Selfbuilder Diaries

Jo and Andrew’s dream New England-style home on the Dorset coast is finally taking shape after years of planning woes, and their original builder dropping out a week before demolition began! Jo takes up the story… When we purchased our... View Article

Design your very own ‘Wonderwall’

Interior designer Judith Harrop describes how with careful design, you can make a media wall for all your home entertainment needs that’s an integral part of your interior design, and provides the right balance of aesthetics and function The term... View Article

Wetland wonder

Simon Roberts and Sarah Bruml managed to achieve their innovative, sustainable and flood-resilient cabin on a highly sensitive site next to a tidal creek and natural wetland in Southwold, thanks to a bedded-in design TEXT DEBBIE JEFFERY IMAGES DAVID VALINSKY Serendipity... View Article

A grand slam for eco-living

This year, Grand Designs Live promises an immersive experience with exhibitors across four key sectors: build, kitchens and bathrooms, gardens, and interiors.  The show will take place over nine days, including engaging talks led by renowned TV broadcaster and design... View Article

Directing a Cornish fairy tale

Anglophile and ex-Disney executive Kathleen Gearhart-Filmer moved to Cornwall to turn a concrete house into a magical coastal retreat TEXT Alexandra Pratt IMAGES Leighton James Several years ago, while on holiday with her baby daughter in Carbis Bay, west Cornwall, Kathleen... View Article

Home Styling: Bathing in texture

Jorge Hernandez of Bathroom Brands Group explores how applying texture can make it transformative in modern bathroom design. From fluted accents to intricate tiles, discover how tactile and visual approaches can elevate your space Whether you want your bathroom to... View Article

Affordable warmth

Dean Asher from Polypipe Building Products uncovers the sustainability and practicality advantages of underfloor heating for modern homes As carbon emissions are an increasing concern for homeowners and with the cost-of-living crisis not easing up anytime soon, many are on... View Article

Home Styling – Open up your home to a world of colour

Whether building a house from scratch or renovating a period property, choosing colour is intrinsic to creating the spaces you desire. Dawn Scott of Dulux Trade explains how to create a colour scheme which closely reflects your personality and lifestyle... View Article

Open to alternatives to open-plan living

Ben Brocklesby of Origin offers his advice to self-builders looking to create more functional floor plans, which move away from open-plan to ‘broken-plan’  The way we use our homes has changed significantly in the past three years. The pandemic made... View Article

Rural charm & heritage in harmony

Discover the remarkable journey of Chris and Sarah Dale as they breathe new life into a centuries-old barn, turning it into a light-filled haven TEXT EWEN MACDONALD IMAGES MATTHEW SMITH ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY When Chris and Sarah Dale purchased their home... View Article

Retreating to
the city

For many self-builders, the big goal is moving from the city to the country, but a couple from the Scottish Highlands had the opposite aim in building their ‘secret garden’ home in Aberdeen TEXT NIK HUNTER IMAGES JIM STEPHENSON Russel... View Article

Selfbuilder Diaries

Nicole Collison and her husband Rob, along with their two young daughters, are moving from the coast to the countryside, renovating a Grade II listed Kent barn in search of a rural dream in their home county We’re the Collisons!... View Article

Building excitement

4-8 October, Birmingham’s NEC WHAT’S ON AT THIS YEAR’S GRAND DESIGNS BIRMINGHAM? THE EXHIBITION A great opportunity to meet hundreds of suppliers across different project areas, all under one roof. The five areas of the show are: Build, Kitchens and Bathrooms,... View Article

Ask the Expert – Get your light right

With so many options available from so many suppliers, choosing the right rooflight can be a bit of a minefield. Here Paul Trace from Stella Rooflights answers the key questions you will need to consider when seeking out the ideal... View Article

Home Styling: Panel visions

Achieving a cohesive, attractive interior means combining ‘interest, contrast and texture,’ says Robyn Park of Robyn Park Interiors. She explains how panelling can be a great way to do this, and how it’s having a big moment in the interior... View Article

Wheel of good fortune

A young couple seeking their first home together in Cumbria brought in family help to maximise the benefits of a site that once housed a water mill, and on which now sits their four-bed property TEXT LAURA SHADWELL IMAGES LUCY... View Article

Open up to light relief around the home

TuffX’s Paul Higgins explains how rooflights can provide innovative solutions to maximise natural light, create dedicated work zones, and balance energy efficiency with comfort in your self-build or renovation Times have changed, and our homes are changing with them. Energy... View Article

Ask the expert: Wetrooms 101

In recent years the wetroom concept has taken a leap into mainstream popularity, and installations in homes are more desirable than ever to meet a range of needs. Shaun Hunt from Impey answers some self-builder Frequently Asked Questions For many... View Article

Home styling: Shed some light on the issue

You can transform an existing dark hallway – or dark internal spaces in a new build – by opening up the space using attractive Crittall-style glazed doors. Lucy Bartley of lucyb home explains how you can see the light  Crittall-style... View Article

Selfbuilder Diaries

Leanne and partner Mark recently took on a renovation in Barnsley, while also tackling the running of their own business and raising three girls When we first moved into our current home, we never planned to stay there long-term. 12... View Article