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GRAND DESIGNS GRANDDESIGNSMAGAZINE.COM

May 2020 £4.40

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NEW OAST HOUSE

GARDEN PARADISE Landscaping ideas to transform your plot

See inside this beautifully crafted self-build in the Kent countryside

YOUR DREAM KITCHEN Best ways to connect with the garden JOHN PAWSON on his first bathroom collection

PROJECT CHECKLIST What to do before completing your build

BUILDING MADE EASY 10 fabulous prefab homes

UPGRADING YOUR SPACE Guide to the best loft conversion bathrooms

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Contents

May 2020

Regulars 11 EDITOR’S LETTER

98 SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE

13 issues of Grand Designs magazine for just £25.99

21 KEVIN McCLOUD

Our editor-at-large ﬁnds inspiration online, but argues that good architecture should be seen in person

178 MY GRAND IDEA

Architectural designer John Pawson on the thinking behind his new collection of bathroom ﬁttings

13 News 13 ARCHITECTURE UPDATE

New and inspiring projects 17 DESIGN MATTERS Beautiful pieces to enhance your home 117 KITCHEN UPGRADE The latest designs, surfaces and appliances 131 BATHROOM EDIT Stylish new additions for the smallest room

178

141 MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 5

CONTENTS

Homes 24 OAST MODERN Kent’s

traditional hop-drying towers provided inspiration for a new-build family home 37 MID-CENTURY REFURB

Remodelling a 1960s terraced townhouse in south London for the next generation 48 COSY COTTAGE A sensitive extension to Victorian stone buildings in a picturesque Scottish village 61 SUMMERHOUSE ESCAPE

Updating an old farmhouse in Denmark has been an ongoing labour of love

48 Projects

77 RENOVATION DIARY

107 PROJECT LANDSCAPING

Getting down to details as the wiring and plumbing go in 81 GRAND BUILD Conducting the final checks, or ‘snagging’ 89 GRAND GUIDE Ten eye-catching prefabricated homes

Ideas for gardens great and small 119 PROJECT KITCHENS How to create the perfect indoor/outdoor space 135 PROJECT BATHROOMS Practical guide to installing one in your loft

101 BUYER’S GUIDE TO FRONT DOORS Marrying style and security

147 GRAND DESIGNS LIVE PREVIEW

Highlights to look forward to at the London ExCeL show

89 147

6 MAY 2020 /

MAGAZINE.COM

THE HUF HAUS

FEELING

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Live.Life.Outside.

EDITORIAL EDITOR K AREN STYLIANIDES ASSOCIATE EDITOR JESSICA CARGILL THOMPSON ART DIRECTOR TONY PETERS CHIEF SUB-EDITOR LEE GALE IMAGE RESEARCHER KERRY GARWOOD DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR HUGH METCALF DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER BECCA GREEN EDITOR-AT-LARGE KEVIN McCLOUD

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SUBSCRIPTIONS Grand Designs magazine is published 13 times a year and will be delivered to your door. Call 01858 438 792 to place your credit card order, or email granddesigns@subscription. co.uk. Annual subscription rate: UK £27.99; Europe £79; rest of the world £98.

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Printed by William Gibbons (williamgibbons.co.uk). All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. Text and picture material is sent at the owner’s risk. All prices and information correct at time of going to press. Grand Designs magazine is published by Media 10 in association with Channel 4 and Boundless. Grand Designs is a registered trademark of FremantleMedia. Based on the television programme Grand Designs, produced by Boundless (part of FremantleMedia UK) for Channel 4. Licensed by FremantleMedia Enterprises (fremantlemedia.com). © 2020. ISSN 1742-0695

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EDITOR’S LETTER

t’s just six weeks until the country’s best self-build, renovation and home-improvement show gets underway at the ExCeL exhibition centre in London’s Docklands on 2 May. You can take a look at just some of the highlights of Grand Designs Live in the special show preview section in this issue, from page 147 onwards, which is where you’ll also find your free ticket. And for those who’d like to make a very special day of it, a new Grand Package ticket has been launched for the first time this year. To take advantage of a range of benefits that include an exclusive one-hour reception with Kevin McCloud, a complimentary brunch or afternoon tea, access to the Grand Lounge and fast-track entry to the show, visit the Grand Designs Live website and click on the link to book tickets (granddesignslive.com). There are a limited number of these VIP tickets available and they can only be booked for certain days – so hurry if you want to treat yourself or give this amazing day out as a gift to someone special.

While you’re at the show, look out for the Arctic Cabins stand (arcticcabins.co.uk) in the Gardens section. The company is running a competition with Times+ to win one of the cosy, British-made garden rooms that are built from FSC-certified timber and worth more than £10,000. Subscribe to Times+ (mytimesplus.co.uk) for your chance to win and drop by the Arctic Cabins stand to find out more. I’m particularly looking forward to chairing an expert panel discussion exploring the indoor air quality of our homes – come along to find out how to assess the condition of the air inside your home and what you can do to make sure it’s as fresh and clean as possible. You can check out the talks schedule in advance of the show on the Grand Designs Live website. See you there!

K AREN ST YLIANIDES , EDITOR

@StylianidesK

PHOTOGRAPHY DANIEL SPENCER ILLUSTRATION ACME

COVER PHOTO JIM STEPHENSON

Acme’s oast house-inspired new-build in Kent subtly subverts local agricultural architecture. See more on page 24 MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 11

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NEWS

Architecture update Original projects to inspire your own self-build or renovation

Pure of thought There are sculptural qualities to Fleet House in Hampstead, London, by architecture practice Stanton Williams. The design includes neat sections of textured brick, white stucco, dark European oak and gneiss stone. It’s environmentally sound, too. With its ground source heat pump and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR), the carbon emissions of this home are expected to be 40 per cent lower than the building regulations maximum. (stantonwilliams.com)

Totally timber Wildfowl, songbirds, deer, insects and humans will all feel equally at home at Fælledby Vejlands Kvarter, a nature-friendly masterplan for a new neighbourhood in Copenhagen, Denmark, constructed entirely of timber. Architecture firm Henning Larsen (henninglarsen.com) and consulting engineers MOE (moe.global) came up with the scheme as part of a competition held by urban-development organisation By & Havn (byoghavn.dk). The 7,000 inhabitants will be encouraged to lead an outdoors life, with wetlands and scrub protecting biodiversity. ‘It will be Copenhagen’s first district to be built fully in wood,’ says Signe Kongebro, partner at Henning Larsen. A starting date is yet to be decided.

Learn from the best Having a style crisis? The Iconic Interior: 1900 to the Present by Dominic Bradbury and Richard Powers (£24.95) reveals how the world’s foremost architects and designers, including Frank Lloyd Wright, Terence Conran and Edwin Lutyens, tackled their own blank canvases. Study the 600 images and you may face another dilemma – too many ideas. (thamesandhudson.com)

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 13

NEWS

Architecture update

A perfect girder Steel and timber industrial features have been retained at Hopewell Yard, a warehouse conversion in Camberwell, London, by Space Group Architects. All the metalwork has been painted black, while wood joists are left exposed for a natural feel. At its heart, the three-bedroom home has a glass box that appears to float in a void above the kitchen/dining area, which pushes up through the roof to allow natural light to filter down to the ground floor. This box doubles as an outdoor courtyard reached by catwalk from a bedroom. From here, the owners can peer down admiring the open-plan set-up. (spacegrouparchitects.com)

Tax neednâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be taxing Current Government VAT incentives encourage demolition rather than renovation (see VAT notice 708: Buildings and Construction). Despite this, Charlie Luxton Design transformed a neglected 1960s bungalow in a Cotswolds conservation area to create a highly sustainable, contemporary family home. The original concrete floor slab and walls were kept to keep carbon and energy locked within the structure. Although there were strict constraints on ridge height, a new pitched roof has given enough volume for an extra storey, allowing for two additional bedrooms. (charlieluxtondesign.com)

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WORDS LEE GALE PHOTOGRAPHY ED RS AVES, JACK HOBHOUSE, PAUL RIDDLE VISUAL VIVID VISUALS

With sea levels rising due to the climate crisis, Sea Change: Flood Resilient Architecture for the 21st Century at Roca London Gallery focuses on architectsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; solutions to keep water from our urban doors. The exhibition explores floating buildings, elevated spaces and flood-management. On until 16 May. Free admission (roca londongallery.com)

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NEWS

Design matters A selection of new products and ideas to complete your project

Inside edge To tie in with a major exhibition at its HQ in Germany, Vitra Design Museum has published a 320-page book of iconic 20th-century interiors. These are accompanied by thoughtprovoking essays on how Western tastes, technologies and lifestyles have changed. Home Stories: 100 Years, 20 Visionary Interiors, £60. (design-museum.de)

Year of the rattan There’s a relaxed, old-school feel to Loaf’s new range of natural rattan bedroom furniture, comprising a bedside table, chest of three drawers and wardrobe. Pale weathered cidre frames and light grey interiors are matched by rattan panels with distressed bronzed handles. There’s also plenty of room under the wardrobe to store shoes and boxes. Willow Robe wardrobe, £1,395. (loaf.com)

Seats with a twist Spirit of adventure Pioneer, a new collection of hand-drawn, traditionally printed wallpapers from MissPrint, riffs on the theme of discovery, exploration and innovation. The big bold leaves of the Jungle pattern would suit a bathroom or child’s bedroom, while subtler more abstract patterns such as Skylark, right, Coral, Nazca or Limelight could create a feature wall in a living room or bedroom. And for nature lovers, there’s floral Meadow, the underwater ferns of Deep Sea and the pretty Wildflower. All are available in a range of colours, priced from £74 for a 52cm x 10m roll. (missprint.co.uk)

Superstar French design duo Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec have created a talking point for their new chair for Finnish furniture brand Artek. A single length of rope is threaded through the tubular steel frame, forming a flexible back and arms where it is exposed. Available in black or pale-grey frame with a pressed beech plywood or ash veneer seat. £495. (artek.fi)

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 17

NEWS

Design matters On the pull Bringing its fashion sensibility to architectural ironmongery, furniture and lighting, Buster + Punch’s Linear handles, pull bars and locks are defined by a grooved surface. The company has also introduced two finishes to its choices of steel, brass or black: dark gun metal, and a burnt steel, made by oxidising the metal. Brass L-bar, £45 each. (busterandpunch.com)

Bijou beauty Scalloped curves and brass plated feet give an Art Deco feel to this Dusty Pink velvet Andorra sofa from Dwell. Plump cushioning and piping details add to the air of elegance. The cosy 172cm-wide two-seat sofa, £749, is complemented by an armchair, £549. (dwell.co.uk)

Recycled rugs Joining the move towards more environment-friendly homewares, Ligne Roset has launched a collection of rugs by Portuguese designer Susana Godinho, made entirely from recycled materials. All The Way rugs weave strips of cork with offcut cotton and linen from swimsuit and T-shirt factories. As well as being a sustainable material, owing to the fact that the tree is not cut down to remove the bark, cork is also a great choice for rugs as it is durable. Each is unique but the current collection works to a palette of dusky pastels and neutrals. Runner, 3,500x700mm, £867. (ligne-roset.com)

Create your own wall-lighting combination with Bert Frank’s Bide system. Individual discs in widths of 280mm and 180mm have a thin profile designed to be overlapped. Lights sit either flat against the wallplate or includes a small gap that will fit over an adjacent light. Each shell is alabaster, giving off a soft, diffused glow and is finished with a central button of Bert Frank’s signature brushed brass. Small light, £510, large light, £630. (bertfrank.co.uk)

18 MAY 2020 /

MAGAZINE.COM

WORDS JESSICA CARGILL THOMPSON

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EXCLUSIVE COLUMN

Kevin

McCloud Online curations inspire us but architecture must be experienced to be fully understood, says our editor-at-large

onathan Swift, the 18th-century satirist, Dublin clergyman and author of the novel Gulliver’s Travels (1726) once wrote, ‘I have heard of a man who had a mind to sell his house, and therefore carried a piece of brick in his pocket, which he shewed as a pattern to encourage purchasers.’ That piece of brick would have been dumb, dull and without much in the way of meaning, which is the point Swift was making. Although it was at least tangible and real. I doubt he’d have understood a modern mobile phone. When they were first introduced they, too, were affectionately known as bricks because of their size, but their modern descendants are capable of extraordinary things and are the opposite of dumb and dull. Their tangibility and haptic responses are just as real as a brick you can touch but their reality does not exist in the physical world; it happens in the virtual spaces behind the screen. You can now Instagram your way through a city and suck all your favourite buildings or landscapes or pictures of

‘You can suck all your favourite buildings from around the world onto one Pinterest board’

caravans from around the world onto one Pinterest board. I’ve got a photo album on my laptop called ‘Modernist Doorhandles of Denmark’. It’s so full of images that I could publish my own book called Modernist Doorhandles of Denmark that Changed the World. I’ve got another called ‘Manholes of Europe’, dedicated to cast-iron street furniture. But I don’t think there ever was going to be a book in that one. At best it makes us all journalists and editors. At worst it makes us sham connoisseurs, liking or hating, tagging and hashing our way through a virtual environment. We don’t have to engage with the made world any more. Or visit places. We don’t have to make contact. No one needs to carry a piece of brick

around because, providing you have your phone, you can show people Zoopla. The virtual environment can, however, provide both great joy and benefits. In the most extreme cases, technology can also provide those with disabilities the opportunity to experience places they could never access and to an extent free them from the physical or psychological confines of their condition. My Rough Guide to

Kevin’s Pinterest page is a tribute to the humble manhole cover

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 21

EXCLUSIVE COLUMN

Matt and Sophie Whitebrick’s barn-style extension in West Sussex is clad in black bricks and zinc

Maison á Bordeaux in France by architect firm OMA, where Rem Koolhaas is a partner, is a multifunctional home for a wheelchairbound man and his family (oma.eu)

‘Increasingly there is a discrepancy between the acceleration of culture and the continuing slowness of architecture’ REM KOOLHAAS responsive to place and its setting. But, as architect Rem Koolhaas said, ‘Any architectural project we do takes at least four or five years, so increasingly there is a discrepancy between the acceleration of culture and the continuing slowness of architecture.’ In other words, it’s difficult for buildings to be trendy. This slowness continues as the building gets used and abused, knocked about and loved. Our understanding of buildings happens in time as well as place; it’s experiential. When they are

successful, buildings can sometimes transport us out of time and place. Meantime, my editor, Karen, will continue to find interesting houses and commission journalists to write and tell the stories of those homes, so that we can spark your imaginations into life. I will continue to tell those same stories on television. Our job is to help you to think and wonder, become engaged and feel drawn to go and visit somewhere. Neither a quick hashtag/like, nor a piece of brick in your pocket, can do that.

ARE YOU PLANNING ? A TV’s Grand Designs is looking for exciting projects to feature on the programme. Does your build fit the bill? Please visit granddesigns.tv/apply

22 MAY 2020 /

MAGAZINE.COM

PHOTOGRAPHY MATT CHISNALL, HANS WERLEMANN/© OMA

the Future series on Channel 4 told an extraordinary story of a Japanese man who was bed-bound and almost unable to move a single part of his body, and yet he worked as a waiter in a cafe, talking to customers and delivering coffee to their tables via new robot technology. For those of us lucky enough to be fully sighted or able-bodied who choose to stay at home, all this sofasurfing and gathering pictures for our Instagram feed, while good for our carbon footprint, can be bad for our integrity and world view. The channels, streams and people we follow, because we like them, further reinforce our outlook. We only see what we enjoy and are not challenged by exposure to the different. We then further limit our understanding of our universe by reducing our opinions to a like or a hate. We post, we tag – we stop thinking. On the other hand, a short walk through a neighbourhood or town centre will probably challenge our world view a few dozen times. Ugly buildings, graffiti and unresolved corners will upset us; a new and difficult building might even make us think. Buildings are meant to be explored inside as well as out; their layout, functionality, atmosphere, context and history, their energy and connection to a place are more important than what they look like. In fact, good architecture is not a ‘look’ and when it is successful it does not conform to a brand. It can almost never be fashionable, either. A good building will always reflect the times in which it was designed, responding to people, their needs and their desires. It will also be

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Wild oast A reimagining of Kentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iconic hop-drying towers made use of local skills to create a cosy family home WORDS JESSICA CARGILL THOMPSON PHOTOGR APHY JIM STEPHENSON

Like the tiles, the windows are arranged seemingly randomly across the 12-metre circular towers

24 MAY 2020 /

MAGAZINE.COM

HOMES KENT

IN BRIEF –

LOCATION Marden, Kent TYPE OF PROPERTY New-build vernacular house BEDROOMS 4 PROJECT STARTED 2012 (planning granted 2014) PROJECT COMPLETED November 2018 SIZE 230sqm COST £900,000

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 25

arah and Paul Newton’s brief to architecture practice Acme was simple and to the point: ‘We wanted a four-bedroom house for ourselves and our two children; something sustainable and high quality,’ says Sarah. As the site was a field attached to their Victorian house in a village in Kent, it would also need to be pretty special. ‘Anything too ordinary probably wouldn’t have made it through planning,’ she explains. That was all architect Friedrich Ludewig, project manager Lucy Moroney and the team at Acme needed to get their creative juices flowing. ‘It was brilliant,’ says Sarah. ‘They went off and had a field day and came back with all these crazy designs we never could have imagined ourselves.’ From the various options presented, including a submerged structure for minimum obtrusiveness, Sarah, 46, a trainee counsellor, and Paul, 48, a planning consultant, chose an oast-house concept to pursue further: ‘We wanted something that linked with the local area, but in a cool way.

Plus, we’d tried to buy a converted oast house a few years ago, but it fell through at survey stage, so the thought of having one built especially for us was a dream.’ However, as oast houses are designed for drying hops in the dark rather than for families who enjoy natural daylight, the Acme team had the challenge of adapting the building type without compromising its essential form. ‘We had to consider how to domesticise an agricultural industrial structure,’ says Friedrich. ‘For example, how do you get windows into it without it just looking embarrassing?’ The solution was to cluster four towers, or roundels, around a fifth central circular space, leaving a gap between each tower for doorways and larger areas of glazing, while punching smaller, less-obtrusive windows into the walls. Interconnected open-plan living spaces occupy the ground floor, while on the first floor, Paul and Sarah and the children have their own bedroom turrets, each with an en-suite bathroom and spiral staircase leading up to a sleeping platform. The towers are timber-framed, with a steel ring beam around the base of the roof, and remain faithful to typical oast-house dimensions – six metres diameter, with the

larger central space six and a half metres. However, the traditional brick walls and tiled roofs have been subverted by cladding the whole exterior in clay tiles to achieve a more streamlined single skin. This striking effect is softened by a seemingly random pattern of eight different Kentish colours that gradually change from darker earthy tones at the bottom to blueish greys at the top. Obtaining planning permission in a rural area is rarely straightforward, but the process was eased by Paul’s professional knowledge. He ensured that he and Sarah went to the parish council meetings to explain the project, spoke to councillors and kept the neighbours informed. Although there were already old stables on the one-acre site, meaning it was not technically a green-field build, the planning officer they were

Two-thirds of the 41,000 tiles had to be cut by hand to allow for the overlaps as they rise higher up the cone

HOMES KENT

The house is organised around a central dining/living space. Spindles were a cost-effective way of achieving the curved balustrade for the staircase and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t block light or sightlines between floors

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 27

HOMES KENT

ABOVE Skilled joiners built the kitchen cabinets on a curve. The doors are made of birch ply with an oak veneer from recycled railway sleepers

BELOW Large panels of glazing in the gaps between towers help to keep the interior bright and allow views into the garden in every direction

The different areas of the ground floor are united by seamless polished concrete flooring

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MAGAZINE.COM

F L O O R PL A N S

BEDROOM BEDROOM

VOID

VOID BEDROOM

SECOND FLOOR

STUDY SHOWER ROOM STUDY SHOWER ROOM

LIVING AREA

DRESSING ROOM BATHROOM

FIRST FLOOR

EN SUITE

STUDY UTILITY

BEDROOM

STORAGE

DINING AREA

LIVING ROOM

KITCHEN

GROUND FLOOR

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 29

HOMES KENT

Forming a galleried landing on the upper level, the circular balustrade echoes the curves of the round towersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; walls RIGHT A second living room occupies the remaining tower of the first floor, where parquet flooring lends warmer, honeyed tones

30 MAY 2020 /

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assigned remained opposed. ‘He thought that nothing should be built on the site and recommended our scheme for refusal,’ says Freidrich. ‘But the planning committee took a look and liked it, so they voted it through eleven to none – much to his annoyance!’ In another part of the country, it might have been difficult finding builders and tradespeople experienced in negotiating the geometries of a curved structure, but Kent contractors are called to work on oast house conversions so often that they brought skills to the job that allowed both architect and Paul and Sarah to raise their expectations. ‘I didn’t think I could afford a kitchen with curved doors because, by that stage, the budget was dwindling,’ recalls Sarah. ‘So I asked the joiner to build one with faceted doors, like a 50p coin – but he

refused. He wanted it to be perfect. He ended up doing the curved built-in desk in the study and utility room units too.’ Friedrich’s suggestion of using birchply shingles instead of plasterboard to clad the interior of the bedroom turrets was harder won, but he and Lucy convinced the contractors by pointing out it would mean that overlapping was part of the look, rather than trying to achieve perfect joins. Sarah and Paul also felt reassured when they realised they would never have to repaint them. In the end the turrets became one of the couple’s favourite features. ‘They’re so beautiful,’ says Sarah. ‘You feel cocooned. We can lie in bed and look up at them, and they still have that smell of wood,’ Where the oast house form comes into its own is when it takes advantage

of its traditional use as a chimney: at the top of each roundel a mechanically operated skylight lets out the warm air, disguised on the interior side so that from below they appear round. Sarah and Paul have also employed a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) system, used in conjunction with highperformance wall insulation and glazing, underfloor heating and a ground source heat pump, all of which keep a comfortable ambient temperature. It’s been just over a year since the family moved in their new home. So what’s living in a round house like? ‘Surprisingly cosy,’ says Sarah. ‘From the outside, it looks very big because it’s tall. But inside it’s homely. You can see everything, you can hear everybody. And it’s really light. Open-plan, but cosy.’

‘From the outside, the building looks very big because it’s tall. But inside it’s homely and really light’

Three of the four towers are used for family bedrooms, which open onto the upper landing

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HOMES KENT

Birch-ply shingles spiral slowly up to the top of the towers, getting smaller as they climb higher LEFT There are no hard corners in the house: window openings and doorways are all finished with a curve. This is Sarah and Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s en-suite bathroom

Each bedroom has its own staircase leading up to a mezzanine sleeping platform RIGHT The bathroom walls, floor and basin shelf are covered with microscreeding, as are the kitchen worksurfaces

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 33

Sleeping platforms inside the conical roofs have a cocooning feel. From the bed thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a view up inside the towers to a skylight at the very top

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HOMES KENT Sarah and Paul plan to landscape the gardens to soften the setting for the house and help it blend in with its rural surroundings

S U PPL I E R S â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PROJECT TEAM Architect Acme (acme.ac) Main contractor Harry Barnes Construction (harrybarnes.co.uk) Structural engineer Stanley Fyffe Associates (0845 370 0744) Planning consultant Barton Willmore (bartonwillmore.co.uk) Mechanical and electrical Terry Baker (terry-baker.com) Environmental control Etude (etude.co.uk)

Building control Wilkinson Construction Consultants (thebuildinginspector.org) STRUCTURE Joinery Wood Works Brighton (woodworksbrighton.co.uk); Masson Joinery (massonjoinery.co.uk) Roofing, cladding and leadwork Swift Roofing (swiftroofingservices.co.uk) Polished concrete floor Contemporary Concrete Floors (contemporaryconcretefloors.co.uk)

Parquet floor Havwoods (havwoods.co.uk) Clay tiles Tondach (tondach.at) Timber frame Northern Timber Systems (northernts.co.uk) Windows Lumi (lumiwindows.com) Ironmongery Joseph Giles (josephgiles.com) FIXTURES & FITTINGS Bath CP Hart (cphart.co.uk) Basins Soakology (soakology.co.uk); Kaldewei (kaldewei.co.uk)

FURNITURE & ACCESSORIES Ploum sofas and footstool Ligne Roset (ligne-roset.com) Eero Saarinen tulip table and Hans Wegner Wishbone chairs The Conran Shop (conranshop.co.uk) Coffee tables Healâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (heals.com); Ligne Roset (as before) Beds Made.com (made.com) Lighting The Conran Shop (as before); Davide Groppi (davidegroppi.com); Flos (flos.com); Slamp (slamp.com); Astro (astrolighting.com)

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 35

German engineering for your home With 32 stores nationwide - visit our website for more details

HOMES LONDON

The first floor at the back of the house has floor-to-ceiling glazing and a sunroom that leads onto the balcony

Open house Behind an unassuming exterior, white walls, big windows and generous spaces make this London terrace stand out from the crowd WORDS JANE CRITTENDEN PHOTOGR APHY ALISTAIR NICHOLLS

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 37

attias Johansson, 47, and his wife, Cameron, 44, had been looking for a home within easy commuting distance of central London. So when Cameron’s parents decided to sell their terraced townhouse in Dulwich, London, the timing couldn’t have been better for the couple and their two daughters Ellen, six, and Evie, three. Cameron, who works in international relations, lived in the 1960s-built home through her teenage years and later rented it from her parents as part of a house share with friends. When Mattias first saw the property he was unimpressed by its unassuming exterior. ‘You could pass by and think nothing of it,’ he says. ‘But inside, the light and views at the back are a lovely surprise.’ Mattias was born in Sweden and the couple, who both love Scandinavian design, felt the style of the house would work well with Nordic-inspired interiors and they were keen not to lose any of the original features. ‘There were a few changes to be made in terms of the layout and the whole house needed updating,’ explains Mattias. Architect Darren Oldfield helped the couple create a plan for the renovations, coming up with ideas for

ABOVE From the upper floors, the four-storey house looks out over the London skyline. A flat roof on the garage, as well as the balcony at the rear, were replaced during the renovation 38 MAY 2020 /

MAGAZINE.COM

IN BRIEF –

LOCATION Dulwich, London TYPE OF PROPERTY 1960s terraced townhouse BEDROOMS 3/4 PROJECT STARTED October 2016 PROJECT FINISHED August 2017 SIZE 221sqm (including garage) PROJECT COST £200,000 CURRENT VALUE Approx £1.3 million

HOMES LONDON

The balcony is a suntrap in the warmer months. The couple plan to fit an awning to protect the west-facing living room from the sunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s glare

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 39

HOMES LONDON

making better use of the spaces by taking down walls, and fitting new electrics, plumbing, bathrooms and bespoke joinery. ‘He provided drawings for nearly every room on every floor,’ says Mattias. Then, during spring 2016, Mattias and his dad spent a long weekend stripping the house of furniture and fittings ready for the builders. Built into the slope of a hill, the townhouse is laid out over four floors with the upper ground floor at street level, which is where the majority of the alterations took place. A quirk of this floor – and the one above – were the white plastic panels covering the lower part of the windows, which were removed and replaced with glass. ‘The idea was to bring more daylight inside,’ 40 MAY 2020 /

MAGAZINE.COM

Mattias says. ‘Now when we come through the front door, we can see right through to the trees outside at the back of the house.’ The couple’s wish for an open-plan living/dining area and kitchen on this level saw two walls taken down to open up the snug to create a single space. This required a clever bit of design from the structural engineer, who was concerned about the lateral stability of the house. ‘A concrete beam runs beneath the kitchen floorboards and a steel beam runs across the ceiling connecting both party walls,’ explains Darren. ‘The engineer specified a narrow column on both walls connected to both beams, which forms a rigid frame.’

ABOVE An original internal window separates the living room from the hall. The glazing was replaced with toughened glass to make it child safe. Built-in bookshelves were designed by the architect RIGHT The strong lines of the 1960s staircase balustrade are a key feature of the house

The couple love Scandinavian design, and felt the style of the house would work well with Nordic inspired interiors

F L O O R PL A N S

STUDY

LIVING ROOM BATHROOM BEDROOM

BEDROOM

BEDROOM EN SUITE DRESSING ROOM

FIRST FLOOR

SECOND FLOOR DINING AREA WC

PLAYROOM UTILITY

KITCHEN

STUDY AREA

GARAGE

SHOWER ROOM

LOWER GROUND FLOOR

GROUND FLOOR

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 41

HOMES LONDON

‘When we come through the front door, we can see right through to the trees at the back of the house’ Opening up the upper-ground floor to the staircase also had an impact on complying with fire-safety building regulations. Mattias and Darren explored various solutions such as sprinklers and a fire curtain but settled on a water mist system. ‘It’s linked to a high-pressure pump in the garage that is connected to the mains water,’ Mattias says. ‘If there ever is a fire the mist will minimise water damage.’ As Mattias and Cameron both work full-time, they hired a main contractor with project management experience. But as the renovations progressed, it became apparent that things weren’t going well, and what should have been a three-month project turned into more than six months. ‘It got to the point where I was double-checking the work rather than simply monitoring how things were 42 MAY 2020 /

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THIS IMAGE AND LEFT Mattias designed the sleek kitchen using Ikeaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s online planning tool. The classic dining table and chairs are by Danish designer Hans J Wegner

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 43

LEFT Ellen and Evieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s zingy bathroom on the first floor is a fun combination of bright yellow flooring and a vivid orange blind BELOW The guest bedroom, with bay window, is on the first floor facing the street

44 MAY 2020 /

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HOMES LONDON

going,’ says Mattias. ‘Darren and I would have done a much better job ourselves.’ Things came to a head with an extraction system that should have been fitted in the loft to ventilate the kitchen and lower-ground floor. The flue for an old gas boiler ran up through all four floors to a chimney, making an ideal passageway for the new ducting. Months passed without the work being completed, and eventually the family moved in without it being done. ‘The firm went

bust shortly after the build finished, so we had to pay for a specialist installer,’ says Mattias. Not ones to dwell on a setback, Mattias and Cameron have had a couple of years to appreciate the benefits of their updated home. The rooms are bright and welcoming with the kitchen a particular favourite. ‘It’s where we cook, eat, do homework and have parties,’ says Mattias. ‘The house suits us, and we’re always happy to come home.’ Which, really, is all you can wish for.

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 45

S U PPL I E R S – PROJECT TEAM Design Darren Oldfield Architects (darrenoldfield.co.uk) Structural engineer Blue Engineering (blueengineering.co.uk) STRUCTURE Flat roofs Cousins Roofing & Building (cousinsflatroofing.co.uk) FIXTURES & FITTINGS Fitted furniture Andwoodcraft (andwoodcraft.co.uk) Kitchen Ikea (ikea.com) Tiles Topps Tiles (toppstiles.co.uk)

46 MAY 2020 /

Bathrooms Park Street Bathrooms (parkstreetbathrooms.com); Bathstore (bathstore.com) Carpets and rubber floors First Floor Fulham (firstfloorfulham.co.uk) Wood flooring Flooring Supplies (flooringsupplies.co.uk) Light fittings Olive & the Fox (oliveandthefox.co.uk) Meinertz SkyLine Plinth radiators Venturi (venturiuk.com) Underfloor heating Nu-Heat (nu-heat.co.uk) Xpelair Xplus 2 ventilation

MAGAZINE.COM

VentfiltersRus (ventfiltersrus.com) Halo Fire Mist System Quenchfire (quenchfire.co.uk) Dulux Trade Diamond Matt paint Dulux Decorator Centre (duluxdecoratorcentre.co.uk) FURNITURE & ACCESSORIES Hans J Wegner Wishbone and Elbow chairs, and dining table Carl Hansen & Søn (carlhansen.com) Sofa Ikea (as before) Freestanding shelving String (stringfurniture.com)

HOMES LONDON

A new flat-panel radiator maintains the clean lines in Mattias and Cameronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bedroom LEFT In the main bedroom en suite, the architect proposed a customised vanity to slot in by the shower. An allwhite wall scheme opens up the room with a contrasting charcoal grey rubber floor

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 47

HOMES SCOTLAND

Family connection This much-loved stone cottage has been renovated and extended with respect for its heritage WORDS EMILY BROOKS PHOTOGR APHY IVAR JANSSEN

IN BRIEF –

LOCATION Comrie, Perthshire TYPE OF PROPERTY Three joined mid 18th-century cottages and a modern extension BEDROOMS 4/5 PROJECT STARTED February 2017 COMPLETED October 2017 SIZE 307sqm LAND COST Already owned BUILD COST £260,000

The pitched-roofed timber-frame extension is painted grey to look less visible from a distance than the main house LEFT The property was originally three separate cottages; they were converted into a single home in the 1930s or 40s

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 49

HOMES SCOTLAND

omrie is a beautiful village at the foothills of the Scottish Highlands, in an area that Jimmy and Fiona Denholm, both in their 60s, have lived in for more than 35 years. With their business based here too – Denholm Partnership Architects; Jimmy is an architect; Fiona an interior designer – they loved living in the tight-knit community. But the couple were keen to move closer to the heart of the village. When they were offered the chance to buy Fiona’s parents’ home – three connected 18th-century stone cottages with a garden sloping down to the River Earn – it was an opportunity that was too good to miss. Renovating and extending would give them everything they needed for the next part of their lives. Although Fiona’s parents had undertaken some modernisation when they bought the cottages in 1975, the traditional arrangement of rooms wasn’t ideal for the couple. ‘We like light and space,’ says Fiona. ‘In my parents’ day, that wasn’t such a big deal. They were very contented with it not being a bright house.’ Jimmy’s plan was to give the cottage a new heart in the shape of an extension that would include one large open‐plan living, dining and kitchen space. ‘Also, the garden

50 MAY 2020 /

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that slopes down to the river is very pretty, and there were few windows on that side of the house, so we weren’t as aware of it as we could have been,’ he says. ‘We wanted to be able to sit in this new space and really appreciate the whole setting.’ As an architect well‐versed in local-planning lore and architectural styles, Jimmy’s proposition for the single‐ storey, timber‐frame extension received permission straight away. The design is simple – a rectangular shape with a gabled roof – to avoid competing with the house. ‘It’s clad in grey timber with a slate roof, so when you look across from the other side of the river it seems more recessive,’ says Jimmy. ‘It doesn’t detract from the integrity

BELOW LEFT Muted greys are a feature of the home’s palette. This is the doorway to the street BELOW Fiona looks out to the covered veranda from the living/dining area

The hallway, once a dining room, links the old and new parts of the house. The console table is a vintage piece

of the old cottage. Village houses are mostly stone, but there are timber outbuildings on backlands, so the extension blends in.’ By selling their previous home, a new-build designed by Jimmy, and moving into rented accommodation before beginning the work, the couple knew in advance what their budget would be and had the funds in place when they were ready to start the project. They used their knowledge of local trades, built up through their architecture practice, to seek out the best main contractor for the work. ‘We chose people we liked and trusted to do a good job, as opposed to the cheapest available,’ says Jimmy. The project‐management side was split between Jimmy, Fiona and local builders Barclay Carmichael and Neil Dawson of S Carmichael & Sons. Living and working in the village meant it was easy to visit the site regularly to check on the construction progress. The project was delivered just a couple of weeks later than planned, and only a little over budget, and that

RIGHT A glazed screen separates the kitchen and living areas, giving a broken-plan layout BELOW Engineered oak boards were chosen for the extension. Although there is underfloor heating and a woodburner, Jimmy and Fiona rarely need to use both

HOMES SCOTLAND

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 53

HOMES SCOTLAND

Jimmy and Fiona designed the kitchen units with Adam Peden of Peden & Pringle. The chest-style drawers are a nod to the couple’s jobs

F L O O R PL A N S

BEDROOM

OFFICE

FIRST FLOOR

EN SUITE

DRESSING ROOM

BEDROOM

LOUNGE

LIVING AREA HALL DINING AREA UTILITY

SHOWER ROOM

COVERED VERANDA KITCHEN

STORE

‘We like light and space. In my parents’ day, that wasn’t such a big deal. They were contented with it not being a bright house’

54 MAY 2020 /

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UTILITY

GROUND FLOOR

Flooring switches from oak to concrete tiles when it meets the kitchen, echoing the concrete worksurfaces

HOMES SCOTLAND

ABOVE The same concrete-effect large-format tiles have been used in the main bathroom and kitchen, giving continuity between the old and new sections ABOVE RIGHT The niche at the side of the bath was once a fireplace

56 MAY 2020 /

was because Jimmy and Fiona decided to up the specification of some of the finishes. ‘We thought we probably wouldn’t be moving again, so it was worth spending more to get what we wanted,’ says Fiona. ‘We didn’t want to go back and upgrade in a few years’ time.’ At the same time as the extension was being built, the cottage was renovated throughout. The plumbing and electrics were overhauled, and internal insulation and extra double-glazed windows were added to bring everything up to modern standards. The living room was converted to Jimmy and Fiona’s bedroom suite with dressing room and bathroom, and the three MAGAZINE.COM

upstairs bedrooms were also refurbished. A light-filled 1960s first-floor addition, once an artist’s studio, is now used as a home office and yoga studio, and as a space where the couple’s grandchildren sleep when they stay over. What Jimmy and Fiona have created is a house with two distinctive characters: the large, light extension with its triple‐glazed sliding doors looking out to the garden; and the original cottage with its smaller rooms, which maintains a sense of cosiness. Fiona’s scheme for the interiors ties the two together. There are uncluttered spaces and white walls with colourful elements, such as the emerald‐green L‐shaped sofa in the extension, complementing art collected over the decades. Antique furniture that belonged to Fiona’s parents, and looked traditional in its old setting, seems rejuvenated in this modern interior. Although Fiona had left home by the time her parents bought the cottage, it still holds special memories for her, and it was important to honour those while putting a new stamp on it. ‘It’s an interesting house, and my parents absolutely loved it; they were very happy here,’ she says. ‘Our three children have also known the house all their lives, so for us it was really special being able to move in.’

‘We thought we probably wouldn’t be moving again, so it was worth spending more to get what we wanted’

The couple’s bedroom is on the ground floor. Instead of a headboard, there’s a high shelf built in above the bed

HOMES SCOTLAND

The glazed sections of the extension have enabled Jimmy and Fiona to discover a relationship with their garden that didn’t previously exist LEFT A local joiner made the panelled headboard in the guest bedroom

S U PPL I E R S – PROJECT TEAM Architect Denholm Partnership Architects (denholmpartnership.co.uk) Structural engineer Allen Gordon (allengordon.co.uk) Main contractor S Carmichael & Sons (carmichaelscomrie.co.uk) Groundworks and drainage AB Gairns (abgairns.com)

STRUCTURE (EXTENSION) Timber frame Rob Roy Homes (robroyhomes.co.uk) Roof slates Cupa Pizarras (cupapizarras.com) Insulation Knauf Insulation (knaufinsulation. co.uk); Kingspan (kingspan.com) Glazing NorDan (nordan.co.uk) FIXTURES & FITTINGS Radiators B&Q (diy.com)

Engineered oak flooring Russwood (russwood.co.uk) Kitchen Peden & Pringle (pedenandpringle.com); Denholm Partnership Architects (as before) Bathroom sanitaryware supplier Warewithall (warewithall.co.uk) Tiles Porcelainplus (porcelainplus.co.uk); Porcelain Tiles (porcelain-tiles.co.uk)

Wood-burning stove Stûv (stuv.com) FURNITURE & ACCESSORIES L-shaped sofa BoConcept (boconcept.com) Lighting Artemide (artemide.com); Tangram (tangramfurnishers.co.uk) Vitra butterfly stool and Eames walnut stool Tangram Furnishers (tangramfurnishers.co.uk)

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 59

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This stylish family home near Sydney, Australia, is built from prefabricated units stacked on top of each other. For more modular houses, go to page 89

PHOTOGRAPHY JOHN MADDEN

PROJECTS

Renovation Guide to final diary: checks and part ten snagging 77

Front door Ten design modular options houses 89

101

How to get your garden into shape 107

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 75

Experts in steel windows. We design, manufacture and install bespoke frames throughout the world.

Visit us at: www.fabcosanctuary.com 01903 718808 enquiries@fabcosanctuary.com

PROJECTS RENOVATION DIARY

Reena, Matt and their girls visit regularly to check on the project’s progress

Miles of cables and pipework go in Reena Simon, 36, interior stylist and blogger (hyggeforhome.com), lives in Cardiff with her husband Matt, 41, and their three young daughters. Follow the family’s progress each month as they convert a 1960s bungalow into a two-storey home

There’s a need for precision at the first-fix stage of the bungalow transformation. Walk-throughs and WhatsApp have been essential It’s been ten months since we started building our dream family home. The exterior has been revealed as the scaffolding came down and now efforts are concentrated on finalising the electrics and plumbing work. And Matt and I are also now the proud owners of a front door! As soon as the house was made watertight, Matt and I had to

complete the plans for our electrical and plumbing scheme so that the first fix could get underway. There were detailed discussions with our build team about where to put the radiators, kitchen appliances, plug sockets and light switches. To this end, we had to be certain of how the layout of the rooms would work and where our furniture would go.

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 77

Matt and I used masking tape and spray paint to plot out the layouts in the empty shells of our rooms; marking out the dimensions of pieces of furniture in places that we thought would work best. Friends even suggested using cardboard boxes to create the same effect in 3D, which was also a great idea that really helped us envisage the scheme and make sure we would have enough space around everything. We had already found that it was worth regularly reviewing our plans for the interior design because as the build came to life we changed our minds about decisions we had made early on. And that was OK – it is much better to make adjustments at first fix

stage, rather than once the plasterboard is on. Nevertheless, we also learned that it’s incredibly important to tell your build team about all your plans for the fixtures and fittings, even things which you may think are not relevant. One such light-bulb moment came when the newly screeded floor had to be taken up

‘There were discussions about where to put radiators, plug sockets and light switches’

Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors have transformed the back of the house

78 MAY 2020 /

MAGAZINE.COM

in our bathroom because we hadn’t told the builder that we wanted a tiled floor with no visible shower tray for a walk-in shower. Matt and I hadn’t realised that a wet-room tray system would need to be fitted prior to the screed being applied. Luckily the builders were very accommodating and dug the corner up where the shower tray would sit, at no additional cost, as they had also made an assumption and hadn’t asked us about exactly what we wanted. Once the layouts and plumbing were decided we moved on to the electrics, including the lights. Nick Merchent of Home Lighting Design created the scheme for us. ‘I avoided evenly spaced lights and chose

RIGHT Electric wiring is installed behind the studwall framework before the plasterboard goes on FAR RIGHT Glazed panels above and to one side of the front door are a way to bring light into the hallway

PROJECTS RENOVATION DIARY

RENOVATION PROJECT PLANNING GUIDE

FINDING A PLOT OR RUN-DOWN PROPERTY Search via land and property websites, contact local estate agents and get on the mailing lists for upcoming property auctions.

SEEK PLANNING PERMISSION It’s required before you start any work, apart from changes completed under permitted development rules.

SET A BUDGET AND HIRE YOUR TEAM Work out a budget and then secure funds as a priority. Seek recommendations for architects and builders. Visit their completed projects.

PHOTOGRAPHY MARIE PALBOM PHOTOGRAPHY

PROJECT TEAM Architect Downs Merrifield Architects (downsmerrifield.com) Planning consultant LRM Planning (lrmplanning.com) Interior architecture Alex Nikjoo (nikjoo.co.uk) Landscape architect Victoria Wade Landscape Architecture (victoriawade.co.uk) Lighting Nicholas Merchent, Home Lighting Design (hldstudio.com) Electrics Liam Broad Electrical (lbelectricalservices. org) Builder REG Construction (07791 143 017)

a more asymmetrical effect, balancing out the light levels with decorative fittings rather than relying on spotlights,’ he explains. Nick, Matt and I talked the electrician through the plan as we walked through each room and pointed out where the fittings would go. He noted everything down and also had plans to refer to. We set up a WhatsApp group to keep in daily contact with each other, which was really useful when we couldn’t be on site. He was still able to check up on anything he was concerned about and get a speedy response. And now the front door has been fitted. It’s 1.3 metres wide, which is larger than a standard front door, and is 2.3 metres high. It adds a real sense of drama to the exterior and

4 REENA’S RENOVATION TIP Future-proof your home by asking the electrician to run extra cables in the walls and ceilings to make provision for updates in the future

creates an inviting entrance. Matt and I debated at length with our architect whether to go for a fully glazed door, which would have worked well as we have no passersby, but chose a mainly solid door in the end. We like the element of surprise it offers, in not giving too much away of what’s to come. The bungalow had an oversized glass panel by the entrance, so we decided to replicate this in a similar position to let in natural light. While the electrics inside have been carried out in one go, we will be taking the garden landscaping in stages. So the outdoor lighting and the water supply will be done as the garden slowly takes shape.

MANAGE THE PROJECT Give your team a clear brief for the build. Set a schedule of works and make sure that the legally binding construction contract is ready.

MAKE REGULAR INSPECTIONS Visit the site to ensure that everything is in order and the work is progressing as planned. Address any issues as they arise.

SIGN OFF THE PROJECT Take a tour of the finished work with your build team and note down any snags that need to be corrected before signing off on the renovation project. For more on signing off a project, see page 81

● Next month: Work on the interiors moves on apace

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 79

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PROJECTS GRAND BUILD

Go round the house and check that all the light fittings and plug sockets work

All present and correct Make vital final snagging and paperwork checks before moving into your self-build There are a few essential steps to take once the building, decorating and installation work of your home is pretty much finished. This is because you will need a formal completion certificate from your local authority before you can move in. It shows that the

main stages of the building works have been completed to a satisfactory standard and that all the conditions of planning permission and building regulations have been successfully met.

Ready for inspection You should have been given a guide completion date from your contractor – ideally it will have been written into your building contract. Once that date is reached and your home is nearly ready to be moved

into, your contractor should notify you or your surveyor, project manager or homebuilding package supplier that the property requires an inspection. If everything is in place for handover, the formal application to the local authority can be made for the official completion certificate to be produced. It is one of the most important official documents you’ll be given during your self-build. Without it, your project is not proven

as having been built and finished to a satisfactory standard and it won’t officially be allowed to be lived in. The certificate doesn’t prove that there aren’t any hidden problems and it isn’t an insurance cover, but if you ever decide to sell your home, the buyer will ask to see this documentation. You should also bear in mind that you won’t be able to apply to HMRC to reclaim VAT without one. Inspection will usually involve not just a MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 81

VISIT

GRANDDESIGNSMAGAZINE.COM is an essential online resource for anyone embarking on a self-build, renovation or home-improvement project. As well as ideas from Kevin McCloud and the inside scoop on the Grand Designs TV houses, we’ve gathered together all the tools you’ll need to ensure your project is a great success. You’ll find a wealth of design inspiration, expert advice and practical guidance to help you navigate your way through every stage of the process.

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PROJECTS GRAND BUILD

New plaster walls will need several coats of paint for an even, patch-free finish

visit and a look around the site; equipment will be tested to see that it all works properly. If you decide to move into the home before the completion certificate is issued, you can do so, but you’ll need to arrange for a building control officer to inspect the property with a view to issuing a temporary occupancy certificate.

any manufacturers’ warranty certificates. If a problem does occur in the future, the warranties may enable you to make a claim.

Important paperwork

Fault finder

You will also acquire many other certificates over the course of your self-build project – warranties, electrical safety and benchmark certificates, for example. And you’ll need to find an accredited domestic energy assessor to undertake an energy performance certificate (EPC). Go to epcregister.com for more details. Ask your contractor or individual tradespeople for

Before you move in, there is one final job to complete: the snagging inspection. It should take place shortly after the completion certificate has been issued. It will involve you or your project manager (or both) walking around the house with your contractor, or individual trades, with both parties noting any defects. If done correctly, it will take quite a while, possibly a day. You may find it useful

It is an accepted practice in the building industry that you hold back around 2.5 to ﬁve per cent of the agreed contract price to cover for any snagging work to ask your architect to attend the inspection, to help with any debatable points. It is an accepted practice in the building industry that you hold back around 2.5 to five per cent of the agreed contract price to cover for any snagging work – although you should make sure that this is written into your contract at the start of the project. You will need to write a detailed list of everything that needs to be fixed and sorted out before you settle your contractor’s final bill. If you don’t feel that the work on the list meets your standards, you’ll then have money to employ another

contractor to complete it, rather than pay out twice for the same tasks. If you’ve project managed and employed individual trades, you’ll need to negotiate the snagging process with each of them, which can sometimes be tricky as it may not be clear who is responsible for each particular problem.

Areas for consideration Possible faults to look out for: Paintwork Check that all the painted surfaces are of a good standard. Newly plastered walls will often require several coats of paint, for instance. If you notice any rough spots, the surface will need to be sanded down and repainted. Heating Turn on the heating system and check everything is working

•

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 83

PROJECTS GRAND BUILD

WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE AND WHAT ISN’T? TV presenter, property expert and social entrepreneur Kunle Barker on how to deal with defects (kunlebarker.com) ● Identifying defects is an important process to get right at the end of a build. Any problems overlooked could turn out to be costly to correct, so it’s vital that as many as possible are picked up at this stage. ● The National House Building Council (nhbc.co.uk) has a useful guide to the industry standards for finishes, which outlines tolerances and guidelines for work such as tiling, brickwork, plastering and flooring. If anything falls outside of these tolerances and guidelines then you should insist that the works are rectified.

properly. If any radiators fail to warm up evenly, they may need to be bled. Carry out a similar check on any wet underfloor heating. Are all the zones working and have they been connected to the thermostats properly? Plumbing Run the taps to make sure they work and that the water from the hot tap is warming up. Fill the sink and allow water to escape down the overflow. Then empty the sink and check for leaks beneath it. Kitchen Make sure all the cabinet drawers slide in and out smoothly and that the doors open and close – and align evenly when closed. Have all the shelves been fitted where they were supposed to be, are the tiles grouted and the kitchen sink area sealed?

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84 MAY 2020 /

You will need to write a detailed list of everything that needs to be ﬁxed before you settle your contractor’s ﬁnal bill

• Skirting boards

Check that all the boards have been nailed on properly, filled in and then sanded and painted. Carpets and flooring Are the floor tiles and carpets level and fixed securely? Bathrooms Check that the tiles have been grouted, and that the basins and baths are sealed. Make sure plugs and light cords have been fitted and test the extractor fan. Doors Open and shut all the doors, both internal and external ones, to make sure they all fit snugly.

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MAGAZINE.COM

Ensure external locks are working, not just for security, but for insurance purposes. Drainage Inspect the gutters and downpipes and make sure they are securely fixed and leak-free during rainfall and that all gullies and drains are free from debris. Lighting Are all the fittings secure and working? Electrics Use a plug-in night light to check that all sockets work. Try the telephone socket. Roof coverings Take a look to see if any tiles or slates are cracked or appear loose and that all lead flashings are complete and secure. Ask your roofer to take pictures of the finished work if you are unable to gain access to view the work yourself.

•

• • •

● But even these guidelines can be open to interpretation so it’s always best to try and decide the things you will and won’t compromise on. This will help you to focus on what is really important in your home. In the case of subjective defects, you may well be able to negotiate with your contractor. For more advice, go to nhbc.co.uk. ● It might also help you to ask your architect to be part of the inspection process. ● Be wary of asking another builder for advice on checks for defects; they can be overzealous when it comes to evaluating other tradespeople’s work.

Kunle will be on hand with more advice for self-builders this month at Grand Designs Live London, 2-10 May. See page 147 for more details and to get tickets (granddesignslive.com)

PHOTOGRAPHY DARREN CHUNG, FRASER MARR, MEL YATES

Check that kitchen cabinet doors and drawers open and close smoothly, then make sure the sink is free of leaks before signing off the work

ADVERTISING PROMOTION

EVERY DETAIL COVERED Baufritz will be with you every step of the way to ensure your self-build home is everything you wished for Off-site timber construction specialist Baufritz builds eco-friendly and healthy houses. For more than a century, this family run German company, which has its UK headquarters in Girton near Cambridge, has had a reputation for building exceptionally high-quality homes using natural materials. Every self-builder has different ideas about how their home should look and feel, and these individual requirements can be built into the Baufritz production process. The first step is to meet with a specialist consultant in Cambridge to discuss your requirements. Experienced in-house designers will then prepare plans and submit a planning application on your behalf. Detailed drawings will be put together, including the calculations for the groundworks, structure and building services. You’ll also be invited to the company’s state-of-the-art design centre in Germany to specify the finer details of your house. The groundworks and preparations for house assembly is performed by the company’s building partners, with all large construction elements prefabricated by Baufritz joiners and carpenters in Germany. Once delivered to site, a specialised team will assemble the house ready for craftsmen to complete the fit-out. A fixed price and timescale for the project is agreed early on, and in this way the Baufritz process offers peace of mind. We can supply the shell only, where we deliver the walls, floors and roof, or alternatively, our turnkey solution includes all elements of your build.

TOP Baufritz worked closely with the plot owners to create this energy-efficient family home in Germany. This is the rear of the house ABOVE Component parts are made at Baufritz’s factory in Germany before being shipped to the UK LEFT There is a large range of tile options for kitchen and bathroom schemes

● Visit BAUFRITZ.CO.UK, call 01223 235 632 or email ENQUIRIES@BAUFRITZ.CO.UK MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 85

MAKE YOUR DREAM A REALITY Give your home a glamorous upgrade with Express Bi-Folding Doors

86 MAY 2020 /

MAGAZINE.COM

ADVERTISING PROMOTION

Do you ever walk past a house and wish it was yours? With the help of Express Bi-Folding Doors, you too can create an eye-catching home that will be the talk of the town. The owners of this stunning house in Harrogate had often admired a neighbour’s windows and were looking to add some style to their own home. They made an enquiry and were told that it was the work of Express Bi-Folding Doors. After a quick and stress-free correspondence, the company got the ball rolling on creating a dream home. Express Bi-Folding Doors has been providing high-end services to customers across the UK for over a decade. As well as offering their expertise on which products would be best suited to the homeowners’ vision, the Express team were able to draw on their extensive experience and contacts list to recommend two potential contractors who would be perfect for the job. Sleek and slick products transported the property from the past and placed it firmly in the future, with the new design epitomising

the modernism and innovation that has become synonymous with Express Bi-Folding Doors. As a result of the rear-elevation glazing and impressive sliding patio doors on the front wings, the home has been completely transformed; style and freshness have been breathed into the property. Grand sliding doors form the impressive entrance, standing at three metres high. This awe-inspiring welcome is thanks to one of four huge sets of sliding doors, with another on the front elevation, both leading straight through into the striking open-plan kitchen, dining and living area and out to the immaculate patio and landscaped garden. The rear of the house is dominated by feature glazing, with a large atrium. This vast panoramic window creates a spectacular architectural feature across all floors right up to the ridge of the roof. Express Bi-Folding Doors’ product range has given the house a new lease of life, while accentuating the incredible North Yorkshire countryside views and offering a perfect hub from which to enjoy them.

ABOVE A ground-floor curtain wall acts as a contemporary fixed picture window LEFT Modern glazing is a central feature of the house’s rear elevation ● See how the home of your dreams can become a reality by visiting EXPRESSBIFOLDS. CO.UK or call 0800 121 4809.

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 87

We at BalconyLife are specialists in the design and manufacture of balconies, structural thermally broken building connection systems and structural thermal breaks. The BalconyLife balcony range includes the Vista View with its contemporary glass balustrade appearance and the Panorama with its elegant and traditional appearance of metal-railing balustrade. These ranges come both in cantilever and Juliet styles and a variety of sizes including the Junior balcony which provides the benefits of a walk-on cantilever balcony at a budget price. BalconyLife offer the complete thermal and structural solution for designers when fixing structural and architectural elements to a building outside of the insulated building envelope. Our building connections can be installed within timber joist floors and to concrete floors or steel structural frames. The BalconyLife Concrete Strap and Timber Tee building connection systems and Insula structural thermal breaks have been successfully installed on construction projects throughout the UK in order to comply with the requirements of the Building Regulations Part L to improve the thermal and energy efficiency of buildings. The Insula structural thermal break products are available in a standard range. We also offer a bespoke design service so the Insula thermal breaks can be manufactured to achieve project specific requirements including steel to steel, concrete to steel and concrete to concrete thermally broken connections. BalconyLife have a knowledgeable and experienced design team who are available to discuss your requirements from initial enquiry through to installation of our products.

Visit us at: www.balconylife.co Contact us at: 01509 844233

10 Prefabricated systems can offer a world of choice, as this selection of inspiring homes proves WORDS JAYNE DOWLE

magnificent modular houses A modular home encapsulates the best of all worlds: a fast build on site, precision engineering achieved through factory construction and the room to customise the manufacturer’s model to suit your needs or local area. Around the globe, self-builders and their architects are using a range of materials to create striking houses: from super-strong cross-laminated timber, to traditional oak frames. Energy efficiency is at the fore, with renewable components, superior insulation, repurposed units and high-tech glazing making modularity a particularly good choice for anyone living in more northerly climes or seeking an airtight construction.

STEEL-FRAMED BEACH HOUSE Designed to capture light in winter and prevent overheating

in summer, this five-bedroom family home in the beachside suburb of Tamarama, near Sydney, Australia, has sliding battened screens to shade the windows, casting shifting shadows inside and softening the dark facade. ‘Windows and skylights throughout maximise light and aid natural ventilation,’ says Jan Gyrn, managing director of Modscape (modscape.com.au), the company that provided the nine units of up to 11.6 metres long that were stacked to form the house. Designed in conjunction with architecture practice Fox Johnston (foxjohnston.com.au), the home has a fully welded steel frame and was built on the stone foundations of a previous building. Costs for a similar project range from £1,530 to £2,040 per square metre.

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 89

Open-sided steel boxes were made in Oregon, then shipped to the Californian site and positioned on concrete plinths

CORTEN CONSTRUCTION Standing guard over California’s Sonoma Valley, this pair of open-sided

Corten steel boxes were made in Oregon, then shipped to site and positioned on concrete plinths. One module is used as the main house, while the other is reserved for guests, with a steel staircase linking the two. The owner, an architect, worked with designer Alchemy’s principal architect, Geoffrey Warner, to create the simple, striking shapes that have a touch of West Coast glamour. Geoffrey says his approach optimises many elements of the traditional build process, christening it barn-tech, and has patented this kind of design as a WeeHouse. Both modules have 2.6-metre sliding glass walls that open onto sheltered decks, and interiors clad in ipe, a Brazilian walnut, with oiled oak cabinets. For a compact floor plan, a whitewashed oak bed box sits towards one end of the 59-square-metre main house, freeing up most of the larger portion of the space for a kitchen/dining/living area on one side, with a bathroom tucked away on the other. In the smaller flat, a wardrobe screens the en suite, ensuring privacy. The cost was £440,000. (weehouse.com)

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PROJECTS GRAND GUIDE

LOG-BUILT LODGE The owners of this two-bedroom seaside lodge in southern

Finland set out to build a stone house but, won over by the natural charm of wood, decided to embrace log construction instead. Their contemporary 210-squaremetre home is built from cross-laminated logs of spruce – a wood known for its weather resilience and even colouring. Precision-engineered to fit together without gaps, the logs give the building an airtight shell. The construction method, patented by Finnish company Polar Life Haus (polarlifehaus.com), is known as non-settling log construction and is strong enough to allow large areas of glazing. ‘Villa Luoto has panoramic views of the surrounding countryside thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows,’ says Polar Life Haus co-owner Mikko Vainionpää, who worked with modern log-homes architect Seppo Mantylä (seppomantyla.fi) on the project. The cost was £700,000.

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 91

GLASS-PANEL SYSTEM

Creating a retreat for a DJ and his family in the middle of the Costa Rican jungle required a lightweight, sustainable solution. It was achieved by hanging a series of interlocking glass panels from a metal frame, which caused very little impact on surrounding vegetation, and left a bright triple-height space with great views. ‘This construction method allowed for a quick installation on site, reduction of costs and extreme openness, typical of lightweight tropical architecture,’ says architect Alejandro González of Studio Saxe, who designed the three-bedroom 340 square metre, £500,000 project. Sheets of teak on roof and walls emphasise the connection with the setting – some of these are louvred to allow for natural light and ventilation – while the wide roof houses photovoltaic panels, as well as providing shade. (studiosaxe.com)

STRAW BALE AND SALVAGE

With a budget of £150,000 and land gifted by her parents, Jan Whitlock self-built her sustainable home in the West Sussex village where she grew up. Employing Ecotecture Ecological Design (01444 416 745; ecotecture. co.uk) resulted in a circular timber-frame construction using straw bales for insulation and lime render for the external finish, with a floating roof. A local carpenter built the frame, using timber from his own woods to construct the cross braces and hazel spikes that hold the bales in place. Inside, the living room flooring was salvaged from a village hall; a Glastonbury art installation makes up part of the kitchen; scaffold planks were used for window sills, and bathroom fittings were rescued from a local skip. A rainwater harvesting system

HAND-MADE LOOK This three-bedroom house in Wester Ross in the Scottish Highlands has been clad with local

stone and larch, each nail driven in by hand to avoid leaving power-tool marks. It was built on the shores of a loch for a couple who enjoy it as a holiday home. The starting point was R House’s (ruralhouse.co.uk) R3E model, which is priced at £251,000 for the turnkey option with bathrooms and kitchen installed. ‘The layout and construction of each R House design is deliberately simple in order to keep the cost down, but it still allows scope for bespoke details,’ says builder James MacQueen (skyebuilder.co.uk). The owners opted to add other features, such as an exposed stove flue in the bedroom and roof windows that help create a bright, airy space flooded with light – and allow great views of the stars. Energy-saving measures include a mechanical heat exchange system and an air-source heat pump, Scandinavian high-performance double-glazed windows, and thermal and acoustic insulation.

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PROJECTS GRAND GUIDE

INDUSTRIAL EFFECT The musician who owns this two-bedroom villa on Bainbridge Island, Seattle, USA, asked for two things: enough space for his baby grand piano, and for the house to be constructed from shipping containers. The piano now sits in his studio, but architect Matthew Coates of Coates Design Architects found a more cost-effective way to achieve the same effect. ‘We designed a cargo container house, but when the contractor priced it, we realised it would cost significantly less to construct the same design with timber framing instead,’ says Matthew. The final project came in at £154,724. For an industrial look, the exterior and some interior walls of the two-storey, 258 square metre house were clad in corrugated metal. The ground floor has the main bedroom suite, kitchen and a double-height living and dining area; upstairs is a guest bedroom suite, workshop, sheltered outdoor decks and a loft/music room with connecting studio, in a layout that optimises acoustics, ventilation and light. (coatesdesign.com)

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 93

TINY-HOUSE TWINS High on the prairies of the Cambará do Sul region of

southern Brazil stand two shipping-container homes. Owner Carina Boff, lives in one and rents out the other. The 33.9 square metre units were inspired by the tiny-house concept, which advocates simple, compact living, and each one incorporates a living/dining area, kitchenette, double bedroom and bathroom, all heated by a wood-burning stove. When the weather is warmer, glass sliding doors open from the living space to the front balcony, plus there is a roof terrace. The retreats cost just £44,051 each and were designed by local architects Mégui Pezzi Dal Bó and Saymon Dall Alba of Sala de Arquitetos, who repurposed the containers to save build time and reduce pressure on the environment. ‘This kind of build cuts down on resources, such as water, sand, gravel, cement, brick and iron, and leaves the construction site clean because there isn’t any rubbish and material left behind,’ says Saymon. (saladearquitetos.com.br)

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The longhouse references the rural architecture of the island, but with modern energy-saving solutions and contemporary design

TIMBER LONGHOUSE John Watson and Lesley Ryan, a professional couple from

Glasgow, had been visiting the Isle of Skye over several years, falling in love with the landscape, the people and the more gentle way of life. ‘We decided to build our house on the south of the island with a view to it becoming our permanent home,’ says John. ‘Our requirements were open-plan living, three bedrooms, storage and a sizeable utility room in which we could dry our dog, Ruby.’ The HebHomes longhouse that they opted for references the rural architecture of the island, but with modern energy-saving solutions and contemporary design. It’s constructed from cross-laminated timber and uses structural insulated panels to achieve ultra-high performance noise and heat insulation. The couple extended the standard footprint of the HebHomes model to 146 square metres in order to have a bigger living room and porch, and make space for two bathrooms. The project cost £450,000, including land, upgrading utility connections to the required standard, and high-spec appliances. (hebrideanhomes.com) MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 95

ENERGY EFFICIENT BESPOKE UNDERFLOOR HEATING SUPPLIED PRE-MADE FOR YOUR PROJECT ENABLING THE FLOOR AND HEATING TO BE LAID IN ONE

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PROJECTS GRAND GUIDE

SPACE-CREATING FRAMES This four-storey, six-bedroom family home in a suburb of Frankfurt, Germany, has

374 square metres of space that three generations enjoy living, working and entertaining in together. Baufritz’s load-bearing timber frame and post-and-beam construction method allows for an open-plan layout on every floor, with the living and dining areas flowing seamlessly into each other. To add to the sense of space, the floor-to-ceiling glazed doors and windows open to a first-floor balcony and set up views of the garden and rolling hills of southern Hesse. The confident proportions soar into the steep-pitched roof, with two bedrooms and a yoga studio on the top floor. ‘The glazed western facade of the building is set in hand-cut natural stone,’ says Baufritz architect Hans-Georg Stotz. ‘This gives the exterior a strong impact, while contrasting with the light and harmonious interior.’ As well as the stone, other natural materials, including engineered hardwood flooring, were used throughout the £1.1 million project. (baufritz.com)

PHOTOGRAPHY ALCHEMY ARCHITECTS, BAUFRITZ, DAVID W COHEN, ANDRES GARCIA LACHNER, GUILHERME JORDANI/ MÉGUI DAL BÓ ARQUITETA, HANS KOISTINEN, JOHN MADDEN, JACK MERCER, NIGEL RIGDEN, WELSH OAK FRAME

OAK BARN METHOD

When Peter and Liz Ballard relocated from rural Essex to Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, they wanted to recreate the character and roomy open-plan layout of the 300-year-old barn they left behind. So they chose a Welsh Oak Frame design, with the exposed timber frame creating vaulted spaces within, and an exterior clad in stone, render and weatherboarding. ‘The frame took just two weeks to erect with a crane,’ says Peter. The pitched slate roof helps the house blend in with the area’s agricultural buildings. On the ground floor, an L-shaped kitchen, dining area and living room opens onto the garden through glazed doors; upstairs there are four bedrooms, one with an en suite, family bathroom and study. Peter managed the £500,000 project, designing various aspects himself, including the open-tread oak, stainless-steel and glass staircase. (welshoakframe.com) MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 97

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steel reinforced natural hardwood doors entrance doors internal feature doors garage doors oversized doors passive house certified doors made and designed in UK

+44 (0)1494 778787 info@urbanfront.co.uk www.urbanfront.com For beautifully handcrafted contemporary handles visit pushpull.co.uk

PROJECTS BUYER’S GUIDE

Horizontal grooves and a long pull stainless steel handle give the Parma E80 pivot doorset in lacquered American black walnut a contemporary look. The door, with frame and glass sidelight, £9,438, Urban Front (urbanfront.co.uk)

FOCUS ON

Front doors Matters of style, security, energy-efficiency and installation must all be taken into account before you buy

It may be a cliché but it’s no less true that your front door makes a big first impression on visitors to your home. The right design will welcome guests with an attractive and inviting entrance that suits the overall design of the property and deter unwelcome visitors with its robust construction and effective security features.

WORDS ANDREA MANLEY

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 101

ENSURING COMPLIANCE With new-builds and major renovation projects, the front door will form part of the planning application for the entire scheme. If you’re upgrading your home, a like-for-like replacement falls under permitted development rights (PD) and you won’t need planning consent, unless the property is listed or in a conservation area, or if you’re creating a new opening or widening the existing one. Make sure you’re clear on the rules in your area by checking with your local authority before beginning any work. Fitting a front door is subject to building regulations. Choose your door supplier’s installation service or hire a reputable joiner who is familiar with building regulation requirements. RIGHT Engineered wood doors are made from timber running in different directions, which gives more stability than solid wood versions. FunkyFront engineered timber door with bar handle, £2,454, Klöeber (kloeber.co.uk)

TIMELESS WOOD Timber is the most traditional material option, and you can choose between off-the-shelf, made-to-measure or bespoke styles, depending on your budget. Solid hardwoods, such as oak and beech, are extremely durable but more expensive than softwoods, such as pine and ash. Modified timber – Accoya, for instance – has outstanding durability and sustainability, and outperforms hardwood. ‘It’s water-resistant, virtually rotproof, doesn’t swell, shrink, twist or warp and has minimal movement in the joints,’ says Rob Owens, sales manager at Westbury Windows & Joinery (westburyjoinery.com). ‘Paired with a paint system, such as Teknos, it will not need repainting for 12 years or more.’ LEFT Made-to-measure double-oak doors create a grand entrance and its vertical-plank design adds character. Project by Gail Marsden Interior Design (gailmarsdendesign.co.uk) 102 MAY 2020 /

MAGAZINE.COM

PROJECTS BUYER’S GUIDE

GLAZING CHOICES Glass inserts, sidelights and transom panels above the door can be used in combination or individually to bring light into a hallway. Sidelights will make an entrance appear wider, and many door manufacturers offer standard sets including sidelights and a transom window. To maintain a home’s sense of privacy, opt for opaque glazing and consider safety, security and energy-efficiency ratings before you buy. For period properties, stained glass looks elegant, from inside and out, and can be strengthened or laminated for enhanced security. RIGHT A bespoke door with glazed sidelights, spanning over 4m, gives this barn renovation’s entrance plenty of light. Made of engineered European redwood and painted Stone Grey, the Chichester door with two sidelights is around £4,500, Dale Joinery (dalejoinery.co.uk)

METAL, UPVC AND COMPOSITES Aluminium is a top-of-the-range option and works well in a modern setting. Designs can have a thermal insulating inner foam or a timber core covered with steel skin, which keeps the heat in and the cold out. Powder-coated for a durable, maintenance-free finish and available in any RAL colour – gloss or matt – aluminium doors are more expensive than composite or uPVC but are becoming more affordable as manufacturers introduce standard sizes. ‘A good-quality front door is an investment and uPVC tends to be the cheapest option but opting for a stronger, more durable material offers better value for money in the long run,’ says Neil Ginger, CEO at Origin (origin-global.com) Composite doors are made from several materials, usually a steelreinforced uPVC frame with a rigid insulation core of foam or timber and finished with weatherproof plastic cladding. Another option is a glass reinforced plastic (GRP) exterior skin, made from polyester resins and fibreglass. Composites offer good thermal performance, are more durable and come in more finishes than uPVC. LEFT The Apertio solid front door is a highsecurity pivot door with a reinforced-steel core. Shown here clad in black porcelain, it’s available in other colours and bespoke sizes. From £12,000, IQ Glass (iqglassuk.com) MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 103

PROJECTS BUYER’S GUIDE

A generously sized design made from durable engineered Siberian larch with toughened glass brings authenticity to a period renovation. From £2,000, Mumford & Wood (mumford andwood.com)

IN FROM THE COLD When choosing an energy-efﬁcient front door, Matt Higgs, director at Klöeber (kloeber.co.uk), says there are three factors to consider ● The U-value is a measure of the heat lost through the product. It should be lower than 1.8W/m2. The best thermal efficiency comes from a door with insulation at its core. Some timber and composite doors have a high-performance insulating core while others have a void. ● L-value is a measure

of air permeability, which is measured in pascals – a higher pascal rating is better. To protect against air leaks, chose a material that won’t move, swell or bow with changes in the weather. It‘s also important that the doorframe is insulated and sealed to stop air and water coming through. ● The G-value is the

STRICT SECURITY A high-performance front door will deter burglars. Traditional locks need to conform to British Standard BS3621. For added protection look for door designs that carry Secured by Design accreditation, which takes into account hinge quality, materials used and the strength of any glazing. Front door security for new-builds is subject to building regulations and must be PAS 24 and Part Q approved. Hi-tech add-ons can further improve your home’s security. 104 MAY 2020 /

MAGAZINE.COM

‘Smart technology is easy to integrate using motorised locking and fingerprint or keypad entry,’ says Elizabeth Assaf, co-founder and designer at Urban Front (urbanfront.com). ‘It can be connected to any smart home system and controlled by a mobile device. All you need is an electricity outlet near the door.’ Alternatively, an off-the-shelf camera doorbell sends audio and video to your mobile phone so you can see and speak to anyone at the door without opening it.

PHOTOGRAPHY CRAIG MAGEE INTERIOR + ARCHITECTURE PHOTOGRAPHY

percentage of solar energy that passes through glazing; a lower rating is better. If you’re incorporating glass panels, then consider the solar gain factor. For south-facing elevations, solar control glass that reduces heat gain will be a good option.

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Design the doors you love and be eco-friendly with black steel doors. Thanks to our low U-value of 1.1 our external proﬁles will maintain warmth in your home with minimal eﬀort. Black Steel Doors is more than just design.

www.arcticcabins.co.uk 0115 932 8888 We are exhibiting at the

Grand Designs Show May 2nd – May 10th Stand Number J3B

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PROJECTS GARDEN LANDSCAPING

This elegant 30x4m garden in Richmond, Surrey, by designer Chris Harrington of Harrington Porter used reclaimed antique gates from a French chateaux. The whole project cost £114,000 (harringtonporter.com)

Follow the ground rules Even the trickiest spaces can be transformed into garden paradises WORDS CAROLINE RODRIGUES

Creating a garden can be just as complex as putting together a room scheme. There are several elements to consider and these apply regardless of whether you are working on a new-build or making changes to an established garden. Putting forward a detailed landscaping design at the early stages of a self-build project will impress the planning department. It will also ensure you get the best results, such as by taking drain covers and utility supplies into account. Consider what you require from the space. Do you want somewhere to sit, a place to cook and eat, a play area, a vegetable patch? And for the front garden, you’ll need a plan that’s practical, will enhance your home and provide privacy.

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The right advice By employing a landscaping expert or garden designer you’ll get help with planning issues, building regulations and the construction, along with a beautiful plot. Seek a recommendation and check whether the designer is a member of the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) (landscaper.org.uk), the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) (bali.org.uk) or the Society of Garden Designers (SGD) (sgd.org.uk). After a visit to your garden, which may be free, they may offer anything from a day’s consultancy to a full survey, construction drawings, planting plans, quotes and tenders for services and project management. Payments can be staged. ‘For a small garden, the design process could take two to three months, then the build might take five weeks,’ says Sarah Naybour of Sarah Naybour Design. RIGHT AND BELOW This garden was developed as part of a house overhaul near Oxford. Garden designer Sarah Naybour tackled the steep site using oak walls and a gabion wall to retain the levels. Paths cut through swathes of grasses and perennials. The project cost £80,000 (sarahnaybour.co.uk)

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PROJECTS GARDEN LANDSCAPING

Designed for a new-build in West Sussex, this garden sits on made-up ground from a drained lake. Louisa Bell of The Lovely Garden brought in 500 oak sleepers to shore up the clay soil. The cost was around £180,000 (thelovelygarden.co.uk)

AN IDEAL APPROACH Driveway regulations and design tips from Trevor Knight, head of technical operations at Marshalls (marshalls.co.uk) ● It is not advisable to

reverse onto a public highway from a driveway. Plan a drive that is wide enough to accommodate reversing into it from the road. A turning circle or small reversing bay makes life much easier. ● A good designer or

contractor will advise on planting trees and shrubs that won’t send roots into the driveway, to avoid pushing up the surface. Ensure existing tree roots, water pipes or cables will not be damaged during the build.

Choosing materials

Fabulous flora

● Consider driveway lights

The general rule is to select hard landscaping materials that complement the style of your house. Use natural stone or gravel for meandering paths for a traditional look or symmetrical block paving for a contemporary scheme. If you’re paving a front garden, look at the regulations relating to the use of permeable materials at the Planning Portal (planningportal. co.uk). If your design includes a retaining wall, seek the advice of a structural engineer.

A planting scheme can be based on the type of plants you like but you will also need to take into account soil and climate conditions. Some will simply not thrive in certain situations. ‘Start with hedges and trees, which can act as focal points, positioned to frame views and give shelter,’ says Claire Greener of Claire Greener Landscapes (clairegreener.com). ‘They create a backdrop for plants and shrubs. Texture and year-round interest are also things to consider.’

that burst into life as you drive past them. Lighting can also be built into the driveway, emulating blocks. You’ll need permission for a ‘crossover’, for access across the pavement from the road.

PHOTOGRAPHY LISA BEANEY, CLAIRE GREENER LANDSCAPES, SARAH NAYBOUR, PATRICK WILLIAMSON

Project regulations Alterations to any walls between neighbouring properties come under the Party Wall Act. The height of boundary fences, walls, gates and hedges and the proportions of outbuildings are regulated. But you can find out what can be done under permitted development (PD) rights, without need to apply for planning permission, on the Planning Portal. If the building is listed, planning permission must be sought. Some projects, especially those in a conservation area, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or other ecologically protected site, will need an environmental statement (ES). If an area of more than one hectare is being developed, a flood-risk assessment must be carried out. ‘This sets out the possible effects of flooding, how they will be managed and how they might be reduced during the construction,’ says Lee Bestall of Bestall & Co (bestall.co.uk).

● Natural stone paving is

classic, but contemporary cobble setts offer a wide range of colours and shapes. Traditional concreteblock paving can be laid in various patterns to enhance the driveway. ● If you can build a soakaway

and keep the water run-off flowing into the flower borders within your boundary then you don’t normally require planning permission but check with your local council. Installing permeable paving such as Marshalls Priora allows water to drain straight back into the ground. ● If the slope of the driveway

is towards the house, all installed paving and drainage should be 150mm below the damp-proof course. You can’t run your new drainage system into an existing one without getting planning permission. For new-build properties, if you replace a free draining area with hard-standing, permission is normally required. A green wall installed against the boundary is the focal point of this west London garden designed by Claire Greener Landscapes. A concealed tank irrigates the planting. The project cost £72,000 (clairegreener.com)

● Turn to p111 to read the case study on a new-build’s colourful garden MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 109

Simply Inspired Paving isn’t just paving. It’s possibilities. At Brett, we help you to create outside spaces that inspire, enhance, and shake things up a little – or a lot. Enabling greater vision, satisfying your design aspirations and achieving the unachievable. Whether you just need some support, or simply require the finest quality products, Brett helps you look at things differently. Brett. Everything’s easy. Anything’s possible.

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built on relationships

PROJECTS CASE STUDY

Nature tamed How a patch of ground has been given height, texture and colour to become a garden full of colour and interest WORDS CAROLINE RODRIGUES PHOTOGR APHY ALEX MOIR A

P R O J EC T PROFILE –

LOCATION Blackheath, London TYPE OF PROPERTY Timber-frame new-build DURATION OF PROJECT 5 weeks GARDEN SIZE 100sqm COST £40,000

When Carolyn Ashworth French and Chris Ashworth took the decision to mark off a portion of the garden of their Victorian home to build a modern house, they made certain that though smaller than their previous plot, the new-build’s garden would be full of interest. The couple’s new Scandia-Hus (scandia-hus.co.uk) timber-frame home has views from the front door straight out to the garden through full-width glazing in the living room. A keen gardener, Carolyn, who is a retired senior lecturer, always intended having a rather wild cottage garden, with a rustic look to soften the new-build. Retired lawyer Chris wanted two seating areas, plus space for some of his pots and sculptures and art. ‘Chris paints and we wanted to reflect his colourful artwork in the garden,’ says Carolyn.

ABOVE Curved pathways give way to two patio areas so Carolyn and Chris can sit surrounded by flowers

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PROJECTS CASE STUDY

A dry-stone wall encloses the raised flowerbeds

BELOW The couple rejected the idea of a lawn, opting instead for colourfully planted beds

London-based garden designer Catherine Clancy (catherineclancy.com) sketched out a concept for the space, introducing curved paths and incorporating raised beds to create extra levels. A picturesque feature is the curved dry-stone wall. ‘It’s a nod to Chris’s northern roots,’ says Carolyn. It was built using quartz paddle stone. ‘We decided to use it on the ground too, as a sort of crazy paving,’ says Catherine. Paving bricks from Chelmer Valley (chelmervalley.co.uk)

provide a contrast in the path between the seating areas and define the edges to the beds. The house was completed in the summer and by December the garden walls and paving were also finished. The landscaping, organised by Catherine, took about four weeks and buildings regulations sign off was required for the threshold draining. ‘The house has side access and though there was some space at the front to store materials, deliveries had to be staged,’ says Catherine.

‘It’s deﬁnitely not a low-maintenance garden, but that was part of the brief’ Five silver birch trees were craned in to provide a screen that would let the light filter in to the space. Carolyn and Catherine chose the plants together at the wholesaler. Catherine included evergreens to provide winter structure. And dwarf rhododendrons and camellias give winter and spring colour. ‘It’s definitely not a low-maintenance garden, but that was part of the brief,’ says Catherine. As the garden matures, central beds will evolve and plants can be changed to suit Carolyn’s wishes. ‘I love the colourful exuberance of the perennials and the constant presence of birds and butterflies.’ Catherine Clancy is a garden designer who focuses on making the most of limited space MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 113

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KITCHENS &

BATHROOMS This Bulthaup B3 kitchen in graphite and gravel with oak bar starts at Â£50,000, from Kitchen Architecture (kitchen architecture.co.uk)

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KITCHEN UPGRADE Blunt message The Assure knife collection features blades with squared-off tips for added safety – a response to legislation that reclassifies kitchen knives as offensive weapons. Made from stainless steel with an ergonomic soft-touch handle, each has the high performance of a standard design but without the sharp points. From £3.99, Viners. (viners.co.uk)

All up front British brand Mereway has launched a sleek new range called Q-Line. This streamlined design includes a choice of ceramic and glass doors and drawers. The ceramic palette, in four different colours, is subtly textured, while the glass fronts come in a satin or polished finish and a choice of four hues. Handleless or touch-to-open cabinets complete the contemporary look. Q-Line Cucina kitchen, from £27,000, Mereway. (mereway.co.uk)

Elevated style Gain clutter-free worksurfaces, while keeping containers, bottles and glassware close to hand, with this utility-chic hanging shelving. Made from powdercoated metal, the unit measures 120x78x30cm and has a generous maximum weight capacity of 50kg. Hanging storage, £279, Limited Abode. (limitedabode.co.uk).

WORDS PAULA WOODS

An Italian flair Florim stone (florim.com) is a collection of worksurfaces from Italy, now available in the UK exclusively through Surface Ceramics (surfaceceramics. co.uk). Heat, stain and waterresistant, this low-maintenance, highly durable clay and mineral sintered porcelain replicates materials such as stone, marble, metal and concrete. Available in various thicknesses, and a choice of matte or polished finishes, prices start from £700 per sqm.

Très chic Created by French designer Fabrice Berrux for furniture manufacturer Bonaldo, the Delta dining table has an elegant and lightweight look due to its slimline metal legs. It’s available in a number of sizes and finishes, including this American walnut top and matt copper metal base. From £3,708 for a 200x100x75cm table. (gomodern.co.uk)

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PROJECTS KITCHENS

Saloni‘s Woodward rectified wood-effect porcelain floor tiles measure 120x20cm and are also available with an anti-slip finish. £80.40 per sqm (saloni.com)

Outside interests A well-planned kitchen that opens up to a glorious outdoor space is a route to relaxed living WORDS PAUL A WOODS

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Whether a new-build or renovation, a spacious, light-filled, multifunctional kitchen, with direct links to the garden via banks of glazing, can enhance the way you enjoy your home. Reworking a cramped or fragmented kitchen layout is the simplest option but, according to a recent YouGov poll, ten per cent of homeowners want to extend and a single-storey addition can make for a seamless transition between indoors and out.

This new addition by MW Architects (mwarchitects.co.uk) enabled the ground-floor layout to be remodelled, allowing for a new light-filled room. London plane wood and Atlantic Blue laminate kitchen with Corian worksurfaces, from ÂŁ10,000, Pluck (pluck.kitchen)

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A single-storey addition can make for a seamless transition between indoors and out

PROJECTS KITCHENS

ABOVE A single-storey extension has created room for a generous kitchen-diner. Prices for this Bulthaup B3 kitchen in graphite and gravel with oak bar, from Kitchen Architecture, start at £50,000 (kitchen architecture.co.uk)

Playing by the rules Providing your home hasn’t been extended in the past, is not in a conservation area or listed, a single-storey extension is often achievable under permitted development rules (PD). You can extend at the rear of a detached house by up to eight metres, and four in a semi-detached or terraced home, but neighbours have the right to object if they feel they’re affected with regard to light and privacy.

Overdevelopment of the garden area should also be avoided and not exceed 50 per cent if PD approval is required. You may be able to consider a gardenfriendly alternative. ‘A side extension can maximise unused space between house and boundary and, despite being quite small, allow reconfiguration for a much more efficient floor plan,’ says Luigi Montefusco, director of LBMV Architects (lbmvarchitects.com).

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PROJECTS KITCHENS Glass walls Thanks to advances in glazing technology, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible to include bigger expanses of glass than ever before, as well-insulated framing systems, low-e coatings and argon-filled units will ensure a comfortable indoor temperature all year round. Lightweight, strong and low-maintenance, aluminium frames provide slim profiles that emphasise the link between indoors and out. And a flush threshold will

Big banks of glazing will reduce wall space, so factor this into your storage requirements when planning

This rear extension by Ade Architecture (adearchitecture.co.uk) connects to the garden via a 4m-high symmetrical steel-framed screen with double doors and 16mm insulated glass units. From ÂŁ17,000, Clement (clementwindows.co.uk)

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ensure a seamless transition between the interior and exterior flooring, while installing the correct drainage system will prevent water ingress. Bespoke bi-folding and sliding doors can provide greater spans of glazing than standard units. Bi-folding doors push back to give completely open, unrestricted access but you will need to allocate space for the folded panels. By contrast, sliding doors offer wider panels and minimal framing but are not able to give such a generous opening. Pocket doors slide back and slot into a recess built into the wall. They save space but can be costly, while single-panel pivots are good for smaller openings. Big banks of glazing will reduce wall space, so factor this into your storage requirements when planning.

TAKE IT OUTSIDE Choose versatile dining furniture, advises Anna Howell, interiors editor at Chaplins (chaplins.co.uk) ● Hardwood timber, stone,

metal and weatherproof woven rattan or cane are good material options for hardy tables and chairs. ● Stackable chairs with

lightweight frames are easier to move and store, while a table with a slim metal or synthetic base will also make carrying it less of a chore. ● Sculptural styles and

natural textures work well both inside and out. ● With hardwoods such as

teak, look for slender designs that are light enough to be used indoors, and make sure the furniture is reclaimed or responsibly sourced. ABOVE Seamless walls of glazing and sliding doors bring the outside in, in this frameless glass extension by James Price (jprice-group.co.uk). Thermally heated glass ensures year-round comfort in the Bulthaup B3 kaolin laminate and structured oak kitchen by Kitchen Architecture. From £50,000 (kitchen architecture.co.uk) RIGHT A frameless glass extension by AR Design Studio is made from 12mm outer sheets of toughened glass and supported by low-iron, solar- control coated glazing to reduce heat build up. The large doors provide natural ventilation (ardesignstudio.co.uk)

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Layout ideas Establishing dedicated areas for cooking, dining and relaxing works well in open-plan rooms. In general, dining and seating areas benefit from being closer to the garden with the cooking area at an efficient distance from main walkways and access points. ‘Consider how you will move through the whole area, including the entrances and exits, and avoid creating thoroughfares in busy places,’ says Alex Saint, design manager at Kitchen Architecture (kitchenarchitecture.co.uk). An Island or peninsula unit can serve to define work and relaxation areas, but allow a metre clearance around features such as this for ease of movement

Making connections Although expanses of glazing and level thresholds are the most obvious ways of making an indoor-outdoor link, they are not the only tools at your disposal. Using the same or similar materials both inside and out will create a sense of continuity, as will designing structures that are the same height and orientation from inside and out such as cabinets, tabletops and half-height walls. ● Turn to p126 for the case study of an in/out kitchen RIGHT Tall 3.1m glass doors provide uninterrupted views in this open-plan layout by Architecture for London (architectureforlondon.com)

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PROJECTS KITCHENS

To maintain continuity inside and out, the line of this porcelain worksurface is echoed by the table. Dekton XGloss Natura, from £450 per sqm, Cosentino (cosentino.com)

PHOTOGRAPHY MARTIN GARDNER, MALCOLM MENZIES, JIM STEPHENSON

LEFT The layout of this ground-floor extension by Granit (granit.co.uk) is centred around a large island that helps define zones and controls where people walk after entering through the full-width steel-framed doors. Handleless Shaker kitchen with Corian worksurfaces, £33,900, Higham Furniture (higham.co.uk) RIGHT The landscape surrounding this Cotswolds new-build by Stonewood Design (stonewooddesign.co.uk), is ever-present thanks to floor-to-ceiling glazing. Exposed brick and reclaimed timber cabinets give a strong connection between outdoors and in. Bespoke kitchen, from £30,000, Sustainable Kitchens (sustainable kitchens.co.uk)

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 125

Inside out This kitchen’s colour palette, materials and layout have been designed with the outdoor space in mind WORDS PAUL A WOODS PHOTOGR APHY POLLY ELTES

P R O J EC T PROFILE –

LOCATION West Sussex STYLE OF PROPERTY Detached self-build DURATION OF BUILD 20 months (entire project) KITCHEN SIZE 33sqm COST £70,728

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After 30 years of living in a beautiful but draughty 150-year-old house, Frieda and Alan Whiteman, who are both in their early 60s, took on the challenge of self-building. They asked architect practice MortonScarr (mortonscarr.com) to realise their vision of a home with contemporary interiors well-connected to the garden, a pool and the surrounding woodland. The couple’s stone and timber-clad new-build was granted planning at the first attempt and features an impressive split-level ground floor and wall-to-wall glazing for fantastic views of the garden. ‘We wanted a flexible space that would work well for us and for when our grown-up children came to stay,’ says Frieda. ‘They have families of their own, so the kitchen needed to be somewhere for everyone to gather and enjoy activities, both inside and out.’ The couple were keen to ensure the open-plan ground floor was comfortable and cohesive by dividing it into cooking, dining and seating areas. A family connection led them to designer Jasper Middleton from bespoke kitchen company Middleton (middleton-bespoke.co.uk). ‘We’d never lived in an open-plan house before and were nervous that it might feel cold and

MAGAZINE.COM

ABOVE The island offers ample room to work on the Aga side, plus seating and storage opposite. It’s topped with a 3.6x1.8m matt antique black granite worksurface RIGHT Full-height glazed sliding doors plus flush level thresholds and flooring offer a seamless connection to the garden

PROJECTS CASE STUDY

Cabinets have been hand-painted in Mylands Rothschild Street, chosen to resemble the tones of a nearby copper beech tree (mylands.com)

‘Jasper encouraged us to use colours and materials that would pick up on features in the garden. We chose granite worksurfaces, end-grain timber and oak ﬂooring’ impersonal,’ says Frieda. ‘But we trusted Jasper to be able to achieve our wish for a sense of character.’ With a pool, flowerbeds and woodland to one side of the kitchen and peaceful Zen-inspired garden on the other, Jasper felt it vital that cabinets didn’t obstruct the views or dominate the room. Hence, a multipurpose island provides storage space, somewhere to sit and a surface for food prep. It also separates the cooking zone from the living area and leads to the full-height sliding doors. ‘There are no wall cabinets, thanks to the ample storage provided by a large pantry behind the run of units,’ says Jasper. The ground floor steps up to the dining area, which benefits from a double-height void. To create a style between classic and contemporary, the couple chose timeless in-frame Shaker cabinets in a shade inspired by a copper beech tree. ‘Jasper encouraged us to use colours and materials that would pick up on features in the garden,’ says Frieda. ‘We chose granite worksurfaces, end-grain timber and oak flooring. I love to watch the changing seasons and find the space uplifting and relaxing. There’s no better place to cook than with a view of the pool and the doors open taking in a breeze from the garden.’ MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 127

ADVERTISING PROMOTION

Milano Nero freestanding bath/shower mixer tap with hand shower, £399.99, Milano Nero thermostatic shower with round shower head and hand shower, £384.99 (bigbathroomshop.co.uk) BELOW Milano Nero black corner sliding door shower enclosure with slate tray, choice of sizes, from £415

DARK AND DRAMATIC Whether you are renovating a big family bathroom or a compact cloakroom, installing black brassware and accessories makes a dramatic design statement. Online retailer Big Bathroom Shop has an extensive collection of black taps and shower fittings that will inspire you to embrace moody interiors and darker tones. Influenced by the latest trends, the range is designed to help you create a truly beautiful space. From contemporary thermostatic shower valves to toilet flush plates, towel rails and spa‐style freestanding taps, the wide range of black designs includes everything you need to create a stunning, co-ordinated scheme. Everything from sophisticated Scandi industrial-chic or pared-back styles can be created using the wide choice of mattfinish fixtures and fittings. Or, if you are a traditionalist at heart, you’ll find a collection of vintage-style black and chrome taps and 130 MAY 2020 /

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shower valves, such as the gorgeous Milano Elizabeth range, which is designed to help you create a luxurious scheme with more of a classic influence. The Big Bathroom Shop range of elegant black fittings and accessories allows you to revamp your bathroom with ease. And to pick up even more design ideas, take a look at the inspiring case studies you’ll find on the Big Bathroom Shop website (bigbathroomshop.co.uk). ‘I’m really happy and I can’t thank the staff at Big Bathroom Shop enough for helping me make my design vision a reality,’ says home-interiors influencer Kylie John*. ‘Its black products are of superior quality and exactly what I hoped they would be – modern and minimalistic.’ Visit the Big Bathroom Shop website to find your own inspiration and find out more from the company’s experts.

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You’ll find the latest black designs at Big Bathroom Shop

B AT H R O O M E D I T Well rounded Italian company Ex.t has added a bath to its recently launched Nouveau collection. The circular tub has an integrated storage ledge that, as well as providing a handy place for soap and shampoo, allows for deck-mounted taps and wall installation. It can also be freestanding. Inspired by early 20th-century style, the solid surface design, in matt white or blush pink, can be teamed with basins, cabinets, mirrors and a shower system in the range. £POA. (ex-t.com)

In a spin Award-winning British designer Sam Lander has unveiled the Whirligig range of countertop basins. Created by spinning coloured concrete, each of the decorative patterns is unique and sealed by hand to ensure a scratch and stain-resistant surface. The 44cm diameter basins are designed for use with a standard-sized waste. £1,019. A bespoke service is also available. (samlander.com)

A new angle

Eco ethos Kanth Manufacturing and Smiths Metal Centres have joined forces to open a state-of-the-art facility producing shower systems with minimal waste. Designs include this round overhead shower, £723, handset, £438, body jets, £381, triple outlet thermostatic valve, £1,064, and double-handle basin mixer, £780. (kanth.london)

The metro, or subway, tile has become a bathroom staple since it first appeared in 1900s underground stations. New for 2020, the classic bevelled brick shape has been given a hexagonal makeover. The Picket tile measures 300x100mm, and comes in six colours, including a marble effect finish. £34 per sqm from Walls and Floors. (wallsandfloors.co.uk)

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B AT H R O OM E D I T On one level Replicating natural stone’s textured finish, Matki’s Slate shower floor can be colour matched to surrounding surfaces using RAL or Pantone colours. The collection of flush-fitting 38mm trays are made from cast stone resin, with a hard-wearing gel coating, and can be specified in bespoke square or rectangular formats, measuring up to 2,000x1,000mm. This 1,700x 900mm tray costs £627. (matki.co.uk)

Bright spark New from Mullan Lighting is the adjustable Lambeth pendant, featuring a distinctive cone shade, suspended from a rescued fire-hose nitrile rubber strap. The IP65-rated light is moistureresistant and sports an LED tube bulb securely housed within a sealed, teardrop-shaped glass shade. Available in six colour finishes, with a yellow or red strap. £412 from West One Bathrooms. (westonebathrooms.com)

A ripple effect More frequently seen in kitchen cabinets, fluted glass has now made its way to the bathroom. This Classica shower door with inline panels for fitting into a recess has a solid brass frame with an Urban City Bronze finish. The full range of doors, panels and screens is available in nine metallic finishes, and can also be fitted with clear glass. The cost is from £7,500. (cphart.co.uk)

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Combining smart technology with water-saving design, Vitra has launched the V-care Smart Panel. With three flush options to choose from, it can be operated remotely and monitors weekly water usage, via a free app. The device can also be programmed to regularly wash out the loo bowl. V-care Smart Panel in glossy black anti-fingerprint finish, from £585. The V-care toilet is £2,100. (vitra.co.uk)

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WORDS PAULA WOODS

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PROJECTS BATHROOMS

A roofline conversion is one of the easiest ways to extend. Chichester undermount washstand with painted cabinets, marble worktops and sinks, ÂŁ1,895, Lefroy Brooks white lever taps, ÂŁ480, Neptune (neptune.com)

Lofty ambitions A well-planned attic bathroom can be a cost-effective investment, and an opportunity to bring in plenty of light WORDS PAUL A WOODS

According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) (rics.org), the average loft conversion could increase the value of your home by as much as 25 per cent. In some areas of the country, transforming the attic into extra living space is less costly than upgrading to a bigger property. And creating a new bedroom with en-suite bathroom tends to be the best way to add value. Wise allocation of space and adequate access is essential for success, and self-builders can also exploit potentially wasted space by designing-in areas beneath the eaves.

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 135

PROJECTS BATHROOMS

Assess the potential Houses built before 1960 tend to have steep roof pitches, which allows for a relatively straightforward loft conversion. However, space and head-height issues can be resolved in most buildings by adapting the roof or lowering the ceiling of the floor beneath, although this will add to the cost of the project. The simplest solution is to leave the roof intact and insert roof lights. Adding a dormer or mansard window, which has a sloping profile and flat roof, provides more floor space for an en-suite and opens up views. Those

with a hipped roof may also wish to convert to an upright gable end to add even more space. An architect will come up with a sympathetic design that makes the most of the internal space, and may also be able to recommend contractors. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) (architecture.com) has a national database of chartered architects. Alternatively, full service design and build companies can take on the entire scheme, including everything from planning, design and structural calculations, right through to supplying trades and fitting out interiors.

BELOW An Agape white Cristalplant Immersion bath and washbasin countertop make the most of available space under the eaves in this attic conversion. From ÂŁ15,000, Kitchen Architecture (kitchen architecture.co.uk)

Adding a dormer provided headroom of 2m in this en-suite bathroom. The large window also helps open up the space and offers panoramic views. £66,677, Plus Rooms (plusrooms.co.uk)

Seeking approval

This large, fixed roof light by Glazing Vision (glazingvision.co.uk) brightens this shower room. Project by Mulroy (mulroyarchitects.com)

Converting a loft should not require planning permission unless the property is listed, within a conservation area or the roofline is to be altered. And rear dormers that do not sit forward of the principal roof plane and are no higher than the existing roofline can often be installed under permitted development rights (PD). Party wall agreements are required from adjoining properties. You can find more on this and planning regulations at the Planning Portal (planningportal.co.uk). Structural integrity is a primary consideration, and all conversions must adhere to building regulations. Trussed roofs tend to require extensive support, while a steel ridge can be used to reinforce traditional roofs, dormers, mansards or hips. Ceiling joists will also need strengthening to take the weight of new floors and bathroom fixtures. ‘Consulting a structural engineer is vital,’ says Alessia Mosci, director at architecture practice MWAI (mwai.co.uk). Lofts must follow strict regulation regarding fire doors, escape routes and windows. And having a permanent staircase and head-height of at least two metres is required for the conversion to be classed as a habitable space. So, plan access early on in the design process to ensure it is easy and safe, and take into account any floor and ceiling build-up resulting from insulation requirements and finishes.

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Getting it right Lofts are notorious for poor water flow, so your plumber will prioritise boiler capacity and water pressure. A pump may be the best solution to boost pressure, or you may need to change or upgrade your system. Electric showers can also help alleviate demand. Stud walls, floor cavities and purlin walls can all be used to conceal re-routed pipework from the floor below. But check the location of existing drainage and plan accordingly or you may have problems connecting to the soil stack. If this is the case, consider fitting a macerator, such as from Saniflo (saniflo.co.uk). You’ll also need to ensure the bathroom is correctly waterproofed, especially in space-saving wet rooms, where high-spec tanking is advisable. ‘Underfloor heating will dry up surface moisture,’ says Leanne Robey, senior designer at Ripples (ripplesbathrooms.com). But to keep rooms dampfree an efficient extractor fan is vital. Specifying vertical and overhead glazing will bring in daylight. ‘Larger expanses make a space feel bigger and draw the eye to views beyond,’ says James Bernard, director at Plus Rooms (plusrooms. co.uk). Switchable, mirrored or overhead glazing provides a way to maintain privacy, while roof lights also add head height and could make all the difference in this respect above a shower or bath.

ABOVE Create a partial feature wall to separate a wet and dry area in a walk-in-style shower. Ceramic tiles provide a lightweight and practical surface. New Brighton Ocean tiles, £24.95 per sqm, Walls and Floors (wallsandfloors.co.uk) LEFT Opting for frameless structural glazing creates a wow-factor room, and specifying mirrored glass ensures the neighbours can’t see in. Structural glazing, £36,000, Trombe (trombe.co.uk)

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 139

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If there is sufficient head height when sitting in the bath, tuck in a freestanding tub into the eaves. 3D Offset Hexagon tiles, £134 per sqm, The Baked Tile Company (bakedtiles.co.uk)

CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS Structural glazing guidelines from Alan West, managing director at Trombe (trombe.co.uk) ● All overhead and monolithic – singlepane – structural glazing should be carried out by a specialist as breakages or failures could prove dangerous. ● In our view, structural glass should be

heat soak tested. Toughened glass has been known to spontaneously break and shatter due to small imperfections known as nickel sulphide inclusions. They are rare but undetectable. With heat soak testing, the glass is heated for a period of time, which induces any inclusions to rupture. Glass that passes the test has a much lower risk of fracture. ● It is important that the inner pane

of all overhead glazing is laminated and heat strengthened, which makes it perform better than standard glass. If it were to break, it would be held securely by the lamination. ● Full glass calculations and drawings

should be provided for any monolithic or overhead structural glass works and are required for building control approval. These are specific to each project as they are based on site conditions and wind loads – generic calculations are not acceptable. If a glass installer can’t provide full calculations for your structural glazing, don’t appoint them.

PHOTOGRAPHY SARAH HOGAN, WILL PRYCE

Working the space Whether adding a compact en-suite, a big bathroom or even a grand skyline spa, it’s important to make sure the layout allows room to manoeuvre and sufficient headroom for fixtures to function. Consulting an experienced architect or a bathroom designer will ensure every inch of space is used wisely. And plan ahead for heavyweight fittings, such as a cast-iron bath or sauna, to prevent costly structural modification. Showers require the full height of the room. ‘A wetroom shower area will exploit the full height of the space,’ says Leanne. Or Matki’s EauZone Plus Bespoke solutions (matki.co.uk) are designed for awkward areas or to span a gable end. The bath and loo can often be placed under the eaves, although you may want to build out purlin walls so fixtures can be pulled forward to maintain head height. Any voids, here or elsewhere, can then be used to build in storage. Placing basins beneath overhead glazing will also allow you to take advantage of light and height. In smaller spaces, rather than shoehorning everything in, opt for a wall-hung and short-projection toilet and vanity unit to free up floor space. And choose a compact tub – try lightweight copper or acrylic designs if you are worried about the extra weight.

A stud wall beneath a mid-height window conceals the framework for a back-to-wall loo, making use of a space that’s too small for a shower or bath. Room by Cherie Lee Interiors (cherieleeinteriors.co.uk)

● Turn to p142 to read the case study of a loft bathroom MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 141

P R O J EC T PROFILE –

LOCATION Kent STYLE OF PROPERTY 6-bedroom Victorian villa DURATION OF BUILD 4 weeks SIZE 6.25sqm COST £9,500 (excluding installation)

Only girls allowed A considered layout and integrated storage make great use of space in this fun loft scheme for four daughters WORDS PAUL A WOODS PHOTOGR APHY PAUL CR AIG

142 MAY 2020 /

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PROJECTS CASE STUDY

Black brassware and a bespoke hinged shower door is offset with geometric tiles. Lily Pad matt porcelain tiles in Bubblegum, £69.12 per sqm, Ca’ Pietra (capietra.com, bespoke hinged shower door, £1,664, Kohler Components showerhead, arm and hand shower, £2,062, from West One Bathrooms (westone bathrooms.com)

‘Originally servants’ quarters, the space included three garret bedrooms and the potential for a bathroom’ Having bought their family home as a renovation project, Rachel and Greg Bowmann, both 38, were keen for the first phase of works to include the re-working of the large attic. ‘Originally servants’ quarters, the space included three garret bedrooms and the potential for a bathroom,’ says Rachel. ‘It gave us the chance to dedicate an entire floor to our four daughters.’ The three bedrooms would be for Emily, eleven, Jess, nine, Kate, five, and Alex, three, with a bathroom created to serve all the upgraded rooms. But before making any design decisions, they asked a structural engineer to inspect both the roof and floor joists for structural defects.

‘We ended up replacing one large joist as a precaution, and also fitted a new roof light,’ says Rachel. ‘Apart from that, the focus was on extending the heating system and relaying pipework.’ In what would be a busy room, installing a bath and separate shower was a priority. But unsure as to the feasibility of this plan, due to the steep roof pitches and a desire to retain an original fireplace, the couple turned to designer Joel Fry of London-based West One Bathrooms (westonebathrooms.com) for ideas. Joel suggested taking space from an adjoining landing cupboard to create a recessed shower. The back eaves

LEFT By re-working a redundant attic, space was found for a bathroom. Burlington Windsor 1500mm acrylic bath, £848, Kohler Components bath valve, spout and hand shower, £2,105, West One Bathrooms (westone bathrooms.com)

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PROJECTS CASE STUDY

The durable cast-iron double basin features striking rain-shower taps. Kohler Brockway 900mm cast-iron basin with Triton Bowe Cannock taps and soap dish, £3,519.30, West One Bathrooms (westonebathrooms.com)

wall was pulled forward to make space for a freestanding bath with increased head height, while still allowing for a double basin and loo on the hipped gable wall. Having a 1,500 millimetre-long bath left enough room for storage to be built either side. ‘We chose a traditional-style tub in keeping with the house’s Victorian character but made from acrylic rather than heavy cast iron,’ says Rachel. And the period theme is accentuated by a generous, cast-iron double basin. A neat back-to-wall loo was mounted on a half-height, false wall, constructed to enclose all the pipework, relay supplies and drainage to the shower. ‘Joel also specified a storage niche cut into the shower framework when knocking through and making good that area,’ says Rachel. As the bathroom is for four lively girls, Joel encouraged the couple to be bold in their design choices. So rather than have a chrome finish throughout, as with the basin’s dual shower-style taps, they went with black brassware for the shower and a bespoke black-framed shower door. The wall tiles are practical and hard-wearing porcelain in a striking geometric design and in bubblegum pink, but Rachel is particularly pleased with the personalised mosaic floor motif spelling out ‘Girls!’ ‘It sums up what this room is all about,’ she says. ‘And the children couldn’t be happier.’

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LEFT Porcelain mosaic floor tiles combine practicality with a quirky, decorative inlay. Mono Hex Porcelain in Blanc and Noir, £86.77 per sqm, Ca’ Pietra (capietra.com)

ADVERTISING PROMOTION A sleek, slim washbasin suits this pared-back scheme. Corian Colour Georgia wall-mounted double washbasin in Blue Laguna and vanity cabinet, £2,559, Riluxa (riluxa.com) BELOW Square Crema Marfil wall-mounted washbasin, £1,499, Riluxa

CUSTOMISED DESIGN Get a bespoke bathroom with the help of Riluxa’s experts Some of the hottest buzzwords at the 2020 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas were ‘made to measure’, ‘custom-made’ and ‘mixing and matching’ – all of which describe the bathroom products available from international online retailer Riluxa. Launched in Valencia in 2016 by Parisian entrepreneur Frédéric Tomé, Riluxa has closed the gap in the market for those who want all the craftsmanship and quality of luxury, artisanal sanitaryware but with the simple clickability of an online shop. Since entering the UK market last year, the company has already developed a reputation for innovation. ‘I believe that our model of retailing has played a significant part in the trend for customisation,’ Frédéric says. ‘We’ve been doing this for four years now, selling fully customisable Corian, marble, Silestone and other solid surface bathrooms to clients all over the world.’ So how does it work? Click on the page of the product you like. Then, using simple onscreen sliders, you can vary the length, width and depth of the item, as well as changing

the size and position of the basin section in a washbasin or vanity top. In most cases, you can also choose from a wide range of classic materials and daring new colours. Once all the options have been taken into account, the price is displayed at the foot of the page. ‘It might seem mundane to display the price, but it’s actually a big deal in terms of made-to-measure bathrooms,’ says Frédéric. ‘You don’t see many other companies doing it. Usually you have to call for a quote. We even ship your choice for free.’

For anyone looking beyond what’s available online, Riluxa has a dedicated sales team. You can share measurements, photos and technical drawings – although the company can provide these, too. This enables you to customise from a huge range of standard models and then add your own design changes to them. ‘Being able to mix a vanity top with a cabinet from a different range is the most basic level of customisation and you can do that on screen,’ says Frédéric. ‘Where Riluxa goes beyond is when someone wants something very specific. ‘We had a call from someone who was building a shower to close off an odd-shaped corner – the shower tray needed to be 90 centimetres at the back and 135 centimetres at the front to fit perfectly. Supplying those unique made-to-measure requests are what really sets us apart.’ ● For information, visit RILUXA.COM

MAGAZINE.COM / MAY 2020 145

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EVENT GUIDE Whether you’re starting out on an ambitious renovation, building a new home, making a few improvements or updating your garden, you’ll find everything you need to make your project a success at Grand Designs Live

LONDON EXCEL 2-10 MAY 2020

Plan your show visit Grand Designs Live is a fantastic event, but with so much to see it can be hard to know where to start. Here’s how to make the most of the show, sponsored by Anglian Home Improvements and partnered with The Times and The Sunday Times, so you can be inspired by the features most relevant to your project ● Browse more than 500 companies, arranged over four project zones. Build is where you’ll find construction and glazing materials, services and techniques. The Kitchen & Bathroom and Interiors halls are home to many well-known brands, along with independent suppliers. Gardens is the place to find glorious outdoor buildings, furniture and features. ● Reserve a place at the Ask an Expert hub, an essential stop for self-builders, renovators and home-improvers. Specialists will include RIBA architects, interior designers, landscape gardeners, and financial, planning and eco experts. Discuss your own grand design in a free 30-minute consultation, and don’t forget your plans, drawings and an idea of your budget to get the most from your session. If you can’t book in advance, limited spots will be available on a first-come, first-served basis on the day. ● Take a seat in the Grand

Theatre to see Kevin McCloud, along with Grand Designers from the TV series and a host of industry experts live on stage, as they take part in inspiring seminars and dynamic debates. ● Visit the Upcycling Hub and support Britain’s exciting eco-design talent. You’ll see

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six innovative makers who’ll demonstrate how to create beautiful, unique pieces of craft from found, recycled and repurposed materials. There will also be the chance to buy or commission a one-off artisan item for your own home. ● Drop by the GD Projects stage to hear industry experts explaining a range of self-build, design and home-improvement topics. Discover the latest innovations and trends, benefit from expert advice and be inspired by fresh ideas for your kitchen, bathroom, living area and garden. ● Follow the Innovation Trail, another exciting addition to the event this year. It will feature only the most cutting-edge companies, making it easier for you to discover state-of-the-art designs, eco-friendly ideas and the latest product launches. ● Join the Green Finger Campaign, launched in response to the 2019 State of Nature report, which revealed that nearly half of UK wild plant, insect and bird species are in decline. The show is packed with green products, free eco advice, activities and talks – everything you need to ensure you’re doing your part to protect and enhance the natural world around your home.

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Self-build simplified If you’re looking for ideas, supplies or advice for your construction project, the build section is the place to be

Renewable solution Transform your patio into an all-weather outdoor living space with a transparent power-generating canopy from Polysolar. The glazing protects you from the elements and can be positioned to generate the maximum amount of energy. The solar glass still harvests power even in less than ten per cent sunlight, while any unused energy can be stored in a battery as part of the company’s smart energy solutions. Visit the stand to find out more. (polysolar.co.uk)

Home design Based in south-east London, Gruff Architects is an award-winning practice specialising in residential properties. At its stand you’ll discover how its projects are crafted around the unique context of each space through a methodical and structured work process, with designs tailormade to brief. (gruffarchitects.com)

Kevin’s eco warriors Every year Kevin McCloud chooses some of the best and most innovative eco-friendly products to showcase in the Green Heroes feature. One of this year’s selection is That’s Caffeine, a versatile material created from recycled coffee grounds, invented by award-winning industrial designer Atticus Durnell (atticusdurnell.com). Another is 4eco’s completely biodegradable Biofase range of cutlery, straws and cocktail stirrers, made from avocado stones. (4eco.uk.com)

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Secrets of self-build success Expert advice on building your own home from Kevin McCloud

Level up The Econoloft stand is a must if you’re planning a loft conversion. This family run company has more than 40 years’ experience of transforming attic spaces into spacious, comfortable, bespoke rooms that complement the style of each house. Visit to see case studies and ask about its exclusive show offer. (econoloft.co.uk)

Top of the blocks All About Bricks has been established as the UK arm of Dutch brick manufacturer Rijswaard Baksteen for more than 20 years. It offers 400-plus designs from Holland, Denmark and Germany, and a number of specials, arches and lintels. The team will be on hand to explain how they can work around your delivery schedule to ensure everything arrives on site when you need it. (aab.build)

● Plan your project well in advance. If you spend three years planning and putting everything in place, chances are you’ll be on site for six months. Spend six months planning and you’ll likely be on site for three years! ● Adding a discretionary 20 per cent to your budget is a good way of covering the unforeseen costs that almost always crop up. ● Remember that professionals are key. Employ the best people you can afford, starting with a great project manager and builder. Seek personal recommendations and always check references! ● The building stage is the best time to start cutting your long-term costs – add insulation, incorporate solar panels, think about the sun in relation to your windows. Where will you get the best light? Could adding a skylight cut your electricity bills? ● Avoid thinking you can do everything yourself. An experienced project manager will know the ins and outs of building. For example, digging a trench for pipes and cabling means starting negotiations with utility companies at least a year in advance, while the pipes and cables will need to be ordered at least eight weeks ahead. ● Incorporate elements that you know will make you happy and add value to the life you want to live in your new home – rather than just adding value to the asking price. ● Don’t throw away all your old furniture to buy everything new. Our possessions are our autobiographies and help add character.

Glazing masters Maxlight designs, manufactures and installs sliding doors and has an extensive architectural glass product range. Adept at bespoke projects, it has the technical know-how to achieve any installation. At the event, it will be showcasing its super-slim frames, which provide an almost seamless finish. (maxlight.co.uk)

National Custom and Self Build Week The Self Build Clinic in the Ask The Experts hub is brought to you by The National Custom & Self Build Association as part of its Self Build Week. Drop in for advice on all aspects of your project. (nacsba.org.uk)

● Remember the outside of your home affects other people’s lives. It will become part of a land- or townscape, so give your architect, landscape designer and planner room for movement – otherwise your dream home may become someone else’s eyesore. ● A price produced by an architect or builder may not be accurate – get the build costed by a professional quantity surveyor. ● Enjoy the build! This is your dream – you get to plan your own home from the ground up and bring your vision to life.

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This award-winning wellness kitchen roomset was created by Finch London for Grand Designs Live (finchlondon.co.uk)

Renovation ideas You’ll find plenty of inspiration for your project, from kitchen and bathroom suppliers to architects and glazing solutions

That holiday feeling

Luxury finishes

Thomas de Cruz Architects & Designers is a small practice creating contemporary buildings, with an emphasis on imaginative interiors and interesting lighting that transform the way you live. Visit the company’s stand to find out how it aspires to emulate the sense of well-being you feel when on holiday, and strives to promote its clients’ comfort and happiness every day. (thomasdecruz.com)

Innovatiles supplies high-end exquisite Italian wall and floor tiles for both interior and exterior spaces, sourced from some of the best factories in the world. Choose from an extensive range of finishes, such as marble, wood, concrete or stone, along with sizes ranging from 100x100mm to 3,200x1,600mm. The company’s strength is its ability to offer these stunning designs at competitive prices, along with a friendly, knowledgeable approach. (innovatiles.com)

Dream makers With more than 37 years of experience in designing gorgeous kitchens, the team at Kitchens by George Rose are experts in working with an architect’s plans to create a stunning, innovative and stylish space. Pay a visit to the company’s stand for a free, no-obligation consultation, where every aspect of your concept, including your budget, can be discussed. (kitchensbygeorgerose.com)

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LONDON EXCEL 2-10 MAY 2020

Quality glazing

Warm underfoot

Are you starting a project and want to know how to bring light inside while also adding value to your home? The Express Bi-Folding Doors stand has the answers. Visit, and you’ll be able to see why the company is a leading name in the glazing industry, thanks to its depth of expert knowledge, combined with the innovation and quality of its products. You’ll also be able to take a look at the brand new range of sliding and bi-folding doors that it is previewing at the show. (expressbifolds.co.uk)

With Fast Fit Flooring’s innovative heating system, you can say goodbye to radiators. Unlike traditional underfloor heating, the floor comes pre-assembled to your own specifications. This eco-efficient method is embedded in the floor itself, heating up quickly and so requiring lower boiler temperatures than standard radiators. Visit the Fast Fit stand to find out more. (fastfitheatedflooring.co.uk)

Experts on hand Ask an Expert is an indispensable one-stop shop for project advice and information, with specialists in architecture, design, finance and sustainability offering free one-to-one consultations – so bring your plans, budgets and ideas along for a detailed assessment. Advance booking at granddesignslive.com is recommended.

Who’s on stage? Hear from Kevin McCloud, the Grand Designers from the TV series, plus industry experts, on stage at the Grand Theatre every day. Highlights include... l Federation of Master Builders There will be several talks featuring members of the Federation of Master Builders (fmb.org.uk). Tom Parsons of Olive & Umber (olive-umber.co.uk) will be discussing good practice guidelines for working with your builder, while Nik Nelberg from Earl & Calam (earlandcalambuilders.houzz.co.uk) will discuss the way forward when it comes to sustainable retrofit projects. Other subjects to be covered include the custom-build licensing scheme for builders, and extensions. l Richard Hawkes Many of us hanker after an idyllic countryside property. But as any planning expert will tell you, the chance of being granted permission to build a house in such a location may be low – unless you can meet the special requirements of the Paragraph 79 planning policy, that is. Join architect Richard Hawkes as he talks through the possibilities. (hawkesarchitecture.co.uk) l Colin and Marta MacKinnon Aviation enthusiasts Colin and Marta undertook a six-year project to build a house on a runway in Scotland. The couple will tell audiences the full story of their incredible aircraft hangar-style home, which featured on the television show in 2013 and 2019. l Paul and Amy Wilkinson The one-of-a-kind Grand Designs house that Paul and Amy built was inspired by a Celtic roundhouse. Revealing all the details of their ambitious project, the pair will discuss how they managed to combine ancient Iron Age design with a luxurious modern specification.

Complete package For bespoke glazing solutions, including bi-folding, sliding and French doors, roof lights, fixed glazed elements and the award-winning FunkyFront door, pictured, take a look at the Klöeber stand. Working with the company, you can expect exceptional customer service, including an initial consultation and showroom visit, plus close liaison with your architect and builders. A site survey guarantees an efficient installation service, which is carried out by an in-house fitting team. (kloeber.co.uk)

l John Curtis and Kevin McCloud Renewable energy is increasingly being used to fuel our homes. So how can we utilise solar, wind and industrial gases more efficiently to generate a more sustainable lifestyle for years to come? Join leading low-carbon expert John Curtis and Kevin McCloud as they talk us through how we power the future.

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The Douglas large three-seater sofa and footstool is from British Design Shop (britishdesignshop.com)

Inspiration for your home improvement You’ll find lots of decorating and design ideas at the event, along with plenty of opportunities to buy the latest products Countrywide choice For bespoke upholstery and handcrafted furniture by renowned and award-winning UK makers, head to the British Design Shop stand. Select your own unique piece and have it upholstered in one of the designer-recommended fabrics, or choose from more than 90 premium and luxury materials – plus you can pick different leg and wood options. And to help you make the perfect match for your scheme, the company will send up to six fabric samples to your door free of charge. (britishdesignshop.com)

Eco craftsmanship Adventures in Furniture is an interiors brand that uses the finest craftsmanship to produce contemporary furniture that’s built to last. With an ethos based on the importance of environmental responsibility, the company will be displaying a selection of extending tables, along with a new range of sofa fabrics, including one made from recycled plastic. You’ll find the stand next to the Grand Theatre. (aif.london)

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The Great British Box Room It’s a space that many of us have in our homes, but which often remains unused. An new competition at this year’s show aims to change that. The Great British Box Room will see interior designers competing to come up with creative concepts to transform small spaces into something useful and stylish. Visitors can browse the box-room sets for inspiration and supplier contact information. The winner will be selected by a judging panel, which includes Kevin McCloud, Jenny Gibbs from the KLC School of Design and Harriet Forde of the British Institute of Interior Design, and is set to be announced on the Grand Theatre stage. (klc.co.uk)

Attention to detail Conservatory Blinds Ltd creates made-to-measure designs to cover all types of glazing, from roof lanterns to bi-folding doors, and is exhibiting at the show this year. Its stylish and practical blinds are designed to have the neatest fit, helping to reduce glare and prevent overheating so that even spaces with large expanses of glass are comfortable throughout the year. And to top it all, the family-run business ensures your peace of mind at every stage of the order process. (conservatoryblinds.co.uk)

Sponsor showcase Arrange a test drive of the UX Self-Charging Hybrid from Lexus at Grand Designs Live. It has outstandingly smooth performance and fuel economy complemented by a bold, dynamic look, with elegantly sculptured surfaces suggesting an unmistakably strong and stylish character. (lexus.co.uk)

Down to a fine art Husband-and-wife team David and Teresa Beswick are the creative minds behind Scout & Boo. Their contemporary handcrafted furniture business brings together the cream of British craftsmanship to create stunning statement pieces. Featuring unique graphics that are works of art in their own right, the Scandi-influenced designs make a focal point in any home. The company’s design and production process also allows for bespoke pieces to suit your interior scheme – visit the stand to find out more. (scoutandboo.co.uk)

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LONDON EXCEL 2-10 MAY 2020 View the light and airy Charford garden office from Malvern Garden Buildings

Transform your outdoor space The Gardens hall, sponsored by Hydropool, is full of stylish and innovative ideas, with experts ready to provide advice and solutions Home office inspiration Malvern Garden Buildings offers outside office solutions, which may be of interest if you’re not able to extend your home. The company is expert at creating dedicated workspaces, which is tailored to your needs and your outdoor site. You can even choose your design on its stand during the show. (malverngardenbuildings.co.uk)

Nature under threat Back in 1889, the RSPB started its conservation mission, and today its work is needed more than ever. The charity’s focus at the show will be to demonstrate how you can take action to aid nature’s recovery. There will be recreations of three habitats in which the society is working hard to support birds and wildlife: the garden, coastal areas and woodlands. Stop by to learn more about what you can do to support this brilliant organisation’s work. (rspb.org.uk)

Glazing innovation Anglian has been at the forefront of UK home improvements for more than 50 years. It stays ahead of the rest by investing in a research-and-development programme that enables it to offer an extensive range of double-glazed windows, doors, conservatories and orangeries. The company is proud to display the ‘Made in Britain’ marque, which indicates its products adhere to the most rigorous quality standards. And because it is the headline show sponsor, there will be lots of opportunities to explore products for yourself. (anglianhome.co.uk)

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Outdoor living Best known for its contemporary glass structures, Crocodile creates bespoke designs to suit your home and lifestyle, while incorporating unique design ideas. The company also offers verandas and garden rooms that can be teamed with sun awnings and patio blinds. See examples of all this and more at its stand at the event. (crocodile.co.uk)

Eat al-fresco Arctic Cabins designs sloping-walled barbecue huts based on traditional Scandinavian Grillkotas. Because you can cook inside the Derbyshire-made cabins on the central grill, you’ll stay cosy and warm whatever the weather, with the option of installing a drinks bar for year-round entertaining. A number of different sizes are available – step inside the display model at the show to see just how roomy they are. They all come with a no-quibble ten-year guarantee. (arcticcabins.co.uk)

Complete relaxation Head to Hydropool’s stand to see the world’s only Self-Cleaning Hot Tubs and SwimSpas. You can also check out the Serenity range, with new features such as Weatherseal insulation, Unibody frame, Edgewater shell and ClearSpring filtration. On a budget? There will be exclusive show offers and discounts, as well as the chance to benefit from a VIP consultation. (hydropoolspas.co.uk)

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Essential information All the details you’ll need before your visit to Grand Designs Live at ExCeL London Opening hours

Venue details

● 10am-5pm: 4-7 and 10 May ● 10am-6pm: 2-3 and 8-9 May

For information about disabled access, cloakrooms, facilities and food and drink, visit the ExCeL London website (excel.london).

Prices Weekday: £12 in advance/£17 on the door Weekend: £15 in advance/£20 on the door Children aged 15 and under: Can attend for free when accompanied by an adult. Head to the Box Office upon arrival to obtain child tickets.

How to visit the event Rail/tube: From central London, the Jubilee Line is recommended as the quickest route. Alight at Canning Town and change onto a Beckton-bound DLR train for the two-stop journey to Prince Regent. It's a short walk to ExCeL's eastern entrance. Road: For satnav purposes use the postcode E16 1DR. Follow signs for Royal Docks, City Airport and ExCel. There is easy access from the M25, M11, A406 and A13.

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