We’re lucky enough to have a guest blog from her this week…

“We’re gradually regaining some level of normality here at The Nightjar; though since Jean Christophe Novelli and Noel Edmond first paid us a visit, it’s fair to say some things will never be the same!

“We still welcome members of our community in to the pub every Wednesday to eat a hearty home cooked meal (although its difficult to cater to Jean Christophe’s standards, maybe he’d like to come back sometime?!) and meet new people.

Thanks to the fantastic work of the Magnet team who created an astounding amount of space in my previously cramped and cluttered kitchen, I’m able to easily cater for our new friends who have joined us since watching the programme!

“The kitchen has also had it’s own steady stream of visitors who’d seen the programme and wanted a guided tour!

“All the worktop space and new appliances have made lunch club so much easier and less stressful. This truly has been a gift that will keep on giving!”

50% off all cabinets*

Three years interest free credit**

An extra 10% off cabinet prices^

Stunning new ranges included in the sale

This winter, Magnet is offering three years interest free credit so now you can buy the dream kitchen you’ve always wanted. You’ll also receive an incredible 50% off all kitchen cabinets including Magnet’s three brand new ranges and if you choose from Magnet’s Essentially collection, you could buy a brand new kitchen for under £3,000.~

The brand new Lila range is a stylish and sophisticated kitchen with subtle curves. Purple and aubergine hues bring this bold kitchen to life and the lilac splashback provides a striking feature. The purple cabinets are teamed with Magnet’s new Pura range matt white wall cabinets for a truly contemporary finish.

LILA – 50% OFF 600mm base unit, WAS £519.90 NOW £259.95

PLUS until 7th January take an extra 10% off sale price

This year, Magnet got involved with the fantastic Noel’s Christmas Presents TV programme to donate a kitchen to Di Bradley.

She was nominated by her daughter Kim for the continuing work running a local pub in Weston-Super-Mare which caters to the whole community.

Di provides services such as a lending library and computer classes for elderly people so they can email friends and family easily. She also arranged for her neighbours to meet and eat in the pub together, rather than eating their ‘Meals on Wheels’ alone in their homes.

Kim knows how much her mum enjoys helping the local community and told the programme how her old kitchen had become a little worn and could benefit from a little sprucing up.

With all her hard work, Di definitely deserved her brand new cream Hatfield kitchen from Magnet, complete with beautiful Amtico flooring and a state of the art range cooker.

We hope she’ll enjoy using it and continue cooking up her delicious lunches.

Gadgets in the kitchen have become a huge trend over the last few years. Most people have very busy lifestyles so they need gadgets to help get jobs done as quickly as possible.

Eco gadgets are very on-trend at the minute. A hot water tap is not only better for the environment, but makes cooking and cleaning much easier, and they are aesthetically desirable.

Pop-up TVs and iPod docking stations are very popular for families entertaining in the kitchen, whilst pop-up plug sockets are a great way of turning something functional into a design feature.

Gadgets sit particularly well in modern kitchens but, if implemented well, can work just as well in traditional kitchens.

We always recommend avoid buying gimmicky gadgets or  kitchen appliances that you will only use a few times. They may look stylish, but your money would be better spent on something that will genuinely make your life more enjoyable or easier.

This week, top TV stylist Anna Ryder Richardson shares with us her vision of how to take design inspiration from the seasons.

‘Autumnal.’ Such a lovely word once you get your mouth round it. We only have to look around us and see the colours, textures and shapes changing as we flow from season to season for styling inspiration.

Trees and flowers generously give us a full show of colour change and seasonal fruit or vegetables are always a great way to change the look of a kitchen or to take colour inspiration from.

Every season comes with it’s own palette.  I am constantly surprised at the shades of colour we have at our fingertips and eyes, an infinite amount of colour shades, so take your blinkers off, take it all in and absorb your surroundings.

Autumn is about browns and all the glorious shades it brings such as oranges burnt and bright, new green leaves to the green leaves turning brown, deep berry reds and aubergine, one of nature’s most sensuous colours. I could go on and on.

Embrace it, look for it, and don’t be surprised! ‘Go with the flow’ has never been more apt, enjoy it while it lasts, that way you’ll be almost sorry to see the seasons change.  But when you see the next selection of colours and textures emerging, there won’t be time to reflect only to refresh. These colour changes should trickle in and out, showing colours, textures in spectacular and surprising combinations.

Then there are the things we touch every day, why shouldn’t they please our eye, create an atmosphere?  Tea towels, linen, cushions and throws can be changed with the seasons. From light, floral designs for spring/summer to rich coloured checks, stripes for the colder months.

In spring, vases and glassware can be grouped, bouncing light off each other and displaying seasonal flowers such as fresh green shoots and huge sunflowers. In winter, try smoky glass or heavy earthenware pots with dried flowers or vegetables.

During the summer months, crockery can be delicate – perhaps drawing inspiration from nature and botanical design. Meanwhile, heavy, thick bowls and plates in earthy tones are perfect for autumn, especially when side by side with rustic wooden chopping boards and fresh, green salads.

Design trends have definitely relaxed towards everything matching, now we can have individual pieces that tell a story or work together really well in a mix. It’s not about the obvious.

If you are having a dinner party then indulge your guests with seasonal layering to create an atmosphere that starts the evening off in the right mood.  Your dining table really is a place to go style and prop crazy.  More is definitely more here. You can have loads of candles, create dramatic centrepieces, or drizzle the table with rose petals or pine needles. The possibilities are truly endless!

We’ve already told you how excited we are about the new recipe book that is being published to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of Mrs Beeton’s first publication.

Mrs Beeton How to Cook* is packed full of modern advice on how to source good food plus delicious recipes – you’ll be whipping up British classics in your kitchen in no time!

And what’s even more exciting, is that we’ve teamed up with Mrs Beeton and Waterstone’s to offer one lucky winner a brand new, dream kitchen! Whether shaker style is your thing, or you prefer more of an Urban Gloss look, you’ll be able to find a range that you love.

You do have to be a Waterstone’s cardholder to enter the competition. Visit http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/pages/waterstones-card/200001512/ and find out how to enter!

*Available at Waterstone’s

We all enjoy a good gossip while we’re cooking, but now you can talk directly to your kitchen… in French!

A ‘talking kitchen’ has been created that gives cooking instructions in French to help students learn the language.

A computer is fitted into the kitchen which allows the cooks to select any French recipes they want to follow. Digital sensors are built into the utensils, containers and other kitchen equipment to communicate with the computer and make sure the right instructions are given at the right time.

The kitchen tracks the French-learning-chef’s movements and actions using Wii-like sensors and apparently speaks in a similar way to a car sat-nav.

Portable versions of the technology are being installed at Newcastle College, where the technology was trialled, and at the Institut Francais, a London-based charity dedicated to teaching French.

The user can ask for an instruction to be repeated or translated into English at any time so it’s easy to use and makes sure the French is easy to learn – it certainly makes learning more fun and easy to put the language into practice!

Magnet has teamed up with some of the world’s leading appliance manufacturers to launch the UK’s first ever kitchen scrappage scheme.

If you buy a new kitchen from Magnet in October you’ll have the option to get your existing appliances replaced with £1,560 of brand new energy efficient appliances – free of charge!  As part of the scheme, Magnet will also remove your old kitchens appliances and dispose of them according to EU regulations.

Research has shown that by replacing an old fridge, oven and washing machine with more energy efficient models, the average household will save £73 per year in electricity bills – that’s 18% off the annual bill.

And it’s not just about how much money that can be saved, replacing old appliances can reduce your household’s carbon footprint by 500 KgCO² per year  – that’s the equivalent of three petrol tanks worth of CO² saving!

Alongside the scrappage scheme, Magnet is still offering 50% off all cabinets during the autumn half price sale. Furthermore, if you buy now, youcan have a brand new energy efficient kitchen installed in time for Christmas.

The pack consists of AEG appliances including Dishwasher, Single Fan Oven and Built Under Larder Fridge – all of which boast the most energy efficient specifications currently on the market.

For more information visit www.magnet.co.uk/kitchenscrappagescheme

For full Terms and Conditions visit www.magnet.co.uk/terms-and-conditions

Magnet is pleased to announce a one year collaboration with television presenter Anna Ryder Richardson, best known for her role on the award winning 1990s BBC series Changing Rooms.

Anna will be contributing to this very blog as well as filming some great styling videos for us, so keep an eye out for some fantastic tips and tricks for your home!

Anna says: “Interior design has been at the heart of my career for over 15 years and it’s something I’m still very passionate about.

“I was really excited to being working with Magnet. This will be the first campaign of this magnitude that I have worked on that uses a mixture of both traditional and social media.”

Anna currently presents for Daybreak and has also appeared on Whose House, All The Right Moves and House Invaders. Anna’s love of animals has now become a part of her working life after she and her husband bought a zoo in South Wales three years ago.

We’re really excited about the new recipe book that is being published to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of Mrs Beeton’s first publication.

The book is full of classic, British recipes, which have been updated for the twenty-first century kitchen.

Mrs Beeton How to Cook is packed full of modern advice on how to source good food, plus a detailed insight into ingredients and equipment.

Featuring family classics such as Leek and Potato Soup and Steak and Kidney Pudding, to dishes that will be sure to put your culinary skills to the test, such as Grilled Lobster with Parsley and Garlic Butter.

With its timeless appeal and variety of dishes, this very special recipe book belongs in every kitchen.

Mrs Beeton How to Cook will be available from Waterstone’s from 13th October!