Lovely Things

Zara Home Autumn/Winter 2008/2009

We wanted to show you some of the great looks from the Zara Home Autumn/Winter 2008/09 catalogue as I know Lovely Things readers are always keen to see what's new and to get some great decorating ideas for your own homes.

There's a fresher feeling this season than you'd often expect for A/W looks which is really modern and autumnal, in opposition to the 'cuddly' feel we often see for winter. The setting in a huge warehouse space is luscious (makes me want to live without walls!), with an open, airy feel for some shots, and a tucked-away secret delight with others.

As always, Zara gives us a variety of options in their look book, from eclectic colour and retro-modern to a touch of chinoiserie and traditional romance. As is my favourite thing about this time of year, we see delicious colours with deep jewel tones, plus some fresher palettes such as light blue with tan and neutrals.

Continue reading below for more images from the gorgeous Zara Home A/W catalogue...

Flock cushion bargains at Dwell

If you're a fan of flock on a budget, look no further than these cushions that are on sale at Dwell. Pictured is the flock damask cushion in sapphire blue with black flock at £5.95 for the small (a not so teeny 43cm x 43cm), and £9.95 for the large (56cm x 56cm). Also available is the taupe version with the small for £7.95 and large for £9.95. Happy flocking!

Soil Association's Organic Fortnight 6-21 September 2008

This weekend sees the launch of the Soil Association's Organic Fortnight, a celebration of all things organic in the UK from 6th-21st September. There's a whole host of events running all over the place focusing on food and drink, beauty and textiles. To find out what's on, or to host your own event, visit the Soil Association website. To celebrate this great event, read on to take a look at some lovely organic bedding for your home (the gorgeous image above is from Dorma - more details via the link below).

Bedding bargain: £10 bedlinen set at Wallace Sacks

This really is a bargain price for a bedding set - just a tenner no matter which  size you order. The Wallace Sacks paisley bedlinen set comes in a deep pink with yellow and green stripes on one side, and a bold paisley pattern on the other for contrast.

The single set is a single duvet cover and one pillow case, and all other sizes come with two pillowcases. Sizes single to superking were from £20 to £35, but now all just £10 each.

Gorgeous blankets from Atlantic Blanket Company & a special Lovely Things discount code

When we live in a country with summers as unpredictable and un-sunny as England's it's criminal to write what I'm about to write: I can't wait til autumn! Okay, well maybe that's overdoing it a bit, but you see, I've been so inspired by the beautiful blankets and throws at the Atlantic Blanket Company's website, that the thought of snuggling up against the chill suddenly doesn't seem like such a bad idea.

As well as a lovely array of woolly cosiness, I'm impressed with the clean, simple look of the site, the beautiful photography and customer-friendly design. Read below for a very special discount code for Lovely Things readers.

Now comes the difficult part - trying to decide which products are my favourites that I just have to show you. Here goes...

Still bargains to be had: 50-70% off in Heal's clearance

Most of the sales are over and you'd be forgiven for thinking all that's left are a few dregs that nobody wants. Okay, well that is true on many counts, but if you have a little rummage, there are still some bargains to be nabbed as stores clear out the last of their old season's stock.

Here's a few picks from the Heal's clearance section at 50 to 70 percent off...

Heal's Home Event - 50% off sale

Speaking of Heal's recently, if you haven't already, check out their Home Event, with some great discounts of up to 50% off furniture and home furnishings. 'Mu Mu' funky striped reversible bedding started at £50 for a single duvet set and is now from £25 and the lovely 'Mistral' sofa we featured, has now dropped to £1435 for the smaller size.

Spring/Summer 2008 at Zara Home

Spring has arrived at Zara Home and we're seeing a Moroccan theme for many of the looks in the Spring/Summer 2008 catalogue.

For summer there's lots of colour and pattern, but with a cool rather than cosy feel. Like previous collections, there's strong white furniture groupings alongside the colour splashes, and again, a lovely opulent edge, despite the High St price tags. There's lots here with the slight vintage-ness that Zara Home does so well, but keep your eyes peeled for more modern items, with a touch of retro style.

Visit Lovely Things again next week to check out our picks from the spring collection and the fresh green-themed Zara Home outdoor dining looks. Click below now to view more colourful Moroccan S/S 2008 looks from the catalogue...

Christian Lacroix for La Redoute

Designer collaborations with High St brands are everywhere these days in fashion, so it's not surprising to see more crossover of this type in home furnishings as well. The Christian Lacroix pour La Redoute collection has just launched and includes a range of homeware items such as tables, bedding and rugs.

Most items are designed around a bright print theme, though, despite being a major print fan, I rather like this simple 'Gloriette' perspex and steel table in orange (£165). It reminds me of the lovely little Eames side table, with its wire frame base.

More unusual are items like the 'Noctopatte' table (below, £255) with its nine (count 'em!) mismatched legs.

Click through below to see more of the Lacroix collection...

Gorgeous autumn-coloured bedding on sale at Argos

The recent rain's been making me think about cooler nights and autumn colours and now is a great time to take advantage of the sales to stock up on bedding for the coming season. Argos isn't the first place I think of for bedding, but they currently have a range of sale duvet sets and bedspreads in great autumnal colours at bargain prices. Click below for the details...