British Summer Time is now officially with us, and, I have to say it’s very nice to have light evenings once again.
I have been looking forward to spending more time in my garden, giving it plenty of TLC. Thanks to the recent sunshine, leaves and flowers have started to burst forth, and the monochrome days of winter seem well past.
I always think it’s a good idea to stock up on summer garden paraphernalia as early in the season as possible.
It’s really frustrating to be taken by surprise by a spell of hot weather and find that you have no BBQ coal, that the deck chairs are ripped, and the glass has smashed in the outdoor lanterns!
A great internet site for all garden-related essentials is Plantstuff (www.plantstuff.com). They have some delightful recycled tin lanterns prettily decorated in bright colours.
The attractive frosted glass gives off lovely flickering patterns once the t.light is glowing inside.
Being pestered by wasps buzzing around your picnic or barbecue is hardly relaxing, so, for £16.50 Plantstuff’s wasp trap is a good investment.
Once filled with water and honey, it acts as a decoy, drawing the wasps away from your meal, but without hurting them, leaving you to tuck into your food in peace.
No picnic is complete without a blanket, and for the most luscious selection possible look up The Atlantic Blanket Company (www.atlantic blankets.com/0845 6585194).
The Cornish company has a glorious range of colours. Their shawls and throws also come in handy if you want something to wrap around you should the day turn chilly.
It’s great fun buying new clobber but where do you store it? Sure, a good sort out here and there helps, but the fact is, most of us tend to accumulate.
A good storage system can help turn chaos into order. Just make sure that only the things you really need and like are stowed away - everything else must go.
I think perspex boxes are a good idea, as you can see what’s in there quite easily.
There’s nothing more covetable than a perfectly organised wardrobe where everything is in its place, and there are no higgeldy piggeldy piles of gear threatening to avalanche at any moment.
If you have the space, a walk-in wardrobe is ideal. I designed one for a client recently, complete with a low cupboard in the middle which doubles up as a bench to lay a suitcase on while packing.
In any wardrobe, the trick is to create compartmentalised storage for items such as shoes, belts, winter woollies and so on, so that order prevails.
Maintaining your privacy in an urban environment can be tricky, and many solutions mean compromising on natural light.
The Acrylic Collection from American Shutters (www.americanshutters.co.uk) provides a solution that keeps prying eyes out, but allows in a subtle, diffused light that’s pleasant to live in.
They are fitted in the same way as louvered shutters, but are made from parapan, a high-tech acrylic, which is bacteria-free and waterproof, and so also works very well in a kitchen or bathroom.
They are available in a range of designs and colours.
Yvonne Jones is a Royal College of Art trained designer, and is the owner of Chameleon Interiors. Tel: 029 2037 1277. www.chameleoninteriors.co.uk
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