Life on the edge

Jane Ramsay and Neil Manfield’s self-built home is a love letter to a happy childhood in west Wales. TEXT Alexandra Pratt IMAGES Martin Gardner Perched on a cliff above the west Wales coast, Jane and Neil’s self-built home is all... View Article

Bungalow reborn

Isabel & Henry’s remodelled Norfolk property is unrecognisable, transformed into a family home offering the combined benefits of plenty of extra living space, Passivhaus-standard low-energy costs and a timeless character and charisma. TEXT JESS UNWIN IMAGES ISABEL BADGER With the... View Article

Recipe for success

Take one traditional childhood home, deconstruct it, then add delicious curves to whip up a stunning property for chef Andrew Wong and his family. TEXT DEBBIE JEFFERY IMAGES JAMES MCDONALD British-born chef Andrew Wong grew up in the same Pimlico... View Article

The ‘unfinished’ house

Simon Gittings and Lauren Jorgensen gave their 1950s home an extraordinary industrial-inspired makeover and extension, exposing original materials and embracing the principles of reuse and salvage. TEXT Alexandra Pratt IMAGES Agnese Sanvito/OEB A 1950s semi-detached, three-bedroom home is a common sight... View Article

Rising from the rubble

Amy and Adrian Mole self-built their stunning new family home on a disused site adjacent to greenbelt land. TEXT Alexandra Pratt IMAGES Alan Williams (images courtesy of Emrys Architects) Adrian and Amy Mole have managed the impossible: building their dream... View Article

The perfect blend

Jason and Rachel’s extended Lincolnshire rectory balances period charm with contemporary design. TEXT Alexandra Pratt IMAGES Andy Haslam The Lincolnshire Wolds may not have the same star power as the Cotswolds, but don’t let that fool you; they have their... View Article

A long time coming

Architect John-Barry Lowe’s award winning home in Dublin is designed to achieve Passive House standards of airtightness and is the first private home in Ireland to be built using cross laminated timber. TEXT Eve Dennehy IMAGES Andrew Campion In 2023... View Article
A foundation of trust

A foundation of trust

Jane and Sam Arman admit that they were complete novices when it came to the world of building renovation, but as professionals themselves, they decided to pay heed to the advice they were given. TEXT Nik Hunter IMAGES ZAC and... View Article

Unlocking finance for your dream home

BuildStore Mortgage Services’ Tom McSherry tells The Selfbuilder’s James Parker how self-build mortgages work, the options available, and why early financial planning is key to a successful project. What are the different types of self-build mortgages on offer, and how... View Article

Framing the view

When Jo and Louise Roberts decided to build a barn style oak-framed home for their retirement, the plot was quite literally on their doorstep. TEXT DEBBIE JEFFERY IMAGES STEVEN HAYWOOD/CARPENTER OAK LTD Back in 1996, Jo and Louise Roberts bought... View Article

A house of two halves

A chance to design their own home from scratch in their favourite part of London was far too good an opportunity to pass up for Lily Wood and her family TEXT CAROL BURNS IMAGES PHIL COFFEY When Lily and Rob... View Article

A stone’s throw

Glen Bacon and Jane Healy have built an annexe suitable for elderly parents in the garden of their listed house, choosing a varied palette of cladding materials which includes limestone and flint. TEXT DEBBIE JEFFERY IMAGES SOPHIE BATES ARCHITECTS /... View Article
An inspired choice

An inspired choice

Gwen Williams’ and Patricia Lynch’s Victorian terrace fuses the latest sustainable techniques and materials with inspiration from some iconic 20th century artists. TEXT ALEXANDRA PRATT IMAGES FRENCH & TYE To a passer-by, this three bedroom, terraced Victorian home appears no... View Article

The gamble pays off

Buying a new home which was too small was a risk that the Leggett family were willing to take. TEXT NIK HUNTER IMAGES ROBERT PERRY Robert and Isla Leggett had been living in Edinburgh’s Leith for 15 years but after... View Article

A highland hideaway

For many self-builders, the prospect of a steep sloping site surrounded by the inaccessible Scottish Highlands might feel overwhelming, but for Suzanne and Mark McPhillips, it was a chance to put their experience as architectural designers to good use. TEXT... View Article

An auspicious decision

When James and Amy Savage moved from Hong Kong to Wiltshire, they took a chance on a poorly converted byre, transforming it into a unique, futureproofed home. TEXT ALEXANDRA PRATT IMAGES CHARLES EMERSON Relocating between continents isn’t an easy thing... View Article
Mediterranean tranquillity

Mediterranean tranquillity

Behind the traditional stained-glass front door of an Edwardian terraced house in Southfields lies a remarkable renovation inspired by bright and airy Mediterranean living. TEXT JAYNE DOWLE IMAGES HATCH + MASON / CHRIS SNOOK Belonging to 32-year-old yoga teacher Molly... View Article
A long time coming

A long time coming

Plans had been approved and Mark and Theresa Edwards were ready to get to work on their building project, but then they met architect Stuart Bagshaw… TEXT NIK HUNTER IMAGES ELLIOT ROBERTS The Edwards had been holidaying in Cove in... View Article

A sustainable retrofit

In the retrofit and extension of his old bungalow, Michael Collins has teased something special out of the ordinary. TEXT ALEXANDRA PRATT IMAGES JACOB MILLIGAN  Sometimes, the perfect home project doesn’t need to be the dream building plot. Sometimes, it... View Article
As nature intended

As nature intended

An innovative home, built as a flatpack from modular timber blocks, has been constructed on a highly sensitive and much cherished family site in Norfolk. TEXT DEBBIE JEFFERY IMAGES JIM STEPHENSON Gaining planning permission to build in a peaceful Norfolk... View Article