Lovely Things

Pure silk floral print cushion 40% off at M&S

Well the countdown to Christmas has really begun, and it's time to grab those credit crunch bargains as presents for friends and fmaily, or perhaps just a gift for yourself. This lovely pure silk cushion from Marks and Spencer was £25, but is currently discounted by 40% so is just £15 at the checkout, which is a really fab price for 100% silk. It's available in blue and in the honey colour shown here.

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!

Up to 20% off everything at Debenhams

Debenhams is running a mini sale starting today and ending on Friday 12th, offering up to 20% off almost everything in the store and online at debenhams.com. Shown here is the olive smoke glass candle holder from Star by Julien Macdonald - was £30, now £24, and the green embroidered leaf cushion - was £20, now £16.

Drama, texture, metallic: Autumn at Zara Home

Zara Home's Autumn/Winter 2008 collection has come over all dramatic - there's loads of architectural shapes, dark gold and glossy black. Continue reading below for details of the items featured here...

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...

Bemz slipcovers for your Ikea furniture

What a clever idea! Bemz is a Swedish company that creates custom slipcovers for your Ikea sofas and armchairs. Trading on the idea that customers might want a different look for their low-priced furniture, Bemz is the only company outside Ikea that makes fabric covers specifically designed for the Ikea range of furniture.

Whether you're looking to update an older piece or are planning a new Ikea purchase, you can browse through the Bemz range to choose a more unique look, safe in the knowledge that your new cover will fit your Ikea furniture exactly. On browsing, I'm also reminded by the site that I can order a 'nude' item from Ikea - that is, one without a coloured cover at all, if I want only a Bemz cover. Register at the site and you can order up to five fabric samples free so you can get a better idea of how the material will look in your home.

The 'Hounds Tooth - dusty rose' from the 'Bohemian Chic' range (above), and the 'Urban Tapestry - real red' and 'Sprezzatura - orange' from the 'Downtown' range (below), have particularly caught my eye, but there are loads to choose from. Prices start from about £20 for a dining chair cover, and they'll also make you cushions to match (or contrast) from around £12.

I just love companies that take something old and make it new again - creating new and interesting products out of utter ubiquity!

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...

Gift Guide: £10 and under

Still Christmas shopping and need a few ideas for inexpensive gifts? Here's our gift guide to presents £10 and under...

Who can resist snuggling up with a hot water bottle on a chilly night? Especially when your bottle has its own woolly jumper! This rainbow-coloured, roll-neck hot water bottle cover comes with a standard size 750ml hot water bottle inside and costs just £9.

Gift Guide: £20 and under

Ah Christmas shopping. It can be tricky finding an interesting gift without having to spend a lot of money, or a lot of time trawling websites and shops. And if you have a lot of people to buy for, the whole thing can really take it out of you. To give you a hand is our gift guide to lovely things for home and living, for £20 or less...

Whimsical Pillowcases from Kate Storer

  As much as I hate the expression 'stocking filler', these pillowcases would make fabulous small gifts for friends or family. Designed by Kate Storer, the whimsical designs are sure to bring a smile at bedtime - I mean, who can resist teeny tiny sheep?! Each style is £15 for one pillowcase and £25 for two.