For those who can’t abide a glaring big white metal stair gate in their home (perhaps you’re a mid century modern enthusiast like myself, or just prefer warmer hues and dark woods in your interiors), I have the answer: the BabyDan Avantgarde in Cherry Wood and Black. This gate is so smart. It looks brilliant at the top of our wooden stairs, which, incidentally have to be the most child-unfriendly stairs ever to have been designed in the history of architecture. They may as well have spikes coming out of the treads and one of those haunted house levers that you pull to make it all go flat so that people slide helplessly to the bottom. (Usually the basement where the coffins are. Hello Dracula!)

The BabyDan gate comes in seven different widths, all of those adjustable, so the total range that this stair gate can cover is from 71-117cm. I have to say that the catch at the top isn’t the easiest latch to open, it takes a bit of practice and I still can only do it with my right hand, but – you know – when carefully designed interiors are at stake! Ha. Who cares about the practicalities.

We bought our gate at Amazon here – £46.99, though the cost depends which width you plump for. I’ll stress that this is purely a style choice for those who want something unobtrusive and good-looking – there are gates out there with far more functions and that are easier to open, but if you have a darker colour scheme then this is definitely worth a look. It also comes in silver and beech.

(Note: the gaping big holes at the top of our stairs are actually not gaping big holes, they are covered but in a tinted safety material. Just in case you were having palpitations…)