No. 20A kitchen with a long pink island, green-and-white cupboards, scalloped wall units, a blue arched door motif and stripes across the ceiling.

The pink London house that looks like an architectural daydream

3 min read

At Cloud House in Gospel Oak, arches and stripes connect a remarkable pink exterior with a very colourful family kitchen. The pleasure is in seeing one idea change scale.

Bristol kitchen corner with a curved wooden table, ochre upholstered banquette, striped cushions, blue fabric pendant and framed posters.

The kitchen table worth making room for

3 min read

White sofa and two gold palm-backed chairs beneath a large painted panel, with pagodas and gold screens on either side in Gergei Erdei’s Bloomsbury flat.

The 50m² flat that refuses to be minimal

3 min read

The same Cardiff hallway after decoration, with rust-orange walls, sage trim, black-framed pictures, a wooden chest and the original pointed front door beneath a curved gallery.

The hallway that finally feels part of the home

3 min read

Wide view of the Coach House courtyard showing pale brickwork, a timber-clad annexe, ground-floor glazing and planting beside the path.

The old MOT garage that became a light-filled family house

3 min read

Ideas & Inspiration

Dining room with a long wooden table and sculptural pendants, looking through glass at an illuminated courtyard tree.

A garden worth looking at after dark

5 min read

West Sussex downstairs loo with green patterned paper, ochre-brown vertical panelling, an oval dark mirror, two shaded wall lights and a white basin on a metal stand.

A downstairs loo with the confidence of a whole room

3 min read

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Costs

£353,050

Ash-framed clear and fluted glass partition between a dining table and sofa area in Burgundy Lanes, Hackney, beneath a large rooflight.

£353,050 before VAT: what a flexible London terrace renovation actually cost

A timber-and-glass screen and a burgundy kitchen pod make this Hackney home distinctive. Its reported build figure, and a separately published kitchen price, show why a renovation budget needs more than one impressive number.

Reported 2022 build cost, excluding VAT.

4 min read

Keep or replace?

Antique sofa in red and cream leaf-patterned fabric, with its right-hand arm lowered.

Re-cover the sofa or replace it?

When a sofa is worth keeping, the fabric is only part of the decision. Two genuine restorations show what to look for beneath it, and how to compare the finished cost with buying new.

6 min read

How-to

Condensation droplets on the inside-facing surface of a window pane above a white frame and sill.

Keep draughts out without sealing the house shut

A cold window edge can be a manageable job. Start by finding the unwanted leak, keep the ventilation working and choose a seal that still lets everything close properly.

4 min read

Compact bathroom with a toilet, basin, shower enclosure and a window.

Plan a small bathroom before you buy a single fitting: four constraints that decide the layout

Planning a small bathroom? Check drainage, door and circulation space, ventilation and electrical safety before choosing the bath, shower, WC or vanity.

5 min read

Buying Advice

Antique sofa in red and cream leaf-patterned fabric, with its right-hand arm lowered.

Re-cover the sofa or replace it?

When a sofa is worth keeping, the fabric is only part of the decision. Two genuine restorations show what to look for beneath it, and how to compare the finished cost with buying new.

6 min read

Grey-green cupboards around a black range cooker, with a glazed dresser on the left and a sink below the window on the right.

A £4,000 second-hand kitchen

Claire and David Carr bought the cabinets and appliances for £4,000. Making them belong in their Dorset home took a different layout, skilled joinery and spending beyond the sale price.

5 min read

Dulux’s Soulful Sage roomset, with pale green walls and panelling and light upholstered seating.

Dulux’s new Soulful Sage: how to judge it in your own home

Dulux’s new Colour of the Year is a soft, silvery green called Soulful Sage. If it appeals, use the announcement as a reason to try a sample before planning a whole-room repaint.

2 min read
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