The Green Familia » Decor & Interiors

Callula Glass for your Home

erica — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:30:40 +0000

Callula Glass makes a wide range of brightly coloured fused glass products. They’re all hand made in the UK. Fused glass is made by taking layers of compatible glass and joining them together by heating them, in a kiln to around 800 degrees centigrade, until the glass becomes fluid. The pieces of glass then fused together and are cooled down very slowly to reduce the risk of thermal shock. As the pieces are made by hand, they are all slightly different, so you get a unique item.

I love the bright, summery colours of the Tango Collection from Callula Glass. These coasters would look lovely in a sunny room, conservatory or outside. Rubber feet on the bottom protect the surface of your furniture too. A pack of four coasters is priced at £40.

If cool blues are more your thing, then you might fancy adding this seaside clock to your home. The clock features a quartz, sweeping mechanism (so there’s no annoying ticking sound) with silver coloured hands. This would look good on a shelf, mantelpiece or beside the bed. The clock costs £40 and measures 20cm x 10cm.

Border Aromatics’ Candles

erica — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:15:25 +0000

Border Aromatics make some lovely candles and fragrancing products. All the wax used to make their items is 100% soy with no palm additives, plus it’s farmed only on sustainable farms. None of the ingredients have been tested on animals either.

I like to use candles around my home to provide fragrance, gentle light and a feeling of warmth. This Black Linen and Amber Candle is natural white with grey swirls within the wax. The candle comes in a heavy bottomed glass tumbler within a navy linen, textured gift box. It’s designed to have a fresh linen scent using cotton blossom, crisp ozone, white blossoms, cashmere, amber, musk and patchouli. Each candle should last 50-60 hours and it’s priced at £15.

If you prefer to use melts, then you might like these Wedding Day Melts. Blended to give a romantic fragrance with top notes of pears and apricots; heart notes of roses, orchids and birds of paradise; and bottom notes of fresh English ivy, sandalwood and musk; these melts would be perfect for a wedding or other romantic occasion. Each box is tied with a ribbon and contains two white melts embellished with a dried rosebud. They are priced at £3 each.

Little Wren Gifts

erica — Sun, 13 May 2012 20:41:27 +0000

Little Wren Gifts are based in Wales and specialise in selling goods made by different artisans. Many of their products have strong eco credentials too.

I do like these cute vintage style coin purses. They are made by hand from colourful, vintage look fabrics and decorated with complementary buttons. You can use them to keep money safe or to hold other small items. They measure 10 cm in height by 12 cm in width. As each one is handmade, they will vary a little. They’re priced at £10.50.

Another favourite of mine is this geometically patterned, handmade, wooden jewellery box. They’re made by a craftsman in Merseyside . The top of the box is Louis cube design using 3 different colours of wood in the veneer and the sides are fashioned from iroko wood. A closed box measures 19 cm width by 10 cm length and 5 cm depth approximately. Inside are six compartments to store all your bits and pieces away neatly. They’re priced at just £26 each.

Get Clean with OmegaClean

Will — Thu, 10 May 2012 19:20:36 +0000

“Spend a penny on prevention and save a pound on a cure”.

One of the ethos that OmegaClean, a Cambridge based home cleaning service, work under. The other being that courtesy costs nothing – they offer the most friendly, efficient service in the Cambridge area. They guarantee your satisfaction or another cleaning – if failing that, your money back.

That’s a promise.

OmegaClean offers a variety of cleaning services that encompasses carpets, leather, rugs, curtains, mattresses and upholstery. They guarantee to use a child friendly, pet friendly eco solution to cleaning your various home fittings. It is a family run business that goes to great lengths for customer satisfaction, while also ensuring the best possible clean. They use no harsh or dangerous chemicals – only plant based mixtures so that no danger is posed by something harmful. They are certainly keeping everyone happy.

For more information and the specifics of their whereabouts, log onto their lovely website by clicking here.

Get the best carpet cleaning services around that guarantees quality, courtesy and an ecologically friendly clean. Who could ask for more – OmegaClean are working with the family in mind.

Guest Post: Comparing The 4 Types Of Organic and Natural Mattresses

Brenda — Wed, 02 May 2012 11:00:27 +0000

Organic mattresses have been a big growth market over the last decade as eco-friendly and health conscious consumers strive to make their sleeping environment clean and green.

This has meant that new types of products are being created or different combinations with different materials are being tried. Ultimately it means more choice for the consumer.

The four types of organic mattress available are wool, cotton, latex and memory foam. It needs to be noted that latex and memory foam are not “certified organic” because there is no 3rd party certification organisation that exists. Therefore the products must be labelled as “natural” even if they are actually organic.

Organic Wool Mattress

In order to be classified as organic wool there cannot be any chemicals for feed crops. There can’t be any synthetic hormones and the sheep need to be able to wander and roam naturally. Only natural medicines can be used and there is no dipping or carbonization. The wool is only washed with vegetable oils, ensuring that the natural lanolin is retained.

Wool is the best breather and regulates moisture most effectively. The natural lanolin is also dust mite resistant.

Wool mattresses can come freeform, without a core or they can have a latex core to provide additional support, for example the mattresses produced by naturalmat.

Organic Cotton Mattress

This is the traditional innerspring mattress with cotton fill. The only difference is that organic cotton is used instead. There is quite a wide variety of quality available in organic cotton mattresses and they are getting more and more common.

Cotton is one of the heaviest users of herbicides and pesticides in the world. So by purchasing organic cotton you are doing your bit for the environment, probably more so than any of the other materials because the environmental impact of synthetic latex and treated wool is less.

The problem with this type of mattress is that the innerspring unit can create pressure points. Many people are moving away from innerspring units and onto latex or memory foam for that exact reason. So this mattress will not provide any additional comfort or support – it is merely a more eco-friendly option.

Natural Latex Mattress

Natural latex refers to the fact that the material comes from the sap of the rubber tree, not synthetic latex tat was created in a lab from chemicals.

However it cannot yet be certified organic although hopefully that will be available in the future.

Latex comes in two types – talalay and dunlop. Talalay is generally regarded as being the superior of the two, providing better comfort. Although many people cannot even tell the difference.

Natural latex has an elastic and springy feel. It is well regarded as a good mattress for back pain because it does not allow the shoulders and pelvis to sink too far into the mattress, but it has enough give to let your back form its natural arch. It is also a motion isolator meaning that movement from one person on one side of the mattress will not affect the person on the other.

Natural Memory Foam Mattress

Currently only one company in the world makes natural memory foam. That is because it is still under patent. They are Canadian company Essentia, although their mattresses are available in the UK via Absolute Beds.

Natural memory foam uses natural latex as its base material and along with other organic ingredients creates natural memory foam using its unknown patented process. The excellent thing about these mattresses is that they have all the benefits of Tempurpedic and other memory foam brands but with the tendency to sleep hot or the abundance of toxic chemicals.

Memory foam is widely regarded as the most comfortable sleeping surface and the best for back pain. Having said that there is no one size fits all and for some people memory foam just doesn’t suit. However it is brilliant that an eco-friendly and healthy option for memory foam is now available.

About The Author

Thomas writes about how to create healthy bedrooms. He focuses on how to get better sleep, overcoming back pain and organic bedroom products, including an organic mattress comparison.

Furnish your Nursery with Story North

erica — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:00:04 +0000

If you’ve gone for a Nordic feel to your house, you may want to bring elements of that style into your nursery. Story North have some lovely pieces which will go a long way towards achieving that clean cut, pale coloured Scandinavian look.

This Rocking Sheep toy is beautiful constructed. It’s made of pine and lambswool and has been designed by Danish designer Povl Kjer. It measures 25cm wide, 83cm long and 60cm high. Priced at £345 this quirky take on the traditional rocking horse toy is guaranteed to be popular in any nursery or children’s room.

If you want something a little smaller, but just as cute, how about this Rosendahl Wooden Rabbit? Again it’s a well constructed piece with joints that allow it to be manoeuvred into different positions. It’s priced at £79.

I think this Butterflies Wall Decoration would look lovely in a little girl’s bedroom, but they’d look equally at home in more adult room. I think these could provide decoration over a long period of time. They’re sturdy too as they are made from stainless steel. The butterflies cast shadows and reflect light creating a beautiful effect. They’re priced at 25.

Art Prints from Ailsa Black

erica — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:00:40 +0000

Having fairly recently moved house, I’m on the look out for some interesting pictures to decorate our rather blank walls. Supporting UK artists and craftspeople is important to me, so I was delighted to find these lovely art prints by Scottish artist, Ailsa Black.

This Scottish harbour art print, entitled In Good Company, is delightful with its fun basking seal and seagulls. It would look great in any room, but especially a bathroom with a seaside theme. It’s priced at £38 for a signed, titled and mounted, open edition, giclee print. Each print comes in a 30cm square white mount and will fit a standard size 30cm square frame. The print is professionally printed with archival inks on heavyweight fine art paper.

This print of frolicking hares is another favourite. It’s called Hoppity Hickertie and is a limited edition art print. It’s a lovely summer scene with beautiful colouration. This limited edition print is from a run of 195. Each print comes in a white 30cm square mount and is individually wrapped, signed, titled, numbered and comes with a signed certificate of authentication. It’s priced at £50. Postage is free within the UK.

Pretty Things from Ritzy Swish

erica — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:00:20 +0000

I’m often to be found browsing around Folksy, as it’s a great place to pick up hand crafted items at reasonable prices. This week I stumbled across Ritzy Switch and thought I’d share with you some of the pretty things in their Folksy shop.

Lavender bags are a great way of scenting a drawer or a wardrobe. They bring a hint of summer into a winter’s day. These drawstring lavender bags from Ritzy Switch are particularly lovely. They have a sparkly outer print fabric with a complimentary red lining. There’s attention to detail with machine embroidery in a pink metallic thread around the edges. It drawstrings with a pink satin ribbon to surround an organza bag filled with lavender. When the lavender requires replacing in the future, you can refill the organza bag, so you’ll be able to use this lavender bag for years. It’s priced at £6.75.

I really like the fact that the cover of this notebook can be reused many times, so you can buy a standard A6 notebook and still use your favourite cover. There are a range of designs available, but I picked out this one with it’s red, white and blue polkadot fabric. Inside there’s a co-ordinating red and white inner fabric, which forms a pocket in which an A6 notepad can be tucked. There’s also a pen holder which fits a standard pencil. The left pocket can be used for business cards, shopping lists, notes, receipts etc. The cover fastens with a tab and a recycled red button. It’s priced at £12.75.

Guest Post: Is Your Kitchen Decor Going Out Of Fashion

Brenda — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 08:00:13 +0000

Tired of your old kitchen worktops? Are those cabinet doors looking jaded? Is your décor out of style, but you cant afford new fitted units? Then what you need is a complete kitchen makeover. Reface your work surfaces, replace your doors and drawer fronts, and add some sparkle with glass mosaic splashbacks. Better yet, all this can be finished in a day or two, with no ripping out, no mess, no household disruption and no skip filled with builders waste.

How is this possible? Well, its time to talk to the kings of kitchen makeovers, Granite Transformations. They can reface your existing work surfaces with beautiful new worktops made from Italian granite, quartz or recycled glass. They can fit made-to-measure woodgrain or high gloss cabinet doors in place of the existing ones. Then magically install handcrafted glass mosaic splashbacks over your old tiles.

If your kitchen looks like its finally out of fashion, then Granite Transformations have many exciting colours and finishes to add zest to your décor. To preview how it might look, you can even download an iGranite design app from the iTunes store, then overlay a photo of your own kitchen with a whole range of new surfacing effects.

In the kitchen , black worktops are still the trend setters, which go with almost any door colour, and Granite Transformations have these in a choice of designs and materials, as well as various tones of laid-back white and off-white. Or you could opt for fashionable earthen tones or desert shades, even bright primary colours in eco-chic recycled glass. Whatever your choice, their slimline dimensions mean theyll fit neatly over your existing worktops, while the beautiful diamond-polished finish will withstand the toughest knocks and keep their luxurious appearance for years.

With current fashions in kitchen doors focusing on simple muted colours in plain styles, you might want to exchange dark wood fittings for high gloss acrylic-faced doors in cream or white, or perhaps simple shaker styles in plum or lissa oak woodgrains. You could even go for different colours and effects at different levels, teaming say aubergine-coloured drawers with cream cabinet doors and a textured effect on the wall units.

Remember too that those unseen cabinet carcases contribute almost half the cost of a new fitted kitchen, so by preserving them and refacing with made-to-measure worktops and doors, you are saving money while youre spending money. It means you dont have to change the familiar kitchen layout either or rip out plumbing, sink unit and electrical wiring. Although replacement taps and sink are still an option.

If you ever fancied the classy look of Italian handcrafted glass mosaic tiles, then Granite Transformations can fit those too, using a special process that cuts the installation process drastically and produces a perfect finish every time. Whether its a four-inch splashback running around the worktop, a mosaic panel extending all the way to the base of wall units, or feature cladding for an alcove or oven recess, the magic of mosaics will add an unmistakeable sparkle.

Theres also another bonus to Granite Transformations makeover service. They employ their own skilled fitters and carry out all the preparatory fabrication work in their own workshops. So theyll visit once to measure up, then return later to install everything in a day or two, three tops if there are fancy splashbacks. There are usually only a couple of fitters involved, not a group of different tradesmen cluttering up your kitchen, and everything is carried out to the highest standard of workmanship, with an unbeatable lifetime guarantee on the worktops and material warranties on other finishes.

Seeing is believing, so to appreciate the quality of Granite Transformations materials, visit their nearest showroom and ask to look at the whole collection. Theres plenty to choose from and, at around a third the price of a new fitted kitchen, you can afford a complete makeover without breaking the bank. You should also know that an updated kitchen adds value to your property and is a key selling point, so its a great investment too.

For a preview of the materials and nearest showroom, go to www.granitetransformations.co.uk or telephone 0800 822 3410 .

Guest Post: 5 Ways to improve your living room’s designer look

Brenda — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:33:22 +0000

From time to time, all rooms can do with a little upgrade. Décor can fade, furniture can become outdated and uncomfortable, and the entire ambiance of a room can become a little tired. There are a number of steps that you can take to give your living room a designer makeover, and by following the five steps below you will instantly be able to create a room that anyone would be jealous of.

1. Walls

One of the best ways to freshen up a space is to overhaul the current colour scheme and repaint a room. Many designer living rooms create a sense of space, and you can do this by using light colours that will reflect the light. This does not mean that you have to choose only magnolia; pale hues of red, yellow, green or blue could be ideal, depending on your favourite colour and personality.

2. Flooring

Flooring such as old carpet can be hugely dating. By replacing carpeting that is past its best, you can create an instantly fresher and more welcoming look. Carpet provides a welcoming touch, whilst wooden flooring creates an ambiance of chic and modern styling. For wooden flooring, utilising a rug can also make a big difference, with the benefit that you can remove it when necessary.

3. Furniture

Furniture is very important in your designer living space. Too much clutter and furniture crammed into a space can quickly make a large room feel very small, and you should ensure that you have just the right amount of seating and shelves. In addition to pieces such as bookshelves or televisions stands, seating is crucial. Try to place sofas parallel with the longest wall of the room to elongate the space rather than cutting it in two. Pay careful attention to fabric choice so that it is complementary with your wall colour, creating the perfect space to relax in. Leather recliner sofas offer classy appeal to living rooms, whilst floral fabrics will create a cosy ambiance; material choice is also important.

4. Accessories

Accessories and finishing touches are vital to bring your entire design together. Window dressings such as curtains and blinds are important and should be complimentary to furniture and wall décor. Artwork on the walls can showcase your personal tastes very clearly without overpowering a room, whilst small ornaments, comfy cushions and throws, and books on shelves will help add touches of your personality. Bear in mind that it is crucial not to add too much clutter, as you can easily take away from the chic overall styling.

5. Lighting

Lighting is often forgotten and you may simply rely on a sole ceiling light to illuminate your room. This creates a stark and light-flooded environment, which can destroy an ambiance. Instead, use carefully placed uplighters and table lamps to illuminate specific areas of a room. A lamp could be used by your recliner sofas to create a reading nook, or an uplighter could be used to showcase a particular artwork. Lighting should not be an after-thought, and it is important to incorporate it into your plans as you go along.