After a year of careful consumption and toned-down luxury in 2009, Christopher Guy predicts a more confident year in 2010.

Sophisticated style is emerging, taking inspiration from everything from Alice in Wonderland to candy colours and Middle Eastern influences; this is evident in the trend for a touch of the fantastical, pastel shades, sumptuous fabrics and the intricate detailing we’re seeing.

Through the Looking Glass
With the launch of Tim Burton’s recreation of the film‘Alice in Wonderland’ in March 2010, furniture design is playing with oversized and whimsical creations.

This is reflected in bright colours, chairs that envelop us and that are big enough to seat two, along with large dramatic mirrors.

The ordinary is cast-out as we enter the surreal and break away from reality, with unconventional shapes and oversized proportions, something which Christopher Guy is renowned for.

Featured here is the Christopher Guy ‘Love Seat’ priced from £5,304.00 inc VAT, also available in a wide selection of fabrics, colours and finishes. Measures: W184 x D107 x H192 cm.

Arabian Nights
After the Maharaja trend in 2009, the strong geometric patterns of Arabian architecture and design are coming through with the rich culture of the Middle-East influencing design.

Thoroughbred Stud
Studs have transcended from the fashion catwalk onto the interiors platform. Metallic stud detailing combined with tweed and taupe fabrics celebrates a throwback to British-style.
The studded upholstered furniture adds a luxe element seen in
particular on inviting armchairs and also elegant dining chairs.

Purple
Purple, in all spectrums including violet, indigo, iris, lavender and plum
continues to be on-trend in 2010.

The darker regal hues deliver a real wow-factor adding colour and warmth whilst the paler shades such as lavender are softer and more feminine; both palettes create a unique eye-catching style.

Christopher Guy’s multitude of original designs are all hand-carved and available in a wide selection of hand finishes, with a myriad of upholstery fabric and colour choices.

All of the fabulous designs can be viewed on their extensive interactive website.

M&S has created two exciting, new-to-market products that lead the way in furniture-technology design.

The new additions are not only technologically advanced, but are beautiful, contemporary pieces in their own right, seamlessly and stylishly incorporating furniture with technology:

The Navelli Daybed

• This deluxe acoustic daybed has been designed for those who like to surf the net, watch a movie or share their favourite albums with friends - all from the comfort of their own sofa.

• The Navelli Daybed has discreet built-in speakers, hidden within the wrap around headrest, just plug into a laptop or notebook to deliver superb surround sound.

• Handmade in the UK, customers can choose from a huge range of colours in plush fabrics and leathers and settle into ultimate comfort with shape retaining foam seat cushions.

• The daybed is priced from £1799 and comes with five matching scatter cushions- it’s the future way of listening to music in the home.  Size: H111 x W163 x H173cm.

The Sonoma Media-Lifting Unit

• The second intelligent new addition to the furniture range is the Sonoma media-lifting unit.

• A unique and clever design, the unit will electronically store a TV away when it’s not in use, maximising living space and maintaining sleek, clean lines.

• Using the same mechanism as the hugely successful M&S Monroe TV bed, the Sonoma unit plugs into a mains powered wall socket and can be controlled both manually, with a switch on the side of the unit, or by remote control.

• Made from solid American oak, the unit can house a TV up to 40inches wide and can lift a load of up to 100kgs.

• With all this genius and style for just £1399, customers can now buy into the dual living-space trend set to expand over the next decade.

Visit the M&S website for more information and colour/fabric choices.

The Chesterfield sofa is an instantly recognisable sofa design and one that lends itself to both modern and traditional styled homes.

Darlings of Chelsea’s wide range of leather Chesterfield sofas are stunning in rich aged leather, or for a modern take on the design, the ‘Content by Conran Thackery Sofa’ available at Darlings is a stylish choice.

With their distinctive rolled arms, deep buttoned upholstery and nail head trim, the Chesterfield is both an elegant and practical sofa that gives an air of sophistication to your living room.

Each sofa is available in a range of leathers including Darlings of Chelsea’s antique leathers in blue, brown, tan, red and green for that authentic old English look.

However, for those who want a more modern version, plain leathers in chocolate, coffee and caramel are also available, or opt for one in bright red like the Thackery Sofa.

Options available include 2, 3, 4 seater; sofabed, armchair and stool. Prices start from £950 for a 3 seater:

• The Austin Chesterfield is featured here – A traditional leather Chesterfield sofa range, offering top quality, combined with a pleasant appearance and of course great value; many more colours and samples available. Priced at £1,030.00 for a 3 Seater; Low Back Chair £640.00.

• Others include:

• Bronte Chesterfield - £1220.00 for a 3 seater.

• Dickens Chesterfield - £1170.00 for a 3 seater.

• Stamford Chesterfield - £950.00 for a 3 seater.

• Cromwell Chesterfield - £1620.00 for a 3 seater.

• Thackery Sofa - £2070.00 for a 3 seater.

View the whole range of Chesterfields at the Darlings of Chelsea showrooms in Finchley, Manchester, Fulham, Birmingham and Greenwich, or on the Darlings of Chelsea website.

Tel: 0207 371 5745

The festive season is upon us and with parties and visits from family, you may be in need of an occasional bed to house your guests in the comfort they deserve.

Right now Furniture Village is offering a range of compact sofa beds that are great value and provide a versatile solution for this seasonal problem.

The variety of colours, shapes and designs available means there is something perfect for all homes, enabling you to cater for all sizes and style specifications.

The striking, festive colour and elegant design of the Havana in our picture, can be used to brighten up any living space, giving it that instant wow factor.

Compact and comfortable, this stylish sofa bed folds out into a generous size, providing the perfect solution when looking to accommodate friends and family.

This extremely comfortable sofa bed will not only guarantee that all your guests will have a wonderful night’s sleep over the festive period, but may also mean they never want to leave!

Current Sale prices:

• Havana - 3 seater sofa bed £599 / 2 seater sofa bed £499

Additional Sofa Bed styles:

• Aztec - 140cm double seater sofa bed £599 / 120cm compact double sofa bed £589.

• Oscar - 3 seater sofa bed £899 / 2 seater sofa bed £879.

• Scala - 3 seater sofa bed £899 / 2.5 seater sofa bed £699.

To view the sofa bed ranges, or find your local store, please visit the Furniture Village website.

Tel: (0845) 0850 480

Calligaris, the contemporary Italian furniture brand has released its new products for Autumn/Winter 2009.

The Calligaris Tokyo Table (pictured here.) Boasting sleek curves, this dining table comes with a smoked grey or frosted black glass top on a wengé, walnut or glossy mahogany frame. It measures w:180cm x d:90cm x h:75cm. £1049.

Calligaris Giga metal chair. Available with a chromed or satin finished frame, and a choice of seats in white, wengé, walnut, cement orwhite cord.
It measures w:470 d:525 h:825mm; seat height: 450mm. £160.

Calligaris Round Astro Table. This architectural looking round table is available with a transparent or smoked grey glass top and a wengé or walnut stained beech support. It measures 140cm diameter x 75cm height. £681.

Mac&Mac specialises in contemporary European furniture, lighting and accessories, which are available to buy online and at their new showroom in East St, Farnham, Surrey.

Mac&Mac is the official Calligaris store in the UK, offering the largest collection of their elegant Italian living, dining and bedroom furniture.

There is also a large range of contemporary sofas, including the Contempo collection, Italian hand-finished sofas with a metropolitan character and striking leather sofas and chairs from the German company Koinor.

To view the striking collections, please visit the Mac & Mac website.

Tel: (01252) 71 77 71

So this is the year you’ve decided to host a big Halloween party; whether you are catering for young or old, the IKEA range has something to help you have a terrifyingly good time.

This is the one night each year when we look forward to creepy things, so turn your home into a haunted mansion.

Turn your lights down low, or even turn them off and use IKEA’s spooky night lights, to create a Halloween glow:

• SPÖKA night lights assorted colours £9.99 each.

• TINDRA scented candles assorted colours £3.29 /12pcs.

There is an excellent range of lamps and candles available that will create the right atmosphere without breaking your budget. SPÖKA, TINDRA, MJÄLLBY, NORRESKOG… the list is endless!

Add a touch of excitement with their new FÄRGRIK HÖGST, DITO MIX and DIOD super-stylish tableware.

Furniture in our picture:

• 1. RAMVIK coffee table £69.

• 2. KRAMFORS 2-seat sofa Marig beige £599.

• 3. KRAMFORS 2-seat sofa with chaise longue £998.

• 4. TIRUP swivel armchair Kavat black £299.

• 5. KRISTALLER 3-armed chandeliers £34.99/each.

Visit the IKEA website for lots more inspiration.

Barker & Stonehouse is a leading UK high quality furniture retailer with over 60 years in the business, and now in its third generation of ownership and management by the family.

Nothing is more in vogue this autumn than British themed interiors; it’s a trend that has jumped straight from the catwalk into our homes.

Ever the innovator of style, Barker and Stonehouse has everything you need to create your own patriotic ‘best of British’ room.

From Union Jack emblazoned sofas and accessories to more traditional chesterfields, if you want the Best of British style – why not visit Barker and Stonehouse?

• Make a dramatic statement with this eclectic Chesterfield style sofa combining decadence with a quirky vintage Union Jack fabric.

• This sofa not only looks great, but also offers great comfort and has buttoned detailing and wooden castor feet.

• Handmade hard and softwood frame screwed, glued and stapled and wrapped in foam and fibre; synthetic webbed suspension.

• Seat and back cushions have foam core with fibre wrap. Priced at £1595*.

• The matching footstool also offers great comfort and has buttoned detailing and wooden castor feet. Priced at £569*.

The range also includes a chair so you can really go all out!

*Autumn sale price. Sale ends 15th November 2009.

To view the stylish Best of British range please visit:

Web: http://www.barkerandstonehouse.co.uk/AutumnBritish.php

Tel:  (07971) 478958

Add some vintage floral chic to your living room with Darlings of Chelsea’s collection of floral fabric sofas.

Darlings of Chelsea combine vintage style floral fabric with both modern and traditional shaped sofas, for a look that blends seamlessly into your home.

For a more subtle take on the trend, muted monochrome florals as seen on the Mayfair sofa in our picture are a must, whereas for a stronger statement of colour the Roxy Sofa in deep scarlet floral is the ideal choice.

All these fabric sofas are available in a wide range of ROMO fabrics or customers own choice.

Each sofa is also available in a selection of sizes, from armchair right up to 4 seater sofa.

Mayfair Sofa is priced between £2100 and £2300.
Roxy Sofa is priced between £850 and £1440.

To view the whole collection visit:

Web: http://www.darlingsofchelsea.co.uk
Tel: (0207) 371 5745

The Interior Addict team are inviting all lounge lizards to try out their iconic Arne Jacobson Swan Chair.

As an architect and an industrial designer, Jacobsen made it his mission to create graceful, elegant and timeless pieces; he was to become the single most influential and admired Danish architect of the 20th century, with such contemporary classics as the Swan, Egg and Ant Chairs.

In 1958 the Swan was a technologically innovative chair. It had no straight lines - only curves. The Swan, Egg and Swan Sofa were designed for the lobby and lounge areas in the Royal Hotel in Copenhagen.

The Interior Addict team declare that their high-quality production of Arne Jacobsen’s Swan Chair is the epitome of classic 20th century design.

The Swan Chair’s organic, continuously curved form is constructed using a rigid foam shell, which is upholstered in either a cotton mix or semi aniline top grade Italian leather.

Available in 13 different colours, the Arne Jacobsen Swan Sofa pictured here, is constructed and upholstered in the same way as the chairs and is supported by a four-star aluminium swivel base.

This is your chance to own a modern classic reproduction at a very reasonable price.
Dimensions: Width 144cm * Depth 69cm * Height 78cm.

Priced at £899.

To view the Arne Jacobsen range visit:

Web: http://www.interioraddict.com
Tel: 08454818144

For some people, furniture is just a tool. A functional object to sit on, eat at or sleep in; but Interior Addict, the online furniture retailer, says that for them, it’s an obsession.

The Interior Addict team are very clear about their love of all things interior related, saying “we’re not just passionate about furniture design from the likes of Arne Jacobsen, Joseph Hoffman, Le Corbusier and Charles Eames - we’re utterly addicted to it!”

The company has a strong focus on only selling the finest reproduction pieces, inspired by iconic designers; their buyers spend much of their time seeking out interesting colours, designs, shapes, textures and trends for their clients:

Featured here, is the Josef Hoffmann Style 2-Seat Cubis Sofa - reproduced in the style of the original design, the Josef Hoffmann Cubis Sofa remains a superb example of the Modern Movement.

With a passion for geometric shapes, Hoffmann disguises the chairs austere profile somewhat, with the use of it’s individually sewn puffed panels. Priced at £1299.

Interior Addict supplies private buyers, professional designers, architects and contractors, looking to make a style statement by adding clean lines, unusual curves, pops of colour, and finesse to their projects.

The company also puts a firm emphasis on customer service; their aim is to exceed their clients’ expectations, so that they will return time and time again.

If you’re as addicted to classic furniture design as Interior Addict, you may well have discovered a supplier to match your high standards.

To be inspired, visit:

Web: http://www.interioraddict.com
Tel : (0845)4818144