The really useful column

Bathing beauties

If you are looking for a stylish bathroom and are tired of showrooms that display endless rows of sanitaryware devoid of design inspiration, then visit Bathrooms International. It has seven fully furnished bathroom areas, designed by leading interiors names such as Nina Campbell, Bill Bennette and Fox Linton.

You may not be able to afford the full monty, but you can see the products in an imaginative context, and pick up a few design tips. However, there are some very competitively priced items, and 160 ranges to choose from, each one available in 70 different finishes, so there's no excuse for not co-ordinating your bathtime. Find Bathrooms International at 4 Pont Street, SW1 (020 7838 7788; www.bathroomsint.com).

Photo opportunity

If you are stuck for what to put on the wall at home, take a look at www.picturezone.biz. The company produces specially commissioned photographic images, that are displayed on borderless, A4-sized boards and can be hung on the wall or leant against the mantelpiece.

You can either have one image laid out across several boards, or pick several individual images. The result is clean and stylish and normally costs £40 a board, but, for Really Useful readers who mention the column, there is a 10 per cent discount. Just order online.

A fine reflection

For creating a feeling of light, space and elegance, mirrored furniture is hard to beat, but, as with anything that is deemed fashionable, it can carry a premium. Which is why I was so pleased to discover The Mirror Workshop.

Based in a studio in Stoke Newington, its owner, Nick Suckley, can produce pretty much any item of mirrored furniture to order, at approximately 50 per cent cheaper than comparable pieces I have seen elsewhere.

The quality is high and the results impressive. Expect to pay about £150 for a bedside table and £250 for a large mirror. Find The Mirror Workshop at 14 Allen Road, N16, or call 020 7275 9436.

Close knit

Always full of surprises, John Lewis has launched sewing and knitting workshops. So, if you fancy making a hand-edged blanket, there are regular workshops, costing from as little as £10, where you can learn the technique. As an antidote to a stressful life, sewing is hard to beat, and you will have something to show for it.

For further details on the workshops at John Lewis, Oxford Street, call 020 7629 7711, (extension 4354). They are also being held at its Peter Jones, Sloane Square store. Call 020 7808 4040.

Bargain of the week

We all love a bargain, and Buck's Furniture Warehouse in Deptford is my recommendation for this week. Here you will find more than 30,000sq ft of furniture from a leading high street retailer at 40 per cent to 50 per cent less than its shop price.

The reason for the reduction is that the goods are ex-display, so, while there is nothing wrong with the quality, the store has to sell it at a discount. In addition to a wide variety of beds and other bedroom furniture, you will find leather sofas, dining furniture and bookcases. Buck's Furniture Warehouse is open seven days a week and there is ample free parking. Find it at 125 Evelyn Street, SE8 (020 8692 4447).