It's a small, small world

Natural Mat: This newish mail-order company sells natural bedding for babies, from made-to-measure coco-, latex- and mohair-filled mattresses in a wide range of sizes and soft lambskin fleeces to finest organic cotton sleepwear and sleeping bags. Now it has opened a shop in Notting Hill where you can find its range of ingenious and attractive nursery furniture, too. The Stokki Sleepi Cot, for example, converts to a child bed, has room for storage and comes with castors.

The egg-shaped Owo wall changer unit (left) sits flat on the wall and has a changing table that comes out on hinges. Practical and fun and £225. Natural Mat Company, 99 Talbot Road, W11 (020 7985 0474; www.natural mat.com).

Sleep tight: and no sneezing

Bedding: Grown-ups who have a problem sleeping well should take a look at some of the newest products from The Fine Bedding Company. For allergic types in particular it has introduced an ultra-lightweight, synthetic-fibre duvet that will fit into a domestic washing machine for regular washing. It also has argument-ending double duvets with one side a heavier tog than the other and a zip down the middle (0845 3020 200; www.fine bedding.co.uk).

Swing with that thing

Interior decorator: This is the Sotheby's sale where furniture is arranged in room sets so you can see items as they were in their original setting. It is also a great hunting ground for bargains, with good pieces, mostly Victorian and 20th century, selling at lower prices than similar modern versions.

A Victorian faux bamboo furniture suite has an estimate of £700 to £1,000; two mahogany bedsteads, £200 to £300; a Victorian Chesterfield sofa, £400 to £600. A 20th century corner cupboard (left) has two cupboards and five swivelling drawers and an estimate of only £400 to £600.

Properties include Bamburgh and Highclere Castles and the Académie des Beaux-Arts Saint Gilles in Belgium. Viewing 18, 20 and 21 July. The sale, of more than 600 lots, starts 10am 22 July. Sotheby's Olympia, Hammersmith Road, W14 (020 7293 5555).

Family's one-way ticket to Tuscany

Tuscany Living: Sarah and Richard Turnbull and their son, Gregory, left Yorkshire for Tuscany. Their tale of tomatoes, olive oil (home harvested, natch) and barn conversions has been turned into a six-part TV series for Channel 4, starting next month. An accompanying book has lots of pictures and tells the story of how tough but rewarding the adventure has been.

No Going Back: Tuscan Living by Sarah Fraser (Octopus, £12.99).

Diary dates

Light fantastic: Summer Light is this summer's group show at the V&A Crafts Council shop. Lin Cheung's jewellery, Sue Hartree's hand-woven shawls and throws, and Hortense Suleyman's oxidation-glazed porcelain bowls, platters, cups and jugs are all on display and for sale from 23 July to 14 September at The Crafts Council Shop, the V&A, Cromwell Road, SW7 (020 7589 5070).

A good idea to sleep on

Keeping it up: Here are two new almost instant solutions for sleepovers or for when you are travelling and you need an extra bed.

The first is the Beddix inflatable double bed (£70) from Purves & Purves, which has a foot pump to blow it up. The second is Go to Bed in a Minute (pictured, £74.95 single/£94.95 double) from www.iwant oneofthose.com, which has a small rechargeable electric pump that slots neatly into the bottom of the bed and inflates it in under 60 seconds.