Fresh ideas for the cold months ahead

We show you fun ways to turn up the heat and cosy up your home for the cold months ahead.

Set the scene
Hang heavy curtains in doorways to retain the heat in room. This not only reduces electricity costs; it also adds a bit of theatrical drama to any room. To ensure you ‘door’ looks great from any side, hang two layers of material with their inners facing each other.

Bedded bliss
If you’re missing the brass knobs on your cast iron bed, buy wooden finials (available at most curtaining and hardware stores), drill a hole and mount it onto the posters – now you can comfortably curl up and enjoy that scintillating novel.

Get on top
Add character to your garden table by covering it up with natural fabric like unbleached linen or canvas, glued down with wood glue. Then personalise it with a pretty picture or two. First, prime the table with white universal undercoat. Attach your chosen pictures to the table surface using wood glue and finsh with a coat of glaze or a sealer. For the distressed look, mix turpentine with some wood stain and apply unevenly.

Busy bees
Making bees out of chips is an ideal activity for a children’s party. Using the back end of a matchstick, draw the face and stripes on Cheese curles with Marmite, and use ordinary potato chips for wings.

Bird’s eye view
If you have a bird, wrap an old lace tablecloth around his cage during the day – this prevents his food messing all over your beautiful carpet. And Tweety will thank you for making his home oh, so stylish!

Hello doily!
Give paper doilies a new lease on life: using small pieces of prestik, attach the doilies around a mirror in a pattern and colours of your choice for an instant, cost effective frame. Paper doilies are available at most grocery retailers or party stores.

Closet case
If you don’t have a broom closet, utilise space effectively by hanging your broom, ironing board, dusters, leads and other cleaning equipment neatly behind the kitchen door.

Hooked on you
It’s vital that things be kept in pleace in smaal living spaces. One solution is a coat stand at the entrance to the bedroom, using a curtain rail and S-hooks from which to hang her bags, scarves and jackets.

Caught out
If you have a problem with leaking outdoor taps, simply fit an old decorative plant pot under your tap to catch the dripping water; this water can then quench other thirsty plants.