Gordon Brown's green policies were thrown into confusion yesterday after ministers confirmed that they would be pushing ahead with pilot schemes for controversial new "pay-as-you-throw" bin taxes.
The Prime Minister had been anxious to distance himself from what he saw as unpopular "waste taxes" – which could cost typical households £250 a year – and No 10 claimed last night that plans for new schemes would not be rolled out across the country.
But Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, announced that powers to set up pilot schemes for charging households who put out more waste would be included in the Climate Change Bill, sparking allegations of Cabinet disarray on the issue.
The confusion began last week when the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which had intended to push ahead with national bin taxes, was over-ruled by Downing Street, which is unenthusiastic about the plans before forthcoming local elections.
The U-turn was the latest sign of Mr Brown's fear of introducing new green taxes that are seen as disastrous electorally but are being heavily promoted within Whitehall as essential to any programme to avert climate change.
Last night, the Conservatives attacked the confusion within the Government.
Eric Pickles, the local government spokesman, said: "This just shows how Gordon Brown cannot be trusted – one week briefing that he opposes bin taxes, the next introducing this new tax on family homes by stealth. This isn't a green tax but a green fig leaf to hike local taxes on top of council tax. No one should believe a word that Mr Brown says."
Yesterday Defra published a document setting out plans to allow all councils to charge bin taxes in the new Climate Change Bill to be introduced next month. However, the document was withdrawn later and replaced with a proposal to introduce only a handful of pilot schemes.
Downing Street sources said the entire scheme, which involved households being charged either for each sack or bin of non-recyclable rubbish or by the weight of rubbish they put out, had "gone back to the drawing board".
The confusion within the Government's "green" policy emerged with Ruth Kelly, the Transport Secretary, due to set out plans for an environmentally sustainable transport policy. In a statement to MPs today, she will announce plans for households to get "personal travel plans" aimed at cutting the amount of carbon dioxide they produced.
The Department for Transport has run pilot schemes in which families have cut their car use by an average of 20 per cent after working with government advisers to see where they could use alternatives.
Ms Kelly said yesterday that the plans were about "creating the incentives to make responsible choices".
She will again make clear that a national toll scheme remains far off the agenda but will announce congestion-charging schemes in cities that could lead to national motorways being brought into a tolling system.
By Robert Winnett, Charles Clover and James Kirkup
full article
Tuesday, 30 October 2007
Monday, 29 October 2007
Benn sets out new Climate Change Bill
Publishing the government's response to the public consultation on the Climate Change Bill, Hilary Benn has said the UK must "step up" its efforts in tackling global warming.
The environment secretary unveiled the government's amendments to the proposed legislation, which include a system of "carbon budgets" and the creation of an independent climate change committee to advise on how to reach the targets.
In its original form, the draft bill imposed a legal duty on the government to cut carbon emissions by at least 60 per cent on 1990 levels by 2050, and by between 26 and 32 per cent by 2020.
However, environmentalists groups have called for this target to be as high as 80 per cent.
The command paper published on Monday said that the responsibilities of the climate change committee would be increased to require the government to seek advice before amending the targets and that it would report on whether these need to be strengthened.
Under the legislation, five-year carbon budgets would be set by the committee of experts and published to improve clarity on how Britain will meet the targets.
And the amendments also include measures to boost ministerial accountability by requiring the government to explain to Parliament if it fails to meet a carbon target or does not accept advice on the budget.
The government will also regularly assess the risks of climate change to the UK and will be required to report to Parliament annually on how it is cutting aviation and shipping emissions.
Benn said: "We need to step up the fight against climate change and we need to do it fast.
"The draft bill we set out earlier this year, and have now refined, is a groundbreaking blueprint for moving the UK towards a low carbon economy. It will bind us to legally enforceable emissions reduction targets at home, while giving us greater clout at the international negotiating table."
He said the "invaluable input" from three parliamentary committees on the draft bill, and from industry and the public, had helped create "stronger, more effective and more transparent" legislation.
"In short, they have helped make a good bill better," the environment secretary said.
He added that the bill would introduce a cap and trade system for large organisations and would give local authorities the power to pilot schemes to reduce levels of household waste and increase recycling rates.
full article
The environment secretary unveiled the government's amendments to the proposed legislation, which include a system of "carbon budgets" and the creation of an independent climate change committee to advise on how to reach the targets.
In its original form, the draft bill imposed a legal duty on the government to cut carbon emissions by at least 60 per cent on 1990 levels by 2050, and by between 26 and 32 per cent by 2020.
However, environmentalists groups have called for this target to be as high as 80 per cent.
The command paper published on Monday said that the responsibilities of the climate change committee would be increased to require the government to seek advice before amending the targets and that it would report on whether these need to be strengthened.
Under the legislation, five-year carbon budgets would be set by the committee of experts and published to improve clarity on how Britain will meet the targets.
And the amendments also include measures to boost ministerial accountability by requiring the government to explain to Parliament if it fails to meet a carbon target or does not accept advice on the budget.
The government will also regularly assess the risks of climate change to the UK and will be required to report to Parliament annually on how it is cutting aviation and shipping emissions.
Benn said: "We need to step up the fight against climate change and we need to do it fast.
"The draft bill we set out earlier this year, and have now refined, is a groundbreaking blueprint for moving the UK towards a low carbon economy. It will bind us to legally enforceable emissions reduction targets at home, while giving us greater clout at the international negotiating table."
He said the "invaluable input" from three parliamentary committees on the draft bill, and from industry and the public, had helped create "stronger, more effective and more transparent" legislation.
"In short, they have helped make a good bill better," the environment secretary said.
He added that the bill would introduce a cap and trade system for large organisations and would give local authorities the power to pilot schemes to reduce levels of household waste and increase recycling rates.
full article
Sunday, 28 October 2007
Amps Off
Planet Rock is going acoustic in support of Energy Saving Week from 22nd October.
The "times they are a changin" and like Woodstock and the free love movement, a new call to action is upon us; the energy saving movement.
The Energy Saving Trust is dedicated to the cause and aims to get us all involved in being more energy efficient and commiting to save 20% of all the energy we use every day. Planet Rock wants to do its bit to help fight climate change and to kick things off, all this week we will be bringing you some fine slices of classic rock unplugged.
From Monday (22nd) we'll be playing an "Amps Off" acoustic track in every show with dedicated unplugged weekend special. Join Liz Barnes on Saturday & Sunday (5pm) as we play out a host of great music with plugs out, amps off, from Led Zeppelin "unleaded" to all those other wonderful examples of the quieter side of classic rock.
THE 10 COMMITMENTS:
The average home can save up to £250 a year by being energy efficient and reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by up to 2 tonnes. So a few simple changes can cut your bills and make your home cosier in the winter with these simple steps.
1. Only boil as much water as I need
Rock alt: Switch off amp, go acoustic
2. Turn my thermostat down by 1 degree
Rock alt: Turn amp down to 10
3. Turn appliances off standby
Rock alt: Burn wife's Westlife CD's to generate heat
4. Install cavity wall insulation
Rock alt: Wear many band T-shirts to keep warm
5. Top up my loft insulation to 270mm (about 10.5 inches)
Rock alt: Wave lighter in time to Scorpions 'Wind Of Change'
6. Replace three lightbulbs with Energy Saving Recommended ones
Rock alt: On/Off wastes electricity, keep Planet Rock on all the time!
7. Install a condensing boiler
Rock alt: Power your home using Pete Townshend's right arm
8. Buy Energy Saving Recommended appliances
Rock alt: Grow hair to Bon Jovi barnet circa 1980's to keep warm
9. Wash my laundry at 30 degrees
Rock alt: Burn you guitar Hendrix style to generate heat
10. Not use the car for short journeys
Rock alt: Recreate festival lifestyle and tent it in the garden
full article
The "times they are a changin" and like Woodstock and the free love movement, a new call to action is upon us; the energy saving movement.
The Energy Saving Trust is dedicated to the cause and aims to get us all involved in being more energy efficient and commiting to save 20% of all the energy we use every day. Planet Rock wants to do its bit to help fight climate change and to kick things off, all this week we will be bringing you some fine slices of classic rock unplugged.
From Monday (22nd) we'll be playing an "Amps Off" acoustic track in every show with dedicated unplugged weekend special. Join Liz Barnes on Saturday & Sunday (5pm) as we play out a host of great music with plugs out, amps off, from Led Zeppelin "unleaded" to all those other wonderful examples of the quieter side of classic rock.
THE 10 COMMITMENTS:
The average home can save up to £250 a year by being energy efficient and reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by up to 2 tonnes. So a few simple changes can cut your bills and make your home cosier in the winter with these simple steps.
1. Only boil as much water as I need
Rock alt: Switch off amp, go acoustic
2. Turn my thermostat down by 1 degree
Rock alt: Turn amp down to 10
3. Turn appliances off standby
Rock alt: Burn wife's Westlife CD's to generate heat
4. Install cavity wall insulation
Rock alt: Wear many band T-shirts to keep warm
5. Top up my loft insulation to 270mm (about 10.5 inches)
Rock alt: Wave lighter in time to Scorpions 'Wind Of Change'
6. Replace three lightbulbs with Energy Saving Recommended ones
Rock alt: On/Off wastes electricity, keep Planet Rock on all the time!
7. Install a condensing boiler
Rock alt: Power your home using Pete Townshend's right arm
8. Buy Energy Saving Recommended appliances
Rock alt: Grow hair to Bon Jovi barnet circa 1980's to keep warm
9. Wash my laundry at 30 degrees
Rock alt: Burn you guitar Hendrix style to generate heat
10. Not use the car for short journeys
Rock alt: Recreate festival lifestyle and tent it in the garden
full article
House warmers
Sort your insulation
Boring but important since, according to the Energy Saving Trust, a staggering 50 per cent of all household heat disappears through the roof and walls, while a further 20 per cent is lost to drafts. Fortunately, stopping this leakage is easy. We asked the EST for their top tips:
Lag your loft If you only do one thing, do this - it's cheap, reaps you instant rewards, and you don't need to call in a professional. The most common form of insulation is mineral wool, available by the roll at DIY stores. All you have to do is kit yourself out in a mask and gloves (it's itchy stuff) and fit it between the joists along the loft floor. Obviously the thicker the lagging, the warmer the house: current building regulations stipulate a minimum thickness of 170mm, but aim for 250mm for maximum benefits.
Fill those cavity walls Cavity-wall insulation involves filling the gap between the two skins of brickwork on an external house wall with some sort of insulation material. It's expensive, but it can reduce heat loss through the walls by up to 60 per cent, so you will save money in the long run. Contact the Energy Saving Trust (0800 512 012; www.energysavingtrust.org.uk) for a registered installer in your area.
Insulate the hot-water pipes and buy your hot-water tank a jacket This will not only keep your water hot but will also reduce energy wastage by around three-quarters.
Fit draft excluders To doors, windows and letterboxes and stop your precious warm air from escaping outside.
Double-glaze your windows An extra layer of glass not only cuts heat loss but also reduces noise and condensation. Contact the Glass and Glazing Federation on 0870 042 4255 (www.ggf.co.uk) for a recommended glazier in your area.
2 Reinstate your fireplace
You may not be able to see it, but if your house is more than 40 years old the chances are that it has a fireplace lurking somewhere behind a false wall. Opening it up is messy but straightforward. We asked Peter Healy, secretary of the National Fireplace Association (0845 643 1901; nfa.org.uk), how it's done.
Knock your knuckle on the area where the fireplace should be If it sounds hollow, then the fireplace is probably concealed behind a hardboard cover mounted on wooden battens. If it sounds solid, then your fireplace has probably been bricked up.
Conduct a smoke test This will tell you whether or not your chimney is in working condition. Hold a lit taper or snuffed-out match near the opening and look to see whether or not the smoke is drawn up through the chimney. If it isn't, then it may well need re-lining. Contact the National Association of Chimney Engineers (01526 322 555; www.nace.org.uk) to track down a specialist in your area.
Check for a hearth Most fires need a hearth, and solid-fuel fires also require a concrete sub-hearth. Traditional open fires also need a fireback to reflect heat out into the room and protect the brickwork.
3 Fit a stove
Pretty as an open fire is, if you're after a really effective way of heating the house then you can't beat a solid-fuel stove - a pound of fuel provides three times more heat when burned in a stove than it would on an open fire.
There are three main types of stove on the market: wood-only; multi-fuel, which are designed to burn coal as well as wood, and pellet. A newish arrival in Britain, pellet stoves burn small pieces of compressed sawdust which are automatically fed into the fire from a hopper at the top. Efficiency-wise they're comparable to standard wood versions, but thanks to hi-tech additions such as thermostats and timers, they're much easier to control.
Wood is the cheapest and greenest fuel - burning wood is carbon neutral, since the tree will have absorbed at least as much C02 during its life as it gives off when it's burned. But if you're really concerned about your carbon footprint, look for stoves featuring a smoke-less CleanBurn system in which the gases created when fuel is burnt are circulated back into the stove and burnt off. Check out Morso's 6100 series (01788 554 410; www.morsoe.co.uk).
Style-wise the choice is endless, but this year's hottest stoves are freestanding and come with big glass windows. Before you get carried away, however, you need to check the following:
Is your flue the right size for the stove? Stoves with heat outputs of up to 30kW, for example, need flues measuring at least 150mm in diameter. Ask your supplier for advice.
What heat output do you need? This will depend on the size of the room you want to heat and will determine both the size of stove you buy and the type of fuel you burn. Again, your supplier should be able to advise.
Which way does the prevailing wind blow? Wind direction will affect a stove's efficiency. If the wind blows in the same direction, then the smoke is pulled out of the chimney and the fire will burn more efficiently, whereas if the wind blows back down the chimney you'll get a poor fire and a smoky room. These problems can be solved by extending the height of the chimney or by fitting a vent to the top of the chimney. Do you live in a smoke-control area? To find out, go to www.uksmokecontrolareas.co.uk.
Three stoves we recommend
1 Morso 6140 Woodburning Stove, from £1,206 (01788 554 410; www.morsoe.co.uk
2 Solution 400 Woodburning Stove, from £1,330, Clearview Stoves (01588 650 123; www.clearviewstoves.com)
3 Nestor Martin FH33 wood/multi-fuel stove, from £2,093.85, Euroheat (01885 491 112; www.euroheat.co.uk
4 Warm up your floors...
With a wool carpet According to Lorna Haigh from Alternative Flooring, wool is the best option for people looking for maximum warmth and practicality since it insulates, feels soft underfoot and is easy to clean. Carpet folk talk of pile heights - basically, the higher the pile, the thicker and cosier the carpet. You can have high pile in heavy traffic areas, but in that case go for knobbly wool types rather than long, shaggy styles. We particularly like the Wool Tierra carpet, £37.95 per m/sq, from the Alternative Flooring Company (01264 335 111; www.alternativeflooring.com).
Three companies we recommend
1 Wool Classics (020 7349 0090)
2 Craigie Stockwell (020 7224 8380; www.stockwellcarpets.com)
3 Crucial Trading (01562 743 747; www.crucial-trading.com)
With some wooden floorboards 'It's a myth that wooden floors are drafty,' says Steve Maltby, technical services manager at wooden-floor specialists Junckers. 'These days floorboards are all tongue and grooved so you don't get problems with air flow from below.' However, he does advise people living in old houses to put a layer of insulation below floating floors to prevent heat escaping down through the boards.
Colour-wise, avoid those blond, Scandinavian-style woods and go for something dark and brooding such as these beechwood boards in Spicy Pepper finish from Junckers' new Soul Collection (01376 534 700; www.junckers.com).
Three companies we recommend
1 Element 7 (020 7736 2366; www.element7.co.uk)
2 Listone Giordano (0808 234 6866; www.listonegiordano.com)
3 Ebony and Co (020 7259 0000; www.ebonyandco.com)
With a room-sized rug If you can't bear the idea of a fitted carpet, then go for a rug. 'Area rugs on a hard floor will give you islands of softness,' says flooring guru Roger Oates. He recommends creating a cocooning effect using textured rugs in rich colours. Fabulous, coloured rugs are available this season- for example, the Butterfly hand-tufted acrylic rug from Woven Ground, above (90x160cm), £125 (020 7033 3731; www.wovenground.com).
5 Sort your lighting
The right lighting can turn a cold room into a cosy haven. We asked Elizabeth Wilhide, author of Lighting, how to get it right.
Avoid central overhead lights, which cause glare and make a room feel chilly.
Increase the number of lights in a space and decrease the wattage in each one - the idea is to set up several warm pools of light rather than uniformly light the room.
Fit a dimmer switch.
Soften energy-efficient bulbs by teaming them with tinted lampshades. Karen Howes, of interior-design practice Taylor Howes Design, recommends gold-lined shades for maximum warmth.
High-street buys we recommend
1 Grande shade (D51xH36cm) with copper lining, £65, Habitat (08444 991 111; www.habitat.net
2 Glass Ball Table Lamp (H60xD30cm), £39.50, Marks & Spencer (0845 603 1603; www.marksandspencer.com)
3 Sven Floor Lamp (H162xD40cm), £100, John Lewis (08456 049 049; www.johnlewis.com)
6 Light some candles
This season, think forests of single candles (we love Toast's English beeswax numbers, from £5.95 for a pair of dinner candles, 0844 557 5200; www.toast.co.uk in chicly mismatched sticks - often to be found if you scour the junk shops.
Three ranges we recommend
1 Graham & Green (0845 130 6622; www.grahamandgreen.co.uk)
2 Sia (0118 922 7800; www.sia-homefashion.co.uk)
3 House of Fraser (020 7963 2000; www.houseoffraser.co.uk).
7 Be creative with fabric
'Upholster sofas and armchairs in flat wool or velvet,' advises interior designer John Stefanidis, 'and consider covering doors in fabric, too.' If you don't want to re-upholster (and it is only worth doing if the piece of furniture is in good condition), just buy some fabric, hem the edges and use it as a throw. Opt for luxurious materials such as cashmere, mohair or this season's must-have fabric, velvet. We love Zoffany's new Arundel Velvet collection, particularly in teal and chocolate, at £80 p/m (08708 300 350; www.zoffany.com).
8 Warm up your windows
'I layer silk and printed fabrics at the window for a sense of depth and texture,' says Tricia Guild of Designers Guild. And she's not alone. Jemima Locke, marketing manager of curtain and blind specialists Eclectics, says that combining roller or roman blinds with some sumptuous curtains (interlined, of course) is a growing trend. This season calls for textural fabrics, such as velvet, suede or flock, and curtains that just scrape the floor rather than form a pool on the ground.
Two curtains we recommend
1 Roller blind in Fioravanti flock fabric, from £137 for a blind measuring 60x80cm, Eclectics (01843 608 789; www.eclectics.co.uk)
2Chandelier-print fully lined curtains, from £70 for a pair measuring 168x137cm, Hobbs Home (0800 121 8259)
9 Invest in some warm-toned accessories
Painting the room red would obviously warm things up, but unless you have a room you don't use in summer (or you're prepared to re-decorate every season), then you're better off buying some hot-toned cushions and throws. Berry shades are strong for this winter and look great mixed with teal, coral and midnight blue.
Five accessories we recommend
1 Emperor's Garden jewelled cushion, £25, Bhs (0845 196 000; www.bhs.co.uk)
2 Fredensborg cyan flock-velvet cushion, £60, Designers Guild (020 7893 7400; www.designersguild.com)
3 Wave Velvet Design Cushion, £13, Next (0844 844 8000; www.next.co.uk)
4 Mega Dot quilt, from £81, by Hay Denmark, from SCP (020 7739 1869; www.scp.co.uk)
5 Two-toned cashmere throws (140x190cm), £525 to order from Suzy Hoodless (020 7221 8844; suzyhoodless.com)
10 Wear a jumper
T-shirts are for summer - put them away and dress for the season. According to Friends of the Earth, turning your central heating down by one degree can cut your heating bills by £30 a year.
By Charlotte Abrahams
full article
Boring but important since, according to the Energy Saving Trust, a staggering 50 per cent of all household heat disappears through the roof and walls, while a further 20 per cent is lost to drafts. Fortunately, stopping this leakage is easy. We asked the EST for their top tips:
Lag your loft If you only do one thing, do this - it's cheap, reaps you instant rewards, and you don't need to call in a professional. The most common form of insulation is mineral wool, available by the roll at DIY stores. All you have to do is kit yourself out in a mask and gloves (it's itchy stuff) and fit it between the joists along the loft floor. Obviously the thicker the lagging, the warmer the house: current building regulations stipulate a minimum thickness of 170mm, but aim for 250mm for maximum benefits.
Fill those cavity walls Cavity-wall insulation involves filling the gap between the two skins of brickwork on an external house wall with some sort of insulation material. It's expensive, but it can reduce heat loss through the walls by up to 60 per cent, so you will save money in the long run. Contact the Energy Saving Trust (0800 512 012; www.energysavingtrust.org.uk) for a registered installer in your area.
Insulate the hot-water pipes and buy your hot-water tank a jacket This will not only keep your water hot but will also reduce energy wastage by around three-quarters.
Fit draft excluders To doors, windows and letterboxes and stop your precious warm air from escaping outside.
Double-glaze your windows An extra layer of glass not only cuts heat loss but also reduces noise and condensation. Contact the Glass and Glazing Federation on 0870 042 4255 (www.ggf.co.uk) for a recommended glazier in your area.
2 Reinstate your fireplace
You may not be able to see it, but if your house is more than 40 years old the chances are that it has a fireplace lurking somewhere behind a false wall. Opening it up is messy but straightforward. We asked Peter Healy, secretary of the National Fireplace Association (0845 643 1901; nfa.org.uk), how it's done.
Knock your knuckle on the area where the fireplace should be If it sounds hollow, then the fireplace is probably concealed behind a hardboard cover mounted on wooden battens. If it sounds solid, then your fireplace has probably been bricked up.
Conduct a smoke test This will tell you whether or not your chimney is in working condition. Hold a lit taper or snuffed-out match near the opening and look to see whether or not the smoke is drawn up through the chimney. If it isn't, then it may well need re-lining. Contact the National Association of Chimney Engineers (01526 322 555; www.nace.org.uk) to track down a specialist in your area.
Check for a hearth Most fires need a hearth, and solid-fuel fires also require a concrete sub-hearth. Traditional open fires also need a fireback to reflect heat out into the room and protect the brickwork.
3 Fit a stove
Pretty as an open fire is, if you're after a really effective way of heating the house then you can't beat a solid-fuel stove - a pound of fuel provides three times more heat when burned in a stove than it would on an open fire.
There are three main types of stove on the market: wood-only; multi-fuel, which are designed to burn coal as well as wood, and pellet. A newish arrival in Britain, pellet stoves burn small pieces of compressed sawdust which are automatically fed into the fire from a hopper at the top. Efficiency-wise they're comparable to standard wood versions, but thanks to hi-tech additions such as thermostats and timers, they're much easier to control.
Wood is the cheapest and greenest fuel - burning wood is carbon neutral, since the tree will have absorbed at least as much C02 during its life as it gives off when it's burned. But if you're really concerned about your carbon footprint, look for stoves featuring a smoke-less CleanBurn system in which the gases created when fuel is burnt are circulated back into the stove and burnt off. Check out Morso's 6100 series (01788 554 410; www.morsoe.co.uk).
Style-wise the choice is endless, but this year's hottest stoves are freestanding and come with big glass windows. Before you get carried away, however, you need to check the following:
Is your flue the right size for the stove? Stoves with heat outputs of up to 30kW, for example, need flues measuring at least 150mm in diameter. Ask your supplier for advice.
What heat output do you need? This will depend on the size of the room you want to heat and will determine both the size of stove you buy and the type of fuel you burn. Again, your supplier should be able to advise.
Which way does the prevailing wind blow? Wind direction will affect a stove's efficiency. If the wind blows in the same direction, then the smoke is pulled out of the chimney and the fire will burn more efficiently, whereas if the wind blows back down the chimney you'll get a poor fire and a smoky room. These problems can be solved by extending the height of the chimney or by fitting a vent to the top of the chimney. Do you live in a smoke-control area? To find out, go to www.uksmokecontrolareas.co.uk.
Three stoves we recommend
1 Morso 6140 Woodburning Stove, from £1,206 (01788 554 410; www.morsoe.co.uk
2 Solution 400 Woodburning Stove, from £1,330, Clearview Stoves (01588 650 123; www.clearviewstoves.com)
3 Nestor Martin FH33 wood/multi-fuel stove, from £2,093.85, Euroheat (01885 491 112; www.euroheat.co.uk
4 Warm up your floors...
With a wool carpet According to Lorna Haigh from Alternative Flooring, wool is the best option for people looking for maximum warmth and practicality since it insulates, feels soft underfoot and is easy to clean. Carpet folk talk of pile heights - basically, the higher the pile, the thicker and cosier the carpet. You can have high pile in heavy traffic areas, but in that case go for knobbly wool types rather than long, shaggy styles. We particularly like the Wool Tierra carpet, £37.95 per m/sq, from the Alternative Flooring Company (01264 335 111; www.alternativeflooring.com).
Three companies we recommend
1 Wool Classics (020 7349 0090)
2 Craigie Stockwell (020 7224 8380; www.stockwellcarpets.com)
3 Crucial Trading (01562 743 747; www.crucial-trading.com)
With some wooden floorboards 'It's a myth that wooden floors are drafty,' says Steve Maltby, technical services manager at wooden-floor specialists Junckers. 'These days floorboards are all tongue and grooved so you don't get problems with air flow from below.' However, he does advise people living in old houses to put a layer of insulation below floating floors to prevent heat escaping down through the boards.
Colour-wise, avoid those blond, Scandinavian-style woods and go for something dark and brooding such as these beechwood boards in Spicy Pepper finish from Junckers' new Soul Collection (01376 534 700; www.junckers.com).
Three companies we recommend
1 Element 7 (020 7736 2366; www.element7.co.uk)
2 Listone Giordano (0808 234 6866; www.listonegiordano.com)
3 Ebony and Co (020 7259 0000; www.ebonyandco.com)
With a room-sized rug If you can't bear the idea of a fitted carpet, then go for a rug. 'Area rugs on a hard floor will give you islands of softness,' says flooring guru Roger Oates. He recommends creating a cocooning effect using textured rugs in rich colours. Fabulous, coloured rugs are available this season- for example, the Butterfly hand-tufted acrylic rug from Woven Ground, above (90x160cm), £125 (020 7033 3731; www.wovenground.com).
5 Sort your lighting
The right lighting can turn a cold room into a cosy haven. We asked Elizabeth Wilhide, author of Lighting, how to get it right.
Avoid central overhead lights, which cause glare and make a room feel chilly.
Increase the number of lights in a space and decrease the wattage in each one - the idea is to set up several warm pools of light rather than uniformly light the room.
Fit a dimmer switch.
Soften energy-efficient bulbs by teaming them with tinted lampshades. Karen Howes, of interior-design practice Taylor Howes Design, recommends gold-lined shades for maximum warmth.
High-street buys we recommend
1 Grande shade (D51xH36cm) with copper lining, £65, Habitat (08444 991 111; www.habitat.net
2 Glass Ball Table Lamp (H60xD30cm), £39.50, Marks & Spencer (0845 603 1603; www.marksandspencer.com)
3 Sven Floor Lamp (H162xD40cm), £100, John Lewis (08456 049 049; www.johnlewis.com)
6 Light some candles
This season, think forests of single candles (we love Toast's English beeswax numbers, from £5.95 for a pair of dinner candles, 0844 557 5200; www.toast.co.uk in chicly mismatched sticks - often to be found if you scour the junk shops.
Three ranges we recommend
1 Graham & Green (0845 130 6622; www.grahamandgreen.co.uk)
2 Sia (0118 922 7800; www.sia-homefashion.co.uk)
3 House of Fraser (020 7963 2000; www.houseoffraser.co.uk).
7 Be creative with fabric
'Upholster sofas and armchairs in flat wool or velvet,' advises interior designer John Stefanidis, 'and consider covering doors in fabric, too.' If you don't want to re-upholster (and it is only worth doing if the piece of furniture is in good condition), just buy some fabric, hem the edges and use it as a throw. Opt for luxurious materials such as cashmere, mohair or this season's must-have fabric, velvet. We love Zoffany's new Arundel Velvet collection, particularly in teal and chocolate, at £80 p/m (08708 300 350; www.zoffany.com).
8 Warm up your windows
'I layer silk and printed fabrics at the window for a sense of depth and texture,' says Tricia Guild of Designers Guild. And she's not alone. Jemima Locke, marketing manager of curtain and blind specialists Eclectics, says that combining roller or roman blinds with some sumptuous curtains (interlined, of course) is a growing trend. This season calls for textural fabrics, such as velvet, suede or flock, and curtains that just scrape the floor rather than form a pool on the ground.
Two curtains we recommend
1 Roller blind in Fioravanti flock fabric, from £137 for a blind measuring 60x80cm, Eclectics (01843 608 789; www.eclectics.co.uk)
2Chandelier-print fully lined curtains, from £70 for a pair measuring 168x137cm, Hobbs Home (0800 121 8259)
9 Invest in some warm-toned accessories
Painting the room red would obviously warm things up, but unless you have a room you don't use in summer (or you're prepared to re-decorate every season), then you're better off buying some hot-toned cushions and throws. Berry shades are strong for this winter and look great mixed with teal, coral and midnight blue.
Five accessories we recommend
1 Emperor's Garden jewelled cushion, £25, Bhs (0845 196 000; www.bhs.co.uk)
2 Fredensborg cyan flock-velvet cushion, £60, Designers Guild (020 7893 7400; www.designersguild.com)
3 Wave Velvet Design Cushion, £13, Next (0844 844 8000; www.next.co.uk)
4 Mega Dot quilt, from £81, by Hay Denmark, from SCP (020 7739 1869; www.scp.co.uk)
5 Two-toned cashmere throws (140x190cm), £525 to order from Suzy Hoodless (020 7221 8844; suzyhoodless.com)
10 Wear a jumper
T-shirts are for summer - put them away and dress for the season. According to Friends of the Earth, turning your central heating down by one degree can cut your heating bills by £30 a year.
By Charlotte Abrahams
full article
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