Live and let dry

This little work of genius is pick of the week at Howard's Storage World and it is testament to my extreme home-related nerdiness that I got very excited when it appeared in my inbox. It's the Brabantia wall fixed clothes line, a nifty little number that means you can have breezy, fresh smelling laundry without having an unattractive long yoke strung from one end of your garden to the other 365 days a year, as when you're not using it it can be tucked neatly away. Now, it's €139.95, but given the quality of Brabantia products I expect that it would outlive most of us.

Travels from my computer screen

I always think that hotels are a wonderful source of inspiration, there are so many beautiful designs out there. I set out to find some bathrooms and ended up going on many, many tangents. I'm going to share the fruits of these tangents with you! Clearly, my home is not hotel-sized and my budget is not five star-sized, but there are details here and there that I would love to incorporate into my own home. From the top: Hotel Signum is on the island of Salina in the Aeolian Islands off the north east coast of Sicily; we had a fab holiday in Sicily last summer and while we visited Salina we didn't stay here - it's kinda pricey! But this crisp white room set against the stunning blue seas and skies of the island is so invitingly idyllic that I plan, some day, to return and treat myself to a stay in Signum. This bedroom in Casa Angelina on Italy's Amalfi Coast looks like a serene spot for a good nights sleep - I absolutely love the bedside lamps, it adds an industrial feel, and the downlighters under that desk add a warm glow. The Bleibtreu in Berlin has a lovely, airy vibe - a kind of simple getaway chic, that touch of colour and mix of simple patterns is pretty without being fussy.

Oh my

Since the plumber came over to go through the house and discuss what needs to be done, I've been paying even more attention to what I need for my kitchen and bathroom than I was before (we're talking serious overdrive: more books and magazines than usual, and hardcore weekend visits to tile, sanitaryware, appliance and DIY super stores). I am getting a bit boring, but, as with any addict, I really don't care. Anyhow - I have finally twigged that I have some very distinctive styles in mind for my kitchen and bathroom. For the bathroom, I really want to feel like I'm on holidays in a little Mediterranean hotel, like Hotel Gutkowski that we treated ourselves to a stay in when we were in Sicily last September. I just want to start the day with that breezy, wholesome feel. And I'm looking for the same vibe when I come home to cook dinner in the evenings, or have friends over. I think it's the proliferation of pretty tiles in little hotels like this that makes me want to nab a bit of the look for my kitchen and bathroom in particular. Anyhow, I was having a hunt around for particular tiles in blue and white, and I was having no luck whatsoever, when I stumbled across a link that I had obviously missed on the Fired Earth website. These beautiful tiles are just what I'm after; I'm going for either a splashback in the kitchen or perhaps even a feature detail behind the mirror in the bathroom?...I don't know yet but I somehow suspect that the price of the tiles will dictate how I choose to use them! Plus, I can't get too carried away with myself, as I want to make sure that the rooms all flow nicely, with a relatively cohesive style that isn't too matchy matchy. Anyhow, this find has made me very happy - a very pleasant end to a grey old Monday.