Dear Donny
Take a walk on the wild side this summer and welcome the tropics into your home
This fun tropical triptych will transform any room. A fabulous, fun addition to any dining table. Excelsa tropical salt & pepper set, amazon.co.uk This feathery vase is guaranteed to put a smile on your face Parrot vase, george.com Just the thing for mopping up tequila spillage. Transform your garden with this palmprint chair. Africa oak director’s chair with palm-print cotton sling, habitat.co.uk This cool cushion is perfect for a child’s bedroom. Go wild with your alfresco dining. Calypso dinner plate, animal side plates, set of 4, Calypso bowl, animalprint mugs x 4 designs, dunelm.com
QThe decking around our caravan looks so tired, lifeless and worn, even though we have used decking oil on it at the start of each season. What can you suggest?
Jim Alcorn, South Yorkshire
I would scrub with bleach or detergent, remove any rotten boards and splice in new ones. You could paint it with a quality fence paint.
I’d try Cuprinol Shades – it will look great when worn in by footfall.
Q
I am thinking of replacing my old wooden shed with a metal one. Do they suffer from condensation? I have a floor made of concrete slabs. Danny Walmsley, by email
A
Yes, metal sheds suffer from condensation when the outside air gets cold and there is warm air in the shed – but in general they are cold and are good security wise. I had a metal shed and it was difficult to change the use inside and impossible to hang tools from the walls. Wood is warmer and does not condensate, which means your tools are less likely to get rusty.
A