THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED – WINNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON

YOUR CHANCE TO WIN TICKETS TO THIS YEAR’S IDEAL HOME SHOW 2011 * WITH PIPPA JAMESON INTERIORS

Create your Ideal Home with the Nation’s Most Loved home event; The Ideal Home Show, returning to London’s Earls Court, from 11-27th MARCH 2011

BRITAIN’S favourite consumer event, The Ideal Home Show, famous for making home-making a national passion, is returning for its 103rd year, for 17 days from the 11th – 27th March 2011, and Pippa Jameson Interiors have 10 pairs of tickets for our lucky readers to win, to this year’s show.

This year’s Ideal Home Show will take visitors through an exciting and spectacular showcase of inspirational living that combines EIGHT different sections into one exciting event that includes; the stunning Ideal Show Homes, a series of three exciting, full scale properties that demonstrate different concepts in homes from refurbishments to new build homes each offering an alternative to your current home.

In addition the fantastic Ideal Home Improvements section has everything you need to help with those DIY home improvement projects, as well as the hugely popular Idea Interiors and Ideal Gadgets section helping you bring your home up to date with the latest looks and must have gadgets and gizmos.

Our Ideal Gardens section offers a wide range of advice and designs, for those green fingered visitors among us, and the Ideal Food section will offer some tasty treat that will tickle your taste buds.

And if all of that’s not enough this year will see the return of the fabulous Ideal Woman section where visitors can relax and be pampered in luxury for the afternoon, and more Ideal Shopping than ever before!

There’s everything from DIY to fine dining, gadgets and pampering, as well as a host of celebrity guests across the 17 day event; creating the UK’s biggest Home Show and a great day out with something for the whole family, all rolled into one.

This year’s show will also unveil a series of industry firsts and UK product launches, more interactive features than ever before, as well as a series of workshops and seminars to help visitors achieve their very own Ideal Home.

With over 500 exhibitors offering an unrivalled range of products, visitors to this year’s show will find top tips and tricks to help give your home a brand new look, and expert advice to help with extensions, and complete renovations, and new build projects.

Tickets can be either booked online or by calling the Ticket Hotline on 0844 415 4144. Group bookings can be made by calling the Groups Hotline on 0871 2305 581, or for further information about the show and to purchase tickets online visit the website www.idealhomeshow.co.uk

Follow the Ideal Home Show on Twitter http://twitter.com/ideal_home_show

Ticket Information:

Weekday Adult- On door: £16 In advance: £11

Weekend Adult- On door: £18 In advance: £13

Weekday Concession (Over 60′s)- On door: £12 In advance: £10

Weekend Concession (Over 60′s)- On door: £14 In advance:£12

Children Under 15 Free*

Late Night Thursday Open until 9pm- £5 after 5pm

*Children under 16 do require a ticket which should be requested at the time of booking. Must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Please note that Free of Charge tickets do not qualify for a free showguide.

Opening times:

Opening Day – 11th March 10am – 6pm

Weekdays & Weekends 10am – 6pm

Thursday – late night 10am – 9pm

COMPETITION
The Ideal Home Show has teamed up with Pippa Jameson Interiors, to give you the chance to WIN one of 10 pairs of tickets.

To be in with a chance to WIN, simply answer the question below.

I don’t know about you but I am totally obsessed with open fires and wood-burners! Whenever I walk down the street and come across the smell of burning wood, I literally stop in my tracks and start to go all sentimental; thinking of all things homely. My husband thinks I am mad!! As we are house hunting at the moment, I am adamant that it needs to have a fireplace. If you are thinking about investing in a a new fire or just looking for some inspiration of how to make a wood-burner to work within a fireplace, then here are few of our favourites from Morso….more to follow.

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People are always asking me where they can source reclaimed and repro antique products such as roll tops baths, old fireplaces, cast iron radiators or simply antique pieces for home renovations.  Here is a list of my favourite ones in London.

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Q: Hi Pippa, I’m looking for some advise.

I have recently painted my wooden floor white in my spare room. I need to paint my brick fire place (as its pretty nasty looking) but I’m unsure what colour to go for since the floor is white? The walls are a neutral colour.

The property is a Georgian tenement and is about 190 years old. I would say the room will be a cross between modern and classical. The bed we have bought is a modern & stainless steel with upholstered panels at the head and foot of the bed. The window is a sash window and I have attached a swatch of the fabric for the curtains which are silk. I have attached some photos of the room. Also just to let you know the fire place wont be a working fireplace, its just for decorative reasons that we want ideas.

The colour on the walls are Dusted Damson.  I had originally thought about painting the fireplace white but now the floors are white I think it will just blend in….Thanks so much, Kirsten

A: Hi Kirsten,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you and thanks for sending through the information, the room looks lovely and I really like your choice of paints.

After having a look at your pictures and reading about the style that you are looking to achieve I would suggest the following options. I have attached some pictures to illustrate my examples. Please ignore the interior style of the pics as they are a fireplace reference only.

1) Paint the fireplace white
I know that you considered this but were concerned about it blending into the white floor but there are ways of making sure this doesn’t happen. Once the brick work was painted white, I would look into placing a border around the outside of the hearth. I can see from the picture that you already have one that looks like metal? This way you will break up the continuation of white and create a frame around the fire. There are several border options you could opt for. I would suggest either grey or black frosted glass or tiles. These can also be laid inside the brick hearth as well as a border on the outside of the brick. Mosaic glass tiles would also look great.

2) Another option is to place mosaic tiles over the brick (copper or grey would look lovely- see attached pic) rather than painting it white. This would also go nicely with your curtain choice. It would be fairly easy and inexpensive but you would need to get a professional in to do it. I would think he would cut out the shape of the fireplace with MDF, place this over the brick and then tile over the top. As you are not using the fire, you can be fairly creative with the design.

I wouldn’t advise painting the brick any other colour as you will end up with too much going on in the room. I hope the option of white paint or tiles is something that you would consider as I think it will help to achieve your modern/classic look. If you need any more advice or help sourcing any itmes then just send an email and I should be able to help.

Hi Pippa,

Thanks so much for all the great suggestions. I think I might look into the mosaic idea!

Try looking at New England Lifestyle for some inspiration on fireplaces

Question:
I happened onto your website today while trying to figure out what to do with the my non functioning fireplace in my new London flat which i moved into last week. I am totally overwhelmed by what to do. I guess at best you could call the fireplace ‘Grandmother Chic’. When I moved in the tiles on the fireplace were painted and curiosity got the best of me and i stripped the paint. Now I don’t know what to do!

I’m going to paint the walls but havent’ decided which colour. The carpeting will be replaced with sand coloured sisal. There is a smallish round black dining table with a deco feel to it going in the bay window and the couch is anthracite. I am very confused. Should i paint the fireplace all one colour (wood and tiles?) Should i try something a bit daring? ie crackle glaze? Should I bash it down and put in something modern?

Question by Nicole, London

Answer:
I’ve had a look through your pictures and you have a good size flat with lots of potential. The living room looks like a good size with lots of natural daylight which is a great.

With regards to the fireplace, can I ask first if this is a working fire and if so, are you planning to use it? I am assuming you want to go for quite a contemporary look?

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