Vintage rose prom dress, £130, Linea

You’ve worked very hard this week, and you deserve a little treat so check out this divine piece of fashion engineering, which has cheered us up no end.

You will be forgiven for thinking that you may have spotted this little number before… but where? It was of course in Vogue magazine, this gorgeous dress is set to be the ‘It’ dress of the season, it’s already appeared in Vogue and Stylist as well as a few other glossies.

Why is the fashion world going crazy for this fabulous rose print dress? Well, it’s because it’s beautiful, flattering, perfectly on trend and will look amazing with a pair of peep toe heels in sultry black or postbox red… make Stepford Wives meets Courtney Love as your inspiration and work this look with a touch of rock star attitude.

Don’t forget if you live within the M25, Milton Keynes or selected areas within Birmingham you qualify for same day delivery, so you can order before 12pm today and get it this evening in time for the weekend… what a treat!

Click here to buy

Velvet Union Jack cushion, £25, Linea

We’ve come over all patriotic thanks to this luscious cushion from Linea. The combination of retro styling and velvet fabric has got us very excited, we’re already imagining one strategically placed on the sofa or wooden chair, and maybe a couple more to really heighten the effect. It’s just the thing we need to create the electic look we’ve been searching for.

Click here to buy

Florals, flowers, blooms, petals, call them what you will, we are addicted to the prettiest of the plant world. But whilst we may not be the most green fingered, we are able to spot a good floral dress or flower encrusted necklace when we see one.

Left to right: Muizz printed dress, £119, Ted Baker. Floral tunic, £55, Mint Velvet. Floral shift dress, £110, Linea.

A woman’s love affair with florals is an inescapable fact, we can’t resist flowers, whether it’s because they make us feel our most feminine, or perhaps it’s a chance to feel young and carefree. Whatever the reason there is a certain draw to petals.

The floral dress is of course a wonderful wardrobe staple, there in times of need, whatever the occasion you can’t beat a delicate bloom. The dress of course is a versatile piece, anyone that’s seen Edge of Love will know what we’re talking about. Pair a floral dress with a chunky knit and Wellington boots and you’ve got a fabulous look. Equally slip on a pair of wedges and tanned legs and you’ve got a winning summertime look.

Left to right: Garden silk scarf, £135, Paul Smith. Rose antique locket, £40, Cath Kidston. Pearl & butterfly ring, £12, Mikey.

Florals are everywhere this season, so it’s worth investing in a style or two. Whether you go bold and graphic or delicate and ditzy, you will feel instantly refreshed by trying on some flower prints.

Click here to shop Pretty in Petals

Pink peony lights, £20, Linea

So girly it’s bordering on OTT, but at the same time so very very right. What’s better than flowers? Ones that don’t die and light up your room of course. These are very girly, but they tie into that country-house style that we’ve fallen so in love with. Picture the scene, peony lights in an oversized vase or over the curtain rail, Cath Kidston fabrics draped around, cupcakes baking in the oven… ok, so perhaps the cupcakes were bought on the way home… but still that country chic look is complete. The charm of these lights is that they appeal to our inner girl, and like any eight year old spoilt madam… We want them! We want them! We want them! So we’re having them!

Click here to buy

When the news broke that we had acquired Biba you couldn’t have imagined such excitement, it looked like Christmas had come early. Big grinning smiles and the obligatory silent hand clapping that goes hand in hand with such things was mimicked up and down the office.

Biba will join House of Fraser’s other house brands including Therapy and Linea. Biba was the Topshop of the 60s, and remains sought after by fashion lovers and collectors everywhere. Launched in 1964 by Barbara Hulanicki, Biba defined a generation of wearable yet cutting edge fashion that continues to look on trend even today.

Biba has been recreated a couple of times but without much success. This time it is set to epitomise a new generation. House of Fraser will not only be creating modern day pieces but will also be recreating the archive collections.

It’s a fashion lover’s dream of silk prints, denims, and maxi dresses. There will be different ranges including Biba Blue for the denims, and Biba Gold for limited edition more expensive pieces.

Talking about this surprising yet wonderful move John King, Chief Executive Officer said:

“We have a fantastic new design team who will use the extensive archive to maintain the passion and energy of the original Biba brand. This, coupled with our nationwide store base, makes us confident that House of Fraser is the perfect home for modern-day Biba.”

It’s a brave step to rework a much loved iconic brand, but the success of 70s brand Halston shows that with the right direction it can work and be a success. Biba defined a generation and now it’s back with a bang.

The Biba collection will be available from September 2010 and will be exclusive to House of Fraser, it will be stocked online and in 30 select stores.

Spiced Apple candle, £12, Linea

We’ve finally come to terms with the fact that it’s not the summer anymore, and that it’s actually freezing cold already. So to get into the wintery spirit, we’ve invested in a hot water bottle and spicy scented candles. This Spiced Apple one from Linea is our favourite, with notes of cinnamon it will make you feel all warm and cosy inside. We will warn you, you will be inspired to try and make an apple crumble when you smell this candle…

 Click here to buy

Q: I quite like all the fuchsia and bright orange bathrooms around at the moment. But I’m scared that if I invest in really really bright colours that I’ll get bored of them quickly or they’ll just look stupid. And I really like those Cath Kidston type roses and polka dots, but I have a modern flat and just don’t think they’ll go. Have you got any solutions for a chic bathroom?

A: If you want to go bright you really have to be dedicated, but bright shades can really invigorate a bathroom. Brights are particularly good for spicing up an otherwise plain white bathroom. If you want a more seductive sultry look then it’s best to go for moody shades. Charcoals and black work well with white bathrooms, but are amazing against grey or black slate. This look androgynous and therefore ideal for stylish women and equally stylish men. In order to make sure that it’s not overly oppressive, add in mirrored or metallic accessories to reflect light.

The simplest way to bring a fresh look is with some decent towels, we love these Linea Finesse towels in black, from £8, the metallic thread detail is so simple yet so effective. Love them or hate them, a bath mat is a necessity, we rate the Linea Deep pile reversible mat in ebony, £20. For accessories you can’t go wrong with Umbra’s rain range, from £10, the pewter finish is just stunning. Don’t clutter up your bathroom, and keep all your products tidied away for a sleek finish, the Linea 4 tier-unit, £45 is great if you don’t have room for units or shelves but need some extra storage space. The other way to update is to bring in typical living accessories such as vases for long stem flowers, scented candles and a jasmine plant is a bizarre but brilliant accessory. If you have the space an armchair works amazingly well and is perfect for bathside chats or for throwing your clothes on. If you go for this pick an unusual print and one with depth such as Linea’s Milano occasional chair £599 in smoke or a padded dining chair can look equally chic.

If you play with accessories then you can completely change the look of your bathroom without doing anything drastic. It also means, that if you tire of a look then it can be updated again with another shade of towels or unusual accessories. The key is to pick a colour palette, realise what you use and need, then have fun.

We love retro styles and all things kooky. And we just can’t resist bringing a little cheesecake glamour into our kitchens.

Images left to right: China rose mug, £4, Cath Kidston. Dream home journal, £15, Cath Kidston. Floral set of two mugs, £10, Cath Kidston.

The home brands have all gone rather kitsch, so we’re planning on reinventing our kitchens into something our grandmother’s would approve of. The kitsch style has of course been made on trend thanks to design extraordinaire Cath Kidston. It doesn’t matter who you are, everyone loves Cath Kidston. We don’t know what it is about those polka dots and roses, but they have a way in turning into the most sensible woman into a little girl with her tea set.

Images left to right: Blue small butterfly bowl, £10, Sagaform. Time for tea double oven gloves, £12, Linea. Worktop saver, £13, Joseph Joseph.

We have fallen for the Cath Kidston mugs which are from £4. But to continue the kitsch feel we’ll be investing in candy coloured kitchen utensils including the butterfly bowl, £10, from Sagaform and to really look the part, we may just give in to purchasing the Time for tea apron and oven gloves, from £12, Linea. There’s just something about those cupcakes… But if you prefer grown up kitsch then the Joseph Joseph worktop saver, £13, is sure to get tongues wagging.

Images left to right: Red power blender, £129.99, Kitchen Aid. Cream dome kettle, £64.99, Dualit. Farmhouse dinner range, from £2, Linea.

You don’t have to have a country kitchen to play with the vintage feel. Even against modern pieces, a little bit of retro can add personality. Adding in quirky mugs and utensils can create a more electic feel, and is a fun jump away from the standardised contemporary stainless steel look. To play with the theme further invest in Kitchen Aid and Dualit kitchen electricals and Linea’s Farmhouse dinner range, from £2. Click here to shop kitchen.

50s chic has never been so 2009.

Silicone 8 cup heart moulds, £10, Linea

We’ve become little homemakers in recent months. That may have something to do with cupcakes being the cake of the moment. And we’re attempting to make them as good as that famous cupcake bakery. So, to keep us inspired by all things sweet we’ve snapped up this gorgeous mould. It’s silicone so you can literally tip your cakes out and they’ll be perfect, no mucking around with paper cases. And the heart shapes are so cute that no one will be able to resist. Click here to buy.

We have a tendency to get abit carried away when the season changes. We tidy out our wardrobes stock up on boots, coats, gloves, scarves and even adapt our fragrances. So, just imagine what we do to our homes, out with those spring time shades, and in with autumn loveliness. We want warm tones to make us feel all cosy when it’s freezing outside.

Sleeping

We’re planning a moody plum scheme for our boudoirs. Ditch those greying white sheets and get involved with dark and sultry purples. Deep purple can instantly transform your room, the tones keep it feminine yet inviting. Work silvers or bronzes into the scheme to lighten, by using mirrors, vases and metallic throws. Add to the overall feel with a spicy room fragrance such as fig and amber based scents.

We recommend: Midnight passion bed linen, from £15, Kylie at Home. Jak bed linen, from £17.50, Aura. 100% cotton percale in purple, from £7, Linea. Fireside lounge candle, £20, Banana Republic. Wild fig and vanilla room essence range, from £8, Linea.

Living

For our living areas we are being drawn towards soft metallics and muted minks. Choose champagne and latte shades to add a grown up feel that will instantly warm your room. The look is clean but with vintage and antique inspired pieces. Look for antique gilt frames, bronze lamps and soft textures. By keeping this neutral colour palette the golds will look subtle rather than brash.

We recommend: Whitley table lamp, £30, Linea. Minimix photo frame, £20, Umbra. Florence medium gold mirror, £200, Linea. Silk cushions in ginger and latte, £15 each, Linea. Raj gold stripe cushion, £30, Linea.

Eating

This autumn/winter we only want to be eating off ultra modern, earth toned dinnerware. With the hot shades being chocolates and rust reds, it’s a great way to create a modern dining experience that is still homely and user friendly. Go for darker plates and tonal place settings. Add a pop of colour, with either a bright table cloth or glasses. It’s a great scheme because you bring in and lose certain shades. So if you love the chocolate but not sure about reds, then you can bring in creams and stone shades. Equally if you want to add some drama, then bold oranges will really bring your look to life.

We recommend: Daley ceramic dinner range in chocolate, from £4, Linea. Abstract earth table mats, from £6.50, Inspire. Virginia 24 pieces stainless steel cutlery set, £169, WMF. Stack glasses in red, from £4.40, Linea.