If you know how to caulk a bathtub, caulk a shower or even caulk baseboards, you’ll know that it is the best way to stop air and water from leaking into places it shouldn’t. Fresh caulk should last around five years, but when you notice the caulk is losing its effectiveness, shrinking, become discolored or cracking, then it’s time to wipe the slate clean and reapply – though in order to do this you need to remove any existing caulk....

Whether you are installing a new kitchen or are getting it professionally fitted, you may want to remove the majority of the current configuration yourself. And this majority doesn’t require too much skill to tackle. Or perhaps you want to paint kitchen cabinets and just want to discover how to remove doors and drawer fronts? The first thing to do is get the room ready by emptying all the cabinets....

Scarification can be an important step in maintaining beautiful grass and refreshing a tired-looking patch. More intense than dethatching a lawn, is the process of removing a build-up of thatch, moss and deeper debris. Doing so will help you to aerate a lawn, when you come to fertilize a lawn, you will find it produces better results since the fertilizer will reach the grass’s roots, and not just idle on a layer of thatch, for example....

Using the color wheel to create a cohesive scheme might sound a breeze for one room, but how to take on a color scheme that works from room-to-room throughout a whole house? This may sound overwhelming when starting a project but when executed elegantly, careful color planning can give a home a wonderful sense of connection and flow. Choosing colors and tones can be a very effective decorative tool and a great way of adding a touch of personality to your whole house....

As the heart of the home, a place where you cook and friends and family gather together to eat, relax and socialize, you want every aspect of your kitchen to feel inviting and beautifully styled. The kitchen is often seen as one of the more functional and practical areas of the home, with window treatment ideas not always on the top of the list of priorities when planning a new kitchen....

Organizing a kitchen to its best potential results in smooth, efficient and hassle-free cooking. As some of the most often used ingredients in the kitchen, organizing spices is key to ensuring that’s the case. Whether you have an extensive collection or a few core spices you use all the time, they should be easy to find, easy to access and easy to keep neat and tidy. No easy task, we admit....

And if you want to make your backyard or front porch even more picturesque, you’ll want to embrace the outdoor fall decor ideas that will get you in the mood for the upcoming season. Outdoor fall decor ideas Outdoor fall decor covers a whole range of elements, from rich color palettes and plenty of pumpkins to festive yard lighting and outdoor fireplaces. We’ve rounded up the best fall decor ideas from the experts – and Homes & Gardens’ own archives – to instantly elevate your outdoor space this season....

A pool patio is a functional area that allows you to move around the swimming pool and climb in and out of the water safely. But it can also create sufficient level space for both seating and dining furniture. In addition, your patio has an aesthetic role to play in your landscaping, and should complement your pool ideas, other hardscaping materials and backyard ideas, and the house itself, for a harmonious effect....

Ultimately, there is no distinct solution, and there are pros and cons to both sides of the color spectrum – so what does this mean for you? If you’re wondering how to sleep better, it’s inevitable to address your bedroom color ideas – from the shades of your sheets to the bedroom paint ideas that encourage a peaceful rest. But with no clear answer as to which is best, it is inevitably hard to navigate....

Whether you’re desperate to know how to sleep fast or are wondering whether turning your Wi-Fi off could save money at home, we’ve asked professionals for the answers. So, should you turn your wifi router off at night as part of your bedtime routine, or is it simply not worth the hassle? If you want to wake up feeling more energized, some sleep experts highly recommend it. Should you turn your router off at night for better sleep?...

These clever powder room ideas or cloakrooms (if you’re from the UK) will help you revamp an existing WC – or make the most of unused space with an additional loo. It will punch well above its weight in terms of household usefulness. Small powder room A beautifully finished small powder room really makes a difference to the way you start and end your day. So if you’re planning a powder room refurb, it’s important to consider a few key things before you start, from space planning and storage to flooring and fittings; it really does make all the difference between a basic powder room and a beautifully functional space....

Subway bathroom tile ideas Today, the subway (sometimes called ‘metro’ or ‘brick’) tile continues to create a clean feel with the added benefit of plenty of retro impact. Versatile, inexpensive and easy to live with, designers have been using subway bathroom tiles to create fresh bathroom ideas – with a host of layout patterns, colors and finishes to add a modern edge to traditional style. 1. Create a mood in your bathroom ‘Subway bathroom tile ideas endure because they are like chameleons – they are both nostalgic and contemporary,’ says Waterworks (opens in new tab) co-founder Barbara Sallick....

With its fine Gothic architecture and scholarly atmosphere, Cambridge possesses more than its fair share of allure and the new Tamburlaine hotel makes a vibrant addition to this fascinating city. Close to the historic centre, it welcomes guests whether they’re staying the night or simply dropping in for a cocktail. Each sociable space, from the brasserie-style Dining Room to The Library, has its own distinctive look, while the Garden Room with its ornate wallpaper, sumptuous velvet sofas and oversized antique silk rugs, offers a convivial gathering place with all the delight of a comfortable Victorian salon....

The inevitable feature at the top of many wishlists? A breakfast bar. But how is it possible to recreate a breakfast bar-style space in a narrow setting? With galley kitchen ideas from a figure at the top of the industry. The appeal behind a breakfast bar is unsurprising. This statement feature is a place for cooking, dining, and socializing – so it’s only natural that you’ll want to introduce a similar set-up in your kitchen ideas, no matter the size....

And it’s an incredibly useful lesson in how to make the most of space in a tall, fairly narrow home. Packed with storage ideas that keep the family’s possessions not just neat but organized, it is streamlined, smart, yet family-friendly. ‘The brief was to create a warm, vibrant, fun family home which met all their practical needs, but which also captured their personalities,’ says Naomi Astley Clarke. ‘The new house had to work for children ranging from toddler age to teens and incorporate spaces for relaxed family living, as well as more formal entertaining....

Having recently upsized from a smaller home, they were finding that the additional space in their new house, though very welcome, came with its own particular obstacles. First, the furniture they brought with them from their old house looked small and out of proportion with the high ceilings and generous room sizes in the new house. And although the kitchen was large, the layout was unsatisfactory as the workspace was cramped....

We’ve rounded up an array of under stairs pantry ideas and inspiration to add to your list of pantry ideas top help get you started on your design. Under stairs panty ideas It’s important to take into account what essential services may be located here, such as an electricity meter or the mains water stopcock. These need to remain accessible so any pantry storage and kitchen ideas will have to work around them....

When it comes to creating your vegetable garden ideas, start by choosing varieties that you love to eat. This will help to guide your choice of containers (both material and size) as well as their positioning in your garden layout. ‘The power of pots shouldn’t be underestimated: well-placed containers can transform a garden. They set its style, completing the look and making strong statements,’ says gardening expert Leigh Clapp. ‘Take some time to consider what would suit your needs and where you may have space for containers in your garden....

Members of the public can choose their favorite garden from a shortlist of 15 eligible projects, ranging from a large rural garden situated among vineyards and olive groves of a Tuscan estate in Italy, to a tiny courtyard in Kensington. Sponsored by Homes & Gardens, the People’s Choice Award entries have been chosen by an independent judging panel of industry experts from among the Society of Garden Designers Awards 2022 shortlist....

Reed beds are an ecologically sound way of dealing with waste water, but are not a complete sewage treatment system on their own. Below, we explain the basics of what reed bed sewage systems are, and how they work. What is a reed bed sewage system? A reed bed sewage system is a waste water treatment plant you can install in your own backyard. To work as a sewage system, it needs to be used together with a septic tank....