Glasswells

A sofa is a purchase you don't want to get wrong. I scoured the internet and a zillion catalogues looking for ours. Eventually we went to see one in a chain store in Cambridge, and my children flung themselves cheerfully onto it.

"You see the reason the model in store no longer looks new," the assistant told another couple looking at the same item "is that it gets this kind of treatment."

So I hoiked the kids up and we left. Not only because the woman was rude, but also because I want a sofa that doesn't get ruined when people sit on it.

The next day we went to Glasswells. I immediately fell in love with a sofa in just the size and shape we wanted, and got some good advice about family friendly fabric to cover it. The children were welcome and the store has a play room and a video lounge. As for the sofa, it looks pretty much the same three years on as it did when we bought it. It's one of the best household purchases we've made.

Glasswells, Bury St Edmunds

Glasswells' emphasis is on quality and value. They sell the kind of furnishings that are made to last. And while they stock a large range of items aimed at the traditional taste of their older customers, they also stock cutting edge modern designs too. I found out a while ago that if you enquire about something gorgeous featured in the kind of catalogue that slips out of Elle Decoration, the local stockist often turns out to be Glasswells.

Coffee cup and plate from the Newwavecaffe collection by Villeroy and Boch.

With 100,000 sq ft in the Bury St Edmunds store, it's an emporium for household accessories -loads to choose from.

Accessories

I love the "Expressions of Light range," and its pieces with names like stars and sculptured ice. There's a great range of traditional lighting too.

Wow factor lighting

Elegant lighting

Just a few of the available rugs to choose from ...

Overheard by the carpets section:

Salesman: All sorts of people run all sorts of underlay at all sorts of prices. But we run the best, and it is the best. To be honest, I don't doubt it.

Salesman: And there's £2 off per square metre. And fitting is free.

Maybe it's time to get that new bedroom carpet I've been promising myself.

Glasswells World of Furniture has stores throughout East Anglia. They stock full ranges of furniture for your entire home, and beautiful homeware.

Tel: 01284 752804. Website: www.glasswells-furniture.co.uk

Glasswells Bury St Edmunds has a large carpark and is conveniently close to the A14.