The Europe by Net website is ideal for furnishing the ultimate, stylish bachelor pad, according to company statistics, which show that it serves an unusually high proportion of male shoppers – 60% male compared to 40% female, enjoy the polished convenience of the site.

The site showcases over 5000 furniture products from top European brands at up to 40% off the UK retail price; choose from over-sized lamps, comfy sofas,  classic leather desks and much more…

Featured here is a gorgeous inlaid desk by Baggio Annico:

This handsome piece in the ornate Louis XVI style, is expertly decorated with rosewood, boxwood, walnut and other woods; the desk features exquisite handmade inlaid motifs of classical cherubs and floral designs.

The desk top is embellished with an intricate circular inlay of finely rendered flowers and vines in a variety of mixed woods – truly an example of skilled artisanship.

Dimensions: 120 x 60 x 78h cm (47 x 24 x 31h in)
Delivery Time: 6-8 weeks.  Priced at £2820.

The Europe by Net website is simple and easy to use and offers a personalised bespoke service for the stressed homeowner and goods are delivered free on orders over £400 to UK addresses.

Web:  http:// www.europebynet.com
Tel:  (020) 7734 3100

Last year the Trading Standards dealt with over 100,000 complaints about second-rate trades people - the shoddy work of rogue builders, plumbers and electricians ranking as one of Britain’s biggest grievances in 2006.

So when you need a trustworthy trades person, how do you avoid becoming a victim? Finding a reliable tradesperson in the telephone directories is a little like playing Russian roulette!

With this in mind, property journalist Alison Cork founded problemsolved.co.uk – an online directory of recommended and vetted trades people.
 
The directory provides information about professionals from 120 trade categories, ranging from plumbers to garden designers; Problem Solved sources its members by public recommendation before vetting them for quality.

The service is free of charge and there’s no need to register – simply enter your postcode and choose a trade to access over 20,000 recommended trades people in Britain.
 
In addition Problem Solved offers a range of interactive services designed to solve even more problems:
 
Ask the Experts - Ask a panel of experts any property related question and have a response within 48 hours.
 
Jargon Buster - Problem Solved offers definitions for technical property-related terms.

Trades People Videos - Ideal for dispelling security concerns, users can view video clips identifying its members.
 
Articles and “How to” Guides - Insider info and practical articles are available for budding DIYers.
 
For details of a reliable tradesperson in your area, visit:

Web: http://www.problemsolved.co.uk
Tel:   (0871) 287 0344 (9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri).

According to a survey of the energy habits of some 5,000 Europeans, the UK has come out top of the European Energy Wasters’ league; the Germans being the most efficient in their energy use, followed by the Spanish.

Here in Britain our most wasteful energy habit is leaving our appliances on standby - which most of us do every day.

Our best habit is to reach for a warm jumper rather than turning the thermostat up - 78% of us claim we always do this. 

The Energy Saving Trust predicts that unless we curb our energy wasting habits we will have wasted £11bn and produced around 43m tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2010, which is one of the main causes of climate change. 

This is Energy Saving Week so the Energy Saving Trust is asking everyone in the UK to make a commitment to save their 20%.  If we all commit to save 20% of the energy we use every day, together we can help prevent climate change. Commit now at the website below!

On their website, every day this week, the Energy Saving Trust will be highlighting a different energy saving measure we can take to do our bit.

Web: http://www.est.org.uk/myhome/energysavingweek/

You can get lots of good gardening advice from Alan Titchmarsh on the Crocus website.

There are regular articles on the site itself (for example “Alan’s July Choice”), or you can subscribe to his regular care tip emails - you can even specify which sort of plants you are interested in caring for.

Crocus is a gardening website which specialises in selling garden plants - their range is huge - 4,000 plant varieties to choose from compared to around 400 in an average garden centre.

This is one of the reasons that Charlie Dimmock and Alan Titchmarsh decided to be part of Crocus - the fact that the amateur gardener can have the same choice as the professional gardener.

web: http://www.crocus.co.uk
tel: (0870) 787 1413

If you’re planning to do some DIY, but you’re not quite sure how to tackle the task, don’t worry - help is at hand.

DIY Fix It is a website with detailed information on how to do hundreds of jobs around the home, from hanging doors to fixing your central heating.

You just choose the type of job you’re doing - carpentry, plumbing, electrics etc - and DIY Fix It will come up with a list of jobs it can help you with.

Alternatively, just choose the room you want to improve, and the website will suggest a list of jobs it can help you with in that room.

The instructions are clear and concise, and most are illustrated with diagrams too. So if you need some help with your home improvements, DIY Fix It could be just what you’re looking for.

web: http://www.diyfixit.co.uk

If you live in a period property, are restoring an old building, or are planning to buy an older house then there are lots of questions that you’ll need answers to.

Where can I get insurance? What’s the law on listed buildings? How can I find a reputable thatcher?

The Period Property UK website sets out to answer all these questions and more - offering a large directory of specialist tradesmen, a panel of experts who can offer good advice, and perhaps best of all, a lively forum where you can discuss Period Properties with other like-minded people.

With plenty of other sections to choose from, you’ll be exploring this fascinating site for hours.

web: http://www.periodproperty.co.uk

If you’re thinking about building your own home, you’ll know that finding a suitable plot can be one of the most difficult parts of the process.

Plotsearch.co.uk is a web site that aims to solve that problem. With a database of more than 6,000 plots, conversions and renovation opportunities, Plotsearch.co.uk should help you find the self-build opportunity that’s right for you.

The Plotsearch database is updated every 7 days, and with features like SMS alerts to your mobile and even an Aerial Image facility, your self-build project could be underway sooner than you think.

3 months access to Plotsearch.co.uk costs £35, or you can choose unlimited access for £59.

web: http://www.plotsearch.co.uk
tel:(0870) 870 9991