London's new garden squares
London is already the greenest capital in Europe, with homeowners enjoying more than 600 garden squares. And the good news is that there are more to come.
As the BBC move out, Shepherd's Bush switches to a new programme
As Aunty leaves the Bush the borough seizes the opportunity to create a proper neighbourhood.
Spotlight on Camden Town
The shops and markets clustered around the high street and canal make Camden one of the most colourful of London's neighbourhoods. The area's period homes and loft-style apartments attract a mix of homebuyers.
Revealed: from Reading to Redhill – the top 20 commuter stations
Choose your route. Our exclusive property buyers’ guide shows travel times, costs and house prices.
Chelsea Flower Show 2012 preview
A spectacular 80ft tower - Chelsea's very own Shard of Grass - plus a glorious new Royal Jubilee rose and 18 show gardens will offer London gardeners inspiring ideas at this year's show.
Find a rated tradesman
Want to add value to your property, make your house a home, or sell your place fast? With 1,000s of tradesmen nationwide, rated and recommended by previous customers, this is the smart way to find a reputable tradesman.
Buy of the week: Camden Town
This two-bedroom flat has a pretty park on its doorstep, while buzzing Camden Town is only 10 minutes’ walk away. Big sash windows and high ceilings give a spacious feel and there’s a private garden with a studio/home office (£525,000).
Swap of the week: Willersey, Glouc
This little Cotswolds beauty is just across the road from the village green and duck pond. For £530,000 you get beams, exposed stone walls and an open fireplace, plus four bedrooms, a useful attic room and lush gardens to enjoy.
Life-changer: Trescowe, Cornwall
For a project brimming with potential, what about this coastal home, yours for £545,000? The family space includes six bedrooms, while its collection of outbuildings overlooking an acre of gardens could become income-generating holiday lets.
Spotlight on Camden Town
The shops and markets clustered around the high street and canal make Camden one of the most colourful of London's neighbourhoods. The area's period homes and loft-style apartments attract a mix of homebuyers.
Property search
Design news
By Katie Law
Design-savvy summer sale
Lollipop Shoppe
It may be based in Brighton, but this showroom, owned by trendsetting couple Marco Di Rienzo and Siobhan Trewick, also has a brilliant website with a fast delivery service aimed at design-savvy Londoners in a hurry.
Top buys in the summer sale include the Eames aluminium group chair 125 and ottoman down from £2,676 to £1,338, the Arne Jacobsen Swan chair (right) from £2,073 to £1,244 and Marcel Breuer Laccio coffee tables down from £708 to £283.
The sale ends 15 August; visit www.thelollipopshoppe.co.uk.
What a chic
The French House
The latest catalogue evokes the spirit of meandering through France in search of original artisan wares, for which this boutique mail order company is famous.
Fanciful photographs depict lovely new products, including these distressed earthenware vases (£42.50), and urns (£37.50), plus brass wall lanterns against old limestone walls, red and white linen/cotton mix table runners on garden tables.
Visit www.thefrenchhouse.net or call 02380 248868.
Shop and save on our website
Homesandproperty.co.uk with Mydeco.com
Our website, has launched a fabulous new shop in conjunction with upmarket online e-tailer www.mydeco.com, packed with more than two million products from 900-plus retailers, ranging from high-street favourites, such as John Lewis and M&S, to designers, such as Atelier Abigail Ahern and Andrew Martin.
To celebrate the launch, interiors specialist Graham & Green is offering 25 per cent off its full range. To claim, visit the shop and enter promotional code M9MDE at the check out.
Early doors
Christie’s
Billed as the ultimate warehouse sale, this auction offers 500 lots from the warehouses and homes of four leading decorators and dealers: Robert Kime, Piers von Westenholz, David Bedale and James Graham-Stewart.
Furniture, paintings and garden statuary amassed from grand country house sales over 30 years are selling on 8 July. Star lots include a pair of distressed Ottoman green-painted doors (left, £800-£1,500), and prints by Ben Nicholson, Henry Moore and others.
Viewing from this Saturday. Christie’s South Kensington, 85 Old Brompton Road, SW3 (020 7930 6074).
Bring on the breeze
American Fan Company
Stay cool in retro style with The American Fan Company’s Rockefeller retro portable fan.
It has three speeds and will be just as happy sitting on the desk as on the floor, and it comes in red, black and blue at £218 from www.americanfan.co.uk, or call 0870 803 4025 for stockists.
The company is giving away two fans to two lucky readers.
Enter here
before 23:59 on 15 July 2009.Usual promotion rules
Curtains for you
Natural Curtain Co
Voile and sheer curtains are the perfect choice for summer windows when it’s warm enough to keep them open, and you want diffused light while keeping your privacy.
Belgian linen company Belgico has produced a range of made-to-measure sheer curtains in simple striped designs or neutrals, which will take between two and four weeks to be delivered and cost from around £200 a pair (0845 5000 400; www.naturalcurtaincompany.co.uk).
More articles
-
Perfect extensions
Londoners planning to extend their homes should follow a simple golden rule: go for quality, not grandeur.
-
My home: Mark Christophers
Mark Christophers, who co-founded the West Cornwall Pasty Company, also had ingenious ideas for a tired terrace house, which he transformed into a jaw-dropping, light-filled home.
-
Chelsea Flower Show 2012 preview
A spectacular 80ft tower - Chelsea's very own Shard of Grass - plus a glorious new Royal Jubilee rose and 18 show gardens will offer London gardeners inspiring ideas at this year's show.
-
Mediterranean-style garden
Find out how to create a warm, rustic and earthy Mediterranean-style garden.
-
Herby couscous with roast chicken
This healthy family meal can be prepared and cooked within 30 minutes and can also be served with grilled fish or roast lamb.
-
New: The Goldsmiths' Centre
Clerkenwell's new school for goldsmiths, silversmiths and jewellers is set to turn out world-beating graduates.
-
Jubilee street parties and picnics
From vintage bunting to regal table settings and quirky cake toppers - we've found everything you need for a right royal knees up.
-
Innovation: Clerkenwell Design Week
Fantastic fibre-optic and iridescent acrylic lighting forms one of the many dazzling displays as we preview this year’s design show in EC1.
-
Chelsea Flower Show 2012 preview
A spectacular 80ft tower - Chelsea's very own Shard of Grass - plus a glorious new Royal Jubilee rose and 18 show gardens will offer London gardeners inspiring ideas at this year's show.
-
Bargain news
Discounts on comfy chair/beds, a damp control system, sleek kitchens and hall and wall storage.
Advertisement
