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

LISTEN HERE 🔊 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... View Article

400 canalside homes in Hayes get go-ahead

The green light for 400 new homes at Clayton Road in Hayes, west London, has been granted to property group A2Dominion. The design by Assael Architecture has undergone extensive consultation with Hillingdon Borough Council, and an “appropriate scale of redevelopment... 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

Contemporary blend

LISTEN HERE 🔊 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... 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

LISTEN HERE 🔊 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... View Article

A chalet for all seasons

LISTEN HERE 🔊 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... View Article

A luxurious blend

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Broadoaks Park is a new high-end development that includes a restored mansion in Surrey, offering a taste of rural living within commuting distance of London and a mix of styles. Tim Banks of developer Octagon explains more... View Article

Put fabric first

Ben Cheetham of Keystone Lintels considers how housebuilders can, by pursuing a fabric-first approach to energy efficiency and careful specification, avoid the problems of thermal bridging Preventing heat loss by addressing thermal bridging is growing in importance – particularly with... View Article

Bubble bathrooms

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Ash Chilver of HiB looks at how the need to maximise safety in the pandemic, coupled with the growth in multigenerational living, are driving bathroom design choices which will attract homebuyers of all ages. Home life is... View Article

Beyond energy efficiency

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Paul Barrett of Rockwool explains why housebuilders need to consider insulation that delivers safety and acoustic performance alongside maximising onsite benefits for installers, not just thermal factors Primarily driven by Approved Document L (ADL) of the Building... View Article

How to secure your funding in 2021

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Simon Chapman of Pluto Finance gives expert insights on the key steps developers need to take when attempting to secure finance for their residential schemes, and what challenges might be in store currently In this extraordinary year,... View Article

The art of render

Strong colours, silicone technology, textured effects and brick slip combinations – James Ormerod of Aliva UK sets out the ‘art of the possible’ with insulated render When looking for a cost-effective cladding option that can be applied quickly and easily,... View Article

Hot and sophisticated

Steve Birch of Vogue (UK) discusses how the market for radiators and towel warmers has become increasingly sophisticated, and how greater attention is being paid to the look as well as the functionality of heating solutions In a world where... View Article

Site Lines: Affordable homes-on-sea

Lee Davies of architects Conran and Partners explores how an East Sussex council’s initiative produced an exemplar partnership which employs an innovative design solution to tackle the local housing crisis Last year marked 100 years since the introduction of the... View Article

A guide to bespoke staircases

Antonia Harding of British Spirals and Castings discusses the various factors architects and specifiers need to bear in mind when selecting a bespoke staircase A staircase provides a key focal point in a property and its design can have a... View Article