Britain loves laminate and wood flooring, but as we plunge headlong into the bitter depths of winter, a warming centrepiece rug may be in order. I popped on to the 4Homes Product Search to bring you five of my faves… read more

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The nights are drawing in and the clocks are about to go back, so now’s the time to think about low-level lighting to create a cosy atmosphere in your home.

Here’s five contemporary lamps that caught my eye, all found using the 4Homes Product Search. read more

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This Friday, rather than a property porn post I thought I’d utilise the 4Homes Product Search to pick out five very different bits of furniture I’d happily have in my home. Deciding to search for coffee tables was a direct result of me clutching a mug of the dark stuff at the time. We’re a spontaneous bunch in the 4Homes office. read more

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So, we at 4Homes have been banging on for some time about how you should improve rather than move, how DIY is achievable for all and how you should check out our very handy step by step A-Z of DIY & Building Guides and Design & Style How Tos to tackle anything from making cushions to fitting a new sink. All this in an effort to make your home worth more, make it look better – and save money in the process.

We don’t want to put you off. Oh no. While we’re enjoying our August bank holidays, the 4Homes team will lie back (metaphorically) and think of you all beavering away in the garden, laying a new deck, or up in the bathroom, replacing old taps. However, a word or two of warning. We’ve been told that we Brits pay a massive £1.5 billion to fix DIY jobs gone wrong. Worse still, 250,000 people suffer DIY-related injuries every year (I can prove that – I’ve got a damaged finger from the gardening I did last weekend).

So, while it may seem like a good idea to use the break to do that wallpapering or tile a floor, it’s also worth preparing properly to avoid those DIY disasters. Kensington Financial Management Consultants have rather handily supplied us with some tips to avoid throwing a spanner in the works:

1 Check your tools – make sure they are in good working order to avoid any mishaps. Check that equipment carries British or European quality or standard marks in the manual.

2 Know your limits – if you are unsure of the extent of the job, call in an experienced professional, which may work out cheaper as you won’t have to fork out for specialist tools.

3 Insure and be sure – check insurance policies to see what you are covered for in case of an accident (not as silly as it sounds…).

4 A rushed job is a botched job – take your time and don’t leave anything unfinished, or sharp tools lying around.

5 Finally, from the team at 4Homes – don’t do a thing until you’ve checked out our DIY advice pages.

Good luck – and let us know how it goes – at our Rate My DIY Disaster pages.

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You heard it here first – Kirstie Allsopp is looking for contributors to take part in series 2 of Kirstie’s Homemade Home.

If you’re fed up with flat pack, had enough of the high street and want your home to ooze individuality, get in touch and you might be selected to get Kirstie’s help transforming your interior. Kirstie will enlist the services of skilled craftspeople from across the UK, to give your house its own signature homemade style.

You can find out how to apply for Kirstie’s Homemade Home here, and follow the programme’s makers on Twitter.

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If your kids have recently picked up their A-level results and are gearing up for three or more years at university, don’t miss our top 5 bargain buys for new students.

Feel free to add comments below, including other products you think are essential for new students leaving home for the first time.

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At 4Homes we do our best to highlight the finest design events and talent from right across the UK (see recent post on the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair).

The latest event to catch our eye on the 2009 design calendar is the Cardiff Design Festival, which you can go along to at the start of October. read more

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I recently received an email from the organisers of the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair, a Manchester event set up a year ago to showcase cutting edge craftmakers in the north of England, many of whom struggle with the costs and logistics of exhibiting down south. read more

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I don’t know about the rest of you, but as someone who’s sitting painfully at her desk having strained her back lying on the sofa watching tv last night (damn the excitement of that Property Ladder episode!), I find my garden (which I plan to spend the afternoon in, recovering) is most often best enjoyed from a deck chair, rather than from above a spade.

It’s not to say that I don’t do my share of digging – in the past year, I’ve laid a deck on my own, levelled and laid my own lawn, created raised borders and planted out 20 containers. So not lazy, then. However, when my back isn’t strained, I often find I just don’t have time to keep the garden looking good.

So, pretty happy that someone’s just sent me details of a company called The Balcony Gardener. I’ll warn you – it’s not desperately cheap, but in terms of how much time and effort you’ll save, it’s a bargain. The company plants up and delivers good-looking containers to help you create ready-made gardens. Choose from contemporary, edible and English country, among others. And, if you have got time to do it yourself, check out our plant galleries and garden design galleries, all on our gardening pages.

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