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A kit home has plenty of benefits – including its price tag – but buying a ‘house in a box’ doesn’t mean sticking to the plan, as this wheelchair-friendly redesign near Cornwall’s Atlantic coast illustrates TEXT CAROL BURNS IMAGES EWEN... View Article

Breaking down barriers

For Patsy Parr, getting approval and building her first home in her native rural Staffordshire meant overcoming countless hurdles, but project management experience, plus a bit of family knowledge, resulted in an award-winning build TEXT ROSEANNE FIELD IMAGES IZAAK CAAN... View Article

Practice makes perfect

Serial self-builder Mark Young’s fourth project, an ICF-built family home, has scored so many hits on his family’s wish list that it might be his last project TEXT ROSEANNE FIELD IMAGES MARK YOUNG Back in the November/December 2018 issue of... View Article

Maintenance in mind

Choosing the right decking material can be the difference between enjoying your outdoor space and spending all your spare time maintaining it. Caroline Birdsall from Millboard gives some practical advice on picking a long-lasting decking area for your property One... View Article

Crown Paints autumn/winter 2022 trend report

As the world moves on from the past few years of uncertainty, it isn’t just our lives that have changed dramatically, but our homes too. We have become braver with the colour choices in our homes, moving away from safe... View Article

Recipe for success

Cooking-mad ex MasterChef contestant Ashley Byrne and his wife Alison have managed to create an eye-catching contemporary home through close working relationships with their architect, builder and suppliers – so who says too many cooks spoil the broth? TEXT JESS... View Article

The right balance

When specifying systems to control temperature in your self-build, the key is to balance style, substance and sustainability to ensure the end result ticks all the right boxes. Greg Cooper from Radiana looks at why radiant cooling could be the... View Article

Ask the Expert: Delivering low carbon

Like a lot of self-builders, you may be looking to stay clear of fossil fuel heating systems and install a heat pump in your home. However, you may be asking how exactly does a heat pump work – and will... View Article

Opening statements

Being a key first impression of your home, doors also make a statement about who you are. Tracey Pomfret from George Barnsdale offers some advice to self-builders on specification choices The humble door has evolved over the years but its... View Article

A spiritual renovation

A passion for saving old houses meant that Glasgow architect Emma Jane literally took her work home with her, with an old church officer’s property TEXT NIK HUNTER IMAGES ROBERT PERRY For some time, Emma had been searching for a... View Article

Interior Inspiration: Kitchens

People use their kitchens for much more than just cooking and eating; they often function as living and entertaining spaces, and even places to work, as hybrid working grows in popularity. Here are some key products to give you some... View Article

Grand Designs returns to Graven Hill for second series

Graven Hill, the country’s largest self-build and custom-build site, returned to our screens across the UK last Wednesday (13 April) at 9.00pm. Appearing in the second series of Channel 4’s Grand Designs: The Streets, Graven Hill welcomed back presenter Kevin... View Article

Smart lighting choices to reduce energy bills

As a result of the lifting of the energy price cap on 1st April, energy prices have soared and with a further increase due in the Autumn, not to mention the impact of the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe, it... View Article