HOMES & GARDENS
10
HOLIDAY LODGES FOR SALE
April, 2012
Homes & Gardens
Sandy Glade Holiday Park is situated on the coast in Berrow three miles from Burnham on Sea in Somerset. The lodge development adjoins the main holiday park on an exclusive site set within picturesque grazing land, with views across to Brent Knoll. The lodge park allows easy access to all park faciltilies and is only a five minutes walk to the beach. The main holiday park offers a fully licensed complex with live entertainment every night, heated indoor swimming pool, laundry, mini-market, arcades and more. Lodges are available in two or three bedrooms and come complete with large balcony and private parking for two cars. Prices start from only £99,950 Holiday homes on the main holiday park are also available brand new from only £18,995, call Russell for further details and to arrange a viewing.
www.holidayhome4me.co.uk
Joe Swift will be heading to Chelsea Flower Show for the first time this year.
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Homes & Gardens
11
April, 2012
Coming up roses for show
FOR a man making his debut at the illustrious Chelsea Flower Show this year, TV gardener Joe Swift seems remarkably relaxed, even though advice is being thrown at him from all directions. “Titchmarsh has been asking me for years when I was going to do a garden. Andy Sturgeon (a Chelsea gold medal winner and competitor at this year’s event), who’s a good friend of mine, has given me some good advice about the approach and organising yourself, how to deal with things on site and how to keep focused, because there are a lot of distractions.”
He hasn’t so far encountered any of the feuding which can come with such a competitive show. “My landscaper said ‘The closer you get to the show, the more competitive others become’. But everyone’s been unbelievably supportive.” It has taken a year for his Homebase Teenage Cancer Trust garden to come to fruition. The inspiration for it comes from his vision of combining natural elements with city living. “Living in a city, you notice beautiful natural materials and are physically drawn to them. I have boulders, a
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by Swift’s design. “It’s important to be able to take elements of Chelsea home with you but it is the catwalk of design.Very few people are going to create a garden that’s on the level of Chelsea but I think there are loads of ideas for planting areas and ways of using sculpture and furniture that people should be inspired by.” Oranges, acid yellows, burgundies and rust-coloured flowers combine to create a warm colour palette in his garden. Iris, geums, potentillas, roses, libertia and grevilleas all feature, some of which can be easily grown in this country. “It is a climate change garden to a degree. Four cedarwood frames will be coming from Germany, while the stone, boulders, walling and gravel mulch are from Yorkshire and the perennials are British grown. The RHS Chelsea Flower Show runs from May 22 to 26. For details, phone 0844 338 0338 or visit www.rhs.org. uk/chelsea.
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huge wooden frame and running water in the show garden. “The idea is to connect the city and suburban dweller to those natural materials that might not be so prevalent in the city, where you get a lot of concrete and tarmac and other hard elements. “It’s incredibly relevant. City-cooling in the summer and creating more green space in the city is extremely important. “In a city space you want to keep the focus within the garden because you don’t have the rolling hills beyond to tie in the extended landscape. “It’s all about creating key views within a garden, and you can do that in a small garden by placing key sculpture, plants and water here and there. “People need to think big in a small space. Don't put loads of little things in a small garden. Put one or two big things in there to make a real impact.” Plants in his show garden will include trees such as stemmed Cornus Mas and Prunus ‘Amber Beauty’ alongside a London plane tree, all selected for their sculptural forms and the interesting colour and texture of their bark. Homebase has launched The Chelsea Collection, a range of plants inspired
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April, 2012
Patio chic AS summer beckons, many gardeners will now be deciding which patio plants to feature in their scheme, but it’s a difficult job as there’s so much choice and plants can vary greatly in quality, writes Hannah Stephenson. The perfect summer container plant should be long-flowering and diseaseresistant. But many simply don’t do that job. To save you some of the bother of trial and error, Which? Gardening, the Consumers’ Association magazine, has now produced a report after growing more than 35 new varieties suited to containers or baskets before they were released to the public. The plants, which were bought as plugs or young plugs last April, were grown in good quality container compost with added slow-release fertiliser. Planted containers were kept in polytunnels until all risk of frost had passed and then brought out in June, watered and deadheaded as needed. Among the pick of the crop were Osteospermum Serenity series (Mr Fothergill’s; Unwins), with its soft pastel or terracotta-toned flowers that mature to a deeper, warmer shade, and the Nemesia Lady series, a deliciously-scented variety which looked great in mixed plantings with Calibrachoa ‘Can-Can Rose Star’ and Pelargonium ‘Caliente Pink’. The white Nemesia ‘Sweet Lady’ was the longest flowering of three highlyscented varieties and still looked good in September. For those interested in new basket plants, winners included Petunia ‘Sanguna Atomic Blue’, which brings drama to any arrangement, with its dark-throated flowers with dark veins leading to a deep-mauve colour of the rounded petals. It carried on flowering when other plants were waning, trailed well and didn't suffer from having all the flowers at the bottom of a curtain of green growth (B&Q; The Garden Centre Group; Homebase). For a burst of yellow in a mixed planting basket, Bidens ‘Solaire Semidouble’ didn’t disappoint, forming a dense trailing mat of fine foliage
covered with hundreds of tiny, vibrant flowers that have an extra set of petals around the eye, forming a frilly collar. The plants grew well, flowered strongly all summer and were easy to deadhead (B&Q; garden centres). Lovers of busy lizzies (Impatiens) whose plants succumbed to a widespread outbreak of downy mildew last summer may be better off growing alternatives such as the New Guinea-type hybrid impatiens or begonias, both of which will succeed in similar conditions. Of course, no summer planting scheme would be the same without the trusty lobelia – and Lobelia ‘Super Star’ lived up to its name, earning the accolade of the best lobelia in the trial. This small-flowered, bicolour variety flowered prolifically, starting in June and continuing long after other lobelias had given up entirely. Armed with your new knowledge of the best in baskets and patio plants, your garden is sure to be the best in the neighbourhood this summer, so get to the garden centre and start creating your masterpiece. Three of the best... plant pots Show off your patio arrangement to its top potential in these summery plant pots that will brighten up any outdoor space. n Nautical plant pots, £3 each, Matalan n London bus plant pot, £9.99, British Heart Foundation n Wooden tiered planter, £100, Next Three ways to... brighten up a summer pot n Add coloured mulches to the pot while it still looks bare before the plants fill out and start to flower. They also help retain moisture. n Paint your pot. Give your old terracotta pot a good clean with water, let it dry and then give it a coat of emulsion or masonry paint. If your pots are plastic, use an oil-based paint. Bold colours look best in a sunny spot, pastels lift a shady corner. And try to find something to tie in with your plants and garden furniture. n Underplant large, foliage plants such as cannas with smaller flowering species such as dahliettas.
Homes & Gardens
Rowlands Furniture Centre
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Here at Rowlands Furniture Centre, furniture can be made to any shape and size, in oak or pine to customer’s requirements. In any colour, wax, lacquer or paint finish.
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Head office: The Village Works, 37 Upper Halliford Road, Shepperton TW17 8RX
14
QUALITY FURNITURE
April, 2012
Homes & Gardens
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Kitchen Worktops Supplied Cut, Edged and Mitred to your requirements + Sinks + Built in appliances at very competitive prices
Full fabrication service available for wood and acrylic edging, special shapes and sizes, e.g. octagonal breakfast bars etc. Why not phone or fax your sizes and requirements for an instant price or call in for colour card, samples and expert advice. We also supply a full range of appliances and sinks at very competitive prices.
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Telephone or fax 01784 463909 www.taylorwrightkitchens.co.uk
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Vibrant vessels A QUICK twitch of the curtains shows that spring has firmly sprung, and with nature's floral bounty ripe for picking it's time to find a happy home for the daffs and tulips. Perfect as a gift or decorative accessory, vases come in all shapes, sizes and colours and - better still - offer an affordable way to add a splash of colour or interest into a room. Glass vases filled with colourful blooms are perfect for window sills to draw in the eye and create the illusion of extra space and light. To create a feature for a sideboard or occasional table, combine an odd number of vases in different block colours, shapes, sizes and materials for a stunning, contemporary look. Refresh some more traditional settings by using metallic golds, silvers and coppers to contrast with more neutral palettes.
Whatever the style of your interior, bring the outside in and make a style statement worthy of any season. r Lsa Zazou red glass vase, £37, Red Candy r Bud vase floral, £6, Breeze r Hexagonal coin vase, £19.50, Marks and Spencer r Key lime collection glass swirl vase, £19.99, Dunelm Mill r Butterfly Home by Matthew Williamson small peach corsage vase, £12, Debenhams r Orange crinkled glass, £6.95, Liberty London r Aldo Londi Rimini small blue cylinder vase, £31, Heal's r Black Le Sack Vase by Trendform, £8.30, Made in Design r Betty Jackson Black ripple vases, from £20, Debenhams r Kenneth Cole New York Home outline vase, £30, House of Fraser
Homes & Gardens
April, 2012
15 Ltd
SAVILL FLOORING Carpets - Vinyls - Laminates Real Wood - Karn Dean - Amtico
01784 477200
Andy Price Andy Price Director Director 07739 359627 savillflooring@hotmail.com 07739 359627 14 Victoria Street, Englefield Green, Egham, Surrey TW20 0QY
V.Q.S Kitchens
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April, 2012
16
Homes & Gardens
Jacob Fencing To the rear of 6 New Park Rd Ashford TW15 1EG Come and check out our new timber yard. Top quality fencing and gates @ the best prices around the area with over 46 years experience.
Call us on 01784 256930 or 07966 136507 Opening Times: Mon-Fri 8am-4pm • Sat 8am- 12 noon
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Close board gates fully framed and capped 6x3 £49.50 inc. Any size gate made
Fence and gate posts wood posts 8ftx100x100 £9.50 inc. 8ftx75x75 £7.25 inc.
Close board 6x6 £29.50 inc. 6x5 £28.50 inc. 6x4 £26.50 inc. 6x3 £24.50 inc.
Homes & Gardens
April, 2012
17
A community space that’s right up your street URBAN alleyways in this country have often been seen as threatening places – dark, lined with brick walls or fences, with no colour and plenty of possibilities for crime, writes Hannah Stephenson. Yet in certain areas green-fingered residents have made their alleyways a sight to behold, filled with plants which create a riot of colour and a heart-warming atmosphere, as far away from graffiti-land as you can get. The RHS is now calling on communities to transform unsightly, neglected alleyways into green havens, championing the findings of a recent RHS report that shows the significant impact this sort of revival has on communities. A survey of 231 gardening groups found neglected areas were often problematic because of crime and fear of crime. Disused alleyways were a particular concern because they're a perfect access route for burglars. Many councils run schemes to gate off problem alleyways and the impact this has had on crime has been significant in cities like Cardiff, Bristol and Manchester.
According to the RHS report, in one Manchester street, 50 properties backed on to a four-way passage and were prone to burglary. It was gated off and residents planted it up, turning what was once a crime-ridden grotspot into a flourishing community haven where residents hold events and children play. “A lot of groups that have renovated disused spaces like alleyways which have been prone to vandalism and anti-social behaviour have reported that vandals sometimes continue but this is extremely short-lived,” says Stephanie Eynon, RHS community horticulture manager. “If they steal planters, do graffiti or whatever, they soon notice that the planters are put back and the graffiti is removed – not by the council, but by residents. “These once disused areas become looked-after, used, lived-in, part of the community and vandals are put off by the fact there is a strong community presence. “Groups report that vandals don’t return. Whether it’s through fear of being watched, the fact that there are
people physically now in these areas is off-putting to them.” The RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood campaign offers advice on planting up neglected spaces like alleyways and also provides information on funding. There are already more than 1,000 registered IYN groups. To set up a new group or join an existing one, go to www.rhs.org.uk/communities. RHS Young Designer 2011 finalists Owen Morgan and Alexandra Froggatt offer the following tips: n A derelict alleyway can be taken on as a community project. Even on a shoestring budget, bright colours and simple raised beds can transform an area quickly. Be creative – recycled items will add an interesting dynamic to any design. n Green walling is an instant effect and can vastly increase your planting options and available area for planting in a limited space. Green wall systems lend themselves to the growing of ferns which are well suited to a damp, shaded alleyway wall. There are plenty of products on the market that utilise pockets or pouches with in-built irrigation systems.
n With green wall technology the potential for vertical allotments is beginning to be realised. An alleyway could be taken on by the community and be transferred into a vertical allotment. In urban areas this would help towards the lack of available allotment space. n Take into account practical considerations. Speak to neighbours before embarking on any structural work. Take into consideration the Party Wall Act and contact a surveyor if in any doubt. n Most alleyways need some degree of access. A good design should include a clear flat access path wide enough for wheelie bins, disabled access or buggies. n Many alleyways will have a concrete-lined base and will therefore be unsuitable for conventional planting. Pots, planters and troughs are an ideal way of creating a strong design identity to the space while providing plenty of opportunity for planting. n Climbers on funky trellis will also add vertical interest. Climbing hydrangeas are self clinging and highly shade tolerant.
18
April, 2012
Homes & Gardens
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Interiors, Home Furniture, Mirrors, Chandeliers, Jewellery, Gifts for Women 192 High Street Brentford Middx TW8 8LB
Tel/fax: 0208 758 1456 www.nakedgrain.com email: nakedgrain@xln.co.uk
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Homes & Gardens
April, 2012
19
Make this the year to grow your own veg AS ‘grow your own’ campaigns have gathered momentum in the last few years, many people have had a go at growing their own veg, even if they’ve just had time and space to sow a few lettuces in a window box. If you haven’t tried your hand at veg yet, make this the year you do. Check the soil temperature first, because if you sow too early the seedlings will struggle and become vulnerable to pests and diseases. As a general guideline, in colder areas you need to cover seed beds with plastic sheeting or cloches for at least three weeks before sowing to warm up the soil, but nothing is set in stone. Use a soil thermometer to check the soil temperature in the morning, pushing it 5-10cm into the soil. If it remains above 7C for a week, you should be safe to start sowing early vegetables in prepared beds. Seed sown before that temperature is reached will germinate, but will be more suscepti-
ble to soil diseases. To prepare a seed bed, the soil needs to be broken down to a fine tilth and the surface levelled off with a rake – it should end up like a fine, crumbly texture. Throw out any stones, weeds and other debris you come across while doing this. It’s also advisable to add some fertiliser such as chicken manure pellets or blood, fish and bone to the soil before sowing. Then you can grow a wealth of vegetables, from spring onions, leeks, beetroot and radishes, to carrots, parsnips and kohl rabi. If the area you have is too small to rotate crops, then grow what you like where you can, but don't plant the same crop in the same place two years running. If you persevere with growing vegetables from seed, before you know it, you will be sitting down to a meal of delicious vegetables you have grown yourself – and will probably have enough left over to give to your neighbours.
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Homes & Gardens
De-clutter your home IF someone peered into your drawers and cupboards, would they be enviably neat and orderly or stuffed full of a spaghetti-style tangle of items that would take hours to unravel? writes Gabrielle Fagan. Most people probably have at least one area like the latter; a ‘secret’ dumping ground where clutter accumulates and despite their best intentions, they never get around to sorting it out. But as spring arrives and we yearn
for more airy, organised spaces to make us feel calmer and in control, de-cluttering fever tends to strike. Identify which type of hoarder you are and then follow a personalised clutter culling plan, with smart storage solutions to match. You feel emotionally attached to your things in a way that's probably inexplicable to others, and the thought of getting rid of things you might end up missing prevents you taking any action at all.
You’ve probably kept your grownup children's personal possessions and old toys, have drawers full of paperwork and shelves groaning with books, but can’t throw out things you associate with memories and feelings. Action plan: Get a friend to go through items with you so they can be dispassionate about making decisions. Make a target to get rid of one box a week so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Give to charities so you know your much-loved possessions are helping good causes. You’re brilliant at disguising it all, and have invested in under-bed boxes, hanging drawers in wardrobes, and filled every cranny in the loft. As you like to be in control and set yourself high standards, you can’t bear to start de-cluttering until you can tackle the whole house, but that’s such a large task, you keep putting it off. Action plan: Target the house room by room, but allow enough time to complete the sort-out. Make sure you don’t slow yourself down because of indecision by having a couple of boxes marked ‘Keep’ and ‘Recycle’. There’s a tide of possessions throughout your house that you’d
love to sort, and corners in every room that are filled with piles of belongings which make you feel fraught. You fill bags with unwanted goods but rarely find time to take them anywhere. Action plan: Encourage each member of the family to contribute one large box of clutter on a set date and insist on one room remaining clutter-free so you can constantly see the benefit of curbing that untidiness. You love constant change, challenges and variety, and your home reflects that with an eclectic mix of possessions you gather while on your travels.You don’t see it as clutter because you believe each has a story to tell. But occasionally it can get out of hand, particularly if you rarely find time for housework and are easily distracted, even if you occasionally attempt re-organising. Action plan: Even if the clutter isn’t driving you crazy, it won’t allow you to show off those treasured possessions in their full glory. Culling will be tricky for you but you could periodically store away a selection just to give your rooms a revamp, and invest in more tables or display chests so you can group possessions to give them a feeling of harmony.
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Homes & Gardens
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Homes & Gardens
April, 2012
WELCOME to the spring edition of Homes and Gardens. Sunny days are here again, and thoughts start turning to sprucing up the garden and revamping your home. Want to give your rooms a designer makeover but lacking the inspiration to get started? Read on to find out how you can get the look yourself. If you work from home you’ll love our feature on making even the smallest home office a place to be proud of. And as it’s traditionally the time of year for the big spring clean, read our tips on decluttering to get yourself organised and open up more space. Gardeners will want to turn straight to our interview with TV’s Joe Swift, who gives us a sneak peak of what his first ever Chelsea Flower Show entry holds. There’s also advice on turning your street’s dead ends into neighbourhood green spaces everyone can enjoy. With tips on growing your own vegetables and all the latest trends in interiors, plants and garden accessories, you will find this issue packed with all the help you need to transform your home this spring. So sit back, relax and enjoy a good read before the hard work begins.
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April, 2012
Homes & Gardens
Live a designer’s dream EVER get ‘room envy’ at the sight of glamorous settings in magazines or on television? You’re not the only one – it seems the whole nation has caught the interior design bug. “We’ve all become so much more style aware these days. There’s just so much inspiration all around us, from gorgeous film and TV locations through to those boutique hotels,” says Isobel McKenzie-Price, editorial director of Ideal Home magazine. “But just because money’s a little tighter than before, it doesn’t mean we’re prepared to compromise when it comes to decorating our own homes.” McKenzie-Price has interpreted the signature styles of interior designer Kelly Hoppen using affordable high-
street homeware and furnishings, proving it doesn’t take a millionaire bank balance to achieve great style. “All you need to do is take inspiration from successful designers who use clever tricks that work just as well with high-street buys as they do with really high-end schemes,” she says. Isobel’s clever buys show it’s not difficult to create a room that will impress your friends and make them think you’ve used the services of a top designer. For Hoppen’s chic look... Kelly Hoppen’s style is a fusion of east and west, combining simplicity with sumptuous textures and luxe finishes, and a colour palette of taupes, beiges and creams with black as a grounding, defining colour.
Creating symmetry is key to her streamlined, structured style and it helps create a calm, ordered interior for a living space. She advises positioning furniture to line up neatly around an existing feature, such as a fireplace or window. “Sofas should face one another and armchairs should be at a 45-degree angle to sofas,” she says. When adding shelves, pictures and smaller pieces of furniture, position them in exact symmetry with the larger pieces of furniture, Hoppen adds. Designer tips: Use the same paint colour on walls, woodwork and ceiling to create a seamless backdrop. Mix textures by teaming hard surfaces with soft fabrics, such as a lacquered table next to an upholstered sofa.
Accessorise boldly with oversized vases, big prints, huge arrangements of artificial flowers, and sculptural lighting. Love the look: Start with taupe on all large areas, then add definition with lots of black, and finally lift the scheme with white accents. Paints such as Opulence Emulsion paint, Dark Truffle, £21.98 for 2.5 litres from B&Q, and London Bridge, £19.50 for 2.5 litres from Graham & Brown would suit this look. Make a statement with an L-shaped sofa, such as a Kivik sofa bed with footstool, from £904 from Ikea. Black and white accessories are essential: Spindle Table Lamp, £45, Tesco; Kelly Hoppen framed print, £64.50, and White Rose Cylinder Glass vase, £39.84, both from QVC.
Homes & Gardens
April, 2012
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The Queen of elegance: interior desginer Kelly Hoppen.
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Homes & Gardens
April, 2012
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Homes & Gardens
April, 2012
A space of your own THERE'S something special about a place of our own at home, even if it is only a corner of the kitchen where we can attend to the bills, a desk on a landing where we get creative or the bliss of a retreat at the bottom of the garden away from the family. “We all need a space we can call our own,” says Caroline Clifton-Mogg, whose book, A Space Of My Own, is packed with ingenious and practical ways of conjuring a ‘work’ area. “Decorate in a way that pleases you, perhaps your favourite picture, or a gallery of photos and postcards that give you pleasure to gaze at. “Choose colours well – bright shades to stimulate and inspire, or calming, contemplative ones to allow your inner creativity to peacefully emerge.” Home office “Working from home means you’re free to stray from the neutral colour schemes and utility furniture beloved by office managers and can be as imaginative as you want.” The secret of a good office at home is to combine comfort, multi-purpose furniture and stylish storage with carefully-chosen decorative pieces so that no one element looks out of place with anything else in the room. Study space “We all like the idea of a retreat, and the very word ‘study’ still conjures up the idea of a small, warm room decorated with its owner’s most favourite possessions,” says Clifton-Mogg. Hidden retreat “With a little imagination, it’s usually possible to find a corner that may have been overlooked – one end of a room screened
off by a curtain, space on a landing, a converted cupboard under the stairs, or a deep cupboard.” There’s no need to buy new furniture if you’re on a tight budget. Source pieces from second-hand furniture shops, auctions or online recycling sites such as www.freecycle.org. A Space Of My Own by Caroline Clifton-Mogg is published by Ryland Peters & Small, £19.99.
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April, 2012
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Homes & Gardens
Dreaming of a good IF there’s one place in the home that should be a peaceful retreat, where it’s almost impossible not to instantly rest and relax, it's the bedroom, writes Gabrielle Fagan. Be inspired by the founder of The White Company Chrissie Rucker, designers Zandra Rhodes and Rachel Ashwell, the presenter of TV’s Location, Location, Location Kirstie Allsopp, and pop superstar Kylie Minogue.
inspire happy memories on a white painted bedside table. Her tip: Accommodate an easy chair where you can sit and relax, and keep the bed as a separate zone for sleeping. Colours such as soft smoky greys, pinks, blues, teals, taupes, ivory and whites are good choices for a peaceful setting. Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic bed linen collection starts from £60 for a duvet cover from House of Fraser.
Rachel Ashwell Her name is synonymous with the trend for ‘shabby chic’, an unpretentious laid-back living style she helped bring into vogue 20 years ago. Ashwell favours a country look for a bedroom based around easy-on-theeye soft, primitive colours. “I love faded florals, with vintage scatter cushions on the bed for summer days, and like to conjure an eclectic, romantic, inviting and soft atmosphere,” she says. “Traditional furniture, either in light or bleached wood or in distressed finishes in whites or greys, won’t dominate and will impart a tranquil feel.” In her own bedroom she has plush silk curtains, a sparkling chandelier and a collection of photographs to
Chrissie Rucker The founder of the hugely successful The White Company believes the bedroom should be a sensual sanctuary where comfort reigns. “The starting point for great quality bed linen is that it must be made from the best quality yarn. Once you’ve slept in fabulously smooth and luxurious pure cotton - whatever the thread count – you’ll never look back,” she says. “It’s worth investing in high quality bed linen because it really does affect the way we sleep. Pure cotton or linen are preferable because both fabrics are breathable, cool and comfortable. “Don’t be deceived into thinking that the higher the thread count the better the sheet, as different types
of bed linen require different thread counts to produce the desired finished product.” Her tip: In spring and summer a bedroom should be a cool, airy sanctuary with soothing scents. “Lavender-based scents or rose and peony always work well, as do flowers such as simple white potted orchids. Use pillow mist or linen spray to scent linen and a scented candle to help you unwind after a long day.” Santorini Bed Linen Collection starts from £75 for a double duvet cover and features in the ranges at The White Company. Kirstie Allsopp “I love beautiful bed linen – there’s nothing like climbing into crisp, clean sheets at the end of a long, tiring day,” says Allsopp. “My bedroom isn’t exactly an exclusive sanctuary as there are always small people crawling into bed for a cuddle! When decorating a bedroom I like a theme based around one thing that I can’t live without, which might be favourite bed linen, or curtain fabric, or an accessory, and I build the scheme from there. “Currently, I’m embracing colour for my bedding with lots of florals, stripes and ginghams which have a
vintage look with a contemporary twist, and can be matched with co-ordinating cushions, throws and feminine lampshades.” Her tip: Instead of redecorating, rearrange furniture and buy bedroom treats such as towels, sheets, cushions or lamp shades to transform a room for little cost. Kirsty Allsopp’s Home Living Collection starts from £50 for a single duvet cover. Stockists include House of Fraser, Debenhams and selected Fenwicks.
Rachel Ashwell..
Homes & Gardens
April, 2012
night’s slumber Zandra Rhodes The British fashion designer is known for her flamboyant, joie de vivre designs and renowned for her use of colour and pattern. “I think when your bedroom looks fabulous it makes your home very special,” she says. “Just as you change your look with what you wear, by changing the bedding and bedspreads, a new look can be achieved in an instant.” One of her favourite themes for a bedroom is her trademark vivid pink, and she’s used cerise cabbage roses for the walls, with a focal point of a queen-sized heart-shaped bed. Her tip: Re-dressing the bed completely revamps a scheme, so take your lead from that and accessorise around it. The Summer Collection of bed linen from Zandra Rhodes starts from £60 for a double duvet cover. For stockists visit www.ashleywildegroup.com. Kylie Minogue The singing star has her own collection of bed linen and says: “Bed should be a place for just two things – love and sleep. “I’ve actually become a better sleeper than I used to be by doing the things
you should do in bed rather than the things you shouldn’t, such as being on my laptop or watching TV. “I love making beds with fresh linen – either from my At Home range or vintage – but I hate hospital corners. I like to be able to pull things around me. “Travel and vintage finds are my main inspiration for my bed linen designs. “I have a gorgeous eiderdown from the 1930s that I found a couple of years ago on eBay, beautiful vintage fabrics I have owned for close to 20 years, a hand-painted book of Japanese kimono designs bought 10 years ago in Melbourne, and my focal point is the silk and crystal-studded panelled wall of my bedroom.” Her tip: Make a bedroom a place of refuge with lovely linen, throws and cushions. Banish TVs, computers, iPads and mobile phones, and run a hot bath with oil and scented candles to relax you before you turn in. The Kylie Minogue At Home collection starts from £55 for a single quilt cover and is available in stores throughout the UK, including Debenhams, House of Fraser, selected Fenwicks and Next online.
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Above: Kylie Minogue loves linen and finds inspiration in travel and the vintage look. Below: Rachel Ashworth’s shabby chic