If you haven't given the quality of your bed a second thought recently, the UK's Sleep Council would suggest that you do.

A mattress has a shelf life of seven-to-ten years and if you're suffering disturbed sleep, waking up un-refreshed or with aches and pains, or if your mattress shows signs of wear and tear, chances are it's time to change yours.

The Furniture Industry Research Association shows that beds can deteriorate by as much as 70% over ten years. Plus, if you've changed your sleeping partner in that time, you may need another mattress - for health reasons as much as diplomacy.

Continue reading "Getting a good night's sleep" »

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Hanging pictures can add real focus to a room, so it's essential to put them in the perfect position. Get it wrong and you could detract from the look, so follow these simple steps to make sure you attract the viewer's eyes for all the right reasons.

Continue reading "Just Hanging Around" »

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The 'Endo' Magnet Clip is a pretty cool one-piece all-purpose alternative to other fridge magnets -  with its ingenious "clip" design eliminating the need for any clips or springs.

Continue reading "Ingenious Magnetic "Clip"" »

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Innovative product inventor Adam Frank is set to launch a new form of ambient lighting next month, aimed at creating the impression of sunlight streaming through a window on to an interior wall.

Continue reading "Interior Lighting with a Twist" »

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So how are those New Year's Resolutions going? Feels like we have just committed to changing our lives and before you know it it's spring cleaning time!

Well, it is a good habit to get into, and About: housekeeping provides lots of advice on matters about the house. Here are the top chores that need to be done this spring:

Continue reading "Top five spring cleaning chores" »

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Continue reading "Did you find out anything about your partner when you moved in together?" »

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Continue reading "Are first impressions important?" »

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The living room was by far the faviourite with 59% of the responses in the Attention All Lovers survey.

Here are some of the comments we received in the Attention ALL Lovers survey on what makes the living room romantic. Romance is definately not dead!

Continue reading "What is the most romantic room after the bedroom?" »

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What do you make of this?

This ordinary home (built as a semi-detached house in about 1860) suddenly became the centre of world attention, and the headless shark still excites interest today.

The headless sculpture, named "Untitled 1986", was erected on the 41st anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki.

Created by the sculptor John Buckley, it is made of fibreglass, weighs four hundredweight, and is 25 feet long.

Homeowner Bill Heine who commissioned the work commented:

The shark was to express someone feeling totally impotent and ripping a hole in their roof out of a sense of impotence and anger and desperation.... It is saying something about CND, nuclear power, Chernobyl and Nagasaki. 

An interesting way to express your feelings. Read more about this sculpture and Oxford City Council's claims to have the shark removed because it was a danger to the public.

Posted by Bronwyn at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

If you are after some interesting original art, financial blog Wise Bread suggests scowering through eBay for undiscovered artists whose masterpieces take your fancy.

My brief research suggests this really is one for the serious bargain hunter and does require a lot of patience. 

Decorate your home with eBay originals for cheap [via Lifehacker]

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Does it bring tears to your eyes to see your carefully painted walls reduced to craters that would give the moon a run for its money?

Well, at the very least, if you want to preserve your walls from poster damage here is an ingenious idea - give them a couple of coats of magnetic paint and use some strong magnets to make your own posters.

Genuis!

[via Lifehacker]

Posted by Bronwyn at 02:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kisses under the mistletoe, wreaths of holly and ivy, and tinsel topped Christmas trees are just a few of the associations we make with plants at Christmas time. At this time of year, garden centres, florists and supermarkets are awash with colour providing us with a vast range of plants or flowers that we can we give as presents or buy to brighten up our homes. With such a dazzling array on offer, it is no wonder that buying the right product can seem almost daunting.

Continue reading "Brighten your home with Christmas plants" »

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Continue reading "How to make the most out of every inch of home" »

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By Alison Cork

Waxing lyrical
When you’re thinking of festive accessories, don’t forget Price’s Patent Candle Factory. It is still based on the site of the original candle factory in SW11 and sells surplus stock and ends of lines at up to 30 per cent off the normal price.

You’ll find an eclectic collection of church candles, floating, outdoor and fragranced candles, plus accessories such as holders and lanterns, and the store is open seven days a week.

Visit the factory at 100 York Road, Battersea, SW11.

Continue reading "Some sparkling ideas for your home" »

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If you are interested in fresh, limited edition pop art on your wall from new, favorite, and cutting edge artists (accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity signed by the artist) then here is the website you might be interested in.

Pop Cling reproduces adhesive-backed art. You peel it off and stick the image on any smooth surface, such as concrete floors, or the sliding glass door leading to your balcony, or on your shower door, or right on the wall behind your couch.

Posted by Bronwyn at 08:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you've ever spend time in the DIY shop, mulling over sample pots and wondering what your walls will look like, it just got a whole lot easier.

Similar to room planning made easy we talked about back in June, you can now pick your sample colours and view them online in your room of choice. And, it even gives you options on complimentary colours. And it is actually a lot of fun!

Whether you are painting or not have a play with Smart Colour on the Behr website. I love my new bedroom...

Continue reading "Virtual painting" »

Posted by Bronwyn at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In what is a gargantuan demonstration of online selling success, supermarket giant Tesco has sold 11 million bananas online in the first seven months of 2006.  According to silicon.com, 11 million bananas is about 1650 tons, or laid end to end...

"...a line that would stretch 1,375 miles in length, or long enough to connect London to Russia or even large parts of Northern Africa - perhaps in a devilish attempt to lure some  great apes out of the continent to follow this fruitiest of yellow brick roads."

Continue reading "Internet Selling Goes Bananas" »

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If you are a 'retrofreak' trapped in the 70's or perhaps you have fond memories counting those special patterns on the wallpaper then re-living this vibe in your own home has never been easier. 

Wallpaper from the 70s stocks a range of brightly coloured stripes and swirls to funk up your living room or bedroom. With a shop, gallery, and the opportunity to receive their ten post popular samples in the post it is well worth a look. It certainly brings life to an otherwise dull wall.

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If you are in the market for a garden shed or happen to have a bit of an obsession, then you have to visit www.readersheds.co.uk - the ultimate site for shed heads. People post images of their own sheds, describing features and the origins and other sheddi vote and comment on what they see. Some of them are quite funny like this:

My relationship with my shed has led me to believe it actually has feelings because one cold and windy night I was sure I heard it communicate in its own rattley way with the neighbours wooden shed which is just the other side of the fence. All we heard all night was clanking and rattling followed by the creaking of the neighbours in some sort of reply. I am positive that if it was not for the obstacle of the fence that Mr Rattler would be up for it and we would then be the proud owners of a mixed material shed.

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Have your kids done any ad hoc painting and decorating? We'd love to see your photos. Send them to marketing@propertyfinder.com.

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Continue reading "Room planning made easy" »

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