Saving the planet

David Killick rounds up the latest house and garden books.

Cabbages & Roses Guide to Natural Housekeeping – Live a Calmer, Healthier life, Recycle and Reuse, Clean Naturally, Garden Organically, by Christina Strutt, Cico Books, 192pp, $49.99.

Everyone wants to save the planet, and this comprehensive British guide will help you get cracking now. Author Christina Strutt, who runs fabric company Cabbages & Roses, has amassed a cornucopia of practical advice– everything from using wholly natural products for cleaning, instead of noxious chemicals, through to caring for clothes and furniture, to making jams, chutneys and bath and beauty preparations.

Energy saving, environmentally friendly tips abound, says Strutt, a self-confessed "eco worrier". Many are old- fashioned ideas, tried and true; others are innovations. "There is a great deal we can do to make the world a better place. We are all aware of the impending disasters awaiting us if we continue on the path we are taking. The time will come, I am sure, when the extravagance and unconsidered comfort we have grown to expect will become a thing of the past." An invaluable guide for anyone who wants to not only avoid harming the environment, but also to live a healthier life closer to nature, and save money into the bargain, too.

Creating the French Look: Inspirational Ideas and 25 Step-by-Step Projects by Annie Sloan. Cico Books, 144pp, $49.99.

French style, it seems, appeals just about everywhere: there's a fascination for French style and way of life. Part of this is down to the way the French seamlessly mix past and present, and combine modern and classic design elements. The author, a British-based decorative painter, divides French style into chateau, country, Provencal and Parisian. But this book is more than just a collection of French interiors; it's a hands-on guide to create the interiors yourself, with step- by-step projects - 25 of them. These include a crackle- varnished console table, an antiques cherub, a gilded mirror frame and a beautiful country armoire. Projects look appealing and fun, but above all, actually achievable.

Bazaar Style – Decorating with Market and Vintage Finds, by Selina Lake, with words by Joanna Simmons, photography by Debi Treloar; Ryland, Peters and Small; 144pp, $56.99.

It's the colours that grab you. Hot pink and orange, vibrant yellow and lime green, and pulsating purple. Check out "cute armchairs, covered in brilliant pink", glossy red lips and a glowing love heart, a Moroccan lightshade made of crimson-coloured beads, and "tired kitchen units and a plain white fridge" covered with multi-coloured wallpaper. Holy moly! Could we be returning to the 1970s? What with the popularity of the Abba film, Mamma Mia, and now this book, maybe we are!

Stylist Lake and interiors writer Simmons share practical tips and important advice ("The bazaar look cannot be bought on one shopping trip. It grows organically over the years.") If this look appeals, Christchurch's own retro shops are a good place to start looking for material.

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