Off-grid sewerage

Rebecca Taylor from HD Services gives her insights into getting groundwork specifications right for your build, and explains the options available when no mains sewerage connection is possible Building your own home can be one of the most rewarding things... View Article

Interior Inspiration: Home Offices

With the arrival of Covid, hundreds of thousands of homeowners took to their studies (or sofas) to work from home. As householders continue to combine home-working with being in the office to an unprecedented degree, we round up some of... View Article

Rooflights – historic solutions

You might think rooflights are a modern invention, but as Peter Daniel of The Rooflight Company explains, they have a long history which ties into humanity’s perennial desire to bring light into buildings Natural light has been worshipped since time... View Article

Ask the Expert: The light fantastic

Marketa Rypacek of Industville looks at which of the many types of decorative lighting are best for your project, gives insights into how to go low energy without compromising light levels, and explains why lighting is like jewellery HOW CAN... View Article

Space to relax

Megan Baker of My Fitted Bedroom says that getting organisation and storage right are top of the agenda for bedrooms in 2021 The events of 2020 have seen a surge in people organising their homes – re-evaluating what they really... View Article

Getting brickwork right

Sean Wilkins of the Brick Development Association gives specification, design and workmanship tips that will ensure that your brickwork is successful Despite being used for thousands of years with evidence of their use in the UK dating back to the... View Article

Long distance champions

How virtual project management was the answer for long-distance clients to turn a Victorian vicarage into a modern masterpiece TEXT JAYNE DOWLE IMAGES MATTHEW CATTELL When the major renovation of Melinda and Chris Swann’s Victorian vicarage near Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire... View Article

European promotion for VitrA’s Margaret Talbot

Margaret Talbot, marketing manager for VitrA bathrooms in the UK, has been promoted to Regional Marketing Manager – Europe. Margaret joined the Oxfordshire based bathroom company, which is part of Turkey’s largest industrial groups, the Eczacıbaşı Group, in 2016.  Following... View Article

Tapping into savings

Stephen Johnson from Quooker UK talks through the benefits of boiling water taps, and how including them in your project not only gives convenience, but can also help save energy Boiling water taps have grown rapidly in popularity over the... View Article

New Year, New Home: Graven Hill reveals latest range of custom build properties

Graven Hill, the UK’s largest self and custom build development in Bicester, Oxfordshire, has released a new selection of three and five-bedroom custom build properties, for buyers looking to kickstart the year with a new home.   Designed with modern family living in mind, The Swale and The Glade are positioned a short walk from Graven Hill’s ancient historic... View Article

Contemporary blend

Set in a secluded Hampshire valley, a very contemporary home blends into its rural setting thanks to a design by two architectural practices that echoes traditional local buildings. James Parker reports TEXT JAMES PARKER IMAGES RICHARD CHIVERS Astrikingly modern house... View Article

Layer cake

The Hammills caused quite a stir when they remodelled a tired old Thirties house in York into a very modern home that became the talk of the town TEXT & IMAGES HEATHER DIXON Passers-by thought Erica and Michael Hammill’s house... View Article

Setting the bar high

After a couple of frustrating years spent hunting for a new home, Paul and Sarka embarked on a self-build journey with Huf Haus to realise a property that met their high expectations TEXT EMMA HEDGES IMAGES LOTHAR REHERMANN Making the... View Article

A chalet for all seasons

Christa and Del Dobson had been planning their alpine-style project for nearly 20 years, and it has finally come to fruition in a luxurious off-grid chalet TEXT NICHOLA HUNTER IMAGES DOUGLAS GIBB Although Christa grew up in England, her mother’s... View Article

Seven interior designs trends to watch in 2021

Homeowners looking to spruce up their abodes this year can look to the latest and emerging trends from interior design experts to add style and value to properties. From cleverly mixing modern with vintage, to maximising natural light and getting... View Article

Why do over 55s renovate their homes?

Home renovation is a powerful way to add value to a property – and as such, it’s something that’s pursued by homeowners of all ages. But it’s especially popular when we reach 55. At this age, the kids may well... View Article

Self-Build PAT Testing – Everything You Need to Know

Electricity is an indispensable tool in any workplace, and without it, many tasks would be impossible to accomplish. But electricity can also be dangerous, specifically if incorrectly used or left unchecked.  Although the UK enjoys a high standard of safety... View Article

How to Design the Perfect Home Office

Have you found yourself working from home quite a bit in 2020? Like so many others out there, perhaps you were transitioned to a remote environment temporarily and that has now been extended to an indefinite amount of time. Working... View Article