FURNITURE - The Eco Cradle

Anyone tuning into BBC1’s The Apprentice earlier this month might have spotted the appearance of the Eco Cradle being pitched to the teams by Paul Tuite, founder of online eco store, ECOutlet.

The Eco Cradle was originally picked up by the production team back in 2008 and following a successful pitch to the producers, it then went on to become one of the final products up for consideration by the two teams Ignite and Empire aired in recent episode ‘The Baby Show’.

Paul Tuite of ECOutlet commenting on pitching to the contestants said “The Eco Cradle may not have made it to the final stages of the baby fair it truly is an innovative and intelligent piece of design and if given support by the public could become a staple and sustainable piece of furniture design suitable for newborns and environmentally conscious families across the UK"


The Eco Cradle is a cardboard cot which is perfect for purpose in that it is designed to cater for a baby’s first few months in the home. It does the job of an ordinary baby cradle but it does it better.

Aside from the environmental credentials, it is the design of the Eco Cradle which makes it stand out from the crowd. The Eco Cradle arrives flat packed and the unit consists of three tough and durable yet surprisingly light cardboard sections which slot together providing an assembled structure which is extremely sturdy and safe, having successfully passed a weight load test of 40kg.

The beauty is in the assembly which takes a matter of seconds and results in a truly portable piece of furniture. The Eco Cradle will flat pack in the boot of the car making it perfect for travelling and for grandparents or babysitters. Unlike a conventional carrycot there are none of the dangers or hassles involved in transporting large pieces of furniture up and down stairs, simply disassemble and reassemble elsewhere – the whole process takes seconds with no requirements for tools.

The environmental credentials of the Eco Cradle are also without question, admirable and unique in its field. It’s made from over 60% recycled material and is completely recyclable. The structure is protected by an environmentally friendly non-toxic, non-hazardous fire retardant and all adhesives, print colours and additives are water based and non-toxic.

Would you use one for your baby?

NEWS - Win a Community Space Makeover

www.mydeco.com, an interior design and homewares website, is offering one lucky community a design makeover by British design icons Sir Terence Conran and Tara Bernerd. They are looking for nominations from people in cities, towns and villages across the country for the indoor community space that deserves to win. Do you know somewhere near you that deserves a makeover?

Whether it’s an unloved library, tired town hall or aging youth club, the YourSpace campaign is offering a money-can’t-buy chance to have a local, indoor community space redesigned and revitalised by top British designers from the mydeco design board. Any UK indoor space at the heart of a community can be nominated online at www.mydeco.com/yourspace by submitting a photograph of the room and 200 words on what it means to your community. The public will vote on the space they think is the most deserving in Britain.

The closing date for the competition is 5pm on May 29th 2009 so hurry and make sure you get your chance to nominate that important place in your community.

GADGET - Philips LivingColours

This lamp really reminds me of a jellyfish. This unique lamp gives off light in an infinite range of colours (well, actually 16 million colours). Durable and transparent, the Philips LivingColours lamp would fit into most interior schemes and the power cable is even transparent meaning it will blend with your home. The coloured light comes from LEDs which last much longer than ordinary bulbs, a bonus as it means no changing them every month. You can use the remote to adjust the light, and it is flexible enough to be changed according to your own tastes. It was also featured on Channel 5's, The Gadget Show. I want one.

VIDEO - Energy Saving MTV Cribs Style

Energy saving can be simple. Check out the video above where comedian, writer and actor Marcus Brigstocke reveals some of the eco-renovations he has made to his London home in true MTVTM style. The Energy Saving Trust want to bring to our attention some small changes that could make a big difference in the fight against climate change.

And if you are already an eco do-gooder, then distract yourself with 3 minutes of spoof Cribs video anyway. It made me smile!

ART - High Heeled Art by Mark Schwartz

I thought it was about time for a bit of an arty post, so here it is. Do you love shoes? If you do, then this blog is definitely for you.

Shoe designer Mark Schwartz has been creating his designs and turning them into art for over twenty years. All work is one of a kind and signed by his own hand. Imagine one of these hung up in the walk in closet of your dreams. I had better work harder to afford that lifestyle, and you can expect to pay anything from $300 to $6000 to get hold of one of the paintings too. Not cheap! Mark once met Andy Warhol who was a big inspiration to him, and an encouragement to keep his art going.


Mark's blog, High Heeled Art, includes an archive of his work and you can also purchase paintings online.

FOOD - Brook's Counter and Table

Just over a week ago I met a fellow Twitterer, @noelleclaire, in Hammersmith for a drink and a gossip. She suggested a cute little delicatessen and cafe called Counter and Table, serving up homemade goodies. We sat outside watching people go by and drinking elderflower fizz and pear juice. Our topic of conversation was blogging, twitter and starting fashion labels.

Brook's also offer a catering service. They are well known for their range of delicious cakes and biscuits and even offer a children's dinner on a Thursday, enabling busy mums to have a night off. You can visit Counter and Table at 140 Shepherd's Bush Road, London, W6 7PB.

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SHOPPING - The Latest at Cath Kidston

Thanks again to Abbie, my guest blogger with a love of Polka dots. Here she looks at Cath Kidston for pretty prints and outdoorsy 'must haves'.

'If I do many more guest blogs for the lovely Style PA one thing that you will quickly become aware of is my love of polka dots. I scour the high street and back streets for the best polka dot home ware items.

By far the best place I have found is Cath Kidston. If I were not trying to get by on my measly student loan I would happily kit out my whole kitchen with some of the gorgeous stuff that fills their shops. I recently visited their York store and I treated myself to a matching apron and oven glove set for my little kitchen.

Not only does Cath Kidston offer some beautiful polka dot items to fill your home with, they also have other vintage inspired prints, their trademark rose print being one of the most popular. They have practically everything you could need to furnish and decorate your home, everything from cushions to cutlery, and wallpaper to wash bags.

And now that the weather is getting much more agreeable I recommend visiting theoutdoors section.

I found these cute little gardening gloves for the bargain price of £3.

Thinking of spending a day enjoying the early summer sunshine in the park? Well, you can now do it in true Cath Kidston style, with the Cath Kidston Frisbee, picnic basket, kite, blanket and parasol. And even if the sky decides to turn grey (this is Britain after all!) then they even have Cath Kidston ponchos and umbrellas.

Cath Kidston also have gift vouchers available on their website… It’s almost my birthday… I think I know what I will be putting on my wish list!'

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HOME - Your Spring Maintenance Checklist

Photo Credit: slack12 on Flickr

The British weather can play havoc with the exterior of your home but with spring in the air, now is the ideal time to give your property an annual health check and plan any essential maintenance work.

Says Richard Diment, director general of the Federation of Master Builders: “Maintaining and improving the outside of your home is well worth the investment and will always make it more marketable. Most of the work can be undertaken by competent DIY enthusiasts, but some specialist work, such as roofing, window and pointing repairs should be left to professional builders.”

To help you keep your home in good shape, here are the FMB’s top tips for your spring home health check:

• Start at the top – check the roof for any missing or damaged tiles or cracks in roofing felt. You are responsible if something from your property, for example a falling roof tile, causes damage or injury to passers-by.

• Check guttering for any damage and clear away any blockages that may have accumulated over the winter months. Replace damaged or rusted cast-iron guttering with a modern alternative.

• Check brickwork for cracked or crumbling pointing and replace before moisture seeps in.

• Check external paintwork, especially on wooden door or window frames, and make a painting plan of action for the drier summer months. Repair or replace any damaged frames.

• As the weather gets warmer, remember to adjust your central heating to a summer setting to save energy. This is also a good time to bleed your radiators to get rid of air pockets.

• In the garden, check wooden sheds and fences. Mend any damage and treat with wood preservative.

• Clean algae from paths and patios, repoint joints where required.
  

• Finally, it’s worth checking your home security. You should have good locks on all doors and windows - check that they are in working order.

If you need a builder to carry out maintenance or repair work log onto www.findabuilder.co.uk but do choose your builder with care. Be clear about the work you want done, obtain estimates – or better still, written quotations - from two or three different builders, ask for references and check their previous work, and avoid dealing in cash.

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