Home Styling: Post-lockdown on the farm

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Richard Bradley of V33 offers styling tips on achieving the ‘modern farmhouse kitchen’ look, and plants some seeds on possible finishes to go for in your build Most people would understand completely what a traditional farmhouse kitchen... View Article

Ask the Expert: Cut your losses and save CO2

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Improving insulation is at the heart of the country’s mission to reduce CO2 emissions in new homes. Matthew Evans of Kingspan Insulation answers key questions around the materials and details to consider to avoid heat loss in... View Article

Highland society

LISTEN HERE 🔊 After seven years in a caravan and the birth of their daughter, Ailsa and Jonny Laing decided it was about time to set up a proper home in the Highlands TEXT NIK HUNTER IMAGES DANIEL WILCOX PHOTOGRAPHY... View Article

Interior Inspiration: Flooring

From creating a flow from the interior to the exterior using hard-wearing tiles, to making your living space into a cosy retreat, flooring has a crucial role to play in your home’s overall effect. Here are an array of new... View Article

A grand return

Grand Designs Live returns after a two year break to Birmingham’s NEC in October Featuring over 400 companies across four key home project areas, Grand Designs is back! The organisers have staged the 2021 event to be “the perfect day... View Article

Light up your life

Lucy Mather from Arighi Bianchi offers some hints and tips to take lighting up a level, with a decorative approach using the latest looks and trends in fixed and accessory lighting solutions There are so many choices and considerations when... View Article

Bringing the inside out

Peter Wilson of Setcrete explains how an internal living space can be seamlessly extended onto an outdoor terrace with the help of floor tiling The trend amongst homeowners to ‘bring the outside in’ is well established, driven to a large... View Article

Extending an invitation

Having outgrown their current home, Daniela and Duncan Forbes were hunting for a property for their family that they could put their stamp on with an architect’s help, and they found it in Edinburgh TEXT NIK HUNTER IMAGES DAVID BARBOUR... View Article

Weaving a new chapter into an old story

Rebecca and Matthew McCloskey have succeeded in transforming a former weaving factory into a modern family home, in a 15 year journey that required patience and flexibility TEXT JESS UNWIN IMAGES REBECCA MCCLOSKEY AND MATTHEW BISHOP It was a case... View Article

Pump up the volume

Donna-Marie Evans of LG Electronics explains why heat pumps are the right choice for UK housebuilders and homeowners to comply with the Future Homes Standard, and tackles some myths With recent announcements from the Government about the decarbonisation of heating... View Article

Reducing flue risk

It’s easy to overlook the importance of chimney and flue design, says Dennis Milligan of the British Flue and Chimney Manufacturers Association, explaining some of the basic rules to bear in mind When constructing a new dwelling, the route of... View Article

In search of space

A growing family in a London conservation area sought the help of an architect close to home to help them expand their modest property for the long-term, having caught the extension bug on an earlier project TEXT TOM BODDY IMAGES... View Article

Four times lucky

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Taking on one major renovation project is ambitious enough – but what happens when you take on four simultaneously, including a historic mill? John Chasey and Eleanor are reaping the benefits of embracing the challenge TEXT EWEN... View Article

Beating the odds

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Achieving an affordable ‘forever home’ in the right location seemed an impossible dream for a Berkshire family, but Laura Hardie-Gleed and husband Ian succeeded against all the odds by transforming a run-down 1960s property TEXT ROSEANNE FIELD... View Article

Appealing to owners

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Enhancing a property and adding to its kerb appeal is all about making the right choice of windows, entrance doors, landscaping and, of course, the garage door. David O’Mara of Hörmann UK explains more Although often overlooked,... View Article

A guide to energy-efficient heating

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Alex Burgess of The Radiator Company provides some advice to self-builders on achieving energy efficient heating solutions for their property, for planet and pocket WHAT ARE THE MOST EFFICIENT RADIATORS? With the population increasingly looking to find... View Article

Stepping it up

Katie Chown of Spiral UK has researched the latest trends in staircase design, and proposes some fresh ideas for your self-build project One thing is for sure, the shutdown of movement across the country has not stopped people from ordering... View Article

Here’s one they made earlier

Potton MD Mark Stevenson explains how the evolution of ‘prefab’ or ‘flatpack’ methods of self-building means the the assumption they prevent customisation is an now outdated one When you think of the terms ‘flatpack’ and ‘prefab’, you might picture a... View Article

Action stations

If you’re building a dream home away from it all in a beautiful countryside location, it may mean no access to the mains sewer; Dan Berry from Harlequin Manufacturing explains why packaged pump stations are a simple answer If a... View Article

The home front

What will you choose for your dream home’s facade? Lisa Grosse of Cedral explains why fibre cement cladding makes a great choice, for both practical reasons and the aesthetic ‘wow’ factor As well as providing protection against heat, cold, wind,... View Article