The Journal

Decorating

Seasonal decorating ideas and trend edits to refresh your home: layering texture, bringing the outdoors in and creating that cosy, lived-in feel.

Vintage oak chest of drawers airing outside in a cottage garden, with its drawers pulled out and stacked beside it and a bowl of baking soda and a cotton cloth on top

Decorating· 18 Oct 2026

How to Remove Musty Smell From Wood Furniture

A step-by-step guide to getting rid of a musty smell in old wood furniture and drawers, with the methods that work, what doesn't, mould safety and how to stop it coming back.

Bright single garage with a glossy light grey epoxy floor, white painted brick walls, an oak workbench with tools on a pegboard and a bicycle hung on the wall, with the up-and-over door open to daylight

Decorating· 17 Oct 2026

Cost of Replacing a Garage Floor: 2026 Price Guide

What it really costs to replace a garage floor in the UK and US, with prices per square metre and square foot, cheaper alternatives, hidden costs and how long it takes.

Calm living room with soft warm grey walls and grey panelling, a cream boucle armchair with a knitted throw, an oak side table and a terracotta vase of dried stems by the window

Decorating· 17 Oct 2026

Colour Psychology of Grey: What It Does to a Room

The colour psychology of grey explained by an interior designer: what the research really says, warm vs cool and light vs dark greys, and how to make grey feel calm, not cold.

Calm living room painted in a soft warm off-white on the walls, panelling and ceiling, with a linen sofa, oak floorboards, a sheepskin and branches in a vase by a sash window

Decorating· 17 Oct 2026

Wimborne White Farrow and Ball: A Designer's Guide

Farrow & Ball Wimborne White No. 239 explained by an interior designer: undertone, how it looks in every light, how it compares with Pointing and All White, and what to pair it with.

Terracotta and cream arch pattern peel and stick wallpaper peeled back at the top corner to show the clean painted wall beneath, next to a wooden chair with a smoothing tool and craft knife

Decorating· 16 Oct 2026

Can You Reuse Peel and Stick Wallpaper? An Honest Guide

Can you reuse peel and stick wallpaper? Sometimes, but don't count on it. How to remove, store and rehang panels, and clever ways to reuse them.

Basement concrete block wall half painted with white masonry waterproofing paint, with a paint roller in a tray, an open paint tin and dust sheets on the floor

Decorating· 16 Oct 2026

Behr Dry Plus vs Drylok: Which Waterproofer Is Better?

BEHR Dry Plus vs DRYLOK compared spec by spec from the official data sheets, with a clear verdict, prep and application steps, and UK alternatives.

British brick terraced house decorated for Halloween at dusk with glowing carved pumpkins on the front steps, a twig wreath on the door, cobwebs and orange lights around the bay window

Decorating· 16 Oct 2026

Best Decorated Homes for Halloween: 35 Decoration Ideas

What the best decorated Halloween homes have in common, plus 35 indoor and outdoor Halloween decoration ideas, easy DIY projects and competition tips.

Cosy living room decorated for autumn with a fireplace mantel garland of autumn leaves and berries, small pumpkins, pinecones and candles, and a chunky knit throw on an armchair

Decorating· 16 Oct 2026

Autumn Decoration Ideas: 40 Ways to Decorate Your Home

40 autumn decoration ideas, room by room, plus five easy DIY projects, colour palettes, free foraged decorations, budget tips and pet safety advice.

Living room gallery wall of framed floral still life paintings in gilt and black frames above a linen sofa, with a vase of fresh garden flowers on a side table

Decorating· 16 Oct 2026

Famous Flower Paintings: 20 Masterpieces to Know

The most famous flower paintings in history, from Dutch Golden Age still lifes to Van Gogh's Sunflowers, Monet's Water Lilies and Georgia O'Keeffe, with the story behind each, where to see it and how to bring flower art into your home.

Living room painted in a deep muted navy with a warm white ceiling, cream sofa, terracotta and rust cushions, a brass floor lamp and an oak floor

Decorating· 16 Oct 2026

Dulux Ink Well: Review, Colour Pairings and Room Ideas

An interior designer's review of Dulux Ink Well: what colour it is, how it looks in different light, the colours that go with it, how it compares to Hague Blue, and the best rooms to use it in.

Cosy autumn bedroom with rust and caramel linen bedding, a chunky cream knit throw, warm bedside lamps, dried pampas grass and autumn trees through the window

Decorating· 16 Oct 2026

Cosy Autumn Bedroom Ideas for a Warm Fall Aesthetic

How to create a cosy autumn bedroom with a warm fall aesthetic: earthy colour palettes, layered bedding, warm lighting, texture, scent and five complete bedroom looks to copy.

Living room with sage green painted walls, a cream linen sofa, oak coffee table, rattan chair, botanical prints, a brass lamp and plants

Decorating· 16 Oct 2026

Best Green Paint Colours: A Designer's Guide by Room

The best green paint colours for every room, from sage and olive to forest and emerald, with how to choose the right green for your light and the colours that go with it.

Terracotta living room with limewashed terracotta walls, a cream linen sofa with rust and olive cushions, a rustic wood coffee table and terracotta ceramics

Decorating· 16 Oct 2026

Terracotta Colour: How to Decorate With Terracotta

Everything you need to know about terracotta colour: shades and HEX codes, the colours that go with terracotta, and how to decorate with it in every room, from an interior designer.

Made bed with oatmeal linen pillow shams behind sage green flanged pillow shams, matching sage duvet, white sheets and a knitted throw on an upholstered bed in a bright bedroom

Decorating· 16 Oct 2026

What Is a Bed Sham? A Designer's Guide to Pillow Shams

What is a bed sham, how is it different from a pillowcase, and what is the sham in a bed set? An interior designer explains sham types, sizes and simple styling formulas for every bed.