Easy ways to create a family friendly kitchen

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If you have a family, it is highly likely that you spend a lot of time in your kitchen, and that it is very much a focal part of your home. The kitchen is where we laugh, cry and talk, it’s where we eat dinner together, where we teach kids table manners and how to cook, and where we gather at the end of the day to catch up and tell stories. It is place that’s all about love and memories.

Given just how important this room is to so many people, we have put together some ideas about how you can create a kitchen, and a home hub, you love.

Safety is key
It really goes without saying, but safety has to be a kitchen priority. Boiling water, sharp knives, hot food and rubbish are all possible danger points, so care needs to be taken. A baby gate, locks on cupboards and drawers, slip proof rugs and mats as well as putting medicines and cleaning products out of reach of children and pets, are all starting points. You want to enjoy your kitchen, but you can do this more easily if things are safe.

What space do you want to have?
We all want something different from a kitchen, and this changes over time, so think about what you need right now, not in five years. Maybe you need somewhere for a playpen for your toddler while you cook, you might want a table or island bar where the kids can do their homework, or if you have pets, thinking about where to keep their food and water bowls could be a consideration. Think about what would make your kitchen work, and then make the steps towards creating the space you want.

Clear the worktops
Of course, one thing you need is a clear area where you can prepare food that isn’t too crowded and where you have space to keep your appliances too. Even if you have a small kitchen, create an area that is free of clutter, that is easy to clean and that way you know you’ll have the room to make dinner and get sandwiches ready for the next day.

Think about the temperature
You might want your kitchen to be a cosy space, and in the evening when the cooker is on and people are moving around this is fine, but by day it could be a colder matter. To make sure you still get that toasty feeling on Sunday mornings when the children are having their cereal, or when you have your mid-morning coffee, you need to look at the space and how hot or cold it gets. Insulating your home is the best way of keeping the heat in, so check for gaps under doors and window frames, you will be amazed at what a draft excluder can do. Tiled and wooden floors might look great, but come November your toes won’t be happy, so look at underfloor heating, carpets or rugs and that way you can sip your hot chocolate before the school run without getting chilblains.

Make it your own
Yes, clean, clear surfaces and spotless walls are the images we see in magazines, but this doesn’t always create the kitchen you want. Art on the walls can add an extra feeling of love and family, pictures with magnets on the fridge are cute and of course, those precious paintings your little ones bring home from nursery will look lovely in your kitchen!

All about the smell
Kitchens are full of smells and let’s face it, some are better than others! Make sure you keep on top of your rubbish and recycling, if you fry food then keep the windows open and think about having a diffuser to help neutralise nasty odours, and these easy steps can help make your kitchen a pleasant place to hang out!

If you follow these tips, your kitchen should be the best room in your home.

Team Pure Beauty

Give your walls a spring clean

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As the days get longer, the temperatures start to rise and the daffodils show their sunny heads, many of us want to make changes to our homes so they feel lighter and brighter.

Decorating an entire house can be a big job, but by making changes to the walls in your kitchen, living room, bedroom or hallway can have a real impact and create the illusion of complete change.

The way you design your walls can transform cold into cosy, boring into beautiful and take old-fashioned into uber-cool in an instant and we have had a look at how.

Ideas and planning
Before you do anything have a think about the kind of finish you are looking for, what colours and patterns you like as well as how practical your choices are. Social media sites, magazines, weekend supplements and even moving websites can be great sources of inspiration, so use them to work out what would feel best in your home.

Stick it
Peel-off stickers come in a wide range of designs and sizes and instantly transform a wall from a boring background into a world of animals, a space age galaxy or a tranquil garden.

Statements Walls
Broad horizontal stripes or a single wall painted in a bright primary colour can be perfect for playrooms and kids’ bedrooms and give that room a really cool, individual feel.

Map it out
Maps – old and new – not only add a splash of style but they are educational too. You can quite simply paste pages from books, wrapping paper or pictures enlarged on a photocopier, onto a wall and create something totally unique.

Wallpaper
Wallpaper is on trend in the world of interiors right now so there is a lot of choice to decide from. From pure natural woven fibres and light-reflecting metallic paper to hand-blocked papers, three-dimensional designs and digitally printed styles it is hard to know where to start, and sometimes where to stop. Do be aware that wallpaper doesn’t always withstand wear and tear like paint, so be careful where you use it. Vinyl is durable and easy to put up and you can even get washable wallpapers that are wipeable and perfect for families who want a stylish home.stylish home

Mirrors
There are some really beautiful mirrors in the shops but you can also find stunning pieces in antique shops and car boot sales that give a retro feel. Go for a large mirror with a striking framed you will not only add light and dimension to any room but also to add an air of grandeur.

Go for art
Whether you buy from for a local artist, frame prints from the masters or use you kid’s doodles art is a brilliant way to bring your walls to life.

Light it up
Washing walls with light keeps edges bright but also offers a warm glow that lifts an entire room. A picture light not only brighten up a dark space but is a focal point while table lamps spread light across a walls and you will be surprised at the effect under cabinet lighting creates on a kitchen or living room wall.

Prepping your walls
Once you have decided what you are going to do with your walls, you need to make sure they are as clean and smooth as possible.

For a decent base peel away bulging, loose or crumbling plaster, strip off wallpaper and fill in cracks and holes; sanding down the area when it’s dry. Once your walls are ready, prime them using watered-down emulsion and if you are going to be putting up new wallpaper, coat the walls with a sizing solution or watered-down wallpaper paste for a really professional base, then get to work.

Whether you are going for big, bold statements, want to add some warmth or simply need to cover up those sticky finger prints, we hope we have given you food for thought for change.

Team Pure Beauty

The Secrets to Looking Flawless

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base, beauty, cells, comfort, complexion, dark spot, dead, dry, dry skin, face, flawless, flawlessness, foundation, harmful, hyperpigmentation, make-up, moisture, moisturiser, oil, Papaya Extract, perfect, perfection, pictures, primer, production, protection, rays, refine, sebum, skin, slough, smooth, social media, SPF15, sunburn, surface, texture

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Flawlessness. For some of us it may seem like the quest for a flawless complexion is never-ending, or worse, totally unachievable and everyone uploading their filtered snaps to social media can make you feel even worse about your own skin. There are, however, a selection of products which work hard with your skin to make it look flawless and finding the right combination for you can be like hitting a beauty goldmine. Here are five of our favourites for helping us achieve flawless skin:

Decleor Expert Dark Spot Corrector

Nothing screams IMPERFECT like dark spots and areas of hyperpigmentation. This preparation from Decleor is designed to hit the dark spots right where it hurts and even comes with a unique applicator to help reduce the appearance of dark spots within 14 days. Papaya extract is the main ingredient which helps to even out the skins tone and helps to fade surface pigmentation, leaving your skin looking foundation-fresh even without make-up.

Dermalogica SkinPerfect Primer SPF30

Primer is essential for achieving a flawless look as it manages to even out both the tone and the texture of your skin. It’s ideal for dry skin as well as skin which is prematurely ageing, and will not only perfect your skin, but will also keep your make-up in place for longer. It also contains an SPF30 to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays, stopping sunburn and skin damage in it’s tracks.

Decleor Intense Translucency Fluid

Decleor Intense Translucency Fluid works in three ways; firstly, it brightens and unifies the skin’s complexion, eradicating dark spots and giving you a more even skin tone. Second, it reveals the skin’s own radiance by helping to get rid of dead cells on the surface of the skin. Lastly, it gives the skin a huge boost of moisture, giving 8-hour comfort to the face. The overall effect is a restored glow and a consistent skin tone which looks as though you’re already wearing make-up, even with a bare face.

Dermalogica HydraBlur Primer

If you have drier skin, you’ll probably find that the average primer dries your skin out even more as most of them control oil production in the skin, not something which is an issue if your skin is already dry. This primer from Dermalogica is designed specifically for dry skin, and the lightweight, non-greasy formula powerfully hydrates and transforms skin into an even surface with a dramatic blurring effect.

Decleor BB Cream 24 Hour Hydration SPF15

Decleor has put a lot of work into this product, using a combination of plant-based skin expertise and extensive research and development into colour. The BB cream is a foundation/moisturiser hybrid, doing the jobs of both – flooding your skin with a full day’s worth of moisture while using tinted pigments to create a flawless base. It comes in three shades will refine your skins texture, attack blemishes and even protect you from the sun with it’s added SPF15.

Give your bathroom a summer makeover

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If you are feeling down and out about your bathroom, why not give it a little bit of a makeover this summer and create the haven you have been looking for.

A lick of paint
Your bathroom, just like any other room in the house, can be totally transformed with a fresh coat of pain. Of course, white is clean and fresh and will add an air of calm to your bathroom, but if you like colour then blue can give a nautical feel, yellow is cheery and green is coming back into style. There are many makes out there, but for your bathroom look for a specially formulated on like Dulux Bathroom+ Soft Sheen which is a moisture and steam resistant paint that comes in some fantastic shades that will transform dull into amazing.

Go for the grout
If you can’t retile your entire bathroom, you can still deal with the grouting which often ages and makes the whole room look old and tired. First things first, if there is any mould on the grout, either take this away by washing with a stain remover, or try a grout rake and use this to take away around 2mm of the old material before adding a new layer. You may also want to replace the old sealant which isn’t hard but you will need a steady hand and maybe watch the odd YouTube clip for expert advice.

Windows
It is amazing at how old curtains or a badly fitting blind can make a room look really shabby. Take the old fittings down, give the window and surrounding area a clean and add new paint if needed. To complete the look hang fresh curtains, wooden shutters or just use a frosted film to create a whole new look and feel.

Think about the lights
Long gone are the days when a bare bulb was all a bathroom needed if you needed to spend a penny! Natural daylight is great whenever possible, but do think about your neighbours with this option! You can change the light shades to make a difference or have LED lighting fitted by an electrician. Not only does this add ambience but it also saves money and the environment, but make sure anything that is fitted is certified for bathroom use and complies with health and safety regulations.

Accessories
This is the bit we really love. Just as with an outfit, accessories can really help bring a bathroom together. Whether you go for a theme or base your bathroom on a colour, it is easy to make it look and feel fabulous with a few accessory additions. From towels and pictures on the walls to baskets and mirrors, you can create a whole new look that will make you fall in love with your bathroom all over again.

A touch of green
One last touch that can really bring your bathroom to life, is a plant or two. Nothing says fresh like a little bit of greenery and it is a pretty cost-effective way to bring the outside, in. Ferns, lilies and some palms are perfect as they thrive in a damp environment, so all you need are so pretty pots and you are ready to go.

Team Pure-Beauty