‘I sold our house and gave away our stuff’: the minimalists doing more with less

Growing numbers of people, inspired in part by Marie Kondo, are ditching consumerism for a simpler life

It’s time to declutter. Fuelled in part by Marie Kondo’s call to eschew anything that does not “spark joy”, a growing number of people are questioning whether they are better off with less in life – from old jackets stuck under the stairs to unnecessary shopping trips and gadgets that clog up the home, or even a property that is larger than they need.

This new push towards minimalism, whereby people live with less, can have substantial benefits for the environment and people’s state of mind, as well as their finances. But does it mean living on rice and wearing the same two outfits all week? Or is there a more measured way to cutting out the unnecessary?

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A rescue plan and burst of sun bring blooms and joy

There’s mildew in the pots plants, but daisies save the autumn day

One of the perils of gardening on a roof terrace is the need to keep plants in pots. Plus, the increased probability you’ll be reliant on compost bought in bags. This planting comes with a higher level of failure than growing in a flower border or vegetable bed.

We often turn to dahlias to see our pots through the autumn, but August was a disaster. The Bishops (Llandaff, York and Auckland) succumbed to mildew. I don’t know if it was us, the weather or the garden centre. We water early or late in the day, wetting the soil not the plant.

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A rescue plan and burst of sun bring blooms and joy

There’s mildew in the pots plants, but daisies save the autumn day

One of the perils of gardening on a roof terrace is the need to keep plants in pots. Plus, the increased probability you’ll be reliant on compost bought in bags. This planting comes with a higher level of failure than growing in a flower border or vegetable bed.

We often turn to dahlias to see our pots through the autumn, but August was a disaster. The Bishops (Llandaff, York and Auckland) succumbed to mildew. I don’t know if it was us, the weather or the garden centre. We water early or late in the day, wetting the soil not the plant.

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Keeping your home damp free Nottingham Estate Agents

For a problem that affects millions of properties, damp is not as well understood as it should be. OnTheMarket.com offers top tips for a dry and healthy home Everyone knows that if they have a large hole in their roof, or leave their windows open during a thunderstorm, they will end up with soggy carpets. […]

The post Keeping your home damp free appeared first on OnTheMarket.com blog.

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Trends for autumn: what’s new in the world of design

Recycled plastic, South African design and fungal headphones are among the top stories this season

When students at Central Saint Martins were asked by the Ministry of Justice to come up with ideas for a new range of prison cell furniture the brief was complex but precise. “Everything had to be strong, safe and sustainable. It also had to improve prisoners’ welfare in practical, cost-effective ways,” explains the project’s director, Professor Lorraine Gamman of CSM’s Design Against Crime Research Centre.

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Trends for autumn: what’s new in the world of design

Recycled plastic, South African design and fungal headphones are among the top stories this season

When students at Central Saint Martins were asked by the Ministry of Justice to come up with ideas for a new range of prison cell furniture the brief was complex but precise. “Everything had to be strong, safe and sustainable. It also had to improve prisoners’ welfare in practical, cost-effective ways,” explains the project’s director, Professor Lorraine Gamman of CSM’s Design Against Crime Research Centre.

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An eye for detail: a London flat where style meets sentiment

A designer’s restoration leaves nothing to chance and creates a home that shows his love of mementos

Behind the decorative window mouldings of Robert Storey’s three-bedroom, top-floor Victorian terrace flat in Dalston, east London, is an unequivocally stylish yet unpretentious home, one that showcases his signature modernist tastes. This is no surprise, since Storey – a sought-after spatial designer who works with leading fashion brands – lives and breathes design.

Storey was instantly enamoured of the property, despite its neglected interior. He bought it in April 2018, following his father’s death. For him, it was a blank canvas in need of character and a stamp of individuality. “I loved the place immediately,” he says, “and I knew I wanted to renovate it, but not so it felt too design-heavy,” he explains. “My father always wanted me to buy a place and do it up in my own way, and I feel really fortunate that my inheritance allowed me to do that. I see it as his legacy. My home is a lovely memory of him.”

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