Designer Desire: Oskar with a K

I’ve just realised that it’s not very often that we’ve featured a graffiti artist in our Designer Desire series. As luck would have it, I’m very familiar with – if not the work itself, then – some of the locations of work by Oskar with a K.

In a past life, I worked in a few different arts organisations in Manchester city centre, one of which was directly opposite the Ritz where his Ooh Child work is situated. At a later date, I worked in the city’s Northern Quarter, and I walked past the former public toilet where his Hello work now lives on a twice-daily basis.

Here’s what Oskar with a K says about himself:

I would describe my work as graphic design unhindered by scale. I love working in public space, engaging fully with the environment I’m in and contributing to a world in which art and design is implicit to our cityscapes.

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House pests to watch out for

Our homes should be a safe space; however, from time to time, there are little pests that make their way into our homes. Sometimes you might not think much about seeing a single ant or question whether it is mouse poop or something else. What are 5 of the most common house pests that you need to look out for?

Rodents

You may think that you saw something scurry, a quick movement out of the corner of your eye. Or perhaps you have more solid evidence such as a patch of urine or some mouse poop on the kitchen counter-top or in the corner of a room. Mice and rats are famously difficult to get rid of, and they breed rapidly too.

Any sound of scratching in the attic or walls is usually a sign that you have some unwanted visitors. Click here for pest control services that can have your infestation under control pretty quickly.

Ants

You may think that seeing a single ant wandering around isn’t a big deal, but a single ant is often a sign that there’ll be more of them along soon. Ants can cause a lot more damage than most people realise. An ant exterminator can get rid of the ants; not only that, but they could tell you how you can reduce the chance of having ants return in the future – and where you can look to find any damage.

Bed bugs

Perhaps one of the most irritating infestations you can get is bed bugs. Often they arrive on clothing after travelling or staying in a hotel on vacations. Unfortunately, bed bugs are one of the most difficult pests to get rid of, and since they’re so small, they’re rarely spotted before the infestation gets out of control.

Most often, bed bugs are only detected when people in the home find small bites on them. A further issue is that bed bugs aren’t just found on beds; they also spread to other soft furnishings such as sofas, curtains and carpet.

Silverfish

Silverfish are nocturnal creatures, but you may spot them during the day from time to time. They’re silvery grey and move pretty quickly! They climb up walls easily and, while they’re harmless to humans, they’re quick to destroy clothing, carpets and wallpaper and can even be found hiding in foodstuff such as rice, flour and pasta.

They prefer to live in dark, moist environments; so are often present in garages, bathrooms and food storage areas. You may not see silverfish, but you may see little yellow patches on fabrics or tiny droppings.

Pests aren’t necessarily the sign of a dirty home; they’re opportunists who will use cracks and crevices or catch a lift on clothing to find their way indoors. Most people are tempted to try to resolve a pest problem themselves; however, hiring a specialist extermination company is often faster and ultimately more cost-effective.

Using natural cleaning remedies can help to deter pests from entering your home. Scents like peppermint, lemon, lavender and pepper can be very off-putting to pests. Here are some tips for using natural cleaning products in your home.

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Price Points: Induction hob safe milk pans

We don’t tend to use our wood-fired range stove during the warmer months – especially with the recent heat wave. A couple of years ago, we bought a double induction hob for our summertime cooking. We have a set of cream enamel cast iron saucepans that we use on it every day. However, when all you want to do is warm up a little bit of milk or make some custard, even the smallest one is a bit big and heavy for the job.

We decided to look into what induction hob safe milk pans were available. There’s a huge variation in price, as you can see. I like the fact that the budget example from Dunelm has a pouring lip on both sides – it means that it’s suitable for use by both left-handers (me) and right-handers (Justin).

We went ahead and bought the mid-range option, the Emma Bridgewater enamel pan from her popular Black Toast range. It’s creamy white in colour, so matches our other saucepans. Many enamel saucepans on the market are lightweight and flimsy and don’t work on an induction hob. We’re pleased to say that we’ve given it a test run and this one does.

Dunelm Essentials 14cm stainless steel milk pan: £8.00, Dunelm
‘Black Toast’ medium enamel saucepan: £28.00, Emma Bridgewater
Le Creuset Signature 3-ply stainless steel milk pan, 14cm: £129.00, John Lewis

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Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Le Creuset Signature 3-ply stainless steel milk pan, 14cm
£129.00

‘Black Toast’ medium enamel saucepan
£28.00