News

You now have 29 hours and 30 minutes, or thereabouts, to #SaveTheDay and WIN. Though that depends when you’re reading this. We can’t control time, but with this door you might be able to. But never mind that – what better way to #SaveTheDay than with an almost, 99.7% real, door to the TARDIS?

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.)

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.

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!

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.

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.

Storage boxes are a great way to make a statement with something that's practical too.

When we first launched our Boo's door we were overwhelmed by how many of you wanted to get your claws on one! We know that £99,999.95 might seem a bit of a stretch on your average Monstropolis salary, so we decided to offer one carefully claw-made door as a very special competition prize!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!*

We’re huge fans of renovation projects here at UK Oak Doors and we love reading about them, getting inspired, and carrying them out too. For some time we have been following the journeys of these blogs who are written by amazingly brave DIY enthusiasts who share with us the transformation of their living space. We have chosen our favourite 20, hope you enjoy them too! 1.       47 Park Avenue Even though we wanted the featured blogs to be less known/famous ones, we just couldn’t resist including 47 Park Avenue. The award winning 47 Park Avenue is Michael and Jonathan’s blog where they share their renovation project. They’re based in London on 47 Park Avenue – if you hadn’t guessed - and are transforming their house into a chic, modern living space. We love drooling over their pictures. Their en-suite is just to die for! You can also find them on Facebook and Pinterest. 2.       A Lovely Ark A Lovely Ark is written by a lovely lady – Lauren, who shares her life as well as her house transformation with her readers. She is very talented when it comes to making the most of small spaces and her daughter’s nursery transformation is famous amongst renovation blog lovers. We love her colour choices and would recommend her blog to anyone who wants inspiration on decoration. Especially if you have children! She can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.  3.      A Roof Right Over Our Heads Danny and Laura are based in Norfolk; they share the transformation of their Victorian semi-detached house which was empty for 20 years before they moved in. You can only imagine the amount of work that needed to be done! They’ve done a great job so far and are continuing to personalise and transform their space one room at a time. Highly recommended for anyone who is contemplating taking on a project house that is in need of a lot of TLC! You can find Danny and Laura on Twitter.4.       Ebury Home and Garden Founded by Hannah Gooch, Ebury Home and Garden is an online store which features practical and functional products that we adore! Hannah also has a blog where she shares the changes she makes to her home, other properties she likes and some delicious recipes. You can find Hannah on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. 5.       Foxcroft   Foxcroft is a very special blog. The owner Mike writes about the restoration of a 1928 house that was built by the previous owners. It’s not only their transformation of this beautiful house that makes this blog special, but the nostalgia. Mike often shares pictures from 70 years ago, along with letters. The blog isn’t updated as often as we’d like it to, but the updates are definitely worth the wait.  Unfortunately Mike isn’t very active on social media. 6.       House and Fig  The blog gets its name from a fig tree in their garden. The owners bought the house with the fig tree in 2007, in San Francisco. After becoming a little disheartened with their project house, they got their mojo back and are –once again- renovating their beautiful home. We love how inspiring this blog is. It is full of useful resources that can help you get your DIY mojo back too! Sarah, the owner of the blog can be found on Twitter. 7.       It’s Great To Be Home  The owner of this blog is a serial home improver. She is currently on her 7th flip! Can you believe it? As you can imagine, the blog is full of practices tips and wisdom from a renovation pro! Whatever your ‘renovation requirements’ we’re almost certain that one of Liz’s projects will inspire you so definitely check her out. You can also find Liz on Facebook and Pinterest. 8.       Kaybar007 – A(nother) Renovation Blog  Kaybar007 is in no shape or form related to James Bond 007 – from what we can see anyway. It is about the London home of Kay that is undergoing a renovation project. The blog dates back to 2008 when the house was bought and you can find everything on there! We’re loving watching their transformation. Kay often gives great advice on mortgages as well. You can also find Kay on Twitter. 9.       Klaus and Heidi A great blog that is full of advice on Georgian restoration projects. You can see their renovation of their Georgian house which is located in South East London, the house is absolutely gorgeous. Prepare to be seriously inspired! There is also a great deal of furniture restoration projects as well. You can also find Klaus and Heidi on Pinterest. 10.       Little House On The Corner The owners Christine and Jan live in the North of the UK and are sharing the renovation of their first house which they bought in 2010. Neither of them has previous DIY experience but you wouldn’t guess that when you see the pictures of how they’ve transformed their beautiful house. You can also find them on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. 11.       Love and Renovations Love and Renovations is updated by Amanda, who has recently bought her first house with her husband Corey. The blog is brilliantly sectioned so it’s easy to find what you need in no time. How they’ve transformed their house, and are continuing to do so is admirable. Definitely check it out if you need some inspiration. You can also find Amanda on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Weddingbee. 12.       Young House Love Young House Love is Sherry and Jon’s documentation of their house renovation. They are currently renovating their 3rd home and what’s more amazing is that you can find their previous house renovations on their blog too. We love their blog, their house is so modern and homely. Young House Love is another famous blog but we just couldn’t resist including them. You can also find them on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. 13.        The Pease Pod The Pease Pod shows the transformation of Gene and Jill’s home. You can expect to find a lot of DIY projects being undertaken, a truly unique style and a great taste. Combination of these is bound to be great right? They’re based in Minneapolis and we adore how amazing they’ve made their pod and we look forward to their posts. You can also find them on Facebook and Pinterest. 14. Something Gorgeous Something gorgeous is written by two lovely ladies who have such tasteful styles. Their blog isn’t solely on their renovation projects but a mixture of life, DIY, interior design, gardening, and cooking. Anyone who is into décor, renovation, DIY, cooking will find their blog interesting and become instantly hitched just like us. You can also find these lovely ladies on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. 15. Our Adventures In Home Improvement Our Adventures in Home Improvement is written by Pam. Both herself and her husband are lovers of home improvement and share their projects on their blog. They’re a very talented couple whose adventures inspire many other people to DIY. You can also find Pam on Facebook. 16.       Old Pearly Jenkins We love the transformation the family has shared on Old Pearly Jenkins, it really shows the power of DIY. The before and after pictures will definitely inspire anyone who has an interest in renovation and DIY. We tried really hard to think of our favourite part of their renovation, and it was tough! But, if we definitely had to choose one it would be their back garden. Check it out and you will not be disappointed. 17.       Old Town Home Old Town Home shares the story of Alex and Wendy’s transformation of their 1880s row house in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Their projects and tutorials are very helpful and inspire even the non-talented DIY enthusiasts. Definitely flick through their tutorials if you have a project in mind and we’re sure you’ll find it there. You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. 18.       Project Maddox Project Maddox is the blog of the Maddox family where they show us the renovations they do to their family home and the DIY projects they undertake, as well as some snippets of their daily lives. We love them because they’re crafty, creative and they love life! We would definitely recommend you to check them out. 19.       Old House New Tricks Old House New Tricks is written by Alysha. Her and her husband are renovating their farmhouse which is quite old and are making a great job of it! They recently shared their renovated kitchen and we are in love! We love their style and taste and would definitely recommend them for anyone who is looking for inspiration. You can also find Alysha on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.   20. Turn Right At Lake Michigan Turn Right At Lake Michigan is quite a famous blog, and other renovation lovers like us have been following their journey for some time. It’s one of those blogs where you must visit them first to know what we’re talking about because we don’t know where to begin. Their use of colour is just admirable! We envy their taste and eye for detail. Please just visit them and see for yourself what we mean. You can find them on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.We hope you guys enjoy exploring these blogs, we've tried to include more of the less famous ones. If you think we've missed out any great blogs please let us know. Information is accurate at time of publishing, however, may be subject to change.

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.

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!

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.

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.