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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.

With March officially decreed as national bed month by The Sleep Council, what more reason do you need to make sure your bedroom is as comfy as can be?

Credit crunches and static house prices have put the wind up all but the most optimistic economists, and the knock-on effects of this financial squeeze are felt across the retail sector. But whilst big furniture suppliers report halved share prices and reduced sales, smaller ‘bargain’ outlets such as Trade Secret are flourishing in the new market.
 

Need a new dining table, bed or chair?

For sheer comfort and long-lasting appeal, you can’t beat Ixia and its range of first class leather sofas and chairs, handmade to the highest possible standards.

Bringing a dash of understated style to studies or sitting rooms, its Art Deco and Tub chairs come in rich chocolate brown, red, black, cream or tan leather options and, with their sturdy stitch design, will happily stand the tests of time. These chairs just get better with age; the key being the quality of hide, which ages well and gets comfier with the passing years.

Opened in May 2007, it has already made a real local impact, offering simple, modern and elegant designs and excellent value for money.

Just in time for Autumn, it has brought in an expanded range of sofas, lighting and fabrics, and is thus able to offer Really Useful readers a massive 25 per cent discount on its popular Solo range. A flexible, contemporary seating system, Solo combines clean, simple proportions with fibre-wrapped foam seats and feather-filled scatter cushions for total comfort.

Tucked away in Stratford, East London, Paragon Interior Furniture is a little gem, designing, manufacturing and installing bespoke kitchens, studies and bedrooms at distinctly non-bespoke prices.
 
Using only the best quality solid woods, veneers, stones and granite, Paragon uses its low key East End location to keep overheads right down; and without salesmen or high street overheads, it can offer a large range of kitchen products at a fraction of usual retail prices.
 

Belle by name, belle by nature, the aptly named Belle Maison Home Interiors Ltd is in a class of its own when it comes to hand finished furniture and accessories

Started in 2001 as an independent retail shop, Belle Maison has since expanded to form its own UK factory in St Helens Merseyside. Today it manufactures its much sought-after designs for many other companies, but you can still buy and view its collection from BelleMaison.com.

Steering clear of the “pile it high, sell it cheap” school of thought evident at so many homeware companies, The Interior Showroom stocks a number of key, high quality and affordable pieces. It can also offer bespoke, special discount packages, created in store or via email for customers working to a budget.

Looking for some new furniture?

Launched from a small showroom in Battersea exactly 20 years ago, Highly Sprung Ltd, has since grown in size and reputation.

A specialist in furniture design, Highly Sprung Ltd hand makes all sofas, chairs and corner units to order, using beech and seasoned hardwood in the construction of all frames.

With five stores in London, there’s no excuse not to pop in to New Heights for a bit of a snoop around. It offers a wide range of solid wood chairs, tables, sideboards, chests of drawers and much more, each made to the highest of standards and reasonably priced to boot. And as a special offer to readers, New Heights is offering its Franklin Nest of solid oak Tables for £333.75 instead of the usual £445 – a great discount of 25%.  Just bring this offer to your local store before 30th November 2007.

The popularity of the Barcelona chair by Mies Van der Rohe never seems to wane – as a mark of style and luxury, it is an enduring favourite amongst homeowners and offices. And, luckily for those who can’t afford the genuine article, Siedasi offers a truly first-class selection of reproduction chairs, stools and tables, inspired by the designs of all the 20th century greats. This “Barcelona” chair and matching leather footstool is usually £450 at Siedasi, but its just £ £405 for readers. Just call 07962 580 977 mentioning this offer before 1st December 2007.

A company passionate about furniture design, Iconic Interiors employs the finest workmanship and materials to reproduce pieces from design giants such as Le Corbusier, Eileen Gray and Mies Van Der Rohe, to name a few.

Its mission is simple: to make quality, design classics affordable to the discerning homeowner. But it’s not all about the big names; Iconic Interiors is always on the look out for classics of the future, and also partners up with upcoming design talent to ensure its superb collection remains up to date.

Sales are great things and more often than not you will pick up a good bargain but remember, do not always be drawn in by the big bold red writing and promises of reductions. An example of when it’s not quite as good as it first seems, look carefully at the below sales prices available at Furniture123.co.uk ’s mattress clearance sale.

A company renowned for its no frills approach, Trade Secret has been quietly selling discounted (50 per cent catalogue price), quality ex-high street furniture in its two Oxfordshire warehouses for several years now – and it has just advanced into cyberspace.

Up until now, it has been contractually forbidden to display or sell furniture from brands such as Marks & Spencer, Laura Ashley, John Lewis and House of Fraser on the internet in

The Lombok summer sale may have ended three days ago but there are still discounts galore at its clearance store where pieces of solid, handmade furniture have been reduced by up to 70 per cent. Stock is updated on a weekly basis, and all pieces not sold in the sale are now available to buy at the clearance store while stocks last. With pieces such as this Decorative Bird Cage (large) reduced from £55 to £27.50 in the sale, its well worth getting down there. The Lombok clearance store opens every Saturday from 10am to 5pm. Unit 2, The Gasworks, 2 Michael Road, SW6 2AD; 020 7751 8550.

Offering a huge selection of custom and ready-made furniture crafted from wood sourced from sustainable oak forests across the continent, Wood Empire fuses its quality materials together with excellent attention to detail – and at remarkably affordable prices.

An unusually decent sized table, this Goliath Table from Wood Empire is ready-made, and made to the highest standard (its solid oak top is 4cm thick).

With one eye ever on the look out for a bargain, I was delighted to come across Sharaks.com. A particularly modern gem, it offers a wide range of sleek, contemporary furniture including sofas, chairs, dining sets, coffee tables and more - all sold at highly affordable prices. Based in both London and Hong Kong, and with a long list of prestigious clients, Sharaks has already made its mark.

Attentive readers may well recognise this "Barcelona" chair from an exclusive offer run by Fantastic Furniture a while back.

Break away from the beige brigade when it comes to buying new seating with a visit to Retro Sofas. Informed by the furniture designs of the Art Deco period in Europe and America, Retro Sofas offers a wide range of sofas, chairs and footstools based on original designs.

For those of you with a design conscience mind and a good head for figures, logging on to Homes & Bargains and its new online shop will definitely be a worthwhile experience.

If you’ve not logged on to Homes & Bargains for a while, you may not have noticed the new shop which launched recently. Dipping its toe in the retail pond, Homes and Bargains is harnessing its years of bargain hunting experience to source quality products at affordable prices.

A recent addition to the collection, the Luxury Leather sofa bed counts a sturdy frame, a quality hide and durable, high density foam amongst its many virtues.

A one-stop-shop for good quality homeware, the John Lewis summer sale is a must. This year it is offering up to 50 per cent off selected lines. There will also be exclusive Special Purchase bargains including this Laura Bedroom furniture set – a six piece set including a King-size bed, two-door wardrobe, eight-drawer chest, six-drawer chest and a pair of bedside tables, made from sturdy eco-friendly rubber wood with a natural finish, and all sold for just £1,000.

In the ten years that RJM Furniture has been up and running, it has built a reputation for supremely comfortable seating – so when news travels that it’s holding a closing down sale, you know it’s Grade A bargain time.

At RJM contemporary Italian sofas come with down-filled seat and back cushions,

Designer deals don’t get much juicier than at the Twentytwentyone summer sale (30th June to 30th July 2007), where there are discounts of up to 45 per cent off contemporary furniture and lighting from leading manufacturers including Vitra and Marimekko, and designers such as Alvar Aalto and Jasper Morrison. There’s a four-door Stripy Cabinet down from £1,595 to £877, a tripod floor lamp down from £385 to £250 (as pictured) and striking pieces such as this three-drawer Arctic sideboard from £612 to £398.

Even the most crowd-shy home owners could be persuaded to brave the bustle of the Selfridges Summer Sale these coming weeks, where there are discounts of up to 75 per cent on all areas. 30 per cent off furniture at the Nine Schools, 30 per cent off Lulu Guinness, 30 per cent off Moser Crystal stemware, 50 per cent off Kenneth Turner scented candles and 20 per cent off a range of bedding.

With a well-deserved name for good quality, design-led lighting, furniture and homeware accessories, The Conran Shop more than makes the cut when it comes to summer sales. It is offering up to 75 per cent off over 1000 lines available to buy in store and online ,  with pieces such as this Balance Shelving unit reduced from £ 245 to £150.; its Strips Four Seat Sofa down from £2,385 to £1,015 and its Barcelona Chair from £1695 to £1,269. But quick, the sale ends 8th July.

Those with an eye for high design should beat a path to Covent Garden and the wonderful Aram Store, where there are discounts of up to 70 per cent on selected items. Lighting, furniture and accessories by top designers such as Alvar Aalto, Ron Arad, Zeev Aram and Eileen Gray (Aram Store holds global rights to produce and sell Eileen Gray furniture) all form part of the collection.

When homeware haven Cargo hosts a summer sale, you know you’re in clover. As part of the seasonal promotion it is offering up to 50 per cent off across a selection of bedroom and garden furniture, kitchen pieces and leather upholstery. Henley Kitchen Trolleys down from £99.99 to £79.99; Tiverton double beds reduced from £599 to £499 and garden furniture such as this Rimini Extending Table (250 x 85cm), which is slashed in price from £349.99 to £249.99. There are also some great multi-buy offers in store.

Another one worth adding to the summer sale hit list this month is the Online Sale taking place at Purves, where there is up to 50 per cent off furniture, home accessories and gifts. Chairs, tables, lamps and corkscrews and a whole host of design-led accessories from part of the collection reduced to clear with pieces such as this brightly coloured, toughened glass Joseph Joseph clock down from £28 to £18. Call 020 8838 0200. The Purves Sale ends 20th of July

You can have all the mod-cons and designer wallpaper you like but, without comfortable seating, you’re in a bit of a pickle. Cue English Leather Sofas and its range of fine leather furniture – sold in many styles, and at affordable, factory prices.