HOUSE & HOME EAST ANGLIA

Your essentiallocal directory

for home improvements and interiors

2011

HOMELIFE

2

04 Beam Ends

04 Butterfield Natural Stone

08 Character Coving

14 Coastal Glazing

05 Colne Stoves & Fireplaces

33 Crowley Turf Supplies

08 David Hall Bespoke Furniture Ltd

32 Dorluxe Ltd

33 Dream Doors

15 Dream Maker Bathrooms

21 Fieldens Ltd

19 Grove Lane Bathrooms

15 Hadleigh Kitchen & Bedroom Studio

04 Hardwood Flooring Studio

32 Home & Cane Living

09 Hyde Furniture

35 Ironglaze

08 JHD Interiors

36 Jim Lawrence

11 Kitchen Sense

29 Knights Country Kitchens

10 MattressMan

11 Nevelli

04 Norwich Kitchen Centre

18 Old Fashioned Bathrooms

08 Old Vicarage Curtain Company, The

10 Oriental Rugs

02 Partridges Homestore

18 Premier Marble

18 Simply Bathrooms

10 Sinclair Fabrics

11 Style Kitchens

15 Tile Studio

14 Tots to Teens Furniture Barn

28 Trowmans

25 Ultimate Flooring Solutions

Welcome to HomeLife, a handy pocket-

sized directory of suppliers and services for

the house and home in your area.

A-Z OF ADVERTISERSHomeLife

is published by Thompson Media Partners

Ltd, Unit 4, Avenue Business Park, Elsworth,

Cambridge CB23 4EY. Tel. 01954 267696.

Publisher Sean Thompson (01954 267696)

Sales Managers Charlie Roadley-Battin (07595 894578)

Darren Marshall (07826 628680) Stewart Hedges

(07595 894557) Jim Leishman (01954 267635)

Editorial & Design John Boston

© Thompson Media Partners

03

HOMELIFE

4

visitournewshowroom For the ultimate in wood flooring

& exper tise

Open: Mon-Sat 10.00am–4.00pm48 Gainsborough Street | Sudbury

Suf folk | CO10 2ET

Tel: 01787 881688 Email: info@thehardwoodflooringstudio.comWeb: www.thehardwoodflooringstudio.com

DESIGN ADVICE

SUPPLY & INSTALLATION

AFTERCARE ...

... for Solid, Engineered & Laminate Flooring)

Come & see our new

2011 ranges

The NORWICH KITCHEN CENTREShowroom open 7 days a week (Sunday 2-6pm)

1 Market Place, Loddon. Tel: 01508 528196www.norwichkitchencentre.co.uk

Please come and visit our stunning revamped

showroom and talk to us about your kitchen project…

and take the opportunity to negotiate a very

favourable package from us.

The ultimate in kitchens, designed to order.

Complete kitchens start at £12,000+

The NORWICH KITCHEN

CENTRE

HOMELIFE

5

Interiors

ColouryourHOME

Yellows bring warmthand light into rooms

Before you choose your colour

schemes, always consider the space.

Dark rooms can be brightened up

with light-coloured walls, accessorised

with white voile curtains and plenty of

green plants. Tiny rooms look more spa-

cious with pale, cool colours, accessorised

with minimal light-coloured furniture.

Boxy rooms cry out for a focal point, such

as a feature wall contrasted with an atten-

tion-grabbing piece of furniture or art.

By understanding the qualities of pri-

mary and secondary colours and how they

work together, you’ll have a better under-

standing of how to apply them in your

home. Primary colours are red, yellow and

blue. Secondary colours are orange, green

and violet.

Deep, warm colours including red-violet,

red, red-orange, orange, yellow-orange

and yellow give a room an intimate, cosy

feel. Light, cool colours such as green,

blue-green, blue and blue-violet make a

room seem more spacious and elegant.

Pale neutral colours also have this effect.

The easiest way to colour your home is

to start off with a relatively blank canvas,

featuring fairly neutral shades on your

more permanent fixtures and fitting such

as sofas and floor coverings. These don't

have to be boring. You can use rich but

neutral colours like chocolate and versatile

stone. These shades work wonderfully with

an accent colour running through your

homes accessories. You can use your cur-

tains, cushions, lamps, candles, blankets,

rugs and pictures.

07

Carefully applied colour in your home makes an immediate and lasting visual

impact, giving off an array of mood-changing associations. Your colour scheme

should complement the space and suit your personal preferences...

Bright and bold, RED suggests vitality and aggressive-

ness. It is a great accent colour, making cold, open

rooms seem more inviting and intimate. Deep, subtle

shades of red such as burgundy and maroon are perfect

for living rooms. Its complementary colour is green.

The colour of nature, GREEN is refreshing and

pleasing to the eye. It makes dim rooms seem more

vibrant by bringing a garden-like atmosphere indoors.

With its varying shades, green works in just about any

room. Its complementary colour is red.

Stimulating, sunny and cheerful, YELLOW is associated

with intellect, power and creative energy. Bright yellows

bring warmth and light into dark rooms, and pale yellows

make small rooms seem larger. It is also a great kitchen

colour. Its complementary colour is violet.

Most BLUE shades denote harmony, peace, steadfastnessand loyalty. While it’s appropriate for any room, blue is anexcellent bedroom colour because it makes one feel com-forted and serene. It can also soften rooms that are over-

bright. Its complimentary colour is orange.

Strong and majestic, VIOLET is a powerful accent colour. Pastel violets take on the mood

characteristics of red or blue depending on which is moreprominent in the shade. Lilac for example, takes on blue’s

characteristics, while lavender takes on reds qualities. Its complimentary colour is yellow.

ORANGE combines the energy of red with the intellectual associations of yellow.

Dominant and lively, orange is a vibrant choice for bath-rooms and work areas. Peachy oranges have a delicate

effect, while brownish oranges such as terracotta give offwarm, cosy vibes. Its complimentary colour is blue.

HOMELIFE

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Tel./Fax. (01603) 722385Mobile 07717 495790

Unit 1, Tiliacourt, Rackheath Ind. Est., Norwich NR13 6SXEmail jhdinteriors@btopenworld.com www.jhdinteriors.co.uk

OPEN: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm – Saturday 10am-2pmOut of hours appointments also availabe

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HOMELIFE

9

41-43 Timber Hill, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 3LATel: 01603 305982

www.hydefurniture.com

HYDE FURNITUREBeautiful Handmade Kitchens and Furniture

Visit our showroom at Timber Hill

HOMELIFE

10

OPENING HOURS MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9.00 – 5.00 SATURDAY 9.00 – 1.00 CLOSED BANK HOLIDAYS

Telephone for free advice

01933 663533LONDON ROAD, BOZEAT

Sinclair FabricsAn extensive range of

quality wallpaper and

fabrics, Roman, roller

and vertical blinds

An extensive range of

upholstery fabrics

We can also recover

your furniture and make

headboards to order

Curtains, blinds and softfurnishings with a

personal touch

James Brindley Silks

SandersonAutumn collection* FAB-U-LOUS *

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Villa Nova

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Open 6 days a week4 Bedford Street, Norwich (behind Jarrolds dept. store)

Tel: 01603 633520

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HOMELIFE

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Designer Home Heating12 High Street, Hadleigh, Suffolk IP7 5AP | Tel/Fax: 01473 828914

Email: bev@nevelli.com | Web: www.nevelli.com

Visit our new showroom

WAREHOUSE NO.1, VINCES ROAD, DISS, NORFOLK, IP22 4HGTEL. 01379 652742

FREE DESIGN SERVICE COMPLETE INSTALLATION SERVICE INCLUDING ELECTRICS, TILING, PLUMBING &

BUILDING WORKS AS REQUIRED ALSO SUPPLIERS OF HAND PAINTED BESPOKE KITCHENS

HIGH QUALITY AT AFFORDABLE PRICES SUPPLIERS TO TRADE AND RETAIL

LARGE SHOWROOM –14 CONTEMPORARY, TRADITIONAL AND CLASSIC DISPLAYS

STYLE KITCHENSSAVE UP TO

50%

Kitchen

12

Kitchen shapeThe first step in designing your

new kitchen is to visualize the

potential of the space. It can be

difficult to see past the existing

configuration of cabinets and

appliances, but that's exactly what

you need to do. Try to imagine

that you have completely gutted

your old kitchen-taking it right

down to the walls. Consider only

the size and shape of the room as

well as the location of doorways,

staircases, and windows. You or

your designer should create a

scale drawing of the space and

experiment with different

arrangements of everything from

cabinets to countertops to appli-

ances to find the right layout for

your new kitchen.

A kitchen to love begins with a user-friendly layout. Award-winning kitchendesigner Beth Veillette goes back to basics with a few essential rules…

KITCHENSClever

When floor tiles are placed so they run the

length of the kitchen they visually elongate

the space, as seen in this galley kitchen.

The work zonesWhen you think about it, every

kitchen consists of many separate

work areas. There's the place

where you do your chopping and

have your knives and cutting

boards nearby, for example, and a

cleanup station consisting of the

sink, dishwasher, and trash recep-

tacle. Even the spot where you

stage groceries before loading

them into the refrigerator is an

important work area. The secret to

designing a great kitchen is to

think about all of the work zones

you'll need, what each one

requires to be efficient, and how

they should work together.

For starters, that means creating a

work triangle. When you're cook-

ing, you use three components of

your kitchen more than any oth-

ers-the refrigerator, range (or

cooktop), and sink. So designers

usually try to keep these essen-

tials out of the major traffic flow,

to put them relatively close

together, and to locate each one

at the point of an imaginary trian-

gle. The work triangle isn't the

only way to go, but it does offer

the easiest access to these three

essential kitchen tools with the

least walking to and fro. Ideally,

the three legs of the triangle

should add up to 26 ft. or less-

with each individual leg measur-

ing between 4 ft. and 9 ft. Once

you've plotted out your work tri-

angle, you can begin to design

each of the individual work zones.

Extracts from Kitchen Ideas that Work, by

Beth Veillette. Published by The Taunton

Press. ISBN: 978 1 56158 837 4 Price:

£12.99. Available from GMC Publications

www.thegmcgroup.com

This open kitchen feels slightly moregrounded thanks to the crown

molding at the ceiling and the widebaseboard trim around the island

This open kitchen feels slightly more

grounded thanks to the crown

molding at the ceiling and the wide

baseboard trim around the island

The work triangleYour kitchen layout will be determinedby two factors: the size and shape ofyour space and the placement of workareas within the room based on thework triangle, an imaginary line drawnto connect the refrigerator, sink, andcooktop or range. Ideally, each leg ofthe work triangle should be between 4ft. and 9ft. long. Islands and peninsulasshould not intersect the triangle bymore than 12in.

HOMELIFE

14

LEISTON

01728 83351701728 833517vinny_sufc@tiscali.co.uk

Unit 1 Masterlord Ind. Est. Leiston

•Fascias•Soffits

•Guttering•Cladding

•Glass Cut To Size•Sealed Units

•Windows•Doors

•Conservatories•Window

Accessories•Secondary Glazing

SUPPLY ONLY AT TRADE PRICES

• Fascias• Sofi ts

• Guttering• Cladding

• Glass Cut To Size• Sealed Units

• Windows• Doors

• Conservatories• Window

Accessories• Secondary Glazing

HOMELIFE

15

For All Your Natural Stone & Ceramic Tiling Needswith ranges to suit all budgets.

MARBLE BASINS ALSO AVAILABLE

TEL: 01394 610528

THE TILE STUDIO, SPUR END, WILFORD BRIDGE RD, MELTON, WOODBRIDGE, SUFFOLK IP12 1RB

Ivy Farm, The Green, Saxtead, Nr Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP13 9QG

Tel: 01728 685958 sales@dreammakerbathrooms.co.uk

www.dreammakerbathrooms.co.uk

Are you dreaming of a new bathroom but think you can’t afford it?

THINK AGAIN!

before…

after…

DreamMakerBathrooms

Bathroom

16

At their worst, bathrooms

can be an eyesore and

decrease the value of a

home. For this reason, experts

advise homeowners to spruce up

their bathrooms, think of it as a

mini project development that

could add a sparkle to your home.

If you fancy renovating your

bathroom either yourself or get-

ting some help, stick to the rules

and don't be self-centred in your

design. Even though you own

your home, you must always con-

sider that potential buyer who

will probably come walking

through your bathroom door one

day.

Interior design styles and bath-

room fittings are a matter of taste.

Some people love baths and hate

showers, some love showers and

hate baths. Some like it modern,

some old-fashioned. As will any

renovation job, you should con-

sider a wide variety of tastes

when making drastic changes,

such as removing a bath and fit-

ting a shower cubicle in its place.

When you come to sell your

home in the future, you will bene-

fit by offering a wide variety of

buyers the features they want

without putting people off by

imposing your tastes on them.

The plain fact is that most buyers

want a shower as well as a bath,

especially if you have a family

home with baths needed for chil-

dren.

Interior design experts and TV

shows urge all bathroom renova-

tors to install a plain, white bath-

room suite. The law doesn’t

demand this unfortunately, but

current and foreseeable tastes do.

There are some stunning mod-

ern bathroom designs available

but be careful in your selection.

The first consideration is continu-

ity; design your bathroom so it's

in keeping with the style of the

rest of the home. Turning your

bathroom into a modern master-

piece could seriously devalue a

period home. The second, as pre-

viously mentioned, is designing it

around the needs of the people

likely to buy it in the future. Light

is especially important for bath-

rooms. If you have no window,

stick to light coloured tiles for

both the floors and walls and

install extra illumination, especial-

ly around mirrors. Make the most

of any natural light by avoiding

curtains or blinds that fail to

reveal the whole window when

they are open. Europeans would

shudder at the thought of carpet

in bathrooms, and many Brits are

now inclined to agree. They har-

bour smells, moisture and germs.

Always install easy-to-clean tiles

or even sand-down and paint

your floorboards - although you

must fully seal the gaps so seek

expert advice on how to do this

correctly.

If you must feel carpet under

your feet when you step out the

bath or shower, include a rug or

bathmat. Even on a budget, little

touches will bring nice finishing

touches to a bathroom design.

Opt for a stylish, understated look

for a bathroom that will stand the

test of time and the test of future

buyers' personal tastes.

You can purchase good value

white bathroom suites at all DIY

stores. The money you saved can

be used to upgrade the quality of

tiles for floors and accessories

such as heated towel rails, better

quality shower units or quality tap

ware. Future buyers will spot

these little signs of added luxury.

Modern bathrooms at their best are havens of tranquility, and a great selling point for a home...

Spruce it UP!

Jakata Mirror £35, Glass Shelf

£22, Square Tap £50, Square Sink

£99, Towels from £8, Towel

Storage £40. All from Next,

0116 284 9220 or 0845 4567818

HOMELIFE

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NEW TILE SHOWROOM NOW OPEN

HUNDREDS OF STYLES TO CHOOSE FROM

OPENING OFFERS15% OFF ALL TILES

Choosing the right bathroom

made simple!

EXTENSIVE SHOWROOM

WITH SOMETHING FOR EVERY HOME

SimplyBathrooms

Telephone 01733 572010www.simplybathroomspeterborough.co.uk

Visit our showroom and website to experience the beauty and quality of

our bathroom ware.

Colour brochure available.

Opening hours:Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm;

Sat 9am - 1pm

52 HIGH STREET, DEBENHAM, SUFFOLK IP14 6QW

Tel: 01728 860926 www.oldfashionedbathrooms.co.uk

HOMELIFE

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Beautiful and extraordinary products including working Raindance showers and infinity and hydrotherapy baths

Enquiries 01480 437 445 www.grovelanebathrooms.co.uk

Ba th rooms

Flooring

20

Design and zoningFloor colouring can change the feel of the room, and

this is especially true when it comes to room size.

Use a light coloured floor to make a small room feel

roomier and a dark coloured floor in larger rooms for a

cosier feel. Flooring can define the various different

spaces and function of areas around the home, this is

particularly useful with open plan rooms. Dining areas

can be defined with laminate flooring for example,

while the adjoining sofa space is carpeted.

FunctionWood and laminate flooring responds to moisture and

heat. Take advice to find moisture resistance laminates

if they are to be used in the kitchen or bathroom.

Bear in mind that ceramic tiles used on a bathroom

floor will become slippery when wet. In kitchens,

crockery dropped on tile flooring is likely to break

and may also crack the tiles themselves.

Keeping costs downWood-look laminate flooring designed to click-fit gives

the effect of real wood parquet but is a fraction of the

price. If you prefer to be able to change the look and

colour of the room every few years and are less con-

cerned with the lifetime of the carpet, the cheaper

foam-backed carpets are a good option. Many carpet

sellers provide an edge-binding service, this is a cost

effective way to turn cheap

carpet off-cuts

into rugs.

flooredTotally A quick guide to choosing the right flooring for your needs

WHICH FLOORING?Hardwood flooring Hardwood floors, unlike carpets, do

not harbour or collect dust and other allergy particles and for this

reason wood floors are often recommended for allergy-prone people.

While hardwood flooring is generally one of the more costly flooring

options, hardwood maintains its value over time and, if properly

cared, for doesn't show the wear and tear some synthetic products

do. Solid real wood can be re-finished for a longer life.

Tiles Tiles are always a good choice for flooring, they’re hard-

wearing, suitable for underfloor heating and amazingly versatile.

Natural stone tiles include limestone, marble and slate, or you can

opt for man-made varieties, such as porcelain and ceramic. Large

tiles make a room look more spacious, and using the same tiles on

the walls and floors creates a fashionable, streamlined effect in a

bathroom.

Laminate Laminate flooring is useful for heavily used areas of

the home. Specially designed water-resistant laminates are available

for the kitchen or bathroom. There's a wide choice of laminate floor-

ing, many have sophisticated textured finishes that faithfully recreate

the look of solid wood. For convenience, choose glueless laminate.

Handscraped laminates have the finish of real wood, they feature a

woodgrain textured surface, are stain resistant and do not fade in

strong sunlight. Wood effect textured laminates feature a durable,

scratch resistant top-layer finish.

Vinyl Ideal for kitchens and bathrooms vinyl is waterproof, easy

to maintain and hardwearing. Cushioned vinyl versions are comfort-

able to walk on. If you are after the look of a natural material, but

don't have the budget, vinyl is a cheaper alternative. Many are

designed to resemble wood, marble, stone and metal, all for a frac-

tion of the cost. Vinyl tiles are an alternative to sheets, these are

available with self-adhesive backings and are fitted by simply peel-

ing off the back and sticking down.

Carpet There’s nothing like a carpet for generating a cosy feel

to a room, carpets also help to insulate, cutting down sound and

providing extra warmth. Heavy use rooms need a hardwear-

ing, close-pile carpet, rooms with less traffic can accom-

modate a deeper pile, softer carpet. Carpet tiles are use-

ful for children's rooms and play areas as they are easy to

repair and replace, simply remove the damaged tile and

replace with a new one.

HOMELIFE

21

Tiles

22

Tiles are now popular in rooms all over

the home for their practical surfaces

and constantly evolving design

flexibility providing more choice and

versatility than ever before with vivid

colours, sophisticated patterns, interesting

visual effects and tactile finishes.

Natural stone and stone-look porcelains

and ceramics are still, and always will be a

timeless favourite for creating a calming

bathroom atmosphere and for blending

with the warm tones of wood in classic

kitchens. However, the emergence of bold

colour, pattern and texture allows for more

expression and deeper personalisation.

Bathrooms are no longer just a practical

place to wash. 21st Century bathrooms are

stylish and innovative with furniture in

various modern finishes and a wider

choice of statement baths, shapely basins

and beautiful taps. Colour is no longer

injected via the suite; the preferred choice

of white provides a blank canvas for

mosaics or bigger and bolder tiles with

raised prints, wallpaper patterns and vivid

colour palettes to really make an impact,

used for feature walls or to create or

enhance focal points. The Isadore range

from the Laura Ashley collection, available

from Tile Depot stores, is an excellent

choice for fantastic focal points and

feature walls with its selection of white

tiles and a bold floral pattern in black on

a contrasting white background.

TILEAndy Draper, manager of Tile Depot in Bedford, tells us how

to achieve the latest design trends with tiles...

style

Cappuccino Polished natural

stone wall and floor tiles, from

£4.49 each at Tile Depot

23

Isadore floral ceramic wall

collection, by Laura Ashley,

from £2.20 each at Tile Depot

Tiles

The evolution of the modern

statement kitchen has bought

with it a whole new world of

design flair with patterned and

brightly coloured cabinetry,

appliances and accessories and

we offer a wonderful range of

sheet glass splashbacks and

upstands, available in a wide

choice of vivid colours and

striking finishes. Meanwhile,

kitchen wall tiles have become

more sophisticated and mosaics

diverse in colour and texture.

In store, our selection includes a

finish to suit every kitchen - from

purely aluminium through stain-

less steel with glass and natural

stone to foil and metal-effect

finishes, such as Iron Touch from

the world-renowned Dune

collection and our Memory range

with its decor tile of ceramic and

metallic mosaics.

Metallics are bang on trend at the

moment, highly desirable for

contemporary homes. For bath-

rooms and other living areas, our

30x60cm Elements Titaneo porce-

lain tile is superb; rich in browns

and bronzes, smooth with a

highly seductive metallic finish.

Black and white is once again

fashionable. In smaller bath-

rooms, bumpy white tiles are

enjoying a re-found popularity

for their simple, stylish design

flexibility and reasonable cost.

Today's modern twist on the

traditional classic bathroom is

large rectified whites for smaller

grout lines and a sleek finish with

deep blacks, such as our Galaxy

Black Granite with sparkles for

added interest and in the kitchen,

our 20x60cm Fiber range in black

or white provides a striking

contrast and with a pattern of

small dots, creates depth and

interest; co-ordinating

31.6x31.6cm black floor tiles

are also available.

Tile Depot provides a massive selection of ceramic, porcelain and nat-ural stone wall and floortiles as well as woodenflooring, grouts, adhesives,tools, trims and accessoriesto take away today. Tile Depot offers a Samplesservice and its PricePromise ensures Bedford,Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas of thevery best value in tiles andtiling products.

All available from: Tile Depot, 35-37 AmpthillRoad, Bedford, MK42 9JP01234 327998

And: Tile Depot,Grampian Gate,Winterhill, Milton Keynes,MK6 1BH 01908 234210 www.thetiledepot.co.uk

24

Fiber range of ceramic wall and floor

tiles, from £2.29 each at Tile Depot

HOMELIFE

25

ONLY KARNDEAN APPROVED FITTERSALL WORK GUARANTEED

Ultimate Flooring Solutions Ltd

Suffolk’s only Karndean Design Studio

Unit 5 & 7 Gower Street Industrial Centre, Ipswich IP2 8EX

01473 717122

Up to

50% off karndean and Carpets

Call for latest special offers!

Family business with over 100 years’ experience in carpet and fl ooring!

Décor

26

If you have just splashed

out a small fortune buying

your dream home, the

chances are that funds are

now pretty tight. That is

nearly always the case for

first time buyers, who once

they have moved into their

new nest must think about

how best to decorate and

furnish it without breaking

the bank.

First think about decor.

It’s amazing what a fresh

coat of paint can do.

It’s better not to go for

anything too fussy; keep

it clean and simple and

add splashes of detail

with the occasional

throw, textured cush-

ions, strong statement

artefacts and wall deco-

rations. Even an eye-

catching ceramic bowl

filled with fruit can give

a room designer detail.

Many big furniture stores

sell end of line items and

have sections where they

keep slightly damaged, but

very inexpensive models.

Also keep in mind that most

furniture stores periodically

sell off used furniture when

they get rid of showroom

samples or floor models.

Ask about both possibilities

when you shop. If you have

any wholesale furniture

warehouses in your area,

consider stopping by.

Buying wholesale furniture

is almost always cheaper

than buying retail.

When looking at used

furniture - or any used

furnishings - don't think

of what they look like

now but what they

could look like with a lit-

tle TLC. Maybe that cof-

fee table wouldn’t look

right your living room as

it looks now, but sanded

down and stained and it

will look quite different.

When looking for home

furnishings, try to think

outside the box. You might

not want to eat off that set

bright pottery plates but

they might make colourful

wall hangings.

Unless you have a large

home, select furniture

and accessories on a

small scale. They’ll fit

into most spaces as you

move them around in

your home.

Storage is in short supply

in most homes. Select

furniture pieces that offer

drawers or hanging space,

such as a chest of drawers

or an armoire.

When furnishing a living

room or family room,

choose two-seater sofas

rather than one huge

sofa. They'll be easier to

move and can be used

forming a corner seating

area opposite each

other to create a

conversation spot, or

separately in different

rooms of your home.

Select a pleasing natural or

neutral colour such as tan,

camel, navy, dark green or

black for upholstered

furniture pieces. This will

be your anchor colour.

Make sure the fabric is

durable so it holds up

under years of use.

Gather together a col-

lection of pillows, fabrics

and accessories that

harmonise with your

anchor colour. You'll be

able to change the look

with the seasons, giving

your furniture a new,

fresh look throughout

the year. On a green

sofa for example, you

might choose yellow

floral pillows for sum-

mer and camel tapestry

pillows for autumn.

Buy lamps, vases, side

chairs and pillows in pairs.

They’ll add symmetry and

continuity to a room.

When you’re arranging

furniture try to use furni-

ture or accessories in

unexpected ways, such

as a loveseat at the end

of a bed or a big dresser

that holds videotapes

and DVDs.

Don't be afraid to experi-

ment. Find what works

best for you in your present

situation. If you've selected

items with versatility in

mind, you’ll end up with

an arrangement that's

just right.

Fuss freeDECORATEways to

Flea markets and charityshops can be a great source ofinexpensive, one-of-a-kindinterior decorating materials.If you fall in love with a pieceof discount furniture, bare inmind that moving it can be anissue. Some vendors will deliv-er, but only at the end of theday in the case of a marketand only for an additional fee.Don't be afraid to bargain.Flea market vendors expect it,and with a little negotiationinexpensive items can becomeeven cheaper.

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For more information please contact Hayley or GemmaOffi ce: 01787 277914 orMobile: 07771 665717

Knights Farm, Stoke Road, Clare, Suffolk CO10 8HHwww.knightscountrykitchens.co.uk

Showrooms @ Trowmans, Long Meford CO10 9JR &Debden Antiques, Nr. Saffron Walden CB11 3JY

Bedroom

30

Hotels have come a longway from chintzy guesthouses and bland A road

motels. These days we all lustafter weekends in bourgeois boutique hotels in Europeancities or luxuriant spa weekendsin the English countryside. Andwith our new found love of thehotel has come a passion forturning our homes in to approxi-mations of our favourite boltholes. But how does one turnhotel inspiration in to reality with-out finding themselves living in aTravelodge? It's all about takingyour favourite aspects of the lux-ury hotel and making them workfor your home, finding practicalbut indulgent solutions whichsuit your lifestyle and make theplace you live in to your own littlesanctuary.

We all have different ideasabout what makes our favouritehotel special - some of us hankerafter the simple exoticism of atop African safari lodge such asthe incredible Singita Sweni inKruger National Park, South Africawhilst for others getaway chiccomes in the shape of uber-mod-ern London hotel The Sandersonand yet others crave the olde

Bringing hotel luxury into the home...

A bed ofROSES

approximation of The Ritz thesimplest, most sympatheticrooms to bring a touch of shortbreak chic to are the bedroomand bathroom where relaxationand luxury are paramount In thebedroom remember to tonedown colours to muted, earthyshades or patterns to simplisticstripes or florals.

Buy the biggest and best bedyou can afford which fits in toyour room and use plain linen,adding personality with touchesincluding throws, cushions, bed-side lamps and pieces of art. Thebed should be the centre of theroom while other furniture shouldbe kept to a useful minimum. Adda good TV and a selection of yourfavourite DVDs and you need(almost) never leave again. Thebathroom should make the leastof the toilet and the most of thebath or shower cubicle (if youonly have room for the latter). A large ball and claw or modernsculptural bath is an easy way toget the hotel look whilst tileswhich seamlessly blend fromwalls to floor are a tried and test-ed hotel trick. Fluffy towels, topquality taps and the best toiletriescomplete the effect.

worlde charm of BabingtonHouse in Somerset Whatever youridea of the perfect hotel-at-homeone thing is key: it's got to oozeluxe. Which means using the bestmaterials you can afford, pilingthrows on to beds, using under-floor heating in bathrooms andchoosing furniture which looksand feels top quality.

Before you start creating yourown suite spend time in yourfavourite hotel if you can, or justpore over websites and brochureswhich can give you a feel for thelook and the kind of items whichyou won't be able to miss. You'llsee that in most hotels the furni-ture and decorative items areminimal, the design - even whenoutlandish or surprising - is stillsomehow understated. While it'seasy to imagine turning everyroom of the house in to an

HOMELIFE

32

EAST ANGLIA’S LEADING SUPPLIER OF OAK, PINE & CANE FURNITURE

Home & Canewww.homeandcane.com

01449 711881

Stonham Barns, Stonham Aspal, Near Stowmarket (on the A1120 tourist route, 1 mile from A140 junction)Opening times Mon-Sat 10:00 - 5:00 Sun 10:30-4:30

Established over 15 years

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Speciality custom builds in oak or pine

Exclusive Product RangesIncredible Factory Direct Prices

All products covered by a 12 month manufacturers guarantee

VERTICAL SLIDERS CONSERVATORIESSTABLE DOORS BI-FOLDING DOORSCOMPOSITE DOORS

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HOMELIFE

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Energy

34

Inefficient products such as

fridge freezers and dishwash-

ers could be causing you to

sport a giant-sized carbon foot-

print. So how can you improve

your home's energy efficiency

and ensure that home items you

buy in future are good for you

and good for the environment?

There are several giveaways

that you're losing heat. Mould

and mildew or high humidity can

be an indication of water leaks in

your toilet or pipework, meaning

you use more water, or in your

roof, windows or walls, which

means that you could be losing

heat. Fix leaks and you could

save on water usage or heating

bills. Leaking air conditioners can

also be a real energy-efficiency

problem so do keep checking

pipes for drips.

Old appliances can be

extremely inefficient meaning

that as well as damaging your

green rating your energy bills

could be sky high. Items such as

fridge freezers made before the

mid 90s won't have been

efficiency rated and should be

replaced with a new appliance

boasting a good energy

efficiency rating. Replacing your

clothes washer with an energy

efficient equivalent will not only

efficiencyEnergy

You’ve got the bio-fuel car, you recycle your cans, bottles and paper and you evengrow your own vegetables. But is your home as energy efficient as it could be?

DIY

save enough water to fill three

home swimming pools and save

enough money to buy a dryer

too!

Many homes are so poorly

insulated that they lose heat

endlessly throughout winter

meaning ever rising fuel bills to

keep the family warm. Replacing

worn insulation is a must and

thanks to improvements in tech-

nology is a job easily and fairly

cheaply done without profession-

al assistance or safety equipment.

Double glazing also cuts down

on heat leaks and should be fit-

ted by a Fensa qualified window

fitter. Remember to get in contact

with your local council to check

whether you qualify for govern-

ment grants for insulation.

It’s a well-known fact that TVs

and PCs left on standby waste

electricity. Additionally, turn all

appliances off at the wall to

keep waste to an absolute mini-

mum. If every appliance in every

home was rated energy efficient

it would save endless amounts of

greenhouse gas emissions. This is

just one reason to ensure that

future purchases bear the energy

efficiency sticker, which guaran-

tees maximum efficiency rating.

While checking your own home

is easy to do and can prove

invaluable in saving money on

your fuel bills as well as ensuring

that your carbon footprint is

minimised the government web-

site actonCO2.direct.gov.ukprovides a free to use carbon

calculator which, with the aid of

just a few details from your home

can calculate your home’s carbon

footprint and offer great targeted

advice on reducing your

emissions and saving money too.

When carrying out DIY don't

forget to consider the green

credentials of materials you use

and dispose of unwanted build-

ing materials appropriately -

wherever possible reuse or recy-

cle and use sustainable woods

and other building goods so that

your home, old or new can be as

green as the rest of your life.

Switch off TVs instead of leaving them on standby

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35

Your home is our best advert

Conservatories, Windows, Doors, Soffits and Fascia’s

HOMELIFE

36

Nothing similar is quite the same.

Handcrafted home furnishings

Lighting Curtain Poles Soft Furnishings Furniture Ironwork

Call 0844 414 1665, email sales@jim-lawrence.co.uk or visit www.jim-lawrence.co.uk

Showroom at The Ironworks, Lady Lane Industrial Estate, Hadleigh, Suffolk, IP7 6BQ