It’s the season to throw a lick of paint on the walls and get decorating. The best thing about decorating during the summer months is you can prop open all the doors if you’re intending to splash the walls with vibrancy and colour and let the fresh, warm air stroll in. There couldn’t be a better time to plan and design your brand new living room, bedroom, dining room or bathroom, so if you’re in search of a little bit of inspiration, then look no further!

Bathrooms aren’t to be overloaded. So long as you stick to clean and uncluttered, you can’t go wrong. As with any room you want to redecorate, one of the most successful ways to get started is by deciding on a colour scheme and match your purchases to it. Bathrooms are also one of the easiest rooms to redecorate as most of the furniture is already in place. Think new rugs, shower curtains, toiletry stands, mirrors and one or two little ornaments for wide windowsills and shelves.

Any other room in the house will be following a similar pattern. Decide on a colour scheme or a theme first of all and work from that. For instance, if you wanted a nautical theme for your bedroom, search out some examples of nautical interior design, check out the colours and pick your favourites! If you took blue and white, that gives you your basic colour scheme. All you need to do then is match your table lamps, light fittings, duvets, pillows, cushions or any other furniture accessory or home furniture item to the colours you’ve chosen. You don’t have to find the exact colour; complimentary shades will work just as well.

Redecorating your home is easy when you know where to look, so brighten up your home with a little help from adflyer!

Though it might not seem like it when you wake up for work first thing and groggily peer through the minuscule gap in the curtains, Summer is on it’s way. We haven’t seen much of Spring so far, despite the 1st  of March having brought us barrels of sunshine that put smiles on our faces and a bounce in our step. Turns out it was all a trick, because if you look outside now, it’s probably cold and wet and drear. True to form, April showers have arrived and they don’t even  have the decency to be a little bit warm. Not to mention, we apparently have even more sleet and snow on the way!

We’re keeping our fingers crossed for a decent Summer this year, meaning more than a week of blistering sunshine. Are you listening weather Gods? We want our fair share, for a change! It seems like so long ago when it was warm enough to sit outside in the evening for dinner, when you could laze on the grass until it started to get dark at 10, when it was acceptable to sit on the peeling-paint benches around the back of our favourite, bustling local. The best part about it is being able to relax in your garden after work or on weekends, taking in nature and swatting away wasps and bees and flies, obnoxious icecream van tunes, paddling pools and men thinking it’s acceptable for them to walk along the street exhibiting their vulgar beer bellies.

The latter considered, the safest place to be during the summer months is probably going to be your garden. Even if you don’t have the biggest or the most creative or the most inviting garden in the world, it’s incredibly easy to spruce it up with just one or two garden items. You don’t have to be a professional. You don’t really have to know a thing about plants, flowers and trees. All you need is a little bit of imagination.

Some of our most popular items tend to be garden lights, be they solar powered, old fashioned lanterns and lampposts or simple floodlights for a little bit of added security. When the sun is setting, there is nothing more chilled than a soft, natural, outdoor light to brighten your patio or your lush, green lawn. It also means you can keep the kids occupied outside for a lot longer and steer them away from the games consoles sitting lonely indoors.

Of course, we can’t miss off the old British favourite. Sizzling sausages, chargrilled chicken, an ice cold glass of chardonnay and some M & S ice cream to finish. Yes, it’s the barbecue. There is quite a staggering range of barbecues available on the market, anything from the disposable kind for those who don’t indulge very often (or are too lazy to clean) to the ultra hi-tech kind that will clean your car and wash your windows. O.k., we jest, but there are some impressive pieces of equipment out there at some astonishing bargain prices.

Though they can range from very cheap to staggeringly expensive, ponds and water features also add an extra something to your withering wilderness. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but the soothing sounds of trickling, babbling and bubbling can ease any weary soul after a long, hard day at the office, the site or the hospital.

We hope none of you have forgotten that Mother’s Day is fast approaching, the day to honour the woman that carried you around for 9 months and suffered several agonising hours of labour to bring you into existence. She also changed your nappies, wiped your snotty nose and made you a delightfully greasy sausage sandwich (while derisively sniggering at your pain) to ease your pounding hangover the morning after your 18th birthday, so we think you can spare a day to show a little bit of appreciation.

As with many of our national and sometimes international holidays, Mother’s Day tends to be attested to the ancient Greeks (although they never really needed an excuse to celebrate anything). Around the vernal equinox (or simply, the spring equinox) they held a festival to honour the mother of gods, Cybele, the deification of the Earth Mother. You might know her as Gaia. The Romans had a similar festival known as Matronalia which was dedicated to Juno, the patron goddess of Rome. Of course, a variety of Christian denominations consider the day an appreciation of the Virgin Mary and the ‘mother’ church. This holiday falls on the fourth Sunday in Lent.

In modern times the day is celebrated internationally throughout the year. Thanks to the Socialist Party of America, International Women’s Day was also created, which eventually coincided with what we know here in the U.K. as Mother’s Day. This day had a positive social and political impact by highlighting the struggles and hardships of women across the world and has since drawn attention to the violence, abuse and discrimination suffered by women who are victims of war. International Women’s Day is less a celebration of mothers as it is a celebration of women where, similarly to Valentine’s Day, men give their wives, girlfriends, mothers, daughters etc, gifts. Valentine’s Day, but better! For us ladies, at least.

Anyway! You’re probably a lot more interested in hearing about our gift recommendations, aren’t you? Now we’ve forced a little history lesson on you, we can tell you all about the top Mother’s Day gifts that will put a smile on your dear ol’ Mum’s face for the rest of the week.

1. Do NOT forget to get a Mother’s Day card. We know this isn’t a gift, but we thought it was a good idea to remind you. Be it big or small or one of those fancy, ostentatious cards that plays music and lights up and does the washing and ironing, remember to get one, sign it and slide it into the envelope. This is the easy bit. Don’t mess it up.

2. All women are fond of perfume, but when making a decision about which one you should buy, consider the age group you’re buying for. Your girlfriend might  like the  Burberry range, but that’s not to say your mother or grandmother will. For fabulous females over 35, we recommend Prada. With a variety of scintillating scents that aren’t overpowering, Prada offer a wide range of perfect perfumes. Their Eau De Parfum is a particular favourite of ours, containing a delicate combination of patchouli, orange, mandarin and rose. Bvlgari is also a fond favourite and has an excellent collection of evening fragrances.

3. Flowers. This is not something you want to get wrong. Don’t present your mother with  funeral or sympathy flowers, otherwise you may well leave her with the wrong impression. If you can, find out what her favourites are, if you can’t, go for something bright and vivacious. Tulips and roses are always winners, but ensure they are as fresh as can be. Preferably, you want to buy a bunch of fresh flowers that are close to blooming. They will last longer and retain their vibrancy.

4. Hampers make for excellent gifts on any occasion, especially Mother’s Day and especially for those amongst you who find it difficult to decide on one perfect present. Hampers can contain anything from a bubbling bottle of Moet to crumbling cookies, from titillating teas to tasty treats. Buy one readymade, or make one up yourself containing anything you choose. The best bit is, the basket can be reused again and again afterwards, too.

5. You might not think there are any electronic gadgets your Mum will voluntarily use, but you might be surprised what you can convince her to try. If she’s a bit of a gym gal, consider buying her an mp3 or an mp4 player. All you have to do is show her how to plug the thing into the computer and she’s away! We also know she will fall in love with a digital photo frame. You might need to offer your technical assistance to upload photos, but seeing her favourite photos of friends and family scrolling by will certainly put a smile on her face. If she’s fond of travelling, she might also find a sat nav very, very useful. They’re also incredibly easy to learn how to use, so you won’t be getting myriad phone calls to ask you inane questions about something that is just so simple to you.

6. Finally, a great, big, hug. We don’t care if you consider yourself the epitome of masculinity, hugging your doting mother is not going to injure your manly ego. The ladies manage just fine (though arguably, we are better at everything, aren’t we?). We’re not asking you to declare your limitless familial affection, but you know what they say about hugs. They can make you live longer and anything that keeps Mum on Earth for a little longer is worth it, isn’t it?