Flower Power!
Flirt with florals for a look that'll really blossom. There's nothing like the Chelsea Flower Show to get you inspired. And we think these floral items are blooming lovely...
Hidden Treasure
In 1818, 15 years before my (our) house was built, Albert Giblin was granted British patent no. 4990 for the ‘Silent Valveless Water Waste Preventer’. Or ‘the loo’ for...
Blue & White
The combination of blue and white means style the world over. From Gitanes cigarette packets to Chinese and Delft porcelain, these two colours together say sophistication....
Telling Tales
On the fence by the gate outside Gipsy House in Great Missenden, Roald Dahl used to have a huge postbox. ‘You have no idea how many of those little buggers write to me,’ he...
Smart wall lights
Q All my beautiful ornaments are crammed into a cabinet and I would like to take some of the best pieces out and display them. However, I don’t want to put them on a...
Bajan Bounty
Barbados is a celebrity snapper’s dream – sandy beaches dripping with rich-list sun-worshippers, super models and business tycoons. But the who’s who pecking order of the...
Wicker and Bamboo
Today, we are all conscious that the world’s hardwood forests are being cut down at an alarming rate. Although the teak and oak we buy often comes from sustainable sources,...
Oh so lovely vases
Whether classic or quirky, simple or statement, choose a vase that will display your spring flowers with flair. Click to see full...
Puppy Love
The design world has gone dog-crazy this spring – and man’s best friend is being depicted in all sorts of imaginative new ways. The interior designer of the moment, Abigail...
Bring the outside in
We Britons love our gardens – trouble is, we can’t always rely on the weather. Fortunately, there is a solution: simply put a roof on it. In fact, extending your home into...
What really makes a home
Dubbed the thinking woman’s heartthrob, it truly is somewhat impossible not to warm to Kevin McCloud. Ever charming, often critical but always courteous the stalwart of...
Vote VG Lee!
Anyone who promotes the virtues of an elasticated waistband surely deserves a seat in high office; or at least a small perch on the local council. Sadly, the world of...
A welcoming home entrance
With Grand Designs Live running this week and the Chelsea Flower Show nearly upon us, what better way to incorporate the finer points of interior and exterior design than...
The joy of vintage
It’s the easy way to give your home its own, distinctive character. Simply combine vintage and antique ‘discoveries’ with gorgeous, contemporary materials to give nostalgia...
Teeny tiny Eden
If our homes are our castles, then our gardens are our oases. We Brits love our green spaces, our own little Edens, offering respite from the hubbub of everyday life. And...
Everything but the sink
Do you ever look at your kitchen and think it looks a little tired, worn or dated? Well, there’s no need to spend a fortune on a new one. Simply give it a spring makeover...
Astroturf
I can’t remember who once quipped that a lawn ‘is nature under totalitarian rule’, but they weren’t wrong. A personal obsession with making sure that an even spread of...
Digging Deep
In 1850, 15 years after my house was built, there was an 11-day public inquiry, which revealed that about half of the 2,209 houses in Hastings were in ‘the worst condition...
Daily tip from the lady archive
"It is not always she who appears most kindly in her interest who is the safe sharer of sacred (maybe sorrowful) secrets! Charming manners do not always connote sincerity of heart!”
The Lady. In Confidence. 4th April, 1918
Your vote...
Q: The Queen has received a £5m boost in the funds she receives from the taxpayer to carry out her official duties. Do you approve?
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