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London Stone Paving has scoured the globe to put together a collection of natural stone to inspire you. Regardless of whether your project is a small residential patio or a high specification commercial installation, London Stone Paving can provide the ideas and the expertise to transform your outdoor space into an oasis.

Its Middlesex showroom is ideally located, just minutes from junction 14 of the M25.

Building fantastic climbing frames that manage to be both attractive and exciting, JC Gardens can custom-build  to your own specifications,  featuring slides, suspension bridges, scramble-nets, monkey-bars and more. Fresh from exhibiting at The Chelsea Flower, JC Gardens is offering readers two great deals: a significant 15 per cent off all climbing frame orders placed during July, and its handmade tree-swing for just £100.

I've heard a whisper that this summer promises to be a cracker, and while last year has certainly taught me caution, it still pays to be prepared where the British summer is concerned.

This Rattan Patio set from Fantastic Furniture, for instance, is perfect for whiling away those long summer evenings we all dream of, and looks just like original wooden weave. However, it is made from a completely weather-proof replica material called 'pe', so if the weather does turn it can stay it will not be damaged. Likewise, you can leave it outside all year round without having to worry.

A stylish and chic alternative to nets and curtains, shutters offer you complete control over the amount of light you let into a room. A favourite of mine, Shaftesbury Blinds & Shutters, has a huge range of affordable shutter styles to choose from in a range of designs and finishes.  But what sets Shaftesbury above its competitors is the unique colour matching service for both wood blinds and shutters that it offers, blending these  perfectly with your home.

Here are just some of the tradespeople you have recommended this week

• Ashmark Roofing, A highly professional roofing company offering all roofing installations, repairs & maintenance. Covering all London. Call 020 88828812

• Home Trace, A bespoke home finder service with an independent and impartial view of prospective properties.

When your bath looks like it will make you dirtier not cleaner, something needs to be done and Bath Studio can help.

As the credit crunch continues to grind, there has never been a better time to invest in your home - and what better way to do it than by adding living space at the end of your garden?

From Cabins UK HQ in West Sussex, this family run log cabin specialist has been providing its clients with outstanding expansion solutions for over 20 years.

The approaching Bank Holiday is typically a time for a proper spring clean, but surely even the most dedicated domestic goddess deserves some time off to spend time with friends and family...So why not let the professionals take over?

A bicycle can help you get fit and go green but where do you safely store it?

Skilfully crafted, hand painted furniture at reasonable prices is music to most ears, and Farrow Furniture ticks all these boxes.

You can rely on the highest quality here with everything from Indian coffee tables to French armoires, all made from 100 per cent solid wood, dovetail joins and a rustic finish. Its wide range of furniture and competitive pricing has made Farrow Furniture a favourite amongst property developers, interior designers and discerning homeowners.

I have been writing about bargains for years now, yet, up until now, the wonderful London Warehouse has somehow eluded me.
 

To mark Fair Trade Fortnight (25 Feb- 9 March 08), luxury bedlinen company LUMA is hosting a Fair Trade Celebration day at its new shop in Barnes. The event takes place on 9 March (10.30am to 5.30pm) and will see a wide range of seconds and ends of lines reduced by up to 50 per cent. Organic cotton, fair trade home textiles as well as vintage fabric accessories and reclaimed wood furniture will all be up for grabs, with complimentary Fair Trade wine and artisan cheese   available to all.

The recent bout of good weather has given the perfect excuse to tackle neglected gardens. An ideal buy for the green minded gardener, this eco friendly garden set (£62) from http://www.biomelifestyle.com/ includes a recycled plastic trug, a beechwood soil dibber, a fork and two trowels with ash handles, special gardeners’ soap and more.

Londoners without their own garden don’t have to miss out on the pleasures of gardening with these planted container gardens from Plantabox. Spring plants include Narcissus, Tulips, Hyacinth and Primulas, whilst its collection of herb planters include a choice of eight culinary herbs. You can also choose to have crates stencilled with your own choice of words, making these a great spring present. Prices start from £40 (plus p&p) for a fully planted crate, or can be sold empty and ready to plant from just £10.

Make a start on the spring cleaning early with this newly launched range of eco cleaners from www.bethstevens.co.uk. This Cucumber Spring cleaner (£3.95), can be used throughout the house to clean everything from walls, floors and doors to lawn and patio furniture.  Completely non-toxic, simply spray and wipe for a home that smells sweetly of Spring. Call 01329 848 248 or visit http://www.bethstevens.co.uk/

If the good weather has inspired a drive out to the country this weekend, it is worth planning your route around Drummonds Architectural Antiques architectural sale, which continues until 29 February. Sale items include antique brassware, doors, windows, fireplaces as well as planters, cisterns, garden statues and furniture. There is something to suit most budgets with stone urns such as these reduced from £5,500 to £4,150 for the pair, or smaller ticket items such as its Tulip Urns, down in price from £385 to £340.  A rare opportunity to buy quality antiques at a discount.

As bank balances recover from the Christmas shopping splurge, you might be looking towards your next investment. And where better to invest than your kitchen?
 
If you are based in London or the Home Counties, a first port of call is the wonderful GLK Kitchens. GLK stocks over 48 different kitchens and cabinets made from the best quality materials, including FSC certified wood and recyclable metals. And don’t forget the free design and planning service…
 

A chipped, stained or worn out bath is never a good look, but Bath Studio can help.

Offering outstanding quality and value for money, Sussex-based furniture maker Anderson Bradshaw manufactures and imports handmade solid wood furniture at less than half the price of its High Street competition.
 

Alberto Giacometti wasn’t known for practicality, which makes these book ends from Joanna Wood an interesting talking point. Inspired by the elongated shapes and rough moulding of the Surrealist sculptor’s signature style, these really look the part. And at just £37 for the pair, you can afford to invest in a few classics, fitting of such elegant shelf-fellows. Bookworms should also watch out for the Imagine Children’s Literature Festival, taking place at Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall, SE1 (14-22 February 08). Call Joanna Wood on 020 7730 5064.

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it hundred times: newspapers leave marks on the carpet. I’m fighting a losing battle in my house, so to maintain my sanity, I always keep a good carpet cleaning service on speed dial. http://www.carpetcleaningserviceslondon.co.uk/ is a professional, reliable and reasonably priced service that combines modern and powerful equipment with good old-fashioned elbow grease.

I love cooking - but I must confess that it’s not for the chopping, dicing and slicing - so my ears pricked up when I heard about the Nicer Dicer from JML. Simply lift the lid, place your food flat side down and away you go. The twenty eight razor sharp blades will make short work of that chopping and with a little bowl screwed in to catch the bits, there’s no mess either. The Nicer Dicer costs £29.99. Avialable at ASDA, Woolworths and JML. Call JML on 0871 2222 631 or visit http://www.jmldirect.com/

As fabulous as the David Bowie album it shares its name with, Hunky-Dory Home is finally back. After a brief pause in trading, the website is back in business and the collection has lost none of its pizzazz. Seventies sunflowers and retro duck lampshades join candy-covered cushions in an eclectic range that doesn’t disappoint. Prices start at £14 for cushion covers and £18 for lampshades. Visit http://www.hunkydoryhome.co.uk/ for more details.

If you’re caught in two minds between starting your next redecorating project and heading off on a hard-earned break, here’s your chance to do both. Look Interiors is offering a special deal, whereby for the princely sum of £1,650, it will redecorate four rooms of a standard sized London home and throw in two return flights to Spain for a week. You work on your tan, while the team works on your walls, ensuring a stress free, mess free, expertly decorated home.

If curtains and blinds are too “2007” for your next makeover project, these Wood Venetian Blinds from Luxaflex (http://www.luxaflex.co.uk/; 0800 652 7799) are a solid alternative. Prices start from £159 per square metre for the Venetian wood blinds, with a choice of exotic hardwoods and painted blinds on offer in a variety of styles and sizes. Better still, Luxaflex is giving away £500 to spend on its blinds to two lucky readers.