If that tired old shed at the bottom of the garden is more eyesore than eye-catching, then it’s time to take action, with a makeover that will restore it to its former glory.

And, no matter what the transformation you have in mind – be it from shed to home office, to den for the kids, or simply a retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind – Sadolin has a woodstain just perfect for the job.

Shed to Hideout – It’s Child’s Play with Sadolin
Give the kids a treat by creating their very own ‘club house’.  Available in a choice of 45 shades from soft pastels through to more vivid hues, Sadolin Superdec (RSP: £14.99/ 1 litre can) gives a stylish opaque, paint-like finish and is a great way to breathe new life back into your old shed.

Easy to apply and maintain, it also helps get the job done quicker, while offering tough weather protection and a resistance to blistering and flaking that means it’ll stay looking good for longer.

Brighter shades such as ‘Lapis Lazuli’In our picture are particularly child-friendly.
Alternatively something a little more subtle, such as ‘ Pea green can be just as playtime-perfect, especially when accessorised with some colourful blinds and toys, but will be a better complement to a more traditional garden.

A Grown-Up Retreat
Ever dreamed of your very own escape at the bottom of the garden?  Then a lick of Sadolin Superdec could be all that’s required to transform your run-down shed into the ideal bolt-hole.

Choose a pastel shade such as ‘Monaco’, accessorise with pretty gingham blinds, scatter a few cushions, train some luscious honeysuckle over the roof and pot up a rose by your door and you’ve got the dream summer hideaway.

A Practical Space
And of course sometimes your humble shed really is just a humble shed, the place you store the lawnmower and other garden knick knacks and do your potting.  But just because it’s a practical space doesn’t mean it can’t look good too.

Sadolin Classic (RSP: £29.99/ 2.5 litre can) is a versatile woodstain that provides long-lasting protection against the elements.  The choice of the professionals, it is easy to apply and comes in 13 wood tones and 48 tinted choices.

For further information and inspiration, visit the Sadolin website.

Or call the Sadolin Advice Centre on (0844) 7708 998.

They say first impressions count, and that goes for property as well as people. A well presented home is not only more visually appealing, it’s more welcoming too.

So, spare a thought for the outside of your home, as in many ways, its exterior says more about you than the interior, because it’s there for all to see.

Follow the top three tips from Dulux for a quick and easy spring spruce up:

Welcome home.
Some believe the colour of your front door reflects aspects of your personality, with traditionalists choosing black or blue, extraverts opting for red and minimalists going for white.

Whatever shade suits you, it’s the condition of your paintwork that really matters. Flaking, peeling paint screams neglect and so reach for a can of:

Dulux Weathershield Exterior Gloss.

• This attractive high gloss paint can be used on both exterior wood and metal surfaces, so is ideal for front doors and its weatherproof film contains a crack and mould resistant additive, to keep your handiwork looking better for longer.

• To apply, simply sand down the door until you have a sound surface and then brush on.

• Dulux Weathershield Exterior Gloss is available in 10 colours plus Pure Brilliant White and has a RRP of £12.99 for 750ml.

• The more contemporary subtle-sheen finish, Dulux Weathershield Exterior Satin is also available in 10 colours.

Top Tip - newly painted doors should not be closed fully until paint is completely dry, so make sure you choose a mild day to do the job!

Finishing touches - give any metal door furniture a good polish, so that it shines just as brightly as your paintwork.

Wonder Walls
Painted masonry can look very smart, but once it starts to weather the thought of climbing up and down ladders laden with paint trays can be enough to deter even the most ardent DIY’er - unless you’ve heard about the revolutionary:

Dulux Weathershield Backpack Roller System.

• Up to twice as fast as a brush, this system dispenses paint from specially designed packs, directly onto a roller at the push of a button for mess-free, fast and easy painting.

• The system fits neatly inside a handy, ergonomically-designed rucksack that’s worn on the back, leaving hands free of paint tins and trays.

• Use with specially formulated BackPack Roller System Smooth Masonry Paint, for splatter-free application and a long-lasting finish.

• Formulated with a unique high performance acrylic resin that provides Total Protection against all types of extreme weather conditions, the paint finish is guaranteed for up to 15 years.

• The Weathershield BackPack Roller has a RRP of £49.99.

Dulux Weathershield BackPack Roller System Smooth Masonry Paint is available in five colours with a RRP of £24.99 for 5ltrs.

For further help and advice, please visit the Dulux website.

Homebase has launched a new value range - a collection of budget DIY essentials to help keep the costs down.

This collection of over 300 everyday essentials, including 150 for under £5, offers exceptional prices on the products.

From decorating and DIY, to home furnishings and finishing touches, the Value Range has everything you need for a home makeover:

“For the DIY enthusiast” Affordable hand tools including a 3m tape measure (99p), a 16oz hammer (£3.99), 6in junior hacksaw (£1.99) and a slotted screwdriver (99p).

“For keen decorators” Choose from a range of decorating essentials, including plain white wall tiles (£4.49 for a pack of 44), white matt paint (£5.99 for five litres) and lining paper (£2.24, to cover 5.6sq/m).

There is a choice of accessories including, a 500-watt floodlight (£4.99) basic roller kit (£2.49), step stool (£11.99) and paintbrushes from 49p

Other finishing touches for the home include beech laminate flooring (£10.61 for 2.66sq/m), polished brass internal door pack (£8.99) and a silver spotlight – pictured here. (£6.99).

“The new homeowner” Decorate in style for less with home essentials including a paper light shade (£2.49), beech bookcase (£12.99), toilet seat (£8.99) and a coir doormat (£3.99). You can even pick up a double duvet for £7.99 for the first night in your new bed.

“The kitchen connoisseur” With a great range of cookshop products on offer, there’s no excuse to keep out of the kitchen. Pick up a a 16-piece cutlery set (£2.99 and a 12-piece white porcelain dinner set (£5.99).

“The gardening guru” Get into your garden this summer with a range of gardening products including seeds (from 39p), terracotta pots (from 49p) and plants (from 99p).

Homebase is the UK’s second largest home improvement retailer and is recognised for choice, style and customer service.

Visit the Homebase website to view the whole Value range.

February Doesn’t Have To Mean The Blues…

At B&Q it means red or pink, orange, purple, green or even bold, funky neon for brave decorators.

This month, B&Q the leading home improvement and garden centre retailer, is proudly presenting its new Colours Collection of paints, with 33 new shades, all made from the highest quality ingredients and with the lowest VOC levels possible.

• Yellows & Oranges. Summer may seem a long way off, but bring a touch of sunshine into the home right now for an uplifting makeover.

• Yellow is a strong statement colour for 2010, and very versatile making even the darkest room feel fresh and outdoorsy.

• Vibrant orange evokes excitement and enthusiasm – ideal for an energetic exercise room or home office where you want to be inspired.

• New Neutrals. Lauren and Cocoa Bean are featured in our picture.

• Reds, Pinks & Purples. From Nursery and Pale Pink, through Raspberry Rush to Kings Red and Rich Red, B&Q is the place to go for sweet feminine pinks and bold seductive reds.

• Similarly from soft lilacs like Chloe, to Queens Mulberry and Forest Fruits, purples can be delicate or opulent and regal and work equally well as block colours or accents in a room.

To view the gorgeous new paint colours visit the B&Q website.

Everyone is talking about eco paint or ‘green’ paint and with plenty of big names jumping on the green bandwagon, it is becoming apparent that some paint really is greener than others.

Pots of Paint (made by Aglaia) is 100% natural and one of the few true eco paints available, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to ‘traditional’ petrochemical based paints.

Ten reasons to choose natural paint from Pots of Paint.

• 1. Contains only sustainably produced raw materials.

• 2. Contains no synthetic solvents.

• 3. Allows walls to breath, preventing flaking, peeling and mould growth.

• 4. Does not create hazardous waste in its production.

• 5. Creates a healthy house, not one full of toxins.

• 6. Does not have a negative impact on health.

• 7. All ingredients are declared - Pots of Paint have nothing to hide.

• 8 Easy to apply, durable and long lasting.

• 9. Smells good and has a beautiful finish.

• 10. Comes in 50 fabulous, pigment rich colours.

Good design, naturally. Prices start from £29.50 for 2.5 litres.

These Natural Paints are available from the Pots of Paint website.

Tel: (01544) 388 535

It’s time to say goodbye to the summer sunshine and start preparing your garden ready for the inevitable cold and wet weather ahead.

Pack away your garden furniture and tools safely for the winter months and where better to keep them than your trusted garden shed, which with a little TLC, can be made into an attractive garden feature - not just a practical storage solution.

This autumn, in addition to tidying up the interior of your shed, why not give the exterior some attention too, protecting and decorating it with a fresh coat of woodstain – giving it a new lease of life?

Woodcare Experts Sadolin, provide an excellent choice of premium exterior woodcare products, which will be sure to suit any garden.

Choose from a selection of wood shades like Sadolin Classic in Teak or Rosewood, or opt for brighter opaque stains like Sadolin Superdec in Asteroid or Cloverleaf, which will add a splash of colour and bring your autumn garden to life, even when your blooms die off.

Sadolin’s top tips for ‘shedding’ the old look:

• 1) Start by cleaning the outside of the shed with a stiff brush and a fungicidal wash, to remove any mould or algal growth.

• 2) Once the shed is completely dry, apply your chosen product using a high quality synthetic brush with smooth, even strokes in the direction of the timber. Allow to dry overnight and apply a second coat to finish.

• 3) For a finishing touch, add some curtains to the shed windows – making it more secure as well as attractive - using a pretty fabric that matches the exterior.

Sadolin Classic is priced from:£24.98/2.5 litres and
Sadolin Superdec is priced from: £14.99/1 litre – both are available from most leading DIY retailers.

For more information, further hints and tips, visit the Sadolin website, or call the Sadolin Woodcare Advice Centre.

Tel: (0844) 7708 998

Earthborn has always been known for making beautiful paint, with ever popular colours, but now the company has decided to increase their colour range, to give customers an even better choice and to help them find their dream colour.

There is now a choice of 36 carefully chosen colours, which are also available in both of the beautiful Claypaint and Eggshell finishes.
Why not breathe new life into your home and decorate a tired old room?

Try a bit of bold colour by way of ‘Flower Pots’, a colour reminiscent of tuscan teracotta pots, or ‘Cricket’ a beautiful shade of green that will remind you of summer days and deck chairs down at the gazebo.

If it’s a mellower look you are after, then opt for ‘Ballet Shoe’, a gentle peachy colour that will remind you of your first plie,-or opt for ‘Cupcake’, a soft pink shade perfect for complementing that favourite tea set.

Earthborn has never been into ‘green-washing’, so have gone that extra step to get both of their Claypaint and Eggshell ranges accredited by DEFRA.
Both of these ranges are now licensed and carry the prestigious
EU Eco-label Flower.

Earthborn paints really are just that, eco paints – oh yes, that and the fact that they are exceptionally beautiful high quality products!

Web: http://www.earthbornpaints.co.uk
Tel: Tel: 01928 734171

The Council of Mortgage Lenders recently reported that over 900,000 borrowers would now be in negative equity, as a result of the downturn in the property market.

They added that three in four of those have an average shortfall of between £6,000 and £8,000 so many homeowners now find themselves unable to move.

While a stagnant market could make you feel like you’re stuck on the same rung of the property ladder, why not make plans for when you can sell? Investing in some home improvements now could help claw back some of the value your property has lost.

There have already been a few small indications of recovery in the market recently - both Nationwide and Halifax have reported an average 1.5% rise in house prices in May, compared to almost 18 months of decline. Therefore now could be the perfect time to get your property into shape and ready for the recovery.

Adding significant value to your property, doesn’t necessarily mean spending a fortune on extensions, brand new kitchens or loft conversions; there are simpler and less expensive methods that could add considerably to your selling price.

So if current market conditions have left you unable to move, maximising the potential of your home is the next best thing. With a variety of ways to make improvements, to suit a range of budgets, it is possible to regain some of that lost value and prepare your biggest asset, for when the property market recovers.

Even if moving is a long way off yet, you can still enjoy the improvements you make whilst you live there!

Scroll down for some examples:

Install wood flooring
Installing wood flooring is one of the easiest ways to increase your valuation. The warm, natural tones of oak brings a touch of style and elegance to any home and can really enhance the existing decor.

A recent study by Woodcare showed that wood flooring could add 5 to 10% to the value of your home, whilst a survey of estate agents suggested that properties with wood flooring also sell faster.

It is much more affordable than ever before, with high quality oak flooring from top brands, now available for as little as £30 per square meter. Take a look at the superb range available at 1926 Wood Flooring, with styles and colours to suit all tastes:
http://www.1926woodflooring.co.uk

Give your kitchen a facelift
A new kitchen can also add 5 to 10% to your valuation, but it isn’t always necessary to replace everything, in order to have the desired effect; if you are happy with the layout, then you could consider either re-finishing or re-facing the existing units.

The cheapest option is to re-finish your kitchen by painting all your cupboard and drawer fronts, which is an excellent option if you want to compliment any other redecoration of the room.

Re-facing is also becoming more and more popular and simply requires the purchase of new cupboard and drawer fronts, rather than entire units. Also a new worktop to match your newly regenerated units, will really finish it off.
For further information, take a look at this guide:
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/kitchencabinets

Re-decorate
It may sound straightforward, but it‘s easy to underestimate the impact that simply re-decorating a room can have. A fresh coat of paint on the walls, doors and skirting boards, can vastly improve the feel of a room and if you do it yourself, the only cost involved is for the materials.

Take your time researching and testing colour schemes for different rooms and remember that lighter, neutral colours provide the illusion of spaciousness and allow potential buyers to easily imagine living in that space.
There are plenty of tips in this useful guide and an excellent colour designer, from the Paint Quality Institute here:
http://www.paintquality.co.uk/deco/power/index.htm

In celebration of Fired Earth’s 25th anniversary, the company is launching a campaign to raise funds in support of the work of the National Trust.

The initiative - which began on May 1st will support the Trust’s work of protecting and opening to the public, more than 300 historic houses and gardens and 49 industrial monuments and mills, as well as the work it does in looking after natural features, archaeological remains, castles, nature reserves and villages - for ever and for everyone.

Fired Earth already has a relationship with the National Trust through its holiday cottage business and there is a real synergy in the outlook of both of these British organisations, with each placing great importance on the place of colour in our living environment and on environmental issues.

Fired Earth will be making a donation to the Trust, from sales of it’s paint - produced in collaboration with Kevin McCloud, with whom the company has been working for more than nine years to create beautiful, relevant colour palettes.

The paint shown in our picture is -  Sienna Earth.

A donation will be made of up to 50p per can of paint sold in Fired Earth stores and through independent stockists.

John Stachiewicz, of the National Trust, said: ‘We are delighted to be working so closely with Fired Earth, who have chosen to support the work of the National Trust through this exciting fund-raising activity.

The quality and ethos behind Fired Earth products forms an ideal basis for a relationship between our two organisations.’

For more information on Fired Earth, visit:

Web: http://www.firedearth.com

For more on the work of the National Trust, visit:

Web: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk