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The TARDIS Comes to UK Oak Doors...

by UK Oak Doors on Nov 22 2013
We brought you Boo's door, then we brought you the REAL Boo's door, then we gave you the chance to take a trip to Wonderland.... Now we bring you the opportunity to fly through time and space with: the door to the TARDIS! WATCH THIS SPACE! (And #SaveTheDay. You might as well.)
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DIY Calendar: November - How to Prepare Your Home for Winter

by UK Oak Doors on Nov 01 2013
By the time November comes around, you're probably ready for a holiday - not only from interior decorating, but work and day to day life too! The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder, and it's tempting to just curl up in front of the TV with a hot drink and try to forget about how dreary it is outside.
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Kitchens On a Budget

by UK Oak Doors on Oct 11 2013
This month I'm joined by the very talented Caroline Rowland of the fantastic Patchwork Harmony blog who will be sharing her top tips for creative kitchens on a budget. Take it away Caroline!
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DIY Calendar: October - Hanging Wallpaper Like a Pro

by UK Oak Doors on Oct 01 2013
With the changing of the seasons, many people find themselves craving a change of scenery in their homes too. One way to achieve this is by sprucing up the wallpaper in their kitchen and living room. Washable wallpapers can last a long time, but eventually you will want to get rid of your old designs and replace them with something a little different.
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Weird and Wonderful Things I Found on Pinterest

by UK Oak Doors on Sep 30 2013
Pinterest is a relatively new social site, at least compared to Facebook and Twitter. It entered closed beta in March 2010, and quickly became the social media site that everyone had to have access to. Initially, it was popular with female users, but over the last few years some men (like me) have started to ‘get’ the appeal of Pinterest too. If you’ve ever logged on and started browsing, it’s easy to understand why the site is so popular. It is a treasure-trove of creative ideas, must-have products, and quirky projects. For an interior designer, Pinterest is a source of great inspiration, and it can be pretty dangerous to your wallet, too. Here’s a quick look at some weird and wonderful things I’ve found recently: 1. The Movisi Modular Book Case This modular book case made by Movisi caught my eye for several reasons. Firstly, it’s lightweight, clean and modern. Secondly, the shape of the shelves are far more aesthetically pleasing than most of the other modular book cases on the market. Instead of harsh, flat angles this uses an organic, soft hexagonal design. It’s a subtle twist on the modular idea, but I love it. 2. The Champagne Cork Stopper Stool When I was at university I had one of those giant beer bottle money boxes. Now my tastes are a little more refined, I don’t think a beer bottle full of two pence pieces is a worthy addition to my living room. This champagne cork stopper stool from Fab fills the “quirky but functional” role well, and still lets me express my love for a nice drink. 3. Upcycled Traffic Sign Chairs This is another holdover from my university days. I was never the rebellious one who stole traffic signs or street signs, but several of my classmates liked to gather “Men at Work” signs and any other signs that weren’t thoroughly nailed down.... This upcycled chair is, supposedly, made of old signs. I just hope they were acquired by legitimate means! 4. The Monster Chair Sadly, my kids are too old to appreciate this chair, so I don’t have an excuse to buy it. Yes, I know it's kind of hideous, but I can't help but like it.... 5. Growing Furniture Peter Cook and Becky Northey from Australia have made a “living chair” by shaping a tree into a garden chair. This living chair is a true work of art, and something that makes you appreciate the beauty of nature. It looks like something that belongs in a fairytale, and would make a great talking point in any garden. 6. Modular Furniture This modular furniture makes me feel like a child again. Imagine taking soft “furniture bricks” and turning them into a bed, chair, sofa or table – anything you can imagine. The possibilities are endless, and that’s a dream come true for any designer. 7. Convertible Furniture Is it a chair, a sofa, or perhaps a single bed? This convertible furniture can be anything you want it to be. The smooth, polished wood looks gorgeous, and makes manipulating this convertible furniture an exquisite tactile experience. 8. Cardboard Seating At first glance, it’s hard to believe that this beautiful curved bench is made of cardboard, but it is! What better way to show off your green lifestyle than by using sustainable furniture? Just don’t spill coffee on it! From Flexible Love. 9. Upcycled Tables This creative table is made from reclaimed wood, and would look great in a wine cellar or a country-style kitchen. What’s more, since it’s custom made from reclaimed wood, no two versions will be completely alike. 10. The Garden Bench Ian Cameron Smith is a Scottish furniture maker who specializes in hand-carved works. He showed off this beautiful garden bench at the Scottish Furniture Maker’s Exhibition in Glasgow last year. I love the natural curves and the rich texture of the wood.
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Statement Storage Boxes

by UK Oak Doors on Sep 26 2013
Storage boxes are a great way to make a statement with something that's practical too.
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DIY Calendar: September - Stripping Wallpaper and Painting Safely

by UK Oak Doors on Sep 01 2013
September is a good time to head indoors and start looking at doing up your interior in preparation for the festive season. It's a good idea to start painting your interior in September, while the weather is still good enough for you to leave your windows open for ventilation. This month, we'll look at repainting your home safely and efficiently.
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How Does Your Garden Grow – Inside?

by UK Oak Doors on Aug 29 2013
To bring a more feminine touch to my blog, I asked the lovely Jo Ridout from A Passion for Homes to share some of her floral design favourites. Take it away Jo!
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The Delicious Beauty of The Pueblos Blancos

by UK Oak Doors on Aug 06 2013
I have recently been in touch with a number of my favourite bloggers in interior design and asked them if they'd be so kind as to share their design passions over here on my blog. I've had some great feedback and have got lots of treats in store for you! We're first joined by the very talented Andrea of Trying to Balance the Madness. To bring a little sunshine into your day, she has joined me to talk about her love of Spain's gorgeous Pueblos Blancos.
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DIY Calendar: August - Painting the Exterior Of Your Home

by UK Oak Doors on Aug 01 2013
For most of us, August is the height of summer. The weather is glorious, the holidays are in full swing, and we all want our homes to look great so that we can be proud of them when people come round to enjoy the annual barbecue.
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Door Jargon Busters Guide - New and Improved!

by UK Oak Doors on Jul 30 2013
Scroll down for UK Oak Door's new and improved guide to all the industry door jargon you've ever wanted or needed to understand. You can also download and print your own PDF here.
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Bring the Monster Movie Magic Home with Boo's Door!

by UK Oak Doors on Jul 29 2013
If you’re looking to brighten up a little one’s room, then look no further than our charming floral Boo’s door. This one of a kind door will help your little monsters make lots of interesting new friends without even leaving the house!*
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DIY Calendar: July - Fixing Rotten Woodwork

by UK Oak Doors on Jul 01 2013
July is the perfect time to start doing some outdoor DIY work.  If the exterior of your home has some problems - such as rotten window frames or cracked fences, then you've probably been itching to tackle these jobs. It's a bad idea to do those kinds of tasks in the spring, however.  You can be sure that no sooner than you apply the "needs 12 hours to dry" varnish, the heavens will open and your hard work will be ruined.
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DIY Calendar: June - How to Lay Tiles

by UK Oak Doors on Jun 01 2013
By June, the weather is getting a lot warmer, and this gives you more scope for the sorts of jobs you would want to work on, however, there is more than just weather to consider when planning DIY jobs.  If you have school-aged children, then June is the last month during which you'll have entire days to work uninterrupted for quite a while.  The summer holidays feel like they're getting longer every year, so if you have any major jobs to get done, and don't want children underfoot while you're doing them, then now is the time to start them!
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UK Oak Doors Jargon Buster: All About Doors

by UK Oak Doors on May 22 2013
We’ve all been through the pressure of buying something important that we know little to nothing about. From car technicians who bamboozle us with jargon so complicated that it sounds like they’re talking another language, to the salesmen who dazzle us with well-rehearsed pitches; you want to get involved in the decision-making process but you just can’t get your head around what is actually being said.
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Guest Pests – How to Prevent and Treat Woodworm Then Hide The Evidence

by UK Oak Doors on May 17 2013
Purchasing products from reputable sources (such as UK Oak Doors) using good wood and reliable treatments is the best preventative action to the introduction of wood pests into the home. But whether by flying insects or the introduction of new furniture in the home, any modern house may inadvertently bring wood pests into the house, particularly if home designers prefer a more classic look with antique furniture.
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DIY Calendar: May - Preparing the Interior Of Your Home

by UK Oak Doors on May 01 2013
If you're planning on redecorating, you will want to make sure that you have a good base to start from.  You spent the first few months tidying your home and cleaning the exterior, now you need to prepare the interior. Most homes have some cracks on the walls or the ceiling and around chimney flues.  Homes with a significant amount of plasterboard can have cracks or chips in the walls caused by previous DIY projects gone wrong.  Most of these problems are minor, however, and can be easily fixed.
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My Five Favourite Wall Decals

by UK Oak Doors on Apr 24 2013
I love wall decals; they're a quick and easy way to redecorate any room. I use them in the living room to add a splash of seasonal colour to the room, without having to go through the time consuming process of re-painting every few months. When my kids were younger, I used wall decals in their rooms as well. Children change their interests so rapidly, and decals are far easier to change than wallpaper! These are some of my favourites…. 1. Vintage photo frames (Wall Sticker Outlet, $39) These creative stickers are designed to look like vintage photo frames, and are a great way to display your photos in your living room. You just stick the vinyl photo frames to the wall, and then use blu-tack or double-sided tape to stick your photos onto the frames. These ones accept standard sized 5x7 photos. 2. Deco Sea Horse Under The Sea (Icon Wall Stickers, £8.99) This stylish sea horse wall sticker is great because it comes in loads of colours and sizes, and is perfect for bathrooms. The material of this decal is non-toxic, so will be a perfect addition to a nautical themed child's bedroom too. 3. Flags of The World (Abode Wall Art, £26) Travel is a passion of mine, but I was never particularly good at Geography when I was at school. Learning about different cultures is interesting, but I’m terrible at remembering facts and trivia – like where a country is, or what their flag looks like, in my head. But hey, you're never too old to learn, so I’m thinking about investing in this one for my study. It features a map of the world, with the bigger countries decorated with their national flags. 4. Kitty Cat (Dali Decals, $10) My wife loves this Kitty Cat decal. It is cute, but abstract, and understated enough that it doesn't look too cartoony. This wall decoration would look great in a large, open hallway - perhaps next to your coat rack, so that the cat is always there, ready to welcome you home after a hard day at work. 5. Summer Sunflower (Wall Art, £9.27) We don’t seem to be able to grow anything in our garden except weeds, so the extent of our gardening involves potted plants and window boxes. I’d love to be able to grow six-foot tall sunflowers. This summer, I’m considering having a (synthetic) sunflower of my own to look at – I love this one; it’s so bright and inviting – bringing the outdoors indoors, with none of the work :)
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Adding Value To Your Home

by UK Oak Doors on Apr 18 2013
Whether you're looking to sell your house quickly or just want to make sure that your home improvements will benefit you in the long run, this infographic will help you out! On each level of the house you'll find a different home improvement task, from building a loft conversion to landscaping the
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Four Fabulous Designer Sofas

by UK Oak Doors on Apr 10 2013
A good sofa is far, far more than just a place to sit while you watch your favourite movies. If you make the right choice, your sofa can be a centrepiece of your living room. Here’s a few of my favourite sofas – ranging from simple, modern designs, to luxurious contemporary pieces. Polka – Contemporary Chesterfield Sofa The Polka Chesterfield Sofa is something of a chameleon.  It’s clean, simple design means that it fits well in both formal and relaxed settings.  Created by the Designers Guild, you can choose from a range of upholstery fabrics, or soft Italian leather.  There are 40 different colours to choose from.  Personally, I like the simplicity of cool blue and white. The wooden legs are available in a range of finishes, including natural, walnut, silver and anthracite. The small, simple design makes this a good choice for any modern apartment or loft. Lino – Ultra Modern Sofa The Lino is another Designers Guild upholstered sofa.  Once again, this sofa is available in the full range of colours and can be upholstered in soft Italian leather, or your choice of upholstery fabric. There are three arm styles to choose from.  My favourite is the narrow arm. The beauty of this sofa is the bespoke seam detail on the cushions.  It’s a small touch, but it makes all the difference to the quality of the design.  This sofa is quite low and deceptively simple in its styling.  It would add a nice touch of luxury to an otherwise minimalistic Scandinavian style living room. Shoreditch Sofa by Paul Smith This luxurious contemporary sofa is worlds apart from the first two on the list.  It is available in a range of fabrics and leather.  The bold, bright stripes and contrasting seat cushions make sure that this sofa will stand out in any living room.  You can alter the directions of the stripes if you wish, but personally I think that horizontal stripes look far better than vertical ones would. This sofa is designed for ultramodern living rooms, but if you’re feeling bold it would fit more classically styled rooms as well.  You can choose from two or three seater sofa designs, as well as add optional chairs or footstools. Mayfair Fabric Sofa The Mayfair Fabric Sofa is upholstered in Ombrion Peyony Designers Guild fabric.  It has a smooth fixed back, and elegant buttoned arms.  The sofa is styled in a more traditional manner, down to the optional castors on the front legs. This piece would look beautiful in a period-styled living room, especially if you choose a darker colour or rich velvet for the upholstery.  This is quite an imposing design, so it wouldn’t suit a smaller living room – but if you’re lucky enough to have a larger home with a sizeable living room which can carry this off, it’s well worth the investment.  The sofa comes with three square scatters as well as two rectangular cushions.