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Valerie’s passion for design is the driving force behind everything she does – from her career in the fashion industry to her extensive work designing home interiors throughout the tri-state area. Before establishing her own firm, Valerie spent over fifteen years in the fashion industry working at such renowned brands as Prada, Ralph Lauren, Coach and J Crew. The designer uses this valuable experience to every home design project, customizing and tailoring selections to the aesthetic and budget of each individual client....

For those that dare, wall-to-wall black can be a fantastic way to create dramatic, head-turning spaces. However, being a neutral shade which pairs with nearly every hue, black also makes a great accent color for bringing structure and interest to more muted schemes. ‘Black is mysterious, rich, deep – and rather sophisticated,’ says color expert Annie Sloan. ‘It brings drama, interest and elevates neutrals and pale colors.’ If you’re thinking of decorating with black then you’re in the right place as we’ve gathered an array of inspiring black room ideas, plus find tips on how to use this shade from the experts....

You cannot connect two Sonos products together via Bluetooth. Most Sonos devices do not even use Bluetooth to connect to your devices wirelessly. Sonos speakers are designed for wireless, multi-room HiFi and use a Wi-Fi network or dedicated Wireless Sonos network to sync together. Wireless high-fidelity (HiFi) audio is a popular way for many audiophiles to listen to music and other media throughout multiple rooms or from numerous speakers in the same room....

We all want to know how to make a lawn green and thick, but this becomes increasingly difficult if you try to mow wet grass. You will get a superior cut if you wait for the grass to dry before you attempt to mow it, and this in turn will reward you with a more luscious lawn. Instead of mowing wet grass, why not use the bad weather as an opportunity to give your lawn mower an overhaul?...

One small point about hard, semi-hard, blue and semi-soft cheeses: if you make any of these recipes for vegetarians, do check beforehand their personal stance on eating cheeses made with animal rennet. It is easier than ever to buy, for example, Cheddar, Stilton and camembert cheeses that are made with a non-animal substitute, so always check the label before buying if this could be an issue. Other than our original pizza recipes, these are our favorite cheese dishes....

That said, it’s surprising how hallways are often overlooked when we’re considering furnishing and decorating the rest of the home. We take care over our kitchen, living room and bedroom decor, but perhaps gloss over the hallway as a space we take for granted. First impressions count, however, so keep scrolling for tips and advice from the experts to make sure your cottage hallway provides a warm welcome and a practical transition from outside to inside....

Tell us about your background I’ve always been creative, although I have no formal training in furniture design. I worked for a picture framer many years ago, but it was while I was with Chrysalis Records in the early 1990s that I had a creative re-awakening. In my spare time I started making artwork with stencils and patterns, and one day I decided to apply some of these works to a coffee table....