Whether it’s a new baby, celebrating a major birthday or retirement, here’s what to buy for life’s big milestones
Our interiors are a reflection of where we are in life. It’s dispiriting to go into a home frozen in decoration aspic.
The decor and furnishings should evolve with us, so here are some suggestions for those milestones…
One to remember: An Alitex greenhouse, a spiral cellar and a Bramwell Brown clock
Wedding Bells
Even in these Covid-19 days of small weddings, most couples will have kitchenware a plenty, but what is often not on a wedding list is a mattress.
We spend a third of our life in bed so the mattress is right up there with a new kitchen in terms of importance.
The Simba Hybrid is refreshingly springy (there are 2,500 little cone-shaped springs in the king-size) and what’s more, each is in its own pocket, so if you’re married to a wriggler you won’t be woken up every time he or she turns over (double mattress, £538, simbasleep.com).
Why not throw in some fancy 100 per cent linen from the Secret Linen Store? The duck egg and the blush pink are suitably romantic, and they don’t need ironing (from £16 for a pillowcase, secretlinenstore.com).
New Arrivals
Every expectant mother goes into nesting mode before her new arrival. The secret is to choose things that have a life beyond the infant stage. After the obvious cot and Moses basket, what is absolutely essential is a cosy armchair for nursing in.
Step forward Made’s Kolton rocking chair — the yolk yellow is suitably cheery (£549, made.com). Those with tighter purse strings should investigate Ikea’s Poäng rocking chair, a snip at £149, ikea.com.
A sheepskin rug feels great underfoot at 2am. Celtic & Co’s Herdwick Sheepskin comes in grey (£120, celticandco.com).
Happy Anniversary
A clock is a symbolic way to mark an anniversary, and the Bramwell Brown weather clock is fabulous. It has five weather scenes which read the atmospheric pressure changes to forecast the weather. The clock can be personalised, a popular quote is: ‘Whatever the weather, we’re in it together’ (£360, bramwellbrown.com).
Green-fingered couples may contemplate planting a colour-themed garden.
For a ruby wedding celebration, gardener Lottie Delamain suggests ‘a wash of red and burgundy tulips or poppies in spring and early summer, followed by jewel-toned geums and salvias in the summer.’ (Planting scheme from £300, lottiedelamain.com).
Big Birthdays
For her: Diamonds are nice, but a walk-in closet is far more useful. John Lewis of Hungerford has many ‘customers who have gifted new dressing rooms to their partners for a 40th or 50th birthday,’ says their managing director Kiran Noonan.
The bespoke artisan walk-in wardrobes with oak drawers start at £10,000 and are super chic (john-lewis.co.uk).
Another indulgent birthday gift for her is the statement bathroom. Splash out literally with a stunning Catchpole & Rye bath, such as the brass bateau with a brushed exterior and polished interior (£6,000, catchpoleandrye.com).
A knock-out wallpaper is a brilliant way to transform a bathroom, try de Gournay’s hand-painted flamingos in coral colour on sterling silver gilded paper (£1,421 per panel, degournay.com).
For him: For the steak-loving man, the Big Green Egg is an ideal birthday present. This Ferrari of barbecues is made with Nasa-grade ceramics and, with its egg shape, it’s easy on the eye. No wonder David Beckham popped it on Instagram (from £685, biggreenegg.co.uk).
That uber gift for a man has to be a Spiral Cellar. These beautiful white or grey concrete cellars keep wine stored at the optimum temperature (£20,609, spiralcellars.co.uk).
Retire in Style
What better way to while away some time than in a well-organised library? Neville Johnson is a go-to place for fitted libraries and living rooms. Now all that is required is to alphabetise or colour order those books (fitted furniture from £3,000, nevillejohnson.co.uk).
The posh greenhouse is a brilliant retirement investment. Alitex greenhouses all look gorgeous and they are made of powdered aluminium so do not have the upkeep of a wooden frame (from £12,950 alitex.co.uk).
Those on a tighter budget might like the contemporary-looking Palram Victory Polycarbonate Cathedral Greenhouse (£1,246 from B&Q, diy.com).