has suffered with age and has become rotten, you can recreate the look with new wood flooring from companies like the Solid Wood Flooring Company. Sash windows Authentic sash windows are perhaps the hardest thing to find in a Victorian home, as many people have replaced the single-layer glass with double-glazed windows in an effort to reduce their energy bills over the years. So if you own a house with this style of window, I’d advise you to keep them, as they are extremely sought after. Of course, glass windows with wooden frames deteriorate over the years, so you might have to restore them so they look their best. Alternatively, if you don’t have sash windows, you can buy new double-glazed ones in a sash-window style these days, which may be a worthwhile investment if you want to have as many Victorian-themed features in your house, but are also concerned about spending a lot of money to warm up your house. … And the rest These are just a few fixtures I’d make sure I’d restore if I had a Victorian home, but, of course, there are many more. Other original features I’d protect and bring back to their former glory include the likes of: • Dado rails You can also get help from a specialist if you want to make sure you do these authentic fixtures justice when restoring them. |
| How to Make Your Log Cabin Cosy for Autumn and Winter Posted: 19 Dec 2012 02:49 PM PST If you’re lucky enough to have a log cabin in your garden, you probably find it’s really easy to make good use of it in the summertime. In fact, considering how wet the UK summer seems to be these days, they’re pretty much perfect for letting you feel like you’re enjoying the outdoors without getting soaked in the rain at the same time!
Come autumn and winter, though, you might be a bit stuck for how best to use it. After all, even the best log cabins aren’t as well insulated as houses, and they’re often sparser too, so they aren’t usually the cosiest of spaces. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t make them cosy. Actually, there are lots of simple tricks you can try to turn your light, airy log cabin into the perfect corner for cuddling up in. 1) Add a carpet or rug One of the most effective steps is to lay down a carpet or rug. If you’ve got quite a bit of furniture in your cabin or you’re looking for something seriously low-effort, a rug is, obviously, the simpler choice. An added bonus of choosing a rug is that you can just whip it out when summer rolls round, and it’s easy to replace if necessary. When it comes to creating a cosy atmosphere, the fuzzier the rug the better. So, don’t be afraid to get something super-soft and luxurious – you won’t regret it! 2) Stockpile blankets and cushions The next thing to do is ramp up the comfort levels. Autumn and winter are perfect for snuggling up with a hot chocolate and a good book – but cold, hard furniture will really hamper the experience. You don’t need to invest in all new furniture (though a comfy beanbag wouldn’t go amiss, if you have the space), but it is well worth picking up some fleecy blankets and soft cushions, just to make the place a little more welcoming. You can put these on sofas or chairs, and have a few extras for guests within easy reach – or just a little additional indulgence on your part! 3) Invest in a portable heater Garden log cabins aren’t necessarily the warmest of spaces, and if yours feels a little like the inside of a fridge, it’s worth buying a portable electric heater for quick blasts of warmth. These aren’t too expensive and can make a real difference to how comfortable the cabin is. One important thing to remember, though, is that you must turn these off whenever you leave – stick yourself a reminder on the inside of the door if you think you’ll forget! 4) Tweak the lighting Next, you can work on the lighting. In autumn and winter, it’s nice to create a warm, cosy glow, so buy a nice lamp or two. If you need lots of light (say you usually use the space for a hobby, like reading or painting for instance), spotlights can be a useful way to get good visibility where you need it most. Personally, I think fairy lights are a fantastic touch, even if it’s not the festive season. These really make any space look pretty and can create a lovely intimate atmosphere. Go for colours or just plain white – whatever takes your fancy! 5) Add books, magazines and toys Lastly, it’s well worth adding some creature comforts. Things like books, magazines and – if you have kids – toys can all make the cabin feel more lived in. A kettle and mini fridge, meanwhile, give you the ability to make a warming cuppa without even having to go back to the house. Perfect! If you’ve been inspired by the ideas above but don’t have a log cabin, you can take a look at the different models available here. Or, if you have recently decorated your cabin, leave us a comment and tell us what you did! |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Home Design, Interior Design, Home Architectural Design and Decorating Ideas - Homeinspiring.com To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
