Here's how to transform your home from tired and dated to warm and welcoming

With 2021’s biggest interior design trends embracing neon lighting and the ideal home office, we’ve got the latest must-have for the perfect family home.

Our round-up features everything from transforming your garden with plants and greenhouses to giving your home an update with wifi boosters and stylish new doors.

How to keep your plants safe and happy


Find the greenhouse of your dreams


A well-constructed greenhouse can make a world of difference to your garden and your plants. Founded in 1938 in Greenfield, Lancashire, Hartley Botanic has been making handmade, made-to-order greenhouses and glasshouses for over 80 years and is so trusted that its entire range is endorsed by the Royal Horticultural Society. Each glasshouse is handmade to your requirements, using high-quality, durable materials.

Designs are available from three product ranges (Victorian, Heritage and Modern) or customers can create a totally bespoke design with Hartley Botanic. Models are available in a variety of colours and sizes, along with options for glass-to-ground, free-standing or lean-to. All Greenhouses come with a 30 Year Lifetime Guarantee.

For more information, visit hartley-botanic.co.uk or call the team on 01457 873244.

Light up your space


Light up your home with glamourous neon signs


Bring a little glamour to your home with the power of neon. Custom Neon offers a wide range of neon lights and signs, including predesigned pieces. You can also create your own to brighten up any room in your home. Each light-up sign comes with a dimmer switch, enabling you to create the perfect ambience for a cosy date night in, as well as an optional flash setting for a party atmosphere.

Say it your way with a choice of colours and fonts, or upload a photo and the team will help you create an amazing bespoke piece. The signs are lightweight and easy to hang and move around. From kids rooms to kitchens, garden bars to lounges, create a fun space with your own personal message or artwork. Enjoy a 10% discount by entering NEONIFYME10 at checkout. Offer valid till 22 March 2022. Visit customneon.co.uk or call 020 3608 5978.

Upgrade your garden with the perfect plants


Have all of your gardening needs met in one place


Spring is on its way — the perfect time to spruce up your garden. The Gardening Club, based in Enfield, offers members the chance to browse a 25-acre plant nursery, walk through the crops and choose from hundreds of varieties of bedding, hanging basket plants and vegetables.

With plants sourced from growers all over Europe and expert advice on hand, creating a garden space you love has never been easier.

The Gardening Club is open to the general public and to trade. The first year of membership is just £5, with renewal at just £2.50 per year thereafter. Join now at www.thegardeningclub.co.uk

Sewing is easy with a Singer


Get crafty and make your own clothes with a brand new sewing machine


Sewing is enjoying a renaissance, with many of us making our own clothes, toys and home furnishings. Simply grab your sewing machine, a pattern to work on, some fabric and you’re ready. From beginner sewing machines to advanced offerings, Singer Outlet has everything you need. It offers the largest range of latest-model Singer sewing machines, overlockers and embroidery machines in the UK.

Singer has been the leading sewing machine manufacturer for 160-years due to its ongoing commitment to quality, reliability and innovation. This dedication to developing and expanding the range with newer, innovative machines and models has resulted in an expansive range of the best sewing machines, all available at Singer Outlet.

Visit SingerOutlet.co.uk or call 0800 050 2232.

Boost your wi-fi signal without any fuss


Make sure your wi-fi extends to all parts of your home


One of the most frustrating elements of modern life is your wi-fi going down or falling out of range. Sidestep this annoyance with devolo Mesh WiFi 2, a nifty wi-fi booster that uses your home’s own powerline to transmit data and boost your signal.

A mesh wi-fi hotspot can be created at any power socket, making sure that pesky walls and ceilings won’t slow down the speed, allowing you to surf and stream without interruption.

Available from Amazon and devolo.co.uk

Create a home that works for you


Ensure that your home works for you in every way that matters


Over the past year, our homes have become makeshift classrooms, offices, cafes and more. With the help of Origin’s bespoke aluminium doors and windows, homeowners across the UK have transformed their homes to suit their new lifestyle.

All its products can be tailored around your individual needs, whether it’s letting in more light, opening up your living space or creating cosy new corners. Plus, Origin’s products come up with a guarantee of up to 20 years, ensuring your home is ready to deal with whatever life throws at it.

To find out more about how Origin’s doors and windows can help your home work harder for you, visit origin-global.com

The DIY way to transform your home


Revitalise your home quickly and easily


If your interior design needs a boost, the wide range of home improvement products from Hemway Home Collection will give your home a new lease of life. The high-pigment Chalk Paint provides a smooth, long-lasting, matte finish that will transform your furniture and walls without the need for sanding or priming — perfect for a shabby-chic effect.

Use Hemway Glitter Grout Additive to jazz up ordinary tiles with a classy glittery shimmer. It’s available in six different sizes and over 50 colours for a truly bespoke design. Make the most of the three-for-two sale to create a fresh combination of matte colour walls and stylish sparkling tiles.

Use code 3for2 across the full range of products at hemway.com. Offer valid until 1 June 2021.

Planning to travel more? Short let your home while you’re away


Be clever and look into short-lets


If you’re thinking about relocating, are looking forward to returning to frequent travel, or have a second home that is often vacant, short-term rentals could provide a new source of income.

Since it was formed in 2014, UnderTheDoormat has welcomed over 12,000 guests and fully manages over 300 premium homes. The company provides homeowners with the comfort of knowing their home is occupied through short and mid lets of anywhere from three nights to six months. The dedicated homeowner team looks after you and your home through every step, in line with the company’s Peace of Mind Pledge.

UnderTheDoormat offers market-leading insurance, guest vetting and personal check-ins for every stay, as well as a professional cleaning service, covered by its 10-point Hygiene Promise.

Underthedoormat.com

Treat yourself to a luxury scented candle


Candles add an unmistakeable air of peace and tranquillity to your home


There are few things in life as instantly soothing as lighting a candle and letting its fragrance gently wash over you.

Candles By Luma’s premium candles are hand-poured in the UK. They’re expertly formulated with the ideal wax-to-fragrance ratio, ensuring a long-lived and consistent scent. All candles are cruelty free, vegan friendly and clean burning, using only the highest-quality natural soy wax. What’s more, all packaging is sleek and minimal, so they make a stylish gift.

USE Code FREE150 to get a free medium candle with every large candle bought. Offer valid until 15 May 2021. candlesbyluma.com

Frame your garden in style


Give your gardens a modern edge


Give your outside spaces a lift with stylish garden fencing from Contemporary Garden. The specialist in contemporary garden design has been creating fitting solutions and offering installation advice for 35 years.

The popular Tempo range features a unique modular design that enables it to be used as cladding, a decking border or as a fence panel. It’s perfect for big and small places alike and will elevate any modern garden project — simply keep adding panels to make up your desired height.

Made from pressure-treated softwood for long life, it comes with a 15-year guarantee against rot.

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A new industry analysis shows that the expanding ASEAN aviation sector supports over 23 million jobs, highlighting the importance of major airport infrastructure projects in hubs like Bangkok.
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Lawmakers have implemented strict bans on the digital distribution of unsafe personal mobility vehicles to address urban pedestrian safety concerns and domestic fire hazards.
Authorities in southern Malaysia have shuttered educational institutions due to deteriorating air quality, while Indonesian courts face negligence complaints regarding agricultural fires driving the regional crisis.
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The Laotian government has introduced new resource nationalism policies requiring all extracted minerals to be processed domestically before export to capture higher industrial value and increase national revenue.
Domestic financial institutions across Vietnam are seeking massive capital injections from international and regional investors to expand lending capacity and support the country's rapid industrialization.
Malaysian infrastructure and technology authorities have commenced development of a large-scale technological hub aimed at attracting global semiconductor manufacturing and artificial intelligence data centers to compete with Singapore.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed that negotiators are drafting the final stages of a sweeping trade pact designed to strengthen Thailand’s position within global manufacturing and technology supply chains.
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Malaysian sovereign funds, venture capital networks and technology agencies are allocating capital to local chip design and advanced packaging companies to strengthen the country’s electronics industry.
Chinese technology companies are increasing spending on regional data centers and cloud services as businesses across ASEAN adopt more artificial intelligence tools and digital financial platforms.
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Bangkok authorities are rolling out electric river boats, additional skywalks and cycling lanes under the Car Free 2026 initiative to reduce congestion and emissions across the capital.
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Singaporean officials are preparing for the country’s 2027 ASEAN chairmanship with a focus on deeper economic integration, digital trade standards and stronger regional security cooperation.
Thai economic officials outlined a three-part plan to reduce exposure to expensive fossil-fuel imports by increasing domestic renewable generation and allowing households to sell surplus electricity back to the grid.
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Malaysia’s Johor chief minister called for urgent regional talks as smoke from agricultural fires in Sumatra and Borneo affected parts of Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, increasing pressure for coordinated firefighting and enforcement.
Vietnam’s consumer price index rose to 5.08% in September as higher construction material and food costs pushed inflation to its highest level in a decade.
Severe monsoonal flooding across northern and central Thailand has damaged farms, disrupted food supply chains and pushed estimated national economic losses above 69 billion baht.
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The ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office said weaker global demand for artificial intelligence hardware could significantly slow regional growth by 2027, exposing economies increasingly reliant on semiconductor and electronics exports.
The World Bank lifted Vietnam’s 2026 GDP growth forecast by 1.1 percentage points to 7.4%, citing surging exports of computers, servers and other high-tech products tied to global artificial intelligence infrastructure demand.
International law enforcement agencies seized 521 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine from a private aircraft at a Laotian airport and arrested a Singaporean pilot in a major operation linked to the Golden Triangle drug trade. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="19"}
Thai developer Siam Piwat has announced IconPhuket, a large retail and entertainment project aimed at capturing growing demand from affluent international visitors to the southern island. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="18"}
Malaysia’s election commission has scheduled the Melaka state poll for mid-November, creating a significant political test for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and public support for his government’s economic reforms. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="17"}
Thailand recorded 7.5 billion baht in revenue from international film and television productions, supported by tax incentives and growing use of Thai locations and production talent. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="16"}
Singapore is urging ASEAN governments to expand cross-border intelligence sharing as criminal networks increasingly use advanced artificial intelligence tools to conduct sophisticated financial fraud. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="15"}
Thailand’s Board of Investment says its 10-year Long-Term Resident visa program has attracted more than 12,000 wealthy individuals, executives and digital professionals, supporting foreign spending and investment in the domestic economy. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="14"}
Malaysia has begun high-level discussions with visiting Myanmar officials over the return of undocumented Myanmar nationals as planned repatriations draw warnings from United Nations human rights monitors. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="13"}
Thailand has climbed to 38th place in the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Development Index, reflecting improvements in aviation connectivity and efforts to attract higher-value international visitors. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="12"}
Singapore is promoting deeper regional electricity integration and shared energy infrastructure as it prepares to chair ASEAN, seeking to reduce Southeast Asia’s exposure to volatile global fossil fuel markets. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="11"}
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