Be savvy in the way you spend. Make sure purchases are worthwhile, prudent and not for the short term. These words of advice will help you shop smart, indicating where you can get away with parting with a few less pounds, whilst still achieving a great design-led look!

SPEND ON…Curtain making and fitting
An experienced Interior Furnisher, such as Drapemasters ensure all fabrics are suited to the situation; follow through with correct fitting, allowing their maximum effect and potential to be realised. They guide you within in your spending plan as well as point out the areas you could make savings.

TIP...still want that amazing designer fabric at £99/m? Consider roman blinds instead of curtains – they use far less fabric!

SAVE ON….The fabric. If adhering to a budget is a necessity, savings can be made. Akin to the fashion world, top designs are reproduced by reputable fabric houses in better price ranges e.g.£25 - £60/metre, as opposed to £80-£300/m.

SAVE ON….New curtains by modifying your existing ones. Good quality curtains can be updated and altered - handy when moving or if damaged along the leading edges. Just add contrasting borders – the effect can be stunning!

TIP… Curtain style affects price – a pair of eyelet curtains need less fullness than traditional headings – further fabric savings!

SPEND ON…The sofa
Choose a classic design for longevity in a hard wearing upholstery fabric. A good frame and construction is all important. A quality sofa will live forever and when it comes to a change in décor all you need to do is reupholster it in a complimentary fabric – again a matter your interior furnisher will help you with.

TIP… Invest in stain protection of your new sofa – it will help you keep it looking good!

SPEND ON…..That designer wallpaper you’ve been lusting after; for greater impact create a feature wall behind a bed or around a fireplace in the dining room. This way you would be unlikely to need more than 3 rolls as opposed to 10 or more for a complete room.

TIP… For homage designs in mid price ranges – try Harlequin or Sanderson – both available at Drapemasters.

SAVE ON… Decorating costs by doing some of the preparation yourselves – you may well enjoy stripping that old paper off - very therapeutic!  

SPEND ON… The new breed of compact fluorescent (or low energy) bulbs. They use around 11 watts of power to generate the same light as a normal 60 watt bulb.

SAVE ON… Up to 80% of your lighting electricity bill and reduce your carbon footprint as a consequence of using low energy bulbs.

Having shed a little light on how to spend wisely, we wish you success in your purchases and above all plenty of fun creating your stylish interiors!

Julia Sondack - Drapemasters 020 8360 3082

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice is delighted to announce that with effect from 16 July 2010 it became the leaseholders of The Barnet Countryside Centre (aka the Denis Bland Nature Reserve) and proud guardians of the site for the next 125 years.

The charity will shortly be opening formal discussions with the London Wildlife Trust and the Friends of Barnet Countryside Centre with a view to establishing a formal arrangement through which they will help Noah’s Ark deliver the Environmental Management Plan for the site. The Charity is looking forward to working in partnership with both these organisations on initiatives that will involve enhancements to the reserve and its usage by the community.

The nature reserve at Byng Road presents a unique opportunity for Noah’ Ark to establish a children’s hospice at the heart of the community to complement the support it is currently providing to local children and families – a sustainable facility within the setting of a vibrant nature reserve.

Over the course of the next few months Noah’s Ark anticipates applying for full planning permission, having already achieved outline planning permission as part of the original bid for the land.  Later in the year the charity will be launching an organisational appeal for service development as a whole (including the monies needed for the building). Noah’s Ark has also recently achieved Care Quality Commission Registration which will allow for the expansion of services, enabling it to extend its support to more families in the local area by the end of the year.

The past few months have been an exciting period for Noah’s Ark. In May the Charity was chosen by The Mayor of Barnet as one of the charities he will support during his term of office in 2010-2011 and in June the Appeals Office moved to Barnet! Open Days are planned for early autumn - anyone interested in coming along should call the Noah’s Ark office on 020 8449 4477.   Charity No: 1081156

You’ve heard the phrase but what is it? It sounds like something Blue Peter buried in the garden only to be dug up in a century so that others can laugh at the fashion faux pas committed by our generation.  

Or is it a cunning miniscule device created by The Doctor for his female travellers in the Tardis?

Well it’s none of the above, a capsule wardrobe is nothing more than a collection of clothes that work well together, but can be worn in different ways to take you from day to night. They are the basic essentials of your wardrobe. The clothes you wear will depend on your individual lifestyle. For most of us these will be the key items:

•  Crisp white shirt
•  Tailored trousers
•  Jeans, remember you may need two different lengths if you wear flats and heels
•  Knitwear – jumpers and button down knits/cardi’s
•  White t shirt 
•  Little black dress (LBD) 
•  Knee-length skirt
•  Classic trench coat/Mac
•  Tailored jacket 
•  Black or brown leather boots
•  Day shoe

Remember these are the basics of your wardrobe, which you can add to each season to create a new look. Each item is a timeless classic and can be mixed and matched with each other as well as new additions to your wardrobe. 

You will also need other accessories like fabulous bags, sunglasses, jewellery, scarves, pashmina, gloves, and definitely an array of belts.

The basis to any great capsule wardrobe should be classic items that transcend fashion trends. They are clothes you should invest in wisely.

As much as your budget allows, look for quality fabrics and the most flattering cut that suits your body shape. Try and buy natural fabrics such as cotton, linen, silk and wool and avoid at all costs man - made synthetics …unless you really believed that those lurid coloured shell suits were heaven sent and you are
waiting for them to make a re-appearance! 
  
Have staples in your wardrobe that are in good neutral colours such as white, black, cream, grey, tan/browns and navy. Using these neutral colours, as the basics will ensure that your wardrobe is as versatile as possible.  You can then add vibrant pieces to create your own style and individuality. 

Always remember not to take fashion too seriously.  Have fun developing your own style! 

For more information please contact Nalan on T: 07751 884 853
www.fabulouslystylish.com

So you've decluttered, you're  happy with your décor, fixtures and fittings but something is lacking… Aaah it’s the windows… naked and without any form of dressing; the colours used in the room may not be united, not to mention the privacy factor!

Here we hope to shed a little light on the huge choice of products and their suitability in your various rooms.

Kitchens & Bathrooms
We recommend metal venetian blinds as well as roller and pleated blinds in suitable fabrics taking into account the high moisture levels in this room. A chic and sleek look could be simple chrome coloured venetian blinds which tie in all your fittings. A bright and funky look might include a roller blind with a bold retro print which picks out the colours in your units.

Master Bedroom, Lounge & Dining Rooms
Generally these are the rooms that either most time is spent with your guests and that buyers of your property will form an opinion on as to value of the property. Thus these are the rooms to spend on and create impact.

It is here that sumptuous curtains can be used in Traditional, Classic or Contemporary themes with headings such as swags & tails, pinch or goblet pleat or eyelets. When deciding on style look at the period of your property and keep the furnishings sympathetic with the flow through your home. Roman blinds also look great in these rooms and can be used under pelmets or on their own particularly if a vibrant colour or pattern design.

For a  roman with a twist why not try a cascade blind which keeps its folds of fabric  even when fully lowered?

By enlisting the help of an expert you will not only be able to make the right choice as far as product is concerned, you will also have peace of mind in knowing the correct size of window dressing will be fitted, ensuring their maximum potential is achieved.

All you need to do is sit back and enjoy the new ambience created by your window dressings and relax rest assured that your house is now your complete home!
Julia Sondack - Drapemasters 020 8360 3082

These Families are Inspirational - Be Inspired

A thought provoking statement?  Yes.  In these challenging times, as many of us tighten our belts and day-to-day living costs continue to increase, charities like Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice who are currently working with over 90 families of life-limited children in the communities of South Hertfordshire and North London, could suffer as a result.  You have only to read the national press to learn that a reduction in regular giving and donations is having an affect on the work of small charities.

Whilst it is difficult to predict what will happen in the coming year, or when the economy might return to pre-recession levels, the focus underpinning the service development at Noah’s Ark continues to be about helping more families, more often. 

It is for this reason that the charity is asking individuals and the business community to think twice before considering a reduction or cessation in voluntary giving.  “The repercussions of a significant drop in donations could be huge for a small, local charity such as Noah’s Ark.  There are an estimated 350 life-limited children and their families living in our area.  A regular gift to Noah's Ark helps to sustain a much needed service for those who do not have the gift of time.  We need to provide the help now”, Fundraising Development Manager, Diane Parry said.

Funding from Children In Need and other grants and trusts arrives in instalments throughout the year, but it is not enough without extra donations, which come in the form of regular giving and one-off donations from individuals and corporate supporters.  With the continued generosity of its supporters, Noah’s Ark has been able to make a significant difference to many families they support through Respite Play and the Family Support Volunteers Scheme.

The value of all this support cannot be underestimated and expanding its capacity is a priority for the charity in 2010.

There are many examples of how giving can make a difference.  To illustrate this, a donation of £25 could help a life-limited child receive an hour of loving time from a respite nursery nurse or play specialist; £100 could go towards creating a long lasting precious memory for a family with a life-limited child; £750 could provide five days of care from a respite nursery nurse; £1,500 could provide a purpose built trike for a life-limited child and £10,000 could cover the cost of family fun days and volunteer training for one year.  Diane Parry added, “The repercussion of giving to a smaller charity like Noah’s Ark can have a major impact – adding life to days where we cannot add days to life”.

Noah’s Ark’s fundamental belief is that a children’s hospice service has to be one which is flexible and which truly responds to the needs of the children and families.  Now more so than ever, this approach is reflected in the charity’s approach to its work with individual and corporate supporters.  By keeping an open mind, and adapting to the changing needs and situations of its supporters, Noah’s Ark is confident it can continue to provide its services for local families, whilst constantly focusing and reviewing these against the level of financial support it receives. 

“Our families are amazing, full of courage and stamina, and we believe in helping them to make every precious moment count.  We will always argue that just because a life is limited, it shouldn’t limit the right to a quality of life”.

If you are interested in learning more about the Charity, want to volunteer or have ideas of how to raise funds, please call 020 8449 8877 or visit www.noahsarkhospice.org.uk. Your support is Noah’s Ark’s lifeline and helps families to make every precious moment count.