I-Build January 2024

+ FOCUS:

SELF-BUILDS

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RENOVATIONS

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CONVERSIONS

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DIY

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EXTENSIONS

COVER STORY

JA N UA R Y 24 - I S S U E 114

FROM CHECK-IN TO CHIC LIVING Step inside the captivating transformation of a coastal retreat as Studio Dean reshapes a rundown section of a former seaside hotel in Seahouses, Northumberland, into a dreamy haven

www.redhutmedia.com

CASE STUDIES

ADVISORY

MATERIALS

I-DEAS

THE RECIPE FOR HOME BLISS

ARE YOU HAVING HEATING DILEMMAS?

SHINE BRIGHTER, WORK SMARTER

GARAGE DOOR DANGERS UNVEILED

The Myers Touch whips up Hampshire couple’s dream kitchen in extensive renovation

Hot tips on navigating air- and ground-source heat pumps to find the solution for your home

Cutting-edge smart lighting for convenience, efficiency and a personalised ambience

Discover the potential hazards that come with DIY garage roller door installations

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ditor's Welcome

I-BUILD JANUARY 2024

EDITORIAL: Rebecca Kemp

rebecca@redhutmedia.com

Hannah Woodger

hannah@redhutmedia.com

PRINT & DIGITAL ADVERTISING: Sam Ball sam@redhutmedia.com

Jim Moore

jim@redhutmedia.com

PRINT DESIGN MANAGER: Jack Witcomb jack@redhutmedia.com

DIGITAL DESIGN MANAGER: Matt Morse matt@redhutmedia.com

ACCOUNTS: Rachel Pike

accounts@redhutmedia.com

PUBLISHER: Sam Ball

sam@redhutmedia.com TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

Contributions are invited and when not accepted will be returned only if accompanied by a fully stamped and return addressed envelope.

No responsibility will be taken for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during transmission or in the editor's hands. In the absence of an agreement, the copyright of all contributions, literary, photographics or artistic belongs to Red Hut Media Ltd. The Publisher accepts no responsibility in respect of advertisements appearing in the magazine and the opinions expressed in editorial material or otherwise do not necessarily represent the view of the publisher. The Publisher does not accept any liability of any loss arising from the late appearance or non publication of any advertisement.

H

appy New Year to all! I hope you had a rejuvenating break and are now eager to dive back into your selfbuild and home renovation projects.

As we step into 2024, we witness a continuation of evolving trends and developments within the self-build and renovation community. The bygone era of open-plan living, once hailed for its light-filled spaces, is making way for a new model – broken-plan living. It feels like just yesterday when we were praising the benefits of open floorplans, yet societal shifts and changes in lifestyle are prompting alterations in housing dynamics.

With more time spent at home, families find themselves sharing space for work, leisure and daily activities. Juggling work meetings, children's homework and the constant hum of daily life in one confined area has led to a reconsideration of spatial arrangements. The practical solution has been to segment these spaces, creating distinct areas tailored for various activities, containing work and homework within designated corners to minimise distractions.

In this edition, we talk to Michael Holmes, Property Expert for the Homebuilding & Renovating Shows (HB&R Shows), who delves into the

dynamic trends shaping home renovation. Michael sheds light on the accelerated adoption of broken-plan room arrangements, a trend adopted in the aftermath of the pandemic.

For more insights, flip to page 10 and absorb Michael's invaluable advice.

Continuing our exploration of brokenplan living, Victoria Brocklesby, COO at Origin, discusses its application in bungalow renovations. Here, she elaborates on how broken-plan living meets the growing demand for separate functional areas while preserving the inherent charm of one-storey living. Find the full story on page 28.

I hope you enjoy this issue. Don’t forget, if you’re coming to the end of your self-build and would like us to feature your home as inspiration for other budding house-builders, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Alternatively, if you’re about to embark on your self-build journey and would be keen for us to document your progress, do get in contact.

Rebecca Rebecca Kemp Editor @ibuildmagazine

@ibuildmagazine

ibuildmagazine

Cover story:

From spatial planning to stunning views, every detail of Studio Dean’s makeover of a rundown seaside property in Seahouses, Northumberland, tells a story of resilience and design excellence.

See page 18.

Red Hut Media Ltd 2, The Old Stable Block, Crescent Road, Faversham, Kent, ME13 7GU 01795 515288 www.redhutmedia.com 3

I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24

Fire rated glass

Steel Framed Fire doors and screens

To further compliment our range of fireglass, Firman now offer complete steel framed fire doors and screens. Built to the most demanding specifications for commercial buildings, shop fronts, entrances, interior fire screen walls and virtually any other application.

Each system is designed specifically to suit the requirements of the particular application. Sections can be provided in mild steel, finished to any standard RAL colour, aluminium clad as well as our new range of stainless steel sections available in either a satin or bright polished finished.

Firman offer a full selection of fireglass, on either a supply only or a supply and install basis, providing fire protection from a basic 30 minute integrity only rating through to the highest levels of integrity and insulation.

To find out more about these products visit www.firmanglass.com Firman Glass,19 Bates Road, Harold Wood, Romford, Essex RM3 OJH Tel: 01708 374534 Fax: 01708 340511 Email: sales@firmanglass.com

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www.firmanglass.com

January 2024 ADVISORY

INSPIRATION

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08

Desired Designs: Peach Fuzz Sophistication

We explore the timeless allure of Pantone’s ‘Color of the Year’ for 2024 - Peach Fuzz. Unveil the tricks to transform your self-build or home renovation with this inviting hue.

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Viewpoint

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HVAC

Desired Designs: Beautiful Botanics

Elevate your interiors with the charm of botanical prints and elements. From lush foliage to intricate printed detailing, these additions inject life and interest, transforming your space into a vibrant haven.

I-DEAS

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i-Build: Cottages & Bungalows

Victoria Brocklesby, COO at Origin, shares insights on creating ‘broken-plan’ bungalows that combine functionality and charm without compromising natural light.

i-Scape: Driveways & Garages

DHF issues a cautionary reminder of the potential hazards of DIY powered garage roller door installations.

i-Nterior: Living Rooms

Michael Holmes, Property Expert for the Homebuilding & Renovating Shows (HB&R Shows), shares insights on the evolving trends in home renovation.

Choosing between air- and ground-source heat pumps is a critical decision. Explore the key considerations with John Rodgman, Managing Director of Borehole Solutions, and discover the heating solution that best fits your home.

CASE STUDIES

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Impressive Innovation

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Rural Retreat

MATERIALS

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RCI Solutions

From durability to weather resistance and aesthetic flexibility, Simon Buckmaster, Technical and Sales Services Manager at James Hardie, highlights the role cladding plays in meeting fire safety requirements.

Smart Home Technology & Home Automation Antonio Formisano, Product Manager at 4lite, shares how today’s cutting-edge smart lighting systems add convenience, efficiency and a personalised ambience.

Embarking on a journey from concept to fruition, witness a remarkable transformation as The Myers Touch turns a Hampshire home into a luxurious haven.

Learn more about Studio Dean’s makeover of a rundown seaside property into a dream coastal retreat in Seahouses, Northumberland. From spatial planning to stunning views, every detail tells a story of resilience and design excellence.

NEWS/PRODUCT GUIDE

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South East Homebuilding & Renovating Show

The South East Homebuilding & Renovating Show takes place on 13 and 14th January at the Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre.

Product Guide

The latest innovative products in the marketplace, designed with your build in mind.

Peter Keane, MD of The Natural Wood Floor Co, looks at the advantages and pattern options with parquet and sheds light on how this classic choice can enhance your living room.

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DESIRED DESIGNS

esired esigns

©CA’ PIETRA

PEACH FUZZ SOPHISTICATION We explore the timeless allure of Pantone’s ‘Color of the Year’ for 2024 - Peach Fuzz. Unveil the tricks to transform your self-build or home renovation with this inviting hue.

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ncorporating Peach Fuzz into your home’s aesthetic is a smart choice. For example, the softness of a Peach Fuzz-toned sofa can become a focal point that is complemented by the gentle glow of ambient lamps and the vibrant energy of tufted rugs. By weaving Peach Fuzz into your home, you’re crafting a cosy and stylish atmosphere that adapts to every season.

The timeless appeal of the shade allows for a subtle yet sophisticated touch. Whether you’re drawn to its muted I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24

YOURS TO BUY

01. Idyll Home, handpainted 06. Walls and Floors, peach lantern pendant light, £595 onyx-effect tile, £52.95

warmth or vibrant energy, it offers a versatile canvas for expressing your style. It’s a laid-back shade that’s perfect for shaping a blank living space into something that truly matches your taste.

Remember, when picking colours in general, it’s not merely about tossing in a hue; it’s about injecting your home with that lasting charm and snug feel. So, give a warm welcome to Peach Fuzz in your design choices and witness how it effortlessly delivers a bit of understated elegance into your interior.

02. Cult Furniture, Arvid handtufted wool rug orange 120 x 170cm, £169

07. Benjamin Moore Conch Shell 052, £20

04. Sweetpea & Willow, Cary silk rectangular cushion piped finish in pink, £160

09. Wild Vanilla Studios, ‘Take Me to Paris’ coffee cup, £14

08. Homescapes Online, 03. softstoreco, candle Imperial plain bath mat in holder Legerro peach, £26.99 peach, £6.99

10. Darlings of Chelsea, 05. Walton & Co, Chambray Shoreditch three-seater seat pad with ties in sofa in stain-resistant cotton terracotta blush, £17.99 velvet blossom, £1643

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DESIRED DESIGNS

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OUR BRAND PICK

ust Home

Lust Home is a British, online home decor brand that specialises in original, designer, paste-the-wall wallpapers that are produced and printed in house.

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02 YOURS TO BUY

01. Lust Home X Millie Putland ‘Life’s A Peach’ wallpaper in peachy pink on teal, £50

MISSING

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MISSING

02. Lust Home X Millie Putland ‘Life’s A Peach’ wallpaper in peachy pinks, £50 03. Ogata Kuren peach wallpaper, £45

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04. Peach Please matte emulsion paint, £38

HOT PRODUCT

Gallery of dreams

TOP TIP

Turn your walls into a mini gallery by embracing posters and artwork that showcase the enchanting Peach Fuzz shade. Whether it’s a captivating piece of abstract art or a photographic poster, let the walls narrate a story.

YOURS TO BUY

01. Abstract House, peach abstract shapes art print, £15

03. Floppy Toast, Year Of Us slogan art print, £7

02. Desenio, Avoir La Péche poster, £13.95

04. Poster Store, classic New York View no.1 poster, £8.37

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Consider the transformative power of incorporating accent walls in the design of your decor?

Selecting a key wall to feature this enchanting hue can redefine the entire spatial dynamic of your home, imparting a sense of warmth and elegance. The muted backdrop of surrounding elements in the room acts as a canvas, allowing the peachy tones to emerge as focal points that call for attention.

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DESIRED DESIGNS

esired esigns

©ILIV

BEAUTIFUL BOTANICS

Elevate your interiors with the timeless allure of botanical prints and accessories. From lush foliage to intricate detailing, these additions inject life and interest, transforming your space into a vibrant haven.

Wallpaper wonders

Botanical bliss

latest addition to Lola

floral enchantment

Discover the very

Immerse yourself in with Baked Tile Co.’s

Design’s wallpaper

Tuscany Botanical

range – the fabulous

Crane paste-the-wall

Mural. This captivating

wallpaper. Ideal for a

design blends fresh

bedroom, living room or

florals and abundant greenery, seamlessly

kitchen, it’s the perfect

complementing boho-

option for creating a statement wall with

chic interiors and

traditional schemes.

endless possibilities!

www.bakedtiles.co.uk

www.loladesignltd.com

Regal palms

Modern charm

to the majestic Royale

Collection is a modern

Palma pays homage

The Country Journal

Palm, a native treasure of

twist on classic floral

Colombia, Venezuela and

designs. It features

Trinidad and Tobago. The

handprinted alliums

grand palm trees create

and grasses in chalky

a simple yet enchanting

colour palettes based on

pattern, evoking dreams

heritage prints. There are

of opulent adventures in

natural cotton-linen-look

faraway lands.

prints combined with

www.deusex

all-over leaf coordinates.

gardenia.com

www.iliv.co.uk

on Artistry your table

Faux finesse

with Micucci Interiors’

and difficult to tell that

Indulge in culinary artistry

Beautifully elegant

handcrafted and

it’s not the real thing,

handpainted earthenware

this faux pittosporum

cabbage dinner plate. The

leaf is adorned with

exquisite piece seamlessly

intricate white and green

blends aesthetics and

detailing on every leaf. A

practicality, being

lovely complement to an

both dishwasher and

artificial bouquet or to

microwave safe.

pair with a single stem or

www.micucci.co.uk

I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24

two for a simpler look.

www.sophieallport.com

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I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24

VIEWPOINT

Photo by Milivoj Kuhar on Unsplash

M ichael Holmes

is a Property Expert for the Homebuilding & Renovating Shows

Viewpoint

Innovations, challenges and the future of self-build and home renovation Michael Holmes, Property Expert for the Homebuilding & Renovating Shows (HB&R Shows), shares insights on the evolving trends in home renovation.

From open-plan living to the influence of the pandemic, Holmes provides a concise overview of challenges, innovations and the future of home design.

How have you seen the field of home renovation evolve over the past three decades?

Everyone wants more space, more light and a home that is cheaper to run and maintain.

These are the key drivers of most renovation projects. We all want an open-plan kitchen with a nice dining area, a separate utility room for the laundry, an en-suite bathroom, a comfy entertainment room with a big television and most of us need a home office, too.

Most people don’t use the garage to park their cars anymore and are willing to convert it into living space. Few people want a formal, separate dining room and want to knock through to the kitchen. Conservatories have been replaced by extensions with big glazed, sliding doorways and open fireplaces have given way to woodburning stoves.

Renovators have become much more confident with open-plan layouts, and nowhere is this more so than in the kitchen.

Elevated from a small, functional, utilitarian space usually tucked away at the back of the house, the kitchen has been transformed into the epicentre of family and social life.

Meanwhile, most of the functions of the old kitchen have been relegated to the utility room, which is dedicated to laundry, ironing, storage, boiler, pets, etc.

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Can you share some of the most significant trends or innovations in home renovation that have emerged in recent years?

The evolution of home design closely reflects social change. Relationships are less formal and deferential, there is greater sexual equality (both partners usually now go out to work), families are wealthier and can afford to entertain at home, more people work from home, families rarely sit together around a single TV set and we are all more obsessed with fitness and cleanliness. Queue the open-plan kitchen, home office, media room, gym and en-suite bathroom facilities for every bedroom.

Trends are usually driven by innovation – the open-plan kitchen could not function without highly-evolved extractor fans to prevent cooking smells from permeating through the entire house. With few walls for radiators in open-plan homes, underfloor heating has become standard on at least the ground floor of self-build homes, renovations and conversions.

Open-plan layouts rely on borrowed light from large areas of glazing, made possible through the development of sliding and folding sliding door technology, rooflights and lanterns that are ever-more energy efficient yet prevent overheating from solar gain.

VIEWPOINT

Homeowners often don’t understand the importance of investing in design at the drawing board stage – especially detailed design and specification. No one likes paying fees, but without a detailed design, it’s impossible to estimate costs accurately or resolve issues that will delay the construction programme unless they are thought through well in advance.

Homeowners are often nervous about engaging builders, too. Largely because the very small number of cowboys who ask for cash upfront and then disappear or are chronically incompetent get a lot of headlines. Distrust isn’t helped by the competitive tender procurement process, where builders often compete for work on price alone. The builder is incentivised to present the cost in the most optimistic light possible and then win back the margin once they have the contract. The client-builder relationship is, therefore, immediately adversarial. An open book, cost-plus contract is one way to overcome this, but it relies on a lot of trust.

Photo by Annie Gray on Unsplash

How has the pandemic influenced renovation trends and priorities?

The move away from purely open-plan living to ‘brokenplan’ room arrangements has accelerated since the pandemic. Families forced to occupy the same space during the lockdown, with working from home and homeschooling added to the day-to-day living requirements, have put pressure on space. Having separation for some activities has become highly valued, so there is a move towards retaining at least one separate, enclosed living room for TV, gaming, entertaining, etc.

Open-plan living and dining spaces are perhaps only linked to the kitchen on one side – retaining three walls and increasingly separated by informal partitions, such as double doors or sliding pocket doors, or a double-sided fireplace or stove. There has also been a significant increase in the popularity of dedicated home office/study spaces, with many homes now having two, one for each parent.

Few homes are now without some element of smart technology, especially entertainment tech. The introduction of high-speed fibre broadband has made working from home a reality and opened up on-demand streaming of music, TV, films and gaming.

How has the HB&R Show contributed to the evolution of home renovation practices?

Self-builders are ‘early adopters’, pioneering and embracing innovative ideas from tech to whole construction systems.

The HB&R Show has often proved to be the best place to build a market for new ideas. It has been instrumental in promoting the uptake of building systems new to the UK, such as Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF) and post and beam timber frames, whilst also helping revive traditional building systems like oak frames.

The show has also been a huge champion of green technology, spreading the adoption of solar thermal and solar PV panels, air- and ground-source heat pumps, biomass boilers and thermal stores years ahead of their current ubiquity. The same applies to green features, such as mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, waste water heat recovery, rainwater and greywater harvesting, and building standards, such as Passivhaus.

Through its programme of seminars and masterclasses, the show helps educate consumers so they can make informed decisions on their projects and avoid common pitfalls.

What might the future of home renovation look like?

Homes will become smarter, more secure, sustainable, healthier and more comfortable. Your home will have AI technology built into its core and it will know more about you than you know about yourself – with multiple data feeds from smart tech integrated into almost everything you touch, use or consume, from your clothing to the packaging on your food, on all appliances from white goods to your refuse bins, and even the WC and sewage treatment plant. You will be able to interact with it in ways you can’t currently even conceive of – often without knowing.

Your home will know your mood, if you are sick, injured or stressed, long before you realise yourself and will help guide your future recovery. It could help to head off health issues by encouraging you to change your daily routine, diet, sleep pattern or exercise. It may use ‘nudge theory’ to get you to change your behaviour without you even realising it through subtle environmental changes or suggestions for media content.

Connected to abundant, cheap, clean electricity and almost entirely carbon neutral, your home will be infinitely more sustainable. It will certainly adjust the temperature, humidity and lighting – with air conditioning being standard in a globally warmed UK climate – so you don’t even have to think whether you are too cold or hot.

Your home will nurture you, look after you and encourage you so you can live your best life. At the same time, in a more divided, polarised and partisan world, your home’s role in protecting you, your family and your belongings will become more important than ever.

What are some of the most common challenges that homeowners face when embarking on a renovation project?

Homeowners often don’t know where to start their project: with a builder or designer. The best place to start is usually the bank. Getting the money in place and ensuring the funding matches the scope of the project is vital but often ignored. Deciding whether it is possible to stay in the property for all or part of the project or if it’s better to move out is another important early consideration.

Sometimes, the scope of work is so extensive that it makes more sense to demolish the existing house and build a new one to benefit from zero-rate VAT on a new build, but this can be a very difficult concept to accept for someone who has invested considerable time and money on developing a design, only for it to become redundant and replaced by a blank sheet.

www.homebuildingshow.co.uk

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IMPRESSIVE INNOVATION

Images: ©Mark Hardy

Elevating everyday living In the heart of Hampshire, a couple has embarked on a transformative journey, breathing new life into their detached family home. Their vision was a seamless blend of modern aesthetics and functional design, realised through a partnership with The Myers Touch, renowned for its expertise in crafting contemporary kitchens that redefine living spaces.

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IMPRESSIVE INNOVATION

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IMPRESSIVE INNOVATION

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his bespoke project began with a couple’s desire for a complete internal renovation and a new extension build, culminating in the creation of a spacious kitchen and living area. The challenge was clear: to merge the elegance of contemporary design with the practicality demanded by a family home.

Turning to The Myers Touch kitchen design studio, the homeowners entrusted their vision to experts who understand the delicate balance between aesthetics and functionality. The brief was a clean, minimalist kitchen living space that doesn’t compromise on contrasting colours, providing room for statement appliances while maintaining a practical and sleek atmosphere.

The result is a kitchen that captivates from the first glance. The long, tall unit and sink run in a sophisticated dark graphite grey from SieMatic set the tone. Complemented by a large island featuring brushed steel drawer units under the Gaggenau hob, the design balances modernity with functionality.

The island, finished in graphite grey, not only serves as a visual centrepiece but also wraps around a structural pillar, supporting custom-steelwork and maximising the width of the space. A sleek white Silestone worktop adds the perfect contrast and complements the luxury ceramic floor tiles from Panoramics.

Statement pieces chosen include built-in Wolf & Sub Zero appliances, seamlessly integrated to maintain a clean-lined look. A custom grill adds the illusion of freestanding luxury. The Gaggenau hob features a built-in extractor, enhancing the light, open feel of the kitchen.

The design also incorporates biophilic elements with an antique mirrored glass splashback on the sink run, reflecting the space and featuring a floating shelf for herbs and plants. SieMatic glass cabinetry frames a Gaggenau wine fridge, showcasing favourite ceramics and tying the interior space together.

Venture below, and a Gaggenau Wine Cellar & Gun Store awaits, accessible through a glass floor that separates the kitchen and dining space. The result is a harmonious blend of contemporary cabinetry, sleek luxury appliances and innovative design solutions that transcend the structural challenges.

The completion of this project is a testament to the synergy between visionary homeowners and expert designers. The Myers Touch has transformed a house into a home, where luxury meets functionality and everyday living becomes an elevated experience.

www.themyerstouch.co.uk

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IMPRESSIVE INNOVATION

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LIGHTING & ELECTRICALS HVAC

Air-source vs ground-source heat pumps: Which is the better investment for you?

When it comes to investing in renewable energy technology, it’s crucial that you’re carefully considering which of the many options available to you will end up being the most efficient.

You need to be asking yourself: Am I close enough to water to be able to utilise micro hydropower effectively? Is my home correctly orientated to make the most of solar panels? Which would work better for me, ground-source heat pumps (GSHPs) or air-source heat pumps (ASHPs)? Whilst the first two can be answered relatively straightforwardly, question number three requires a much deeper discussion.

D

epending on a number of factors, such as your property type, location, existing energy efficiency and more, both heat pumps will come with their own unique pros and cons. With this in mind, how do you know which is right for you?

John Rodgman, Managing Director of the geotechnical drilling company and GSHP specialist Borehole Solutions, has shared his insight.

How do GSHPs and ASHPs differ?

As the names give away, the primary difference between ground- and airsource heat pumps is simply where they get their heat from. Where GSHPs tap into geothermal pockets and the I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24

naturally-heated layers of the ground through solar gain, ASHPs instead absorb heat from the outside air. When you compare this to more traditional, conventional gas boiler heating systems, however, both air- and ground-source heat pumps have been found to be up to 400% more efficient in terms of their energy usage, whilst simultaneously producing 70% lower carbon emissions.

When weighing up GSHPs against ASHPs, however, where ground-source heat pumps are able to get one over their air-source counterparts is due to their ability to tap into a consistent heat source. The ground maintains a consistent temperature of between 8 and 12°C throughout the year, whereas

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the efficiency of an ASHP depends on the temperature of the outside air, which is constantly fluctuating.

This means that throughout winter and the colder months in particular, where the demand for heating is at its highest, GSHPs won’t experience unexpected spikes in electricity usage, whereas ASHPs will, due to more electricity being required to extract the heat energy from the colder air than was needed during summer.

What factors need to be considered when deciding between the two?

Before you jump the gun and say one is better than the other, it’s worth taking the time to carefully consider all the factors that could influence your decision.

These include:

Installation costs Excluding any help from Government grants, such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, the installation cost of an ASHP should range between £7000 and £13,000; a much cheaper option than the £14,000 to £19,000 range excluding external groundwork and drilling you would expect to pay for a GSHP. This may look like 1:0 to the ASHP, but in fact, in the long run, you may actually end up paying more than with a GSHP.

HVAC

Running costs As shown, ASHPs do benefit from a lower upfront cost, which, for some households, may understandably make them more attractive, especially when a considerable amount of that investment is paid for via the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

Because of their reduced efficiency in colder climates, however, the running costs will likely be considerably more. Time-of-use tariffs, for example, cannot really be taken advantage of by ASHPs, as they utilise dynamic pricing, where users pay less running appliances, heat pumps included, at offpeak times.

As GSHPs are unaffected by temperature fluctuations, they can be run in the early hours of the morning, where operating costs are typically at their lowest. ASHPs, on the other hand, won’t really benefit from this, as these low-cost periods are typically where the air is at its coldest.

This, therefore, requires more electricity to extract the heat energy from the cooler air, counteracting the benefits of the tariff.

Lifespan Due to the ASHP unit being located outside, the constant exposure to the elements leaves them with a much shorter lifespan of 10 years compared to GSHP’s 20. In fact, in some areas, such as properties right on the coast, ASHPs aren’t recommended at all, as the saltwater and sea air has been known to cause damage to the internal components of the unit, rusting it and reducing its lifespan even further.

Available space With ASHPs, this isn’t something you really need to consider, as they don’t require any excavation to be carried out. Whilst the size of the ASHP you will need will vary depending on the property’s heat demand, they tend to not be much bigger than your average air conditioning unit. GSHPs, on the other hand, require a lot of outdoor space, especially if the piping is being laid horizontally. As a rule of thumb, you’ll need 2.5 to 3 times the floor area of your house. If there isn’t too much space to work with, however, vertical installation where boreholes are drilled is a possibility, but this will cost more.

www.boreholesolutions.co.uk

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RURAL RETREAT

Seahouses sanctuary When, in a major house renovation, should you bring in an interior designer?

The owners of this calming coastal retreat in Seahouses, Northumberland, began consulting with Studio Dean before they’d even purchased the property, and continued collaborating with the firm throughout every stage of the project.

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ow that they’re settled in, they can fully appreciate how having a designer on board from start to finish was key to achieving their dream home.

The clients were a husband-and-wife pair of medical professionals coming towards the end of their working lives, looking for a peaceful, rural haven. They wanted somewhere mostly just for them but with room for their 20-something daughter to continue to live with them on and off and for their two grown-up sons to visit and stay over for extended periods of time and feel at home.

The property itself is an old traditional stone building in the most beautiful Northumberland seaside setting with uninterrupted views over the North East Coastline, Farne Island and Bamburgh Castle. This space is special to the clients, who have lived in the area for a few years.

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Moving into their dream home was part of the client’s retirement plan.

They wanted a place they could settle, call home and invite their whole family to share it with them. With grownup children and grandchildren now becoming a part of their lives, they wanted a space their family would enjoy visiting, and this is such a joyful place to be.

Many years ago, the couple made a promise to each other that when they retired, they would get a snooker table, so a games room was also an exciting part of the plan.

How it started

The owners knew of Studio Dean’s work and had decided that it was the interior designer for them, long before they had found a property to move to. One of the owners asked at the beginning when the firm would get involved; whether it would be towards

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the latter stages, picking the curtains and soft furnishings and things. But the Studio Dean way of working is entirely the opposite. The team gets involved from the very beginning to look at the whole thing strategically. The client later said that they hadn’t appreciated how important that would be, but now realise it was absolutely essential.

Initially in search of a turn-key property, they viewed dozens of places without any joy. In early 2020, they discovered a rundown section of a former seaside hotel, which in the 1980s had been subdivided into several large terraced houses. It was in a dilapidated condition, but it lay immediately by a sandy beach, with unspoilt North Sea views towards the Farne Islands. It was an irresistible prospect. The couple asked Cathy Dean, Founder and CEO of Studio Dean, to scout out the house and see if something might be done with it.

RURAL RETREAT

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Cathy’s vision

This project presented a golden opportunity for Cathy and her team; it was a rare chance to literally get in with the bricks on a job, fundamentally sculpting and shaping a home in a way that enhances its inhabitants’ day-to-day lives, not just aesthetically but practically, too.

Where they envisioned a mostly cosmetic upgrade, she saw something much more involved.

“Cathy’s main impact, really,” says the owner, “was to say: let’s open it right up. From the back garden, you can now see all the way through the property and get views of the sea to the front. That required taking down quite a few internal walls, and opening up smallish windows into big patio doors, and allowing a lot more natural light to flow through.”

The plan

With all of Studio Dean’s clients, before it even considers a paint chip or a colour, the team gets to know them.

They speak to them. What do their lives look like? How many kids do they have? Do they have 14 dogs, a cat and a hamster? Are they entering retirement? Whatever it is, the interior specialist’s goal is to make the home work for them.

In the intensive process of getting to know clients and what they needed most out of their home, Studio Dean focused on two things in particular.

One was creating a deluxe master bedroom suite, formed by knocking together three pokey little rooms on the upper floor at the front of the house to create a luxurious selfcontained suite with sea views.

The same was done downstairs by creating a huge lounge and dining space on the ground floor, offering some of the best views in the county.

“I wanted to give them a bedroom, a dressing room, an en-suite and a living room,” says Cathy, “because I know one half of the couple loves to watch television at night – it’s one of her guilty pleasures. No judgement from us; if you want to watch game shows at night, I say watch game shows at night. That’s what our job is, to get that to be beautiful for you.”

The second focus was to fulfil a long-held ambition to have their own full-sized snooker table. Studio Dean used this as inspiration to create a games room for family days, teamed with a home bar, opening out to the garden to create a perfect space for all ages to meet and play together as a family. The games room is downstairs, painted in a speakeasymoody shade of olive green.

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RURAL RETREAT

“It’s got a snooker table,” says the client, “it’s got a big high-definition sports TV, Sonos surround sound and a bar full of beer and stuff for making cocktails. It’s phenomenal.”

For Studio Dean, the most important thing for this house and the interior architecture was to soak up the views.

The team wanted to immerse anyone who stepped into the house into the views the moment they walked into the space. This involved moving the ground-floor loo and creating a new entrance directly into the large entry hall and the introduction of large glazed internal doors working as a room divider but not blocking the view the moment you entered the space.

The same was true on the first floor, the clients believed they’d have to use the bedroom to the rear as their room because it had the en-suite, but it was Studio Dean’s mission to have them wake up to that view every single day.

So, with some interior architecture magic and a rerouted soil pipe, Cathy and her team were able to deliver both an en-suite and a view.

The process

With coronavirus already starting to cast its shadow, the clients were able to buy the place for below the asking price. The cost of the renovation was initially estimated at around half of that amount. But they ended up shelling out roughly as much as they’d paid for the house, as forces far beyond their control conspired to produce budget problems and delays galore – not only the myriad complications of working through the pandemic, but also the sudden, extreme hike in materials costs brought about by Brexit.

Even the Suez Canal being blocked for six days in March 2021 by a runaground container ship had knock-on effects. A plasterer’s initial quotation of £10,000 quadrupled mid job. Half a dozen crucial pieces of furniture ended up stranded for over a month on the wrong side of the Gulf of Suez.

“At one point, we started to say it was like the baby that kept crying,” jokes Cathy. “No matter how much we shushed it and how much we rocked it, how much we gave it a lovely bottle, it was like ‘I’m crying about something else now’.”

But she credits her clients as being “the most resilient, positive people I think I’ve ever met”. By April 2022, they were finally able to move in, following a holiday in the Outer Hebrides that gave Cathy time to apply the finishing touches.

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Style and function

The owners aren’t big on bright colours, so most of the palette throughout is earthy, natural and neutral. But Cathy has kept it interesting by layering subtle variations of tone and texture side by side. In the kitchen, for example, where a broad belt of wood panelling runs up the walls and across the dropped ceiling. This is not just functional (it conceals pipes and cables), but it gives the black sliding doors to the hall and the mottled brown kitchen cabinetry something to react against. “The impact of the darkness will be lost unless it’s got a happy partner,” Cathy points out.

The finest touch is two pairs of steelframed, glass-panelled Crittall-style doors that divide the formal lounge, with wide-open north-easterly views from the hallway and the kitchen. They close off the space when desired, yet without ever preventing the light that pours in over the North Sea from flooding right through the interior.

A happy ending

It was so important that Studio Dean was involved all the way through the process. Without spatial planning, this home would be a more beautiful space than it was found, but it would never have achieved its full potential.

Spatially planning the home before the team even considers style makes sure the space works beautifully every day. Cathy and the team maximise all the best elements of a property and make sure the day to day is taken care of before moving on to the more decoration-based elements.

“We just couldn’t believe it,” says the owner, remembering walking in and suddenly seeing the place anew. “It was beautiful, elegant and magnificent. Everywhere you looked, you’d find things that you’d not spotted before. It suddenly all made sense.

“We’ve had a year now of all the different seasons, watching the sun come up at different parts of the Farne Islands and watching it drop down different sides of Bamburgh Castle. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live in a property like this. We’re very happy here.”

www.studiodean.com

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RCI SOLUTIONS

Transforming architecture, one facade at a time External cladding has emerged as a powerful tool for builders, architects and homeowners to transform the appearance and performance of structures. Not only does it offer durability, weather resistance and aesthetic flexibility but, more importantly, it ensures that new buildings conform to stringent fire safety requirements, says Simon Buckmaster, Technical and Sales Services Manager at James Hardie.

Material of choice

The choice of materials is vast, and each has its pros and cons. Many different factors, including the size, structure, purpose, budget and location of the building need to be considered when choosing building materials, but safety needs to be the priority.

Following the updates to the Building Safety Act, architects and construction firms are under increased pressure to ensure that new buildings conform to revised fire safety requirements. For example, Hardie fibre cement cladding carries the highest possible fire rating for a painted cement cladding product: A2-s1, d0 and is used all over the world.

The transformative power of cladding

Every building forms part of its scenery, whether urban or rural, and designers have been embracing cladding textures and colours to make striking architectural statements. Recently, we’ve noticed a shift in trends with designers opting for tones and textures that blend into the natural environment. For instance, our ColourPlus technology offers a palette of appealing colours with a multi-coat, baked-on finish, meaning that it won’t fade, reducing ongoing maintenance.

We work with clients across a range of industries, from education and healthcare to construction companies and self-builders, who all have very different requirements. For example, at Allens Caravans - Aber Bay Holiday Park in Aberystwyth, the architect chose our Hardie Panel to clad the onsite leisure centre because of its robust, fireproof and aesthetically-flexible qualities. The seafront location of the site meant the client needed a product that would be durable enough to withstand the force of eight wind conditions and provide flexibility throughout the challenging construction process.

Fibre cement cladding is a popular choice

For people seeking longevity and aesthetic appeal, fibre cement cladding is a popular and versatile building material. Developed by James Hardie in the early 1980s, it provides a high-performance alternative to wood, uPVC cladding and plywood, and is ideally suited as a material for exterior wall cladding, offering high stability and weather resistance whilst protecting against moisture, mould and pests.

Future innovation

As architects and builders continue to experiment with different materials, the future of building cladding promises exciting innovations and sustainable transformations.

We can expect to see advancements that focus on energy efficiency and smart cladding materials that can adapt to changing environmental conditions whilst fire safety will remain a priority.

www.jameshardie.co.uk I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24

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www.rainguard.co.uk 25

I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24

SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY & HOME AUTOMATION

The brilliance of smart lighting

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In the rapidly-evolving landscape of home automation, smart lighting is transforming the way we illuminate our living spaces. No longer confined to the simple flip of a switch, smart lighting has ushered in a new era of convenience, efficiency and personalised ambience in the lighting world, says Antonio Formisano, Product Manager at 4lite.

f you are building or fully renovating your home, then installing a smart lighting system should be an essential component. Given the intricate level of control and customisation it facilitates, it offers huge energy and cost savings across its lifetime. In fact, a welldesigned and operated smart lighting system can reduce lighting energy use by up to two-thirds, which, based on the common assumption that 15% of your overall electricity bill is spent on lighting, translates to a 10% reduction in your bill.

Smart lighting can also play a pivotal role in bolstering home security. Automated lighting schedules can be used to simulate the appearance of an occupied home, even when you are at work or on holiday, deterring potential intruders.

Smart lighting automation enables every single detail of lighting, both indoors and out, to be programmed and automated, ensuring that energy is used only where and when it is needed. You can control the use of individual luminaires, switching them on and off at specific times as required, I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24

as well as controlling elements such as brightness, intensity and colour temperature to suit the mood or the time of day. A real game-changer, it has the ability to transform the comfort of residential spaces and can even be integrated with weather apps so that the colour of the lights will automatically adjust according to the weather outside.

Real health and wellness benefits can also be felt through smart lighting in the home. For instance, automatic transitioning from a bluer hue in the morning to a softer orange hue in the evening can help regulate your natural circadian rhythm, resulting in improved focus and productivity during the day and fewer sleep disturbances at night.

Operated via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, smart lighting systems are also simple to operate. They can be controlled via remote control, an app on your smartphone, programmed to respond to voice or motion and can even be integrated with ecosystems such as Alexa, Hey Google and Siri.

As a relatively-new technology, with lots of different products and options

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available, knowing where to begin and which products to incorporate in an automated lighting system can seem like a minefield.

As with all lighting schemes, planning is key. Consideration should be given to the location of natural light sources, functional requirements and how the light should be delivered. As smart lighting systems need Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to operate, consideration should also be given to the fabric and the structure of your property, ensuring any factors that might restrict signal and functionality – such as the thickness of walls – can be addressed.

When it comes to specifying fittings, there is a vast array of choices available. From interior downlights, strip lights and bulkheads to outdoor bi-directional wall lights and garden spikes, almost every type of lamp or fitting can be found. For spaces where lighting is required infrequently, considering smart lighting products with corridor functionality or intuitive presence and absence detection sensors will also help to optimise energy use.

SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY & HOME AUTOMATION

Product interoperability is another key consideration. Smart lighting is all about added convenience, so select a system that works across a variety of ecosystems to make the scope of illumination possibilities and functionalities wider, not to mention any future product additions much easier. Elect for products that are compatible with a wide array of modules, drivers, sensors and switches and can be paired with any ecosystem on the market.

When it comes to installation, what is truly amazing about smart lighting, especially given the high level of technology involved, is its ease of installation. As the technology is controlled and hosted on the cloud, there’s no hub or wiring required, and the majority of the units are simply installed like a normal light bulb or switch. Lamps and other standalone light fittings can also be added to a smart lighting system with the use of smart bulbs or smart plugs.

Undeniably at the forefront of the home automation revolution, smart lighting truly has a myriad of benefits to offer. As the technology continues to advance, it has become an integral component of the modern home, adapting to our preferences, routines and the ever-changing demands of modern living.

www.4liteuk.com

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I-BUILD - COTTAGES & BUNGALOWS ORIGIN

Creating practical spaces for bungalows Victoria Brocklesby, COO at Origin, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of aluminium windows and doors, explains how renovators can make practical spaces in their properties without eliminating natural light.

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he way we use our homes has changed significantly in the past four years. Home and work life have crashed into each other, and the need for separate work and entertaining spaces remains even now that the pandemic is behind us.

This means that many people living in bungalows are looking to change the way they use their home’s floorplan. Traditionally, bungalows were split into lots of smaller, separate rooms to maximise bedroom space. Those built more recently tend to have favoured a more modern, open-plan layout, which has been popular since the 1970s. However, neither of these two extremes offer the optimal living space for modern homeowners. Instead, self-builders and renovators are increasingly looking to create ‘broken-plan’, flexible spaces, which offer the best of both worlds.

The allure of broken-plan living

Broken-plan living is quickly gaining favour amongst homeowners as it addresses the growing need for separate functional areas without compromising the inherent charm of one-storey living.

As families spend more time at home, the demand for privacy, individual space and the ability to work or study without interruption has become more important. Homeowners are seeking a balance between the connectedness fostered by open living plans and the need for dedicated zones for work, relaxation and leisure activities.

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That’s where broken-living plans enable the flexibility of creating secluded areas when needed and then they can be opened up for entertaining.

For those looking to renovate their current bungalows, the broken-plan living style means that redesigning a home’s current footprint creates a sense of more space without it costing significant amounts, too. Instead of adding more square footage, homeowners are fully optimising the space they already own.

Broken-plan layouts also work well for those living in bungalows who are older or have mobility challenges, as the home’s footprint works harder for them. Older bungalows often have a poor floorplan with several unnecessary separate spaces that are typically unused by homeowners.

By optimising the footprint of a bungalow, the space will remain broken plan, but will have a heavier emphasis on providing functional ‘zones’ with enough room for space.

Creating broken space

Broken-plan bungalows can be built or renovated using solid walls or screens to divide rooms and living space. However, particularly in more compact bungalows, this can lead to dark rooms.

When designing such spaces, it’s vital to prioritise bringing in natural light.

An alternative to building new solid walls is installing internal glazed walls and doors to create broken-living spaces. These walls and doors, characterised by large glass panels, serve as both

I-BUILD - COTTAGES & BUNGALOWS ORIGIN

functional dividers and as a channel for natural light. This approach creates the separate living areas required but maintains an open feeling that allows for lots of natural light to flow throughout the home.

Internal glazed doors, such as the Origin Internal Door (OI-30), are a great option to achieve this. The Origin Internal Door is suitable for all property types, including bungalows, as they can be configured as a single door, a French door or a fixed screen.

Costing up

Whilst on the surface, openplan layouts may seem like the most flexible for a home, broken-plan layouts can act as a futureproofed footprint for your home. How flexible a home is to all styles of living and generations should be considered during the initial planning stages.

With bungalows traditionally being seen as homes for life thanks to their one-storey living, it’s vital that builders and renovators ensure their space is flexible enough for every stage of their lives. This will also save money reconfiguring a property later down the line.

Looking at the costs of an internal glazed wall or door, it ultimately depends on the quality of the product and the material it’s made from. The ultra-traditional steel options look fantastic but will often come with a high price point. A more affordable option is products made from aluminium as these still offer a sleek aesthetic and the robustness to handle everyday life but are more affordable. Plus, aluminium is inherently lightweight, making the doors easier to operate.

Summing up

Designing or renovating a bungalow for modern lifestyles can present challenges.

Homeowners don’t want a property that has smaller, separate rooms that have no functionality, and they also aren’t favouring the open-plan layout. The use of internal glazed walls and doors is the best option for achieving this delicate balance, allowing homeowners to revel in the natural light whilst ensuring that the footprint of their home is working harder and smarter for them.

www.origin-global.com

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I-SCAPE - DRIVEWAYS & GARAGES DOOR & HARDWARE FEDERATION (DHF)

The potential repercussions of DIY powered garage roller door installations In November 2023, Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) issued a press release urging consumers to be cautious following the streaming of a number of online videos that allegedly demonstrate how to fit powered garage roller doors without the help of a professional.

DHF urges caution

The installation of a powered garage door involves so much more than simply the task of fitting the product itself. Only by correct installation will a garage door be safe, operate according to the Supply of Machinery Safety Regulations, look good, be secure, insulate and/or prevent weather ingress, and this is largely dependent on it having been surveyed, measured, specified, ordered and installed correctly.

“The garage door is the largest moving object in the home, and fitting one is a highly-specialised job,” explains Patricia, “so whichever type of garage door you choose, it is essential that it is installed by a competent person (preferably DHF trained) who can ensure that they leave the door in a safe and compliant condition. Replacing or upgrading to a powered garage door is a major investment in home improvement, yet due to rising costs of living and reduced disposable income, it may well be tempting to ‘cut corners’. For complete ‘peace of mind’ with regards to both safety and security, we cannot emphasise enough the importance of prioritising compliance.”

DHF is a not-for-profit trade association and works tirelessly to improve the quality and safety of garage doors; it remains the ‘go-to’ place for technical advice and training and raising industry standards, much revered as a ‘centre of excellence’, a single source for technical expertise, information, knowledge, advice and practical help. It supports the sectors it serves through representation on BSI standards committees, liaising with compliance authorities, such as the Health and Safety Executive and Trading Standards, as well as fire safety organisations across the UK and Europe.

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And following the publication of ‘DIY Garage Door videos’ on social media platforms, such as YouTube, the organisation is eager to highlight that the repercussions of ‘DIY garage door installations’ can potentially be fatal and that instructional videos online are not an appropriate substitute for practical experience, specialist knowledge and industry expertise.

“In fact, homeowners face risking the safety of family, friends, and anyone else who may come onto their property with a garage door that has not been properly installed,” says Patricia. “In addition, should the garage door be on a public road, anyone who encounters an injury as a result of an unsafe or non-compliant door can bring a civil lawsuit against the homeowner.

A further point to consider is that new garage doors often come with a warranty, but in most cases, for the warranty to be valid, the door has to be professionally installed. A ‘DIY’ installation, therefore, can negatively impact the warranty, rendering it void.”

So, what does a professional installation look like?

“The most important aspect is to ‘do your homework!’” says Patricia. “We have a number of consumer publications on the DHF website that clearly explain what to look for in a new powered garage door and what to expect from your installation company. You can also watch an important safety video about automatic or powered garage door hold to run safety, and why it is crucial to have a safe and fit-forpurpose garage door installation.”

I-SCAPE - DRIVEWAYS & GARAGES DOOR & HARDWARE FEDERATION (DHF)

Professional installers will:

Make a proper structural assessment of the opening to gauge its suitability for supporting the weight and dynamic loadings of a powered door Make the necessary structural reinforcements once the old frame has been removed Select appropriate fixings for the materials being fixed to Provide a new electrical supply, and/ or test the existing supply for conformity with the wiring regulations and Part P of the Building Regulations Possess the necessary electrical competence for wiring up the earthing, power and safety circuits Programme, adjust and test the operating force settings with specialist equipment.

If the door is not compliant:

Safety and reliability can be severely affected The person installing the door could be held responsible for compliance with Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations and Construction Products Regulations if the door is not supplied with adequate legal documentation and conformity marking The person installing the door could be subject to legal action in the event of an incident involving a family member, a visitor, a delivery person or a passer-by, not to mention the distress caused if a family member is injured The householder’s insurance may be compromised.

In order for new powered garage doors to be legally placed on the market under criminal product safety law, they must be supplied with a Declaration of Conformity with Machinery Regulations, a Declaration of Performance under Construction Products Regulations, be conformity marked and be supplied with a comprehensive operation and maintenance manual.

“DHF members are covered by DHF’s Warranty Plus,” concludes Patricia. “The Warranty Plus promise means that if you have any problems during the normal two-year warranty period, resulting from incorrect or poor installation, and the installing member has ceased trading, it will be rectified to ensure the installation is of a satisfactory standard.

Whatever you decide, ensure that your garage door is supplied and installed by a professional company that has had DHF training. It’s just not worth the risk.”

It is a criterion of membership that our garage door member companies are trained; members can be found on the DHF website.

www.dhfonline.org.uk

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I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24

I-NTERIOR - LIVING ROOMS THE NATURAL WOOD FLOOR CO

Oak Parquet Silver White Oiled flooring

by The Natural Wood Floor Company has cool, neutral tones combining the beautiful characteristics of wood with an up-to-date and modern twist

Wood flooring comes home Interior design trends come and go, but one material that has a timeless appeal is wood. Parquet oak-wood flooring adds character and warmth to any space, while engineered boards create a luxury finish that is as practical as it is versatile in spaces such as the living room. Peter Keane, MD of The Natural Wood Floor Co, looks at the advantages and pattern options with parquet and sheds light on how this classic choice can enhance your living space.

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ringing the calmness of nature indoors throughout the seasons, parquet floors are an ideal way of introducing warmth, pattern and character – in a sustainable way. A note of caution firstly, though, as not all wood flooring is suitable for every room in the home. Solid flooring, for example, has historically been the primary choice for interiors but is not suitable for environments with high humidity and can’t be used with underfloor heating. Engineered oak boards, on the other hand, can be fitted in most rooms and create a high-end finish that is surprisingly simple to care for and extremely durable.

An engineered board has up to 11 layers of hardwood backing, with each layer glued at a 90º angle to the adjoining layer. The surface layer of precious hardwoods, such as oak, is then glued on top, resulting in a much more stable floor with a robust construction. For installers, it’s important to note that all wood flooring must have an expansion gap of a minimum of 10mm around the perimeter of the floor. This is normally hidden under the skirting and allows space for the wood floor to expand and contract when there is a rise in humidity levels or when the heating is turned off.

Engineered floors can tolerate this continual movement as the cross-plying of the various layers makes it more ridged and stable.

I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24

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On style with wood

When it comes to choosing flooring for a living room, it’s important to go with a pattern that doesn’t just suit the space in terms of function but also style. One of the many good things about parquet, of course, is its variety of pattern options. From basketweave to brick pattern, there is an option to suit any setting.

Injecting personality and character into large and small spaces alike, the trend for real wood flooring means parquet has never been so popular, bringing a timeless elegance to any living space. Creating an elegant and sophisticated look, the combination of colour, wood detailing and pattern that is possible with parquet makes this a real statement floor, whether the property is traditional or contemporary in style.

Parquet blocks have been back in fashion for a while and, despite being a huge trend, are quite classic in style, offering the best of both worlds. The combination of colour, wood detailing and pattern make this a real statement floor. For an up-to-date look, go large with 600mm-sized blocks. Alternatively, for a traditional look, aged parquet blocks are great for adding extra character, as they look like reclaimed blocks. Ultimately, the style of laying pattern may depend on the size of the board, species, grade of wood or the finished colour.

Away from patterns, extra-long and extra-wide boards are now in vogue, too. This look is beneficial in small and large spaces, creating a streamlined impression with fewer seams for a clean and cohesive look.

I-NTERIOR - LIVING ROOMS THE NATURAL WOOD FLOOR CO

Oak floors from The Natural Wood Floor Co combine brilliantly with metallics, with darker shades bringing warmth to a large, open-plan kitchen

Oak-aged Parquet in Ebony with an oiled finish from The Natural Wood Floor Co fills a room with warmth and character

Hung up on herringbone

Herringbone parquet is a classic laying pattern, with the blocks laid so they interlock in a diagonal pattern. Most commonly, the points of a herringbone pattern floor are laid parallel to a room’s longest wall or towards the window. Traditional in style, this pattern is suited to wood with an aged look so that it resembles reclaimed wood.

It can be given a modern twist for the contemporary living room by combining different species of wood or different finishes for a really striking impression.

Away from patterns, extra-long and extra-wide boards are now in vogue, too. This look is beneficial in small and large spaces, creating a streamlined impression with fewer seams for a clean and cohesive look.

Shades of oak

Just as when choosing a colour for walls, choosing the right shade of parquet should be based on how large the room is, how much natural light it enjoys and the overall decor. Smaller rooms benefit from lighter woods, while larger spaces can more comfortably accommodate darker tones, such as walnut.

Once laid, keeping parquet flooring looking as good as new is straightforward, too. When opting for engineered boards, a combination of dry cleaning to remove dirt and dust particles and damp cleaning to protect it against scratches is all that is needed for lacquered or oiled floors. With just a little care, parquet flooring will last a lifetime stylistically and practically.

www.naturalwoodfloor.co.uk

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LEGAL & BUSINESS NEWS SHOW PREVIEW: SOUTH EAST HOMEBUILDING & RENOVATING SHOW | 13-14 JANUARY

T Home improvement and renovation dreams turn into reality at the South East Homebuilding & Renovating Show

If you’re looking to improve your property or build your home from scratch, the South East Homebuilding & Renovating Show (taking place on 13 and 14th January at the Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre) is promising visitors a show packed with expert advice from specialists in a range of subjects, plus over 200 exhibitors showcasing thousands of products and services, all under one roof, to help homeowners turn their dream homes into a reality.

“Whether you’re planning home improvements, a major renovation project or commissioning a new home, remember that ‘a home’ is more than just a financial asset, and lifestyle should come first,”

- Michael Holmes, Property Expert

for the South East Homebuilding & Renovating Show

he exhibitor line up is extensive to help homeowners bring their projects together, ranging from architects, appliances, building materials and lighting to garden spaces, timber structures, doors and windows and much more.

With high energy costs and energy efficiency still on the agenda, the Home Energy Hour hosts talks designed to inform visitors of the latest trends and advancements in home energy and advice on practical and affordable measures people can take to make their existing properties cleaner and greener.

The Home Energy Academy will help educate homeowners on how they can make the most of the energy in their homes, save money on bills and reduce their carbon footprint with free advice at the Advice Centre, sponsored by Internorm.

Visitors to the Ask the Expert Zone will be able to talk to specialists about their specific concerns, including eco expert David Hilton, who will be on hand to advise on building fabrics, heating systems, heat recovery ventilation and renewables, including heat pump technologies, solar systems, biomass and conventional heating systems.

Experts in the Masterclass and Seminar Theatres will present on topics ranging from building considerations for your home extension to ‘how to finance your self build’ as well as ‘architect vs contractor – which to choose for your next renovation project’.

Sustainable and efficient kitchen design is the main topic for BBC1’s ‘DIY SOS’ and ITV1’s ‘60-Minute Makeover’ Interior Designer Julia Kendell, who will impart her extensive knowledge on interior transformations that uplift and energise to have a positive impact on wellbeing.

The Advice Centre will provide opportunities to book free one-on-one sessions with other property experts, designers, planners and builders, including Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine’s specialists Michael Holmes, Jason Orme, Allan Corfield, Tim Phillips and Sally Tagg, as well as Finance Expert Tom McSherry from Buildstore.

One-day tickets to the South East Homebuilding & Renovating Show are £8 in advance (children under 16 go free). You can buy tickets by visiting the below website.

farnborough.homebuildingshow.co.uk I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24

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6-point latching system for an airtight seal (class 4)

Learn more about the Designo loft ladder...

www.premierloftladders.co.uk/designo-ph 0345 9000 195 | sales@premierloftladders.co.uk

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I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24

LEGAL & BUSINESS PRODUCT GUIDE ADVERTORIAL: CEDRAL

Find a colour to suit your lifestyle

Take Cedral’s quiz to find your style personality, then match it to your perfect Cedral Collection:

Colour to match your lifestyle and personality: Introducing the Cedral Collections We all know that colour can affect our mood and emotions, so when choosing colours for your home, it makes sense to go with your instinct and opt for the colours you are naturally drawn to.

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edral has been helping homeowners create beautifully-stylish homes for decades; homes that not only look good but last a lifetime. The new Colour Collections offer an inspiring range of 21 stunning shades curated into four distinctive living styles, making it easy to find your perfect match based on your personality and the things that matter in your life.

Cedral carried out extensive research with homeowners, industry professionals and colour science experts to create a colour collection designed for the way we live today. The research showed where Cedral should add colours and which to drop, and helped lead the way to introducing nine exciting new colours.

1. Do you live in a modern home with clean lines and designer appeal?

Are you a trendsetter, always on the lookout for the latest styles? Perhaps your home is architect designed or maybe you just love clutter-free contemporary spaces.

2 . Are you drawn to nature and the great outdoors? Do you strive to create an indoor space that’s cocooning and welcoming? You may be a keen DIYer or home renovator and sustainability is key in your day-to-day life.

3 . Are you a fan of traditional spaces? Is your home your castle?

Family values are likely to be very important to you, and your home is an intimate space, calming and inviting.

4 . Are you drawn to unique and expressive interiors full of character and personality? You love to mix old and new to striking effect and create eye-catching living spaces.

Now find your best match colour collection: 1 . The Design Collection: Creates a modern impact using a monochromatic palette curated to make bold design statements. This colour spectrum offers elegant black and white and a range of greys, from silver to steel and platinum.

2 . The Natural Collection: Works with shades drawn from nature to create homes in perfect harmony with their surroundings.

This palette mixes a warm blend of earthy browns, sea blue, sand yellow and pearl grey.

3 . The Classic Collection: The epitome of elegance, a harmonious palette selected to create calming and inviting homes to instantly lift the spirit. Shades are a classic mix of blue, green, grey, brown and subtle whites.

4 . The Expressive Collection: A rich palette designed to complement and contrast existing materials to create unique and characterful homes. It fuses a unique blend of metal green, brick red, walnut brown and distinctive greys.

Discover more about the Cedral Collections by visiting the website below.

www.cedral.world/en-gb/cladding/collections I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24

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01283 501555

PRODUCT GUIDE ADVERTORIAL: DRU UK

E

ver since woodburning stoves became an essential part of the home heating mix, designers and manufacturers have strived to produce models that will appeal to aspirational homeowners.

Dik Geurts, our primary wood-burning brand, has been an innovator since the 1980s, developing stoves and fires that can capture the attention of discerning customers in busy fireplace showrooms.

In 2008, Dik Geurts introduced the Aruba, a spectacular elliptical stove that featured prominently in the BBC drama series Hustle. This has now been superseded by the Oval, which is available in freestanding, fixed and suspended versions with greatly-improved performance and efficiency.

Its sales this year have surpassed all expectations.

Odin, the circular equivalent of Oval, has proved equally popular, especially the Plateau model, which sits on a beautifully-crafted log storage plinth for added visual appeal and practicality.

Both Odin and Oval are available in single-sided or tunnel versions. This means you can locate them in a central position in the living space and enjoy them from anywhere in the room.

Two- and three-sided designer stoves are always in great demand, with panoramic fire views that bathe the home in a warm glow. These come in the shapes of the Dik Geurts Bora Corner and Vidar Triple. Both models offer multiple variations in size and configuration with ample log storage opportunities.

The past couple of years have seen a huge upsurge in sales of designer woodburning models as consumers become more adventurous in their choice of home heating appliances. Contemporary wood stoves, with their ergonomic designs, high efficiency and low emissions, will remain a mainstay of home heating for many years to come. We expect even more exciting developments in these products in the future.

The artistry of modern wood-burning stoves with unconventional designs DRU UK’s General Manager, Niall Deiraniya, heralds the latest generation of designer stoves.

Dik Geurts Oval Legs freestanding wood stove

Dik Geurts Odin Plateau suspended wood stove

www.drufire.com

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info@drufire.co.uk I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24

LEGAL & BUSINESS PRODUCT GUIDE ADVERTORIAL: BURG-WÄCHTER | GUARDIAN BUILDING SYSTEMS | MAGPLY | WEST FRASER | SCHLÜTER-SYSTEMS

Choose colour with Burg-Wächter’s post boxes

Class 1 Magply boards withstand real-life fire test on Surrey home

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A

urg-Wächter now offers a choice of 10 contemporary colours across both its Classic and Elegance ranges of galvanised steel post boxes. Ideal for those wanting to enhance the kerb appeal of their property, the post boxes provide an opportunity to colour coordinate with a new or existing front door or even window frames, with both the Classic and Elegance ranges coming in 10 distinguished colourways – White, Black, Pillarbox Red, Green, Silver, Chartwell Green, Anthracite, Midnight Blue, French Grey and Antique Cream. Both the Classic and the Elegance post box ranges are manufactured from galvanised steel with a high-quality coating to ensure long-lasting reliability. With no springs to corrode, customers can expect good looks and longevity with corrosion resistance and weather protection. Suited to hold envelopes up to C4 size, they have a drop-front opening to allow customers to easily retrieve their post, an outward opening letter flap for improved weather protection and a nameplate window for an extra touch of style. www.burg.biz/uk

01274 395333

potentially catastrophic

blaze, which consumed the

garage containing a parked

vehicle adjoining a £1m house in

rural Surrey, was stopped in its tracks thanks to the 12mm A1

non-combustible Magply being chosen as the render substrate board on the contract. The property was constructed using a

structural insulated panel (SIP) system with A1 non-combustible Magply being used on the exterior of the building as the

substrate panel for the proprietary render system. Magply is a

multi-use A1 non-combustible board with an impressive library of testing for fire applications. In the offsite and timber frame

sector, the board is designed and specified to contain a fire and support the emergency service with added crucial time.

01621 776252

www.magply.co.uk john@magply.co.uk

Rain, snow, ice?

No problem for West Fraser’s CaberDek flooring

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aberDek is one of West Fraser’s

flagship quality flooring products

designed to ensure that, whatever

weather befalls UK construction sites, work can continue cleanly and safely; this is

ukcs@burg.biz

especially important with today’s tighterthan-ever timelines. It is made from the same moisture-resistant particleboard

Guardian Building Systems unveils sleek and elegant roof lantern

as the standard CaberFloor P5 and features a protective non-

slip film applied to its upper surface. CaberDek’s protective film

prevents rain and frost damage to the new floor surface as well as

providing a safe non-slip working surface for the construction team.

CaberDek can be left exposed and remains BBA approved for up to

42 days without risk of damage, provided it is correctly installed with West Fraser’s CaberFix adhesives.

T

he Guardian roof lantern is the newest addition to Guardian Building System’s exciting product portfolio and combines leading thermal performance with quick, easy installation.

The elegant, minimalistic design is the perfect solution to creating lighter and more spaciousfeeling home spaces whilst also cutting the need for electric lighting. Made from machine-finished aluminium, it is strong and robust yet incredibly lightweight, ensuring it can safely be installed on any roof or home extension. Every roof lantern is first manufactured by one of the dedicated, certified fabricators in the company’s network and prepared for a smooth and pain-free installation. Taking less than 60 minutes to be constructed, the Guardian roof lantern uses impressive GUARD-Lock technology to secure and strengthen the structure. This unique ‘click-fit’ rafter system not only helps to allow the bars to lock in place easily, but alongside the immovable top cap and anti-tamper rafter screws, it further bolsters the roof lantern’s security.

www.guardianbuildingsystems.co.uk

I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24

uk.westfraser.com

01786 812921

Schlüter-Systems launches customisable washbasin/vanity unit

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uilding on the success of

its acclaimed KERDI-BOARD,

Schlüter-Systems has launched the customisable, prefabricated KERDIBOARD-W, enabling homeowners, architects and contractors to

create a vanity unit quickly and cost effectively. KERDI-BOARD-W, like the

company’s durable and waterproof, extruded rigid-foam KERDIBOARD, is immediately ready for tiling while it is lightweight and

easy to handle and can be combined with the KERDI-LINE-VARIO

drainage profiles. For increased versatility, the 1¼-inch connection thread included in the set is ideally suited for combination with commercially-available siphons or traps.

0800 066 5832

01530 813396

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www.schluter.co.uk info@schluter.co.uk

in

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a

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o f B r i tish sign •

• 4 0 Yea

rs

De

NEW Gazco eStudio 165R electric with log-effect.

Shown with optional Mood Lighting Kit.

Engineer

Fire Your Imagination

WOODBURNING

| G A S | M U LT I - F U E L | E L E C T R I C

stovax.com 39

I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24

An award winning company with over 30 years experience offering Bespoke solutions for the domestic market across the South East.

Including water supply, sewage treatment and renewable heating.

Feasibility can usually be determined with a site postcode.

WATER SUPPLY & SOAKAWAY BOREHOLES & DRAINAGE SOLUTIONS Independent water supply for irrigation or consumption* Soakaways, drainage fields and other drainage solutions.

Members of the WDA, we have been constructing boreholes across the South East since 1984 and aim to provide the highest quality cable-tool percussion-drilled borehole service available. *subject to analysis and suitable filtration

RENEWABLE HEATING Reduce heating bills by up to 50% Groundwater can be used as a heat source for an Open-Loop Ground Source Heat Pump which could meet all hot water and heating needs.

We are a fully MCS accredited and award winning company who aim to provide the highest quality service available in South East England.

Customers can rely on our advice and flexibility to suit individual requirements.

SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEMS Bespoke or package options Whether for domestic or commercial purposes, if there is no mains sewer connection a sewage treatment system may be the solution.

If you are not sure where to start contact us for an informal chat.

Our systems are designed to meet the needs of individual clients and comply with strict discharge legislation.

Servicing contracts are offered on all our installations.

40 792000 | www.hdservicesltd.co.uk enquiries@thehdgroup.co.uk | 01494 I-B U I L D/ JAN UARY/24