Choosing wood flooring for your home

Wood floors have many advantages – they're easy to keep clean, don’t harbour dust and mites, are hard-wearing, long-lasting, natural, biodegradable and, of course, they look fantastic. But with so many products on the market, what type of wood is best? Kay Hill investigates

Tibbo teak collection by Barber Osgerby for Germany's Dedon
Eco-friendly garden furniture: relax in your own great outdoors

Sunny days shift our focus outside. But to enjoy our gardens, balconies, terraces and patios, we need at the very least something to sit on. Kay Hill seeks outdoor furniture that looks great, is comfortable and has green credentials

Garden rooms: more living space for your home

Should you have a garden that's big enough, it makes sense to put in a garden room if you need a home office, somewhere to put growing kids, sprightly grandparents or overnight guests, or you need a place to escape to. Sheds ain't what they used to be you know

A fantastic table..the oak Branch table by Blu Dot, from £1,395 at Heal's
Top tables: make life better

A table is a key piece of furniture needed for a civilised life ...along with a bed and a chair. There's no shortage of good design in eco-friendly materials, but here are a few we particularly like across the price spectrum

Features

American White Oak kitchen by Sustainable Kitchens in Bristol
How to achieve an eco-friendly kitchen

Whether you invest your life savings in a luxury one, or you do it on a shoestring, you can make sure your kitchen doesn't leave a giant-sized carbon footprint in its wake

a bit of attention and wood will stay looking great
Restoring, repairing and renovating wooden furniture

Steve Grimwood, MD of Osmo UK, shares his tips on how to rejuvenate your favourite pieces of wooden furniture that may be in need of a bit of TLC

eco gifts
Eco-friendly wedding presents for green-at-heart couples

You've got weddings or civil partnerships coming up. The happy couples have eschewed a list at a department store, saying airily that 'anything recyclable, bio-degradable or generally CO2-lite will be simply divine!' Rejoice, there's much that fits the bill

People

Chalk Paint creator Annie Sloan, a woman who's become an international business success
Profile: Annie Sloan, creator of that paint..you know, the chalk one

Fervour, passion, zeal.... all are adjectives that describe how Annie Sloan's customers feel about her paint. Many a competitor company would kill to know just what it is about it that inspires such devotion. Its creator isn't entirely sure either, except that it's damn good stuff

Charlie Luxton trained as an architect..but never got round to taking his final part 3 exams
Charlie Luxton: High octane enthusiast for low energy living

Architectural designer and TV presenter Charlie Luxton is optimistic that self-build is the future for the next generation. And he's all for thinking well and truly outside the box.

Accessories

Prisoners are paid for their work for Fine Cell Work
Fine Cell Work celebrates 20th anniversary

The social enterprise that trains prisoners in creative needlework turns 20 this year with a move to larger premises in London's Battersea

You can find zinc pots in salvage yards and second-hand shops
How to: upcycle old zinc pots into pretty utensil holders

For the second in her series of super quick and easy upcycling projects, Kajsa Kinsella works her magic on the humble zinc pail. It's a fun thing to do with children if you want to get them upcycling early

Decorating with pastel colours

With summer almost upon us, it's time to embrace the pale pinks, baby blues and lilacs over darker hues

Interiors

Pots of Paint is a very eco friendly brand
Eco-friendly paints - what it means and who makes them

Paints have a big impact on air quality, something that's becoming more of a concern to homeowners. So which manufacturers score highly on great colour, environmental friendliness and quality?

Embroider the story: Sep Jordan offers beautiful embroidery by refugee women in Jordan

Ethical and fair trade brand Sep offers exquisite hand-embroidered homewares and decorative accessories. Pieces are hand-made by Palestinian refugees in Jordan who are skilled in the art of cross stitching; and four years into the project, some 800 women are working with Sep

Decorating with pastel colours

With summer almost upon us, it's time to embrace the pale pinks, baby blues and lilacs over darker hues