Advice You Can Trust

which.co.uk asks the same question we all need to know the answer to at some stage. Which hoover/ fridge/ dishwasher is for me?

Sign up for a pound (sterling) and they supply you with a 1 month membership including;

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• Plus consumer legal and personal finance support by phone, and member recommended local services 

Other headings include Technology, Garden, Cars, Money, Baby & Child, and as far as I'm aware they use the sign up fee to fund ongoing research so at least it's the most extensive and up-to-date info you're getting

Lemonade Bottles and Cancer Theories...

This week I can across some empty Lorina (www.lorina.com) pink lemonade bottles that I had kept for decanting other liquids into. You know, the litre bottles with the pressure popper lid...

And for some reason I was reminded of the theories about plastic bottles being associated with cancer. The nurse in me just has to clear things up for you all. So I thought I'd have a little rant...

Plastic bottles do contain a chemical called BPA. When plastics are heated (when you've left your bottle of water in the car on a sunny day, or heat dinner in a plastic container) the BPA is transferred from the plastic into the food! The only lab studies that this impacted on were samples of breast cancer tissues. When BPA is mixed with these breast cancer tissue cells, they no longer responded to chemotherapy. So really, it wont give you cancer, but if you are battling cancer already, it may hinder your recovery by making treatment ineffective.

This information was gathered from "Anticancer: A New Way Of Life" written by Dr. David Server-Schreiber. A very easy to read book, written for the general public. 

http://www.anticancerbook.com/

This is the inside of my mind on a daily basis... interior design and human biology!

Makeover 1950's Terrace

I'm currently updating my grandmothers 1950's end-of-terrace house in the Midlands. It's a gorgeous retro little thing with the original features from the decade it was built (both a good thing and a bad thing at times!) and because of this it's becoming a challenge to update it while being sympathetic to the style of its' era.

Id love it to end up something like this....

http://www.plainenglishdesign.co.uk/spitalfields-5

Georgina Riverside Location image from blog at http://www.katyelliot.com/

via http://moregeous.wordpress.com/2010/10/06/design-rose-cottage-cutest-georgian-cottage-bathroom-ever/

But right now I'm doing all the work with my own two hands so I guess it'll end up looking a little less glamorous.

DON'T FORGET YOUR GARTER IF YOU WANT TO GO TO WORK

This is how real women do the dishes...




 With a range of vintage aprons, gloves, potholders and, eh, garters, there's definitely something for the rockabilly at Carolyn's Kitchen Online

Dorothy apron. With garter, of course. See all aprons HERE



Dorothy glove. See all gloves HERE



TATTOOED TEACUP

Teacups from the Love Hate collection; fine bone china with an edge from 'welovekaoru' at Luna & Curious. For the more conservative rock 'n roll teatimes.

And the matching Love Hate tattooed teapot...

And while your browsing the Luna & Curious website you might come across a few more odd but beautiful items like these skeleton espresso cups..

Rockin' Tablecloths: Harder To Find Than You'd Think

It's way harder to find tablecloths that fit  into the rock n roll catagorie than one might think. There was no specific term I could type into Google Images that would yield any appropriate result so I simply searched for 'tablecloth' and began a long and mostly dissapointing trawl through every page return. And still found very little to suit me :/

This funky scooter detail can be found at tableclothshop, along with the dark purple polkadot below. These two are of the shiny vinyl variety, so keep them on the kitchen table only I think!

When in doubt about how to make something seem a bit more hardcore I usually just go for something in dark purple.

Of course plain black can have a striking effect when used with the right table decorations to prevent it looking a bit goth, as in the example below.



Wedding dinner ideas via 'Home Improvements Info'

Using high shine cutlery and glasses and contrasting white napkins and chair covers prevent the black looking dull and harsh.

Zara Home of course will never fail to deliver something spectacular..

Fia Tablecloth Zara Home

Carolina plastic covered tablecloth Zara Home

Notonthehighstreet.com will bring you some odd patterns too, this one comes in a blue aswell, and there's a similar in two tones of grey




Corsica tablecloth by etoile home via notonthehighstreet.com

 

Still failing in your search for your ideal tablecloth? Then try a plain spread and decorate with some quirky tablecloth weights or napkin rings

MORE THAN JUST A HAIRCUT

Another cafepress.com find, in the hope that it encourages boyfriends to do more washing up



The Mullet Apron! cringe..



FOR THOSE ABOUT TO DRINK TEA

For those about to rock drink tea, THOUSANDS of rock 'n roll coasters on cafepress.com, for when serving tea to the in-laws

They come in colour too...

BELFAST SINKS- Not Just For Washing Babies

The only thing my boyfriend said to me when I first showed him a Belfast sink in B&Q was "you could wash a baby in that"! And it got me thinking about just how brilliantly versatile they truly are. But whatever way you decide to show yours off, I just don't recommend you put your babies in it...

I love this Belfast sink from Stokesay Ware. It's presented a little differently here with bisible plumbing and period metal brackets, and a single brass tap! Cute in a utility room for the rustic look.

Stokesay Ware

Or maybe you don't like the idea of (or are too clumsy around) ceramic, and feel more comfortable with a more standard stainless steel like this one from Irish superstore Taps 4 Less.

Taps 4 Less

Whatever your taste, what I can't help but love about the Belfast sink is its' versatility! You can even try it in the bathroom if you fancy something different

But if your sticking to the kitchen there's still a whole load of stlye options to choose from, like a more sleek fitted look from Kitchen Index...

Or this more retro/ shabby chic option from Garrison Hullinger Interior Design

Note how the London Underground tiles and victorian brass mixer tap make this look

Whatever you do, make sure you don't take your Belfast sink too seriously as it's a feature people mostly choose purely for aesthetic value. 

Personally, I'm just looking for an excuse and a place to fit this seriously retro, almost clinical style Armitage Shanks from Washware Essentials

Just please not with those taps :(

The Cottage Themes

My Second Favorite Interiors Theme

Cottage style gives a designer such freedom, it's so hard not to love. It doesn't have to be all pink and white either.

It just happens to be at the moment though!

Try changing the pastels to something more plumy or midnighty...

And the linen cushions to something more furry or sequiny...

Tablecloths are an easy and temporary way of setting any mood you want.