Linda reveals her fave essential items and tells us what's up and coming in her world ' and what's not!

Go bold
Pattern continues to feature not only on our walls in the form of wallpaper, but even on things like our mobile phones (how desirable is the new Nokia?), cars (have you seen the limited edition VW Beetle yet?) as well as wall stickers (Rachael Kelly) which can be transferred on to papered or painted walls to make a dramatic impact.

It seems china and glassware can't resist the decorative explosion with Habitat, Laura Ashley, Argos and even Asda all getting in on the act.

Luxury for a lot less
Like fashion, the market for home design products and home accessories is increasingly dividing. Traditional boundaries between the middle and the lower end markets are blurring as retailers such as Next and Laura Ashley try to fight off the opposition from the likes of Matalan, Primark and TK Maxx ' making it a much better environment for those of us who like to snap up a bargain for the home, and indeed those of us that like to look good without buying from Prada.

Let's go outside
Decking our gardens is seen as an increasingly popular way of extending the time we can enjoy our outside spaces in the warmer months.

In this country, The Outdoor Decking Company is without a doubt the best in the business, giving you the quality timber and construction techniques that will last a lifetime, not just a couple of summers!

Home sweet home
Working from home is becoming ever more popular as growing numbers of us start to see the back garden as
an area that can be used for a home office, or even just a wired connection to the sun-lounger!

Linda's best picks

Discover Linda's fave things in the high street, catalogues and department stores

Rachael Kelly has a great melamine wear at Habitat. We especially love this Nancy range (above) with assorted designs. Plate, £1.75 and beaker 88p, Habitat
BHS is and always will be fabulous for its lighting. This opal sputnik light is very trendy, £100, BHS
Limewash paints add character to your walls, and some great versions are available from Francesca's Paints
John Lewis has classic but stylish towel ideas. This lovely shade is from their Kingfisher range, and prices start from £4 for a face cloth, £32 for a bath towel, John Lewis
Sheepskin rugs are very funky and look great on wooden flooring in bedrooms. This Ludde rug from Ikea is perfect, £25.90
If you're looking for some discounted homeware products, then head for TK Maxx to grab yourself a bargain! (Last seen was Jamie Oliver products at outrageously cheap prices!)
B&Q offer some amazing deals on wallpaper, check out my designs on their website!
Whisk yourself over to Lakeland Limited for those all essential cooking and baking bits and pieces that you think you can live without but you actually can't! If you're in need of a great value sofa, I recommend you go to DFS, look out for the ones designed
by me!

Pamper yourself
The spa influence is a strong one in our bathrooms now. We all love the pampering experience of a real spa, so we are looking more and more at creating that kind of environment at home. Beyond the traditional Jacuzzi baths there are now designs that allow the water to spill right over the sides as you wallow in a deep soak ' though I'm not sure how popular they are with the water authorities.

Get back to basics
DIY is experiencing a bit of a decline (I think it's the fact that BBC's Changing Rooms is off the air!) and the new thing is G.S.I. (Get Someone In!). Have we really become that lazy or are we all just looking for new ways to flash the cash a bit more?

Show me the money
Homes are increasingly viewed as reliable investments now leading to many more of us having second homes. Managing your own pension these days is a viable proposition and the predictions are that domestic property may soon be eligible for these kinds of schemes.