Space solves: An oval mirror, and a clogged Dyson brush

We've recently redecorated our bedroom and are looking for an oval, black-framed mirror. There are plenty of ornate black-framed mirrors (Venetian, baroque) but we want plain wood/lacquer. It appears a plain black oval mirror is incredibly hard to come by – the trend right now is certainly for ornate gilt mirrors, as you've already found. But we've scoured the shops and online retailers, and the closest match we've found is the Sophie oval mirror from Juliette's Interiors (92cm x 122cm, £172) – chic and understated, so worth a look. Alternatively, have something custom-made: we recommend framing House of Fraser 's Linea Cecily mirror (51cm x 71cm, £89) in something of your own choice. Try the Fine Art Trade Guild for a specialist near you. If you're not wedded to oval, another option is to go for something simple in a different shape, such as the Conran Shop's black 80cm square mirror , though at £750, it's not cheap. I have a Dyson 01 upright vacuum cleaner. The brush is clogged with fluff after being used for a year on a new fitted carpet. I can't remove the brush, and the fluff feels sticky and resistant to removal. Please help. Our cleaning expert, Stephanie Zia, put your query to Dyson, who advised, "First ensure your cleaner is switched off, then turn it upside down. You should be able to see three silver screws that hold the soleplate in place. If you undo the screws, you'll have clear access to the brush bar to remove the fluff." For more information, contact Dyson . Zia adds: "If the fluff is too congealed to pull away easily, loosen by spraying with a little WD-40 . Wash off the WD-40 with washing-up liquid and rinse well before replacing." • Got a question for our crack team of homes experts? Email [email protected]