My new idect phones are useless because the mouthpiece is so critical, that people often can not hear me - which really defeats the phones objective. This 1960's Scandiphone from Plumo would be an ideal replacement. It's a distinctive white or orange, has the dial hidden in it's base and costs £49. It's the 10th anniversary of this eclectic company, who specialise in lots of girly clothing and accessories with random lovely house fiddly bits thrown in. There's lots of inspirational and indulgent stuff for Mothers Day too.

Posted by Carole

Re-found objects is definately high on my list of ten great home sites. These simple £8 paper lanters are typical examples of their well chosen, often recycled and unusual products. The site is joy to navigate, it's quirky yet elegant - log on if you don't believe me.

Posted by Carole

This Inside Out bathroom cabinet is a deserving winner of the Best of British Elle Decoration ''Best in bathrooms'' award in December 2007. It costs £240, is made from aluminium composite and having seen it recently at a trade show will stand the test of time, as a great piece of playful contemporary design. Purves online is a modern and well navigated site with a great range of well chosen products - I've clearly fallen in love with it.

Posted by Carole

Yes - this is a Metz £350 chair from the love it or loath it Next Directory. I've just been browsing through their new catalogue and it really is worth perusing their wallpapers, chairs and lighting. If you choose carefully, you can easily throw in the odd purchase as part of an overall look with ease and a lighter wallet than if you headed to Heals or Habitat. Saying that, do check they haven't tattooed their Next logo on the piece. For that they need to pay you and me for purchasing and advertising the item in question.

Posted by Carole

If you want a quick kitchen makeover then donate your old mugs to charity or make them into planters. Then feast your eyes upon these delicious Pantone mugs from heals for £8 each. The whole range is based upon the world renowned colour authority, so this orange 021C is just one of very hueful palette - tea will never taste as good.

Posted by Carole

I can't resist twinkly lights, they can cheer up a dull room and mask the cracks in the wall. These colourful and vibrant Chinese paper lanterns from Kitsch cost £19.95 for 20 paper lanterns on a 6m cord, complete with approx 6 bulb spares (indoor use only). As it's Chinese New Year soon and they can deliver in a day, you could still have your chinese take away, in shall we say a more atmospheric setting. If not, then you could opt for the chilli, bunny, duck or pink fluffy heart lights.

Posted by Carole

For all of you who want to know what's hot in furniture and products for the small people in our lives, then put February the 24th in your diary. Hot foot to Christison Hall at Dulwich College in London at 10am -4pm and bring your kids there for free. Those clever people from Showhome have amasssed the work of over 50 designers from the UK, Europe and Scandinavia to wow you with modern designs and creations for kids. Look out for Nine to Nine furniture from Spain and Bugge from Norway, 70s cut and sew brand Clothkits, mini eames chairs, Isokon penguin donkeys. Source top designers at Thorsten Van Elten, Little fashion Gallery and Places and Spaces downstairs. The only problem is I'm not sure I could justify our kids rooms being such a style emporium when the rest of the house is so shambolic.

Posted by Carole