Since the door was first created we’ve found various ways to keep it open - typically with a bulky heavy object rammed against the door which is neither practical or aesthetically pleasing. What you need is a door stop that does the job it is intended for but isn’t just a chuck of wood or brick. Designers are always coming up with weird and wonderful ways to prop open a door and today we have an array of doorstops to choose from.

When was the first door stop used?

Evidence of the use of door stops has been found in 18^th century England where lead bricks were all the rage to keep a door open (until someone discovered that toxins in lead were dangerous and so they swiftly stopped using them). However, it’s likely that doors were kept open with objects long before that so it’s best to assume that the door stop has been around as long as the door in one form or another.

These days we want a door stop that reflects our home or style and fortunately we can buy something a little bit better than a block of toxic metal.

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It’s the party season which means you’ll be out and about socialising with friends, family and work colleagues. However, as any woman knows, there is one essential item that you’ll always need by your side and that’s a handbag. And on a special night out that means having your most expensive and best loved handbag on show. But where do you put it when you’re sitting down so it’s safe? The solution is simple and stylish – use a handbag butler.

Handbag butler – the perfect handbag companion

Okay, usually your handbag ends up slung over the back of the chair or on the floor. Not good. On the back of a chair the bag is out of sight and easily whisked away by a thief while on the floor it is getting kicked around and messed up. The best solution to this age-old problem is to have it hanging somewhere close but in view and that’s where the handbag butler is ready to assist you.

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In the next of our series on top wallpaper designers we’re taking a look at the work of Basso & Brooke. Brazilian Bruno Basso and Brit Christopher Brooke met in a London nightclub and decided to launch their own fashion label. This was back in 2003 and by 2004 they had scooped the London Fashion Fringe award which led to a production deal with Italian luxury goods manufacturer Aeffe.

Their gravity defying clothes have been compared to the work of John Galliano due to theatrical designs that incorporate wild and bold graphics. In 2008, Basso & Brooke teamed up with wallpaper manufacturer Graham & Brown to produce this great range of wallcoverings.

Basso & Brooke Designer Wallpaper

With this range of wallpaper, Basso & Brooke have attempted to make their clothing prints accessible to the interior design market and will be looking to extend this to lifestyle products such as lamps, soft furnishings and china.

Basso & Brooke have created eight prints available in 46 colour options. They have named their prints: Alphabet, Chain, Chinoise, Globe, Map, Odyssey, Pathway and Soma. All the designs are produced on clay-coat paper with a matt finish and metallic/gloss embellishments.

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Home storage – it’s one of the biggest bugbears for many homeowners and tenants. Even when you think you’ve got enough, you still need to find a home for something else. We’re a nation of hoarders and the simple answer is to de-clutter the house so storing everything you actually need will no longer be a problem. However, some houses and flats aren’t big enough to keep on adding storage systems either because rooms are too small or they are an awkward shape. If this sounds like your home then perhaps vertical storage is the way to go.

Go vertical with your home storage

There are of course a variety of solutions to home storage problems and a vast range of styles to suit most tastes. If you’re looking for luxury and elegance then polished wood furniture can accentuate the décor of your home. For modern and clean lines, contemporary storage is both stylish and practical. But what about those places in the house or flat that simply can’t accommodate the piece you want because of a lack of width to the floor space or wall? That’s where vertical storage can help.

Vertical and wall mounted storage around the home

The hallway for most of us is a cramped narrow space offering little in the way of room to hang lots of coat hooks or leave shoes lined up against the wall. The answer is these two great items. A vertical wall hanging coat hook that can hold up to 15 jackets or coats on each peg and a vertical wall mounted shoe rack which can hold up to 6 pairs of shoes.

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The humble bread bin was originally made from wood and used to keep baked bread fresh for as long as possible. The bread bin fell out of favour when pre-sliced bread with preservatives was made commercially available. Sold in plastic wrapping, the bread kept fresher for longer and so bread bin sales declined. However, while bread bins went out of fashion in the US and around the world, many people in the UK still see a bread bin as an essential kitchen item particularly those who like to buy a fresh loaf from the local baker or bake their own.

Why use a bread bin

Bread has a short life span and a bread bin won’t stop bread going mouldy once it’s past its best. However, a bread bin can keep the bread in the best level of humidity to help it stay fresh and crusty for a reasonable number of days.

A bread bin also comes into its own during the warmer months when humidity can make a loaf go stale quicker. Keeping your bread in a freezer can preserve it for longer, but then it’s only good for toasting (and sometimes you just want a sandwich!).

If you’ve bought an unsliced loaf, keep it like that in the bread bin. Any fresh or baked goods should also be left in the bin with no wrapping around them as this will impede the function of the bin.

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If you have basement rooms in your house or you’ve just moved into a basement flat how can you improve the lighting? Basement flat lighting is difficult to get right because of so many factors that influence the type of lighting fixture you need. The common problem is a lack of natural light coming into the rooms creating a cave-like atmosphere. Then there’s the low ceilings reducing the room available for hanging lights. How do you bring light to these dark rooms?

Lighting a basement room

The first thing to address is what’s in front of your windows (assuming there are some). Window treatments should allow as much access to natural light as possible so go for pale and partially translucent curtains which can be tied back. If you don’t want curtains then go for blinds so they can be pulled up or across.

Wall coverings should ideally be light in colour so avoid dark, bold and heavy patterns. Although this might not sound appealing from design point of view, lighting will be improved and you can add interest to the walls using art or photos.

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The formal dining room seems to fall in and out of favour - once upon a time it was a special place in the house; rarely used except for dinner parties or celebration. The fall of the dining room came about at the advent of open-plan living whereby the kitchen flowed into the dining area and then into the living room. Some would argue that the formal dining room became redundant when families stopped eating an evening meal together.

However, for many people, a formal dining room is still seen as a special place to gather and enjoy the company of others over dinner so why not make it a stylish and comfortable place to be by redecorating and adding a few designer touches.

How to decorate a formal dining room

Consider how your dining room is used. If it’s a formal room used purely for dining then you should reflect that in your choice of décor and fixtures. Many dining rooms are used for so much more than just eating so an informal dining room should be practical and functional. For the purposes of this article we’ll give tips on decorating a formal dining room.

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Are you the type of person who throws their coat over the nearest chair or across the banister when you walk through the front door? Perhaps you’re the one who chases after people “encouraging” them to hang up their coats? Maybe you’re downsizing to a smaller home and space is at a premium so traditional hooks just won’t do? The solution to your problems is to buy some stylish coat hooks and coat racks to help keep your home looking neat and tidy and maximise the space available.

Designer coat hooks for the home

So, you’ve got a small apartment or your hallway space is tight – you need to make the most of every inch of space. A coat hook that sticks out from the wall too far means that you’ll catch yourself on it when walking past or a door close by will swing open only to receive a big dent from the protruding appendage. You need some coat hooks that will fold away when there’s nothing hanging on them. Designers have latched on to this problem and created some great looking coat hooks that do just that.

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As much as it pains us to say it, the nights are drawing in which means we’ll all be retreating indoors earlier in the day. However, there will still be occasions when you need to venture outside of your home at night such as when you need to get something from the garage or the car. Then consider your own personal safety when walking home in the dark or emergency situations such as your car breaking down. And how about those annoying power cuts in the home leaving you fumbling around trying not to trip over your own furniture. What you need is a torch (or flashlight if you’re from the States).

Torches can be conveniently carried in your bag or the glove compartment of your car as well being in useful locations around the home. The type of torch you buy will depend on your needs but we recommend having a selection of torches for every situation. Here we’ll give a few tips on buying a torch.

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The origins of damask date back thousands of years yet despite its rich history damask patterns can still look up-to-date against more modern and abstract designs. Damask wallpaper looks great when part of simple interior décor or within a lavish and traditional style home. Contemporary damask wallpaper patterns still prove a popular choice so if you’re considering a new look to your living space then consider a damask patterned wallpaper for your home.

History of damask

The origins of damask date back to the ancient Chinese civilisations of around 300 B.C. Fabrics were woven in such a way that patterns on one side were the inverse of the other. Traditionally made from silk or linen, damask patterns were created in one colour but over the last century, two or three colours became popular and the type of fabric used to weave damask began to include cotton, wool or rayon.

Damask silks were traded from the Far East to the Mediterranean along a route called the ’silk road’ through cities that included Damascus (from which the name probably derives). Damasks were coveted by Rulers and Aristocrats who employed weavers throughout Greece, Italy and France to develop their own versions of the Chinese motifs. These matching damasks were seen on the walls, linen and upholstery of the rich for many centuries. By the time of the Industrial Revolution, mass production methods saw damask become affordable to the middle classes although the fabrics were typically only printed on one side and therefore not reversible.

Later, the Arts and Craft movement of the late 19^th and early 20^th century, inspired by the writings of John Ruskin, shunned the machine-made designs in favour of traditional hand crafted damasks depicting romanticised imagery and motifs.

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