We're loving... We're hating...We're buying...

Loving... higher market studio

Mass-produced furniture can get boring pretty fast. A company set up by designer Lucy Turner in her home town in Cornwall can change all this by customising standard furniture. She will stencil items with hand-cut laminates, and each piece is unique. Prices vary from £200 to £900 depending on specifications and all stock can be viewed at www.highermarketstudio.com

Hating... Interior designers

The authors of 'Thrifty Chic: Interior Style on a Shoestring' – Alexandra Campbell and Liz Bauwens – offer a modern answer to an old question: how do I makeover my home without spending a fortune? They cover everything from how to buy architectural salvage without getting ripped off, to ideas on displaying china and ceramics. The book offers imaginative ideas for reusing and restoring, reviving and revamping, recycling and reclaiming. It is available from Waterstone's for £19.99.

Buying... Electrolux Ultra Silencer

The world's first vacuum cleaner to be made from recycled plastic is being launched by Electrolux this week. The Ultra Silencer Green is made from 55 per cent recycled materials, and uses 33 per cent less energy than standard vacuum cleaners. Twenty million vacuum cleaners are sold annually in Europe and if those were built like the Silencer, 251,000 barrels of oil could be saved. And when you're finished, 90 per cent of the Silencer (£159.99 from John Lewis) can be recycled.