In 2003 I bought my first place in London and it needed to be completely renovated. Actually, let me rephrase that; it was the home equivalent of the Mary Rose with rotten timbers and structural cracks in the front and side-walls at high level that were large enough to put your hand into! It was so bad everyone suspected structural subsidence where the foundations of the house had been damaged. They also thought I was a lunatic for taking it on. But after digging a few inspection pits around the …

Ten years ago I bought my first ever home, a tiny one-bedroom cottage in the most idyllic part of North Dorset. From a mile away it looked like the perfect ‘play school’ home, you know the one I mean, white painted render on the outside, front door in the middle of the house with two sash windows downs stairs and two upstairs and a simple slate pitched roof with chimneys at either end gently billowing smoke over the Vale, perfect. Well, not really.The closer you got to the house the …

During the winter months it is quite common for our homes to suffer from the cold, wet and frosty weather. Being exposed to such severe conditions can really take its toll on a building so you must make an effort to take care of your home.
If you don’t do this then over a number of years the amount of money needed to carry out more substantial repairs can hit your bank balance harder than an Arctic blizzard!To avoid this huge and unnecessary expense, I suggest you make an annual inspection …

If you are considering renovating your home start by thinking about areas of your home that could be improved, updated or extended that would not only add value, but would improve the quality of your everyday living.Refurbishing your existing kitchen or bathroom is a great way of improving your home without having to spend a lot of money. Visit your local kitchen and bathroom companies and speak to their in-house designers. They will be happy to produce simple design plans for you free of charge if you are interested in …

I love real fires. Having a fire in the living room of your home is wonderful.
It completely enlivens the atmosphere of the space into something beautiful, romantic, calming and serene. A fire is not only warm and comforting but it also provides a powerful focus to any room with its glowing, flickering light.
The fire I have installed in my new home is very modern and contemporary. It’s the Conmoto Balance Modular Stove System designed by Peter Maly (from Encompass Furniture www.encompassco.com). It’s a real fire for burning wood, or in …

For me, lighting is one of the most important parts of architectural design.
Good lighting can really bring a house alive at night but poor lighting can ruin the atmosphere and quality of a home.
I’ve worked really hard with my electrician (Liam from Elmac Electrical Ltd 07973183124) and lighting consultant (Ian from Group B Lighting 02087497701) to come up with an elegant scheme.
Discreet, recessed wall lights will flood the frosted glass floors with a white light to make it glow.
Long, horizontal beams of light from wall to wall will be in …

Unfortunately, in an age of global warming, the risk of flooding is something we have to be aware of and take very seriously as it can have a devastating effect on your home, on all of your personal belongings and on your home insurance premium!The most important step you have to take when purchasing or building a new home is to assess the potential risk of flooding. I’ve never understood why this is not standard information that should be provided when your conveyancy lawyer carries out the searches on the …

Converting your garage into space for the home is a great way of adding value to your property.
Its new use really depends on the rooms that currently adjoin the garage and your specific needs of your family.
If your living room is next door then you have a chance to knock through and make a much larger living space.
The same applies to a larger kitchen so you could make an open-plan kitchen and dining area.
If you want it as a completely separate space then it could be made into a beautiful …

Even though the building regulations have improved so much over the last twenty years, so that all conservatories now have to constructed using double-glazing, there are still huge temperature differences where it is too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter.
If you insist on having a conservatory the only way you can prevent enormous amounts of heat gain in the summer is so provide solar shading by using external blinds or louvers on the outside of the glass or blinds that are integrated between the two sheets …

Creating an open-plan layout in and Edwardian terrace
Vanessa Anderson, age 62, lives in a Edwardian terrace house in London that dates from 1910. Like many who live in such properties, Vanessa wants to open up the ground-floor space to create an open-plan layout, and add an extension. Her budget is £120,000.The Problem
The main problem with the original ground floor layout of many Edwardian homes is that there are too many individual, small rooms and often not enough space to meet the requirements of a 21st century home. As you come …