INTERIOR SOLUTIONS

Decorating expert Rachel Leedham answers all your queries - this month, she tracks down a traditional sofa and some vibrant red paints.

Apothecary jars

Ql wonder if you can tell me who sells apothecary jars? So far, I've only managed to source them in the States. 

Apothecary jars are brilliant for storing anything from bath products to shells - they can even make mundane objects, such as loose change, look fabulous. Pale & Interesting (01797 344077, paleandinteresting. com) offers a range of hand-blown jars that come in sets of three different shapes, complete with antiqued labels. The jars are available in small (H14,14 and 15cm, shown above with white hyacinths), ?23.95: medium (H17, 18 and 21cm, shown with blue hyacinth), ?29.95, and large (H22, 23 and 26cm, shown left), ?42.95. Alternatively, Powder Blue (0116 270 3303. powder-blue.co.uk) sells several French-style apothecary jars, with prices starting at ?15 for a Footed Bobble design (H26cm), while Bnssi (020 8133 7491, brissi.co.uk) has a comparable Sevigny Glass canister with cut-glass detail (H3().5cm), ?24.

Classic sofa

QPlease can you tell me where Nicky Bailey bought the sofa in her sitting room (pl20, September 2010, pictured right)? It's gorgeous!

ANicky's sofa is by David Scyfried (020 7823 3848, davidseyLried.com) and is called the Standard. It's available as a two, two-and-a half and three-seater; prices start at ?2,460 for the W152 x D94 x H96cm sofa, plus 16m of fabric. The plaid used by Nicky to cover her sofa is discontinued, but Bclgrave Check in Aqua and Beige (F3001/01, shown in inset below), ?81 per m. Colefax and Fowler (020 8877 6400, colefax.com), is very similar. Another sofa you might like is Sofa Workshop's (0844 249 9161, sofaworkshop.com) Salieri design (shown below); this also comes in three sizes, and the smallest, W150 x D102 x H77cm, is priced at ?1,648, plus 16.5m of fabric.

Storm lantern

Ql love the lantern pictured on the worktop in Maureen and Darius Graham's kitchen (pl32, September 2010, shown right) and wondered if you can tell me where it's from. 

AA hurricane lamp is perfect for creating atmospheric light at this time of year. The Grahams bought their painted wooden lanterns from The Feathered Nest (028 9447 2720, theteatherednestni.com); they are available in two sizes: W30 x D18 x H5()cm, ?59, and W36 x D26 x H70cm, ?89. The White Company (0845 678 8150, thewhite company.com) has brought out a lovely white-painted wooden lantern for the festive season. It also comes in two sizes (shown near left): W23 x D23 x H50cm, ?60, and W23 x I )23 x H83cm, ?100. Nordic House (0844 209 2027, nordichousc.co.uk) has lots of hurricane lanterns as well, including this rusty metal design (far left), W25 x D25 x H48cm, ?49.95.

Striped roller blinds

Ql'm trying to find roller blinds made up in fabric featuring vertical stripes of pink and cream, with each stripe measuring approximately 2.5cm. I would be grateful for any help. 
AI haven't been able to find ready-made roller blinds in die exact style of stripe yon mention, so I'd suggest you buy the fabric and send it to a specialist to have your roller blinds made to order. The Natural Curtain Company (0845 500 0400, naturalcurtaincompany. co.uk) will make up roller blinds using any suitable fabric; as a guide, a design measuring H100 x W60cm will cost ?98 plus 1.4m of fabric. Pret a Vivre (0845 130 5161, pretavivre.com) offers the same service and quotes ?90 for a roller blind measuring H91 x W6()cm. plus 1.2m of fabric. As for the fabric itself, the design that best fits your description is Norfolk Stripe in Pink (1), cotton, ?21.50 per m, Ian Mankin (020 7722 0997, ianmankin. co.uk). You may also like Jane Churchill's (020 7244 7427, janechurchill.com) Sail Narrow Stripe in Pink (J128F-09), which is another cotton, ?36 per m (2), and Severn Stripe in Pink (J568F-05), which is a cotton mix, ?37 perm (3).

Pebble tiles

Ql am in the middle of renovating our house and I'm looking for some pebble tiles, as they would suit my seaside theme really well. Can you suggest a stockist?

APebble tiles are wonderful for adding texture to a room and if you use them on the floor, they marry beautifully with underfloor heating, giving you the feeling of walking on a warm, smooth pebble beach — bliss. Island Stone (0800 083 9351, islandstone.co.uk) is the originator of the mesh-backed pebble tile and offers high quality designs featuring carefully selected, ultra-smooth pebbles. Its Premium Pebble, 30 x 30cm, conies in five colours (pictured above is Antique White, with French Tan shown in the inset), both around ?108 per sq m. The company also ofters a more affordable Standard Pebble tile, 40 x 40cm, priced at about ?68 per sq m.

Red paint

Ql'm hoping to redecorate my dining room in time for Christmas and the colour Margaret and John Morgan used in their home (p32, September 2010, shown left) is exactly the shade I've been looking for. Could you tell me what it is?

The Morgans used a colour by Laura Ashley (0871 230 2301, lauraashley.com) which, unfortunately, has since been discontinued. So 1 asked Sarah Cole, Director of Farrow & Ball (01202 876141, farrow-ball.com) for her recommendations. She suggested Eating Room Red (shown above, left) or Radicchio (shown top), commenting, 'Their richness and warmth make these colours an ideal choice for dining rooms, particularly when lit with candlelight: the dark, velvety tones are intensified by the light and take on a wonderful, jewel-like quality." Both paints cost ?26.50 for 2.5 litres of estate emulsion. Also pictured here is Pugin Red, ?23.80 for 2.5 litres of vinyl matt emulsion, Dulux (0844 481 7817, dulux.co.uk).