Home Envy: The Little Luxuries We’d All Welcome In
We’re not asking for much – just a few of those extras that make life a bit shinier. Here’s our we-want-one-of-those wish list…
Ever had the feeling life could be so much better/easier/more glamorous if only you had a specific feature in your home? It’s a common complaint. But when you can’t flick through a magazine or peer over the neighbour’s fence without feeling a pang of envy, it’s time to admit it: you are suffering from a case of Interiors FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Here are some of the most common triggers. You have been warned…
Build a special shed
If abandoning the daily commute wasn’t reason enough to whoop for joy, this heavenly home office should tip you over the smug/celebratory edge. Remarkably spacious, with ample shelving, plenty of natural light and power points, it puts standard sheds in the shade.
Explore 10 sheds with real appeal
If abandoning the daily commute wasn’t reason enough to whoop for joy, this heavenly home office should tip you over the smug/celebratory edge. Remarkably spacious, with ample shelving, plenty of natural light and power points, it puts standard sheds in the shade.
Explore 10 sheds with real appeal
Wallow at will
Banish all thoughts of pampas grass and swingers parties with the neighbours – this sunken beauty is the new acceptable face of hot tubbing. With all the benefits of relaxing under the stars as you sip something chilled, this is far less imposing than standard models that are plonked on the lawn and dominate the garden. Silver birch trees create a magical backdrop and the warm wooden surround makes an attractive sunbathing deck. Who needs holidays?
Banish all thoughts of pampas grass and swingers parties with the neighbours – this sunken beauty is the new acceptable face of hot tubbing. With all the benefits of relaxing under the stars as you sip something chilled, this is far less imposing than standard models that are plonked on the lawn and dominate the garden. Silver birch trees create a magical backdrop and the warm wooden surround makes an attractive sunbathing deck. Who needs holidays?
Go underground
Outgrown your wine rack? A subterranean cellar could be just the job, allowing you to store a substantial number of bottles in an otherwise redundant space. Sleek, stylish and featuring a spiral staircase, this ingenious addition would surely make you the star of the dinner party circuit.
Browse 10 fabulous ways to store your wine
Outgrown your wine rack? A subterranean cellar could be just the job, allowing you to store a substantial number of bottles in an otherwise redundant space. Sleek, stylish and featuring a spiral staircase, this ingenious addition would surely make you the star of the dinner party circuit.
Browse 10 fabulous ways to store your wine
Enjoy more screen time
For the ultimate summer’s evening entertainment, bring the home cinema experience outside and project your favourite film onto a perfectly positioned retractable screen. A strong statement colour behind makes it an appealing feature all year round. And if guests overstay their welcome on those balmy evenings, you can always start showing your family’s home videos…
For the ultimate summer’s evening entertainment, bring the home cinema experience outside and project your favourite film onto a perfectly positioned retractable screen. A strong statement colour behind makes it an appealing feature all year round. And if guests overstay their welcome on those balmy evenings, you can always start showing your family’s home videos…
Reach higher
Swing/slide combo looking a bit tired? Just imagine the hours of peace that could be procured by installing a five-star tree house at the bottom of the garden. Wave goodbye to the guilt as your kids enjoy summers filled with wholesome fun. And if they simply use it as a new location in which to play Minecraft, at least they’re getting some fresh air, right?
Swing/slide combo looking a bit tired? Just imagine the hours of peace that could be procured by installing a five-star tree house at the bottom of the garden. Wave goodbye to the guilt as your kids enjoy summers filled with wholesome fun. And if they simply use it as a new location in which to play Minecraft, at least they’re getting some fresh air, right?
Get a (games) room
Wouldn’t life with teenagers be a breeze if they had their own space? This loft conversion is a cross between the lounge bar in your local pub and the meeting room in a painfully hip ad agency. Metal pendants plus exposed brickwork and beams give the space a cool, industrial edge that your not-so-little darlings will (possibly) thank you for. Who knows, you may even be granted admission from time to time.
Wouldn’t life with teenagers be a breeze if they had their own space? This loft conversion is a cross between the lounge bar in your local pub and the meeting room in a painfully hip ad agency. Metal pendants plus exposed brickwork and beams give the space a cool, industrial edge that your not-so-little darlings will (possibly) thank you for. Who knows, you may even be granted admission from time to time.
Supersize your wardrobe
Imagine if your day began not by rummaging in your closet for something vaguely suitable, but by sashaying into a beautifully organised room where perfectly presented outfits are politely vying for your attention. Some homeowners are now opting for dedicated clothes storage over en suites, while others are requisitioning neglected boxrooms in the pursuit of a glamorous, orderly walk-in wonder.
Imagine if your day began not by rummaging in your closet for something vaguely suitable, but by sashaying into a beautifully organised room where perfectly presented outfits are politely vying for your attention. Some homeowners are now opting for dedicated clothes storage over en suites, while others are requisitioning neglected boxrooms in the pursuit of a glamorous, orderly walk-in wonder.
Inject some glamour
The appeal of a decadent bathing space is closely associated with the idea of having time for a long, indulgent soak. Obligatory elements include a claw-foot tub, a large chandelier (classic or contemporary) and enough space in which to pad around without becoming impaled on a heated towel rail. Moody hues are a definite bonus, too.
The appeal of a decadent bathing space is closely associated with the idea of having time for a long, indulgent soak. Obligatory elements include a claw-foot tub, a large chandelier (classic or contemporary) and enough space in which to pad around without becoming impaled on a heated towel rail. Moody hues are a definite bonus, too.
Instil order
If someone had told the younger you a room dedicated to laundry could evoke such joy, what would have been the reaction? Well, it may be a tiny bit tragic, but in the grown-up world, order and organisation equals an easy life, and this smart space would banish washday blues for good. This compact, glorified cupboard is the ideal solution – stacked machines and a retractable ironing board save space, while bi-folding doors hide everything away so visitors are saved from the sight of your drying underwear.
TELL US…
What luxurious addition would you like to have in your home? Tell us in the Comments below.
If someone had told the younger you a room dedicated to laundry could evoke such joy, what would have been the reaction? Well, it may be a tiny bit tragic, but in the grown-up world, order and organisation equals an easy life, and this smart space would banish washday blues for good. This compact, glorified cupboard is the ideal solution – stacked machines and a retractable ironing board save space, while bi-folding doors hide everything away so visitors are saved from the sight of your drying underwear.
TELL US…
What luxurious addition would you like to have in your home? Tell us in the Comments below.
Whether you’re on a mission to bring the outside in or vice versa, your success, er, hinges on these glazed beauties. Fold them right back and you effectively remove a wall, opening up the living area and increasing the sense of space. Make sure the floor levels in the house and garden are the same in order to create a seamless transition between the two.