World Cup interior madness

It’s hard to not notice that the nation has gone World Cup crazy. Houses down one road in particular near me have flags hanging out of bedroom windows. TV reports show fans painting the red cross on the outside of their house and one England fan has even laid turf in his living room, bringing the football pitch to his front room!

If you do fancy showing your support but in a less gregarious way, why not opt for some patriotic bed linen?

To be honest, apart from a few Union Jack scatter cushions, I have never seen the England flag in all its glory as a bed display until I visited Debenhams for their sale. This red and white vision completely stopped me in my tracks and made me perform a double take.

If I did not have a purple feature wall in my own bedroom, then I have to admit I would be tempted. I could have the St George’s cross on the bed spread and pillow case and then the Union Jack cushions covered in sequins.

Even if England don’t make it through to the top 16, maybe you could use this to support Murray at Wimbledon!

Don’t forget to watch the World Cup to see if it is worth buying this bed linen. Or, if you’re staying in, then why not learn about different cuisines from the original 32 countries with Food Network UK’s World Cuisine map.

Making the most of your garden: water features

The warm weather we’ve been having recently has inspired me to look at the state of my garden. Having sat out there for a few barbeques recently I have managed to analyse every section and plan exactly what is needed and where.

My problem is that because I live in a maisonette, my garden is situated in the middle of a group of gardens. This makes it difficult to have that sense of privacy and relaxation that you want in your own outdoor space.

For inspiration I started to browse through pictures from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The one thing that stood out were the amount of water features used. They obviously offer a sense of serenity and work well whether your garden is a tiny square or a couple of acres, although perhaps the size you are looking at may differ.

I have the perfect spot in the far corner of my garden, just behind a stone bench, for a water feature. The problem now is deciding which one.

I quite like the idea of being ‘green’ and using a solar-powered one like this below.

Solar Powered 4 Tier Cascading Glazed Ceramic Water Fountain, £51.25 from QVC

I love the glazed green colour and the way different sized pots and bowls create four tiers. Some of my existing garden furniture is a dark green colour so this would work well.

I can just imagine sitting in the garden on a lounger listening to the calming trickle of water, imagining that I’m somewhere tropical.

If you’re planning on upgrading your garden it’s good to remember that this can help add value to your home when you sell.

Baths of the future

Have you ever dreamed of getting home after a hard day at work and being able to walk straight into the bathroom where a pre-run hot bubble bath is waiting for you? Does this sound like the bathroom of your dreams? Having it pre-run to the perfect temperature and the ideal depth? Well dream no longer, this could be your reality.

Bathomatic, technology created by Unique Automation, means with a simple touch of a button or the click of a mouse you could have the ultimate in bath time ease.

A small, wall-mounted touch-screen control panel (made of glass and the size of a single gang light switch) is installed in the bathroom and when activated, Bathomatic lowers the motorised plug and fills to a predetermined depth and temperature.

You can even add one of twelve favourite fragrances with the fragrance module adding a specially formulated high concentration bath perfume.

Don’t get too carried away though, this small pleasure does come at a price and quite a hefty one at that, with prices starting at £6,325 from Bathomatic.

Sculptural wall art

Sometimes it’s the well-placed small things that can make all the difference to your home. A central hanging mirror reflecting more light into the living room or a printed picture hung on a main feature wall.

These accessories instantly command attention and create the perfect homely atmosphere for your room.

Why not try hanging this metal tree on a plain wall at eye level. You can hide the nails in amongst the delicate branches.

Mistral Metal Tree Wall Art, £44.95 from Really Linda Barker

This spiked version is ideal for the more modern room as the main focal point.

Spikey Wall Art, £29.95 from Really Linda Barker

Or for the more adventurous, why not have this flock of seagulls flying over you in the living room.

Seagulls Wall Art,  £34.95 from Really Linda Barker

I’ve got my eyes on the metal tree, it would look perfect against my oatmeal-coloured living room walls.

Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

If I could create a magical, slightly dream-like dining area this is exactly what it would look like, food and all. Unfortunately my dining room does not look like this, this is the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party garden from the Ideal Home Show.

If you look closely you will also notice the handles on the teapot and cups are sculptured in the form of two little legs. This is the ultimate in quirky dining sets.

The chair backs were created to look like giant forks and spoons. I love the idea of sitting on cutlery while also using it!

It’s all in the details. What do you think, is quirky cutlery a trend for the future?

Bathroom beauties

I believe that your bathroom should look and feel like a sanctuary. It’s the place where you spend your time getting ready for the day ahead, so it should be practical, comfortable and ultimately relaxing.

I spend a lot of time in my bathroom and because the space is small, due to living in a pokey flat, the decorating has to be done wisely. I love patterned walls in bright colours, I love big intricately decorated mirrors, I love a good sink and I need lots of storage space.

This may explain why when wandering around the Ideal Home Show I was instantly drawn to the bathroom stands.

I like bright colours and bold designs. I like fixings that look unique and maybe relate to that individuals personality. This is why I love this striped sink and matching toilet below. It could instantly add a pop of colour into an otherwise neutral space. Imagine this in a white tiled bathroom, like mine. It would automatically be the main focal point. It’s also extremely practical. A bowl shaped sink, a handy support shelf to keep your necessities and it’s free standing, meaning you won’t need a cupboard to hide the pipes.

If you’re looking for something slightly more luxurious why not opt for a platinum sink and toilet. Extravagant and somewhat flashy this design even has a delicate floral pattern running down the sides. Although it might possibly be a nightmare to clean it does look very expensive.