Houzz is fantastic for ideas. I must confess I also subscribe to 25 beautiful homes which is a great source of inspiration. Having bought all of the interior magazines for a few years I personally find this the best. More often than not, a design is inspired by one piece of furniture or art that you love. Most of my house was inspired by a single image long before we were even thinking about buying a new house .Scale tends to be my issue. I would therefore recommend looking at layouts of furniture to see what comfortably fits before buying anything (cuttings out templates helps). I like symmetry and my house is georgian so it's key but I got so excited about my new large lounge that I bought 2 different sized v large sofas (went in to buy 2 identical) and I am now stuck with the layout. Also, if you are on a strict budget or you are unlikely to redo within a few years, maybe go for a classic style that can be updated with a couple of cheap contemporary items. Paint is also cheap to update but wallpaper not, unless you can do it yourself. New cushions can also update a look cheaply. Don't forget lighting either, it can make a room. Layering different textures and mixing old and new makes a room look more expensive and more as if the room has evolved.

Hi Cat. I hope this helps - rather than reproduce it here, we've written a series of blogs, hints and tips around this subject, and one of the links is below - it sounds like you are already well down the line, so you'll just refer to the relevant bits. Suffice to say that if you have the time, you can do this yourself. I've always found it best (both as a home owner and as a professional) to engage directly with a number of local contractors and to meet them on site to make sure they really understand the requirement before they price the work (things like access, skip locations and so on they will need to know); I would not trust this to an on-line process. There is no substitute for personal contact where you not only have the opportunity to explain any issues directly, you will also get a feel for the contractor with which you can work best. Part of this selection process is in listening to each contractor's thoughts which are often useful. I hope this link works and that it helps (you'll find subsequent links which lead you to other aspects of project work that you may find of interest) ... click here

I only remove fresh items from fridge but leave jars etc I tidy but don't clean I usually put fresh linen on bed day before we leave so come back to a nice bed I arrange all the blinds / curtains so open but not fully open I set all the light timers I leave a key with neighbours and let a SMALL number of neighbours know As we are about to leave I put bleach in all the toilets If it is a taxi firm we don't know ( try to use same one each time) as I leave I talk to and wave at imaginary children and then discuss imaginary children with husband when we set off "will they remember to ...hope they visit .....etc" As we are about to leave I put bleach in all the toilets

There are various factors to consider when looking to purchase new bed linen - thread count, weave, design... What is most important to you? We personally think that linens should be above 300 thread count. Below 300 thread count the yarns are too thick to provide the smoothness we must expect from good quality linen. However, above 300 thread count, what matters is not the highest thread count at all, but rather the quality of the yarn itself because you can only weave great linen with good long staple yarns. Pay attention to the feel of the fabric on the top side but also on the underside of the linen you are contemplating buying. The underside will reveal how well woven it is and how tight the weave is... We recommend you choose the best weave for you: satin or percale depending on whether you like your linen light and cool or soft and silky. Only then, do choose your thread count. Hope you find our tips helpful. We'd love to hear your thoughts. What is most important for you when purchasing bed linen?