The trickiest part of this page to compile is Luxe/Less. Lookalikes aren’t thin on the ground, but if a product is a direct copy of a living designer’s work, I’d rather not promote it. If something is extraordinarily cheap, I worry how the makers, whether craftsmen or factory workers, are making a living. Add to the mix the fact that I love a bargain as much as anyone and it can be a dilemma.
Now I have something fresh to fret about. In 2013, the government decided to extend copyright on design classics. Replicas of the Egg chair, for example, would only be permissible 70 years from the designer’s death, not 25 years from the release of the design. Last week it announced that this will start in 2020. Surely a Good Thing?
Well, I’m anxious about design lovers on a budget. What if they can’t afford a proper Barcelona at more than £5,000, but would love a lookalike for less than 10% of that? Honestly, interiors is a moral maze. Thoughts, please.
Luxe/Less
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Luxe: These dipped terracotta cups, glazed in seafoam green, are made from local clay at a fair-trade pottery in rural southern India. £9.95 each; decoratorsnotebook.co.uk
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Less: Habitat’s stoneware Agnus mug is part-glazed in dusty pink. Matching plates in attractive wobbly shapes are also available. £5; habitat.co.uk
Top tip
Spring is on its way, so it’s time to wash your windows, ready to let the sun stream in.Here are our top tips for streak-free panes.
Step 1 Take down net curtains (if you still have them) and blinds, then clear windows and sills. Avoid cleaning windows on hot, sunny days, as the glass will dry too quickly, causing smears.
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Step 2 Pop on rubber gloves and clean mildew off the frames and windows using an old rag dipped in a specialist product, such as Wickes All Purpose Fungicidal Wash, or bleach in warm water.
Step 3 Using a lint-free cloth or chamois leather, wipe the windows with a ready-made window cleaning product — or mix your ownsolution, using one part white vinegar to nine parts water.
Buff the window dry with crumpled newspaper to avoid smears. Check the sills regularly for rot, and when the wood is dry, replace any crumbling putty. Repaint as necessary.
goodhousekeeping.co.uk/institute
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The venerable British brand Ercol has collaborated with the Italian designer Paola Navone to create Nest, a limited-edition range that weds Ercol’s genius with steam-bent beech to slouchy continental cushioning. It’s a marriage made in design heaven, and the offspring will be available from May: small sofa, £3,985; large sofa, £5,395. ercol.com
House of Hackney’s quest to ‘take the beige out of interiors’ continues with its new Castanea wallpaper, inspired by the horse-chestnut tree. Designed and made in England, it has a timely spring-like colour palette. Simply add flamingos. £148 a roll; houseofhackney.com