In the Chinese calendar, 2012 is the Year of the Dragon and it is recognised as one of the most hallowed years of the Chinese New Year calendar.

Spring Festival festivities are held for two weeks prior to the 23rd January, when the lunar New Year begins.

The Dragon symbolises fearlessness and vibrancy, and these strong character traits (with the additional features of ‘friendliness’ and ‘cuddliness’ of course!) can be found in leading online children’s retailer, Kids’ Rooms extraordinary range of colourful Dragon accessories and soft furnishings.

These are sure to brighten the home and bring smiles to children’s faces throughout 2012 and for many years to come.

Products include: Davy Dragon Backpack (£25), Davy Dragon Pouffe - pictured here (£119.95), Davy Dragon Height Chart (£31), Davy Dragon Apron (£20).

To view the complete range of the Kids’ Rooms Dragon accessories and furnishings, please visit the website.

Tel. for Stockist: (02380) 675941

Carl Hansen’s Wishbone chair is now available in Tangerine, which is said to be The Colour for 2012.

So if you like to invest in something durable, while keeping up with trends, the Wishbone Chair is just perfect. The colour is bright and beautiful and the design is a real classic.

The Wishbone Chair (CH 24) is a classically stylish and lightweight sculptural dining chair:

• The top rail is cautiously steam curved to enhance freedom of movement and provide additional comfort. This design is a compact masterpiece of craftsmanship.

• There are more than 100 stages in the manufacturing process involving genuine handwork, including the seat, which is hand woven from 120 meters of paper cord and can last for up to 50 years.

Hans J. Wegner designed the Wishbone Chair for Carl Hansen & Son in 1949, and production has continued uninterrupted since 1950.
Priced from: £391 ex VAT.

About
Carl Hansen & Son is a Danish-owned furniture manufacturer established in 1908 and based in Aarup, Denmark.

The company is one of Denmark’s oldest manufacturers of designer furniture and the world’s largest producer of furniture designed by Hans J. Wegner.

With solid roots in Danish cabinetmaking traditions and an understanding of the latest in production technology, Carl Hansen & Son creates furniture that lasts for generations and is sold all over the world.

To view more designer furniture from Carl Hansen & Son, please visit the website.

Barnes of Ashburton are celebrated for their designs in hand-crafted bespoke kitchens, but in response to the increasing numbers of people choosing to work from home, they have entered the market for home offices.

If space is at a premium and converting a box room or garage isn’t an option, then a home office space can easily be created within your living room.

A cleverly planned bespoke workspace should cover essential storage whether fitted or freestanding and will include:

• Permanent or Hideaway Desk.

• Storage and Bespoke Cabinets.

• Book Shelves and Display Cabinets.

Featured is the Barnes of Ashburton home office painted in ‘All White’ from Farrow & Ball, with a 40mm solid oak block -top. The prices for a similar design start at £5K.

Barnes of Ashburton will design and install an office for you that precisely matches the style of your existing room and will make the most efficient use of the space available. That’s the beauty of bespoke!

Barnes of Ashburton was established by furniture designer Patrick Gunning over 35 years ago. Since that time the business has built an enviable reputation, for supplying the very finest bespoke kitchens and handmade freestanding furniture to clients across the UK.

To view further examples of bespoke home offices created by Barnes of Ashburton, please visit the website.

The Annual Homes & Interiors Scotland Exhibition is returning to Glasgow’s SECC on the 28th – 30th October 2011, bringing together a wide range of exciting attractions to improve your home and lifestyle.

Show highlights include the inspiring Interior Design Showcase, where the country’s leading interior designers show their unique takes on six different rooms sets, a Kids’ Zone filled with fabulous ideas for children and, for the first time, a Christmas Fair featuring luxurious gifts and stimulating décor ideas.

The Talented Makers section is returning to the show for a second year, presenting the work of the country’s finest up-and-coming furniture and craft makers.

Editor’s Picks, the show’s most popular attraction, features modern and contemporary designs from around the world, plus talks by one of the UK’s leading artists and interior designers, and President Elect of the British Institute of Interior Design, Sue Timney.

The Exhibition will also present a host of high profile chefs, landscapers and gardeners, who will be on hand over the weekend sharing their tips, tricks of the trade and trend predictions for 2012.

The exhibition will be split into zones with exhibitors grouped together by sector, to make it easier than ever to find exactly what you’re looking for.

There will even be a state of the art cinema room, kitted out in the latest high tech gadgets from Loud & Clear, plus a demonstration area.

Presentations will take place over the weekend in the show’s Design Theatre, in addition to TV personalities including interior designer John Amabile.

Meanwhile the hugely popular champagne bar and wine tasting area, will give you the chance to take a break from browsing to sample some fine tipples.

There will also be a host of retailers exhibiting with something to suit every style and budget.

Key Information:

• Opening times: 10am until 5pm, Friday 28th to Sunday 30th October 2011. Advance tickets £7

• From ticket soup: £7 (plus £1 booking fee) www.ticketsoup.com or 0844 395 4000.

• On-the-door tickets, £10 per person.

For more detailed information on the Homes & Interiors Scotland Exhibition, please visit the website.
Tel: (0141) 567 6025

The featured picture - courtesy of Amabile Designs.

Furniture Village has introduced the new ‘Home Hub’ luxury range of sofas and chairs to their stores, presented as ‘the perfect addition for the ultimate bachelor pad’.

The ‘Home Hub’ range, made exclusively for Furniture Village, comprises of a 4 seater corner sofa with chaise, which boasts an innovative hidden cooling or storage compartment, and if that’s not enough, the range also includes a state of the art leather swivel chair with a-built in Bluetooth® surround sound speaker system.

The new range has been designed with comfort and convenience in mind:

• The swivel chair allows the customer to wirelessly listen to music or audio-books, in the comfort of their own home via a speaker system, which is cleverly hidden under stylish leather, ensuring the modern-day design of the chair is not compromised.

• As well as having integral surround sound, the new seating system allows people to fetch a chilled drink without even leaving the comfort of their sofa. The sophisticated cooling compartment within the sofa includes a cup holder – just perfect for chilling beer or soft drinks.

• The collection is available in more than 30 different colours and can be purchased either in individual modular units or as a complete set.

The normal retail price of the ‘Home hub swivel chair’ is £999; however, in the Furniture Village sale, there is 35% off this price - making it just £649.

The ‘Home Hub 4 seater corner sofa with chaise’ normally retails at £2,899, but with 30% off in the sale, it’s now just £1,955.

To view the whole ‘Home Hub’ seating range, please visit the sofas and chairs section on the Furniture Village website, or visit one of the 39 stores nationwide.

In past times a separate dining room with dining table and chairs was fashionable and kept especially for entertaining occasions throughout the year rather than for daily use.

Now the modern trend favours an open plan central dining space as the hub of the home, thus changing our styles in the process.
The 21st Century catchphrase ‘kitchen/diner’ is used to describe how most of us structure our kitchen and eating areas, to suit the flow of modern life.

Most of us now require a family friendly space that enables us to multi-task during the week, but also provides a dining area large enough to accommodate gatherings of family and friends to enjoy at the weekend.

Responding to this call for for multi-functional living, Leekes have introduced the new Calligaris range, an ideal selection of dining tables in true Italian style that will set your home apart from the rest:

To compliment the luxury of your separate dining space, why not treat yourself and go for an elegant oval dining table?

The Odyssey table and six chairs - featured here, is more sociable than a square or rectangular model and portrays the ultimate in modern sophistication, with a hardwood veneer base and tempered glass top. It also features an automatic opening system, which allows it to be easily extended while maintaining the oval shape. Priced at £3599, New York chair, £180.

A quiet corner - The Planet round table with four Jam chairs and weighted pedestal base, is ideal if your kitchen space is too small to seat six or eight, but has room for a smaller breakfast table. Priced at £999, L’Eau Chair, £110 each.

Stylish and practical - The Baron extending table will tick every box if you wish to combine a designer look with everyday needs. Made from a contemporary combination of 11mm thick laminated ceramic glass, it extends to 240cm, allowing you to seat up to ten guests at a time. Priced at £1459, or with four L’Eau chairs £1899.

To view the entire new Leekes ranges of dining room furniture, please visit the website.

For your nearest Leekes store Tel: (0845) 050

As Gold Sponsors of The Scandinavia Show, 8-9 October, Earls Court, modern-day sofas brand Stressless (made by Ekornes in Norway,) will present their finest in comfort and style there.

To celebrate its 40th birthday this year, the brand will feature a wide selection of sofas, chairs and contemporary recliners.

There are 13 modern sofa collections to choose from; several having corner seats and others can also be arranged in modular style. The majority have reclining high and low backs.

Some of the most recent designs include the ultra modern E200 model, (pictured here) which has an exceptionally paired down shape.

Alternatively the E300 has more of a traditional retro feel, with more curved contours. Both designs have seats that gently tilt behind the knees for comfort, when sitting and return to flat when lounging.

Also in our picture is the Magic, which is new in the recliner range and presented as the most comfortable model to date. Introduced to celebrate the 40th birthday year.

The stylish Blues and Jazz, which also has a retro edge, will be showcased alongside the classic Royal.

There are also three sofa groups designed for home cinema enthusiasts:
The Arion, Space and Wave can be linked in a combination of groups with sector or arm units. These units offer handy storage provision, as well as mini tables for drinks and snacks.

Stressless also stock a selection of ottomans and occasional tables in glass, steel or wood combinations.

The brand also provides a helpful online design feature, to enable you to plan seating combinations in units to fit your room space and to select, fabric, leather and wood colours.

To view the complete Stressless furniture collections and the colourful lifestyle brochure, please visit the website.

http://scandinaviashow.co.uk/

Arighi Bianchi the inspiring home interiors store is introducing a number of new ranges for its own label Merit Collection, including sofas, dining sets, beds and bedroom furniture.

The Merit Collection products comply with the store’s well-known design and presentation quality, but at surprisingly reasonable prices.

The initial new range to appear is the typically beautiful Ercol inspired Isola range of dining and occasional pieces, which is defined by its stimulating look and bold styling:

• The range is designed to fit effortlessly into classic and contemporary settings, with high-quality materials and practical finishing touches.

• Products include the Isola console table (£399) lamp table (£199), entertainment unit (£345), wide sideboard (£699), wide mirror (£129), coffee table, in our picture (£349), dining table (£455), upholstered chair (£199) and bookcase (£699) all crafted from a blend of oak veneers and sculpted solid oak legs,

Arighi Bianchi’s Merit Collection embraces over 290 traditional and contemporary design pieces, with a reliable level of quality and style that has become the Arighi Bianchi trademark. All are now available to buy online.

To view the entire collection, please visit the website.

Arighi Bianchi is one of Britain’s great ground breaking businesses and first began selling inspirational interiors from its Cheshire home in 1854.

Julia Kendell, interior designer, well known for her dramatic room schemes on TV makeover programmes such as DIY SOS and 60 Minute Makeover, has teamed up with Spaceslide, the sliding wardrobe door supplier.

Julia demonstrates how fitted wardrobes offer more than just a practical feature for a bedroom, but can become the main focal point to achieve some of the hottest home interior design trends for 2012.

Reflective And Relaxing (In our picture.)
A wall of mirrored wardrobe doors doesn’t have to be dreary –, but certainly makes a room feel twice the size.

The furniture is the lead feature of this room, where the doors complement the look and are just ideal for a spare room.

White and mirrored surfaces have all round, timeless appeal, so you can play around and update with coloured walls and accessories.

This calming mint scheme has a touch of glitz – where the metallic element in the wallpaper complements the wardrobe doors. This room delivers a New England feel with a contemporary twist. The use of reflective surfaces adds perspective and dimension.

Julia’s top tips for this room:
Mirrored doors make a room look bigger, but a sandblasted/mirrored mix gives the impression that there is a room behind the panel – adding another dimension.

The wallpaper panel adjacent to the feature wall provides a balance to the room and is an inexpensive alternative to artwork.

You can use either door architrave or a mitre block to create a frame that’s then glued to the wall, or wallpaper a strip of wallpaper to the wall and stick the architrave around it.

Other styles available include:

Contemporary Asian Style
The Asian influence of the Oriental Bar design on the sliding wardrobe doors led the theme for this room, and this is going to be hot look for 2012 predicts Julia

Catwalk Cool
Ideal for cool couples and sexy singletons, the frameless sleek lines of this mix and match wardrobe, provide a great backdrop to other design elements in the room.

Playtime
Keep playrooms clutter free to let fun feature walls take centre stage with the clever and practical use of sliding door wardrobes.

Spaceslide.co.uk is one of the UK’s largest online stores for made-to-measure sliding wardrobe door systems and wardrobe storage solutions

Julia Kendell’s six exclusive designs for Spaceslide can be viewed online, and clearly show how sliding wardrobe doors can suit all styles of bedroom interior, whether classic, traditional or trendy in design.

Tel: (0800) 9803499

Vi-Spring the British bed maker has produced a collection of eight new beds, exclusively for John Lewis.

The remarkable new divan and headboard designs are available in a choice of excellent quality fabrics; from natural, muted brushed cotton linens, soft wool, and sumptuous velvets in strong, earthy tones.

Every mattress has been carefully hand crafted to partner its matching divan base. Filled with a choice of naturally deluxe fillings, they are available in a choice of four spring tensions, to give support that accurately matches your body weight and provide Vi-Spring’s signature comfort:

• The Highgrove with Viceroy Divan: (featured here) The sumptuously deep Highgrove mattress partners the Viceroy divan and is upholstered using a selection of the finest natural materials, from supremely soft cashmere and alpaca, to pure cotton, silk and Platinum Certified real Shetland wool. The mattress features 2,812 pocketed springs (in the 150 x 200cm size), and is covered in a soft silk blend and finished with hand-tied silk tufts.

• The Blenheim, Cliveden and Stowe with Sovereign Divan: These three new mattresses have been designed to partner the Sovereign divan. Each one is filled with an indulgent selection of Platinum Certified real Shetland wool, cotton, horsetail and silk.

• The Gatcombe with Wool Prestige Divan: A sleek, tailored, all-wool bed, the Gatcombe is filled using an abundance of the finest quality Platinum Certified British fleece wool and real Shetland wool.The Gatcombe is covered in 100 per cent wool fabric and hand tied with woollen tufts.

• The Chatsworth and Heligan with Prestige Divan: Natural, sustainable and exceptionally soft pure bamboo is used in both the Chatsworth and Heligan mattresses, which partner the Prestige divan. A blend of Platinum Certified British fleece wool and horsehair is also used in hand-filling the mattresses, which are covered in a bamboo blend fabric and finished with woollen tufts.

• The Hanbury with De Luxe Divan:Supremely comfortable, the Hanbury contains a mix of the softest cotton with Platinum Certificated British fleece wool. Covered with cotton fabric and finished with felt-tufts.

Every bed in the John Lewis collection is hand-filled and stitched by Vi-Spring’s master craftsmen in the Devon workshop.

For your nearest John Lewis stockist of the Vi-Spring range, or to order a brochure please visit the website.