A COZY den, away from the world, is the first space that children can call their own.

Everyone likes a little private area – and if they have to curl up in it, so much the better.

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Here’s how to make one for your kids – using common household items and some creativity. . .

INSIDE CAVE: If spring showers dampen your kids’ spirits, create a den in your living room.

Natalie Byrne, author and outdoor enthusiast at Millets, says: “Place chairs of varying heights around the living room with their backs facing the inside of the study, then drape some blankets, sheets or a lightweight duvet over them.

“Cover the floor with cushions, bean bags, pillows or mattress toppers. Add a string of lights and a hand-drawn sign.”

CAMP DOGS: Keep your dog out of your den by turning it into one of his own.

A soft blanket, their favorite toys and some treats will entice them.

Add a sign to indicate that this is strictly their space.

For more fun with your four-legged friend, see the blog at millets.co.uk.

LEAVE IT ON: If you have a garden, it won’t be long before you can camp.

Sleeping under canvas is magical for children and the addition of hot chocolate and marshmallows while watching the stars makes for a total treat.

Read a story together in the tent before going to bed or play a game such as Uno or Snap to give it a holiday feeling.

FLY THE FLAGS: No den is complete without a sling.

Natalie says: “All you need is a pop of color and a touch of different materials.”

Attach fabric or paper triangles to a string.

If you are using paper, punch three holes at the top of each flag and thread them through a piece of string to hang the flags.

For fabric, sew the top edge of each flag around the string or adhere it with a bead of fabric glue.

• All prices on the page are correct at the time of going to press. Offers and offers subject to availability.

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You can now create your own garden with a recyclable item that produces quick results.

One gardening guru tips are so simple that there is no excuse for not getting a head start on spring planting.

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Collin (@saltyacresnc) wants to show you his seed-starting trick using just one item that he says “everyone” has at home: a Styrofoam egg carton.

Aimed at novice gardeners, the “conveniently shaped” box has a flat bottom for any spot used to hold an egg – and can be a home for seedlings as well.

Cutting the box in half, Collin explained how the item allows plants or seeds to stand upright on the windowsill.

He hopes this advice will save many from the rookie mistake of “learning the hard way” that using cups or similar items that only hold dirt are not ideal starters.

That’s because nothing fits the shape of the inside of a windowsill better than an egg carton, which means there’s a good chance a cup will fall over completely.

Next, you’ll want to poke some holes in the bottom of each egg space in the box before filling it with dirt.

He couldn’t emphasize enough that this was the “best way” to start seeds if this was your first time getting your gardening feet wet.

The fact that it fits perfectly in your windowsill wasn’t even the best part.

Since you don’t need a grow light, his tip is completely free.

Need seeds?

Don’t worry: his seed company, Salty Acres, has got your back.

The brand sells a variety of vegetable and plant seeds, including the $3.99 Blue Lake Bush green bean seeds.

And the product had many satisfied seed-loving customers.

“I couldn’t be more pleased. My plants arrived quickly and looked very healthy.

“I followed the directions given and they are working well. I’m very excited! Thank you for providing such a great product!” said one buyer.

“They arrived in good condition and ours are now in pots,” said another buyer.

The watering process is also simple enough for any beginner: just grab a mason jar and a straw.

Just one or two ‘straws’ of water per morning is all you need to add to each space.

For best results, place the box on the windowsill, in the brightest light.

Many of his fans even had their own tips.

“I’ve always done this and occasionally put it in a plastic bag for a greenhouse effect, works great!” said one follower.

“Use the biodegradable ones. You can transplant the whole thing in your garden,” said another viewer.

“I use K-cup pods,” said a third audience member.

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A WOMAN who lives in the smallest council house in the world has revealed she has to give visitors tours of her property every week.

Fay Laflin has lived in the 17th century Dutch Cottage in Raleigh, Essex since 2008.

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The property is only 6 meters wide and was probably built in 1621 by Dutch settlers, who came to Essex to work on the sea defenses.

The octagonal house is a Grade II listed building and is believed to be one of the few Dutch cottages left in Britain, and the only one owned by the council.

Fay pays just £75 a week to live in the cute thatched cottage, and is ecstatic with her tiny home.

Fay told MailOnline: “It’s compact and bijou, but it’s just such a beautiful place to live, it’s really quirky.”

Fay was one of fifty applicants who applied to live in the house, and the council decided she was best suited to live there.

She said: ‘I asked for it and hoped to get it. You had to write a letter explaining why you wanted to live here.

“I wrote and said I was only 6ft tall so I would be well suited for a small house.

“I don’t think it was the deciding factor, but I’m sure it helped.”

Fay’s house is so small that she had to have a special low bed made to fit into the small bedroom, which she can only access by a steep ladder.

The 49-year-old freelance director revealed that she has to open her tiny home to visitors once a week.

“It’s basically like living in a museum,” she said.

However, she said she is the perfect tour guide as her surname is Flemish and is related to 17th century settlers who came to the east of England after facing persecution.

“The Dutch colonists built sea walls on the coast.

“Who knows, they may have been here?” she said.

Fabulous pays for your exclusive stories. Just email fabulousdigital@the-sun.co.uk and put EXCLUSIVE in the subject line.

GIVE your home an instant upgrade with some simple and transformative tips to make any small space feel bigger.

Sometimes less is indeed more – at least when you’re giving a room a decorative redesign.

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If you have too much stuff in your small home, chances are clutter is getting in the way of your style.

To create a more carefully curated area, the experts at Moving.com recommend leaving sufficient open space.

This pro tip can be applied to all “visible areas” throughout the home, from the floor to your countertops and even in the space between pieces of furniture.

You can also add ‘vertical depth’ to any space by incorporating larger items and using shelves and art.

This also means you can get creative with your most coveted pieces.

Instead of throwing everything away, just place some items on a shelf.

When it comes to hanging curtains, they recommend installing the rod about two inches below the ceiling or cornice, which gives the illusion of extra height.

You can also upgrade your style game while saving space by incorporating innovative storage items.

Some of these furniture solutions include ottomans that can store linens and under-bed storage pieces that look like “cool cabinets.”

Wayfair is selling a $45.99 Hilsa upholstered storage bench, which hides blankets, pillows and remotes.

The table top lid even serves as extra seating.

The space-saving purchase received many five-star reviews.

“I needed a simple footstool. This one did the job and also provides storage. I was skeptical at first when I saw that the sides were folded up and quite flimsy, but once I put them together it held up,” wrote one buyer .

“It’s a great little ottoman for the price. I love that you can store a blanket, or iPad, etc. in it, and flip the top over for an extra small tabletop.

“It’s just the right touch I needed in my family room,” said another buyer.

Small doesn’t have to be boring either. Instead, these more compact spaces are even more prone to bold colors, prints and textures.

Start with an accent wall, a throw pillow or add a colorful wallpaper.

Even a statement piece or a simple item like a picture frame can do the transforming trick.

It’s all about securing ‘balance’, which can be done by playing with patterns.

They also recommend going big when integrating a rug into a room.

That’s because using a large rug can cause your eye to see more than is actually there. It also gives your home an even grander appearance.

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A NEW starter scheme offers mortgages with an interest rate below 1%.

The Own New’s Rate Reducer mortgage offers buyers of new construction a reduction in mortgage interest when they purchase a home from several major home builders.

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These include Barratt Homes, Barratt London, David Wilson Homes, Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey, Bellway and Berkeley Homes

The scheme, which started in February 2024, gives home buyers access to a very low mortgage interest rate during the initial term of their mortgage.

Own New Rate Reducer works by using incentive budgets that home builders offer to their customers to reduce their monthly mortgage payments over a fixed term.

For example, if the homebuilder offers a 5% incentive on a home, Own New Rate Reducer takes this amount and applies it directly to the mortgage interest to reduce monthly payments.

Depending on their lender’s criteria, buyers can choose to spread the benefit over the first two or five years.

For example, Virgin Money, one of the first lenders to join Own New’s Rate Reducer, says that for a new home worth £300,000 the introductory 2 year mortgage rate of 4.79% with a £995 fee at an LTV will be 65%. reduced to 0.99% at 60% LTV with a £495 fee.

But remember: to get this rate, you need a 40% deposit.

Halifax, Lenders Gen H, Furness Building Society and Perenna also offer discounted introductory mortgages through the scheme.

In addition to saving on monthly costs during that period, the customer also pays more on the capital value of his mortgage, because the interest charged on the loan is lower.

Lenders will still carry out their usual affordability assessment to check whether the buyer can afford repayments if interest rates rise once the fixed term benefit expires.

To access this scheme, independent financial advice must be obtained from a regulated mortgage broker who has completed additional training.

Commenting on its own new Rate Reducer product, David Hollingworth, Associate Director at L&C Mortgages, said: “Buyers will no doubt have put their plans on hold due to higher mortgage rates, which has pushed up their monthly payments.

“This product aims to address these concerns by taking advantage of the developer’s incentive to lower mortgage rates.

This will help address one of the key barriers for many and give buyers more breathing room on their monthly payments.

‘Borrowers will need to meet lenders’ affordability tests as normal, but it will also be important for them to plan ahead.

“Once the deal ends, it’s likely that rates will still be higher and payments will increase.

However, buyers will know this along the way and can therefore work to make provisions for an increase in payments in the future.”

How does the scheme work in practice?

With the Own New Rate Reduced scheme, you buy a new-build home with a mortgage and pay a lower mortgage interest than when you buy on the open market with a traditional mortgage.

When you choose your property, the developer agrees to contribute 3% or 5% of the purchase price.

The mortgage lender will then offset the 3% or 5% developer contribution against the mortgage interest to reduce your monthly payments for the first two or five years, depending on the length of your initial term.

Barratts Homes says mortgage rates below 1.89% will be available through the Own New Rate Reducer program in spring 2024, assuming a 5% incentive for housebuilders, with an initial period of two years and an LTV of 75%.

For comparison, on the open market in spring 2024 the best two-year fix at an LTV of 75% is 4.42%.

So if you take out a $180,000 mortgage over 25 years at 1.89% through the Rate Reducer program, your mortgage payments for the first two years will be $754 per month.

This is €238 per month less than if you took out the best two-year fixed rate with an interest rate of 4.42%, leaving you with an annual saving of €2,856.

Who is eligible and how do I apply?

The scheme is open to those who buy a new-build home and who:

• Are a first time buyer
• Are a house mover
• Have owned real estate in the past

To purchase a home through the Own New scheme, visit www.ownnew.co.uk.

Here you can find an eligible property from a developer who has signed up for the scheme.

You should then discuss your mortgage options with a recognized Eigen Nieuw mortgage broker, such as our partner free mortgage broker L&C.

Once you have agreed, you will continue with the purchasing process of the new construction as normal.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the scheme?

The main advantage of this mortgage arrangement is that it results in significantly lower monthly mortgage costs for a fixed period.

As a knock-on effect of paying lower rates, the homeowner will also pay off more of their property’s capital.

But once your introductory period ends, you should be prepared for mortgage rates to rise.

You also get a more limited choice of properties eligible for the scheme, and you may not get the nominal 0.99% rate if you can’t afford a 40% deposit.

Other starter schemes where you need a small or no down payment

Several major banks and building societies allow first-time buyers to borrow the full amount needed to purchase their home.

These deals are often called 100% loan-to-value mortgages because you don’t need a down payment to purchase.

Last year Skipton Building Society launched its Track Record 100% mortgage available to tenants buying their first ever property.

The only catch is that the amount you can borrow has a limit, because your monthly repayment cannot be more than what you currently pay in rent.

Real estate developer Fairview recently launched its Save to Buy program.

This allows starters to save for their final deposit after their move.

Buyers pay a fixed amount monthly into a Fairview piggy bank instead of rent.

You only need a 1% deposit to get started and when you’ve built up enough equity, you can apply for a mortgage to buy your home.

Thanks to the Right to Buy scheme, tenants of social housing can buy the home they rent with a discount of up to 70%.

You get a 35% discount on your social housing if you have been a tenant in the public sector for three to five years.

The right to purchase is similar to the right to purchase, but offers people who rent from a housing association or another public sector landlord the opportunity to buy their home.

It is open to anyone renting in the public sector for three years or more and offers a discount of £9,000 to £16,000 on the purchase price.

How much you get depends on the location of the home.

THE accident-after-accident story of the “saddest ever” Grand Designs property continues as the owner won’t be able to sell the house for another decade.

Grand Designs’ saddest building may not find a new owner for at least a decade because “sadness is baked into every wall and window,” according to a psychic.

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Chesil Cliff House in Devon, Great Britain, made headlines after it caused owner Edward Short a seemingly endless stream of misery for 12 years.

Not only that, but building the lavish white seaside estate left him with a hefty £7 million debt – and even cost him his marriage.

Edward started work on the picturesque five-bedroom, glass-fronted property in 2010, with plans to live there with his then wife Hazel and their two children Nicole and Lauren, now both in their 20s.

With an initial budget of almost £2 million, the father hoped to complete the ambitious project in 18 months. However, due to development problems, the construction process took twelve years, with costs spiraling out of control.

Once the property was completed, however, it was not to everyone’s taste, as British designer Kevin McCloud described it on Grand Designs as the ‘carcass’ of a coastal wreck.

Reflecting on the time, which had put the family under great strain, especially given mounting debts, Edward previously said: ‘The whole project has been a terrible burden on Hazel. feel for her.

“It was never my intention to put her through this,” he said DevonLive.

“There’s a lot of guilt about that.

”But once we started, there was no way out. If we hadn’t finished it we would have been in big trouble,” the father told The Sun.

The lighthouse property has been for sale since then, but without success with potential buyers keen to purchase it.

And according to tarot reader and celebrity psychic Inbaal HonigmanWHO spoke to the Daily Starit’s more bad news for Edward and the £7 million mansion.

“The tarot card that appears in front of the house is the very sad Seven of Swords,” she said.

“It’s a card called ‘futility,’ which represents sadness, loss and loneliness.

“Houses carry the energy of people and events that existed within them, and the history of separation and subsequent loneliness of the saddest house of the Grand Designs is depicted in this Tarot card.”

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Moreover, she noted, grief is essentially “baked into every wall and window.”

Another card, the 10 of Wands, revealed that the house probably won’t be sold for another ten years if it continues like this.

Inbaal added that for the outcome to change, the circumstances have to change – and there are a number of things the owner could do.

Inbaal pointed out that the energy of the house must be increased before the property can ultimately be sold. One way to achieve this is to place rose quartz crystals of love around the mansion.

Work on Chesil Cliff House started on a budget of £1.8 million and was due to be completed within 18 months.

Last year, the unfinished home was taken off a real estate agent’s site during discussions with a “serious buyer,” who reportedly backed out at the last minute.

AN interior designer has shared her style tips that will deliver a cozy Nancy Meyers look.

But house-proud fans will be happy to hear that her method won’t break the bank.

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It can be done on a budget, starting with a piece you can buy on Facebook.

Juliana’s (@julianaghani) post has received a lot of attention with more than 75,000 likes.

She is an interior designer and a known ‘style enthusiast’.

In this videoshow them how a Nancy Meyer-inspired home could be yours, too.

“My tips for creating a traditional, cozy home on a budget,” she said.

Nancy Meyer’s look consists of pure cottage core, wooden furniture, custom sofas, wool rugs and bookshelves.

All in all a wonderfully cozy appearance. But just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither will this aesthetic.

It could take years, Juliana warned. But she shared her tips to help you put together your cozy home look.

She’s distilled her list down to a few choice items with search terms for the best results on Facebook Marketplace.

CARPETS

But not just any old rug. Even used, these may be a bit pricey.

But it will be worth it for these aesthetics.

Search terms:

• Wool,
• Persian
• oriental
• Amended
• Vintage

WOODEN CHEST GOODS

Wood goes with everything, but it has to be a specific type of wood.

Mahogany, for example, is much too red for a cozy atmosphere, says Juliana.

Search terms:

• Root wood
• Veneer table
• Vintage chest
• Wooden console

CUSTOM BENCH

There is a very special look for a sofa if you want to stick to the style guide for a cozy core.

Rolled arms and a skirt are what it’s all about.

Custom sofas are best and Juliana realizes they are pricey.

But Facebook Marketplace is your friend.

Search term:

LAYERED PIECES

Lamps are very important to complete the look.

But not just any old lamp.

Search terms:

• Brass lamps
• Ceramic lamps
• Porcelain lamps
• Painted lamps
• Vintage lamps

Books are another excellent way to add layers to a room.

Juliana only buys second-hand books for her coffee table.

But start small, she advised, with pillows, chairs, rugs, and build your collection over time.

Commenters loved her suggestions.

“Nancy Meyer’s aesthetic is my favorite aesthetic,” one fan admitted.

“Maximism goals,” another fan joked.

“This is my new decor bible,” said a third fan.

RABBITS and deer are notorious for snacking on flowers that have taken months of hard work to grow, but there’s a clever way to keep them out of your spot.

There are several specific flowers that can be strategically planted to warn animals not to come near them.

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John VanDerLaan is the founder of DeerHuntingGuide.neta platform for expert tips and reviews related to hunting.

He has advised gardeners to swap roses, tulips and holly for three different flowers if they want to avoid the visits of ‘spring snackers’.

At the top of his list of recommendations are the bell-shaped flowers of foxglove, which come in pink, pink, white and yellow varieties.

They grow in clusters and can be used to fill a front or backyard garden.

They should be planted in well-drained, moist soil with full sun in spring or fall.

Foxglove blooms from May to July.

“The reason they are not at risk of being eaten by deer or rabbits is that they contain cardiac glycosides, which can cause heart failure in many animals,” John said.

“For generations, animals like deer and rabbits have learned to avoid these flowers so they don’t come near them anymore.”

“Just don’t put these near horses because they will eat them and get sick,” he added.

John said their vibrant color and “strong scent” of a second flower deter many wildlife.

Hyacinths come in such a wide variety of colors that it is easy to find bulbs that match the theme of most gardens.

They should be planted between September and December so that they can bloom all spring.

Hyacinths can grow higher than some small rodents can reach.

“Their bulbs are also poisonous to rodents, so they are very unlikely to be dug up by rabbits or squirrels,” he said.

The wildlife expert revealed that daffodils may be the ‘most deer-resistant flower’.

The low-maintenance plants come in early and late flowering varieties, both of which can be planted for a flowering period of several weeks where animals will not touch them.

Their colors range from strong yellow and cream to warm orange.

“These flowers have a well-deserved reputation for repelling deer, this is because they hate the taste of daffodils,” said John.

“As a result, planting these anywhere in your garden will prevent the deer from coming in because they have no interest in them.”

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LEARNING how to paint a room properly can add the illusion of instant square footage to any space.

Just a few simple techniques can lengthen or widen any area – or at least look like it is.

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To create the perception of a larger room, it is crucial to create contrast by using light and dark colors. interior design firm HK Interiors.

This trick adds ‘depth’ to a room, making any space instantly appear larger.

Sticking to dark and bright white colors will instantly open up any room.

In the meantime, make sure you stay away from medium shades as those shades have the opposite effect.

It’s also important to remember that not all spaces are equal.

Long and narrow rooms can also be made wider with professional painting techniques, but this requires their own rules.

Light and cool colors deviate, making them appear further away.

Warm and dark colors, on the other hand, come to us.

To make the most of these types of spaces, paint the opposite shorter walls one or two shades darker than the two longer walls.

As they get closer together, the room takes on a more spacious-looking square shape.

Those who want to emphasize the length of a room can use a darker shade on the longer walls.

Some other universal laws for increasing the look of the room include sticking to one color.

This makes the room appear to be continuous.

When multiple colors are involved, our eyes automatically stop at the line where one color ends and another begins.

This creates boundaries in a room, reducing its size.

White is always an “optimal” choice and its reflective properties give any room, whether short or narrow, a light and airy feel.

And finally, whatever you do, stick to stripes.

Horizontal stripes give the impression of a longer wall, while vertical stripes make your wall appear larger.

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ADDICTED locals shouted “not our hidden gem” as their beloved garden center was threatened to make way for MORE homes.

The proposal to demolish the Dillywood Garden Center in Medway, Kent, has sparked a backlash as residents reject new plans for 12 four-bed houses.

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Fans have been singing the praises of the independent, ‘great value’ garden center for years, while raving about its ‘excellent’ tea and cakes.

The social center is now at risk as Medway Council considers an application from Planning Insight, on behalf of Provectus Developments.

The controversial developer wants to demolish the nursery in a bid to bring more housing to the area, as reported by KentOnline.

Their application statute stated: “The continued use of the site as a garden center is no longer feasible.

“The integrated development proposal makes efficient and effective use of the existing underutilized garden centre.

“The new homes would not result in significant damage to or loss of public or private land that contributes positively to the local character of the area.”

TRAFFIC HELL

But residents fear that even more housing will stretch the area’s already narrow roads to their limits and create travel chaos.

Elizabeth Turpin, Strood Rural ward councilor, explained: “Dillywood Lane is incredibly narrow so there may be an increase in transport.

“With multiple cars per home, this will probably cause problems, because it is not a location where you can really live without a car.”

Locals said it would be “a shame” if Dillywood were forced to pull down the shutters for good, destroying “job losses”.

Meanwhile, parish secretary Emma Johnson argued that new housing development would be “unsustainable” along the “single railway”.

The concerned official was concerned about the increased traffic flow “with limited passing places”.

“There were also concerns about development on green belt land, and councilors also wanted to ask whether the old Medway railway tunnel passes through this area and whether this has been investigated,” she added.

Frindsbury Extra Parish Council has also objected to the plans due to traffic fears.

HIDDEN GEM

A disappointed local resident said: “It’s a shame to see the garden center disappear, it’s a great shop.

“We have always used them because they are much cheaper than some of the other local ones.

“The people who work there are all so nice too.”

Another praised the location: “There was a nice range of gifts and plants and there was room for tea and cake.”

Someone else wrote: “The food is excellent, the shop itself is a hidden gem, by that I mean hard to find – but well worth the trip.”

“The cafe is fantastic and great value,” praised a fourth.

FEAR OF THE COUNCIL

It comes after developers originally submitted an application for 36 homes but were advised to scale back the plans.

Medway Council rejected the large number on several grounds, including road safety and flooding.

If Provectus Developments gets the green light, the controversial new homes will each have three parking spaces.

In addition, there will be another 48 bicycle sheds on the estate.

A decision is expected to be made on May 20.

It comes after locals in Kent were outraged by a neighbour’s ‘alien’ hut.

They claim the structure was built without permission and has turned their area into a ‘shopping centre’.

There have been angry protests after the property sales hut was erected in a Kent beauty spot.

Elsewhere in Kent, a hotelier was so concerned about the demolition of a neighboring pub for new housing that he bought it himself.