Myfordhandlesin brushed satin,
from £35 each, Swarf.Washington double-ended claw-foot
bath,£1,600, painted in Little Greene’s
Light Peachblossom, Claybrook.Recreate a sense of a woodland walk
with an array of lush shrubs and ferns.Q
We are looking to change
our kitchen unit handles
from chrome to black. The existing
handles have a fixing hole distance of
210mm, which we are having trouble
matching. Can you advise us?
Naomi, onlineHAVEyou checked with the
manufacturer of the existing
handles to see if it has updated
its offering? Your handles are
particularly long, so you may not
find anything off the shelf. To avoid
having to fill and re-drill, it’s worth
having something made bespoke.
Your local ironmonger might be
able to help. If not, there’s a new
company, Swarf, which makes
modular handles in various lengths,
dimensions and finishes. The Myford
has two end components that could
go into the existing holes with a
simple change needed for the middle
bar length. A black powder-coated
finish can also be applied. The cost is
more than you might normally pay
for handles, but on the other hand
you’ll have brand-new looking
cabinets for a fraction of the price.Q
I’m about to redo my
bathroom and while I like
the colourful products around at
the moment, I don’t want to be
so on trend that my scheme dates.
Linda, HaslemereI’Ma firm believer that a few
soothing pops of colour and
pattern will add to the sensory
bathing experience. But, call me
old-fashioned, I do prefer my
sanitaryware to be white. I’ll concede
a bright basin (the blush-coloured
Kast concrete one from CP Hart is
lovely) might work in a downstairs
cloakroom where a certain whimsy
is called for. Elsewhere, introduce
interest via tiled splashbacks,
painted walls, taps and furniture (see
the Oomph range for Nina Campbell)
that can be changed. Claybrook’s
painted bath delivers the current
mood without forcing you to commit
to a ceramic shade you may well tire
of long before the enamel shows any
sign of wear. By which time you can
simply give it a fresh coat ofpaint, in
whichever shade is invogue. A fiver
says that’ll be white...Q
I have a north-facing garden
with a fairly shady courtyard
and I’m struggling to get anything to
grow in it. I’ve always longed for
flowers, but am I asking too much?
Bronwyn, SurreyMOTHERnature can be a cruel
mistress and it probably is time to
reassess your dreams. There’s no
point searching for the one bright-
petalled species that can cope with
your growing conditions. That way
lies fruitless, expensive trips to the
garden centre. Instead, look to
places in nature that share similar
conditions. There’s inspiration to
be found in the mossy grove of a
verdant woodland walk, say. For an
unrelentingly dank spot, think of
hardy ferns (Dicksonia antarcticais
a toughy) underplanted with hostas.
In more dappled areas, try a Japanese
maple. I’m not a fan of potted
geraniums, but if you are one of those
people who think a garden isn’t a
garden without flowers, hydrangeas
and hellebores are your friend. All
thrive in shade and, if well mulched,
will pay you back in, er, spades.PHOTOGRAPH(GARDEN) ALLAN POLLOK-MORRISILLUSTRATIONRUTH PALMERDESIGN
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