From Britain with Love

I love pencil beds! They make a great focal point in a bedroom without being as overpowering as a four poster. For a sleek contemporary look, try the Senegal bed from The Natural Bed Company (pictured) whose beds are all made in Sheffield. Or for more traditional styling, take a look at The Four Poster Bed Company's range of pencil beds, which are handmade in rural Herefordshire using locally sourced oak and ash. Other British bedmakers include Warren Evans who make eco-friendly wooden beds in London, and Heritage Beds whose iron and brass beds are handmade in Cornwall using traditional casting techniques.

A genuine, handmade Sussex Trug is a real work of art. The frame is made from coppiced chestnut wood which is steamed into shape, before fine willow boards are individually nailed on to form the base. Don’t be tempted by cheap mass-produced imitations. You can find the real thing at The Truggery which has a variety of different shapes and sizes, or The Trug Store which offers unusual variations such as the Walking Stick Trug.

Try Pashley Cycles, England’s longest established bicycle manufacturer, who’ve been hand building British bicycles in Stratford-Upon-Avon since 1926. I’m loving the vintage style Pashley Poppy, £395, which comes in pastel pink or blue. For easy transportation, take a look at Moulton Bicycles whose separable, small wheeled bicycles are handcrafted in Bradford-on-Avon, or Brompton Bicycles, who design and build their folding bicycles in West London.

There are some fantastic flower growers in the UK and it feels good to buy fresh flowers that don’t come with a huge carbon footprint. Try Country Roses for romantic blooms grown in the Stour Valley, Scented Narcissi from the Isles of Scilly, or The Traditional Flower Company in Staffordshire whose charming gift sets combine fresh flowers with vintage china.