h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Mega home improvements going on chez annie at the moment, following the new kitchen (2009) and new bathroom (2008). Have just had the living room, hall and stairs decorated and I'm very pleased with the result: mostly magnolia, with grey-green ('Dewy Lawn') in the alcoves.

Moved all the books and other bits & bobs from the living room upstairs to my study/spare room while the painting was being done, and since then have taken five loads of books and two loads of other stuff to the charity shops, of which Cambridge has many. Bookshelves now looking delightfully ready to receive new stock - but not too much, I am determined!

Yesterday I Freecycled my old sofa-bed: it was a good one, from Habitat, but I had had it since 1983 (ouch!) and although the bed mechanism was still fine, the cushions were very worn and squishy. It had been re-covered at one point (probably in about 1990!) but when I investigated the possibility of having it done again, it was going to cost almost as much as a new sofa.

So I have spent several hours today traipsing round John Lewis, Habitat, Furniture Village, ScS (don't bother - their stuff is hideous!), and finally Next Home. The last one of these is a new shop, very near where I live, and they had the best range of stuff, with helpful and knowledgeable young staff, so I shall probably go for one of theirs. Brought home a couple of fabric samples and their price-list. They also (along with J Lewis) seemed to have the best delivery times - the longest time quoted, for their most popular sofa, was 7 weeks, and some of them were as little as 21 days.

Watch this space ... I also have to find a new computer desk.

my sofa and armchair are from Next (as is my dining table). Bought in 1994, have been recovered once (daft cream colour first time round), and are maybe beginning to be beyond their best now - or rather the 2 cushions on the sofa I sit on all the time are really beginning to get too squishy. But they've certainly given me good value over the years.

Ooh thanks Hebe - it's always good to have a personal recommendation!

I personally found buying a new sofa (also here in Cambridge), the most difficult bit of purchasing for the house: There are plenty of places selling tiles, bathroom fittings, kitchens etc, with a huge range and variety; The most impossible task however was finding a sofa which wasn't so close to the floor that it gave you backache sitting on it, I eventually got mine from the Furnature place off newmarket road (near the old beehive centre), I think it was the one that since went bankrupt, but seriously, it was the first, and only sofa I found which was 'high' enough to sit on comfetably, and of course ended up being towards the expensive end of all those I saw in john Lewis and suchlike places, I just hope they last a long while as I don't think I could handle having to shop for a new one again.. Which reminds me, about time I did my kitchen its seen a lot better days... : Who did you use in Cambridge to do your Kitchen?

Hello 2legs! Don't think we've met. Know what you mean about height of sofas. I have a small one which is just right, which I found in a second-hand shop in Hope Street Yard (off Mill Road). But the ones I tried in Next seemed OK.

Got my kitchen at Homebase, and had it fitted by them as well - very experienced fitter, who did a good job and I'm very satisfied with it. A friend of mine has had his done recently by Cambridge Kitchens (also in Mill Road) - top end of the price scale, granite worktops etc, and I think he's pleased, but it took ages, and cost an arm and a leg!