Children love to play and have fun, but all too often it causes chaos around the home.

To make it easier for children to accumulate and play with their toys, IKEA’s clever designers have created the ultimate range of bedroom storage – STUVA, to help create a happier home for all the family.

Launching across all stores this August, STUVA is a unique clever storage system with endless possibilities to suit every child’s needs:

• Designed with rounded corners and edges for increased safety and available in a range of sizes and colours, you can create different storage formations to suit every need, style and personality.
• Easily assembled, the storage can be used for clothes or toys and with the included wall anchors it will be safely secured for any type of play.
• Coming in a range of large and small draws, cupboards, a toybox, shelves and a pull out bench, all sold as separates, you can really create the perfect play area for any child and adapt it as they grow and develop.
• STUVA children’s storage furniture is priced from £85 for a 50×50, H90cm storage bench in white.

Take a look at the full range of STUVA storage products by visiting the IKEA website.

IKEA has conducted a Playreport to continue to listen and learn from their customers:

They were so curious about play that they conducted the largest ever study on child development and the state of play in the world.

With the Playreport, IKEA engaged 10,000 parents and children from around the world, to participate in a conversation about child development and play.

The aim was to increase awareness, start meaningful discussions and hopefully, get parents and children to play more together in the process.
What they discovered might surprise you…!

While it’s great if people simply want to read the survey results from the Playreport, more than anything, IKEA wish to start an open dialogue about play.

Hosted on both Facebook and YouTube, you can now view and discuss the results through these great social media channels.

Playreport
Interact with the Playreport on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/playreport

View the video on Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyBfWRW72VA

Savvy space saving shoppers will be hopping to Bensons for Beds this season, for the best selling Hip Hop bed with an all-new storage system.

A contemporary wooden bed frame, Hip Hop’s crisp clean lines have continually made it a hot favourite, but the availability of an ottoman lift up bed option, is set to further its appeal amongst hoard-aholics and neat freaks.

The bed works by raising the entire slatted base through a hydraulic system, to reveal a massive storage area - ideal to stow bulky items such as out-of-season bedding, suitcases or even the once-a-year Christmas decorations.

“Storage is an ongoing issue for many of our customers,” says Simon Williams, marketing manager of Bensons. “Smaller bedrooms and less built in cupboards, results in more bedroom clutter but you should never underestimate the potential storage space beneath your bed.

“At Bensons we aim to offer creative solutions, which is why we’ve taken one of our most popular bed frames and engineered it to incorporate maximum storage space.”

Made from a combination of solid ash and ash veneer, the Hip Hop is available in double and king sizes and retails around £399.99 for the double (excluding mattress).

Customers can now order over the phone using Bensons’ new Order Line Service on (0808) 144 6160 (Mon-Fri 9am-10pm, weekend 10am-8pm).

For further information about Bensons beds or for a store locator, please visit the website.

For the perfect plain dye partnerships, Dorma has a kaleidoscope of high-quality and exceptionally affordable bed wear.

Personalise your sleeping space with a host of colourful options.

Choose something from the 200 thread count palette, or if it’s something even more luxurious, then select from the Dorma Sateen range.

For simple hotel chic, and the ultimate in plain dye luxury, then there is a choice of six colours available in a 350 thread count.

Use your own creativity to mix and match tonal colours to create a soft and inviting look.

This season’s trends are all about layering up and putting different textures together.

• Mix soft gentle velvets with crisp white cottons for a fresh and inviting look, create individual expressions from a variety of options, transforming your bedroom into the sanctuary it deserves to be.
• The colour palettes span an array of colours from fern, mink and magnolia, through to duck egg blue and petal pink – Dorma has every conceivable colourway for every type of room.

Dorma has always been famous for its easy-care, easy-iron textiles, perfect for those with busy lifestyles, as they take the minimum of effort to look after; Dorma’s plain dyes wash perfectly time and time again.

• Dorma Sateen plain dyes from £60.00 for a double duvet cover and £20.00 for pillow cases.
• 350 thread count plain dyes from £39.99 for a double duvet cover and £10.99 for pillowcases.
• Plain dye percale bedlinens from £24.00 for double fitted sheets and from £10.00 for housewife pillowcases.
• Plain dyes by Dorma, are the affordable way to update your interiors, without breaking the bank.

Dorma now has over 26 dedicated ‘Dorma Centres’ nationwide.

To view the exciting new bedlinen collections, visit the Dorma website.

Tel: (08449) 800011

With up to 50% off selected lines at eco-chic interiors boutique, Milk and Honey, now is the time to give your home that much needed re-fresh.

Milk & Honey Waffle towels are so fluffy and soft that you will not want to dry yourself in anything else afterwards.
Their towels are made from 100% Ring Spun Cotton in 500g/m2 and bathmats from a 100% Ring Spun Cotton in 850g/m2.

All Milk and Honey products are finished by a Honeycomb border and all bathroom products, excluding the face cloth, display the embroidered “Milk & Honey” logo; now 50% off.

The sheer and powdery feel of Milk and Honey’s cream cotton bedlinen will instantly bring glow to your room.

Try their warm Cream Cotton Satin Classic bed linen, made with 100% fine American and Egyptian cotton; naturally supple, soft and resilient, made from breathable and absorbent material for great comfort, now reduced by 50% with the exception of the Classic Cream Border collection.

Achieve a sleek, modern look in your bedroom with their flawless white cotton Satin Contemporary Style luxury bed linen, now 20% off. Comprising of a neatly corded piping edged pillow case, a plain stitch bordered flat sheet and plain white Milk & Honey fitted sheet and duvet cover.
Sucre Glace Kingsize fitted sheets and Duvet covers now have 50% off.

White Classic Style Bed what could be more stylish than white on white bed linen?
The Cotton Satin Classic Style White Finish bed linen pictured here gives a feel of effortless luxury attitude to your bedroom. 50% off.

Comprising of a White Bourdon finished Oxford Pillow Case and matching White Bourdon Flat Sheet, standard Milk & Honey Fitted Sheet and Duvet Cover. A cool classic if ever there was one!

• Made with 100% fine American and Egyptian Cotton.
  100% Cotton Satin weave for softest silk-like feel.
  Naturally supple, soft and resilient (hard wearing).

Visit the Milk and Honey website, to view the entire collection, which includes bed and table linen, gifts for children and a wide range of expertly sourced home accessories.

Order line Tel: (0870) 421 390

The Children’s Furniture Company, run by husband and wife team, Charles & Sarah Codrington, has been designing and making ‘only’ children’s furniture for over nine years, and now has the most fabulous collection of seven exclusive ranges.

Their tag line ‘Better Children’s Furniture’ comes to life in unique, sturdy pieces made from oak, ash and beech, or finished in your choice of up to 12 different colours or in soft white.

Each range has at least eight or nine matching items, including bunks, high beds, cabin beds, desks, bookcases and much more.

Their furniture graces the bedrooms of children all around the country and many come back to add a desk or a bookcase, as they grow.

Featured here is the gorgeous Victoria 4-poster Bed:

• What little girl wouldn’t adore this magnificent Victoria 4-Poster - a magical place to play and chat with your friends?
• With elegantly sculpted legs and posts, plus delicate pink chamfered detailing, this bed comes in a 3ft. width to fit in any bedroom.
• Available in soft white, the posts can be removed if ever necessary.
  (Curtains not included). Size: L 204cm x H 210cm x W 102cm. Priced at £495.(Sale price £450.)
  The Summer sale runs until the end of July.

This Autumn the company will be introducing even more new pieces to their collections.

To view the fabulous children’s furniture collections, visit the Children’s Furniture Company website.
Tel:   (020) 737 7303.

Make your bedroom a haven of peace and tranquillity with a European styled platform bed from Living It Up.

Holding a belief in the sanctity of the bedroom as your worldly retreat, Living It Up adhere to simple lines and clean, uncluttered design, to make the Emer the very model of harmony and serenity:

• The Emer ticks all of the requisite boxes for the contemporary room set; practical, alluring and profoundly design led.
• The two night stands extend like a set of almighty wings from the top of the bed, eliminating all need for a bedside table, while the robust wooden headboard ties the product together brilliantly, making it a strong contender for the hottest piece of bedroom architecture.
• The Emer is available either in oak, or with a dark stained walnut finish (from £749) and in a choice of three luxurious sizes. The price includes both night stands.
• The Emer Oak Super King Size in our picture is priced at £899.

Bed Dimensions (W x L x H):

• Double - 178 x 222 x 66cm (Headboard height).
  King - 193 x 232 x 65cm (Headboard height).
  Super King - 223 x 232 x 65cm (Headboard height).
  Each night table adds 60cm to width.

Living it up supplies a unique range of contemporary beds; the company offers a selection of beds to suit any bedroom, particularly those with modern décor.

Visit the Living It Up website to view their unique range of beds.
Tel: (0116) 269 5960

Sumptuous and striking wood grain finishes have become a major fashion for UK kitchens, overtaking plain coloured door finishes, according to a leading national retailer, who has reported that its new plum wood-effect kitchen - launched just two months ago - has already become its best seller.
 
Betta Living, which supplies thousands of homes throughout the UK with fitted kitchens and bedrooms every year, is reporting record sales of its new Phoenix kitchen in a plum wood-grain finish.

The trend indicates that UK homeowners are turning towards a more luxurious look for the kitchen, and moving away from the minimalist white kitchen that has dominated sales for so long.

Designer Jamie Dean, from Betta Living, said: “There’s been a massive resurgence for dark wood-effect finishes for the kitchen in recent months, and the success of the new Phoenix range in plum, introduced to cater for this trend, has been astounding.
 
“I think its popularity is down to the fact that it works as well in contemporary homes as it does in more traditional styled houses. And it is probably one of the most adaptable ranges around, working well with white and cream worktops, floors and cabinet doors, but equally looks amazing with other rich colours, like aubergine and black.”   

Top tips for creating this look:

• The warm wood tones work fantastically well with stainless steel appliances and frosted glass for a contemporary look.
• Don’t shy away from white floors – they can look stunning against dark grains.
• Use clever lighting to show off the wood-effect – everyone will want to have a feel.
• Mix and match work surface colours and levels to create a distinctive breakfast bar area versus worktop space.
  Prices for Betta Living’s Phoenix range, start at £350 for a 600mm base unit.
• An average sized kitchen, fitted with the Phoenix range in a plum finish would be priced around £4000, excluding appliances and fitting.

 For more information on the new Phoenix range, visit the Betta Living website. 
Tel:   (0800) 269 945 for a free home design consultation.

This season Gant home went to Italy for inspiration.

“This latest collection consists, as usual, of two complementary yet different parts. The Gant Home City line is more sophisticated with a clean almost masculine touch, whereas the Gant Home Country line focuses more on down-to-earth patterns, checks and stripes in classic Gant style.

 Between them it should be quite easy to mix and match for every and any room in the house,” says Annette Lundh, designer for Gant Home.

Gant Home City focuses on exclusivity and select materials, including cashmere and high thread count cotton, as well as superb detailing.

• To create a modern urban feeling, refined patterns – such as classic tie prints – go hand in hand with the sophisticated and low-key blacks, whites, grays, dark blues and khakis.
• Key pieces for this season are updated cotton pillowcases, cotton satin sheets with paisley patterns, loop knitted cushions and cozy woven throws with cashmere.

Gant Home Country in our picture, is all about timeless classics and relaxed elegance.

• This is where colors really shine and the characteristic Gant checks and stripes have been updated.
• It’s a more basic and simple look, but with updated styles such as madras checks and soft pastels.
• The bandana in the classic Gant print, the denim products and the madras throws and cushions are some of the strong style elements of this line.

The tie-print bed linens are symbolic of the Gant home collection: witty and updated yet distinctive and instantly recognizable.

The emphasis is on style and quality, mixing elements from other parts of the Gant brand – and the rest of our customers’ lives with home furnishings to create a unique expression.

To view the home collections visit the Gant website.
Tel: (020) 72012942

Is your new Westwood gown bigger than you bargained, or the vintage pom-pom skirt flattened at the back of your wardrobe? Maybe you don’t even have space to hang a full-length dress?

A touch of wardrobe bespoke is just what the fashion doctor would prescribe, and it needn’t cost as much as your Jimmy Choos with Furniture Village’s new wardrobe configurator:

The configurator tool gives customers a World of Choice when it comes to designing and creating bespoke bedroom furniture, with a choice of size, interior and exterior finishes.

With seven sleek finishes available in Matt White, Birch, Walnut, Cherry, Cream Gloss, Black Gloss and Mirror, it’s easy to coordinate with beds and other furniture.

For the ultimate organized wardrobe experience, choose from 50 pre-designed arrangements and interior additions such as tie and belt racks, drawers, hanging rails, shelves, shirt racks and lights.

System 300 is a stylish and practical solution for an affordable bespoke bedroom.

Top tips for a tidier wardrobe:

• Clear out clothes you haven’t worn for more than two years.
  Roll jumpers to avoid creases and save hanging space.
  Sort clothes into order of length – long dresses at one end short skirts at the other.
  Clear space at the bottom of your wardrobe for shoe storage.
  Sort clothes into seasonal wear.
  Zip that expensive designer dress into a protective dust-bag.
  Utilise a tie rack to hang scarves.
  Clip strappy tops to trouser hangers to stop them slipping off.

Prices of the System 300 bedroom wardrobe range currently from: £279.

More details on the choice of colours and sizes can be found at any of the 38 Furniture Village stores nationwide, or online at System 300 wardrobe.

Raines & Willow has introduced its White Glass furniture collection.

Specialist new bedroom furniture company, Raines & Willow, has sourced a gorgeous new range, designed and handmade exclusively in England.

With Wimbledon upon us the whites are out! Therefore, supporting our great British tradition at the oldest tennis championship, Raines & Willow proudly presents its dazzling Oxford White Glass range; a clean, fresh style, guaranteed to be a winner in the bedroom.

Exclusively designed and manufactured in England, the remarkable Oxford White Glass collection is a truly modern design, with solid frames surrounded by heat proof and stain resistant white glass.

The dramatic sheen of this contemporary and elegant range reflects light from the high-gloss glass, filling the room with sunshine – even when the roof is drawn over Centre Court!

The Oxford White Glass range from Raines & Willow includes; chest of drawers, bedside table, dressing table, and Tallboy – all with practical deep drawers, subtle bevel detailing and soft closing runners.

This brilliant white range is perfect for avid tennis fans…or for simply bringing a sense of tradition to the home. The stunning range also includes the Cheval mirror; solid white glass surround with bevelling detail; this flattering full length mirror is a real must-have.

Raines & Willow’s winning collection also includes elegant beds and mattresses, plus coordinating dressing tables, bedside cabinets, chests of drawers and mirrors.

Featuring stunning and unusual materials, such as the alluring smoked glass panels of the Camille Silver Leaf, luxuriously upholstered armchairs and the sumptuous Ella Silk; the collection boasts “game, set and match”!

To view this striking new range, visit the Raines & Willow website.

Tel: 01628 476291