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And the Best Place to Live in Northamptonshire is…

Nestled in the arms on the winding River Nene, with a fab indie high street, bijou historic centre and a vibrant community spirit, we have a worthy winner!
Comforting classics from The Pie Room

Ooh, is there anything more satisfying than good flaky pastry? These two tasty recipes from Calum Franklin's new cookbook The Pie Room are just the ticket.
Bring the bar to you: how to have a virtual night out

Counting down the days until that chilly pub garden come April? God, us too. Here's the next best thing: bar-quality cocktails, perfect ambience, and a whole lot of glam.
Face off! Expressive interiors to buy now

Inject a little personality into your home with these interior buys that feature quirky facial expressions, all from fabulous local businesses on The Indie Store.
Letterbox cheer: best gifts by post

Share the love in lockdown (we’re almost there!) with one of these fun letterbox gift ideas, from book bundles and candles, to beauty boxes and wine.
Flipping good: four new pancakes recipes to try

Had enough of lemon and sugar? Spice things up a bit this Pancake Day with an Iranian cardamom pancake, shredded duck pancake, or vegan version with blueberry compote.
Asian-inspired healthy dinners for reboot February

January didn't quite live up to your healthy living expectations? Cosy food doesn't have to come at the cost of health. Try these tasty plant-based recipes made with warming ginger and miso.
Interiors inspo: bold spring refresh

Enough with cosy interiors and soft greys - here’s our edit of the fabrics, paints and tiles to lift your spirits and inject some spring into your step, hallway, walls, sofas...
I do like to be beside the seaside…

From seaside botlholes to A-lister-worthy waterfront homes - wake up to fresh sea air every morning in one of these 10 coastal properties for sale now.
WFH in style: the best office furniture to buy now

Tired of your back giving you grief thanks to a shoddy home-office set-up? Work and homeschool in comfort with Muddy's list of Insta-worthy desks and chairs.
Fast and filling recipes for Feb

No time/energy to cook (let alone make it healthy)? Don't worry, we've got you. Here are two low-effort, speedy suppers under 500 calories to feel good about.
The Simple Life: pared-back properties in nature

Looking to get away from it all? Try one of these dreamy pared-back properties for a taste of pastoral living. From projects crying out for TLC to sprawling listed mansions, we've got it all.
Eat Better Forever, Hugh? Oh, OK then.

Spent December scoffing mince pies? Whip up a veg-packed soup or hot pot from Hugh's new cookbook and feel the smug glow of a healthy New Year.
House swap – quirky properties we love

If boring beige boxes aren't tickling your fancy and you're looking for a property with a twist then look no further. We've found 8 of the best quirky homes for sale in Northants.
Ultimate dream properties for 2021

Let's face it. We’ve been staring at our walls, like, forever and we’ve completed every last bit of DIY imaginable. So you know what that means? That’s right: time to move. See if any of these incredible properties take your fancy.
Cure your hangover with this red-hot recipe!

We like it hot! Kick-start the year (and cure your sore head) with this fiery take on the classic tomato and vodka-based Bloody Mary from Tipsy Wight.
Turkey and mushroom leftover Christmas pie

Bored of the yearly turkey sandwiches? Transform your Christmas Day leftovers with this delicious, super simple pie to serve four.
Gotta have it! Pantone’s Colour of the Year 2021

Pantone, the ultimate colour authority has spoken, and 2021's official shades are Ultimate Gray and Illuminating (aka, sunshine yellow). Here's how to get the look.
8 coastal properties on the market now

With the prospect of a winter spent in lockdown looming, we're dreaming of summers to come spent by the sea. Care to indulge in a little fantasy property shopping?
Think your town is the best place to live?

Prove it! Take a photo of your local area for Instagram to win a family portrait shoot with award-winning Lifestyle & Location Portrait Photographer of the Year Paul Wilkinson.
The Big Breakfast house is for sale!!

Talk about a piece of iconic pop culture! The chaotic, flirty, naughty Nineties home of breakfast telly can be yours for a cool £5.75m. Shall we have a nose around?
Light it up! 42 cool indie candle brands

The arrival of autumn means darker evenings snuggled indoors by candlelight. Looking for a new scent? Try one of these gorgeous indie candle brands from across the Muddy counties.
J’adore/J’abhor: Dulux’s ‘Brave Ground’

Dulux's colour of 2021 is hot off the press and majorly dividing opinions at Muddy HQ - but will you be plastering your walls in 'Brave Ground'? Let us know in the comments!
Bottoms up! The best new indie drinks

Got a large glass to hand? We’ve rounded up 43 of the best new independent drinks from across the Muddy counties from wine and gin to rum and beer.
Weekend recipe inspo, courtesy of Jessie Ware

Marmalade chicken and miso chocolate chip cookies, anyone? Foodie singer Jessie Ware shares her #PerfectPairing recipes to celebrate M&S launching at Ocado. Dig in!
House swap! What does £1m get you?

Upping sticks to pastures new? Let's see what a cool million will get you on the property market in Northants and further afield - quite a lot, as it happens!
House swap! What does £1m get you?

Upping sticks to pastures new? Let's see what a cool million will get you on the property market across the Muddy counties - quite a lot, as it happens!
Lockdown Gardens in Bloom: the results!

The results are in! See who's nabbed the top spots in our first ever Lockdown Gardens in Bloom competition with gorgeous gardens and homewares boutique Olive & Sage.
6 of the best boxed wines to drink now

Boxed wine has a bad rep, but forget everything you know - it stays fresh for longer, contains litres of tipple and can actually be really tasty. Here's what we're sipping.
Property flirt! Guess the price.

Flirt alert! It's time to get nosy on someone else's home. Our idea of heaven. And this time you're in for a treat: we're talking baronets, baby, and a literary heritage to make you drool.
House swap – modern properties we love

If period properties give you the heebie jeebies, and you'd rather have a glass extension than a thatched roof, then walk this way - we've rounded up some of the best architect-led modernist properties in Northants and the Muddy counties.
This year’s hottest garden trends

We've never appreciated our gardens more than during lockdown - here's how to transform them following trends from our Lockdown Gardens in Bloom competition.
House swap – modern properties we love

If period properties give you the heebie jeebies, and you'd rather have a glass extension than a thatched roof, then walk this way - we've rounded up some of the best architect-led modernist properties in the Muddy counties.
8 unusual herbs to spice up your life

Or your cooking and cocktails at the very least! Get your chops around these unusual herbs, perfect for everything from pepping up your barbecue to sweetening your mojito. Arriba!
Scented candles that bring the holiday vibe

Who needs foreign shores when you can bring the Med to your living room? Here are the best destination-inspired candles money can buy.
Reclaim the BBQ! Best outdoor cooking accessories

Move over Mr M, I'll take it from here. Make the barbecue your own this summer with these super-handy gadgets and accessories.
Lockdown garden stunners

Entered Muddy's Lockdown Gardens in Bloom yet? Stake out your competition here and snap your space to win part of our £1000 prize pot to spend at Olive & Sage.
Super Flashy Newsflash

Summer is here and finally the places we love are starting to get going. Here's our pick of new openings, launches and things to do this month near you.
Muddy ‘Lockdown Gardens in Bloom’ is GO!

Calling all green fingered goddesses! We want to see your lockdown gardening handiwork. Snap your space and post it on Instagram for the chance to win vouchers (there's £1000 up for grabs) to spend online at gorgeous garden and homewares boutique Olive & Sage.
Smokin’! The perfect summer burger recipe

The weather's pulling a blinder this week, so fire up the BBQ and rustle up this bad boy with homemade ketchup (fancy!) from Muddy favourite The Pig group.
The best bedroom buys for summer

It's the summer solstice on Saturday - great for hippies, less so for insomniacs. If you're struggling to sleep during these short nights, help is here.
Best interiors buys for extroverts

Love the interiors at Aynhoe Park and The Crazy Bear? Maximalism is back, baby - here's our wish list to help you nail the trend.
Quarantini time! Heston’s Gold Rush

Looking to up your cocktail creds during lockdown? We've rifled through Heston Blumenthal’s cocktail bible, so perk yourself up with a Gold Rush.
House swap: what does £250k get you?

£250k for a house? You betcha! If that mortgage is feeling like a millstone, take a peek at these properties in Northants and across the Muddy counties and start mentally moving in ASAP.
Provençal fougasse with green and black olives

Lockdown is the perfect time to get to grips with our favourite chewy loaf: sourdough. Ready, set, bake with this savoury share-and-tear number (you can skip the sharing bit if you like).
Sézane’s sexy homeware (and hot interior deals)

We're lusting after the chic French brand's new homeware range, plus we've rooted out the best interior and home bargains online to add to your shopping basket pronto.
Pimp your patio with these 18 outdoor buys

We’re swapping holidays abroad for le jardín this summer, so best make it the ultimate destination. Cue the Muddy shopping edit of the coolest accessories to deck out your outdoor space.
Got £800k to splurge on a new des res?

Considering a move or just need a bit of escapism from the same four walls? We've popped £800k in the fantasy property pot, but what does that buy you in Northants and across the Muddy counties?
Speedy supper, anyone? Make THIS tonight

Looking for healthy dinner ideas - take inspiration from Olympic gymnast Max Whitlock for a meal that's quick, tasty and packed with protein.
Divine duck egg ravioli from Burnt Lemon Chefs

You'll lap up this recipe from James Peck, founder of Northants' very own Burnt Lemon Chefs. It's a bit of a challenge (stave off the quarantine boredom) and the whole family will be licking their plates.
10 of the best gardening books

Fancy getting all green fingered in the garden but don't really know where to start? Here's a helping hand with 10 terrific tomes to add to your reading list.
5-step Daylesford supper

Want a quick and easy dish during lockdown? Try this delectable and light supper direct from our favourite Cotswold chefs.
All cooped up! Check out these cool hen houses

Attention, would-be chicken farmers! We've rounded up nine of the most stylish chicken coops for your feathered friends. Has it been worth the oeuf-ort? (I'll get my coat)
10 idiot-proof veg to grow now

(Or how not to get scurvy during lockdown). Here's how to go self-sufficient, thanks to TV gardener Toby Buckland's top veg patch tips. Ready the trowels!
On the market: 13 coastal do-er uppers

Looking for a seaside bolthole, or a more significant lifestyle move? Snap up these stunning coastal properties for a post-lockdown project.
Desk delights

Working from home? Sounds like the perfect excuse to pimp up your workstation with the loveliest stationery and desk accessories.
8 flowers to choose for a cutting garden

Dibbers at the ready! Garden broadcaster Toby Buckland picks a pocketful of posies that anyone - yes, even you with the dead house plants - can grow.
Cook THIS for dinner tonight

Running out of ideas for midweek meals? Yup, us too. Take inspiration from the hottest new cookbook on the block by pop star Jessie Ware. Yum!
Asparagus tart with quails egg and prosciutto ham

This super-simple tart recipe, from Cotswolds based Gluts & Gluttony, makes the most of seasonal ingredients and takes a mere 30 minutes. Count us in!
Recipe: A salad for sunny days

This peach and lentil salad with warm pork tenderloin by renowned chefs Kate & Giancarlo Caldesi, is easy peasy, looks amazing and tastes delicious.
The 35 best local artisan gins

Was there ever a time of greater national need? The 33 best artisan gins across the Muddy counties - rack them up, throw in some Juniper berries and rosemary, and let's get drinking!
Start your engines!

Looking for a new runaround to get you from A to B? We've rounded up 6 of the best new cars to buy in 2020 - go on, treat yourself to new wheels.
3 party cocktails – ready, steady, shake!

Step away from the Chablis and try something different! We've got 5 copies of a cool new cocktail book to give away - and here are three autumn liveners from it to whet your whistle.
Waitrose gin tasting? We’re in!

Brand new, this service from Waitrose combines our favourite things - gin, friends and hanging out at home. See how Muddy's Ed-in-Chief, Hero Brown, got on and book up pronto this summer, it's a blast!
7 perfect days of summer – just add gin!

Ableforth's Bathtub gin looks cool, tastes even better and will rev you up for a summer of fun. Here, win a case (yup, six bottles of it!) and find out for yourself.