blog:proleno

Invite birds in with the multi-award winning Window Bird Feeder designed by Pascal Charmolu and manufactured from recycled plastic by Born In Sweden.

An innovative bird feeder that encourages small birds to feed next to a window. Perfect for apartments & flats where a garden is just not possible.

The bird feeder can be mounted on any smooth window pane, thanks to an innovative double-sided suction cup. The carefully selected materials can cope with extreme temperatures as well as UV rays. It is designed for small birds and features a drainage hole at the base of the bowl.

Available in the UK from Stylish Life.

Warm days and evenings in the garden may not be upon us yet but already, especially after this long and cold winter, people are starting to think about their gardens and the quality time that can be spent there.

For some authentic Italian culture in your garden, the stylish Toscana Wood Burning Oven is perfect. Add homemade pizza, Italian wine and good friends for that perfect summer party.

It’s not just for pizza though. As many celebrity chefs suggest, a wood burning oven can be used to great effect for roast meats, bread, tandoori and even one pot dishes. Cooking with wood-fired ovens creates irresistible tastes and aromas.

“Wood-fired ovens are helping today’s busy families to reclaim the ability to relax around the table and enjoy each other’s company. Not only do they add features to the garden, they can cook any type of food and provide a focal point”, Scott from retailer Garden Gift Shop tells me.

Manufactured in the UK by Hand, The Toscana Wood Oven is sure to satisfy the most committed outdoor chef!

If the ‘stay-cation’ was the holiday phenomenon of 2009, could 2010 be the year of the home exchange?

Millions of Britons chose to spend their holidays at home last year as the economic recession took hold, and with confidence still not fully restored, would-be travellers are continuing to look for ways to keep their holiday costs down.

One creative option is a home exchange: ‘swapping’ your property with that of another homeowner elsewhere in the world – cutting the cost of accommodation almost to zero in the process.

“Last year seemed to be all about saving money by staying at home, while this year there’s a greater consumer willingness to travel but still an emphasis on affordability,” commented Dianne Stewart of global home exchange site Homes-Club International.

“A home exchange is the perfect solution – providing travellers with potential access to a range of accommodation across the world while helping them to save money too.”

A glance at a leading online travel website shows just how significant these savings could be, regardless of destination. A week-long stay from 24 July in a centrally-located three-star hotel would cost a family of four £973 in Bath and £1,035 in Geneva.

Further afield, the same seven nights would cost £830 in Perth, Australia, £607 in Cape Town and £1,030 in Manhattan, New York.

“Home exchange can also provide a more comfortable experience for families – a private house or apartment is generally more spacious and will have more home comforts than a hotel room or suite,” added Ms Stewart.

The home exchange concept started in the 1950s, largely in the USA at first, then spreading across the world as demand for international travel increased and levels of home ownership grew. Although still a relatively small part of the overall travel market, it is growing quickly, partly in response to the global economic downturn.

Home exchange typically works on a membership scheme basis, with annual membership of Homes-Club International currently priced at just £25. After joining, members are free to browse the site to identify properties in their chosen destination and make direct contact with the owners to negotiate a property swap. If second homes are involved members can use each others’ properties at different times and negotiate over length of stay.

More details can be found at Homes-Club International website.

ASPACE has pushed the frontiers of design with their stunning new Uffizi bunk bed collection. Fans of this renowned children’s furniture company are sure to be bowled over by the sheer audacity of this cool, cutting edge design. The collection was designed by Argington of New York, and is exclusive to ASPACE in the UK.

The Uffizi collection offers loads of fun and functionality for the children but with an aesthetic that reflects the lifestyle of stylish modern parents.

The Uffizi has several configurations including a semi enclosed bunk with window-like openings which kids will love and friends will covet! The matching toy box (with static feet and castors, plus slow-close safety hinges) offers useful and stylish storage. The matching bookcase / storage cupboard is a gorgeous piece of minimalist furniture in its own right which could work equally well in the bedroom, living room, playroom or study.

The bunks can be arranged three different ways with no extra parts needed:
• Classic Bunk style
• Cantilever Bunk with Desk
• High Sleeper for older children and teenagers

The Uffizi system offers stunning detail, complete versatility, real practicality, and, most of all, immense style.

Demand is expected to be high so ASPACE has announced the opening of a waiting list with initial stock arriving late April 2010

More details at ASPACE.

Bandit is a project that is currently prototyped but will be manufactured by The Phillips Collection. It will be sold exclusively through authorised Phillips dealers around the world.

A single item that, when rotated even slightly, takes on a new form. It is almost a critique on society, as we all fit one mold, but through controlling our own destinies, we become unique.

A step away from my usual posts but, if only from a design perspective let alone its ecological value, I think the Syreen deserves some “airtime”.

Cambridge Consultants announced the launch of the ‘Syreen’ syringe, a new concept that demonstrates the cost benefit and supply chain disruptions made possible by sustainable product design.

Instead of glass, Syreen syringes are made with COP (cyclic olefin polymer) plastic, which has enabled Cambridge Consultants to shed the need for secondary packaging altogether, a first in this medical device arena.

The United States alone produces 6,600 tons of medical waste per day, equaling well over two million tons per year—approximately 85 percent of which goes to landfills throughout the country. The Syreen eliminates the need for wasteful fillers such as cardboard and styrofoam, reducing the packaging weight by 30 percent and volume by 50 percent from today’s standard packaging. After delivery, with a simple snap, the user ejects the needle into the sharps bin allowing the user to potentially recycle the plastic capsule.

You can learn more about the Syreen and Cambridge Consultants at their website or see them on Sky News.

New Veg Plots Promise to get children excited about their 5-a-day! Don’t resort to paint and crayons to turn your children’s fingers and plates green this Spring Bank holiday. Let a new range of veg pots and plots get your children enthusiastically growing and eating their 5-a-day.

Although we know that children who grow vegetables are more likely to have a positive attitude to healthy eating, few parents have the time, space or know-how for a vegetable garden – the new ‘Grow’ range of compact edible pots and plots might just be the answer.

The children’s ‘Grow’ range of veg growing kits each include self-watering pots, seeds, plant food, a growing diary and jargon-free instructions. They give budding gardeners their own manageable vegetable plot without parents having to spend hours studying how to become green-fingered experts.

The ‘Grow’ kits even turn fingers green by automatically feeding and watering plants. Simply keep the kit’s reservoir topped-up and plants are provided with the water they need, when they need it, preventing over-watering and under-watering – even during holidays. Children can use their ‘Grow Diary’ to record how much water has been taken from the reservoir, so they quickly learn to understand how the amount of water plants need differs according to soil dampness, plant size, light levels and weather conditions.

Lack of green space is no problem. With ‘Grow’ kits ranging in size from a windowsill plot to a one metre long mini greenhouse, you really don’t need any green space to get your children growing and eating their 5-a-day.

Whole meals can be grown on a couple of windowsills, with tomatoes, beetroot and chard all thriving particularly well along with the usual salad leaves and herbs. Whilst if you have a 55cm square space outside on a patio, decking or yard you can add taller and larger plants such as beans, peas, cucumbers and cabbages as well as larger tomato plants.

As for getting your children excited about growing their own veg, what child doesn’t like sticking their hands in soil? Just in case though, the ‘Grow’ kits’ seeds and easy-to-follow growing instructions feature the incredible edibles characters. These super heroes are sure to inspire your children to grow and eat their super veg.

The Greenhouse Sensation team is so confident that their ‘Grow’ kits enable anyone to grow their own that they offer an Incredible Edible guarantee. They promise that in the very unlikely event that a customer doesn’t raise a healthy crop they will provide free seeds and plant food as well as one-to-one advice to get them back on track.

More detail at their website or you can call them on 0845 602 3774.

Taking a bath has just become cause for celebration! Frontline, the UK’s leading bathroom supplier, has three new fabulous free-standing baths to entice you to luxuriate in the tub…

The Aquabathe range, exclusive to Frontline, is a clever fusion of contemporary and lavish design. With sumptuous lines, the curvaceous Pano bath is one to admire. This brand new freestanding double ended bath is designed for perfect relaxation. The raised contours of one end and graduated recess provide an ideal head rest. Standing proud at 1800 x 900mm and finished in brilliant white, the Pano bath is designed for pure relaxation.

The IXOS freestanding double ended bath is another newcomer to the Frontline’s Aquabathe range. In contrast to Pano, the IXOS bath has clean, masculine lines. The strong angular appearance of this classic shape evokes a more minimalist look. The IXOS bath has a generous capacity of 230 litres.

Even without any corners, the new Rondo bath has an edge over the competition. Also from Frontline’s Aquabathe range, this conveniently compact freestanding double ended bath, stands at 1760 x 790mm. With its smooth profile the contemporary design gives bathrooms a cutting edge look.

Frontline offers over 6000 classic and contemporary products from its expanding bathroom range. There are customised options available on a number of baths including; whirlpool hydro jets to massage skin and muscles, and air spa to increase blood circulation. Underwater mood lighting can also be added to create a truly relaxing bathing experience.

More details at their website or call 0845 470 2427.

It will come as no surprise that more than 40% of the UK’s CO₂ emissions result from the choices we make as individuals. By taking an active interest in sustainable living, changing the way we live and introducing energy efficiency measures into our homes, we can make a difference to this global issue.

To help you improve the energy efficiency of your home, whether it is an existing house or a new build, the organisers of The National Homebuilding & Renovating Show, on at the NEC from 18 to 21 March, have put together some great pointers:

Get Educated!

Find out how sustainable you and your home are by checking out your own carbon footprint. Use the Energy Savings Trust’s carbon calculator and get a personalised action plan to do your bit for the environment and reduce energy bills. You can visit the Energy Savings Trust at The National Homebuilding & Renovating Show to get further information or attend the free seminars at the Show. How to heat your home for free and turning your existing home into a low energy house are just two of the many eco topics in the seminar and masterclass programme.

Start with the Basics

There are so many simple ways to become more sustainable in the home – and save money! Turn down your thermostat by one degree (which could save 10% on your heating bills), use the economy setting on the dishwasher, don’t leave appliances and equipment on standby, use your washing machine at 30 degrees, use low energy light bulbs or only fill the kettle for the amount of water you need. Call the Act on CO2 helpline for more advice: 0800 512512.

Insulate, Insulate, Insulate

Insulating your home is a great way to reduce CO₂ emissions and reduce energy costs. For the average house 30% of the heat simply escapes through the walls and roof. Did you know that installing or topping up your loft insulation to 270mm thickness can save you £60 a year and reduce your carbon footprint by 299kg? Cavity wall insulation (generally appropriate for houses built between 1920 and 1980) can save £150 on your heating bills and reduce your carbon footprint by 799kg. For new builds, investing in high levels of insulation materials is the most cost effective way to minimise heat loss and keep energy bills low. Insulation materials are used in roofs, walls and floors and there are a wide variety of products on the market for both existing and new homes. Check out the wide range of insulation specialist exhibitors at The National Homebuilding & Renovating Show.

Consider Alternative Energy Technologies

Alternative energy technologies where you produce your own electricity or energy to heat your home may be expensive but can significantly reduce your carbon footprint as well as reduce your utility bills to a minimum. Ground source heat pumps are the darlings of the green movement and work like a fridge, using electricity to power water through pipes below the surface where the temperature remains at a constant 10 degrees. You could also consider wind or hydro turbines and solar panels. For simpler initiatives consider underfloor heating, rainwater harvesting and grey water recycling.

Understand the New Payback Scheme

Grants are no longer available to help towards the cost of installing alternative energy technologies. However, from April 2010 the Government is introducing a Feed in Tariff (FiT) scheme in which homeowners who generate their own electricity will be paid a substantial premium for all electricity they generate. Offering a series of per-unit rates, guaranteed by law for 25 years and inflation-linked, the income is also tax free. Now there’s an incentive! From April 2011, the Government will be introducing the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) which will apply the same principles to heat energy – for technologies like thermal solar panels and ground-source heat pumps. To find out more, ring 0800 512512 or attend the free masterclass on how to make money from renewable energy at The National Homebuilding & Renovating Show.

Get Financial Help with Ageing Boilers

If your boiler has a permanent pilot light or is over 15 years old, it’s likely it is G-rated and therefore qualifies for the boiler scrappage scheme. The great news is that the Government is offering a £400 cashback voucher for anyone scrapping their G-rated boiler and replacing it with an A-rated boiler or renewable heat technology. There are currently around 3.5 million homes in England with G-rated or worse boilers. Find out if you are eligible by logging onto www.governmentboiler-scrappagescheme.info

Do Your Homework

Do your homework and get as much information as possible. Visit websites like the Association for Environment Conscious Building, the Centre for Alternative Technology and the Energy Saving Trust.

Visit The National Homebuilding & Renovating Show at the NEC from 18 to 21 March. The Show features over 450 exhibitors as well as The Eco Homes Show, free seminar and masterclass sessions, Ask the Experts and Independent Advice Areas. Sustainable living continues to be a big focus of the Show this year and there are two free seminars every day as well as 29 free masterclasses over the four days focussing on specific aspects of energy efficiency and environmentally friendly products and services. You can also speak to Tim Pullen, resident eco-expert at the Ask the Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine Experts stand or visit Oakwright’s cutaway structure demonstrating how your dream home design can accommodate eco-friendly products including solar heating, breathable walls, wind power and insulation.

Tickets are £10 in advance or £14 on the door and children under 16 go free.

The hot trend from the catwalk this season is print..print..print! Be it bold, floral, geometric or traditional, it’s all mixed up for eclectic style.

Digetex has launched its fantastic Iconic Pop paper murals collection this month. Taking a cue from the master, Andy Warhol’s Pop Art of the 60’s, today’s visual graphics portray a modern vision of popular culture which can be used to reflect personal expression.

Digetex’s wall murals are a great way to touch on this trend. The collection features iconic images like the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, Statue of Liberty and the Taj Mahal in ever popular monotone, complemented by a range of fun, colourful pop art style lips, clocks, phones and a patriotic Majesty which will add a splash of iconic style to your home.

Each design is available as a paper mural on durable matt or semi gloss paper, and is available in a range of sizes to suit your wall space or custom printed to your specified size.

More details can be found at www.digitex.com