The trend-setting new Fiat Panda Alessi, due to go on sale in the UK in next month, is this week making its national debut at the Daily Mail Ideal Home Show. This is the first time that the general public and visitors to the famous London exhibition have been able to view the stylish new Panda, before it becomes available in limited numbers at selected Fiat dealerships.

The distinctive style of this innovative concept springs from a partnership between Fiat and Alessi, two world-class brands famed for their contribution to the development of industrial design in Italy. Fiat and Alessi have come up with their own design philosophy which makes their creations stand out from the world of mass market products.

Two examples of the new Panda Alessi are being showcased alongside the rest of the Panda range, with show visitors able to experience the funky little 'Car of the Year' award-winner at close quarters. The Panda 1.3 16v MultiJet and Panda 4x4 are appearing in the driveways of the exhibition’s show homes, demonstrating how adaptable to their environment these award-winning cars are. In particular, Panda 1.3 16v MultiJet, with CO2 emissions among the lowest of any car on sale, and a 65.6 mpg fuel economy average, is in keeping with the philosophy of the ‘Eco’ house designed by the show’s creators.

The theme of this year's Daily Mail Ideal Home Show - bigger and more glamorous than ever - is recycling and sustainable living and the central feature of the show will be a spectacular tropical waterfall. Behind the enormous water feature is a tree house with spectacular room designs for visitors' inspirations. The Tree House has been styled by TV Channel 5's design duo Justin and Colin.

Another major attraction of the show is the Colonial House, designed by Allied Carpets in association with Shuttercraft. The main feature of this unusual colonial house is its octagon shaped turret, which on the ground floor encompasses a sun room – with grand piano – leading from the lounge, and on the first floor a guest bedroom. In fact, the whole of the interior offers the visitor a wealth of rooms to refresh the senses and provide definition with black and chocolate. The effect is softened with sharp highlights of citrus and buttercup yellows for a smart understated look. The furniture, from Raft, is made exclusively from natural materials crafted by traditional methods. Reclaimed teak has been used throughout either in a dark stain or natural finish to complement each room’s décor. Flooring is another key feature. The house features a variety of flooring from Real Woods, from laminate and vinyls through to luxury deep pile carpets in amazing colours, so visitors will feel real contrasts underfoot as they enter each room.

The Gardens at this year’s show, additionally sponsored by npower, are showcasing a series of unique and individual garden designs. These six individual garden plots reveal the nations’ favourite use of their outdoor spaces. Each garden has been uniquely designed to highlight the many different uses for outdoor living space. Whether it’s a rose garden, herb garden or vegetable plot, there’s ideas and inspiration for everybody. The wildlife garden has been designed to attract wildlife with nest boxes for birds and bats, a small wildlife pond to attract dragonflies, frogs and toads and to provide water for visiting birds and plants that are a good food sources in winter and early spring.
 

The recycled garden demonstrates ideas for recycling in the garden, by using recycled chimney pots and sinks, raised beds formed from old railway sleepers, Pergolas made from old scaffold poles and a sculpture made from old car parts. Even the water feature is made from recycled glass bottles. The modern sustainable garden is a typical urban plot brimming with new environmentally friendly products and uses for recycled objects – all with a contemporary twist. The garden includes reclaimed timber garden furniture and seating, decking, fencing and trellis made from recycled plastic, planted areas mulched with recycled glass and a grass covered sculpture. The Xeriscape Garden offers useful advice to gardeners living in areas that receive minimal rainfall or those that wish to reduce their water consumption. Ideas include drought-tolerant planting and methods of recycling water.

Another leading feature of the show is the Interior Design Clinic which visitors can drop into for a free consultation with an interior design expert from the JJAADA. Whatever the guests colour dilemmas, storage problems or space useage issues, decorating problems will be solved at the Interior Design Clinic. The JJAADA design academy's experts are offering visitors a free fifteen-minute consultation to take advantage of expert advice on the latest design directions and colour trends.

Meanwhile visitors can pamper themselves at the Indulgence Zone, which has been created in association with The Biography Channel, and where they can try a complimentary, relaxing, beauty treatment. The experts from Color Me Beautiful and the London College of Beauty Therapy are on hand at the Beauty Retreat to offer visitors complimentary hand massages, mini-manicures, make up demonstrations and personal colour analysis. The Indulgence Zone is a calming, relaxing, sanctuary amid the bustle of the celebrity demonstrations and retail heaven of the show. The perfect pamper zone offers the visitor the opportunity for time out of their busy shopping schedule; somewhere to put their feet up and try out the tailored beauty advice and complimentary beauty treatments.

A brand new feature for 2006, which is located in the centre of Earls Court 2, focuses on "Concept Living and Concept Products" and encompass the most innovative developments in design, technology and the environment. Included in the feature is this year's "Concept Product Awards", the "Recycle Now Walkway" and sustainable room designs styled by celebrity designer Oliver Heath. The Daily Mail Ideal Home Show was secured the services of Naomi Cleaver, respected interior designer, author and presenter of 'Other People's Houses', on the Concept Products Award panel to help judge, review and select the most forward thinking and beneficial designs from the hundreds of entries, for the Awards short list. The winner of the award this year will receive tuition at JJA Academy worth £5,500.

The 2006 award shortlist includes: Yushi (environmentally friendly nappy washing system); Wash, Dry & Iron (the world's first drumless washing machine); Solar Powered Composter; Lucky Brush (pocket toothbrush); In Box (home delivery box; Fernish (self watering table); Elements (cooks bread and boils water simultaneously); Contour (wire frame furniture system); Compact (adaptable table and side bench); Cencio (intelligent cot); Tea Light (dishes for takeaways); Fibre Table; Bulbshade (unifies the separate elements of the lightbulb and the lampshade); Flexible Chopping Board; SID (Social Interactive Dining Centre); Animate (illuminating bedroom products); Abandoned Bath Armchair; Discard (the biodegradable, disposable bin); Hallway (shredder table); Bloom (a modular lighting system for the garden); Nest sofa (space solving system of inter-related furniture).