What's inside Real Homes... March 2010

If you’re dreaming of spending warm summer evenings entertaining family and friends in your stylish garden, now is the time to start planning how to turn your dreams into a reality. Real Homes’ gardening expert Matt James has some great advice about assessing your outdoor space.

The one project everyone seems to be talking about right now is installing foldingsliding doors. Bringing the outside in and creating a seamless space between garden and home is what’s on many homeowners’ wish lists, the Real Homes expert guide includes advice on buying, fitting and costings for the latest must-have.

Julia Kendell’s fabulous new interior design column starts this month, too. So if you’d like to get in touch with Julia, or any of the magazine’s experts, regarding your home projects, big and small, email us. Enjoy!

Caron Bronson, Editor

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Here's a full rundown of what's in the issue...

REAL HOMES

‘Our flat was renovated in several stages’ - Vanessa Leigh-Anders and her husband Ben began renovating their home after the bathroom flooded

‘We’ve transformed our terraced period house from top to bottom’ - Rachel and Jason Collis took on a renovation project after buying the house of their dreams

‘By extending, we’ve created a light-filled family home’ - The Davisons moved to a coastal property and reworked the space to make it suit them

Homeowner’s style - Recreate the looks in each of these homes with the latest furniture and accessories

REAL SHOPPING

Latest lighting options - Choose a new centrepiece from these pendant, floor and table lamps

Clever storage solutions - Keep your rooms free from clutter with the latest design ideas

Easy update: wall mirrors - Create a statement in your room with one of these stylish designs

REAL DECORATING

Decorating trends for spring 2010 - Take inspiration from the new season colours and styles for walls, floors, furniture, fabrics and accessories

New looks for wall tile designs - The latest colour, texture and pattern choices to update any room

REAL ROOMS

‘Extending has doubled the size of our kitchen, dining and living space’ - A colourful kitchen that now opens onto a contemporary garden

Kitchen news - Update your home with the latest appliances and design ideas

‘Combining two rooms has created our perfect kitchen-diner’ - An all-white scheme has been designed with family living in mind

'One of our spare bedrooms has been converted into an en suite’ - A contemporary bathroom that’s been designed from scratch

Bathroom news - Inspirational ideas and fittings

‘We saved thousands of pounds on our family bathroom redesign’ - A luxury space that incorporates plenty of storage and a walk-in shower

Design details - Use style and design ideas from this month’s real rooms for your project

REAL GARDENS

Garden design ideas - Matt James explains the basics of redesigning your outside space

‘Our garden is now an entertaining space’ - A low-maintenance space, with ways to get the look in your own garden

Patio updates - Transform your terrace with the latest garden accessories

REAL EXPERT ADVICE

Interior design course: part one - Interior design expert Julia Kendell explains how to evaluate your space

Q&A: folding-sliding doors - Everything you need to know, including costs, design and fitting options

Improve your home for under £10,000 - The projects that could add value to your property and how to finance them

Real trade secrets revealed! - Save money by going green, plus how to repair a damaged floor

Money news - Find out what your house is worth and which bank account to go for

Easy update: radiators - Contemporary and traditional designs along with the latest heated towel rails

George Clarke’s design masterclass - Making the most of a 1960s semi

DIY dilemmas solved! - Editor-in-chief Michael Homes answers your project queries

REAL COMPETITIONS

Prizes to win and money-saving offers! - A radiator, Habitat vouchers, home fragrances and a decorating book

Shops we love: Very.co.uk - Win £1,000 worth of products

Exclusive offer with Topps Tiles - 30% off plain tiles, plus an extra 10% off when purchasing adhesives and grouts

REAL REGULARS

Editor’s letter… Improve your home inside and out

New this month... The latest ranges and events to attend

Sneak preview - What’s coming up in April’s issue

Stockists - Where to find this issue’s great buys

We’re here to help… Looking for a product? Or having a decorating dilemma? Get in touch

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