Decor

 Sue writes…

If you want to have a green, eco Christmas and are wondering about how to decorate your house for the festive season, you’ll love the Christmas ideas on Nigelsecostore.com.

I’m always looking for something unusual for my Christmas tree, and these recycled CD Christmas Tree Decorations are just the thing. Their simple designs will co-ordinate well with any other decorations you may have, and their shiny surfaces will catch the light and make them sparkle – children will love hanging these on the tree. The decorations can be bought separately for £3.99 each or you can buy a set for £10.49

Fairy lights can look magical in the garden and these outdoor solar lights are ideal if you’d like to decorate the trees in your garden. The lights are waterproof and come with an integrated controller so that you can select various options such as continuous, burst, pulse, flashing etc. The lights have a sensor so that they only come on when it’s dark. 50 fairy lights cost £19.99 and 100 fairy lights cost £29.99.

Finally, if you need a new Christmas tree this year, why not consider one of Nigelsecostore’s Grow Your Own Christmas Trees. Real Christmas trees are more eco-friendly than artificial trees as they are carbon neutral, absorbing as much carbon dioxide as they grow as they will emit when burnt or left to decompose. My favourite is the Norway Spruce Christmas Tree. A 60-75cm tree costs £32.99 and comes ready planted in its own pot.

Nigels Eco Store at present are offering 10% off their christmas range, if you order before midnight of the 13th December 2008.

Erica writes…

I have a bit of a thing about boxes: It’s always a temptation to buy nice boxes and it’s easy to justify a purchase as they’re so practical too.

This mango wood box as a lovely cut-out heart feature on the top and comes in either burnt white or pale green. You could use them anywhere around the home, but I think I would either use in the bedroom or the bathroom. I really like using boxes in these rooms as they hide away clutter and makes a room seem more calming. The colour options also seem to lend themselves to these rooms. As they are made from sustainably produced wood and are fairtrade too, you can buy with a clear conscience. Available from Biome Lifestyle for £10.

These CD boxes are also a favourite. They are available in cherry, black, brown and turquoise so should suit most rooms. They hold 10 CDs so they are probably not a choice for your main CD collection, but would be useful if you keep CDs around the house - I have a selection that I play regularly in the kitchen for instance, and another small collection in the bedroom. They’d also be good for travelling. Again they are produced in a fairtrade manner and are made from waste materials from the clothing industry. Available from Biome Lifestyle for £11.50.

Erica writes…

I’m impressed by the styling of this Eco Tableware designed by Tom Dixon, a UK designer.  They look tough enough for everyday use, but also very stylish for more formal meals.

They are made of biodegradable plastic and 85% bamboo so when they have finished their working life, they can simply be composted. You can buy the cups and bowls separately as sets of 4, and the table set comes with 4 each of cups, bowls and plates.

Prices start at £14.95 and they are available from Tactile Interiors.

Erica writes…

I really like Bridget West’s ‘Delicates’ design which has been printed onto this organic hemp cotton canvas drawstring bag.  It would be really useful for separating out clean and dirty clothes when packing for a holiday or for protecting clean clothes from shoes.  At home, I’d use it to tidy up things and it looks so nice, I’d be happy for it to be on display.

Size: 27cm x 40cm

It’s available for £20 from Pieces of You.