Selfbuilder Diaries

LISTEN HERE We are Laura and Jamie Currie from the Isle of Wight, and we recently embarked upon our first renovation in Gurnard near Cowes, which we are project managing around our day jobs!  We’ve always lived on the island,... View Article

Home Styling: Magical bedtimes

In designing a children’s bedroom, it’s possible to create a sense of magic, and if you allow yourself to move away from the standard approaches there are no limits. Interior designer Cat Dal offers some practical tips As with any... View Article

Selfbuilder Diaries

In the first of a series of first-hand articles by self-builders, we track the initial inspiration for Amanda Ritchie’s remote Scottish build, and the challenges of upping sticks to Skye My name is Amanda Ritchie and currently I live with... View Article

Ask the Expert: Security first

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Kenny McHugh of Secured by Design answers self-builders’ questions on creating a physically secure home, from the layout and boundaries, to physical security and alarms Every self-builder will be looking to create a safe and secure home,... View Article

Home Styling: Mastering 
bedroom bliss

Bedrooms should be a place to relax and rejuvenate. Rob Lessmann from interior design studio Design’d Living explains how to create the perfect master bedroom ambience We spend a lot of our time in a bedroom, so it is imperative... View Article

Ask the Expert: Connecting with the outside

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Considering bifold or sliding doors for your self-build or renovation project? Matt Higgs from Kloeber answers some of the key questions to help ensure you choose the right glazed doors for your home It’s not surprising that... View Article

Home Styling: Versatile underfoot

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Choosing tiled flooring can have major design benefits, but there are decisions to get right. Here Jo Oliver of Stone & Ceramic Warehouse provides the robust case for porcelain Flooring serves as the foundation for your interior... View Article

Ask the Expert: Growing green aspirations

LISTEN HERE 🔊 For growing numbers of self-builders, green roofs are the right choice for topping off a home. But what are the key practicalies that you need to consider – and are they suitable for all projects? Julian Thurbin... View Article

From the editor…

Hello and welcome to 2022! Well, you might be used to this new year by now, with all of its wintry trials and tribulations, but this is the first issue of Selfbuilder and Homemaker of the year, and we are... View Article

Ask the Expert: Home and dry

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Andrew Scanlon of Everbuild answers some of the basement waterproofing queries asked by self-builders to help them avoid getting out of their depth in their projects Basement conversions have long been a popular way to increase the... View Article

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

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

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

Reduce your water footprint

Bart Sobieszczanski of Ideal Standard answers the key questions around how to specify bathroom products to maximise water-saving benefits, and increase your build’s sustainability as well as cost-efficiency When it comes to water-saving in the home, one of the main... View Article

From the Editor…

Now that the prospect of England winning a major football final has receded back into the distance, life as normal can resume, which – er – means unlocking a country still full of Covid! However it has to happen at... View Article

A modern classic

Holly Ghent of Pash Classics explains the various rules to follow when looking to bring the classically suave and stylish Mid-Century Modern look back to life, in any room or space It’s an interior style that is almost 100 years... View Article

Victorian values brought up to date

LISTEN HERE 🔊 A family in London found the ideal Victorian property for a renovation project that would provide the space they needed – though it needed a major overhaul to the layout, plus some contemporary touches of their own... View Article

The power of neutral

Interior designer Lucy Bartley from lucyb home shows how a neutral kitchen look can be enhanced with careful lighting and design touches to deliver a special ambience The biggest advantage to a neutral kitchen is that it will instantly create... View Article

Power your life

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Mark Chewter of Plug In Solar explains why solar energy remains a great investment, and how a solar PV system can be used to help you meet Building Regulations, while saving money on your self-build home’s future... View Article