Pauley Perrette is fine with her decision to leave Hollywood behind.
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AN INTERIORS expert has revealed the four mistakes people always make when sprucing up their homes.
Laura Watson, from IKEA’s Online Interior Design Service, says it’s very important to maximise your space, especially if you have small rooms.
But she often finds people cluttering up their storage or using up too much floor space.
And these mistakes can lead to rooms looking even smaller.
Speaking to Barratt London, Laura – from Edinburgh – said: “Many people forget to utilise vertical space, such as walls and high shelves.
“They’re missed opportunities for additional storage and organisation.
“Cramming too much into closets, cabinets, and drawers can also be a frequent pitfall [and] can make it difficult to find items and lead to items bursting out.
“It’s important to leave some breathing room in storage areas to keep them functional.”
Laura also revealed that disorganised storage and not taking time to plan interior design projects can lead to space issues in your home.
She said: “Without proper organisation systems, even the best storage solutions can become chaotic.
“Using labelled bins and baskets helps keep everything in its place and makes items easy to find.
“Jumping into space-saving projects without a clear plan can lead to inefficient use of space and resources too.
“Taking the time to measure, plan and visualise the layout can result in a more effective and aesthetically-pleasing outcome.”
To make the most of your rooms, the IKEA expert instead advises people to follow her vertical rules.
First up, Laura says how you display your storage is key to maximising your space.
“Floating shelves and hooks can be both functional and visually appealing” she revealed.
“Vertical storage solutions utilise otherwise wasted wall space while displaying items that reflect your personality. This also helps to keep the floor area clear, avoiding the room feeling cluttered.
“Suction shelves and hooks are a great renter-friendly option for bathroom storage.”
And colour can also make a huge impact with thinking about the vertical space in your home – creating the illusion of a bigger room.
Laura says: “Using colour and lighting effectively can significantly enhance the perception of space in a small home.
“Light colours, such as whites, pastels, and soft neutrals, reflect light and make a room feel larger and more open, while darker colours can be used for a moody, cosy feel.
“Colour placement is also important. Using colour to emphasise vertical space draws the eye up and creates the illusion of height.”
Finally, if you have a tiny bathroom or balcony space, greenery is very important when considering vertical space.
“Hanging baskets, green walls and dangling plants add visual interest without taking up valuable floor space”, says Laura.
“Similarly, outdoor shelves are not just for storing forgotten plant pots. They can be used to display your plants and store items in an artful and inspiring way – just like indoor open shelving.”
OVER the years Anna Richardson has seen her star soar as one of the UK’s leading TV hosts.
In October 2024, the popular presenter bravely opened up about her father having Alzheimer’s in the documentary Love, Loss & Dementia.
Anna Richardson was born on September 27, 1970, in Wellington, Shropshire.
She was privately educated at The School of St Mary and St Anne, a High Church school, in a small village in Staffordshire.
Growing up her father was a vicar and her mother taught religious education.
Anna got her big break when she started her TV career at Channel 4‘s The Big Breakfast in the early noughties, before joining ITV’s Love Bites.
Anna has previously opened up about her desire to start a family.
In August 2021, she told the Daily Mail’s Weekend Magazine: “I’m very conscious of the fact I sort of forgot to have kids.
“Suddenly you wake up, you have the menopause, and it really is too late and that’s quite freaky.
“You think you have all the time in the world, then life goes past and you realise it’s no longer possible.
“Where does that leave me? And where should I put my love?”
Anna is the co-founder of mental health service Mindbox – a 24 hour online therapy centre that supports people struggling with stress and anxiety.
In 2024, she presented the documentary Love, Loss & Dementia where she bravely opened up about her father Jim having Alzheimer’s disease.
Anna’s TV career really took off in 2008, when she presented Supersize vs Superskinny for Channel 4.
The same year she began fronting The Sex Education Show.
In May 2012, she became the host of Secret Eaters and the following year presented How Not To Get Old alongside Louise Redknapp.
From 2016 until 2019 she was the face of Supershoppers with co-presenter Sabrina Grant.
Anna was the host of Channel 4’s documentary Sex In Lockdown in 2020.
I’m not interested in being labelled gay or straight, my sexuality is fluid. I’m just me
Anna Richardson
The TV star also presented the reboot of Changing Rooms in 2021.
However her biggest show to date is the cheeky dating show Naked Attraction, which involves a clothed single person being presented with six nude potential partners.
Each is hidden behind a coloured booth, revealing the contestants’ genitals first before gradually moving upwards.
Following the breakdown of her 18-year relationship with TV director Charles Martin, Anna began dating former Great British Bake Off host Sue Perkins.
The pair met at a Halloween party in 2013 and quickly became a couple.
Anna told The Telegraph in 2015: “For me, it’s just a case of I am who I am.
“I’m not interested in being labelled gay or straight, my sexuality is fluid. I’m just me.
”I just happen to have fallen in love with a woman – simple as that.’’
I can experience amazing sex like I had in my twenties. It is possible to recapture it, but it takes work.
Anna Richardson
Sadly in June 2021, it was revealed Anna and Sue had split up.
It was reported that the pair split because they were in different places about starting a family — and couldn’t decide on the right time.
The two remain close friends following the end of their relationship.
A year after splitting from Sue, Anna had a new partner, Simon Marks.
She previously revealed she met her boyfriend through friends and admitted she was “lucky” to find someone she is compatible with.
She said: “I’m dating, I’ve got a boyfriend — and already my boyfriend has said to me ‘I haven’t spent enough time with you’, so his love language is time — he needs my time to feel loved.
“Whereas actually, I quite like to receive texts saying ‘I’m thinking about you and I love you’.
“So people need to be aware of how their partner does their love language.”
In June 2023, she told OK!: “There’s something wonderful about meeting somebody new that makes you realise, ‘Oh, I’m not dead from the waist down!
“Actually, I can experience amazing sex like I had in my twenties.
“It is possible to recapture it, but it takes work.”
FORMER Liverpool star John Arne Riise was found out to have texted 15 celebrity women with the same message back in 2005.
The Norwegian, now 44, helped the Reds win the Champions League in Istanbul in May that year.
Following his triumph, Riise decided to open his contact book to text some ladies.
He subsequently crafted what he felt to be the ideal message.
It is said to have read: “Good evening… After a lot of calling to all kinds of contacts, I finally got your number.
“I have always thought you are very charming, cute, sexy, fantastic aura, and last but not least, you seem exciting and challenging); hope we can get in touch, and I will of course invite you on a romantic dinner for two); kiss from John Arne Riise xxx”.
Satisfied with his creation, Riise is claimed to have decided to send it to 15 different women in his native Norway.
Unfortunately for the full-back, he was soon rumbled when they each realised that several others had received the same message.
Former Miss Universe Mona Grudt was approached by Norwegian publication Aftenposten regarding Riise’s message.
She confirmed at the time: “This is a bit embarrassing, but the answer is yes. I have received messages from Riise.”
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Several other Norwegian celebrities rapidly became known to have been texted by Riise.
In addition to Grudt, singer Marion Ravn, actresses Aylar Lie and Anette Young, and model Kathrine Sorland were later named.
While TV personality Pia Haraldsen, singers Sandra Lyng Haugen and Tone Damli Aaberge were also said to have received the message.
Talk show host Synnove Svabo didn’t seem bothered at all by Riise’s text, making light of the situation.
As per the Daily Star, Riise himself has since admitted to having had a chuckle at his own expense regarding his infamous message.
The man dubbed the “SMS King” by Norwegian papers said: “Not in my wildest imagination would I have thought that the newspapers would make an issue out of this.
“It was idiotic, and I’ve laughed a little at myself afterwards.
“I probably flirted a little too much, but only got pleasant responses.
“The purpose has only been to make contact with some cute girls I appreciate.
“And I don’t say no to a SMS flirt… Now I’m considering throwing my mobile phone straight into the bin!”
Riise did have one woman come out to publicly defend him… his mum Berit.
“Yes, my son is on the lookout,” she said at the time. “But he’s single now and I can’t understand any girl being upset.”
Prior to winning the Champions League, Riise had already been married to childhood sweetheart Guri Havnevik, with the pair having a daughter together named Ariana in 2001.
The pair wed in 2003, but would split the following year.
Riise went on to marry new partner Maria Elvegard in 2010, with the couple having two children together; Emma, 15, and Patrick, 12.
The ex-footballer and Maria announced their split in 2012, with Riise going on to marry Louise Angelica two years later.
Riise and Louise have one child together, son Colin, five, but went on to break up in 2021 – with Louise going public with new boyfriend David Eriksen earlier this year.
During his stint at Liverpool, the Norway international was shockingly attacked with a golf club by then-team-mate Craig Bellamy.
After Riise had refused to sing karaoke, days before the Reds’ Champions League clash with Barcelona in 2007, Bellamy later wandered into his hotel room and attempted to strike him with one of his clubs.
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NATIONWIDE has completed its takeover of Virgin Money and is contacting customers by email to let them know what the merger will mean for them.
Britain’s largest building society announced that it had agreed to a £2.9billion deal to take over Virgin Money in March.
While there are no immediate changes for customers of either bank, they could be introduced in future as the Virgin Money brand is phased out.
Under the plans the two companies will run as separate entities and the Virgin Money brand will be retained for six years before being rebranded as Nationwide.
The deal was completed yesterday after it received the necessary approvals from regulators and Virgin Money shareholders.
But Nationwide members were not given a vote on whether the sale should go ahead.
The move will create a combined group with around 24.5million customers, more than 25,000 staff and nearly 700 branches.
This would make the organisation the country’s second largest mortgage and savings group.
In the email to customers Nationwide chairman Kevin Parry said that the building society is now “stronger and able to deliver even greater value” for its members.
He said: “As we integrate Nationwide and Virgin Money carefully over time, the impact we have in communities across the UK, and the benefits we offer to members and customers, will only increase.
“One in three people in the UK now have a connection to Nationwide – this deal means we can do even more to make their banking fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society”.
He added that although you will not be able to use Virgin Money branches to do Nationwide banking, over time the range of services on offer will be expanded.
This could mean that as a Nationwide customer you could be able to do day-to-day banking such as paying in money or opening a savings account in a Virgin Money branch.
Nationwide customers will also be able to benefit from Virgin Money’s expertise in personal lending and credit cards, he added.
In a statement on its website Virgin Money said that for now it is “very much business as usual”.
There will be no impact to Virgin Money, Clydesdale and Yorkshire bank, which were bought by Virgin Money under previous acquisition deals.
Many savings accounts offer miserly rates meaning that money is generating little or no return.
However, there are ways to get your cash working hard. Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to make sure you money is getting the best interest rate.
Easy access savings accounts offer flexibility for customers, meaning they can dip in and out of cash when needed. However, the caveat is that rates can change at any time.
If you’re keeping your money in an easy access account, you’ll need to keep checking whether it’s the best paying account for your circumstances and move if not.
Check in at least once a month to see what is happening in the market.
Check what is offered by your bank – sometimes the best rates are for customers only.
But do search the wider market as often top savings accounts are offered by lesser known providers.
Comparison sites are a good place to check for the top rates. Try Moneyfactscompare.co.uk or Moneysupermarket.
You can search by different account type. You’ll usually get a better interest rate if you can lock your money away for a fixed amount of time, but it’s always a good idea to keep some money in an easy access account in case of emergencies.
Don’t overlook regular savings accounts often pay some of the best rates, but you’ll need to commit to monthly payments. This can be a great way to get into a savings habit while earning top rates at the same time.
This means that you can continue to sign up for products and services from the bank and contact its customer service as usual.
The two banks will continue to operate as separate entities within the Nationwide Group.
This means that Virgin Money customers will not receive Nationwide’s Fairer Share payments, which gives eligible members £100.
But this could change in the future if Virgin Money customers are transferred to Nationwide.
Virgin Money branches are also now included in the Nationwide Branch Promise.
This means that everywhere there is a Virgin Money branch it promises to still be there until at least the start of 2028.
Customers who have savings with Virgin Money will continue to have their nest eggs protected under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
This is a program which protects savers and compensates them up to £85,000 if their bank or building society goes bust and is unable to return the funds they have saved with it.
Virgin added that it will continue to update its website with the latest news on the merger.
However, the bank warned that customers should remain alert to scams as fraudsters often take advantage of periods of change to try and persuade people to share key information.
Details such as your address, mobile number, email address and bank details can be used to register credit cards and loans in your name or to steal money from your bank account.
Your bank will never ask you for security details, whether over the phone, by email or by any other means.
If someone asks you for this information do not provide it.
Instead, report the email, call or text message to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040.
There are no changes for new or existing Nationwide customers for now.
Members can continue to apply for new products such as savings accounts, loans and mortgages as normal.
The building society’s customer service is still available to those who have queries and complaints.
All Nationwide members will continue to be protected under the FSCS scheme on savings of up to £85,000.
Eligible members will also continue to receive Fairer Share Payments as and when they are paid out.
To qualify you must have a current account and a qualifying savings account or mortgage with the building society.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories