Bargain Hunter

3 of the best: Russian dolls

With temperatures hitting Siberian lows, we’re looking east to Russia for inspirational accents.

Russian nesting dolls or matryoshka are an easy way to introduce Slav style. The first Russian nested doll set is said to have been carved in 1890 by a craftsman called Vasily Zvyozdochkin from a design by the painter, architect and stage designer Sergey Malyutin.

The Stencil Library's (0044-1661844844, Stencil-library.com) large Russian Dolls will individualise very ordinary pieces of furniture. They cost about €30 each.

Stencil It is a book published by Jacqui Small and includes several free stencils, including a smaller version of the Russian doll pictured. It offers inspiring ideas galore.

Wall Stickers ( Wallstickers.ie) has a selection of designs that riff on the same theme. They start from €19 for a 12cm by 20cm tall design. Home and Kids (0044-208244 0172, Homeandkids.co.uk) Babushka Dolls stickers are another option and cost approximately €17.94 ex delivery.

Pillow talk

Hey, dollface, why don’t you give drab furniture an instant lift with a smart patterned cushion? This Russian Dolls cushion is another way to play with the matryoshka or little matron theme.

The cushion is handmade in Northumberland by Hunkydory Home ( hunkydoryhome.co.uk). Featuring Russian dolls in a soft colour palette on a cotton front cushion, they will add pattern and interest to any corner. The reverse of the cushion is plain red linen.

The cushion measures approximately 40cm square and costs about €30.

Or you could bring the print in through the use of posters on the wall.

Zazzle ( Zazzle.co.uk) has an incredibly wide selection of nesting doll themes to choose from; select traditional stepped (ahem!) form owl and clown motif Cossack dancers and even Russian gangsters. Prices start from €13.30, ex-delivery, for a 25cm by 12cm size. The site will also print on key chains, coasters, iPhone covers and mugs.

Up for the cup

Babushka is a thermal cup by QDO, a freshly-brewed, quirky range of products, inspired by the Orient and designed to make a fun statement on any contemporary tabletop.

The turquoise blue version is sold online at kitchenware company Forma House (0044-208646 3883, Formahouse.co.uk) for €13.76.

The cup has also been hand-picked by Ruth Aram for the Aram Store.

Call 0044-207557 7557, or mail aramstore@aram.co.uk. Postage to Dublin costs €9.

Soft landing

Spice up your space with some designer accents from Italian luxury label Missoni Home at the TC Matthews (01-672 9353 tcmatthews.ie), 19-20 City Quay branch in Dublin 2, who are selling off stock less 25 to 30 per cent.

The Neda pouffe, 40cm high by 30cm in diameter, is reduced from €295 to €206.50.

Oblong Naciria cushions, 30cm by 60cm, in the brand’s signature zig-zag print have been reduced 25 per cent from €285 to €213.75.

Home is where the hearth is

Keep the cold nights at bay with a hearth-warming, solid fuel, wall-mounted fire. This sleek Instyle 550 wood-burning model by Dutch firm Dik Guerts was €1,999 and is reduced to €1,000 at Hearth and Home (01-620 0100 Hearthandhome.ie), at Unit 2 Fonthill Retail Park, Clondalkin, Dublin 22. The anthracite-coloured cast iron stove has a heat output of 5-8kW and is designed to sit flush with the wall. It measures 61.60 cm high by 52.70 cm long and is 39.8 cm deep. Installation through Hearth and Home using a HEATAF registered fitter will cost an additional €380, subject to a survey, which is included in the price. If self- installing, delivery will cost €50.

Hot offer

Cook up a storm in your kitchen with this dark and moody gloss black and stainless steel range cooker.

The dual fuel Ilve has a gas top and an electric oven and is 100cm wide.

It is reduced by 30 per cent, from €2,199 to €1,699, while stocks last at In-House Kitchen and Bathroom Specialists in Deansgrange (01-268 6996, In-house.ie), which is located at 1 Deansgrange Business Park in Dún Laoghaire. This offer ends Friday, February 8th.

A welcome on the matt

To celebrate the fact that Tilestyle has just become a stockist for the Little Greene Paint Company they're offering Bargain Hunter readers who present today's column a special introductory offer of 30 per cent off their stock range of intelligent matt emulsion paints. The offer starts today. Bargain Hunter loves the Bone China Blue, perfect for brightening up hallways and Rolling Fog, a fudgy colour that will warm up the look of stark bathrooms. A 2.5 litre tin of matt emulsion normally costs €41. Bargain Hunter readers can buy it for €28.70 while stocks last. The four-day offer period ends at close of business on February 3rd at TileStyle's (01-8555 200 Tilestyle.ie) premises in Ballymount Retail Centre, on Ballymount Road Upper, in Dublin 24.

Trending . . . Watch the birdies

With temperatures remaining low and trees bare, spare a thought for our feathered friends. Save your leftovers and scraps to feed to them and help them get through the winter. CJ Wildlife (01-901 0154 Birdfood.ie) has fat balls form €2.50 and high-energy, no-mess feed with the black sunflower seed husks removed, from €5.49 per kilo. You'll also find a selection of feed types in your local hardware store. This eco-friendly window bird feeder, designed for small birds, is made from recyclable plastic and sticks to windows thanks to its innovative double-sided suction cup. It is perfect for apartments and flats and even bedrooms. The 10cm device is reduced from about €19.30 to €15.01 on orders made before midnight tonight at Stylishlife.co.uk(0044-1269 822288).

Down is down

This Piubelle linen in jacquard cotton sateen is half price at Bottom Drawer (01-605 6696, Bottomdrawer.ie).

The king-size duvet cover set includes two pillowcases and is down from €325 to €162.

There’s 50 per cent off down pillows, from €199 to €99.50 for a pair and up to 50 per cent off white and ivory bed linen from Italian fashion brands Frette and Lara. The sale ends Sunday February 3rd at Bottom Drawer in Brown Thomas Dublin, Cork and Limerick.