Grand Designs UK - August 2023

A Perfectly Coordinated Classic Kitchen
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Scotland North Midlands South East South East
Aberdeen 01224 588944 Handforth 01625 526390 Hereford 01432 266255 Abingdon 01235 554773 Storrington 01903 741004
Broughty Ferry 01382 731560 Harrogate 01423 862286 Leicester 01530 833960 Arundel 01243 696700 Tunbridge Wells 01892 337575
Edinbury North 07881 823987 Hull 01482 653355 Ludlow 01584 871960 Banbury 01295 222316 Waterlooville 02392 176380
Edinburgh South 0131 3436007 Macclesfield 01625 464955 Nottingham 01159 842842 Basingstoke 01256 363123 Winchester 01962 870077
New Mills 01663 746851 Stamford 01780 654321 Brighton West 01273 957778 Wokingham 0118 9783393
Fraserburgh 01346 513473 Newcastle 01915 805456 Worcester 01905 335408 Camberley 01252 522400
Glasgow 0141 611 1231 Northallerton 01609 775233 Canterbury 01227 379300 South West
Glenrothes 01592 774474 Sheffield 01246 416642 East Esher 01372 467464 Barnstaple 01271 267310
Perth 01738 638822 Warton 01772 631316 Biggleswade 01767 314446 Fordingbridge 01425 650235 Bideford 01237 423444
West Lothian 01506 857007 York 01904 479792 Chelmsford 01245 392792 Guildford 01403 259320 Blandford Forum 07380 919793
North Midlands Colchester
Hemel Hempstead
07879 772914
01442 803303
Horley
Horsham
01293 786116
01403 259320
Bristol
Dorchester
0117 2020050
01305 520848
Bromsgrove 01527 882939 Holt 01263 711979 Newbury 07788 418975 Ivybridge 01752 897800
Blackburn 01254 693765
Burton-upon-Trent 01283 384892 Ipswich 01473 742200 Polegate 01323 409222 Melksham 07500 520140
Brighouse 01422 887426
Dudley 01384 455755 Norwich 01603 666161 Reading 0118 334 7144 Portishead 01275 244225
Fleetwood 01253 283786
Hampton-in-Arden 01675 442705 Royston 01763 271991 Sandhurst 07843 609683 Purbeck 01929 422345
Grimsby 01472 343853
Get the look...
Crate Drawers
in portland oak
Hatfield Moonlight Blue Milano Arctic Frost

paint effect classic shaker door stone effect worktop and splashback
Hatfield Highland Stone Portland Oak

paint effect classic shaker door cabinetry
South West Wales

Sherborne 01935 817111 St Asaph 01745 582786
Tiverton 01884 251675 Swansea 01792 790088
Totnes 01803 865865
Truro 01872 713090 Channel Islands
Wadebridge 01208 813231 Guernsey 01481 710500
Winscombe 01934 844144
Wales
Abergavenny 01873 850911
Cardiff East 02920 485888
Cardiff West 02920 593969
Dyffryn Ardudwy 01341 242015
Haverfordwest 01437 765814
Hay on Wye
Nefyn
01497 821374
01758 721081 Made in the U.K. since 1975
Newport 01633 252187
masterclasskitchens.co.uk
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Contents August 2023
Regulars
11 EDITOR’S LETTER 72 SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE
17 KEVIN MCCLOUD Our Get 13 issues delivered to
editor-at-large on the sorry your door for just £34.99
state of the government’s 130 MY GRAND IDEA A scarlet
net-zero strategy extension to a red-brick house
13
News
115 13 ARCHITECTURE UPDATE Inspiring
self-build and renovation projects
103 KITCHEN UPGRADE The latest
designs, surfaces and appliances
115 BATHROOM EDIT Stylish new
additions for the smallest room
130
MAGAZINE.COM / AUGUST 2023 5

CONTENTS
Homes
20 LEICESTER SELF-BUILD
One family created a five-
bedroom home in an updated
mid-century modern style
33 EAST LONDON DOUBLE
How an enterprising couple fit
two houses onto a plot that was
originally intended for one
44 SURREY ECO HOME Building
a low-energy house on top of a
hill caused a lot of problems for
the construction team
53 REMODELLED TOWNHOUSE
This eye-catching family home
in Brooklyn, New York, USA,
is clad in black corrugated steel
33
20
Projects
67 GRAND BUILD How to gain 95 BUYER’S GUIDE TO SOFAS What to
planning permission for your build consider before you buy, from style
75 GRAND GUIDE Ten amazing and size to support and sustainability
award-winning homes 106 PROJECT KITCHENS All about
86 PROJECT ECO GARDENS Ideas islands – expert advice and inspiration
to ensure that your outdoor space 119 PROJECT BATHROOMS Fitting a
is as green as can be bath and shower into the same space
106
75
6 AUGUST 2023 / MAGAZINE.COM

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EDITORIAL
EDITOR K AREN STYLIANIDES
ART DIRECTOR TONY PETERS
CHIEF SUB-EDITOR MATT GL ASBY
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR NICHOL A OWEN
DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER PAISLEY-ROSE TEDDER
DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER JASON PODESTA
EDITOR-AT-LARGE KEVIN McCLOUD
GO ONLINE ADVERTISING
FOR ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES EMAIL
JOSHUA .MILLS@GR AND-DESIGNS.COM
Find more from Kevin McCloud
and our exclusive TV house tours, PORTFOLIO SALES TEAM
plus inspiring self-builds, real-life DAVID BEX, RICHARD FERGUSON, JOSH MILLS,
ROSS MORGAN, GABRIELLE PITTS,
extensions, conversions and home MATTHEW SMITH, STEVEN TABBRON
improvement projects.
MARKETING & DIGITAL
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T
he gardening and landscaping products from its garden centres and
industry is making strides online shop, and offers pesticide-free
towards greater sustainability in plant protection, peat-free compost and
its approach to design and product 80 per cent of plants from UK nurseries.
specification. Leading gardening charity When it comes to eco-friendly outdoor
the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS, rhs. spaces, the seeds of change have certainly
org.uk) has set out its ambition to increase taken root with the professional landscapers
biodiversity, aiming to become net positive and garden designers featured on P86.
within a decade. Details of its Sustainability Their wildlife- and people-friendly show
Strategy, along with ideas for how gardeners gardens offer a fertile mix of ideas for the
can make a beneficial difference, are new and repurposed materials that can be COVER PHOTO
available at rhs.org.uk/science/sustainability. used to build walls, paths and structures TUCK FAUNTLEROY
It already removed weed- and bug-control in our own gardens. Enjoy your summer!
K AREN ST YLIANIDES , EDITOR

@StylianidesK
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NEWS
Architecture update
Original projects to inspire your own self-build or renovation
Within these walls

The Arbor House in Aberdeen, Scotland, is built
from a mix of new materials and stone salvaged from
the dilapidated coach house that once stood here.
Brown & Brown’s 333sqm design for Russel Davies
and Wendy Wilkie involved demolishing all but one
of the original walls, which is now part of a new ground
floor alongside sections of board-marked concrete,
with a cantilevered upper storey clad in slim larch
battens. Salvaged stone forms a boundary wall that
separates this four-bedroom house from the busy
road beyond. The project cost £3,300 per sqm.
(brownandbrown.studio)

NEWS
Architecture update
A clear improvement
A couple with two young boys asked architect
Steve Cox to design a rear kitchen extension
to complete the refurbishment of their six-
bedroom house in a south London conservation
area. To take advantage of the views, a run
of long, thin sliding windows open on to the
garden, and there’s a series of rooflights that fill
the new kitchen with light. To avoid overheating
in summer, electrically controlled roller blinds
are hidden in a recess above ceiling level. The
40sqm project was completed in early 2023
and cost £125,000. (coxarchitects.co.uk)
Newly crafted
When Anna Frandevi and Malcolm Walton bought a seven-
bedroom house in Epping, Essex, its Arts and Crafts style had
been spoilt by piecemeal extensions including three ugly bay
windows. Dominic McKenzie Architects revived the 365sqm
property for £500,000, including making the ground floor open
plan save for a single oak column supporting the original contoured
staircase above the new kitchen. The rear façade now has black
timber-framed glazing and is clad in silvery larch, and timber French
doors replace the clunky bay windows. (dominicmckenzie.co.uk)
WORDS ALICE WESTGATE PHOTOGRAPHY JIM STEPHENSON, ASBJØRN SCHMIDT, RICHARD CHIVERS
Hooked on classics
Hone your carpentry skills with this
new edition of a 1960s guide to crafting
All the right angles furniture and household objects.
Mid-Century Woodworking: 80 Projects
A winged roof allows extra light into the upper storey of this 180sqm to Make By Hand by AWP Kettless
new-build in rural Surrey. With a budget of around £700,000, a couple (Batsford, £25, out 3 August) starts
with two children wanted an eco-friendly house with three bedrooms with instructions for a simple pencil
and views across the canopy of trees. Adam Knibb Architects designed holder and leads on to more complex
cabinetry. There are patterns, diagrams,
a flint-clad ground floor that connects via a floating staircase to a timber-
step-by-step instructions and
framed first floor with a broad front balcony that sits in the shelter of the illustrations of all the finished pieces,
winged eaves. Eco-friendly features include high levels of insulation, an which are designed to be made at home
air-source heat pump, solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and foundations made using traditional skills and a basic
from compacted aggregate instead of concrete. (adamknibbarchitects.com) toolkit. (batsfordbooks.com)

EXCLUSIVE COLUMN
Kevin
McCloud
If the government is serious about hitting its 2050 net-zero
targets, why can’t it get its strategy straight?
T
he UK’s Climate Change control and keeping this planet suitable
Committee (CCC) published for human beings to live on.
its 2023 progress report to One of these horrible discrepancies
parliament at the end of June involves an act of parliament, a written
and it’s fair to say that it has given this ministerial statement, some guidance
government a D minus. Lord Deben, and a great deal of confusion – and it
its departing chair, describes how centres around our homes. According
ministers, while championing the UK’s to the CCC, the buildings we live in This was all in the gift of the
stringent 2050 net-zero targets, have no are responsible for about 19 per cent Planning and Energy Act 2008.
real clue, and no detailed roadmap of of all UK carbon emissions – or their Yet in a jarring inconsistency a
how to get there. There is no sense of equivalent. What is shocking is that 2015 written ministerial statement
urgency and the CCC’s confidence in only about 5 per cent of all emissions by Eric Pickles, then secretary of state
the government being able to deliver its are related to construction while 14 per of the Department for Communities
2030 and 2035 targets is quickly ebbing cent are estimated to come from the and Local Government (DCLG), said
away. All this from a body of scientific day-to-day running of our homes. that local authorities were restricted
experts who enjoy admiration from their from exceeding the standards set in the
peers around the globe as international
leaders in their field. All this from a
Confidence in the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4
– scrapped, ironically, also in 2015. He
committee set up by parliament. government being didn’t want to see councils overreaching
The only details that have been
produced emerged under duress when
able to deliver its themselves, it seems.
To reflect this highly disappointing
the courts demanded the government 2030 and 2035 statement, the 2008 Act was amended
publish some form of delivery strategy.
This is pretty woolly and places
targets is quickly accordingly, but, even more confusingly,
that amendment was not commenced
far too much dependency on future ebbing away nor has it been since.
technological advances, such as carbon To cap it all, buried in the
capture and storage, and splitting So it was surely good news that government’s Future Homes Standard
cheap hydrogen from water, which local authorities were, in 2008, granted Consultation response published
are currently hypothetical at scale. powers to be able to set their own in January 2021, it states: ‘At present,
The government also has in place standards for the thermal performance local planning authorities may include
a planning structure which the CCC of domestic buildings. This meant they policies in their local plans which
says needs overhauling in order for it could start demanding that developers require developers to comply with
to place net zero as its core guiding construct properly insulated new homes energy-efficiency standards for new
principle. And this government has, and set the architectural and technical homes that exceed the minimum
dotted through its legislation, both new bar high. It would lead to more requirements of the Building
and inherited, all kinds of regulations, Passivhaus construction, help create Regulations,’ and, ‘To provide some
laws, requirements and guidance which technical expertise within planning certainty in the immediate term, we
are obsolete and at odds with the departments and push at the quality will not amend the Planning and
objective of keeping our climate under of our built environment. Energy Act 2008, which means that

EXCLUSIVE COLUMN
local planning authorities will retain

powers to set local energy-efficiency
standards for new homes.’
So which carries more weight,
an act of parliament, a ministerial
statement or a government response
document? You choose. Because
Bath & North East Somerset and
Cornwall are two authorities which
have had their ambitious targets Lina Nilsson and
for Building Regulations approved Joe Stuart built a
Passivhaus on a tiny
as part of their local plans by the east London plot
planning inspectorate. I applaud that.
Yet by the same token, Lancaster, a
pioneer of innovative housing and and makes a definitive statement
low-carbon development, and West The buildings in favour of local authorities setting
Oxfordshire have had their equally we live in are their own ambitious targets for
bold plans rejected – the inspectorate the housebuilders.
cited the 2015 ministerial statement responsible for I’ve written to Michael Gove
as grounds for rejection. about 19 per cent and I’m seeing him in four days’
Meanwhile, other planning time, all for a major new Channel 4
inspectors appear to have ignored of all UK carbon series that addresses net zero and
the 2015 statement as out of date. emissions climate change which I will be
The Royal Town Planning Institute presenting alongside Hugh Fearnley-
(RTPI, rtpi.org.uk) and the Town industry, our economy and our Whittingstall and Mary Portas. In
and Country Planning Association environment is being extinguished. discussing the project a few weeks ago
(TCPA, tcpa.org.uk) agree that And if new-build standards are we all agreed that to hit ambitious
the statement is no longer relevant, being deliberately compromised targets in life you have to aim for
probably because it’s eight years old or repressed, then it becomes harder the highest peaks of performance
and especially because it predates still for local authorities to roll – the Everest summits – just to achieve
the climate change emergency out innovative and ambitious something moderately good. If all
that parliament announced in targets for how we retrofit the you do is aim for compromise and
2019. Times have changed and UK’s existing homes. moderation, then the outcomes
they have changed a lot. This creeping disaffection has will always just be poor.
More alarmingly, West been corrosive, it will severely And if you aim for piss-poor
Oxfordshire and Lancaster’s plights compromise our ability to meet standards in the first place? I can’t
seem to have significantly dampened our 2050 zero-carbon target and think of anyone or any organisation
the ambitions of other local authorities it cannot be allowed to take hold who would tolerate such a destructive
to invest the years of work and public – as it seems to be doing. So please level of complacency in their thinking.
funds required to rewrite their local write to your MP and ask them to What’s even more bewildering,
plans. So much of the visionary drive insist that Michael Gove, our secretary according to the CCC, is that this
needed across the nation to deliver a of state for levelling up, housing and government cannot focus on the
green evolution in our construction communities, stands up in parliament objectives, it cannot even take aim.
A five-bedroom
eco home in East
PHOTOGRAPHY FIONA WALKER-ANROTT, JEFFERSON SMITH
ARE YOU PLANNING Lothian, Scotland
A ?
TV’s Grand Designs is looking for exciting
projects to feature on the programme.
Does your build fit the bill? To apply,
please visit granddesigns.tv

With nature in
my mind.
Get back to nature with your own Baufritz country home built with traditional
and hero materials.
Get information at #CountryHouse on www.baufritz.co.uk

HOMES LEICESTERSHIRE
Designed by Simplicity
Timber Solutions, the
front door is made from
heat-treated frake, a
West African hardwood
MODERNISING
M I D - C E N T URY
Influenced by iconic 1960s design, the owners of this new-build home
included the latest efficiency measures and renewables
WORDS JAYNE DOWLE PHOTOGR APHY JIM STEPHENSON

In the open-plan kitchen
the oak-veneer cabinets
were made by Unique
Joinery Solutions. The
worksurface is Silestone
and the island pendants
are JU1 by Jørn Utzon

IN BRIEF
–
LOCATION Leicester, Leicestershire
TYPE OF PROPERTY
Detached self-build
BEDROOMS 5
PROJECT STARTED January 2019
PROJECT FINISHED March 2021
SIZE 400sqm
COST OF PLOT £875,000
BUILD COST £1 million

he last thing that Sally Wiles wanted Retailers Sally, 58, and Richard, 62, set about
when she and her husband, Richard, finding an architect by approaching the Royal Institute
decided to build their own home was of British Architects (RIBA). ‘It sent us a list of local
a white box. They admired the Ahm people, but nobody seemed right,’ she says. ‘I researched
House in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, national award-winning architects, but they weren’t
by architect Jørn Utzon, which was built in 1962 and interested in working in the East Midlands. So I started
is an influential mid-century modern design. They looking at the regional award winners.’
wanted this aesthetic reimagined in a contemporary They eventually narrowed the choice down two
way – and not a minimal building with the structure practices, paying both to build a model of their proposed
hidden behind white-painted plasterboard. design so they could choose the one that they liked best.
Sand-coloured Cassis
bricks from Danish
supplier Egernsund
Tegl are a key feature
of the house, both
inside and out

A double-sided 21-95 DF
stove from Stûv warms
the living room and the
dining area
Spencer Guy, their chosen architect, prioritises

integrating features as part of the primary design.
‘The mid-century sensibility considers each feature
of the house as adding up to the whole,’ he says. ‘The
1960s American Case Study Houses include exposed
structures and brickwork left self-finished as part of
the design. I hope that our houses will look the same
in 50 years, because they have been designed with
everything considered carefully from the start.’
Sally and Richard have two children, Martha, 22,
and Victor, 20, who split their time between home and
university. The couple had spent the previous five years
looking for a house with a bigger garden. But they felt that
everything they looked at was out of proportion, with too
many bedrooms for the amount of living space.

Stained spruce glulam
ceiling beams are
exposed to create a
striking design feature
in the living room

Sally climbs the
staircase, which has
oak-wrapped treads.
Local company Allt
did the engineering
calculations
RIGHT In the main
bathroom on the lower
floor the bespoke
cherrywood cabinets are
by Unique Joinery
Solutions

F L O O R PL A N S
EN SUITE
VOID
BEDROOM
BEDROOM
BATHROOM BEDROOM
BEDROOM
Turning their attention to finding land or a development UPPER FLOOR

property, they came across a cottage on a 4,000sqm plot.
‘It had little architectural merit,’ says Sally. And as there
were no planning objections to their proposed new five-
bedroom home, it was duly demolished.
The planners didn’t issue any special demands, but
the site has a significant level change from north to south GARAGE
with about 3m difference from the road to the rear garden.

Wanting the house to appear the same size as the cottage,
Spencer took care to scale the building in relation to the
view from the street.
Much of the building is on two levels and is built KITCHEN
into the slope. The mass concrete trench foundations LIVING

ROOM
are lower than those that supported the cottage because DINING AREA
they enabled the construction of a lower floor level, HALLWAY
which gives the highest possible ceiling heights

while providing the impression of a single-storey
house when seen from the front. SNUG
The structure is steel frame with timber-frame walls
faced with a brick rainscreen. Some of the roof structure
is spruce glulam timber – the two-storey section covered GAMES ROOM
with zinc and the single-storey roof planted with sedum

above a waterproof membrane. So the house uses as little
energy as possible, the walls and roof are insulated with
mineral wool and have a high level of airtightness and
BEDROOM
thermal bridging is minimised. The expanse of south-
facing glazing at the rear allows the sun’s warmth in.
Plus, the upper floor can be shut off when not in use.
Though the couple draw some electricity from
LOWER FLOOR
the grid, 24 roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV)
panels generate up to 50kWh, and supply some of

A dressing room
leads off from the
couple’s bedroom
To use as little energy

as possible, the walls and
roof are insulated with
mineral wool and have a
high level of airtightness
the power required for their air-source heat pump.
Underfloor heating turns the lower floor into
a heat sink that warms the rest of the house, with
the radiators needed for only the very coldest days.
The eco-friendly features also include a mechanical
ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) system
and rainwater recycling.
Construction started in January 2019, but when
Covid restrictions came into place in March 2020
work had to stop for two months. Luckily the roof
was on and the house was largely dry.
Ten months later and very keen to move in, the
family decided to do so even though the house wasn’t
entirely finished. ‘It was a little bit like camping for
the first couple of months,’ admits Sally. ‘We were
fighting to get the kitchen functional just hours
before our possessions turned up.’
Spencer’s design suits Sally and Richard’s passion
for mid-century style perfectly and the result is a warm
and tactile new home that’s about as far from a white
box as it’s possible to be.

In the couple’s
bedroom a portrait
by Leicester-born
artist Paul Wright is
reflected in a vintage
Habitat mirror


S U PPL I E R S
–
PROJECT TEAM Zinc roof installation Kingsley
Architect Levitate (levitate.co.uk) (kingsleyroofing.co.uk)
Builder Yan Clayton (07518 383341)
Demolition Lost World Demolition FIXTURES AND FITTINGS
(leicesterdemolition.co.uk) Air-source heat pump Steibel Eltron
Electrician SJ Walters Electrical (stiebel-eltron.co.uk)
(07720 228024) Appliances Cooks & Company
Garden design Sue Hayward (cooksandcompany.co.uk), Miele (miele.co.uk)
(suehayward.co.uk) Basins Crosswater (crosswater.co.uk),
Glazing installer Klarheit (klarheit.co.uk) EC1 (ec1bathrooms.co.uk)
Joiner Unique Joinery Solutions Bath Bette (my-bette.com)
(07966 539065 ) MVHR Solarcrest (solarcrest.co.uk)
Plumbing Indigo Renewable Energies Paint Crown Paints (crown.co.uk)
(indigorenewables.co.uk) Rainwater recycling Celtic Sustainables
Quantity surveyor RJA Consultants (celticsustainables.co.uk), Direct Water Tanks
(rjaconsultants.com) (directwatertanks.co.uk)
Staircase balustrade engineer Allt Solar panels Cuberoot (cuberoot-energy.co.uk)
(alltenvironmental.com) Stove Stûv (stuv.com)
Structural engineer Morph Structures Worksurface Silestone (silestone.com)
(morphstructures.com) FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES
STRUCTURE Artwork Paul Wright
Bricks Egernsund Tegl (egernsund.com) (artsy.net/artist/paul-wright)
Front door Simplicity Timber Solutions Armchairs Kontrast (kontrastco.com),
(simplicitytimbersolutions.co.uk) Newark Antiques Fair (iacf.co.uk/newark)
Glazing Schüco (schueco.com) Bed Sealey (sealeyfurniture.co.uk)
At the rear sliding Dining table Purves & Purves (purves.co.uk)
Insulation Rockwool (rockwool.com)
double-glazed doors
and curtain walling Staircase treads Benjamin James Dressing room storage Vitsoe (vitsoe.com)
help warm the house (hardwoodflooringleicester.co.uk) Light fittings Atomic Interiors (atomicinteriors.
through solar gain Timber cladding Platowood co.uk), Cox & Cox (coxandcox.co.uk)
ABOVE RIGHT Pendant (platowood.com) Sideboard Mustard Vintage
festoon lights from Timber frame Lilleheden (mustardvintage.com)
Cox & Cox hang in the (lilleheden.co.uk) Stools Atomic Interiors (atomicinteriors.co.uk)
glass pavilion looking Zinc roof VM Zinc (vmzinc.com) Upholstery Alan Cuthbertson (0116 257 0312)
out on the garden

HOMES LONDON
The two new-build

terraced houses
are structurally
identical. The
couple’s house is
on the right
Seeing double
One couple came up with a plan to build a pair
of houses and make one of them their home
WORDS REBECCA FOSTER
PHOTOGR APHY FRENCH + T YE

HOMES LONDON
lex Wright and Chelsea

IN BRIEF
Nelson switched from
–
LOCATION Leytonstone, looking for a house to buy
east London to hunting for a plot of
TYPE OF PROPERTY land after realising they could get a self-build mortgage
Three-storey self-build for a site that came with planning permission.
BEDROOMS 3 At first they took a speculative approach to their
PROJECT STARTED Feb 2020 search, seeking out potential plots by looking at online
PROJECT FINISHED June 2021 maps and cycling to the area to investigate further. ‘We’d
SIZE 100 sqm find the details of the owners on the Land Registry and
LAND COST £375,000 write to them to explain our plans,’ says Alex.
BUILD COST £480,000 But after an unsuccessful six-month hunt, architect
(for both houses) Alex and interior designer Chelsea, who are both 34,
began looking at sites for sale at auction – a method
requiring another type of funding. ‘Buying land at
auction is done with cash, and the sale must be completed
within 20 days – a timeframe that precluded organising
a mortgage,’ Alex explains. So in preparation for bidding
on something they liked the look of, they arranged a
bridging loan secured against Alex’s mum’s house.
This is how they came to buy a 100sqm plot on the
corner of two Leytonstone streets. ‘It came with four
ABOVE The arch

surrounding the
timber front door is
cast stone and the
frame is anodised
RIGHT In the front
hall the floor tiles are
Blanco Antico Diamond
from Todobarro

The bespoke sofa in
the living room is from
Chelsea Upholstery
and covered in mohair
fabric by Vescom

single-storey garages, all full of junk,’ says Alex. Replacing
all four structures with a three-bedroom, two-storey house
of a similar size was a requirement of the detailed planning
permission attached to the property.
While visiting the plot, the couple were approached by
a neighbour who suggested they might want to consider
buying part of his garden. The possibility of doing this led
Alex and Chelsea to the idea of building two houses rather
than one. ‘We took him up on the offer in principle and
the scope of our project doubled,’ says Alex. Although
their self-build mortgage wouldn’t cover the extra funds
required, setting up an architectural design practice meant
they could switch to commercial development finance,
which would be enough for both builds.
Alex and Chelsea submitted two planning applications
simultaneously – one for a single house and the other for
two. If the bigger scheme was rejected by the council,
ABOVE LEFT Chelsea
they would stick to their original idea of building their sits at the oiled walnut
home funded by a self-build mortgage. ‘We decided that dining table. It was
we’d only buy the extra 50sqm of land if we got approval designed by her and
Alex and made by
for the two houses,’ Alex explains. their main contractor
He liaised with the local authority and – after some RIGHT Providing a
persuasion – his design ideas, which took the style and contrast in colour and
proportions of nearby Victorian terraced houses with texture to the joinery,
the worksurface is
added contemporary elements, were well received. Consent white Calacatta
for two structurally identical houses came through Michelangelo marble

HOMES LONDON

HOMES LONDON
ABOVE Alex walks from

the hall through the
in November 2018. Due to delays in buying the additional
piece of land and the complexities of the couple’s financial
They submitted
sliding pocket door
into the kitchen-diner arrangements, construction began in February 2020. two planning
RIGHT Stainless-steel
base units contrast
After demolishing the garages, concrete strip
foundations were laid with a suspended beam-and-
applications
with the bleached oak
wall cabinets above
block floor constructed above them. ‘Completing the simultaneously
groundwork was a high point for us, as we got a better
idea of the size and scale of the houses,’ says Alex.
– one for a single
The walls are of traditional brick-and-block cavity house and the
construction. ‘Though the local Victorian houses are
built using London stock brick, we wanted to tie in with
other for two
the red tones of the Edwardian homes nearby,’ says Alex.
He found it rewarding to see his scheme emerge
as the construction progressed. ‘When the cast-stone
window headers went in, I could see the palette of
materials we’d chosen come together,’ he says.
Alex and Chelsea found they enjoyed working together,
which bodes well for their practice. ‘We divided our
responsibilities – I focused on the strategic stuff and

F L O O R PL A N S
BEDROOM
BATHROOM
SAUNA
STORAGE
SECOND FLOOR
BATHROOM
BEDROOM
BEDROOM
FIRST FLOOR
DINING AREA KITCHEN
LIVING ROOM
GROUND FLOOR

HOMES LONDON
LEFT In the first-floor

bathroom, the green
terracotta wall tiles
were handmade in
France and supplied
by In Situ
BELOW Recessed
shelving around
the sink provides
extra storage
RIGHT Exposed
structural joists give
more headroom in the
couple’s bedroom
technical design, while Chelsea took charge of the

interiors,’ says Alex. Despite several pandemic-
related delays, the construction progressed smoothly
to completion in 16 months, and they were able to sell
one of the houses just a couple of weeks later.
The couple are happy in their new home, although it
took a while for them to adjust. ‘It was strange to go from
visiting a building site every week to moving in,’ Alex
explains. ‘Realising our dream felt surreal, yet beautiful.
The house is very homely.’
They’re appreciating the feeling of comfort and the
home’s low energy bills, which are largely down to the
high level of insulation minimising heat loss or gain.
Their gas boiler supplies wet underfloor heating on the
ground floor, and they’ve made provision for an air-source
heat pump should they decide to make the switch in the
future. On the roof at the back of the house, 1.6kW solar
photovoltaic (PV) panels provide some of the required
energy, with the rest coming from the grid.
Alex and Chelsea are up for building another home
together in the future. ‘The project went so well that we
can see ourselves doing it again,’ says Alex. ‘Especially if
we move away from London or need a bigger house.’

HOMES LONDON
Black sauna
wax protects the
top-floor sauna’s
cedar-clad walls.
The benches
are made from
untreated aspen
ABOVE The top of the stairwell forms a useful desk area

and the triple-glazed roof window brings extra light
S U PPL I E R S
–
PROJECT TEAM Solar photovoltaic panels Tiles In Situ (insitu.london), Todobarro Dining chairs Moore & Giles
Architect & structural engineer Nelson Wright JA Solar (jasolar.com) (todobarro.com) (mooreandgiles.com)
Architects (nelson-wright.com) Solar thermal panels Worcester Bosch Underfloor heating Robbens Dining table and wall light design
(worcester-bosch.co.uk) (underfloorheating.co.uk) Nelson Wright Architects
STRUCTURE
Worksurfaces Middlesex Marble Lighting Artemide (artemide.com),
Bricks Vande Moortel FIXTURES AND FITTINGS
(middlesexmarble.co.uk) Flos (flos.com), Hector Finch
(vandemoortel.co.uk) Bathroom taps and basin Aston Matthews
Cast stone Vobster Architectural (astonmatthews.co.uk) FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES (hectorfinch.com), Lamp Factory London
(vobsterarchitectural.co.uk) Gas boiler Worcester Bosch Armchair, ottoman and sofa Chelsea (thelampfactorylondon.co.uk),
Mineral wool insulation Knauf Paint Farrow & Ball (farrow-ball.com) Upholstery (chelseaupholstery.co.uk) Thurstan (thurstandesign.com)
(knaufinsulation.co.uk) Radiators Best Heating (bestheating.com) Artworks Filipa Tojal (filipatojal.com), Rugs Ikea (ikea.com), London House Rugs
Roof tiles Sahtas (sahtas.co.uk) Sauna heater Harvia (harvia.com) Jordy Kerwick (jordykerwick.com) (londonhouserugs.co.uk)
Windows and doors Staircase and kitchen design Bathroom mirror Tine K Home (tinekhome.com) Sofa upholstery Vescom (vescom.com)
Idealcombi (idealcombi.com) Nelson Wright Architects Bedroom mirror Zara Home (zarahome.com) Stools Frama (framacph.com)

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Most of the house is
clad with untreated
Siberian larch, with
the studio picked out
in a heat-treated finish.
The 39 steps up to the
house are made with
composite planks

HOMES SURREY
Reaching
a high point
Building a low-energy home on a slope
became something of an uphill struggle
WORDS JAYNE DOWLE PHOTOGR APHY BILLY BOLTON
IN BRIEF
–
LOCATION Farnham, Surrey
TYPE OF PROPERTY
Two-storey new-build
BEDROOMS 3
PROJECT STARTED
February 2020
PROJECT FINISHED
March 2021
SIZE 170sqm
LAND COST £550,000
BUILD COST £600,000

HOMES SURREY
RIGHT The timber

front door is painted in
vibrant Sage & Onions
from Little Greene
BELOW A glazed
corridor links the
studio to the rest
of the house
hen it became clear that the work

needed to renovate their 1950s
bungalow would be extensive, Sophie,
32, and Nic Mogford-Revess, 36, felt
the most sensible and cost-effective
course of action would be to demolish
and rebuild. Overlooking the Bourne Valley in Surrey, the house was
all they could afford in the area when they bought it in 2016. ‘We
were limited to properties in extremely poor condition,’ says Nic.
They spent some time drawing up a brief for their new home
before ironing out the details with architect Will Dewar. ‘It was funny
how we came to meet Will,’ says Nic. ‘By chance Sophie met Will’s
wife Laura, who said they’d looked at buying the bungalow too. They’d
had lots of plans for the place, so we thought we better have a chat.’
Sophie and Nic, who are directors of a company supplying fire and
signalling systems to businesses, appreciated the architect’s input into
their brief. ‘Will added interesting elements such as a window in the
shower room that looks out onto a small courtyard garden,’ says Nic.
As the couple liked the bungalow’s dual-aspect windows, which
captured expansive views of the countryside and let in lots of light, Will
included plenty of triple glazing on the ground floor, supplemented
by rooflights. He also devised a standalone studio reached by a short,
glazed corridor that has a picture window overlooking the valley.

The coffee table in the
living room came from
a secondhand shop
in Amsterdam. Sophie
inherited the black
leather chaise longue
from her grandfather

F L O O R PL A N S
DINING AREA BEDROOM

UTILITY KITCHEN BATHROOM
ROOM
BEDROOM
VOID
SHOWER BATHROOM
ROOM LIVING
AREA BEDROOM
STUDIO
GROUND FLOOR FIRST FLOOR

HOMES SURREY
The house runs mainly on renewable energy generation, chosen materials – each one incurring a fee when it was
including an air-source heat pump that supplies a wet discharged. ‘There were a few conditions that I thought
underfloor heating system on the ground floor and were unnecessary, such as the traffic management report
radiators upstairs. On the roof of the house, 2.83kWp for a private gravel road,’ says Nic. ‘Another one that really
solar photovoltaic (PV) panels generate electricity that is got to us was a full-site planting scheme, including the
stored in a solar battery, and the mechanical ventilation back garden, which stayed pretty much the same.’
with heat recovery (MVHR) system recovers warmth Work started in February 2020, with Sophie and Nic
from the indoor air. moving to an outbuilding that belonged to a friend’s
Planning permission for the new house came through parents as it was difficult to stay elsewhere due to pandemic
in 2019 without any objections, but there were eight restrictions. ‘Knocking down our house three weeks before
exacting pre-occupation conditions that had to be met lockdown wasn’t the wisest thing we’ve ever done,’ says Nic.
– including an arboriculture report and a check on the As the site is on a hill, the structural engineer insisted
on strip footings almost 7ft-deep for both the house and
the studio, because he was concerned that the studio
‘Knocking down our house could move forward over time and pull the house down
the slope. Work on the deep footings caused a disturbance
three weeks before for the eight properties nearby. ‘Using a 3-tonne digger
lockdown wasn’t the wisest shook the entire road, which went down badly with
neighbours who were working from home during the
thing we’ve ever done’ pandemic,’ explains Nic.
ABOVE Made from

black powder-coated
steel with oak treads,
the open staircase
is by DDC London
RIGHT The bespoke
kitchen includes
stainless-steel
worksurfaces with
solid walnut on
the central island

HOMES SURREY
Given the difficulties in reaching the hillside plot, a block

construction method was chosen because the slabs could
be carried up manually. They were hoisted to a scaffold
platform halfway up the slope, then ferried by hand the rest
of the way, with waste disposal via a chute attached to the
platform. Using recycled products was a priority for the
couple, so the blocks are made from 80 per cent recycled
materials – mainly pulverised fuel ash, a byproduct of power
stations – and the concrete formula for the foundations
requires less water and leads to less waste than standard
concrete, as it is mixed to order on site rather than delivered.
But in spite of the logistical challenges and building
during a pandemic, the house was complete in just over
a year, thanks in large part to Will’s project management
skills and the contractor coming up with a socially
distanced method of working.
And Nic believes the time he and Sophie spent in
the bungalow prior to the build also contributed to the The contractor
built the cupboards
project’s success. ‘Living there for more than three years in the spare room. The
gave us time to see the effect of the seasons – everything bed was handed down
looks different when the trees are bare,’ he says. ‘We from Nic’s parents
and the artwork
took the best things about the original bungalow and is Sophie’s own
incorporated them into the house with great new ideas.’
Sophie and Nic’s

bedroom features
a wallpaper mural
by Beut. The bed
and bedside tables
are from the Futon
Company and the
light fittings were
sourced on eBay

The roof is covered
with standing-seam
zinc. A series of dormer
windows provide extra
height and light on
the first floor
S U PPL I E R S
–
PROJECT TEAM Insulation Ecotherm (ecotherm.co.uk) Heat pump, MVHR, solar photovoltaic panels Tiles Marlborough Tiles (marlboroughtiles.com)
Architect Sketch Standing-seam zinc roof VMZinc (vmzinc.com) and Tesla solar battery Energy Creation Utility room sink and taps Ikea (ikea.com)
(sketch-architects.co.uk) (energycreation.co.uk) Wallpaper mural Beut (beut.co.uk)
FIXTURES AND FITTINGS Kitchen Roundhouse (roundhousedesign.com)
Contractor DC Builders
Bathrooms Surrey Bathroom Studio Light fittings Holloways of Ludlow FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES
(dcbuildersltd.co.uk)
(surreybathroomstudio.com) (hollowaysofludlow.com), Northern (northern. Artworks Fiona Pearce (fionapearceart.co.uk),
STRUCTURE Carpets B&N Carpets (bncarpets.co.uk) no), The Lighting Centre (lightingcentre.co.uk) Margie O’Brien (margieobrien.co.uk), Sophie
Blocks Celcon Aircrete (hhcelcon.co.uk) Cladding, outdoor steps Millboard Outdoor floor tiles Bert & May (bertandmay. Mogford-Revess (sophiemogfordrevess.art)
Cladding Covers Timber and Building (millboard.co.uk) com), Hampshire Tile Warehouse (htw.co.uk) Bed Futon Company (futoncompany.co.uk)
Merchants (coversmerchants.co.uk) Cork and timber flooring Wood Floors of Paint Johnstone’s (johnstonespaint.com), Dining table 29 Bell Street (29bellstreet.com)
Concrete Cemfree (cemfree.com) Farnham (woodfloors-farnham.co.uk) Little Greene (littlegreene.com) Firepit Firepits UK (firepitsuk.co.uk)
Glazing Aluminium Windows UK Front door Gadgets Joinery Range cooker Ilve (ilveappliances.co.uk) Outdoor table and chairs Dwell (dwell.co.uk)
(aluminiumwindowsuk.com) (gadgetsjoinery.com) Staircase DDC London (ddclondon.co.uk) Sofas Bo Concept (boconcept.com)

HOMES USA
The light inside

A black corrugated-steel exterior belies the bright,
open-plan layout of this refurbished townhouse
WORDS JESSICA MAIRS
PHOTOGR APHY MATTHEW WILLIAMS AND R AFAEL GAMO
The front steps are

made of bluestone
with a painted
steel balustrade

W hen their first child, Gabe, was
born in 2017, lawyers Nick Gaffney and Fei Zhong
decided to trade in their apartment in East Village,
New York, USA, for a family home in Brooklyn.
Properties in the borough are in such high demand
that it took eight months to find a three-storey, mid-
terrace house in the South Slope neighbourhood.
Measuring just 4.5m wide, it’s one of a row of timber-
clad homes built around 1910 and had a basement used
for storage, a kitchen and two small living rooms on the
ground level, and two bedrooms with a bathroom on
the first floor. ‘The house needed fixing up, but we
felt it had space for us to grow into and knew we could
move in right away,’ says Fei.
The birth of their second child, Adeline, in 2019
prompted Nick and Fei to start on the improvements,
which focused on giving the ground floor a more
open-plan design and the first floor an extra bedroom
and bathroom. ‘We wanted to find an architect who
understood our limitations and our vision,’ says Fei.
Luckily they found inspiration nearby. ‘We kept
walking past a house that we both really admired,’
ABOVE Black corrugated steel cladding contrasts with a reclaimed pine front door says Fei. ‘It’s home to architect Aniket Shahane.
A blue two-seater
U Sofa by Bensen
IN BRIEF stands on a section
– of white tiling in
the entrance hall
LOCATION South Slope,
Brooklyn, New York, USA
TYPE OF PROPERTY
Remodelled townhouse
BEDROOMS 3
PROJECT STARTED March 2020
PROJECT FINISHED
September 2021
SIZE 167sqm
BUILD COST Around £3,229 per sqm
HOMES USA
In the kitchen an
air-conditioning
system is in a unit
above the island
‘The house needed fixing up, but we felt it had space for
us to grow into and knew we could move in right away’

Nick and I paid a visit and we totally fell in love with it,
so we ended up appointing him.’
They focused on giving the
Nick, Fei and Aniket spent a year finetuning a ground floor a more open-plan
scheme that would team the home’s historic features with
minimalist materials. ‘I worked hard to create a design
design and the first floor an
that was within Nick and Fei’s budget,’ says Aniket. extra bedroom and bathroom
‘There had to be a few sacrifices though, including
leaving the basement out of the initial phase of works
and concentrating on the other two floors.’
Renovations began in spring 2020, just as Covid
restrictions came into force. Nick, Fei and the children
stayed with family in Connecticut while Aniket managed
the build on site. ‘One benefit to starting demolition in
lockdown was that it gave us more time to think,’ says
Nick. ‘We ended up creating a small office space in the

HOMES USA
A 606 Universal
Shelving System by
Dieter Rams slots into
the alcove beside the
chimney breast in
the dining area
F L O O R PL A N S
BEDROOM
PLAYROOM
LIVING AREA
BEDROOM
ABOVE A Carrara marble BATHROOM

worksurface cantilevers
over one side of the KITCHEN
kitchen island to create
a breakfast bar and EN SUITE
impromptu workspace
LAUNDRY BEDROOM
DINING
AREA
BASEMENT GROUND FLOOR FIRST FLOOR

A barn door made from
reclaimed pine leads
from the living room
into the back garden,
complementing the
matching reclaimed
pine floorboards

HOMES USA
‘We had to make a few sacrifices,

including leaving the basement
out of the current phase and
concentrating on the other floors’
main bedroom, along with an island that doubles as a desk

in the kitchen, which we hadn’t considered before.’
On the ground floor the construction team removed
all the internal partitions and moved the kitchen from
the rear of the house to the centre. ‘The kitchen island
divides up the space without having to put up any walls,’
explains Aniket. Fei, who at first was sceptical about
the idea, now appreciates that this layout gives them
unobstructed views of the garden.
This room also has an exaggerated windowsill that
doubles as a bench – one of many spaces in the house
that are designed for work and play. ‘Initially this was
earmarked as a window seat overlooking the garden,
but it has ended up as a place where the children like
to climb and draw,’ says Nick.
Upstairs Aniket created three bedrooms and two
bathrooms, adding floor-to-ceiling pocket doors to save
space and ensuring a clever alignment of windows to give
views right through the house from front to back. The
dimensions of the doors, along with ceiling-mounted
curtains, accentuate the height of the rooms and detract
from the limited width of the building.
He also designed pyramidal skylights that are carved
into the ceiling – these funnel light into the stairwell and
into a windowless third bedroom that was added in the
middle of the first floor. ‘We sculpted the skylights so
that the ceilings felt higher,’ says Aniket.
He suggested wrapping the exterior of the property in
black corrugated steel, referencing the neighbours’ linear-
patterned cladding. ‘We liked the idea that the exterior
would be industrial and dark, but would open to a bright,
white space,’ says Nick. The cladding floats over the façade
on inconspicuous supports and is carefully cut away at the
corners of the bay windows so their angles remain sharp.
‘We chose common materials, but used them and detailed
them in uncommon ways,’ says Aniket.
To keep to the budget, every big buy was offset
by something more prudent. So while the kitchen has
Carrara marble worksurfaces and designer cupboard
doors, the carcasses are from Ikea. And though the
main bathroom has luxurious pink travertine walls, the
children’s bathroom features economical subway tiles.

HOMES USA
ABOVE Having a sink The project was scheduled to take six to nine months, but
outside the main ended up lasting a year and a half due to the pandemic.
bathroom means
one child can brush And once the family moved back in during September
their teeth while the 2021, they decided it was time to embark on a full
other is inside basement remodel. ‘It’s natural to move incrementally
ABOVE RIGHT Pink with a renovation, especially as your priorities and your
travertine stone from
ABC Stone contrasts budget change,’ says Aniket.
with white subway The latest phase will give the basement its own entrance
tiles from Daltile and turn the space into a playroom and laundry. It will also
improve the energy efficiency of the whole building as an
insulated slab and underfloor heating will radiate warmth
up through the house, which already has a new eco-
friendly heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC)
system, improved wall insulation and double glazing.
Despite the ongoing work, the family already feel very
at home here. ‘I’m in awe of the arrangement of spaces
and that there is so much room in a relatively small,
narrow property,’ says Fei. ‘I particularly love having the
living room at the back of the house because when Nick
and I are sitting on the sofa or when the kids are drawing
at the bench, we feel like we’re out in the garden.’

The main bedroom has
built-in storage with
bookshelves, drawers
and an extended
windowsill that can
double as a desk

HOMES USA
The bay window’s

curtain track is hidden
in a niche above the
ceiling to emphasise
the height of the room
S U PPL I E R S
–
PROJECT TEAM FIXTURES AND FITTINGS Modular storage Vitsoe (vitsoe.com)
Architect Office of Architecture (oa-ny.com) Bathroom and kitchen taps Dornbracht Sanitaryware Duravit (duravit.co.uk), WS Bath
Main contractor NP Classic Construction (dornbracht.com) Collections (wsbathcollections.com)
(npclassicconstruction.com) Bathroom wall lights Workstead Travertine ABC Stone (abcworldwidestone.com)
Structural engineer Blue Sky Design (workstead.com) FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES
(blueskydsgn.com) Bathroom tiles Daltile (daltile.com) Dining chairs Organic Modernism
Built-in storage Stand and Build (organicmodernism.com)
STRUCTURE (standandbuild.com) Dining table Knoll (knoll-int.com)
Cladding Berridge (berridge.com) Kitchen Ikea (ikea.com), Paint Benjamin Moore
Skylights Velux (velux.co.uk) Reform (reformcph.com) (benjaminmoorepaint.co.uk)
Windows and doors Marvin Kitchen wall lights Artemide Tolomeo Rocking chair Vitra (vitra.com)
(marvin.com) (artemide.com) Sofa Bensen (bensen.com)

The backyard is
shaded by several
mature trees. A large
decked area is
used as an outdoor
dining space

PROJECTS
This award-winning
home in Melbourne,
Australia, features
two courtyards, with
one curving around
a mature elm tree.
Turn to P75 for more
How to 10 award- Guide to What to look

gain planning winning sustainable for when
permission homes gardens buying a sofa
PHOTOGRAPHY RORY GARDINER
67 75 86 95

MONEYWATCH FINANCE | 1 Hagley Street | Halesowen | West Midlands | B63 3AS
Mortgage & insurance

advice you can trust
Peter Hunt Cert CII(MP) Cert PFS CeMap
Peter is a partner at Moneywatch Finance with more

than 30 years' experience in the mortgage/property
market. He is able to advise and guide you through
the various mortgage options available to you.*
He has appeared on BBC radio providing listeners

with his financial knowledge and expertise. For more information, please call
*Moneywatch Finance is an appointed representative of HL Partnership Peter Hunt on
Limited, authorised & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Advice on all types of mortgages**, such as: 0121 503 0961

or
First-time buyers
Home movers
07880 900841
Remortgages
Buy-to-let mortgages e
Self-build & custom-build mortgages w
Bridging finance
**There may be a fee for mortgage advice. The precise amount depends
upon your circumstances but will be agreed with you before proceeding. Voted Best Mortgage Advisers
2016 – West Midlands in Wealth &
Also advice regarding: Finance International's Wealth & Money
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Critical illness
Also voted Best Mortgage & Insurance
Serious illness cover
Advisers – West Midlands in the 2020 &
Long-term income protection
2022 SME News Finance awards.
Property insurance
Peter has been recognised in The Times' Vouched For

guide to the UK’s top-rated financial advisers every year
since 2017.
He is also one of the experts at Grand Designs Live,

where he appears onstage providing financial advice for
budding self-builders and custom-builders.
Rating correct as of 06/12/22

PROJECTS GRAND BUILD
This five-bedroom
house in south
Manchester took
two years to gain
permission, during
which time the
originally proposed
timber frame was
changed to steel
How to gain planning

permission
Familiarise yourself with the process, what
information is required and how long it takes
If you have a plot of land or ‘As part of the Housing a self-build register for those advice well in advance of
a property you want to knock and Planning Act 2016, local who wish to build their own submitting your application.
down and replace, planning authorities are required to help homes. The details should be
permission is required before find land for those who have on your council’s website.’ First things first
you can begin any work. The an interest in building a home,’ Getting the green light from Before you apply, some crucial
planning system is discretionary says Jennifer Smith, director a local authority to build a house work must take place. This
– there is no fixed set of rules of planning and heritage or make significant changes to involves assessing the site, local
that determines whether consent consultancy Smith Jenkins your existing home will depend policies, the plot history and
will be granted or refused. But (smithjenkins.co.uk). ‘It on whether any necessary any constraints, and obtaining
it can be useful to look at what gives greater weight to the planning approval is granted. technical reports, if needed,
has been built in the local area requirement to identify To stand the best chance of a before embarking on a design.
as a guide to what might be self-build plots in the local successful outcome, you’ll need Your local council’s website
acceptable on your chosen site. area. Councils must maintain the benefit of knowledgeable is a good starting point for

A 1950s bungalow
on a sloping plot
was taken down
and replaced with
this five-bedroom,
split-level new-build
in Chess Valley,
Hertfordshire
some of this information. Use Another way to help things run smoothly planning application. It is a
it to research the history of the is to liaise with your neighbours, good way to obtain an initial
site and to find out whether as local support could boost your view as to what you may or may
there are any current or lapsed not be allowed to build. It can
application’s chance of success
planning applications. It flag up problems and reduce the
should also show local maps risk of your application being
and policy documents, which comes to deciding on a precise It is a good idea to arrange rejected, potentially saving you
will detail whether the plot position, it’s easier to work a meeting with the planning time and money.
is in a settlement, greenbelt around trees on the site and office to discuss your ideas.
or conservation area. Some particular care must be taken They will let you know if there Precision is crucial
councils’ websites are better to check whether any are are any concerns about whether From the point at which an
than others, and information protected. If they are, you’ll the project conforms to their application is submitted, the
such as tree preservation orders need written permission to legislation. This could save planning process is broadly
may have to be sought in remove or alter them. time, as you won’t waste hours similar wherever you live in the
writing or via a telephone call. Planning legislation affects on what could be deemed an UK. Details are first checked
Designing a house isn’t just the possible size, orientation, inappropriate scheme. Another against national and local
about how many rooms you shape and even the materials way to help things run smoothly requirements to make sure
want – you also need to think you use to construct your home. is to liaise with your neighbours, they contain the necessary
about the context of the plot, Restrictions are greater if you’re as local support could boost your information. Simple errors,
as a building that is sympathetic in a conservation area or close to application’s chance of success. including not having a scale
to the surrounding area is more a listed building. This is where or north point on the plan,
likely to gain permission. the local council’s development An initial assessment may invalidate an application.
Consider the street setting and plan and its other planning Pre-application is paperwork Not preparing detailed
whether your home will be guidance will give you an idea submitted to the local council reports such as ecology surveys
visible from the road, and of what is likely to be allowed. before a planning application. cuts costs, but could also cause
ensure it fits in with the scale Some councils also provide It provides a limited amount of delays, as such information is
of its neighbours. When it residential design guides. information compared to a full usually required, especially

Conservation area
LOOKING TO planning requirements
THE FUTURE dictated the design
The industry aspects of this
is in a state of three-bedroom
flux, says planning consultant home at the end
Julia Riddle of Castle of a terrace in
Planning (castleplanning.uk) Sydenham Hill,
south-east London
● There’s been much talk of
regulatory changes and the biggest
shake-up of the planning system
to occur in recent times, but
the extent and nature of the
adjustments are still to be clarified.
● Changes to the National
Planning Policy Framework (NPPF),
which sets the context for
planning, and the approach to plan
making and decision taking were
consulted upon earlier this year.
Some of the changes proposed
would potentially have a significant
impact on how councils plan for
development. The suggested
changes also included an increase
in the emphasis on beauty and the
use of Design Coding, which should
both support the delivery of custom
and self-build homes.
● The government’s Levelling
Up and Regeneration Bill has also
been progressing, which has
implications for planning in terms
of developer contributions,
environmental assessment and
enforcement. It emphasises the
government’s ambition to level up
the country based on planning
principles around beauty,
infrastructure, democracy,
environment, neighbourhoods,
the planning application process,
enforcement and protecting
heritage. These could all have
positive implications for the
planning process, but again
the outcome will depend on the
timing and implementation of
these measures.
● While change is almost certainly
coming, for the time being it’s with rural or undeveloped sites. a site with planning consent
a case of watch this space. One way to
Councils should have a list of self-build is to already in place. If the approval
validation requirements on their is still current, planning
buy a site with
websites. Use these to check permission for your project
planning consent
what you need to submit when should be achievable within the
making your formal application.
already in place context of the original plans.
You won’t necessarily need
Awaiting a decision
PHOTOGRAPHY ANDY HASLAM, FRENCH + TYE, JEFFERSON SMITH
any objections heard before the to submit a new application

It could take months for the members vote on whether or not if you want to make minor
council to decide on a planning to grant permission. If refused, changes to an approved plan,
application after it has been an appeal can be made within a but any big changes will require
validated. In some cases, an certain timeframe. a new application. Should you
application may be called be aiming to create a distinctive
before a planning committee, Existing approval home or if the application has
which will be held in public. A relatively straightforward way lapsed, this may not be quite
A presentation is made, and to self-build your home is to buy so simple.

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CIBES LIFT UK
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Amazing award-
Projects showcasing
winning homes
Great design deserves to be celebrated, and there is no shortage of
the best in design, accolades recognising the finest homes that the architecture industry
can deliver. Whether they highlight technical innovation, excellence
construction in construction, sustainable design or making a small budget go a
and materials long way, some projects rise to the top and shine out above the others.
WORDS EMILY BROOKS
1
PAVILION SERIES Brian Messana of Messana The living room, dining room and kitchen are in the
O’Rorke designed Junegrass House in Jackson, central pavilion, which has big glass doors that open
Wyoming, USA, for his brother and sister in law. to an outdoor kitchen and dining area. There are four
With a rugged mountain backdrop, their single- bedrooms, one of which is in a separate guesthouse.
storey, 465sqm home is arranged in four separate The interiors are a mixture of the rustic – stone
pavilions connected by glazed corridors to give fireplaces, exposed rafters and wide-plank oak
a homely sense of scale. The inspiration was Mormon floors – and the crisply finished, with shadow gaps,
Row, a nearby settlement of early 20th-century houses, marble bathrooms and simple bespoke timber joinery.
and the project won a American Architecture Award Outside, the structure is clad in stained cedar and
2022 in the Private Houses category. stone. (messanaororke.com)

PROJECTS GRAND GUIDE
2
ECO UPGRADE
Architect Ian Walker
of Casa Architects
remodelled this 1930s
house in Winsley, Bradford-
on-Avon, for himself and his
wife Bruni, with a focus on
improving energy efficiency
and the connection to the
outside space.
The house was poorly
made and insulated, but had
uninterrupted countryside views
and great potential. Adding
a side-infill extension and
converting the unused roof
void into an en-suite bedroom
increased space. This was done
while retaining as much of the
original fabric as possible to
minimise the carbon footprint
of the project.
The two-storey house
now has three bedrooms, plus
a studio that could become a
fourth. External insulation and
timber cladding transformed
its appearance and thermal
efficiency, with lots of south-
facing triple glazing to harness
the sun’s energy. The changes
led to a huge drop in energy use,
from 479kWh/m2 to 47.7 kWh/
m2. The remodel cost £2,650
per sqm, and in 2023 the house
was recognised in the AJ Retrofit
Awards. (casa-architects.co.uk)
3
ADAPTABLE DESIGN
Villa Sjöviken is on Kemiö
island in southern Finland.
Architect Jenni Reuter, who
also created the interiors, designed
the 206sqm house for a Finnish
couple who currently live outside
the country. It has three spoke-like
wings of different lengths, with
a kitchen and dining area at the
heart of the plan providing views
in all directions.
While only single storey, the
layout rises and falls over a height
of 4m corresponding to the sloping
terrain of the site. The timber-
frame house appears to balance
on the rocks, but is on concrete
foundations, while black timber
cladding – cut to curve over the
undulating rocks beneath – helps
it to almost disappear into the
wooded setting.
Villa Sjöviken currently has one
bedroom and two studies, but can
adapt to become a three-bedroom
home. It was a winner of the 2023
Built Design Awards in the
Architectural Design – Residential
category. (jennireuter.fi)

TIMBER INFILL A 2023 RIBA London
winner, Spruce House in Walthamstow,
north London, is the home of architects
Zach Fluker and Liz Tatarintseva of
practice Ao-ft. The 132sqm, three-
bedroom home replaced a 1960s house
that was an infill on a Victorian terrace.
It’s sympathetic in proportion to its neighbours, but
its materials and aesthetics present a contrast.
It’s sympathetic in
proportion to its neighbours,
but its materials and
aesthetics present a contrast
At the front of the three-storey house, slim
timber battens run across the glazed ground floor,
while the rear features vertical panes of glass,
because privacy is less of an issue.
Prefabricated cross-laminated timber (CLT)
panels were used for speedy construction. They
took just five days to put together on site, and
they have been left exposed internally. The house
cost £410,000 to build. (ao-ft.com)

ENJOY YOUR SWIMMING POOL ALL YEAR ROUND
WITH A RETRACTABLE ENCLOSURE
Owning an outdoor swimming pool is one of the most rewarding needles, insects etc. falling into the pool therefore less maintenance,
investments you can make. Swimming on a warm summery day less chemicals, no waste of heat energy stored in the water from
when the weather is mild and dry is very refreshing and energising. the sun or heater, security, prevention of accidental falls and most
What a way to start or finish your day... But as soon as autumn arrives importantly extended swimming season. Having ALUKOV enclosure
and days get cooler and wetter, the thought of dipping into your pool means you may swim when you want.
is suddenly less appealing.
ALUKOV has very wide choice of styles, shapes and heights to choose
ALUKOV offers a solution where you can benefit of having an from. The most popular is full height enclosure where you can stand up
outdoor pool and enjoy hot summer days, and have the very same in. If you prefer an enclosure which will not obstruct the views we can
pool enclosed and protected from bad, cold weather. The answer offer you a low version (you can still swim underneath).
is retractable swimming pool enclosure. The gliding system allows
you to slide the whole structure off the swimming pool with ease Enjoy a swim all year round by adding a telescopic swimming pool
and change an outdoor pool into indoor. This way you have the enclosure to your outdoor swimming pool. Whether you’ve yet to have
best of both worlds. There are many additional benefits of having your pool built or you’ve owned one for long time, swimming pool
enclosed swimming pool. The structure stops debris, grass, leaves, pine enclosure can easily be added.
Do you have a patio area but never use due the unpredictable British
weather? Do not be limited by wind and rain, enjoy the maximum
benefits of sliding patio enclosure CORSO™. This unique enclosure
is fully retractable. The lean-to aluminium structure works on two
rails – one is mounted on the house and one on the ground. Thanks to
those rails you can slide each section (roof included) in both directions.
Only this way you can enjoy your patio in sunny days as well as when
it rains. There are endless uses of the patio enclosure – you can create
a play room, covered outdoor dining area or simply storage space.
Every structure is bespoke.
For a free site visit call office on 0118 909 98 44 or mobile 07557 668906. More information www.alukov.co.uk.
LIFETIME HOME A retired couple wanted their Grade II with a pitched roof. The workshop, which is used to restore classic
listed, four-bedroom home in Durham, County Durham, cars, is made of the same materials.
to be adapted to support them into older age. They The extension has glazed sliding doors and a cantilevered corner
asked Building Design Northern to extend the three- opening giving great views of the garden. Level access, a ground-
storey house to include a new living area and a garden floor shower room, and an easily navigable layout with clear sightlines
workshop. The project gave them an extra 117sqm will enable the couple to live comfortably in their home into later life.
of space, taking the overall total to 350sqm, and The scheme won a RIBA North East Award in 2023 and was
involved replacing an old rear extension with a zinc-clad structure praised as an example of how to extend listed buildings. (bdnltd.com)
6
MODERNIST REVIVAL The
Grade A-listed High Sunderland
in Selkirk in the Scottish Borders
was designed in the 1950s by
architect Peter Womersley for textile
designers Bernat and Margaret Klein.
It was sold for the first time in 2017
to new owners Juliet Kinchin and Paul
Stirton, but suffered a fire shortly after.
Practice Loader Monteith stepped in
to restore and revive the single-storey,
three-bedroom, 273sqm house, finishing
the £293,000 project in 2021.
The original walnut panels, fitted
furniture, timber floor, wall finishes and
ceiling were saved. Building Regulations
meant that the flat roof had to be
replaced with a slightly pitched one to
allow for greater insulation, and a new
timber-clad cube on the roof conceals
an air-source heat pump.
Sensitively adapted for 21st-century
life, and its new occupants, the project
has won accolades such as the RIAS
Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland
Award 2022. (loadermonteith.co.uk)

UNOBTRUSIVE BUNGALOW Completed in is intended to blend into the greenery, brickwork the
2021, this contemporary single-storey home, colour of the local Purbeck stone, plus some sections
designed for a retired couple by practice DMW of hardwood cladding.
Architects, was recognised for its exceptional Full-height openable glazing meets at 90-degree angles,
glazing by manufacturer Schüco, which runs its and an additional clerestory glazing band sits just under the
own Excellence Awards. Replacing an existing roof and runs around the front of the building to let in the light
house, the new 318sqm, three-bedroom property while maintaining privacy. These tricky-to-engineer features
is unobtrusively long and low, with a lichen-green zinc roof that helped it stand out from the competition. (dmwa.co.uk)

8
17TH-CENTURY RENOVATION A formerly
derelict three-storey building in Ciutadella
on the island of Menorca, Spain, has been
restored and extended by Finnish practice
Oopeaa for a family who use it as a second home.
The 600sqm, seven-bedroom house had many
alterations over the years, from dropped ceilings
to partition walls. The architects peeled back the
layers, restored the original fabric – including
The 600sqm, seven-

bedroom house had many
alterations over the years,
from dropped ceilings
to partition walls
the protected front façade and staircase, which
they were not allowed to substantially alter –
and reorganised the space.
There’s now a hub in the centre of the building,
with a kitchen, dining area, library and living room,
plus full-height glass doors that lead to the terrace
and a new pool. Old vaulted ceilings have been
exposed, new windows and rooflights bring in more
light, and the bedrooms were given balconies.
A 2022 World Architecture Festival winner, the
project cost just under £1.7 million. (oopeaa.com)

9
EXTENSION PROJECT Studio Bright
won Australian House of the Year at
the 2022 Houses Awards for Autumn
House in Melbourne, Australia.
The two-storey Victorian terrace had been
renovated in the 1980s, and the homeowners,
a couple with two primary school-aged
children, wanted to keep these changes
while gaining more space.
Replacing a separate studio and several
garden buildings, the architects built a
wedge-shaped extension adjacent to the
rear of the house, which stretches to the back
of the plot. New living, kitchen and dining
spaces take up the ground floor, with the
couple’s new bedroom suite upstairs.
The work took the number of bedrooms
from one to three and the size of the house to
255sqm. The extension splits the garden into
two courtyards, one of which curves around
a mature elm tree. (studiobright.com.au)
PHOTOGRAPHY TUCK FAUNTLEROY, TOHAUS, MARC GOODWIN, RORY GARDINER, JILL TATE, DAPPLE PHOTOGRAPHY, WILL SCOTT
BARN-STYLE HOUSE On open farmland near On the outside, charred timber cladding is teamed with sinusoidal
Melksham, Wiltshire, this three-storey home (wave-shaped) metal roofing to look like a barn, and the eco-friendly
emulates the workers’ cottages it replaced. Its house features an air-source heat pump, electric car-charging
masonry gable end blends with elements that ports and high levels of insulation. Care was taken to minimise
reference the area’s agricultural buildings. the use of chemicals and construction waste.
Practice Artel31 designed the property for The four-bedroom home cost around £1,800 per sqm to build,
Antony and Jenni Bulley, a semi-retired couple and in 2022 it won Best Individual New Home at the Local Authority
who wanted to self-build after their children left home. Building Control (LABC) Building Excellence Awards. (artel31.co.uk)

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The eco garden
revolution
How to go about creating an outdoor space
that has sustainability at its heart
WORDS JAYNE DOWLE
An eco-friendly garden makes use of low carbon weather – we plant trees, we love nature, we’re already ABOVE Designed
footprint ideas for design, planting and landscaping. ahead of the game when it comes to sustainability,’ says by Charlotte Harris
Many of us are already familiar with permaculture landscaper and garden designer Mark Gregory, owner and Hugo Bugg of Bugg
Harris Studio, the
principles such as using food waste and plant refuse to of Landform Consultants (landformconsultants.co.uk). accessible Horatio’s
make compost for mulch and to improve the soil, and Mark’s design for The Savills Garden at the Royal Garden at RHS Chelsea
replacing synthetic fertilisers and pest controls with Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show 2023 Flower Show 2023
companion planting and natural deterrents. (rhs.org.uk) included cement-free concrete, straw block featured a permeable
Cemfree terrazzo floor.
And when it comes to landscaping, there are plenty walls, upcycled zinc planters, repurposed catering
(harrisbugg.com)
more eco-friendly options using natural, recycled and trays, and a water feature with a channel made from
plastic-free materials. ‘Gardeners are tuned into the sugar cane waste.

PROJECTS OUTDOOR SPACES
Sourcing new materials

Eco landscaping product innovations are evolving BIO-
rapidly. Cemfree (cemfree.com) is a cement-free FRIENDLY
alternative to traditional concrete, which is made by IDEAS
heating limestone, clay or other silicate mixtures at high Garden
designer Jilayne Rickards
temperatures, and has high embodied carbon. It’s made
offers her planning advice
from alkali-activated cementitious material (AACM) (jilaynerickards.com)
with ingredients including industrial byproducts. It’s
used in the same way as cement, and to make cement- ● Try to replace some
hard landscaping with
free blocks. Clay earth and chopped straw Strocks planting. Even removing
(hgmatthews.com) are a sustainable alternative to a paving slab helps with
concrete breeze blocks and can be used to build features attracting pollinators
such as internal retaining walls in garden buildings. and water permeability.
For outdoor structures, Geoweb Geocells (prestogeo. ● Always work with the
com) are meshes made from high-density polyethylene environment, rather than
(HDPE), a kind of elastic resin that holds together and against it. Can you plant a
hedge rather than a wall?
stabilises piled-up soil. Similarly, geotextile Envirolok Plant up sloping ground to
(envirolok.com) bags form walls of earth when filled create interesting level
with soil and sand then secured together. They can be changes rather than
planted with grasses, sedges or ivy to create a living removing soil, which uses up
barrier – often used to stabilise riverbanks. Prices for
precious energy – and will
involve costly disposal.
all these products are calculated on a project basis.
Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg from landscape ● Check what turf backing
you’re using. Always opt for
design practice Bugg Harris Studio (harrisbugg.com),
one which biodegrades into
created Horatio’s Garden, which won the Best Show the soil.
Garden prize at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023.
ABOVE Producing drifts of pollinator-friendly flowers, this turf ● Ask your landscaper to
It included an outdoor room designed by architecture use a more planet-friendly
is grown on biodegradable felt instead of plastic matting and
and design practice Mcmullan Studio (mcmullanstudio. features 27 species of wildflowers, perennials and herbs, all electric generator rather
com), which was built from FSC-certified timber, cork native to the UK, including yarrow, toadflax and common thyme. than a diesel or petrol model.
and sheep’s wool insulation. Wildflower Turf, from £25 per sqm, Lindum Turf (turf.co.uk)
RIGHT A bug hotel in

the Turfed Out garden
at the RHS Hampton
Court Garden Festival
2022. Designed by
Hamzah-Adam Desai
of Tone & Manner,
it incorporated wire
caging, bricks, logs
and earthenware
piping that would
have otherwise been
waste materials.
(toneandmanner.co.uk)

PROJECTS OUTDOOR SPACES
Prioritise recycling
There are many possibilities for repurposing unwanted
objects and recycling materials. Turn kitchen and
garden waste into your own compost, the RHS has a
downloadable Making Compost Masterclass guide.
Some councils offer free or low-cost compost, available
at recycling depots or landscape merchants. Call the
local authority and ask what happens to composted
household waste in your area.
At the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 garden
designer Cleve West (clevewest.com) created a rewilded
garden for the homelessness charity Centrepoint
(centrepoint.org.uk) based on a decaying house and
using reclaimed bricks and pavers. Landscape designer
Darren Hawkes (darrenhawkeslandscapes.co.uk) turned
eco-friendly ideas into art with the Listening Garden for
emotional support charity Samaritans (samaritans.org).
Sourcing 85 per cent of his landscaping materials
through recycling, Darren devised a seating area of
reclaimed concrete from a farm. ‘It was difficult and
awkward to handle, but I wanted to take something
discarded and breathe new life into it,’ he says.
BELOW AND RIGHT Darren Hawkes’ design for the Samaritans’ Listening
Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 made a virtue of recycled
materials. Steel girders found in a scrapyard form a striking and durable
pergola. (darrenhawkeslandscapes.co.uk)

A GREEN
AGENDA
Incentives
must drive sustainability,
explains Mark Gregory,
landscape ambassador,
RHS (rhs.org.uk)
● On average, a garden built
entirely on sustainable lines
costs about 40 per cent
more than one using
standard materials.
● I would like to see the
government give designers,
developers and builders tax
breaks and incentives to use
sustainable materials.
● I believe green taxation
works. For instance, when
the government put up
the cost of landfill and
skip hire, landscapers
and homeowners started
designing with what they
had and upcycling instead
of throwing things away.
● Our industry would
benefit from support to
go green, and so would
developers. We could put
roof gardens on homes,
and these would help make
buildings more carbon
neutral, with rainwater
harvesting and more
opportunity to grow
vegetables and herbs.
● Our industry can show the
way to do things and be more
creative, but the government
must push the change with
green taxes and tax breaks
that will drive a surge in
sustainable design and build.
Find an expert
In 2022 the Society of Garden Designers (sgd.org.uk),
led by its lead for sustainability, Rachel Bailey, created
PHOTOGRAPHY STEPHANIE FOOTE/FAUNA & FLORA, SAMARITANS/DARREN HAWKES, RHS
a groundbreaking manifesto with the aim of reversing

the damage to UK biodiversity of the past 50 years.
Its website has a searchable directory of its members
so you can find a designer who’s local to you.
Reducing areas of hard landscaping, avoiding
impermeable artificial turf, incorporating rainwater
capture and storage, and sourcing plants locally
to reduce transportation carbon emissions are just
some of the key points responsible garden designers
will consider when putting together a scheme.
ABOVE AND RIGHT Strock block walls, a water course made from sugar
cane waste and a secondhand pine dresser all feature in The Savills
Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 by Mark Gregory of
Landform Consultants (landformconsultants.co.uk)

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with 8 x 33.5L Nestable Really Useful Boxes ONLY
9 0 0 mm
3 x Bays (1800h x 900w x 600d mm)
4 x Bays (1800h x 900w x 450d mm)
ALT D £149.99 £179.99 £79.18 £23.99 £203.98
£169 .99
EX.VAT
W idth £154.99
Choose ALT O £185.99 £92.37 £23.99 £209.98 £203.99 INC.VAT
Depth PLUS DELIVERY
4 x Bays (1800h x 900w x 600d mm) ALT F £199.99 £239.99 £105.57 £23.99 £263.98
*Savings based on the single unit price of £57.99 & £71.99
MIN SPEND CHOOSE YOUR

SAVE £26! STORAGE &
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(mm)
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D
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Width
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3 x Bays (1800h x 900w x 450d mm) Storalex VRS 200kg bay
AADH £169.99 £203.99 £74.37 £23.99 £227.98
Plus 1 x Workbench (900h x 1200w x 600d mm) 1800h x 900w x 600d with 8 x 62L ALTY £129.99 £155.99 £26.38 £23.99 £179.98
tough plastic boxes with clip lids
3 x Bays (1800h x 900w x 600d mm) ALSN £204.99 £245.99 £82.77 £29.99 £275.98
Plus 1 x Workbench (900h x 1200w x 600d mm)
SIMPLIFYING STORAGE
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Carriage charges are per 3/4 bays. Additional bays incur extra charges. Go online or call for details. *Saving calculated on buying single item price.
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STD BB3 +STK 89
QUOTE GRAND DESIGNS WHEN ORDERING
Copyright Tufferman 2023. All rights reserved. Co. number 8224210. Tufferman Ltd Unit 2A Boyton Hall Farm, Boyton Cross, Roxwell, Chelmsford, CM1 4LN.
Clear Living Limited
info@clear-living.co.uk
01606 45109
www.clear-living.co.uk
Experts and Innovators
in Architectural Glass
Genuine Italian leather all over
1000’s of Configurations Available
7 day delivery available
Large two floor 6,000sq / ft showroom Established for over 19 years
Reliable Family Business You Can Trust

PROJECTS BUYER’S GUIDE
A modular design with

cast-aluminium legs.
Nordin three-seater
sectional sofa by Matthew
Hilton in Kalahari Canyon
leather, W270xD140x
H78cm (including chaise),
£10,240, Case Furniture
(casefurniture.com)
FOCUS ON
Sofas
At the lower end of the price scale, shopping online allows you to have a
ready-made design on your doorstep within a few days. Major retailers offer
a multitude of shapes, fillings and fabrics to choose from, while high-end stores
What to look for when it are where you’ll find more exclusive styles. If you want a bespoke design, there
are smaller specialist companies that offer a tailor-made approach, which can
comes to finding great be useful if you need a non-standard size. Buy the best quality you can afford
style, fit and comfort if you want it to look good and be a pleasure to sit on for many years.
DESIGN IDEAS
Look for a style that suits your room and one you find
comfortable to sit on, lie on – or both – depending on
how you intend to use it most.
A high scroll arm with a sprung back appears formal
and is ideal for sitting in an upright position, whereas a
design with low square arms and squashy deep seats looks
informal and is more suited to lying on. A big L-shaped sofa
with several seats is great for cosy family evenings in front
of the TV, while a pair of smart two-seaters facing each
other is likely to work better in a grown-up snug.
Modular sofas where sections fix together can be
assembled in L or U configurations, offering the possibility
of adapting the furniture exactly as you wish.
Made in the UK, this design by Swedish architect and designer

Jonas Wagell has a foam seat and solid ash frame that comes
in a choice of eight finishes. Grade two-seater sofa in Sahco Safire
fabric, W180xD90xH76cm, £7,355, L.Ercolani (lercolani.com)

ABOVE A mid-century
style that has a pocket- SIZE UP YOUR OPTIONS
sprung seat base with Carefully measure the room or space earmarked for on after delivery. Sofa-in-a-box companies such as
foam fibre cushions the sofa before starting your search. You could even Snug (snugsofa.com) and Swyft (swyfthome.com)
and a hardwood and place a sofa-sized paper template on the floor to sell designs that come in several packages to
plywood frame. Rebel give you an idea of which dimensions will work best. assemble at home.
three-seater sofa in Blue
It’s also vital to ensure the sofa will fit into the Finally, make sure that the furniture won’t block
Steel velvet, W206xD88x
H90cm, £1,519, Snug room. Measure the doorways and, if necessary, the routes across the room. This is particularly relevant
(snugsofa.com) staircase, and if access is tricky look at modular sofas in an open-plan space, so allow at least 60cm of
or designs where the arms and/or legs can be bolted clearance all around it.
FOR THE PERFECT FIT

Try out several sofas in store to find the seat depth,
height and back support that suits. For comfort and
good ergonomics when sitting down, make sure your
bottom is against the back cushion, your thighs parallel
to the floor and your feet flat. It might be possible to
adjust the seat height by changing the legs or adding
castors, so ask your supplier if this is a possibility.
For extra flexibility, sofas with recliner seats enable
you to stretch out, and some adjust automatically
as you shift position while providing support for your
neck and head. Though more expensive, bespoke
sofas are tailored to suit your shape and style.
LEFT This seat cushion is feather- and fibre-wrapped foam on a beech,

plywood and chipboard frame. Boston three-seater rounded sofa in
Moon smart cotton, W213xD102xH86cm, £2,010, sofa.com

WHAT’S IT MADE OF?
Top-quality sofas have a hardwood frame, often shaped into a continuous S-shape and webbing, since ABOVE This modular
beech, held together with dowels, screws and glue. these are used in quality and more affordable sofas. sofa includes seat pads
Lower-priced models are made of softwoods – usually Traditionally made sofas have padding layers of made with polyurethane
pine – and wood-composite materials that are glued wool, hair, felt and cotton wadding, while synthetic foam surrounded by
feathers and silicone balls.
and stapled together. They can also be made of metal. materials, such as polyester wadding, are common in
Dax four-seater chaise in
To establish the sofa’s stability, grasp the back and mass-produced models. Seat and back cushions are light grey bouclé, W294x
arm then twist, checking that the frame doesn’t move. either filled with feathers, a manmade fibre or firm D109xH70cm, £4,950,
Higher priced, traditionally made seat cushions foam, which is often wrapped in a layer of feathers or Graham & Green
include individual coil springs sewn by hand. But don’t fibre for comfort and support. Feather cushions need (grahamandgreen.co.uk)
discount serpentine springs, made from steel wire regular plumping to keep their shape.
COVER STORY
Linen is elegant, though it will crease, cotton is
hardwearing and wool is cosy. Manmade fibres
are longlasting, and often blended with natural
fibres for a practical finish.
Upholstery fabric’s durability is measured by
the Martindale abrasion test. Something that can
take 25,000 rubs before wearing away is suitable
for family use, or look on the label for an A rating,
which is for heavy domestic use. If the sofa will be
near a window, ask about the fabric’s light fastness.
All new upholstery must meet UK fire regulations.
Aniline leather is supple but can mark, whereas
semi-aniline will resist stains. Pigmented leather is
hardwearing and good for heavy use. Suede and
nubuck can be glamorous, but synthetic versions
are more hardwearing.
LEFT Slim metal legs support this plywood and beech frame topped
by webbed seats with foam inner. The back cushions are feather
and fibre. Iver three-seater sofa in Sweet Briar smart linen mix,
W205xD97xH90cm, £2,679, Heals (heals.com)

KEEP IT LOOKING GOOD

Opting for stain-retardant finishes or choosing My Furniture (covermyfurniture.com). Send covers A solid wood frame with
a design with removable covers is advisable, to them by post and a new set will be made up. sprung seat and foam
especially for families or those with pets. Some Firms such as Plumbs (plumbs.co.uk) visit your and loose fibre cushions.
Lenor three-seater sofa in
have tailored covers with zips and touch-and- home to make templates for new covers.
Boucle Ivory, W240xD102x
close fastenings, or for a more relaxed fit select To restore and reupholster, find a specialist H76cm, £1,599, Barker &
loose covers. Extra sets can be ordered from the at The Association of Master Upholsterers and Stonehouse (barkerand
sofa company or a specialist firm such as Cover Soft Furnishers (upholsterers.co.uk). stonehouse.co.uk)
ORDERING AND DELIVERY

Before you buy, check the guarantee – look for
10-15 years on the frame and springing. Expect an
8-12-week wait for a sofa that’s been made to order.
WORDS CAROLINE RODRIGUES PICTURE RESEARCH SOPHIE WARREN-SMITH
Always check the returns policy, especially if

your item is made to order, as bespoke items can’t
be easily exchanged. Finally, if the company is
disposing of your old sofa, make sure it will be
done in an eco-friendly way.
RIGHT A design with responsibly sourced duck feather back

cushions and duck, foam and fibre seat cushions, giving it plenty
of squish with less plumping needed. Bakewell four-seater sofa in
Drenched Damsons clever velvet, available in four sizes, including
this W230xD105xH89cm model, £2,685, Loaf (loaf.com)

ERY THING YOU NEED FOR AN IDEAL CHRISTMA
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UK
F I NANCE
2023 ASSOCIATE MEMBER
Vintage furniture
repurposed for the
kitchen. Reclaimed
mahogany display
cabinets, from around
£1,500, Retrouvius
(retrouvius.com).
Turn to P106 for more
BATHROOMS
KITCHENS &

Gruff Architects
Unit D Emperor House
Dragonfly Place
London SE4 2FL
gruffarchitects.com
020 8692 9130
KITCHEN UPGRADE
Heritage brand
This Shaker-style kitchen with in-frame doors and drawers comes in 20 painted colours, plus a wide selection
of cabinet and fitting options. These include bi-fold and glazed dresser units, open wall cabinets, islands, pantries,
baking stations and mantels. You can choose from a selection of handles, worksurfaces and splashbacks too.
Aberford kitchen in Indigo, from £10,000, Laura Ashley Kitchen Collection. (lauraashleykitchencollection.co.uk)
A decorative delight
Block work The ribbed detailing of this handblown
These unusual handcarved glass shade from UK manufacturer Jim
chopping boards from Lawrence refracts light to stunning effect.
Grace Sisters are made of Measuring Dia100xH235mm, it comes with
sustainably sourced solid a 500mm bronze-coloured braided cable,
English oak with a clear, which can be made to a bespoke length for
food-grade matt oil. Available an extra cost. Westbourne pendant in
in several sizes, each one is antique brass, £170, matching wall light,
unique. Prices start from £55 £214. (jim-lawrence.co.uk)
for a 500x140mm chunky oak
board. (gracesisters.com)
Modern cooking
methods
In black with a stainless-steel trim,
the new Maris collection from
Franke includes 600mm A+-rated
pyrolytic self-clean and A-rated
hydrolytic steam-clean ovens, a
450mm combi microwave oven
and 650mm or 770mm induction
hobs. Prices start from £560
for a 650mm hob and £695 for
a hydrolytic oven. (franke.com)

KITCHEN UPGR ADE
Take a hold
Founded in 1868,
Birmingham-based Croft
is a family-run business
manufacturing cabinet
handles, pulls and interior
fittings, as well as door and
window furniture. Choose
from traditional and
contemporary designs
in more than 25 finishes
and patinas, including this
Legacy cabinet handle and
backplate in antique brass,
from £89.78. (croft.co.uk)
Shards of colour
They may look like terrazzo, but these Frammento tiles from Fired Earth are
actually porcelain. Suitable for walls and floors, they measure 600x600mm
and can be laid inside and out. Choose from the Multi design with bold colours,
or the more subtle White option. Priced £54.31 per sqm. (firedearth.com)
Height of comfort
The S 220 chair line, created by design studio
Industrial Facility (industrialfacility.
co.uk) for iconic furniture brand
Thonet (thonet.de/en), includes
a new S 220 H barstool. Its
moulded plywood seat comes
in oak, walnut or four stained
finishes, and the
tubular steel frame
can be finished in
chrome or one of
six powder-coated
colours. Measuring
Super-sleek heat W500xD520mm,
it’s 1,120mm high,
Did you know it’s possible to conceal an induction hob beneath a
has a seat height
worksurface? CookingRAK from RAKCeramics consists of induction
of 780mm,
plates set under the brand’s 14.5mm-thick, 3,050x1,355mm porcelain
and costs £510
surfaces. The worksurface can then be customised with a choice of
WORDS PAULA WOODS
from Aram.
markings to identify the cooking zones, or left unmarked, and the
(aram.co.uk)
system operated by remote control or app. CookingRAK induction
unit, £1,299, RAK worksurface, priced by project. (rakceramics.com)

The centre
of attention
Ideas for islands, from creating a cook station to adding a freestanding design
WORDS PAUL A WOODS
Raise the bar

Create a place to sit and eat by extending a worksurface. An overhang of 250-400mm provides adequate
legroom, and a waterfall edge – where the worksurface wraps around the island – provides support if needed.
The overhang also enables bar stools to be tucked neatly out of the way.
Bespoke kitchen in brushed limed grain oak and Flint with waterfall super stave oak worksurface, from £20,000, Naked Kitchens (nakedkitchens.com)

PROJECTS KITCHENS
Consider the plumbing A place to eat

Decide early on whether you want to include a sink Incorporating a built-in tabletop is a space-saving
because relaying pipework to the island will need to way to create a dining area, whether at right angles to
be planned into the build schedule. the island or extending out from one end.
Henley painted and solid oak kitchen with medium stainless-steel sink Studio Urbo and Metro kitchen with shark-nose edge quartz worksurface and
and Molton single lever tap, from £17,000, Neptune (neptune.com) handstained timber bar, from £35,000, Roundhouse (roundhousedesign.com)
Make it stand out

One way to make an island the design centrepiece of your scheme is to clad the vertical and
horizontal surfaces in a natural stone or composite material that has bold markings or colour.
Bespoke kitchen with marble-clad island, from £50,000, Blakes London (blakeslondon.com)

PROJECTS KITCHENS
Retrofit option
Add an island to your existing scheme
with a freestanding design. Ensure
there’s 1m of free floorspace all
around. Suppliers include Cox & Cox
(coxandcox.co.uk) and Neptune
(neptune.com).
Chester island in midnight blue with granite and
oak top, L1,480xW630xH900mm, £1,099, narrow
larder cupboard, W700xD550xH1,900mm, £999,
The Cotswold Company (cotswoldco.com)

Keep it together
A standalone cook station with prep area, ovens, hob and sink is something to consider in a spacious open-plan room.
Everything is within easy reach and the nearest wall can be dedicated to cabinets for food and kitchenware storage.
Handleless slab kitchen in light oak and oxidised amber, from £15,000, Mereway Kitchens (mereway.co.uk)
Safety first Surface practicalities

Induction plates are a safer option for an island with Specify two or more worksurfaces in your design to suit the
a seating area and hob. For extraction tips, see P111. different ways you use the island. Robust non-porous materials
Novy One Pro vented downdraft induction hob, 780x520mm, £3,974, Novy (novy. are ideal around a hob or the sink; timber is great for food prep.
com). Bespoke kitchen, from £50,000, Snug Kitchens (snugkitchens.co.uk) Bespoke handpainted kitchen, from £40,000, Mowlem (mowlemandco.com)

Decorative contrast Take a stand
Consider routed timber or MDF panel cladding A design on legs helps a room look bigger and lighter because
to bring some texture to your design. you can see the floorspace beneath the unit. Power cables
Kitchen designed by A New Day (anewdaydesign.studio). Cabinets with MDF Bloc and can be run inside or behind the legs.
ribbed fronts spraypainted in Kigali by Paint & Paper Library (paintandpaperlibrary. Hardwick Highland stone Shaker kitchen, from £15,000,
com) and Rothschild Street by Mylands (mylands.com), £45,000, Hølte (holte.studio) Masterclass Kitchens (masterclasskitchens.co.uk)
PHOTOGRAPHY DARREN CHUNG, BETH DAVIS
Good as new
Repurpose a salvaged shop or museum counter or display cabinet.
Search Salvoweb (salvoweb.com) for vintage and reclaimed pieces.
Reclaimed mahogany shop and museum display cabinets, £1,500, copper light windows,
from £234, rewired holophone glass pendants, from £294, Retrouvius (retrouvius.com)

PROJECTS KITCHENS
EXTRACTION
POINT
Island extractor
advice from
Sean Drumm, managing
Make it mobile director of Falmec UK
(falmec.uk)
A moveable unit fitted with lockable
castors can serve as a room divider and ● Team a hob with an extractor
or cooker hood to eliminate
handy food-preparation area and be moisture, odours, heat and smoke
pushed to one side as needed. that arises when cooking.
Freestanding mobile island primed ready for painting in
● Overhead extractors take
two standard or customised sizes, from £4,550 for
the form of discreet inset ceiling
a L1,580xW640xH910mm unit, £5,400 with Douglas fir
designs or decorative suspended
worksurface, British Standard by Plain English
hoods. Choose from ducted
(britishstandardcupboards.co.uk)
models that extract air either
via the roof or the ceiling to an
outside wall and recirculating
models that clean the air over
a filter before returning it to
the room. Hanging designs also
need to be positioned at least
650mm above an electric hob
and 750mm above a gas hob.
● Surface extractors include
slimline downdraft models that sit
flush within the worksurface and
rise up for operation, or vented
induction hobs with extraction
built in. Both types recirculate
stale air, and you should check
exactly how much space your
chosen model requires for the
mechanism in the cabinet below.
● Look for different speed
settings that enable you to adjust
the extraction rate when cooking.
An intensive or boost speed is
handy for pungent foods or if
something is burnt. A top
extraction rate of 800m3/h
should ensure the room remains
free of grease and oil.
● It’s important to check noise
levels, especially in open-plan
spaces. Noise output is measured
in decibels (dB) and you should
refer to the highest setting when
comparing levels. The quietest
models measure 50dB or less.
Falmec’s NRS (Noise Reduction
System) extractors achieve
45dB at maximum speed and
37dB on level one.
● To ensure maximum efficiency,
low running costs and reduced
emissions, look for the new
E-label. This rates products on
a scale from A-G, with A being
the best. Your chosen extractor
should also come with at least
a two-year guarantee.

Super white matt
Milano Contour base
units from the Infinity
Plus range are a
neutral backdrop for
metallic accents. From
£297 per unit, based
on buying five or more
AN EYE FOR
DESIGN
No detail was overlooked in the creation
of this contemporary kitchen
Amy and Drew Watkins live in Dartford, Kent, with their
two young sons, Huxley and Rexon, and their dog, Raven.
They moved into their home, a three-bedroom apartment
in a converted Victorian building, 11 years ago.
‘We lived in the flat for a while before we had the Wren
kitchen installed,’ says Amy. ‘We changed things around a bit Swapping the
in the process – the kitchen is where the living room used to kitchen with
be.’ Making this change enables the family to step from the the living room
created a more
kitchen straight into the garden, which is ideal when they’re dynamic flow
entertaining friends and family in good weather.

ADVERTISING PROMOTION
The patinated brass

splashback bridges
the contemporary and
traditional elements
Amy works as a buyer in the fashion industry, while The couple chose Neff appliances, including a Panorama
Drew runs his own wooden flooring company. With a FlexInduction four-zone hob. Behind it, a solid brass splashback
clear vision of what they were after, they shopped around provides a dramatic focal point. A patina was added to the
before deciding to go with Wren. metal to give it an antique look, and it helps bring together
‘The room’s architecture is traditional, but I wanted the traditional space and the modern units.
very plain, modern, streamlined units,’ says Amy. Wren’s Once the couple were happy with the plan, a 3D render of
the kitchen was created. This gave them the chance to make
any final tweaks before installation. Drew laid the herringbone
‘It’s changed the way we live. floor and arranged for tradesmen to fit the kitchen.
We spend more time together ‘Wren delivered everything exactly as planned, and
provided support on the phone when it was needed,’ says Amy.
and it’s perfect for entertaining’ The family are delighted with the results. ‘It’s changed
the way we live,’ says Amy. ‘We spend more time together
Infinity Plus Milano Contour in super white matt was around the island and it’s the perfect space for entertaining.
exactly what they were looking for. It’s everything I imagined and more.’ Follow Amy on
The plan was created with the help of a designer at Instagram @the_houseedit.
Wren’s Thurrock showroom. ‘They made some useful
suggestions that I wouldn’t necessarily have thought of,’ ● Book your free design
says Amy. ‘Adding an L-shaped seating arrangement around appointment today at
the island, for example, left us plenty of space for storage.’ wrenkitchens.com

SAVE 10% WITH THE CODE GRANDDESIGNS
WWW.RADIATOROUTLET.CO.UK
CODE VALID UNTIL 25TH JULY 2023
B AT H R O O M E D I T
Beautiful imitation
Made in Italy, these tiles replicate the
look of natural stone with a smooth or
textured finish, and come in five sizes
from 600x300mm to 1,200x1,200mm.
Digby limestone porcelain tiles, from
£51.80 per sqm for 600x300mm and
600x600m tiles, Boutique Stone.
(boutiquestone.co.uk)
Water world Collector’s pieces

Featuring illustrated shell motifs in a soft black
Resistant to corrosion and
and off-white palette, St Ives is a range of
chemicals, the physical vapour
made-to-order 130x130mm ceramic wall tiles.
deposition (PVD) finish on this tap
Choose from nine designs including (clockwise
ensures it will look great for many
from left): Scallop, Strombus, Spindle and Spider
years. Manufactured by Fantini
Conch. All can be teamed with a co-ordinating off-white
(fantini.it), the Sailing collection
field tile. Rural Shell plain tiles, £111.60 per sqm, shell motif
of taps and showers takes
tiles, £18.76 each, Ca’ Pietra. (capietra.com)
inspiration from the cleats used
to secure ropes on boats. From
£1,669 for this three-hole basin
mixer tap in Gunmetal, Aston
Matthews. (astonmatthews.co.uk) Entry-level system
Alu+ is a good-value thermostatic
shower made from recyclable
aluminium with 85 per cent
recycled content. It includes
limiters that restrict water flow
to 8 litres per minute for the
hand spray and 12 litres per
minute for the overhead shower,
putting it within the range of
water-efficient models. The
design also integrates shelves.
Choose from three low-sheen
finishes: Silk Black, Silver or this
Rosé. Priced £390, Ideal Standard.
(idealstandard.co.uk)

B AT H R O OM E D I T
Equal proportions
The Clarendon Light is a new
IP44-rated fitting by interior
designer Suzy Hoodless
(suzyhoodless.com) for bathroom
manufacturer Drummonds. The
brass and glass lamp is available
in nine metallic finishes and
measures Dia112xH265mm. This
brushed-nickel version costs
£918. (drummonds-uk.com)
Stand and deliver

This solid iroko wood console by NIC Design (nicdesign.it) includes a ceramic
basin, which is available in a choice of 18 matt or 11 gloss shades. In either
a natural or deep-stained finish, the console comes in two sizes – a single
W950xD500xH850mm unit or this L1,310xD500xH850mm version with
left- or right-handed towel rail. Trama 131 console, £4,665.60, Trama mirror
cabinet, £1,916.64, BDS London. (bathroomdesignstudiolondon.co.uk)
All organised
Inspired by the storage compartments of
traditional Japanese takeout or home-packed
On the edge meal boxes, the Bento Starck Box basins by
designer Philippe Starck for Duravit are divided
The distinctive flat rim of the BetteSuno bath serves as a into separate wet and dry areas. There are
head and arm rest, shelf or even a grab rail. By design studio several sizes and configurations to choose from,
Barber Osgerby (barberosgerby.com) for manufacturer and there are also loos, bidets and a bath in
Bette, the tub is made from glazed titanium steel, measures
WORDS PAULA WOODS
the collection. Bento Starck Box above-counter

L1,800xW800xD575mm and comes in gloss or matt white. ceramic basin, W1,040xD460xH120mm,
Priced £6,498. (my-bette.com/en) £1,349. (duravit.co.uk)

Classically Beautiful Flooring
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Floors of Stone was established also deliver nationwide as well
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their sister company, deVOL For items which are in stock,
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offers a range of natural stone working days for delivery within
tiles at highly competitive prices, the UK, allowing you to make
along with a generous range of last minute decisions without
porcelain tiles, wood flooring and adding a long lead time to your
very desirable terracotta tiles. project.
01509 234000
They boast a very impressive They have a very friendly and
www.floorsofstone.com
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enquiries@floorsofstone.com
Leicestershire which is also home hand via phone or email who are
to the very first freestanding, happy to discuss the
natural stone spiral staircase in requirements of your coming
the UK. projects and offer advice on
what would suit your space best.
Floors of Stone offer a free You can also visit the showroom
sample service of up to 4 samples in person where no appointment
so you can get a feel for the tiles is needed as there is always
before placing an order and can somebody on hand to assist.

TILES
creating your own individual style

BATHROOM TILES Crown Tiles is committed to offering you the best value for money for the
KITCHEN TILES highest quality products, sourced from some of biggest tile manufactures
FLOOR TILES in the world. We offer you the best possible choice of tiles, ranging from
porcelain, ceramic, natural stone, inc. wood effect, everything to complete
MOSAICS
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PROJECTS BATHROOMS
All in one
How to find space for both a bath
and shower in a small room
WORDS PAUL A WOODS
Niche project
Turn an alcove into a mini wetroom with a bath alongside. The recess will need
tanking by an experienced professional and adequate drainage installed.
Recite dual-function bar valve shower system in brushed brass, £575, Roper Rhodes (roperrhodes.co.uk)

PROJECTS BATHROOMS
Knock it through
Taking down the wall between the bathroom and adjacent toilet may
make enough room for a shower to replace the loo, which can be
relocated. Ask an architect or designer for advice on what’s possible.
Bespoke bathrooms, from £15,000, Day True (daytrue.com)
Cover every angle In equal parts

A quadrant shower cubicle fits neatly in the corner of a room. A square room may provide enough space for a bath
The smallest comfortable size is 800x800mm. along one wall with a narrow enclosure to one side, and
Scudo S6 single sliding door quadrant, from £530 for a 800x800mm version, Shires the basin and loo lined up on the other wall.
mineral resin quadrant tray, £245, Chrome Square shower head and arm, £152, Extension/refurbishment project including bathroom by Mascot (mascotbespoke.
concealed valve, from £291, Harrison Bathrooms (harrisonbathrooms.com) com). Bespoke vanity unit and top, £13,800, Blakes London (blakeslondon.com)

Barely there barrier
Create a waterproofed wet area in one corner and separate it from the bath or basin with a frameless glass screen.
Raindance Select S showerpipe 240 1jet Powderrain with thermostatic shower mixer in white, £2,016,
handshower 120 3jet, £182.04, Addstoris corner basket, £68.64, Hansgrohe (hansgrohe.co.uk)
On a smaller scale
Choosing a shorter bath may provide the extra space needed for a shower. You’ll find 1,500mm lengths widely available,
and even 1,200mm to 1,400mm soaker tubs from companies such as Albion Bath Company (albionbathco.com).
Dinkee acrylic bath, L1,500xW780xD600mm, £2,032, BC Designs (bcdesigns.co.uk)

Focus on fittings Slim picking
To reduce the amount of free floorspace needed in Open up floorspace between bath and shower by teaming a
front of a shower cubicle, opt for pivoting, sliding or bi-folding reduced-depth elongated enclosure with a standard-width tub.
doors rather than a single side-hinged version. The length of the enclosure will provide showering space – but
London shower enclosure with bi-fold door, from £279.99 for a 760x760mm version, you’ll need a watertight design to keep surroundings dry.
stone tray, £99.99, Carrick Essential chrome square thermostatic shower set, Squaro Infinity composite shower tray, from £902.40 for a 900x700mm version,
£119.99, Bathroom Mountain (bathroommountain.co.uk) Theano composite bath, from £3,453.60, Villeroy & Boch (villeroy-boch.co.uk)
End game Doubling up

One layout option for a rectangular room is to have When all else fails, choose a combined shower and bath such as
a slimline walk-in shower along the shortest wall, with the this design, which measures 850mm at its widest point. Box in
bath and basin – and loo – in front facing each other. pipework or conceal within a stud wall for a streamlined look.
Bespoke bronze glass shower screen, £1,930, Bettestarlet Oval steel bath, from Ecosquare acrylic showering bath, L1,700xW850xD585mm,
£4,967, Inbani Strato vanity unit with quartz top and Duravit Luv basin, £6,488, £629, Britton (brittonbathrooms.com)
Bamboo tiles, £279 per sqm, West One Bathrooms (westonebathrooms.com)

PROJECTS BATHROOMS
All in a row
For a long, narrow layout, consider creating an enclosure at one end of the bath. The room will
need to be at least 2.5m long to fit in a standard bath and 800mm shower end to end.
Cayono Duo steel bath from £820 for a L1,700xW750xD410mm tub, Puro steel basin, from £460 for a W460xD460xD120mm
version, Cayonoplan steel shower surface, from £440 for 800x800mm, Kaldewei (kaldewei.co.uk)
3
OF THE
BEST
ECO
SHOWERS
Low water flow-
rate designs
Vernis 240 Blend Showerpipe 240 1jet Rainshower Cosmopolitan 310 Head Bubblespa air-powered thermostatic
Ecosmart with thermostat in matt shower set with Ecojoy technology and exposed shower set in chrome,
black, maximum flow rate 8.7 litres Grotherm valve in Cool Sunrise, handshower flow rate 9.5 litres per min,
per min, £725, Hansgrohe maximum flow rate 9.5 litres per min, overhead, 10 litres, £1,499, Kelda
(hansgrohe.co.uk) £2,067.88, Grohe (grohe.co.uk) (keldashowers.com)

The basin cabinet was
once a chest of drawers.
Custom-made vanity unit,
£825, Simply Bathroom
Furniture (simplybath
roomfurniture.com).
Kast Rho basin, £1,878,
Arte Form Flow taps,
£545, West One
Bathrooms (westone
bathrooms.com)
P R O J EC T
PROFILE
–
Twice as good
LOCATION Chelmsford, Essex Changing the layout made space for a bath
STYLE OF PROPERTY 1930s
and a shower in this family bathroom
semi-detached house
DURATION OF BUILD 9 months WORDS PAUL A WOODS PHOTOGR APHY PAUL CR AIG
SIZE 6.5sqm
COST £12,500 The 1930s house that Jenny Thorpe, an Their aim was to reunite the house into
interior designer, and her husband, Sam, a single spacious family home.
an account manager, bought in 2021 was Jenny and Sam are in their thirties and
in desperate need of renovation. have two daughters, Sylvie, five, and Dora,
‘Half of it had been annexed to create three. The couple commissioned local architect
a separate living room, kitchen, staircase, David Walker to reconfigure the property,
bedroom and bathroom,’ explains Jenny. which he did by extending the kitchen and

PROJECTS CASE STUDY
A rolltop acrylic bath

fits neatly beneath the
window. BC Designs
boat bath with painted
finish, L1,580xW750x
D646mm, £2,722, West
One Bathrooms. Tub
exterior painted in
Off-Black by Farrow &
Ball (farrow-ball.com).
Cuban White Star tiles,
£59.99 per sqm, CTD
Tiles (ctdtiles.co.uk)

PROJECTS CASE STUDY
designing a loft conversion. As the work was

Concealed fittings
so extensive, the family moved out for six
create a streamlined
months while the project was underway. finish in the walk-in
As well as the major remodelling shower. Drench Frame
work, they were also keen to improve their Lite 1,000mm shower
family bathroom, and asked designer screen, £1,648.80, Arte
Form Flow overhead
Susan Roach of West One Bathrooms shower, £1,265,
for help with the project. Metropolis porcelain
Because the room measures 6.5sqm, wall tiles, £86.48 per
the challenge was where to put a separate sqm, West One
Bathrooms
bath and shower. ‘Though there was a
shower over the bath, we really wanted to
have a generously sized freestanding bath
and a walk-in shower,’ Jenny explains. ‘The
tub also had to be deep enough for Sam
to bathe in comfort.’
Susan’s solution for the layout
was to position a double-ended bath
along the wall beneath the window. The
shower area takes up a corner space on
the opposite wall, next to the entrance,
which left enough floorspace in between
the two for a back-to-wall loo. The
remaining wall includes a vanity unit
and a radiator.
‘Though there was a

shower over the bath
what we really wanted
was a generously sized
freestanding bath and
a walk-in shower’
In order to install the back-to-wall loo,
Susan suggested constructing a full-height
stud wall along one side of the room. ‘All of
the plumbing pipework for the loo and the
shower is concealed behind the wall,’ she
explains. ‘It also has a handy built-in recess
for keeping toiletries.’
The showering area was made
completely waterproof and a drainage
channel installed before it was tiled
and fitted with a fixed glass panel. The To soften the effect of the darker
watertight panel ensures the remainder colours, the half-height tongue-and-
of the room stays completely dry and groove wall panelling is painted a shade
as there is no shower tray the level floor of smoky blue that contrasts with the
provides easy access for Sylvie and warm tones of the unlacquered brass
Dora. The walls and floor of the walk-in taps, shower fittings and accessories,
are covered with durable porcelain tiles, which will develop a patina over time.
and the couple opted to paint the exterior Jenny’s favourite feature is the vanity
of the traditional-style boat bath black unit converted from a vintage chest of
to tie in with the screen frame and the drawers. ‘I chose the furniture, the
monochrome floor tiles. woodstain colour, the handles and the
‘I like to team both contemporary quartz countertop, so I knew it would look
and traditional features in the same perfect,’ she says. ‘Plus, the concrete basin
room – and especially in period homes is the ideal contemporary element in the
such as ours,’ says Jenny. ‘I think the ABOVE A bath board provides a handy place mix and the patterned floor is a fun touch
combination brings a homely, welcoming for toiletries. Arte Form Flow freestanding bath for the girls. We’re all delighted with our
look to a space.’ shower mixer, £1,495, West One Bathrooms practical and inviting bathroom.’

RESOURCES
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PHOTOGRAPHY BRADLEY QUINN, MATT CHISNALL
TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION

Please call 020 3225 5200 ext 603 or email joshua.mills@grand-designs.com
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PROFILE
MY GRAND IDEA
–
Architect Kfir Gluzberg and Kilogram Studio added a
scarlet extension to a red-brick Victorian townhouse
Whose home is this? cast extra shadows and collect

Eva Pianezzola, 36, an architect piles of snow in winter.
and urban designer, bought this — What about the interior?
two-storey, three-bedroom house A living room at the front of the
in Parkdale, a residential area of house leads into a central dining
Toronto, Canada, in spring 2019. space and a kitchen in the rear
She lives here with Mattia Gheda, extension. On the first floor are
38, a chief technology officer for two offices and two bedrooms.
a tech company, and their golden Eva and Mattia’s en-suite room is
doodle, Lola. The property dates in the new section above the kitchen
from the 1880s and, like many and has glass doors opening on to ABOVE LEFT Hinting
others in the neighbourhood, is built powder-coated aluminium exteriors. a balcony, plus a ladder leading up at the colourful
from red bricks made with local clay. We used the same colour on the to a mezzanine with a rooftop deck. back extension,
the front door and
— What was the brief? steel cladding of a new three-storey The white-painted interior has a lintels were painted
The couple asked my practice to rear extension, adding a triangular lovely quality of light that’s warmed to match the new
renovate the interior, create extra roof that echoes the front gable. by reflections from the red exterior. window frames
from Döpfner
space for guests and two home Inspired by the ornamental courses Eva’s love of sailing inspired the (doepfner.de)
offices, and add a new extension of brick often seen on the exterior of nautical-style rooflights, the sea-blue BELOW LEFT The
that would be the star of the show. Victorian houses, we gave the metal kitchen and the metal guardrail on ground-floor
— Tell us about the project walls an angled profile that switches the balcony. It also encouraged us kitchen has sliding
glass doors that
We upgraded the insulation, wiring direction on each level to create to be versatile with every space, lead to a patio,
and plumbing, then replaced the changing shadows on the façade. which is why the living room while Eva and
front windows with German-made We also added steel fins between doubles as a guest room when Mattia’s first-floor
bedroom has its
wooden frames that have red each storey to divide the pattern, relatives from Italy come to stay. own balcony deck
— Why did you choose red? BELOW Glossy
To blend with the original brickwork kitchen cupboards
as well as contrast with the rich green reflect views of the
back garden. The
foliage of the garden in summer and 170sqm project
the snow in winter. The house feels started in May 2019
like a new stitch in the old fabric of and was completed
in February 2022.
the street. It cost around
Kilogram Studio, kilogramstudio.ca £2,600 per sqm
WORDS ALICE WESTGATE PHOTOGRAPHY SCOTT NORSWORTHY

BUI L T T HE E CO WAY
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HEAT LOSS BY
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Poorly fitted or missing insulation to Excessive heat loss to ground floor Cold bridging to opening reveals Poorly installed cavity wall
sloping soffit of bedroom ceiling and eaves details creating excessive heat loss insulation
Book Your Consultation Now

& learn more about your property than you thought possible
enquiries@ecotiffin.co.uk • www.ecotiffin.co.uk
01442 819332

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A Perfectly Coordinated Classic Kitchen

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ABOVE Alex walks from

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DINING AREA KITCHEN

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LEFT In the first-floor

technical design, while Chelsea took charge of the