Find the answers to all of your decorating dilemas and stay up-to-date with the latest Interior trends.

When it comes to wardrobes you either want something flush and inconspicuous or a statement piece that will really stand out, but overall functionality is the key. They can be quite expensive so a few factors to consider  are; how many clothes you have, does it need to be multi-functional, how many drawers you might need; and will they be inside or out as part of the facade of the wardrobe and how much you have to spend.

Below is the new System 300 wardrobe from Furniture Village.  This wardrobe enables you to choose from 50 pre-designed interior options as well as the size and the interior and exterior finishes which are available in Matt White, Birch, Walnut, Cherry, Cream Gloss, Black Gloss and Mirror, it’s easy to coordinate with beds and other furniture.

The following wardrobe is from the french bedroom company, it has such an impact visually and can come across as quite masculine, yet mixed with softer furnishings and girly wallpaper it works both ways.  I think the soft curved lines makes it a really elegant piece of furniture.  To me, this is a classic piece that will stand the test of time.

If you’re looking for a more natural look then you could consider this wardrobe from oak furniture solutions. I especially like the brass handles on the drawers and seeing the natural grain of wood.  This would also be a good options if you have a lot of clothes as the triple door means it’s that much bigger then  a standard double.

For the classic and chic bedroom, try this Nordic Grey wardrobe made from pine and beechwood.  This style would work particularly well in a shabby chic style bedroom

In a similar style to the one above this light wood would work well in smaller room as and the drawers are large, allowing for maximum storage. You can find this wardrobe at Kingshall Furniture.

If you have a passion for ornate French style furniture then look no further than this glamorous piece from sweet pea and willow

Finally, we come back to  those of you who like to be highly organised when it comes to your prized shoes and clothing! I have chosen from a selection at In house interiors who produce bespoke fitted wardrobes for your home and suited to your specific needs.

The mirrors give the illusion of space and I’m loving the shoe drawers.

This one below is very Carrie Bradshaw! If I had an extra room I would love to turn it into a walk in wardrobe/laundry room as our house seems to constantly be covered in clothes.

This, I think is the more masculine version:

And what a great idea for those unused spaces especially in loft conversions and even under the stairs.

When most of us think about eco-friendly interiors or furniture, images of rough and ready recycled timber benches or coffee tables made from tree stumps often come to mind. It’s surprising that in this period of environmental awareness, most furniture manufacturers serious about sustainability still lack real design prowess, and sadly eco-friendly furniture is often overlooked due to its poor design – so what is an environmentally conscientious design lover to do?

Fortunately, there are a handful of furniture companies that are bucking the trend, producing stylish, environmentally sound furniture which is changing the way we think about sustainability in the home. Benchmark is one such company.

Since 2004 Benchmark has been collaborating with a team of top British designers including Terence Conran, Shin and Tomoko Azumi and Thomas Heatherwick to produce a range of domestic furniture which is expertly designed, sympathetic to current interior trends and manufactured to a high standard using sustainable materials and processing techniques.

A self-proclaimed ‘pioneer’ of sustainable furniture manufacturing in Britain, Benchmark’s sustainability credentials are impressive. They have both ‘Forest Stewardship Council’ (FSC) and ‘Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification’ (PEFC) certification, and have been awarded the ‘Queen’s Award for Enterprise’ in the Sustainable Development category (proudly the first furniture maker to win this award).

Benchmark’s commitment to sustainability ensures their manufacturing processes are environmentally sound, their furniture is made from certified timbers and locally sourced materials and they work with other suppliers that share their values.

Here is a small selection of their current range.

Bailey Table, A solid, clean lined table design made with Pippy Oak.

Alvis Armchair, Designed by Benchmark co-founder, Terence Conran.

Plank, A clever design by Thomas Heatherwick created entirely from one plank of wood.

Hexad Table, This table was created in collaboration with Rocket Gallery and Tomoko Azumi and won the Wallpaper* 2010 Design Award for ‘Best coffee table’.

Each item is handmade to order by craftsmen at their workshop in West Berkshire. You can purchase their range direct from their showroom or through the company’s website.

I regularly get approached by graduates who are looking for work experience placements with us.  Sometimes I am able to offer a position but not all the time.  Rather than just filling away CV’s and examples of their work, I thought it would be a great idea to showcase some of the students who really stood out to me  (with their permission of course!)  Below is the work of Aidie Liggins, a Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design student at Leeds College of Art.  Aidie says that she is “passionate about colour and pattern and loves the idea of bringing an interior to life with a bit of imagination”.  I think her work is stunning.

Above is a picture of Aidie’s work in situ.  I think the fabric looks great on the chair.

Eco Interiors:

When I think of eco, I think of recycled materials, second hand things, the outdoors, growing your own food and saving energy, It makes for innovative, fun and interesting ideas and I think it brings out the best in people. We are born into a consumerist world which pushes us to buy new products all the time, wasting resources and damaging the planet, so at a time like this making the shift to recycled products or eco friendly products and really thinking about our purchases will help improve quality of life. Interiors have become the focus as we spend more time at home, using our dining rooms having friends to dinner, making our bedrooms luxurious and concentrating on the enjoyment and reward we can get from this. We want sustainable and reliable products that will last and be functional. I have searched around for the best interior products that go with these values.

The innovative sky planter from Eco Centric, is not only a space saver but an unusual and fun way of holding plants and herbs which also holds it’s on water reservoir meaning it “self waters”.

I’m an avid cheese fan and love this board from Love Eco, which is made from the shelves reclaimed from the Old Library at Selwyn College, interesting bit of history and useful!

My previous post talked about large light bulbs making a comeback and here we have the eco friendly version from Eco Centric.

I’m loving this statement cushion made from 100% recycled plastic bottles!This “charming” Chiwawa is filled with wheat and lavender. You put it in the microwave and the heat can last for two hours.

http://www.love-eco.co.uk/products/prince-the-hot-dog

Very cool recycled tyres to use as garden planters or inside for wood or maybe magazines; available from Eco Outlet

Out to the garden we go and a couple of snazzy products to keep your garden in perfect order; a garden planner and recycled plant labels, both from Eco Outlet.

Lilly & Lime compost bucket

Garden Milk bottles from Pure Design Company

Eco paint from Ecotopia

Recycling bin from Eco Centric

Solar Fairy lights from Nigels Eco Store

Feature by Liz Danon

I visited the East London Design Show last weekend and it was full of fantastic last minute gift ideas for Christmas. The show is one of the largest of it’s kind in London, with over 100 independent product designers exhibiting their wares.

Here, I list my favorite products from the show:

People Will Always Need Plates - A unique tableware and textile range using technical elevations of iconic British buildings.

‘Sunhouse’ plate by People Will Always Need Plates

Let Them Eat Cake - Beautiful, tiered cake stands created from vintage china. With designs ranging from romantic to the eccentric, you will find one to suit even the most discerning gift recipient. They also provide a bespoke service – you supply them with your treasured family china, and they create your very own heirloom.

‘Blue Stripe Delight’ cake stand by Let Them Eat Cake

Plate sorting by Let Them Eat Cake

Clothkits - Making it easy to sew your own clothes and toys from scratch. A great activity for kids and adults alike. Clothkits collaborate with other well known local artists and designers, resulting in a vastly appealing collection of products to make at home.

‘House and Birds Kit’ by Clothkits

Miller Goodman- Stylish and fun, the ‘Playshapes’ range is made from 74 geometric wooden shapes, which can be endlessly arranged. When playtime is over, the shapes are stored away in their very own unbleached cotton drawstring bag.

‘PlayShapes’ by Miller Goodman

alp – alp is a design studio led by Swiss born, London based Annick L Petersen. Highlights from her homewares collection include white linen cushions with red stitched satin text, and plates with the same design. The text is inspired by Edith Piaf’s ‘La vie en rose’.

Cushions by alp

Plates by alp

Fabrications - ‘Re-think rubbish’ gift wrapping kits combine the Japanese art of ‘Furoshiki’ with vintage head scarves and fabric bows. A sustainable alternative to wrapping paper.

Gift wrapping kit by Fabrications

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