Pick of the Pads: Retro Perspective

"Retro Perspective" feature in the November 2013 edition of Homes & Gardens Magazine

We head down to Brisbane, Australia for this month’s Pick of the Pads.

Rowena Cornwell’s “Retro Perspective” home was featured in the November 2013 edition of Homes & Gardens magazine.

She uses a strong indigo blue as a unifying colour throughout her home.

Glossy tiles, soft furnishings and artwork are complemented with bright whites and soft greys.

The house is casual yet very grown up.

Rowena perfectly combines traditional antiques with mid century modern pieces. It takes a very good eye to do this as successfully as seen here.

The spaces are filled with light and there’s such a lovely flow to the house. We love it!

Charity Vintage: Huntley & Palmer farmyard biscuit tin

(ends 11 Nov 2013 15:25:46 GMT)

This vintage Huntley & Palmer farmyard biscuit tin is currently for sale on eBay for Charity in support of The Iain Rennie Hospice at Home*.

It’s a very rare item and it shows in the current bid. There are still about 4 days remaining on the listing but it’s already got bids up to £80!

*The Iain Rennie Hospice at Home is a registered charity in the Chiltern area, which offers specialist home nursing care, support and advice for patients with life threatening illnesses. The professional care offered by our teams of nurses enables patients to stay at home through their illness.

Gimme Five! 2014 diaries

Halloween and Bonfire Night have been and gone and Christmas is on its way. Before we know it the new year will be here. That’s why we’ve been looking at what 2014 diaries are on offer. Guess which one’s the favourite!

FILOFAX Original organiser fluro orange – £60.00, Selfridges (diary pages not included)
K TWO Busy Life 2014 Diary – £9.99, John Lewis (shared diary for syncing hectic lives)
Ladydate medium pocket week to view, pencil gold – £8.49, Letts (luxe looks, low price)
2014 colour a month diary – £31.95, Moleskine (If you can’t decide on a single colour)
The design diary 2014 – £10, Paperchase (for illustration fans)

Cakes & Bakes: Boozy chocolate muscovado banana cake

We’re massive banana fans chez H is for Home – and banana cake is a firm favourite.

This boozy, decadent version is my spin on Nigel Slater’s chocolate muscovado banana cake taken from his book, The Kitchen Diaries II

Boozy chocolate muscovado banana cake

Print recipe Pin recipe

Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

175 g/6oz unsalted butter softened
100 g/3½oz golden caster sugar
75 g/2½oz muscovado sugar
2 free-range eggs
175 g/6oz self-raising flour
2 ripe bananas about 250g/9oz total weight ( black-skinned, over-ripe ones work well )
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 capful dark rum
200 g/7oz dark hazelnut chocolate bar
2 tbs demerara sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170ºC/325ºF/Gas mark 3
Grease a 22cm x 12cm/8in x 4in loaf tin
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and golden & muscovado sugars until light and coffee-coloured
Lightly beat the eggs before adding to the butter & sugar mixture
Mix in the self-raising flour gradually in about 3 stages, mixing after each addition
Peel the bananas and chop them into small pieces
Chop the hazelnut chocolate bar into small pieces making sure the hazelnuts are at least quartered
Gently fold the vanilla extract, rum, bananas and chocolate into the cake mixture, taking care not to over-mix
Spoon the cake batter into the prepared loaf tin
Dust with the demerara sugar
Bake for 60-70 minutes, covering the top of the cake with foil if it starts to darken too quickly
Allow to cool in the tin on a wire rack