I have long assumed that decorative embroidery went the way of my late grandmother's textiles - wrapped up in tissue at the bottom of a drawer and though beautiful, with no real place in today's unfussy houses. Home furnishings are now instant-fix and readily disposable to keep up with fast-moving trends. If we fancy a spot of embellishment with a cushion, for example, one of our retail giants is sure to provide it.

But lately the design and craft movement has been reasserting itself. Prada's recent Trembling Creatures fashion line and Max Azria's Van Gogh painting dresses indicate that the line between practicality and aesthetic has been blurred.